Chapter 132: S-Rank Mission

Time passed slowly as Ke Bei effortlessly defeated the last few contestants. The hundred matches took less than three hours in total.

“Let’s go,” Ke Bei said softly to Luo Ling with a smile as he stepped down from the bluestone arena.

“Mm,” Luo Ling obediently nodded. Though she had many questions swirling in her mind at that moment, she knew it wasn’t the time to ask. If Ke Bei was willing, he would tell her in due course.

“Brother Luo Shi, we’re leaving now,” Ke Bei said, taking the initiative to gently hold Luo Ling’s hand, his touch cool yet tender. He nodded slightly at Luo Han before leading Luo Ling toward the dormitories.

As Ke Bei held Luo Ling’s delicate hand and walked forward, a path immediately opened through the crowd gathered near the bluestone arena. The gazes cast at Ke Bei had changed dramatically from jealousy and disdain to a mixture of respect and envy.

When someone is just a bit stronger than you, it’s easy to feel jealousy. But if their strength far surpasses your own, that jealousy often turns into quiet admiration.

Luo Ling’s fair cheeks flushed with a subtle, enticing blush as she let Ke Bei hold her soft hand. Her face blossomed with a happy smile as they strolled leisurely along the gravel path toward the dormitories. Occasionally, her silver bell-like laughter rang out. The two chatted and laughed their way to Ke Bei’s dormitory.

“Heh, three months have flown by so quickly,” Ke Bei murmured softly, gazing at the door of his dormitory. Then he gently pushed the door open, still holding Luo Ling’s hand as they stepped inside.

“Do you want to ask where I’ve been these past three months?” Ke Bei asked with a slight smile as he sat Luo Ling down on a chair in the living room. Luo Ling’s rosy face, like a ripe apple, made him want to take a bite.

“I went to destroy a low-level stronghold of the Divine Clan…” Ke Bei slowly wrapped his arm around Luo Ling, pulling her into his embrace. Holding her soft, delicate body, he calmly recounted how he destroyed the Divine Clan’s base and then got trapped inside the Crystal Palace. However, he left out the part about his fierce battle with a mid-level Divine King.

When Luo Ling heard that Ke Bei had been trapped in the Crystal Palace for three months, surviving only on a single drop of Azure Spirit Liquid each day, her eyes reddened with tears.

“I’ll cook for you, make you meat,” Luo Ling said in a light, trembling voice, breaking free from Ke Bei’s arms to prepare a meal for him.

“Heh, I’m not hungry yet. Let’s do it later,” Ke Bei said, pulling Luo Ling’s hand back and gently drawing her into his embrace once more.

“By the way, has Xiao Jiu broken through yet?” Ke Bei suddenly remembered Xiao Jiu and asked softly.

“Not yet. Xiao Jiu has been staying in the War God Palace these days, training under his master. I haven’t seen him much either, but he should be close to breaking through,” Luo Ling replied, leaning against Ke Bei’s chest.

“Heh, that guy’s probably anxious too. Let’s go see him tomorrow,” Ke Bei said with a faint smile as he pictured Xiao Jiu.

“Mm,” Luo Ling nodded, her soft body reclining against Ke Bei’s chest as she quietly savored this warm moment.

In the blink of an eye, ten days passed. The first phase of the Qinglong List Ranking Battle at Jiujang Talent Training Camp was finally coming to an end.

Ke Bei had finished the first phase undefeated with a perfect record, tying for first place with Li Qingfeng, Mu Duanhun, Wang Yuan, and Jiani. Luo Han and Jiawen were tied for second with 98 points, while Luo Ling ranked ninety-eighth.

The highest score in the first phase was only 100 points. The true rankings for the top one hundred on the Qinglong List would be decided in the second phase.

Ke Bei applied to form a small team and directly invited Luo Ling to join. He had also intended to invite Luo Han, but Luo Han declined.

Luo Han understood Ke Bei’s strength well. With his power, there was no need to form a team. Luo Han knew the real reason Ke Bei created the team was for his sister, Luo Ling.

Luo Ling’s strength was still somewhat weak. After joining Ke Bei’s team, Ke Bei’s earned points would be divided to her. If Luo Han joined as well, Ke Bei would have to share points with him too, making it difficult for Ke Bei to break into the top three on the Qinglong List.

Luo Han also knew that Ke Bei was eager to visit Han Lingyue at the bottom of Qinglong Lake. To have a chance to go there, Ke Bei needed to secure a spot in the top three.

Moreover, Ke Bei had openly acknowledged his relationship with his sister. As her brother, Luo Han didn’t want to be an awkward third wheel. With these thoughts, Luo Han decisively declined Ke Bei’s offer.

The second phase of the Qinglong List Ranking Battle involved destroying beast and zombie strongholds within human-controlled territories. Generally, Divine King-level opponents wouldn’t appear there. With Luo Han’s strength, as long as he avoided Divine King-level enemies, he could handle the tasks easily. Thus, Ke Bei no longer insisted on inviting him.

After the first phase ended, the bluestone arena fell quiet. A massive stone monument stood upright in the center, its surface etched densely with tiny characters. Behind the monument was a stone table where an elderly man sat, eyes half-closed, occasionally nodding as if dozing.

In front of the huge monument, the top one hundred young talents on the Qinglong List gathered, intently selecting tasks suited to their abilities.

A prominent crack ran down the center of the monument. On the left were tasks to destroy zombie strongholds; on the right, tasks to eliminate beast strongholds.

From top to bottom, the difficulty of the tasks decreased. At the very top were the S-level tasks—ten in total on both sides combined—each worth one hundred points upon completion.

Below them were the A-level tasks, far more numerous, numbering in the hundreds. Completing an A-level task awarded ten points.

Following that were B-level tasks, granting three points each, and finally C-level tasks at the bottom, worth one point apiece.

At that moment, most eyes focused on the B and C-level tasks.

As the crowd concentrated on selecting tasks, a cold, stern man with striking black-and-white hair stepped slowly onto the bluestone arena, clutching a Tang sword wrapped in gray cloth. Each step he took seemed to intensify the chilling aura around him. Those nearby, sensing the coldness, instinctively stepped aside.

“Mu Duanhun is here. Last Qinglong List Ranking Battle, he completed sixty-three A-level tasks but didn’t choose any S-level missions. I wonder if he’ll pick an S-level task this time,” someone whispered as the man with black-and-white hair approached the monument and stared intently at the tiny inscriptions.

Mu Duanhun was once ranked third on the Qinglong List. What kind of task would he choose?

After silently gazing for a moment, Mu Duanhun slowly approached the elderly man behind the monument.

“A-level task: Destroy the Yanshan zombie horde,” he said with a voice as cold and hard as steel, enunciating each word clearly. Without waiting for a response, he turned and descended from the arena.

Only after Mu Duanhun’s figure completely vanished from sight did the top one hundred youths on the Qinglong List exhale softly and begin to discuss in hushed tones.

“Mu Duanhun still didn’t choose an S-level task.”

“Are you stupid? Do you think S-level tasks are easy? I glanced at them earlier. Damn, the simplest S-level task requires killing beasts on Jiuhuan Mountain. Do you know how many beasts are on Jiuhuan Mountain?”

“Damn, there are probably tens of thousands of upper-level beasts alone. All combined, there are over ten million. Jiuhuan Mountain is one of the eighteen top strongholds of the beast clan. Unless a War God-level expert intervenes personally, even an invincible Daoist would struggle to handle it.”

“Mu Duanhun’s no fool. He can easily complete A-level tasks. Why risk his life for nearly impossible S-level missions?”

“Look, Li Qingfeng is here.”

The crowd discussing Mu Duanhun fell silent as a figure in white robes appeared. Li Qingfeng’s refined smile was like a gentle breeze as he glided onto the bluestone arena, swiftly reaching the monument with only two steps.

He casually glanced at the monument, then approached the elderly man behind it, recorded his chosen task, and quietly left the stage. Though his steps appeared slow, they were incredibly fast.

“Li Qingfeng also chose an A-level task.”

“Heh, looks like no one’s going to claim the S-level tasks this year.”

Li Qingfeng and Mu Duanhun were acknowledged as the two strongest talents among the young elite. If even they avoided the S-level missions, who else would dare take them?

As the crowd whispered in disappointment, Ke Bei and Luo Ling appeared, walking leisurely onto the bluestone arena amid the murmurs.

“That’s Ke Bei! He’s this year’s biggest dark horse. I wonder if he dares to claim an S-level task outright.”

Ke Bei’s hundred consecutive victories had made him a household name in the Jiujang Talent Training Camp. No one there didn’t know him.

Ke Bei and Luo Ling approached the monument. Having already familiarized himself with the rules of the second phase of the Qinglong List, Ke Bei’s gaze immediately swept to the S-level tasks at the very top.

After a brief glance, Ke Bei made up his mind. He circled around the monument and approached the dozing elderly man.

“S-level task: Destroy the beast stronghold on Jiulian Mountain.”

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As for the attendant’s itinerary: He departed on the evening of the tenth, arriving in Xi’an on the eleventh. He stayed in Xi’an for two days because the Dragon Alliance and Uncle K were visiting from Taiwan—a rare occasion. The attendant accompanied them for those two days.

Tonight, I will depart for school and should arrive by tomorrow afternoon. Like you, I’m a reader who understands how frustrating and infuriating sparse updates can be. So I won’t offer excuses. I’ll just say this: once the attendant returns, you’ll see my sincerity—just as I’ve managed to write ten thousand words for nine consecutive days. The attendant is determined to compete for the monthly ticket rankings and will never give up!

Absolutely never give up!