MTLNOVEL Chapter 126: "Isn't that an exaggeration..."_3
Anyone whose Dao heart isn't firm would probably have it shattered by now.
After all, if you're a Heavenly Pride and you see someone twice as strong as you, you might still feel a twinge of defiance, thinking that someday you'll cut them down. But if you see someone whose cultivation and battle power are ten or even a hundred times yours,
you'll never think that way again.
You may even end up thinking that no matter how hard you try, you can never catch up, and if you can't catch up, why bother trying at all.
Chen Qiu chuckled silently without speaking, just walking at the forefront, propping himself with the Seven-Colored Wooden Umbrella. He planned to rest awhile and then find a place to refine it into his Lifebound Magical Artifact, though he did find that using it as a walking stick was quite comfortable.
Oddly handy.
He was now preparing to take the scholar to listen to some music, fulfilling the promise he made yesterday. At that time, he didn't have any Spirit Stones, but after the leader's reward, he was given 20,000 inferior-grade Spirit Stones, making him suddenly wealthy again.
He was somewhat tired himself and was looking forward to relaxing while listening to the music.
...
The Capital's Chunfeng Shili Building, the most famous brothel in the Capital.
The girls inside were not only from Da Xia, but also from the Hundred Countries, adding an exotic flavor.
There were even some from the Devil Clan with awakened Spiritual Wisdom — from the Devil Clan, not demon beasts.
Each had their own flavor.
At this moment, in a premier room,
seven or eight girls dressed in thin red gauze danced gracefully to the tune played by another girl, with occasional laughter that seemed to capture the essence of prosperity, while Fat Long was thoroughly enjoying himself, constantly laughing and toasting.
Although the scholar was somewhat restrained, he too was quite delighted under Fat Long's lead.
The scholar's little brother sat quietly to the side, munching on peanuts.
And Chen Qiu leaned back in his chair, gazing at the Heavenly Pride Leaderboard.
-
"Heavenly Pride Leaderboard."
"Rank one": Chen Qiu.
-
That was it.
The Heavenly Pride Leaderboard had been updated following the end of the Heavenly Pride Secret Realm, representing this year's ranking. Today was January the first, and this leaderboard would last an entire year until the next Heavenly Pride Secret Realm when the ranking would change again.
And for this whole year,
the only name on this Heavenly Pride Leaderboard would be his.
The peerless Heavenly Pride.
"Hmm..."
Chen Qiu's eyes slightly narrowed as he pondered the meaning of becoming the peerless Heavenly Pride while leaning against the back of his chair. There were no rewards for becoming the peerless Heavenly Pride nor any special effects like those bestowed upon a Heavenly Dao Saint. It seemed like the title of peerless Heavenly Pride was just that, a term of praise.
But since the peerless Heavenly Pride emerged in anticipation of the impending chaos in the world,
it definitely wasn't as simple as just a term of praise.
Just as the changing rules within the Secret Realm had declared.
The peerless Heavenly Pride would influence the chaos of the world.
Finally, things were settling down.
Sitting in the private room of Chunfeng Shili Building, even with the enticing twists and turns of the girls in front of him, he found his heart was calm, feeling like he could finally rest for a while.
Just like the night before his breakthrough to the Golden Core stage, lying on the Boundless Icefield.
It was a comfortable feeling.
He suddenly felt as though he had a realization.
No matter how noisy the surroundings, once your heart is calm, you become calm.
...
Chen Qiu had his tranquility.
But Da Xia Country was anything but peaceful. The Memory Stone of Chen Qiu dominating the Heavenly Pride Leaderboard was replicated countless times and quickly spread to every corner of Da Xia Country and even to the Hundred Countries.
Originally, many families in Da Xia Country that specialized in making Memory Stones were barely scraping by.
But since Chen Qiu's rise.
The orders for these families suddenly surged; in fact, many families started to worship Chen Qiu. They didn't ask for anything else but for Chen Qiu to cause a bit more of a stir. Every time Chen Qiu made waves,
their orders would skyrocket, with great numbers of people ordering Memory Stones.
Just like the last time Chen Qiu exterminated tens of thousands of the Evil Clan alone, the orders surged, but this time the increase was even more exaggerated. For the first time in Da Xia Country, the ordinarily mundane Memory Stones became a bestseller.
Even though Chen Qiu had never been to the Hundred Countries,
his reputation had already started spreading there.
...
In an alley in the Capital,
a dirty-looking old man sat cross-legged on the ground, blissfully devouring a freshly roasted chicken, with a black flag placed beside him.
On the black flag, two lines of slightly crooked white stitches spelled out:
"One dares not predict all with divination, for fear of heaven, earth, ghosts, and gods."
"One cannot speak clearly, for fear of throwing the world into chaos."
The chatter of passersby at the alley entrance drifted in with the breeze.
"Did you hear about that Heavenly Pride from Fufeng City who suddenly rose to fame? He achieved a Fifth-grade Golden Core and then dominated the Heavenly Pride Leaderboard with overwhelming force."
"Do I need to hear it? I'm nearly sick of that Heavenly Dao Decree. I can't escape it even if I wanted to."
"Eh, it's true that life is not fair. I'm also a Loose Cultivator, and I've chopped so much firewood too. How come I didn't suddenly rise to glory?"
"Stop dreaming, you'll just feel worse. That Chen Qiu single-handedly obliterated the determination of all the Heavenly Prides. What are we in comparison? Especially the Qu Family, their only son died in the Heavenly Pride Secret Realm. I heard that the Qu Family Master is so furious that he's preparing to consult the Supreme Elder to intercept and kill Chen Qiu in revenge for Qu Qi."
"The Qu Family Supreme Elder is at the Great Perfection stage of the Golden Core Peak, and Chen Qiu, though a Heavenly Pride, is only at the first layer of the Golden Core. Can he stand a chance against that, especially since he has no powerful backing?"
"He definitely can't withstand it. I don't know how things will turn out, but I feel that Da Xia is getting more and more chaotic. We might be on the verge of war soon."