First on the Earth Ranking, Dragon Head Guillotine!

The Central Plains of the Divine Land were a vast and fertile expanse. As far as the eye could see across the boundless wilderness stood an imposing city that seemed to bridge heaven and earth, encircled by ten thousand towering mountains and sheer ridges. Yet before this magnificent fortress, ordinary peaks and rivers seemed like mere pebbles and trickling brooks, utterly paling in comparison. Viewed from high above, one would notice that the entire plain appeared to have been arranged with pinpoint precision by an unseen, colossal hand. Every mountain, every river. They had been aligned in the most optimal positions to carve out unobstructed official highways and waterways, all converging toward the great metropolis. A wonder. At this moment, only the word "wonder" could describe this grand city standing upon the wilderness, reducing the rugged mountain ranges beyond it to utter insignificance. This was the heart of the Central Plains. The Dashun capital. With highways and waterways radiating in all directions, imperial decrees issued from within were dispatched to every commandery and county, ensuring that movements across the realm never escaped the imperial court's watchful eye. In the central district of this towering city, a mere street away from the imperial palace, stood an estate adjoining the Confucian Temple to the east. Comprising three courtyards and spanning tens of thousands of mu, this complex was the Imperial Academy—the cornerstone of an administration said to be "filled with upright men" and the very core of the realm's scholarly heritage. *Skree—!* Accompanied by the piercing cry of a golden-eyed eagle, a courtyard within the Imperial Academy erupted into a hubbub of voices. A shadow plunged from the sky into the courtyard, landing steadily upon an outstretched arm. The person who caught the golden-eyed eagle was a valiant-looking young man. He removed the letter cylinder from the raptor's leg, retrieved the secret missive inside, and read through it in haste. The next instant, his complexion changed drastically. "Longxing... How is that possible!" His brows locked tight, his expression shifting through several shades of dismay. Wheeling around, he strode quickly into the inner courtyard and came to an abrupt stop before a study door. Before he could speak, a voice carried from behind the door: "Why stand outside? Enter." Only then did the young man carefully push the door open. Inside the study, a desk was laid out with spread xuan paper. An elder stood before it, brush in hand, writing. "Has something happened in Longxing County?" The elder spoke with an easy air, his brush moving like dragons and snakes in one fluid motion, swiftly tracing the characters for "the realm" on the paper. As he wrote, he asked: "Did Bingzheng and Yiran make a blunder? Has the disciple from Book Mountain returned to the mortal world, or did the Royal Enshrinement Hall dispatch a martial arts grandmaster? No matter. It is merely losing a single move on the board. His Majesty had the better hand this time; do not take winning and losing so deeply to heart." The young man said in a low voice, "Master..." "As for Bingzheng and Yiran," the elder continued, paying him no heed, "regardless of circumstances, they failed to handle matters properly this time. When they return, have them go to the Hanlin Academy to compile histories. Let them temper themselves for a few years before returning to serve the common folk..." "Master!" the young man pressed, raising his voice. At that, the elder finally sensed something amiss. His brush paused over the half-finished stroke of the character *tai*. After a brief hesitation, he continued to write. "What is it? Was there some other error?" Lowering his head, the young man said in a heavy voice, "Bingzheng and Yiran are both dead. Longxing County remains intact. The common folk broke open the official granaries and seized the autumn tax grain..." *Riiip!* Before the young man could finish, the sharp sound of tearing paper cut him off. The elder's expression darkened as he slowly set down his brush. Upon the torn sheet of xuan paper, the phrase "peace across the realm" was nearly complete, yet the final stroke of the character *ping* had gone awry. The concluding downward stroke had carried too much force, tearing straight through the paper. The noble sentiment was ruined, stripped of every trace of scholarly grace. "A pack of lowly wretches, daring to plunder imperial grain—they court death!" With a flick of his sleeve, the elder swept the torn paper aside, finally turning to face the youth. "What happened? Why did people die?" "I do not know..." the young man replied in dread. "The Enshrinement Hall has sealed off all news. The precise details cannot be uncovered. We only know it might be related to the gold-bearing armed cavalry dispatched by His Majesty." "The Enshrinement Hall... That was not necessarily His Majesty's intent." The elder's brow furrowed before he let out a cold sneer. "Though our current Emperor has cultivated the Dao for years and possesses an obstinate, self-willed temperament, he is by no means an incompetent ruler. "Rather, it is precisely because of his great talent that his ambition swelled, driving him to seek longevity and eternal life—which is how the world was pushed into open rebellion. "Ever since that person took charge of the Enshrinement Hall, it has steadily slipped from His Majesty's grasp. If His Majesty had truly won this round in Longxing County and secured the elixir of immortality, he would have proclaimed it far and wide. His current silence suggests the Enshrinement Hall acted on its own accord. "His Majesty is likely flying into a rage at this very moment." At this point, the elder's furrowed brow relaxed, and his composure returned. "Viewed this way, it is this old man who had the last laugh in Longxing County. "At the very least, I obtained an elixir of immortality." With that, the elder reached out, picked up a porcelain bottle from the desk, and tipped out a crystalline pill, cradling it in his palm for a careful look. "The methods of thaumaturges are truly wondrous," the elder murmured, eyes narrowing in admiration. "I wonder what secret formula and divine herbs went into this single pill to grant ten additional years of life. "Bingzheng was filial after all. "Tell the prominent clan behind him to put their minds at ease. Let them nurture their next generation of scholars well; when the imperial examinations come next year, this old man will naturally grant them an opportunity to serve the state." The young man hastily cupped his hands in assent. Immediately after, the elder swallowed, tilted his head back, and placed the elixir into his mouth, gulping the entire pill down without daring to waste a speck. "Taking this celestial elixir... is truly a delight." The elder closed his eyes, savoring the sensation. Before long, he felt light and airy, as though ascending into immortality, his body surging with fresh vigor. *Has the celestial elixir taken effect already?* The elder opened his eyes, only to see the writing brush he had just set upon the desk lean forward and ask, "Well? Do you really feel ten years younger?" "Indeed, indeed..." ...Wait, what? The next instant, seeing the brush open its mouth to speak, the elder shuddered violently. His body, which had felt half-airborne, crashed down, and he collapsed heavily onto the floor. *Disaster! Poison!* *** Inside the Royal Enshrinement Hall. Unlike the Imperial Academy, the Enshrinement Hall was situated directly within the imperial city. Spanning tens of thousands of mu as well, its scale and grandeur rivaled the Imperial Academy, if not surpassed it. Just then, a figure dashed in from outside the imperial city, coated in travel dust and moving with frantic urgency. It was a handsome youth. Given his commotion, had it not been for the You Rooster identity plaque hanging at his waist, the palace guards would have surrounded him the moment he entered. "Good news! Splendid news!" The youth shouted at the top of his lungs the moment he set foot inside the Enshrinement Hall, drawing numerous glances and inquiries. "Are you mad, You Rooster? Did you strike it rich at the gambling dens?" "Even bigger than that!" The youth laughed heartily. "Old Man Cheng from the Imperial Academy was rushed to the Imperial Hospital this morning, completely unconscious! By the looks of it, he's about to ride the crane to the western paradise!" "What?" A crowd gathered around him in an instant, their faces glowing with excitement. "Truly? That old dog's lifespan has finally run out?" "They say he was poisoned!" You Rooster beamed with delight. "The Imperial Academy is in complete turmoil right now, desperately trying to figure out who managed to slip lethal poison right under their noses!" "Tsk, tsk, tsk..." "Retribution!" After delivering the news, You Rooster hurried deep into the Enshrinement Hall toward a secluded courtyard, calling out, "Brother Chen Dragon, I brought you a—" The moment he stepped through the door, he froze. "Uncle Shen Monkey?" Before his words could finish, Shen Monkey turned around and grumbled, "Who are you calling 'uncle'?! Chen Dragon is older than me! You call him 'big brother,' but I'm 'uncle'? "I think your hide is itching for a thrashing!" Hearing this, You Rooster quickly took a step back with an ingratiating smile. "Brother, Brother Shen Monkey! I didn't expect you to be back too. Did the mission go off without a hitch?" "It's finished... but I wouldn't call it smooth." Shen Monkey waved a dismissive hand. "I heard you shouting outside just now. That old dog Cheng Bochun was poisoned? Hmph... I actually have some idea about that." With that, Shen Monkey turned toward the figure behind him. Leaning against the doorway of the courtyard was a dignified, middle-aged man dressed in sumptuous robes. The most striking thing about him was the arm bracer on his right forearm, carved with dragon patterns and resembling a sturdy shield—an imposing sight. "Chen Dragon, if I am not mistaken, the reason that old dog Cheng Bochun was suddenly poisoned and carted off to the Imperial Hospital has everything to do with Longxing County." "Another one," the middle-aged man remarked softly. "Over the past half month, first the Siwang Terrace was thrown into disarray, then urgent summons came from the palace—all over what happened in Longxing County. "And now the Imperial Academy is in an uproar as well. "Even His Majesty summoned me to the palace specifically to interrogate me, but I knew nothing. Now that you're here, you might as well tell me. "What on earth happened in Longxing County?" Shen Monkey shook his head. "Longxing County is no longer important. What matters is... Chen Dragon, I brought back an incomparable martial arts genius for you!" At these words, Chen Dragon broke into a smile. "Wang Ping, right?" Shen Monkey's jaw dropped slightly. "How did you know?" "You spent the last half month focused purely on traveling, so you likely had no time to pay attention to changes on the Weapon Register. Over the past fifteen days, this man has been the very epicenter of the unrest." With that, Chen Dragon produced a sheet of paper. "The Weapon Register?" Shen Monkey blinked and looked down at the unfolded paper, immediately spotting several familiar names. First on the Weapon Register: Rusted Iron Sword. Second: Sun-Chasing Demon-Subduing Saber. Third: Overlord Spear. Fourth: Upright Qi Sky-Suspending Ruler. Fifth: Calamity of the Living... Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Puzzled, Shen Monkey cast his eyes further down. Then he froze. *He stormed the county seat, smashed the official granaries, seized the tax grain, gathered over ten thousand men, and rose in rebellion. The greenwood outlaws of the Shu region all hail him as the "Grand Hero" and revere him as the Rebel King of the Shu Region.* Sixth on the Weapon Register: Dragon Head Guillotine. Wang Ping.