Chapter 296: Chapter 16 No Longer Among the Living
Anhe Prefecture is located in the central part of Pingzhou Mansion, named for its fertile disciples and the perennial abundance of grain produced there.
A hundred years ago, a large amount of jade mineral was discovered in the mountains behind the prefectural city, attracting scores of jewelry shops upon the news.
After decades of overt and covert struggles, all the jewelry shops were eventually subdued by an external disciple dispatched by the Pure Yang Palace, turning Anhe Prefecture into the largest jewelry city in Pingzhou.
As a result, the wealth of Anhe Prefecture City ranked first across Pingzhou County, drawing a great deal of merchants, and naturally, the transportation developed—convenient for many jianghu martial artists to travel here.
Over time, Anhe Prefecture became a must-visit destination for many warriors traveling to Pingzhou.
Especially recently, it was rumored that a nefarious master was causing havoc in Anhe Prefecture, reducing the number of ordinary merchants and tourists, but the number of jianghu martial artists visiting has increased instead.
Among them, there certainly are those who overflow with a sense of justice, wanting to rid the place of evil, but more are actually hoping to slay the nefarious master and thereby achieve instant fame and glory.
Of course, there are also those who are just there for the spectacle.
Sheng Xinrou and her companions belonged to those who came for the spectacle.
However, since this time the nefarious master targeted male warriors, the young heroes who usually orbited around her dared not come, so she had to bring two of her best girlfriends along.
Today just happened to be the first day of April, which was also the time for the new ranking update of the Heaven, Earth, and People Rankings.
Normally, the notice board where the rankings are posted in front of the Buwu Office, as well as the large taverns and inns that transcribe the rankings, would be surrounded by huge crowds.
Now, these places are much less busy, but you can still find crowds three layers deep on the inside and outside.
However, most are jianghu martial artists who fear neither heaven nor earth; there aren’t many ordinary people.
Sheng Xinrou and her two best girlfriends squeezed to the front.
She wanted to be the first to hear news about Zhou Heng, even though she already knew he was definitely sitting securely in second place.
After all, Fang Wen, the first place, had disappeared, and a face-off was not possible; none of those behind were a match for Zhou Heng, so there wasn’t much suspense. Yet, she still wanted to be the first to see the latest news about Zhou Heng on the People Rankings.
This was a feeling akin to worship.
In fact, ever since Yuanhe Prefecture City, she had been following the news about Zhou Heng.
Watching Zhou Heng climb the People Rankings step by step, becoming the famous Uncle Master of Pure Yang in the jianghu, the second place on the People Rankings, the Purple Lightning Sword Immortal.
She felt an inexplicable joy in her heart.
If Zhou Heng knew about Sheng Xinrou’s feelings, he would understand that this was akin to a fan psychology.
“Last month’s People Rankings didn’t update any information about Zhou Heng, I wonder if there will be any new news this time?” Sheng Xinrou looked expectantly toward the People Rankings, directly at the name in second place, but she was instantly stunned.
Second place: “Saint Descendant” Zhou Yin, Lu Yang Zhou family of Southern Jin…
What’s going on?
Zhou Heng lost to Zhou Yin?
That’s impossible!
Sheng Xinrou found it unbelievable, unable to imagine who could defeat Zhou Heng with his strength capable of slaying a Secret Six Rank.
In her heart, Zhou Heng should have been first on the People Rankings.
It was just that, without the opportunity to confront Fang Wen, he had to settle for second place.
But now, why isn’t Zhou Heng even second anymore?
“Zhou Heng is no longer in second place, no, he’s not even in the top ten anymore,” came the exclamation of her girlfriends, and Sheng Xinrou slowly snapped back to reality, looking towards the other rankings on the People Rankings.
Third place: “Jade Xiao Heavenly Immortal” Cheng Jianjian, Pure Yang Palace’s Jade Qiong Peak…
Fourth place: …
Fifth place: …
…
…
One hundredth place: …
Nothing, it’s completely gone!
Zhou Heng was not just absent from the top ten, or even top twenty or thirty; even up to the hundredth place, his name was nowhere to be found.
This meant that he was no longer on the People’s Ranking.
How could this be?
Sheng Xinrou began to doubt her life.
Other people also quickly noticed this issue and immediately started discussing it.
How could a rising young master suddenly disappear from the People’s Ranking?
“Why isn’t Zhou Heng on the People’s Ranking anymore, what happened?”
“Could something have happened?”
“Impossible, with Zhou Heng’s strength and status, what could possibly happen?”
“As everyone knows, a master leaving the People’s Ranking could mean they have either died, aged beyond the limit, or have had a breakthrough and are no longer Lower Third Rank, naturally falling off the list.”
“Are you saying that Zhou Heng… may have broken through the Lower Third Rank?”
“How is that possible? Wasn’t Zhou Heng a Ninth Rank Warrior just a year ago? Now he’s reached Secret Six Rank?”
“How can it be that fast?”
People argued back and forth. For most, progressing from Ninth Rank to Secret Six Rank within a year was completely against common sense.
However, many were also in agreement with the notion.
“Zhou Heng is the reincarnation of a great power; isn’t it expected that he cultivates quickly?”
“Yes, exactly! The reincarnation of a great power, a disciple of a Tao Lord, and the younger brother of the one atop the Heavenly Ranking, how could his cultivation speed be the same as ordinary people?”
“I think it’s indeed because Zhou Heng has broken through to the Secret Six Rank, which is why he’s automatically left the ranking.”
“Amazing, truly amazing! At the same age of eighteen, I haven’t even reached Entry Rank, and he’s already at Secret Six Rank.”
…
Listening to people’s debates, Sheng Xinrou felt her heart that had been hanging in suspense not only relax but also fill with joy, “How wonderful, Mr. Zhou is still so formidable!”
Her two sisters beside her also exclaimed in admiration.
And at the very back of the crowd stood a young woman dressed in plain white robes, wearing a bamboo hat, and a veil covering her face.
Her gaze swept over the People’s Ranking and, listening to the discussions about Zhou Heng around her, she subconsciously extended her tongue to lick her lips, her eyes becoming somewhat lost in a daze.
“Zhou Heng, reincarnation of a great power, an eighteen-year-old Secret Six Rank, a peerless genius, ah~ if I could capture him~ what an exquisite taste that would be!” A strange desire arose within the woman.
…
Meanwhile, Zhou Heng had already arrived at Anhe Prefecture City.
Unlike his usual habit, he did not go to check the People’s Ranking for news about himself but went directly to Yuhua Jewellery, the shop managed by Weng Kang.
With the city in a state of panic, this once bustling shop had grown quite deserted, with sparrows at its door, many employees dismissed, leaving only two or three for daily cleaning.
The door was half open.
Zhou Heng knocked lightly on the door, explained his purpose to the cleaning staff, and soon saw a white-haired old man hurry out from the inner hall of the shop.
“Uncle-Master, Uncle-Master!” With tears streaming down his face, the old man approached Zhou Heng. The old man, who appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, actually bent his knees as if to kneel before Zhou Heng.
Zhou Heng quickly used his True Qi to support him, waving his hand and said, “There’s no need for that, I am here to investigate and resolve the previous incident, however, I still need to understand the details of what happened.”
“Thank you so much, thank you so much,” the old man repeated, grasping Zhou Heng’s hand and respectfully said, “Uncle-Master, please come in, come in, I will tell you everything that happened.”