Swallowing the Stars: Becoming a God Starting with a Hundred Generations of Talent

Chapter 116 Cloud Ranking: Surrender Without a Fight [Fourth Update]

Meanwhile, changes are also taking place within the Xiao family of Yunchuan.

Inside a council hall, all the top executives of the Xiao family gathered together.

The patriarch of the Xiao family sat in the main seat, looking at the crowd below, and slowly spoke.

"As you all know, the Xiao family and Yun Chuan City owe their current status entirely to Su Chen."

Everyone nodded solemnly.

"Therefore, I have decided," the old patriarch took a deep breath and stood up, "to pass the position of patriarch to Su Chen. Let him lead our Xiao family to a more glorious future!"

No one objected to this proposal.

Subsequently, the old patriarch personally came to Luo Yun's courtyard and told him about the decision.

however.

After listening, Luo Yun simply shook his head calmly.

"I have no interest in the position of head of the family."

His answer stunned the old patriarch.

In his view, this was a great opportunity to control a city and wield immense power, so how could anyone refuse?

"Why?" the old patriarch couldn't help but ask.

Luo Yun gazed into the distance, her eyes calm.

"I'll be leaving Yunchuan City soon to visit the inner city," he said calmly. "To see my sister."

Upon hearing this reason, the old patriarch and the elders who had come with him fell silent.

They knew, of course, that Su Chen's younger sister, Su Qing, had married into the powerful Zhenhai Marquis's mansion in the inner city.

The siblings share a deep bond, and visiting the sister is a perfectly reasonable reason.

"I see." The old patriarch suddenly understood, then nodded. "Very well, it's only right for family to reunite. As for the position of patriarch, we'll discuss that after you return from the inner city."

On this day, Luo Yun prepared to set off.

He changed into a clean blue robe, tied his black hair up, and looked neat and tidy.

Outside the courtyard, the old patriarch of the Xiao family and a group of senior members were already waiting to see him off.

Just then, a figure ran in from outside.

It's Xue'er.

Her face was full of excitement, her cheeks were flushed, and she was holding a brand new booklet in her hand.

"Master, Master, look!"

Xue'er ran up to Luo Yun, handed him the booklet, and excitedly said, "This is the latest issue of the 'Cloud Ranking'! You're on the list!"

Luo Yun took the booklet.

The booklet was quite exquisitely made, with the cover featuring three large, gold-stamped characters: Yunxiao Bang (Cloud List).

He casually flipped it open.

This list includes all the Cloud-level powerhouses from several nearby territories, such as Pinghu Territory and Heishan Territory, and ranks their strength.

Xue'er pointed to one of the names and said excitedly, "Master, look, it's here!"

Luo Yun's gaze fell over there.

Seventh place, Su Chen.

There was a line of smaller print that briefly described the course of the battle: Outside Yunchuan City, a single sword strike killed fifteen equally powerful warriors from the Black Mountain Territory.

"Only seventh place—" Xue'er muttered under her breath when she saw the ranking. "Master is so amazing, how come he's only seventh?"

In her heart, her master should be number one.

Luo Yun smiled, but his gaze moved upwards, looking directly at the first position on the list.

There is only one name there.

First place: Li Hengtong, the "Azure Lotus Sword".

His record was described simply, in just one sentence.

Deep within the endless swamp, he slew the cloud-level ferocious beast "Abyss Hydra," and his swordsmanship has reached the seventh level of enlightenment.

"Sky-high level —"

Luo Yun looked at the words and a look of understanding flashed in his eyes.

Cloud-level, the seventh level of swordsmanship intent.

In his understanding, this so-called "cloud-level" corresponds to the "cosmic-level" in the universe.

The Seven Heavens of Artistic Conception are the Seven Realms of Domain.

A martial artist at the cosmic level has only reached the seventh level of their domain.

This level —

Luo Yun shook his head inwardly.

Let's not talk about Virtual Universe Company.

Within the Ancient Wheel Secret Realm, many geniuses had already reached the seventh or even eighth level of their domains when they were at the Eternal Star level.

Those people have far greater potential than Li Hengtong, who is at the top of this list.

This is, in the end, just a corner of the Blood Luo world.

He casually handed the booklet back to Xue'er.

Let's go.

The Xiao family patriarch and others had already prepared their mounts.

It was a wild beast called the "Cloud-Treading Beast," which was large in size, gentle in nature, and had excellent speed.

Luo Yun glanced at it.

With his strength, he could fly directly to the inner city.

However, there is no need for that.

He is now "Su Chen", a genius who has just turned misfortune into blessing and broken through to the Cloud Realm.

Acting in a way that is too shocking or unconventional can actually attract unnecessary trouble.

If you're going to put on a show, you have to see it through to the end.

Luo Yun planned to travel there at a leisurely pace.

In any case, this period of time was not wasted for him.

His body can move on the road, but his consciousness can enter the virtual universe at any time.

In the virtual universe of Rain Mountain, he can continue to undergo more intensive training and comprehend the laws.

Thinking of this, Luo Yun turned over and mounted the Cloud-Stepping Beast that had been prepared for him.

"Let's go," he said calmly.

"yes!"

Led by the patriarch of the Xiao family, the group left Yunchuan City in a grand procession and headed towards the inner city.

The Cloud-Treading Beast strode forward on its four hooves, running steadily along the official road.

The surrounding scenery slowly receded into the distance.

Luo Yun sat on the beast's back, his eyes slightly closed, his mind already immersed in that boundless virtual world.

One month later.

On the official road.

A procession of dozens of Cloud-Treading Beasts was moving steadily forward. In the center of the procession, the patriarch of the Xiao family personally guarded Luo Yun. This group was the Xiao family's team heading to the inner city of Pinghu Territory.

The Cloud-Stepping Beast possesses extraordinary speed, but the journey to the inner city is long and arduous, requiring several months even if traveled day and night.

Luo Yun was still dressed in green, sitting cross-legged on the broad back of the Cloud-Stepping Beast, his eyes slightly closed, his breath long and deep, like an old monk in meditation.

His mind was already immersed in the virtual universe of Yuxiang Mountain.

"Um?"

The ever-vigilant patriarch of the Xiao family suddenly frowned and looked at the official road ahead.

In the distance, at a mountain pass, dozens of warriors riding ferocious beasts surrounded a sizable caravan, with sounds of fighting and screams faintly audible.

"Master, they are from Black Wind Stronghold," a guard captain reported in a low voice.

The old patriarch of the Xiao family nodded, glanced at Luo Yun who was meditating beside him, and, not wanting to disturb him over such a trivial matter, ordered the guard commander: "Go and negotiate with them to make way."

"yes!"

The guard captain immediately spurred his cloud-riding beast forward, stepping over the crowd and shouting, "The Xiao family of Yunchuan is conducting business here! Who goes there? Make way at once!"

The sound contained true essence, rolling away like a great bell.

"Big brother, he's from the Xiao family."

"So what if it's the Xiao family? A small family cowering on the border, daring to meddle in the affairs of our Black Wind Stronghold? At most, we won't rob them, but they dare to ask us to make way?"

"Quite the boastful tone, this is Black Wind Stronghold territory!"

At the mountain pass, the bandits of Black Wind Stronghold, who had been watching their men plunder with amusement, all showed disdain upon hearing the loud shout.

Black Wind Stronghold is the strongest bandit gang within a hundred miles. Its leader, "One-Eyed Dragon," is a renowned Cloud-level expert with dozens of skilled members. Ordinary forces are not even worth a second glance.

At this moment, the one-eyed man with a hideous scar on his face glanced coldly at the Xiao family's group in the distance and ordered the second-in-command beside him, "Third brother, go and see which old bastard from the Xiao family is so reckless."

"Alright, big brother." A thin man chuckled and urged his mount forward, transforming into a black shadow as he charged towards the Xiao family's group.

When they were about a hundred feet away...

The gaunt man reined in his horse and surveyed the scene. When he recognized the elderly man at the head of the group, he paused for a moment, then called out loudly, "So it's Patriarch Xiao! What, does your Xiao family also want a piece of the pie?"

The patriarch of the Xiao family's face darkened, and he said coldly, "We have urgent business to attend to and do not wish to cause trouble. My Elder Su Chen's carriage is here; your Black Wind Stronghold will leave immediately!"

"Su Chen—Yun Chuan City—Xiao Family Elder—" The thin man chewed these words over and over again, the color draining from his face at a visible speed, his mocking expression turning into extreme terror.

The protagonist of that recent storm that swept through the entire Pinghu Territory and Black Mountain Territory, wasn't he named Su Chen?!

"It's...it's that Su Chen, the one whose sword strikes with astonishment?!" The thin man's voice trembled, almost squeezed out from between his teeth.

Seeing his reaction, the old patriarch of the Xiao family sneered inwardly, but his face remained calm. He simply gave a faint hum, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"Gulp."

The gaunt man swallowed hard, then without a word, abruptly turned his mount around and, not daring to utter a single polite phrase, galloped back like a madman, screaming incoherently, "Big brother! Retreat! Retreat!!"

This sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.

"Has the third brother gone mad?" One-Eyed Dragon frowned.

Before the words were even finished, the gaunt man had already rushed back to the front lines. He tumbled off his mount and scrambled to the one-eyed man, his voice trembling as he cried out, "Brother! It's Su Chen! It's that Su Chen! He's in that group!"

"Which Su Chen?" The one-eyed man hadn't reacted yet.

"Su Chen, the one who killed fifteen Cloud-level experts from Black Mountain Territory outside Yun Chuan City with a single sword strike!"

boom!

The one-eyed man's single eye instantly filled with bloodshot veins, and boundless fear surged from the bottom of his heart, making his whole body ice cold.

He himself was at the Cloud Realm level, so he knew better than anyone how terrifying it was to kill fifteen experts of the same level with a single sword strike!

That's a godlike or demonic technique!

Offending such a being could wipe the entire Black Wind Stronghold off the map in the blink of an eye!

"Retreat! Everyone, retreat now!!" The one-eyed man almost roared as he gave the order, his voice sharp and piercing with fear.

He turned his mount around and galloped headlong towards the mountain stronghold without looking back, looking more terrified than if he had seen a ghost.

Seeing this, the remaining bandits, though still somewhat bewildered, knew that something big was about to happen. They dropped the valuables they had acquired and scattered like a tide, wishing they had more legs.

The besieged caravan suffered heavy casualties. Now, watching the bandits retreat like frightened birds, they were all stunned, feeling a sense of bewilderment at having survived such a disaster.

"What happened? Why have all the people from Black Wind Stronghold run away?" The caravan leader, a middle-aged merchant surnamed Wang, muttered to himself.

"Father, it seems they're afraid of that team," a pretty young girl whispered beside him.

"Afraid?" The merchant Wang looked at the approaching group in the distance, his eyes filled with surprise and gratitude.