364: Chapter 364 Earth Ranking, See You Again, Moonlit Departure

The Earth Rank competition would start before the Heaven Rank; Chu Sheng had known this for a long time.

When the schedule was announced, the spectator stands were already filled with many people—friends and family of the competitors, fellow Sect members, and some Loose Cultivators who were purely there to watch.

The Earth Rank was open to Cultivators under sixty years of age whose cultivation did not exceed the Dao Palace; it was primarily composed of those in the Sea Opening Realm, with the occasional Spirit Lake Realm Cultivator, though they were rare.

Most of those standing here were the cream of the crop among the younger generation of their respective Sects. Although their cultivation was not at the Peak, they had the advantage of youth and plenty of room for growth.

Thousands of Disciples had come.

The reward for the Earth Rank was a heaven rank magic treasure of one's choosing, plus an opportunity to bathe in the starlight.

For Cultivators below the Dao Palace, this was already an extremely generous reward.

Chu Sheng stood at the edge of the spectator stands, his gaze sweeping over the competitors preparing to enter the arena below, yet his heart remained calm.

The fighting style of the Earth Rank really didn't have much worth noting to him.

However, his gaze paused for a moment.

It wasn't because he had seen some expert, but because he recognized a figure in the crowd.

Chu Xun.

He was dressed in a simple, cyan martial outfit, with a lean figure and crisp, efficient steps. He was not the most conspicuous among the competitors, but his movements were clean, without any unnecessary swaying.

He was standing at the edge of the arena, conversing with a young Cultivator wearing the Disciple robes of Medicine King Valley.

Chu Sheng watched him from afar, neither approaching nor deliberately hiding his gaze.

He noticed that Chu Xun had a light-colored jade pendant hanging from his waist, the cord worn thin, as if it had been worn for a long time.

He did not look in that direction again, but he did not avert his gaze either.

His gaze shifted to the other side of the spectator stands.

A few people were sitting there, wearing the standard robes of Wendao Palace, with long swords hanging at their waists and sitting with proper posture.

Chu Sheng was intimately familiar with one of the figures.

Yue Jianli.

Her attire was simpler than before, and she was sitting in her seat, her gaze fixed on the direction of the arena below.

Her expression hadn't changed much, but Chu Sheng could see her gaze sweeping through the crowd, as if she were looking for something.

He didn't rush to approach, but first observed the surrounding environment. Confirming that no one was paying attention to his side, he slowly moved his feet, circling to the row of seats behind her.

Using the crowd as cover, he stood still a few steps away from her, then lowered his voice and transmitted a message to her.

"This Lady, do you have a moment?"

Yue Jianli's brows furrowed imperceptibly, as if she had been disturbed by those words.

She did not turn her head, only coldly replying: "No."

Chu Sheng did not leave.

He transmitted another message: "I have been looking for you for a long time."

Yue Jianli's movements paused.

She finally turned her head, her gaze landing on Chu Sheng's disguised face, pausing for two breaths as if trying to identify something.

Then her gaze shifted slightly.

She did not speak, only quietly withdrawing her gaze, as if nothing had happened.

A moment later, she stood up and walked toward the outside of the spectator stands.

Chu Sheng followed behind her, maintaining an appropriate distance, neither getting too close nor falling too far behind.

The two of them, one in front and one behind, bypassed several rows of spectator stands, passed through a side door, and arrived at a viewing platform where few people passed.

The platform was not large; outside the railing were surging clouds, and below, the outlines of the eaves of Star Dou City could be vaguely seen.

Yue Jianli stopped, turned around, and looked at Chu Sheng.

Her gaze rested on his face for quite a while, as if confirming that the person in front of her was indeed him, and not just a similar shadow.

Then she spoke, her voice a few degrees lower than before: "How... are you here?"

Chu Sheng did not answer immediately, only reaching up to wipe his face, removing that simple disguise.

Yue Jianli watched him reveal his original features and was silent for a moment.

Her eyes turned slightly red.

She just stood there, quietly looking at him, as if she wanted to make up for all the time she hadn't seen him in one go.

Chu Sheng was not in a hurry to speak either, letting her look her fill first, before finally saying: "I have returned."

Yue Jianli nodded, not asking for too many details, only asking: "Are you doing well?"

Chu Sheng said: "I'm alright. I encountered some things on the road, but I'm fine now."

Yue Jianli did not delve deeper, changing to another question: "How long... will you stay this time?"

Chu Sheng thought for a moment: "At least until the Heaven Rank competition is over. As for what happens after, I'm not sure yet."

Yue Jianli nodded, as if she had already expected this answer.

A moment later, Chu Sheng asked another question: "The other Ladies... have you seen them since?"

Yue Jianli shook her head: "The Northern Region was chaotic for a while, and then everyone dispersed. I only managed to contact a few people, and as for the specific situation..." She paused, "I am not very clear."

Chu Sheng was silent for a while, then said: "Then once I finish this competition, I will go find them."

His tone was not a promise, but more like stating a matter he had already decided upon.

Yue Jianli looked at him and said: "To what extent... has your cultivation reached?"

Chu Sheng said: "I have reached the Dao Completion Peak."

Yue Jianli was quiet for a moment, clearly digesting those words.

She was silent for a moment, as if evaluating the impact of this information on the current situation, then said: "Then your current cultivation is already higher than my Master's."

Her tone was not one of surprise, but more like confirming a fact that had already occurred.

Chu Sheng did not respond, only standing quietly.

A moment later, he said: "I brought someone else with me when I returned this time."

Yue Jianli looked up at him.

Chu Sheng said: "It's a sister. Her cultivation is a bit higher than mine."

Yue Jianli, who had been about to ask something, paused upon hearing the second half of the sentence.

She was silent for a moment, as if digesting the weight of that statement, then said: "Higher than you?"

Chu Sheng nodded: "She is in the Divine Ability Realm."

After Yue Jianli said that, she did not ask further, only remaining silent, as if she were replaying that statement in her heart.

Yue Jianli did not ask any more questions, just standing there quietly.

Chu Sheng did not explain further either, simply standing by the railing with her, watching the surging clouds in the distance.

The two of them did not speak, nor did they deliberately seek words to say, as if this silence itself was an appropriate response.

The two of them shared a brief moment of warmth.

After a good while, Yue Jianli spoke: "After Chu Xun finishes competing, if you have time, go see him."

Chu Sheng nodded and agreed.

When returning to the spectator stands, Chu Sheng re-applied that simple disguise, changing back into that inconspicuous appearance.

Yue Jianli had already returned to her seat a step ahead, her expression as usual, as if that conversation had never happened.

Chu Sheng did not sit back in his original spot, but stood at the edge of the spectator stands, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding crowd. Confirming there was nothing unusual, he looked back toward the direction of the arena.

His gaze paused as it swept across the opposite side of the spectator stands.

There was a small area opposite where several Elders wearing the attire of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion were sitting.

One of them was turning his head to converse with a companion, his movements casual, as if discussing the schedule or some trivial matters.

A moment later he turned his head and looked at his companion beside him, his voice lowered extremely low.

"Look at that person, does he look like the one the Sect reported before?"

His companion beside him glanced in the direction of Chu Sheng, then withdrew his gaze, his tone carrying a trace of seriousness: "The figure and Qi are a bit similar. But the face doesn't match."

"Hard to say. That person's disguise techniques are quite high-level."

"Should we report this to Lord Laojun?"

"No rush. Let's wait until the event is over."