Chapter 2031 — Nine Heavens’ Ranking

"I apologize if my words offended you, but I can assure you that I don’t think of the Sword Emperor Qualification as a game," said Yuan.

"Hmph." The Sword Empress snorted. "Whatever, I’ve lost my desire to spar now."

Without saying another word, she turned around and flew away.

"That was a Sword Emperor?" Wang Ming asked, his voice tinged with nervousness, sounding like he’d just witnessed something beyond comprehension.

Being a God Ascension realm cultivator and one of the strongest Swordmasters in the Nine Heavens, the Sword Empress naturally exuded an overwhelming presence that would make any Immortal timid, much less a mortal like Wang Ming.

"I’m surprised you can speak with her so casually... I wouldn’t even be able to respond properly..." Wu Zao remarked.

Kelan smiled and said, "Although she’s known for having a foul mouth, her abilities are undeniable and within the top 20 in the entire Nine Heavens."

"Top 20? Then where do you rank?" Shi Lang asked, and everyone there stared at Kelan.

"Hahaha! There’s no need to look at me. I don’t even rank in the top 1,000, much less the top 20! However, if we’re talking about physiques alone, I am definitely top 10 in the Nine Heavens!" he proudly boasted.

"What?! You’re that strong and can’t even reach the top 1,000? That’s hard to believe," Hong Xiuquan exclaimed.

"You have no idea how vast and scary the Nine Heavens can be. There are countless geniuses, and many monsters are out there. Even someone like Senior Bai doesn’t rank in the top 20," said Kelan.

"I wonder where someone like Yuan ranks," Wang Bingbing wondered out loud.

"Yuan?"

Kelan turned to look at him with a pondering face.

After a moment of serious thinking, he spoke, "Although he may have the power to fight God Ascension cultivators, that is limited only to the Nine Heavens, where our powers are limited by the Heavens. He wouldn’t last more than a minute against them outside, where most of the newer powerhouses make their territory."

Due to the restrictions within the Nine Heavens, most powerful families and factions relocated their headquarters to the Starry Sky, where such limitations did not exist, allowing God Ascension cultivators to wield their full strength when necessary. Only those with deep, ancient roots—such as the Royal Dragon Clans—chose to remain in the Nine Heavens, enduring the drawbacks out of legacy and pride.

"That said, he’s definitely in the top 1,000 as long as he’s within the Nine Heavens, and this is overall, where most are monsters with millions of years of experience. If we consider his age, then he’s definitely in the top 10 within the young generation ranking."

"What do you consider the ’younger generation’?" Li Jinxi asked.

"Anyone under a hundred thousand years old," said Kelan.

"A hundred thousand years is young...?" Wang Ming muttered in a dumbfounded voice.

"There’s no way Yuan is only top 10. He’s definitely top 3 if not number one," Chu Liuxiang remarked with certainty.

"I know Yuan is immensely talented, but you shouldn’t underestimate others. For example, the Holy Sword Maiden, who will also be participating in the Sword Emperor Qualifications, is currently ranked 9th in the Nine Heavens. As for the current top three, they’re all monsters in the Ninth Heaven."

"Who are the top three?" Wang Xiuying asked.

"Currently ranked third is the Bloodthirsty Monk of the Hell Temple, though the rankings shift every few years as the rest of the top ten close the gap. The top two are no different—first and second place frequently trade positions. As of now, second belongs to the Holy Maiden of the Divine Essence Monastery, while first is held by the Heavenly Son of the Tian Family," Kelan explained.

"The Hell Temple is an elite sect within the Ninth Heaven, and the Divine Essence Monastery is currently the second most powerful sect in the Nine Heavens. As for the Tian Family, they’re a powerhouse in the Ninth Heaven, known for creating countless geniuses. In fact, they’re only right behind the Celestial Emperor’s family in terms of influence."

"Divine Essence Monastery..." Yuan muttered as he found this name familiar for some reason.

Then he remembered that his Soul Cultivation Technique had been given by Lady Xiang, who was from there.

"Do you know Sister Biyu from the Divine Essence Monastery?" Yuan suddenly asked Kelan.

"Sister Biyu?" Kelan raised his eyebrows in a puzzled manner for a second before he realized who Yuan was talking about.

"There’s no way you’re talking about the Holy Empress..." he said.

"Last I spoke to her, she called herself the Holy Maiden."

"So you are talking about the Holy Empress! Holy Empress Xiang, also known as Xiang Biyu, is the current leader of the Divine Essence Monastery. She acquired that title about a decade ago," explained Kelan.

He then asked, "How did you meet someone like her...? She rarely leaves the Divine Essence Monastery. Even I have only ever seen her once. And for you to address her as Sister Biyu... you must be quite close with her."

"I met her through Sister Xu, but that’s all I can say," said Yuan.

"So, who’s the current Holy Maiden?" he then asked.

"That would be Azure."

"What? Azure?" Yuan raised an eyebrow at this name.

"Oh, her real name is Wei Lan, but she prefers to be called Azure," he explained. "Why? Do you know her, too?"

"No... but her name reminds me of someone I once knew," he responded, a hint of regret and sorrow in his tone.

Though Kelan couldn’t understand it, the others knew who Yuan was referring to.

"How does the ranking work, anyway?" Xi Meili suddenly asked. "Do they fight for it or something?"

Kelan explained, "Yes and no. With one exception, everyone in the top 10 has fought with each other, and the Heavenly Son came out on top after defeating the others. The only exception is Azure, who has never fought with anyone. However, she did reveal her prowess once, and that was enough to convince everyone that she could rival the Heavenly Son, hence her rank."