High Martial World: I Gain Passive Skills Daily-Chapter 55 - 54: Do You Know What’s South of the Brow?

Chapter 55: Chapter 54: Do You Know What’s South of the Brow?

As Qi Sibai said, no one present had heard of this name.

"Wasn’t Li Hongling ranked thirteenth?"

The young man with thick eyebrows said in surprise:

"By the rules, this person killed Li Hongling, and since it meets the requirements of Canglang’s ranking, he should directly replace Li Hongling and be ranked thirteenth."

"Why is he only thirty-third instead? A baffling drop of twenty places."

Qi Sibai explained:

"Brother Yanwei, don’t be impatient. As to the reason, everyone will understand once they read the evaluation."

Each issue of Canglang’s ranking updates corresponding evaluations, with additions and deletions.

The evaluations of newcomers making their debut are always the focus of attention.

After all, Canglang’s ranking is extremely discerning, and every comment can accurately hit the mark, even glimpse into this person’s future.

From personality to strength, it can analyze thoroughly.

Newcomer evaluations are especially detailed.

For instance, Li Hongling who suddenly perished was once evaluated as unworthy of being a Martial Saint, and now it’s more than unworthy—he outright can’t be one anymore.

Thus, young cultivators long to appear on Canglang’s ranking but dread having their secrets exposed...

Some deeply detest Canglang’s ranking.

Nevertheless, overall, Canglang’s ranking has a positive influence and is very authoritative among cultivators.

The crowd indeed quieted down and all looked at the evaluation belonging to Chen Kuang.

Chen Kuang did not anticipate that so quickly he would see his name on Canglang’s ranking, a place he had previously only heard of from Huo Hengxuan.

He wasn’t very interested in others evaluating him, but what Canglang’s ranking represented likely was the intelligence others had about him.

Thus, he had to pay attention.

Following Chen Kuang’s name was a lengthy introduction.

"Originally a common musician from the Liang Country Imperial Palace, aged nineteen, suddenly emerged. During the escape from the palace, he first slew the Three Tribulations Sect’s Young Master Wei Su, then broke the Black Armor Army formation, and finally killed Martial Saint disciple Li Hongling. An astonishing debut."

"Specializes in killing with musical sound, suspected to simultaneously practice Buddhist Sect cultivation technique and Huo Hengxuan’s ’Cutting Grass Song’, yet during battle, his Spiritual Qi leaks, and his cultivation decreases with each fight, likely due to Elixir or Secret Technique."

"How can there be a method in the world allowing a mortal to provoke grandmasters without harm? This writer pondered much but could not find."

"Therefore, presuming his cultivation as Sea Breaking Realm, previously hiding his capabilities, his rank shifted back twenty places to demonstrate fairness, subject to change if further achievements are recorded."

"Note: Due to Zhou Liang’s battle persuasion, Shen Xingzhu was in the Imperial City at the time. Chen Kuang escaped unharmed, apparently not harming mortals, an amazing feat."

"Additional note: Martial Saint Pavilion has issued a bounty on this person."

The young man with thick eyebrows exclaimed in amazement:

"Impressive, putting aside the heavenly battles of Saints, didn’t Chen Kuang single-handedly slaughter through the entire Imperial City?"

Master shook his feathered fan: "Killing isn’t impressive, not killing is."

He guessed: "Breaking through a siege yet not harming mortals, this person must be a Buddhist Sect disciple with great compassion, a true hero."

He praised Chen Kuang highly: "Just based on that, regardless of his cultivation, replacing Li Hongling at thirteenth is well-deserved!"

Qi Sibai shook his head, speechless:

"Canglang’s ranking evaluates heroes, not Bodhisattvas!"

"Chen Kuang looks daunting, but in reality, his cultivation was borrowed. Ranking him thirty-third is already high."

"I heard later that an Elder from the Three Tribulations Sect pursued him and found his cultivation to be only around Innate Realm."

"Under normal circumstances, he should be ranked beyond two hundred."

The woman in red glanced sideways, teasing with a smile:

"Seems to me you are just upset about his sudden placement ahead of you."

Qi Sibai: "..."

His name happened to be at thirty-four.

Originally, with Li Hongling gone, he was supposed to advance one place.

But Chen Kuang’s sudden jump forward pushed everyone ahead, yet he remained unmoved.

The group looked at the two adjacent names and burst into laughter.

The woman in red curiously asked:

"Isn’t ’Cutting Grass Song’ the ultimate skill that earned Huo Hengxuan the name ’God of Slaughter’? To kill by feeding kills, and he can restrain himself?"

Shen Meinan’s eyes, clear and bright, blinked as she earnestly replied:

"What’s difficult about that? If one harbors innocence at heart and doesn’t want to kill, naturally they won’t."

She twisted the bow on her clothes and muttered under her breath: "Unlike some people... terribly hypocritical."

Their discussion was serious.

Chen Kuang secretly chuckled.

He surely did not refrain from killing; he killed without sparing, leaving a trail of devastation.

In such circumstances, restraint was impossible.

Restraint would be a vulnerability against the enemy.

Yet because Shen Xingzhu wasn’t killed, others assumed he hadn’t killed any mortals, and he carried Shen Xingzhu’s name, being labeled a "compassionate Buddhist disciple."

What a benefit indeed.

It side-corroborates Shen Xingzhu’s immense reputation.

"It stands as a beacon of profound truth, overshadowing the sun and moon."

This comment not only established Shen Xingzhu as the guiding light of the Mystic God Daoist Sect but also turned her into an unattainable sun and moon in the eyes of the world.

She is an infallible beacon, and naturally, every action she takes absolutely conforms to the path she follows.

However... The higher she is praised, the more advantageous it is for Chen Kuang.

This means she absolutely won’t dare to act in broad daylight.

Moreover, the greater Chen Kuang’s reputation becomes in the future, the less Shen Xingzhu can take action.

Moral coercion is something Chen Kuang excels at.

"I just noticed earlier that these people’s cultivation levels are quite high, and it seems they are likely on Canglang’s rankings."

"Have I walked into a den of prodigies?"

"No wonder Zhou Liang fights fiercely, yet they still have the leisure to tour the lake here."

"The life and death of mortals indeed have little to do with cultivators..."

Chen Kuang listened for a moment longer before leisurely carrying his instrument forward.

"Pardon my intrusion,"

he said loudly, interrupting their conversation.

The flamboyantly dressed Lin, the Master, was the first to greet him with a smile, inviting him to take a seat. Upon seeing the instrument, he exclaimed in surprise:

"What a coincidence, Fellow Daoist is also skilled in music."

The others were unaware of Chen Kuang’s feats before. Now, looking at the musician before them, their feelings became a bit nuanced.

How coincidental.

Chen Kuang had just escaped from the Imperial Palace two days ago, and now they encountered a musician here at Dongting Lake.

Chen Kuang smiled slightly: "There are four famous instruments in the world; is there only one skilled in music?"

The Master was taken aback, then burst into laughter: "Fellow Daoist, you are indeed interesting!"

He adjusted his attire and respectfully introduced himself: "I am Lin Er You, a disciple of Freedom Mountain."

Freedom Mountain?

This was the second time Chen Kuang heard the name of this mountain.

He recalled that Huo Hengxuan had mentioned Shen Xingzhu’s comment was given by a sage from Freedom Mountain.

To have such authority, this sage of Freedom Mountain must indeed be a Saint.

Good heavens, doesn’t that mean this Lin Er You is also a Saint’s disciple?

Chen Kuang twitched his mouth.

He felt as though if he threw two bricks into the street, he’d hit a Saint.

Could it really be that this martial world reached such heights?

Lin Er You broke the ice, and the rest began to introduce themselves one by one.

The young man with thick eyebrows, named Zhou Yanwei, claimed to be a loose cultivator at the Sea Breaking Realm, ranked ninety-fifth on Canglang’s rankings.

The one with the newly published book, Qi Sibai, was from the Celestial Department, ranked thirty-fourth on Canglang’s rankings.

The beautiful woman in red, Ming Yan, to some surprise, was from the Buddhist Sect.

Chen Kuang raised an eyebrow.

She seemed to anticipate Chen Kuang’s confusion, smiled enchantingly, and explained:

"Fellow Daoist, have you heard of the Glazed Secret Sect? The path of enlightenment encompasses countless doctrines. Its disciples are divided into two branches: one that reveres Buddha as Buddha, the Pure Land, and us, the Glazed Secret Sect. We view all beings as Buddha."

Ming Yan’s flirtatious eyes and gentle breath exuded like orchids, softly saying: "I practice Joyful Zen."

She scrutinized Chen Kuang, especially focusing on his handsome face, even under the blindfold, and said with a playful smile:

"Fellow Daoist, if interested, you may come to my room to discuss the Dao~"

Chen Kuang remained unmoved, posing as a blind man.

The bright young girl in a goose-yellow dress hopped around, shaking the bells on her twin-tails as she approached, curiously waving a hand in front of his blindfold:

"Are you really blind? How do you walk without tripping?"

Chen Kuang said nothing, only feeling this girl looked increasingly familiar.

He felt as if he had seen her somewhere, but couldn’t recall where...

Where exactly was this familiarity from?

He had confidence in his memory and wouldn’t have this feeling without reason.

"But you are quite good-looking,"

the girl said, then giggled a bit shyly: "My name is Shen Meinan."

"Do you know what is south of Meinan?"

She gestured like scissors beside her eyes and said:

"It’s my eyes."

The girl stuck out her tongue, charming and adorable.

Chen Kuang felt a rumble in his mind.

Yes, those eyes.

They are exactly like Shen Xingzhu’s!