Madam, please listen to my explanation.

Chapter 63, Eighth on the Earthly Ranking – Xu Jinhuan
Although it had only been a short while, Zhuang Jinyu's feelings had already undergone a complete transformation as she was once again held in his arms.

She stopped pretending to be reserved and clung to him like an octopus, as if afraid of being abandoned halfway.

"Master Zhuang, those were just two minor characters; they couldn't have caught up."

Please show some respect in your actions.

"no, do not want!"

Zhuang Jinyu ignored him, burying her face in his body and refusing to let go no matter what.

It wasn't until much later that she realized the wind had stopped howling and the two of them seemed to have stopped.

"Thank you so much, sir, for saving my life."

blushing, Zhuang Jinyu landed on the ground, too embarrassed to even look up at the other person, keeping her head down.

"Cough cough. It's alright, it's alright."

What a shame!

Huh? Where am I?

Zhuang Jinyu raised her head and looked around.

I immediately wished I could find a crack in the ground to crawl into!

The other party sped all the way and brought him to the gate of the Mingjing Bureau!
Two men dressed in black stood on the left and right, their eyes clearly fixed straight ahead, yet their faces were flushed, obviously trying hard to suppress their laughter.

"I told you to be more respectful with your hands and feet."

With that, Xu Jinhuan turned and left without looking back.

Zhuang Jinyu pretended nothing had happened, and walked with his head held high towards the interior of the Mingjing Division.

Passing by the two of them, he muttered to himself:

"I do not wish to hear a third person discuss what just happened."

"Yes!"

"Your Excellency, we didn't see anything!"

"Summon men! Prepare the horses! Follow me to the palace to see His Majesty!"
-
Yuzhou, Canglu Mountain Range.

The sheer cliff, thousands of feet high, seemed to have been cleaved in two by a sharp blade, the break as smooth as a mirror.

In the center stood three massive gates made of black iron.

Each door knocker is cast in the shape of a Yazi swallowing a blade, heavy and solemn.

On both sides of the porch stand eighteen black gold sword figurines, each ten feet tall, holding unknown flames of various colors in their palms, seemingly never to be extinguished despite wind and rain.

The firelight illuminated the entire mountainside as if it were stained with blood.

Yun Ci stepped onto the bluestone steps covered with remnants of sword tempering and went uphill.

He knocked hard on the last door knocker, and in an instant, the sound was like thunder.

The heavy iron gate slowly opened to both sides, and the clanging sound of knocking could be heard, as a wave of heat rushed out.

This place is a colossal furnace-like palace carved out of the mountain's interior.

In the center of the hall, flames soared into the sky.

On both sides, shirtless, burly men stood, wielding giant hammers and chiseling at the sword blanks in their hands.

A broad-shouldered man stood with his hands behind his back in front of the central pillar of fire.

A chubby boy was perched on his neck.

Above the man, the dome was covered with a dazzling array of swords and knives.

As the mountain wind swept by, the countless unsharpened sword blanks collided with each other, their clanging sounds like the roar of dragons.

Yun Ci bowed down towards that retreating figure:

"Greetings, Godfather!"

"Yun Ci is back."

The man turned around, a smile on his face.

The chubby boy on the neck sucked off the chicken leg in his hand and threw the bone stick into the blazing fire.

"Big sister, you're so pretty!"

Yun Ci remained seated, and said in a low voice, "Father, things happened suddenly, please forgive me for leaving the capital without permission."

Before he finished speaking, a gentle breeze brushed his face.

The imposing man had already arrived in front of them.

He gently helped himself up and laughed heartily:
"Hahaha—my good daughter has returned to visit her father, what crime has she committed?" "Godfather."

"Alright, go change your clothes and freshen up first. We can talk about it later."

Yun Ci was overjoyed.

She could tell that her godfather's cultivation seemed to have improved again!

It should be noted that since the opponent reached the peak of the sixth rank, he has not made any progress for decades.
This situation clearly demonstrates that the other party has already subtly touched upon that insurmountable barrier between heaven and man.
Meeting that genuinely sincere smile, for the first time in her life, she refused her godfather's request.

"Father, the situation is urgent, please allow me to report first!"

"Oh?"

Wu Jiuchi pinched his chin. "Tell me about it."

"A few days ago, Emperor Zhao Jingqian of Yan searched everywhere for a man named Xu Jinhuan, causing quite a stir in the capital."

Just yesterday, that person suddenly appeared at the Iris Pavilion and approached the child.

Tell me everything that happened last night as quickly as possible.

Yun Ci let out a long sigh of relief.

She was only responsible for recounting everything she had seen and heard; her godfather would decide how to choose.

"The situation in the capital is volatile and unpredictable, and I am worried about it, so I will not linger any longer."

"What's the rush? Really."

Wu Jiuchi sighed and suddenly reached out and beckoned to the side.

A scroll, made of an unknown material, flew into my palm on its own.

He slowly unfolded it and examined it repeatedly for a moment:
"My dear girl, look at this."

Yun Ci recognized him at a glance.

What my godfather is holding in his hand is the Earthly Ranking!

If there's one way to transmit messages in this world, it's the 'raven' that can travel through spatial rifts.

However, their numbers are extremely small, and the methods of domestication are closely guarded secrets.

Therefore, the ravens controlled by various forces all actually came from the same mysterious force and were purchased at exorbitant prices.

Few people know that the mysterious force is none other than the Hidden Sword Manor, known for its immense wealth!

Through this unique and unparalleled means, the secrets held by the godfather have far exceeded the imagination of the world.

The Heaven and Earth Rankings, used to showcase the best masters in the world, were also created by him!

However, needless to say, the Heavenly Ranking has not been changed for a long time, and even the Earthly Ranking has not been changed.
Something extraordinary must have happened!
She reached out and took it with a puzzled expression, then heard the other person continue:

"The Xu Jinhuan you mentioned, if I'm not mistaken, is from Qingzhou, right?"

Yun Ci stared at the brand-new ranking list in his hand, completely dumbfounded:
"Eighth on the Earthly Ranking—Qingzhou, Xu Jinhuan."

"Realm: Fourth Rank Soaring!!!"

A storm raged within her.

Unexpectedly, that unfathomable man was actually at the same level as himself!

but
Thinking back to last night, the chilling pressure I felt when facing that person...

She suddenly felt ashamed of herself.

It should be known that there are countless people in the world who have reached the peak of the sixth rank.

However, only a handful of people were fortunate enough to make the list.

Which one of them wasn't a powerful figure in his sect?

When did it become the turn of a mere fourth-grade cultivator to be on the list?

"Sword Technique: Like Water".

"Achievement: Directly killed a peak sixth-rank expert with a sword, making it onto the list ahead of schedule!"

"A young hero!"

Wu Jiuchi laughed heartily.

"The images that the raven brought back were verified by my father himself and cannot be faked."

Although the one he killed was not one of the best of the sixth-grade grandmasters, it was a real head-on confrontation, and he killed him with a single sword strike!
However, this power seems unsustainable; otherwise, this child's ranking would be even higher!

(End of this chapter)