Upon hearing this, Li Yanbei's expression turned even uglier. In this way, he couldn't escape the label of a lackey of the imperial court!
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Chapter Twenty-Five: Weapon Ranking? Number One Under Heaven?
Early in the morning, Li Yanbei returned from a busy night in the capital. He looked exhausted, covered in wounds that had been hastily bandaged. He also appeared listless.
"My lord, the entire underground forces in the capital have been completely eradicated, and all those who were dissatisfied have been killed."
"Currently, of the thirty-three brothels in the capital, twenty-eight are under our control. The remaining five have been completely raided and the entire families wiped out. Of the eighty-seven gambling dens in the capital, seventy-six are firmly under our control. The remaining eleven have also been completely wiped out."
"Tonight, all the gangs, big and small, in the capital who dared to lay a hand on us are dead. From today onwards, the entire capital will be under your control, sir," Li Yanbei said tremblingly.
To be honest, although the results were significant, the casualties were also heavy. Moreover, Li Yanbei's own loyal followers suffered particularly heavy losses. If it weren't for the assistance of many skilled members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Li Yanbei might have already fled.
Therefore, although he had unified the underground forces of the entire capital, the casualties were too great, and he had too few trusted confidants. All his achievements were taken away by the imperial court, the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, and the guy in front of him.
Moreover, with so many casualties at this point, would his usefulness suddenly decrease, and would he be silenced? Therefore, Li Yanbei was genuinely worried for a long time on his way back.
To this, Lin Yang could only say, "You're overthinking it. Don't always assume the court's situation is the same as yours. Even if it's just to buy a horse's bones with a thousand pieces of gold, they'll still ensure Li Yanbei's survival."
"Good, very good. Originally, someone in the manor told me that our Imperial Preceptor's Mansion couldn't accept a coward like you, as it would ruin our reputation. But at the time, I said, let's give you a chance. Now that you're back, that's very good." Lin Yang said with a smile.
"Come, see what this is?" Lin Yang said, clapping his hands as he spoke. Soon, several maids came over, carrying the official uniforms, weapons, and tokens of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
"The clothes are a Qilin robe, a gift from the Emperor, bestowed only upon those who have rendered great service. This knife is the famous Embroidered Spring Blade, crafted by a master craftsman, far superior to your original weapon. As for this token, it signifies your identity. Furthermore, you are responsible for overseeing the entire underground forces of the capital."
Upon hearing this, Li Yanbei broke out in a cold sweat. He had returned, so he had secured the position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a fourth-rank military officer in the imperial court. But what if he hadn't returned?
"I will dedicate myself to the great cause of the court, even unto death," Li Yanbei said excitedly.
Back in my youth, when I first entered the world of martial arts, I was full of passion and wholeheartedly wanted to become a renowned hero. But later, forced by life's circumstances, I gradually became one of the two major controllers of the capital's underground forces.
However, the higher the position, the more uneasy he felt. He prepared six escape routes within the capital alone, just in case of a critical moment. But the more he prepared these, the more worried he became.
But today, the Qilin robe, the embroidered spring knife, the fourth-rank military officer of the imperial court, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—he's finally been exonerated. From a nobody, he's suddenly become a big shot in the legitimate world. All his dissatisfaction, all his resentment, vanished in that instant.
"The martial world is very peaceful now, which is not good, not good at all. You must know that my Imperial Preceptor's Mansion was established to suppress the martial world. But now that it's so peaceful, we can't just directly oppose the entire martial world," Lin Yang sighed.
“Yes, sir, in this situation, one wrong move and you could find yourself facing off against the entire martial arts world. Although you are not afraid, it will still cause you a lot of trouble,” Li Yanbei said.
"So, I intend to follow the example of the story of Bai Xiaosheng from a hundred years ago. What do you think?" Lin Yang said with a smile.
"The All-Knowing Scholar from a hundred years ago... could it be... the Weapon Ranking?" Li Yanbei asked in surprise.
To be honest, the reason why the martial arts world a hundred years ago is remembered by everyone is largely due to the weapon rankings. With weapon rankings, it was easy to know who was the best in the world. And the title of "best in the world" was the most irresistible temptation for martial arts practitioners.
"That's right, it's a weapons ranking list. Of course, times have changed, and it's no longer appropriate to call it a weapons ranking list. I think we should call it the Dragon and Tiger Ranking List."
"This volume is called the Dragon List, also known as the Heavenly List. It records the top ten masters of this era. This list only records the top ten; the rest are not included."
Upon hearing this, Li Yanbei picked up the Dragon List and began to examine it carefully. It was actually just a piece of Xuan paper, but Lin Yang's writing on it was passionate, vigorous, and profound. Even he, a martial artist with little education, could feel that the writing was truly excellent.
What came into view was even more astonishing. Above it were written the four large characters: "Number One Under Heaven."
Seeing this, Li Yanbei couldn't help but get excited. He also wanted to know who among so many martial arts heroes in the world was truly the best.
Number One Under Heaven: Nameless Island, Nameless Old Man
This person's age and specific martial arts skills are unknown; he usually presents himself as an old man. He is proficient in all martial arts, and knowledgeable in astronomy and geography. He is incredibly mysterious and has long resided on an unnamed island overseas. He has many masters under his command, including Red Shoes, the Invisible Man, Gong Jiu, and the Honest Monk.
Second in the world: Jade Rakshasa of the Western Demonic Cult
This man is a ruthless and ambitious individual, his age unknown, and his martial arts skills unfathomable. He is also the leader of the Western Demonic Sect, with the three elders of Pine, Bamboo, and Plum, as well as Flying Jade Tiger and others, all of whom are among the most skilled martial artists in the world.
The Third Best in the World: Old Knife Handle, Master of Ghost Manor
This person is also a ruthless and cunning individual, shrewd and calculating, capable of planning three steps ahead for every one he takes. His true identity is unknown, he is older, and possesses unparalleled martial arts skills, with both internal and external techniques reaching the pinnacle of the world.
This person is also the master of Ghost Manor, which is known for only accepting those who have died once. Under his command are many masters, including the Soul Reaper Shi He, the Four Arhats (Lion, Tiger, Leopard, and Elephant) who were outcasts from Shaolin Temple, and the most beautiful courtesan from the Hua family of Jiangnan.
Fourth in the world: Gong Jiu
This person's identity is shrouded in mystery; he is rumored to be a prince of the royal family, though this is merely hearsay and its veracity is unknown. He is the young master of a nameless island, possessing unfathomable internal strength. Furthermore, he is proficient in all martial arts styles under heaven. The vast majority of martial artists would be unable to withstand his power.
(Of course, it is said that this person also has a fatal flaw. If this flaw were found, even a three-year-old child could be killed. Of course, this is merely hearsay.)
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Chapter Twenty-Six: A List of Heroes and Warriors Reveals the Stories of the World's Heroes
Fifth in the world: Ye Gucheng, master of Flying Immortal Island in the South China Sea
The "Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens" move can be considered the pinnacle of swordsmanship, reaching its zenith. Unfortunately, compared to the previous masters, his internal energy is not deep enough. If he were to return in ten years, the Lord of White Cloud City could reach even greater heights, and at that time, becoming the number one swordsman in the world would not be impossible.
Number six in the world: Mu Taoist
This man was a senior elder of the Wudang Sect, whose martial arts skills surpassed even those of the sect leader. He claimed to be first in chess, second in drinking, and third in swordsmanship. He was elusive and loved traveling and sightseeing.
(Mu Daoren is actually Old Knife Handle, the master of Ghost Manor, but Lin Yang didn't reveal it. That's why he appeared on the list twice; it just goes to show how powerful he is with multiple aliases.)
The seventh in the world: Dugu Yihe, the leader of the Emei Sect.
Before joining Emei, this person was already a top-tier martial artist, having already acquired some skills before becoming an apprentice. However, later, he deeply mastered the true essence of Emei martial arts, making his skills even more formidable. In particular, his self-created 49-style dual-wielding sword and saber technique is a rare and exceptional move, second only to the Celestial Flying Immortal.
The Eighth in the World: Abbot Dabei of Shaolin Temple
This person is a genuine Shaolin monk, born and raised in Shaolin, and later became the abbot of Shaolin. His actual combat record is rare, but he once survived a sneak attack from the four Arhats—Lion, Tiger, Leopard, and Elephant—without suffering any injury, which shows that he is a man of extraordinary martial arts skills.
The Ninth Under Heaven: The Master of the Green Robe Pavilion