Ryan Ling may be temporarily safe for now, but let's be real—both of us know Nine-Dragon Gate isn't about to let him off the hook. That's why, while Ruins Sect is recruiting, he has to become one of them. With Ruins Sect as his big backer, he'll finally have real security!
And now, he's finally arrived in Ruins City.
"I always thought Immortal-Domain City was the biggest, but Ruins City is even bigger! There are way more experts here than I ever imagined!"
"Totally! And there are tons of women's shops here too—let's get out and check them out!"
"May, let's go! You probably know this place better than any of us, right?"
......
Right now, the three women are absolutely buzzing with excitement. When it comes to shopping, they're totally in sync. But what really surprises Ryan is that May Xia is actually from Ruins City. She tells Ryan her family—the Xia Family of Ruins City—used to be pretty well-known here. Back then, they crossed Nine-Dragon Gate and got exiled; she was sent off to the Sky-Burial Necropolis, and most of her family still have no idea where they ended up.
That's why May Xia absolutely hates Nine-Dragon Gate. So when she hears that Ryan's come to Ruins City this time to join Ruins Sect and take on Nine-Dragon Gate, she's extra fired up!
Thanks to Jade Xuan's tip, Ryan knows he has to take the Ruins Sect entry test next. Only by passing the combat trials and getting approved does he actually qualify to join Ruins Sect. And once he's inside, Jade Xuan wants him to join a place called Tender Haven—a cave-mansion sub-faction set up by her bestie Linglong. Right now, Tender Haven is super weak and badly needs a powerhouse like Ryan to back them up!
Ryan agreed to her request right away. No need to overthink it—he'll join Ruins Sect first and sort everything out after. With his strength and potential, joining Ruins Sect is basically a sure thing; the only question is how high he'll rank in the end.
Of course, Ryan doesn't want to make a huge splash—he just wants to get in smoothly. After all, it's his first time in Ruins City, and he has no clue how deep the waters run here!
Just as Ryan is lost in thought, a sly voice suddenly rings out: "May Xia, you actually made it back alive from the Sky-Burial Necropolis? You've got guts! Nine-Dragon Gate sentenced you to exile, and you still dare show your face here? Men, grab her for me!"
"What are you trying to do? Are you really going to attack someone in broad daylight?"
"Touch her and see what happens! I'll skin you bastards alive!"
Celia Xiao and Joanna Long immediately shouted back!
"Well, well, these two beauties look pretty tasty. Take them back to my place—tonight, this young master is going to have a good time..."
Ryan hears this and can't hold back anymore. This is someone kicking sand in his face—and doing it so brazenly!
"Get lost!" Ryan spins around and charges forward. Seeing a couple of thugs about to make a move, he slaps out with one hand—instantly, three or four lackeys go flying.
"You've got a lot of nerve, meddling in my business! You must have a death wish—men!" The ugly, sly young master, Shawn Qin, shouted in the street. Instantly, over a dozen stick-wielding goons rushed out. These guys clearly had some skill and were used to throwing their weight around on this street. Even in broad daylight, they weren't afraid at all. In seconds, Ryan and the three women were surrounded—obviously, Shawn Qin wanted to bag them all today!
"Who the hell are these bastards?" Ryan asked, but May Xia shouted out right away!
May Xia was shaking with rage, gritting her teeth: "Ryan, these are the maniacs who ruined my family! That guy is Shawn Qin—back then, he almost violated me. You have to get justice for me today!"
"What? Now that we've run into Ryan, there's no way we're letting him go today!"
"Damn right! We have to catch him and slice the flesh off his bones, piece by piece, to vent our hatred!"
Hearing May Xia say this, Ryan hadn't even replied yet before Celia Xiao and Joanna Long started cursing through gritted teeth!
"Don't worry!" Ryan said, seeing their ugly faces, already pissed off himself.
He wanted nothing more than to flay these bastards alive, but with so many people around—and this being Ruins City—making a huge scene would be a nightmare to clean up.
Ryan didn't hesitate for a second. He strode right up and grabbed Shawn Qin—catch the ringleader first! Grab the sleazy young master and deal with the rest later!
"You dare grab me? Do you even know who I am? Hanging around with a fugitive like her? Guards, guards!" Shawn Qin wasn't scared at all when Ryan grabbed him—instead, he started screaming his head off, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Suddenly, a bunch of people showed up—but they weren't Shawn Qin's family lackeys. They looked more like Ruins City's official guards.
Ryan definitely didn't want to clash with the "regular army" the moment he entered the city. So, without hesitating, he delivered a savage kick straight to Shawn Qin's crotch—breaking his 'root' and venting some of that anger!
Ryan spun around, grabbed the three women, and took off. Clearly, this wasn't the right time for revenge—plus, May Xia was still technically a fugitive, so blowing things up here would only make it worse!
"Young Master Qin, are you okay?"
"Catch them! Get those bastards!" Shawn Qin was so wracked with pain his face turned green and cold sweat poured down his body.
"Serves you right!" May Xia spat, and without another second's hesitation, the group slipped away from the scene!
......
After escaping, Ryan and the others found a temporary inn. Ruins City is huge, and with Ruins Recruitment going on, the place is packed with strangers. Even the city guards have a hard time tracking anyone down!
"Don't worry, May Xia. I swear I'll get revenge for you. But first, we've got to get into Ruins Sect—otherwise, none of us are truly safe!" Ryan knew May's hatred ran deep, but he had to keep his priorities straight.
"Don't worry, Ryan. I know now's not the time. I won't push it—I'll wait patiently!" May Xia nodded, and Celia Xiao and Joanna Long cheered her on. Clearly, the moment for payback hadn't come yet.
Over the next few days, Ryan got a solid feel for the lay of Ruins City. The place is about ten times the size of Immortal-Domain City, with a massive population—tons of experts, but also plenty of nobodies. Some folks are Heaven-Tribulation cultivators from Earth, but here they're stuck at the bottom, doing grunt work forever with zero hope of rising up!
Compared to Ruins City, Jiulong Mountain is insanely exclusive—there, even the lowest-ranked folks are Heavenly Immortals, and even the servants are at least half-step Heavenly Immortal. Ordinary people can't even get close. If you want to join Nine-Dragon Gate, it's not just about strength—you need a fancy pedigree too. Only sons of regional lords have a shot at getting in!
Ordinary folks don't even have a shot—no matter what lucky break you get, even if you become a Heavenly Immortal someday, it still won't cut it. That's why Ruins Recruitment draws so many ambitious young cultivators from the Immortal Domain World: here, it doesn't matter where you're from. As long as you're strong and upright, you can join!
After about seven or eight days, Ryan had pretty much mapped out every corner of Ruins City. Then, one morning, a deafening gong rang out overhead, and a voice shouted: "Ruins Recruitment is officially starting! All applicants, assemble at Ruins Plaza!"
It's on!
Ryan didn't hesitate for a second—he shot straight toward Ruins Plaza, with May Xia, Celia Xiao, and Joanna Long right behind him!
This is a once-in-ten-years 'carp leaping the dragon gate' moment. Even Ryan can't afford to waste it!
As soon as Ryan arrived at Ruins Plaza, he saw the massive square—big enough for a million people—already packed wall-to-wall. Nobody knew how many applicants had come to compete. To get into Ruins Sect, you have to pass the combat-power test and survive the challenges against other newcomers. Only the final winners make it!
Ryan took a deep breath, his heart pounding with excitement...