PNB Chapter 60 A Strange Name on the Martial Arts Ranking
Chapter 60 A Strange Name on the Martial Arts Ranking
Anzhou City can be considered the capital of Tiannan Prefecture, since the White Egret Sword Sect is located in Yanwei Mountain, south of the city.
This place boasts natural beauty, rivaling any famous mountain in the world. The city is prosperous and its people are thriving. As the headquarters of the Hengtong Trading Company, it enjoys a thriving economy and excellent public security, attracting a large number of martial arts practitioners.
The city's residents are mostly content and happy, with plenty of food and clothing, and they are eloquent and articulate. Strangers from afar often linger there and do not want to return home.
Lin Zhuo drove the two-horse carriage to the post station outside the city. Jin Xiaohu on horseback stretched lazily and let out a long howl of relief.
"Hey buddy, your cat's in heat," a passerby kindly reminded him. "You'll have to geld your tabby to save yourself the trouble."
Jin Xiaohu was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage. He put his four paws on the ground, arched his back, bared his teeth, and hissed and breathed, the patterns on his face revealing the ferocious and evil appearance of a demon.
Lin Zhuo hurriedly covered the cat's face with one hand and pressed down on its ears with the other, hugging and suppressing Jin Xiaohu to prevent it from uttering any shocking or vulgar words.
"Hurry up, I can't hold it down for long!" Lin Zhuo said as if he were holding a bomb.
The passerby was startled, looked embarrassed, and muttered, "That cat is really fierce." He then slipped away.
"Hey! If you hadn't been holding me down just now, with a cat's temper, he would be dead already!"
Lin Zhuo quietly comforted his teammates, which looked quite heartwarming to onlookers.
Eagles carrying messages often take off and land at the post station outside the city.
The method of training carrier eagles was the specialty of the Beast Taming Manor many years ago. At that time, they monopolized the fastest and safest communication channels in the world, making money effortlessly.
Unfortunately, he was morally corrupt and went astray. His unscrupulous leaks and malicious alterations directly triggered several major calamities in the martial arts world. After the inside story was exposed, he was destroyed by a coalition of heroes.
After that, the technique of falconry spread and became a standard skill for martial arts alliances and major sects in various regions.
These strong birds can easily travel thousands of miles in a single day, and they do so in a straight line. Any major news can spread far and wide in just a few days.
Outside the inns of every major city, crowds throng year-round, gathering many idle enthusiasts and gossips selling information.
Here, there will also be several eye-catching public notice boards displaying various rankings of the martial arts world, such as the Hidden Dragon List to select outstanding young talents, the Heaven and Earth List to assess veteran and well-known strongmen, the Alluring Beauty List to list stunning beauties of the martial arts world, and the Divine Martial Arts List to collect famous weapons and armor from all over the world, and so on.
Such lists are a classic element that any martial arts world must see. In the end, people in the martial arts world are only concerned with two major things: fame and fortune.
Lin Zhuo was just about to take a picture and post it in the team channel when he suddenly saw his name on a list.
The Hidden Dragon List has a total of 108 young heroes, and he ranks sixty-sixth.
Jin Xiaohu was amused when he saw this and started mocking him relentlessly in the team chat.
[Knocks on a gong]: Yo yo yo, everyone come and see! Isn't this our great hero, Lin Zhuo, the Blood-Handed Master of Thunder Sound?! [Image]
Each contestant on the list has a brief biography and a rough portrait; it's a mystery how the people who created the list managed to gather such comprehensive information.
For example, Qingde, the true disciple of the White Egret Sword Sect, ranked seventieth on the Hidden Dragon List.
The inscription reads: "The Taoist scriptures cannot conceal the fragrance of chivalry; a single sword flashes brightly as it emerges from the encirclement of Yan."
"Qingde, the 24th generation true disciple of the White Egret Sword Sect of Tiannan Prefecture, is skilled in Taoist magic and swordsmanship. He is proficient in the Heavenly Water Flow Sword Technique. Recently, he has achieved new feats, together with Su Yi Gu Xian Shu Yu Liu and Wu Yi Yi, eliminating Zhai Xing Hao Zi Mei Tian Li and Zhu Po Long Lü Jiao Jiao."
Lin Zhuo looked at his character introduction.
"Hidden Dragon List, Number Sixty-Six: Thunderous Blood Hand"
"The wind and hail under the palm push the Milky Way, and when the thunderous sound rises, all evils are afflicted."
"Lin Zhuo, a wandering swordsman, whose lineage, origins, and martial arts skills are all unknown, is particularly skilled in palm techniques and adept at using the soft weapon, the meteor hammer. He has appeared out of nowhere in less than half a month and has already taken hundreds of lives. His recent achievements include fighting alone against Ma Cheng, a master of the Western Demonic Sect, and Cui Luoyan, the Wasp Lady. He traveled westward from Liquan Town in Tiannan Prefecture, wiping out all the bandits and tyrants along the way. Their deaths were gruesome and horrific, leaving people in awe."
[Mingxiao Drum]: (Suppressing laughter) Second Senior Brother, you're so cool! Could you help me see where Junior Sister's name is listed? I've been running around in the wild with Eldest Senior Brother lately and haven't had a chance to see anything this interesting.
[Mayfly Yue]: Look, here [image] and here [image]
"Hidden Dragon List 107: Plain-Clad Drum Immortal"
"With nimble hands, she wields the golden spear and drums; her beautiful figure once trod the dust of the world."
"The wandering martial artist Shu Yuliu, whose lineage, origins, and martial arts skills are unknown, claims to be a disciple of Lin Zhuo, the Blood Hand of Thunder Sound. He is skilled in music and dance, extremely adept at seductive arts, and adept at close-quarters combat. His recent achievements are..."
"Ninth on the list of beauties: Shu Yuliu"
"Her graceful body treads lightly on the waves, her clear face like frost, as if banished to the moon palace."
"Birth date unknown, around the age of peach or plum, background unknown, possibly from a reclusive sect, six feet one inches tall, likes to wear white clothes, carries a waist drum, good at singing and dancing, hobbies unknown. Recent whereabouts: briefly stayed in Liquan Town, Tiannan Prefecture."
[The Drumbeat of the Heavenly Palace]: Only ninth? (Disappointed)
Lin Zhuo didn't know what she had to be dissatisfied with. The list of beauties included a total of eighty-eight beauties, and she entered the top ten as soon as she appeared, which was already quite good.
[Fuyouyue]: This list feels like a martial arts version of a dating website; even my junior sister is trending.
[Mingxiao Drum]: Hehe, Second Brother really knows how to praise people!
[Knocks on a gong]: (Sweating) What's so great about being second to last in martial arts? You need to work harder!
Shu Yuliu and Jin Xiaohu started bickering again in the channel.
Lin Zhu ignored the two and continued browsing the notice board outside the inn, quickly locking onto a crucial mission clue.
Many people, like him, were paying attention to this announcement.
All that could be heard were whispers from those around them.
"The most beautiful courtesan in the Golden Pavilion, Hong Yingniang, is getting married. I wonder how many people will be vying for her attention."
"If you're going to sell yourself, just sell yourself. Why make such a fuss? Why hold a championship banquet? Fighting, poetry, music, chess, and even calculating predestined fate. Even the martial arts alliance leader doesn't have this many requirements when choosing a son-in-law."
"What you all don't know is that Hong Yingniang already has someone she loves. That's why she deliberately set up this scheme to make things difficult for the others. Only the lover she has chosen can get close to her. Hehe, I am just one of those exceptional men, so you all have no chance. Give up now."
"Have some shame!" "Get lost!" "Beat him up!"
Lin Zhuo was delayed quite a bit along the way, but he finally arrived in Anzhou City before the championship banquet. Two more days later, the mission deadline would have passed.
"Let's go," he said softly.
Upon hearing this, Jin Xiaohu stopped arguing with Shu Yuliu, jumped onto his shoulder and squatted down, swishing his tail as he followed Lin Zhuo through the massive city wall, which was five zhang high, into the barbican, and then into the bustling city of Anzhou.
The superior martial arts skills of Qigong masters are not only reflected in their destructive power, but also in their productivity. In the world of "Cangcheng," the buildings in places where martial arts practitioners gather are always exceptionally tall, and the wood and stone used are relatively intact. If these incredibly strong Qigong masters unite as one, they can create all sorts of spectacular buildings that seem to be ahead of their time.
Lin Zhuo did not linger anywhere, but went straight to the south of the city and arrived at the Golden Pavilion, a place that everyone longed for and was known for its sensual pleasures.
"Young hero, please do not enter if your clothes are not properly dressed." The guard at the gate of Jinlou saw that Lin Zhuo's clothes were stained with blood and immediately raised his hand to stop him.
Lin Zhuo reached into his robes and took out a bright and dazzling pearl.
The head of the guards immediately emerged from the corner and shouted, "Are you blind? Can't you see that this gentleman is the infamous Thunderclap Blood Hand? Be careful he doesn't smash you to pieces with one slap! Sir, please be magnanimous and spare him. Please come in."
Lin Zhu shook his head slightly. This head of guards had recognized him long ago, but deliberately hid and pretended to be blind before seeing the pearl. He really had a good grasp of the survival wisdom of the martial world.
He had no interest in such trivial matters, nor did he put on any pretentious act. He did not feel that knowing the business of Jinlou had tarnished his reputation, and he strode straight in.
"Little cat, it's your turn to make a move." After finding a quiet room in the building, Lin Zhuo entrusted the task of finding Hong Yingniang to Jin Xiaohu.
"Let's make it clear beforehand, I'm only responsible for finding people, not for negotiations." The tabby cat reluctantly stuck a few talismans on its body to conceal itself, then quietly slipped out the door and crept into the depths of the Golden Pavilion.