Chapter 126.1: Number Two in the Divine Strength Rankings (I)

In Beiling City, Lu Changsheng walked toward the Martial Pavilion with Sheng Yuanyi's head in one hand. Drop after drop of fresh blood fell from it and spattered across the ground.

People along the way stared in confusion. Dao Shi'er rarely returned so early, and he would usually bring back more than one head. This did not seem like his usual style.

"It's Dao Shi'er again. But why is he only carrying one head?"

"Right. Doesn't he usually bring back dozens every time? Why just one today?"

"And why does that head look so familiar?"

Just then, someone recognized the head Dao Shi'er was holding.

"That's Sheng Yuanyi!"

"Heavens, it really is Sheng Yuanyi! He's ranked second on the Divine Strength Rankings. The one whose strength surged recently, the same man who even severely injured Song Wuqing!"

"Dao Shi'er's saber managed to kill Sheng Yuanyi?"

"Unbelievable! Truly unbelievable."

"I can't believe Dao Shi'er managed to kill Sheng Yuanyi!"

Shock rippled through the crowd. No one could believe what they were seeing.

Since the Northern Region Battlefield opened, Tian Xin, Sheng Yuanyi, and Song Wuqing had been standing firm in the top three positions on the Divine Strength Rankings. The names below them had changed again and again, but theirs had never left the top.

At most, Sheng Yuanyi and Song Wuqing occasionally traded places.

Across the entire Northern Region Battlefield, it was a fact that within the Divine Strength Realm, Tian Xin, Sheng Yuanyi, and Song Wuqing suppressed every other martial artist.

When Dao Shi'er returned with Sheng Yuanyi's head, the long-standing order was shattered.

The crowd stood frozen in place. No one dared breathe. Every gaze was fixed on the head in Lu Changsheng's hand.

Lu Changsheng's expression remained calm. He walked into the Martial Pavilion and tossed Sheng Yuanyi's head onto the floor. It struck the ground with a dull thud and rolled several feet before stopping.

In an instant, every gaze turned toward Lu Changsheng, including the martial artist working at the Martial Pavilion.

The martial artist swallowed hard. As a Martial Pavilion attendant, he was well informed. The moment he saw the head, he knew it belonged to Sheng Yuanyi, but he still had to confirm it.

He steadied himself and stammered, "Dao... Mister Dao... is this Sheng Yuanyi's head?"

"Yes," Lu Changsheng said calmly. "I killed Sheng Yuanyi. Now, how much is his head worth?"

The Martial Pavilion immediately burst into an uproar. The martial artists who had followed him inside grew visibly excited.

Sheng Yuanyi was ranked second on the Divine Strength Rankings and was even considered stronger than Song Wuqing, yet his severed head lay on the floor before them.

On the rankings, his name still stood in second place and would not disappear until next month's update. Seeing his name on the wall while his corpse lay at their feet left everyone feeling deeply unsettled.

"Sheng Yuanyi is ranked second on the Divine Strength Rankings. Killing him is equivalent to earning thirty thousand minor merits!" the Martial Pavilion martial artist announced loudly.

Thirty thousand minor merits were enough to exchange for three Divine Strength Realm pills. Lu Changsheng, however, was already a martial artist at the Thousand Cauldrons Stage and had no use for them.

Lu Changsheng looked at the attendant. "Can thirty thousand minor merits be exchanged for Divine Fortification Realm martial arts?"

"Yes," the martial artist replied. "But even the lowest-grade Divine Fortification Realm martial art requires ten major merits, which is equal to one hundred thousand minor merits."

A hundred thousand minor merits was an astronomical sum for a Divine Strength Realm martial artist. Even at the lowest estimate of one hundred minor merits per opponent, a person would have to kill roughly a thousand opponents just to exchange for the lowest-grade Divine Fortification Realm martial art.

If it were a top-tier martial art, it would require one hundred major merits, which were equal to one million minor merits. In other words, it meant killing ten thousand opponents.

Lu Changsheng could accumulate one hundred thousand minor merits, but one million would be difficult even for him. He would have to slaughter endlessly on the Northern Region Battlefield, and it was unlikely that the Northern Barbarian Kingdom would allow it.

Even if it led to a clash between experts of the Divine Fortification Realm, the Northern Barbarian Kingdom would never permit Lu Changsheng to continue unchecked.

For now, Lu Changsheng decided to keep the thirty thousand minor merits in reserve. Then, he turned and walked out of the Martial Pavilion.

Outside the Martial Pavilion, the square was already packed shoulder to shoulder. When Dao Shi'er stepped out, the crowd chattered loudly.

"Mister Dao is out!"

"The Martial Pavilion has confirmed it. It really was Sheng Yuanyi."

"I can't believe it! Even Song Wuqing failed to kill Sheng Yuanyi, but Mister Dao succeeded."

"Back then, You Shifei and the others risked their lives to stop Tian Xin and protect Dao Shi'er. They must have already seen his potential. If they hadn't saved him, who would have been able to kill Sheng Yuanyi?"

"Between Mister Dao and Tian Xin, I wonder who is stronger..."

The discussion quickly turned to the comparison between Dao Shi'er and Tian Xin.

Among the top three of the Divine Strength Rankings, Tian Xin had always stood clearly above the other two, as he was far stronger than Sheng Yuanyi and Song Wuqing.

Now that Dao Shi'er had killed Sheng Yuanyi, it proved he had surpassed Sheng Yuanyi and Song Wuqing. As for Tian Xin and Dao Shi'er, only a real battle could decide who was stronger between them.

***

When Lu Changsheng arrived at his small courtyard, Song Wuqing was already standing outside the gate.

Song Wuqing looked at Lu Changsheng coldly. "You killed Sheng Yuanyi?"

"Yes," Lu Changsheng replied.

Song Wuqing fell silent. He had fought Sheng Yuanyi many times and knew his strength better than anyone. The last time they fought, he had been unable to defeat Sheng Yuanyi and was instead wounded.

Yet Dao Shi'er had taken Sheng Yuanyi's head.

After a while, Song Wuqing muttered, "I assume you now also have ten thousand cauldrons of strength."

Lu Changsheng did not respond, which was as good as admitting it.

Song Wuqing knew that without ten thousand cauldrons' worth of strength, killing Sheng Yuanyi was impossible. It was a state that marked the absolute limit of the Divine Strength Realm. Only the most extraordinary geniuses could reach it. Tian Xin was one of them, and Lu Changsheng had done the same.

Song Wuqing continued. "Tian Xin is extremely strong. He may achieve Perfection in Slaughter Intent at any moment. When do you plan to fight him?"

Song Wuqing knew that Dao Shi'er had returned to the Northern Region Battlefield for only one thing—to kill Tian Xin.

"You're right. A year has passed," Lu Changsheng said. "It's time. Help me spread the message. Tell everyone that I will challenge Tian Xin three days from now at the place where he hunted the Barbarian Slaying Squad a year ago. He will know what I mean."

Song Wuqing trembled. Even he and Sheng Yuanyi, though second only to Tian Xin, had never dared to challenge him. Tian Xin was like an abyss that would swallow anyone who dared cross it.

Despite that, Lu Changsheng was clearly ready to jump straight in.

It was not without reason. Dao Shi'er had already risen to second place on the Divine Strength Rankings. He possessed both the strength and the qualification to challenge Tian Xin.

"The Divine Strength Rankings will update tomorrow, but you've chosen to fight him three days later..." Song Wuqing exhaled slowly. "Very well. I will spread the word. Three days is enough for it to reach the Northern Barbarian Kingdom. I'm sure Tian Xin will hear of it."

"I don't know who will win. But I hope you'll live," he added, "Only the living still have a future."

With that, Song Wuqing turned around and left.

Lu Changsheng closed his eyes. "I will live. The one who dies will be Tian Xin."