Nine Nether Dragon Emperor-Chapter 80: Launching a New List Called the Destiny List!
「The following day, at dawn.」
Outside the majestic Royal City in The Capital, experts gathered like clouds, and the prides of heaven convened.
"What’s wrong? You look so listless."
By the time Si Lanyi and her three companions arrived, Ning Xuan was already there. Seeing Ning Xuan’s state, Si Lanyi asked with concern.
"Don’t even ask. The old man thrashed me yesterday."
Ning Xuan’s face darkened, the memory too unpleasant to recall. He had just been planning to show off his swordsmanship when the old man suddenly flew into a rage. Before he even knew what was happening, he had passed out. Thankfully, his Mental State had been honed in the Blunt Stone Tower; otherwise, it would have surely collapsed upon waking.
Beside him, Zhongli Ruoruo asked, "Why didn’t your senior sister come?"
Ning Xuan gave a casual excuse. "She said walking her dog is more fun than fighting and killing."
"So, you’re Ning Xuan?"
Just as Zhongli Ruoruo was about to say more, a voice cut in. A young man had appeared.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Zhan Wudi, and I’m from the Martial God Temple. The Main Hall, to be precise." He stared at Ning Xuan with a half-smile.
HISS!
Someone in the crowd gasped.
"Someone from the Martial God Temple is actually surnamed Zhan! This is going to be interesting!"
"What do you mean?"
"Legend says the Martial God Temple was founded by three sworn brothers, and the Zhan clan is one of them. This is the Temple’s true Direct Lineage! They all cultivate the genuine core Cultivation Techniques!"
"I see! Even in the Martial God Temple, this young man must be an absolute pride of heaven. This year’s Pride Hunting Ground is shaping up to be quite a spectacle!"
Ning Xuan heard all this, but his response to Zhan Wudi was still just one word.
"Scram!"
Zhan Wudi’s smile froze. Countless gazes shot in their direction.
Zhan Wudi sneered, "You’re just as arrogant as the legends say."
"Not convinced? Come on, I’ll fight you with one hand!" Ning Xuan was simmering with anger, itching for a fight.
Nearby, Si Lanyi’s eyes flashed with intrigue, while Zhongli Ruoruo looked quite excited. Zhang Yun and Cao Bin, however, instinctively backed away. They had already noticed the countless eyes now fixed on their group. Ning Xuan had become the target of public ire. Getting too close to him would surely lead to trouble!
"Brother Zhan, why lower yourself to bickering with a nobody?" a young man said, voluntarily stepping forward while others kept their distance. "The Pride Hunting Ground is about to open. There will be plenty of time to deal with him inside!"
Behind him stood a woman with a striking appearance.
Ning Xuan glanced at him sidelong. "And who are you supposed to be?"
"Wang Yu of the Wang Family, a new disciple of Su Yue Zhuai. This is my senior sister, Yuan Yurong. My elder brother, Wang Quan, visited the Stele Forest a few days ago. Shortly after he returned, he vomited blood and died. We’ve been busy with his funeral affairs; otherwise, we would have visited the Stele Forest to pay our respects sooner."
"What? Brother Wang Quan is dead?!" a voice roared like thunder as a burly young man appeared beside Wang Yu.
"Yes," Wang Yu said, his face full of grief. "And you are, brother...?"
"Tuoba Ye, eighth on the last Elite Rankings! How did my brother Wang Quan die?!"
Wang Yu shook his head. "My brother had a confrontation with Ning Xuan, but the exact reason for his death is unknown."
"Ning Xuan, your life is mine!" Tuoba Ye bellowed, throwing a punch toward Ning Xuan.
HUM!
Ripples spread through the void. Ning Xuan didn’t move; Si Lanyi had intercepted Tuoba Ye’s punch with a Dao Xuan Technique.
"Step aside! I don’t fight women!" Tuoba Ye wanted to press the attack, but seeing Si Lanyi, he hesitated and scratched the back of his head, looking flustered.
Si Lanyi replied for Ning Xuan, "He doesn’t fight fools, either."
"Tuoba, come back," someone from a small group called out. "This Pride Hunting Ground is different from previous years. Improving your strength is the most important thing."
He obediently returned to his group.
Ning Xuan glanced in their direction.
Si Lanyi explained, "They are the top ten prodigies from the last Elite Rankings. It’s a pity, though. Chu Tianyun was eliminated by you, and Wang Quan died under mysterious circumstances. Two of the ten are gone, leaving only eight."
Ning Xuan’s expression was odd. "Shouldn’t there only be seven left?"
Zhan Wudi laughed as if he’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Hahaha, don’t tell me you actually thought Senior Brother Ning Yang was number one on the Elite Rankings?"
"Let me enlighten you! The Pride Hunting Ground is for hunting prodigies, but my Senior Brother Ning Yang is a peerless monster, a future contender for dominion over destiny! He’s on another list entirely—a list called the Destiny List!"
"The Destiny List didn’t exist before; it came into being because of him! Now, years later, his name is still the only one on it!"
These words caused an uproar.
"What? Such a thing exists?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
"This is the first I’ve ever heard of it!"
"They created an entire list just for him? This... this is defying the heavens!"
Zhan Wudi shook his head. "Wrong again. With my Senior Brother Ning Yang’s talent, who in this world is qualified to rank him? The Destiny List descended from the heavens, a result of the Heavenly Dao’s manifestation!"
The crowd was dumbfounded.
Ning Xuan’s eyes, however, lit up. A manifestation of the Heavenly Dao, with only one name on the list. If I could defeat Ning Yang, wouldn’t that mean I could obtain the Primordial Source of the Dao again!
He suddenly understood why he was so fixated on the Primordial Source of the Dao. His doll-like Senior Sister was so heaven-defying, most likely because she was born with a natural affinity for the Dao! If he could integrate more of the Primordial Source, he could do the same! He had been wondering where to find more of it, and now, hearing Zhan Wudi’s words, Ning Xuan was certain he would find his answer in the Pride Hunting Ground!
"The Destiny List... Interesting. It seems this Pride Hunting Ground is worth my time after all."
Suddenly, a young woman’s soft laughter echoed from the void. As everyone looked up, a great bird flew toward the depths of the Royal Palace. Amidst shrill alarms, crossbow bolts soared into the sky, aimed at the large bird. A figure in red leaped from the great bird’s back high in the air, vanishing from sight!
The crowd stared, speechless. Was someone trying to force their way into the Pride Hunting Ground? And from the sound of it, a young woman no less?! Such audacity!
While many were still dumbfounded, the tightly shut city gates ahead suddenly swung open.
A piercing voice announced, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Pride Hunting Ground will open early!"
"Let’s go!" The person who had called Tuoba Ye back gave the order, and the group of eight rushed in first. The moment they charged through the gate, ripples formed in the air, and they vanished.
"The Dao Xuan Barrier has a powerful disorienting effect. Everything you see is an illusion! The Pride Hunting Ground is likely just beyond the barrier!" Si Lanyi explained to Ning Xuan.
Ning Xuan nodded. "We’ll go our separate ways."
"Alright!" Si Lanyi agreed without pretense and left with her fellow disciples.
"I’ll be waiting for you at the finish line," Zhan Wudi said, glancing at Ning Xuan. "If you can’t even make it that far, you’re not even worth my effort." Then, he too departed.
Soon, apart from the onlookers and well-wishers, Ning Xuan was the only participant in this deadly game left outside. Many eyes were on him. Some watched with worry, afraid he might shrink back and choose not to participate.
Soon, however, a collective sigh of relief went through the crowd as Ning Xuan stepped forward. He quickly passed through the Dao Xuan Barrier and vanished from view.
