Chapter 935: Ten Beauties Ranking

Ye Mo soon encountered three cultivators—two men and a woman—heading in the same direction as the two girls he'd previously seen. He readily abandoned pursuit of the girls, eager for any conversation.

Approaching the trio, they halted, defensively brandishing magical artifacts. Besides the Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator (a woman), the men were Golden Core level five and two.

Ye Mo quickly offered a fist salute. "I am Ye Mo," he explained. "Having cultivated in solitude, I'm unfamiliar with South Peace State affairs. I overheard mention of the 'Ten Beauties' and am curious. Might I inquire about them?" He avoided mentioning his North Far State origins, given their location within South Peace State territory.

The cultivators relaxed. A Golden Core level one cultivator posed no threat. The taller, dark-faced cultivator sheathed his artifact, laughing. "A fellow enthusiast, friend! But don't take it too seriously; it can be dangerous." The other man mirrored his actions and laughter, sensing Ye Mo's genuine curiosity.

Impressed by their straightforwardness, Ye Mo found himself liking them.

"I'm Guo Qifan, and these are my martial brother Yan Qi and martial sister Ding Ling," Guo Qifan introduced. "Brother Ye, you're likely headed for Purple Lake. Let's travel together."

Ye Mo was about to decline, unfamiliar with Purple Lake, but Yan Qi interjected, "Brother, why ask? Who isn't going to Purple Lake now? While we won't obtain the Purple Flower Fire itself, we might find seeds. Given enough time, a seed could become another Purple Flower Fire."

'Purple Flower Fire?' Ye Mo mused. Ranked twelfth among rare flames, a significant position, especially considering the top ten were Heaven Flames. Thirty-six seeds accompanied its birth, each a level-five spirit item useful for cultivation and pill refinement. High-grade seeds could potentially mature into another Purple Flower Fire after countless years.

Ye Mo readily agreed, his curiosity piqued. "Yes, I'm going there, but I still have a question…" He remembered his original inquiry.

Guo Qifan chuckled, "Ah, yes! My martial sister knows. Sister Ling, enlighten Brother Ye."

Ding Ling, though less striking than the previous two girls, possessed a refreshing demeanor. She smiled. "The 'Ten Beauties' are actually eleven. Ranked first are Luo Susu of the Dark Ice Sect and Wen Caiyi of the Infinity Sect. Second is Ling Xiaoshuang of the Clear Dream Mosque. Third, Ning Qingxue of the Distant Immortal Pond—"

Ye Mo's heart leaped at the mention of Qingxue. Her ranking was irrelevant; news of her was paramount.

Ding Ling continued, "Fourth is Jing Yinming of the Deep Sound Tower. Fifth, Xiao Shiyin of the Golden Sword Sect. Sixth, Tang Beiwei of the Dark Ice Sect—"

His excitement soared; he'd heard of Luo Ying, Ning Qingxue, and Tang Beiwei! He was relieved, though puzzled by Luo Ying and Tang Beiwei being in the same sect.

Ding Ling noted his reaction but remained silent, proceeding, "Seventh is Yi Pandie of the Heaven Star Sect; eighth, Nangong Xiaodai of the Nan Gong Villa; ninth, Du Xiuying of the Fusion Joy Sect; and tenth, Qiu Xue of the Red Pill Sect."

"The Dark Ice Sect is incredibly powerful, boasting two of the top ten!" Yan Qi exclaimed.

Ding Ling rolled her eyes. "What does that have to do with the sect's strength? It's a nine-star sect, naturally powerful."

Relieved to know they were well, Ye Mo marveled at South Peace State's strength. Even the lowest-ranked beauty hailed from a seven-star sect, dwarfing North Far State's five- or six-star pinnacle sects. He understood Qiu Xue's earlier outburst; being ranked last likely fueled her anger at his earlier request for a ranking.

Such trivialities were inconsequential now. This information sufficed. Many surpassed Qiu Xue in beauty; even Goddess Zihua and Yun Ziyi were comparable, while Ji Mei was even more beautiful.

His immediate goal upon returning would be to bring Yangzhu and the others to South Peace State. He asked Ding Ling about their current statuses but received little information; the social disparity was too vast. She only knew widely circulated news.

As they flew, more cultivators appeared. Many recognized Guo Qifan. Reaching a large lake, Ye Mo finally understood the prior lack of cultivators; hundreds were gathered here. South Peace State's presence in the herb valley significantly outnumbered North Far State's.

He spotted Qiu Xue and the big-eyed girl, awaiting the Purple Flower Fire. He briefly observed them before averting his gaze, still displeased with their previous behavior.

They seemingly hadn't noticed him, anxiously watching the lake. Surrounding them were dozens of young cultivators, clearly admiring Qiu Xue. She remained composed.

Bored, the big-eyed girl addressed Qiu Xue, "Sister Xue, what was with that guy? He pursued us, only to attempt such a ridiculous approach." She produced the jade bottles. "I really want to see the pills inside!"

"Discard them," Qiu Xue replied calmly.

"Of course, but I must see them first. These bottles are exquisite." She opened one, revealing two pale blue pills. She gasped in shock.