Yuan’s Ascension

Gao Yu, ranked 146, aged 44, a first-rate Adept (third-grade), a member of the Cloudstride Sect's Finance Hall... Judging by the ranking, Gao Yu's strength is definitely among the top tier of first-rate Adepts.

The Jiang Continent Human Rankings encompassed a total of 500 experts below the Grandmaster level. Out of these experts, 92 were Savant experts. And among these Savant experts, 21 were part of the Cloudstride Sect.

If averaged across the sixteen provinces of the Jiang Continent, each province would have fewer than six Savant experts, proving just how rare their existence was.

Apart from the 92 Savant experts, the other martial artists listed on the Human Rankings were all first-rate Adepts. As someone ranked in the 100s, Gao Yu wasn’t weak at all. In fact, he was close to the level of a Savant expert.

It should be noted that there was a considerable variation in abilities among first-rate Adepts. The ones in the top tier could instantly defeat the ones in the bottom tier. For instance, the twin hammer expert that Wu Yuan previously fought had ordinary strength and could barely control the Twofold Power Surge technique. Now, Wu Yuan believed that if he exerted his full strength, he could slay the same expert in just one or two saber strikes!

According to Wu Yuan's estimation, Gu Ji and Luo Fu were among the stronger first-rate Adepts, especially Gu Ji who could occasionally unleash Threefold Power Surge.

I can defeat Gu Ji without much difficulty, but killing him would pose a challenge. It would require dozens of exchanges before I get a chance to land a fatal blow.

The main obstacle lay in the huge difference in physical strength.

As for defeating Gao Yu? Wu Yuan lacked confidence.

Half an hour later.

The Jiang Continent stretches tens of thousands of li from east to west, With a population in the hundreds of millions, it indeed produces a considerable number of experts! Wu Yuan closed the 'Jiang Continent Human Rankings'.

He closed his eyes. At this point, he had committed all the strong individuals listed in the Human Rankings to memory. He now had a clearer understanding of the overall landscape of the Jiang Continent and the number of martial arts experts living here.

My abilities ought to land me between rank 100 and 300 in the Human Rankings.

However, this was merely his conjecture, as his encounters with first-rate Adepts had been limited thus far. Having yet to witness the abilities of a Savant expert, it was difficult to make an accurate judgment.

Only a few of the first-rate Adepts he had crossed paths with were listed on the rankings. Luo Fu, an expert from the Dong Continent, was not listed. Gu Ji? Wu Yuan did not see his name, but judging from his demeanor when Gao Yu introduced him, his strength and status were likely not far behind that of Gao Yu's.

Gu Ji... it's probably a pseudonym. He appears to be a sacrificial guard. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

It was not uncommon for various factions to conceal some of their experts across such a vast land.

The Cloudstride Sect indeed possesses profound roots.

The information of hundreds of experts from the Human Rankings flashed through his mind. The Jiang Continent housed six major forces: The Cloudstride Sect, Great Jin, the Eastdream Wen Family, the Westdream Dao Family, Yuanhu Villa, and the Baijiang Kingdom.

Without a doubt, the Cloudstride Sect boasted the strongest overall power among these forces, housing the most Savant experts and first-rate Adepts. Grandmaster Yu was a figure who commanded respect across the Jiang Continent with her sword. On the other hand, Yuanhu Villa, despite being protected by Grandmaster Old Yuanhu, had only two Savant experts at their disposal. They could barely compete against the Cloudstride Sect

Chu Ping of the Baijiang Kingdom was a strong Grandmaster himself. With the support of two surviving Grandmasters from the Chu-Jiang Empire, he was able to claim four provinces under his rule. However, compared to the Cloudstride Sect, the foundation of his kingdom was relatively weak, and his subjects displayed little loyalty or sense of belonging.

The only force capable of posing a threat to the Cloudstride Sect was the Great Jin Empire. Although they had recently set foot in the Jiang Continent, they swiftly seized control of four provinces. This naturally led to great resistance. The Hillstride Province, for instance, had never ceased its struggle against their conquerors over the years.

Nevertheless, the might of Great Jin was undeniable, as they could mobilize large armies from other continents to invade the Jiang Continent at any given moment.

However, in the world of the Middle Land, where martial arts reign supreme, a single individual can often turn the tide. Great Jin's dominance may not last forever. Wu Yuan wasn’t too concerned.

Setting aside the 'Jiang Continent Human Rankings', Wu Yuan shifted his attention to the final book in the pile - the 'Jiang Continent Genius Rankings'.

The Human Rankings encompassed the entire Jiang Continent, accounting for all martial experts below the rank of first-grade Grandmaster. Beyond this criteria, there were no limitations. On the other hand, the Genius Rankings only applied to those under the age of 28.

Not determined by absolute strength, but by a combination of power, age, and other factors. A 'talent ranking'? Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. A compilation of the top 100 young prodigies in the Jiang Continent?

Talent, unlike tangible power, was difficult to quantify. Moreover, one’s fortune varied throughout one's life. Some were born precocious, others were late bloomers. Any supposedly objective measure of talent seemed unreliable.

Nonetheless, Wu Yuan flipped through the list. It largely recorded second-rate Adepts in their twenties and third-rate Adepts in their teens. The ten Cloud Heirs of the Cloudstride Sect were all on the list, but none of them caught Wu Yuan's interest. Only the one ranked first prompted Wu Yuan to take a second glance.

Xu Hui, first on the Jiang Continent Genius Rankings, 24 years old, a first-rate Adept... I see why Gao Yu praised him. With such capabilities, he has the potential to become a Land Ranker.

Wu Yuan was well aware of how difficult it was to achieve the level of Grandmaster. Due to the advanced technology of the Human Federation in his past life, budding martial arts talents could be quickly detected through the metaverse's network and specially nurtured. That made it possible to produce a large number of Grandmaster experts in their 20s or 30s despite a population in the hundreds of billions.

In the world of the Middle Land? The efficiency of discovering talents was much lower! Unless one was born into a large clan, many martial arts geniuses lived ordinary lives. Even if they finally got a chance to showcase their talent, they were already in their teens or older.

The stronger one’s genome, the harder it was to reach the human biological limit and become a Grandmaster.

The Grandmasters of both worlds are referred to as 'those who have pushed their bodies to the biological limits of humanity'. Both should have a similar level of martial skills as well. However, the Grandmasters of my previous world are far inferior to the Land Rankers of the Middle Land in terms of absolute martial power.

The humans of the Middle Land were blessed with truly formidable genes.

Wu Yuan released a long breath, setting down the 'Jiang Continent Genius Rankings' among the other books.

This information allows me to get a clearer understanding of this world, and avoid making erroneous judgments at critical moments.

Wu Yuan then reached into his bundle, retrieving a large bottle filled with bone forging pills.

However, the most crucial aspect is individual strength. If I possessed the power of a Heavenly Ranker, why would I need to concern myself with all of this?

Wu Yuan tipped his head back and swallowed two medium-grade bone forging pills.

Body tempering pills, bone forging pills, and Qi Enhancement Pills were the three most common and universally consumed medicinal pills for supporting the cultivation of martial artists. Developed over thousands of years in the Middle Land, these pills had minimal side effects.

Once you reach the level of a third-rate Adept, the effects of body tempering pills become rather underwhelming.

Wu Yuan closed his eyes and controlled the muscles and blood in his stomach, skillfully breaking down the impurities contained in the medicinal pills.

Bone forging pills are suitable for second-rate Adepts and first-rate Adepts. In fact, my current physical constitution is equivalent to that of a second-rate Adept.

A base strength of 30,000 catties was the baseline for a second-rate Adept (fourth-grade).

As for Qi Enhancement Pills? It wasn't that Wu Yuan didn't wish to buy them, but they were simply too expensive. One pill cost several thousand silver taels. Rumor had it that these pills allowed martial artists to establish a connection with their mysterious middle dantian lobes, potentially increasing their body's potential. Many Savant experts would compete fiercely to acquire them.

If I purchase low-grade bone forging pills, it would attract too much attention, just like what happened previously.

Feeling the medicine taking effect, he began practicing the Tiger Leopard Bone Training Technique.

After the consecutive baptisms of spiritual liquid and the blood-red mist, Wu Yuan had realized that regardless of the control he had over his body, residual impurities would remain if the medicinal pills he consumed contained high amounts of impurities. Therefore, the quality of the medicinal pills consumed should not be too poor.

Additionally, his initial decision to opt for low-grade body tempering pills was not only due to his confidence in his strength, but also because of his shortage of silver taels.

But now? Despite spending nearly 40,000 silver taels in a single night, Wu Yuan still had over 40,000 taels remaining.

What was wealth? Merely material possessions! As long as one possessed strength, there were countless avenues to acquire riches.

The bone forging pill's medicinal efficacy surpasses that of the body tempering pill by several times, yet it is also gentler and easier to absorb. Wu Yuan observed the disparity between the two types of medicinal pills.

One by one, he ingested the bone forging pills, purging impurities from his body. Following the intense stimulation of the Tiger Leopard Bone Training Technique, his entire musculoskeletal system eagerly absorbed the medicinal essence of the bone forging pill. A tingling sensation coursed through Wu Yuan's body!

It may not match up to the spiritual liquid, but it’s much faster than my natural growth. A smile crept onto Wu Yuan's face. After the evolution of my body's genome via the blood-red mist, my body has become even more perfect, and the limits of my strength have been raised.

In less than two hours, the energy contained within over ten bone forging pills had been completely depleted, yet Wu Yuan did not feel the slightest trace of fatigue.

Continue. Wu Yuan swallowed several more bone forging pills.

…

Just over two hours later, Wu Yuan awakened once more. The world outside was already bathed in brightness, signaling the start of a new day.

Midsummer at the Southdream Martial Academy was a sight to behold. However, Wu Yuan had no time to savor it. After a brief meeting with Gu Ji and Wu Xiong and a quick meal, he returned to the second-floor martial chamber to continue refining his body.

I must make the most of this time. Since my body can withstand it, I should give it my all. Let’s see how strong I can get. Wu Yuan was ablaze with determination.

Only through cultivation could he truly experience the wonders of the blood-red mist. Its ability to enhance his body's potential was nothing short of mindblowing.

For two entire days, Wu Yuan did not step foot outside the martial chamber even once. During this period, Zhu Shang, that disciple from the martial academy, came to visit Wu Yuan. Gu Ji promptly turned him away, not even bothering to disturb Wu Yuan.

To Gu Ji, living without obsession wasn't living at all. Without a heart passionately devoted to the martial path, how could one ever step into the realm of the Grandmasters? He deeply admired Wu Yuan’s way of life.

Night fell once more.

Within the martial chamber on the second floor.

Wu Yuan stood in the center, his bare torso glistening with sweat and his attire reduced to a pair of shorts. His muscles, chiseled as though cut by a knife and carved with an axe, were almost perfectly defined. Sweat pooled on the floorboards beneath him. Off to the side were puddles of black impurities.

Two days and two nights.

After consuming more than 400 medium-grade bone forging pills in a row, he had finally honed his physical strength to its current limit. A smile played at the corners of Wu Yuan’s mouth.

Two days ago, the maximum strength of his punch was just over 34,000 catties. Now? With a casual palm strike from Wu Yuan, the air ruptured, sending shockwaves cascading outward.

In terms of sheer power, a single strike now carries the weight of approximately 46,000 catties!

I’m not far from the baseline strength required for a first-rate Adept (third-grade). It's time to make a trip to the Pleiades Guild.

Whysee's Thoughts

For reference:

Nine Grades Of Martial Artists In The Middle Land

Raw Physical Strength (single-arm)

ninth-grade

low-tier martial novice

1000 catties

eighth-grade

mid-tier martial novice

2000 catties

seventh-grade

high-tier martial novice

4000 catties

sixth-grade

martial virtuoso

10,000 catties

fifth-grade

third-rate Adept

20,000 catties

fourth-grade

second-rate Adept

30,000 catties

third-grade

first-rate Adept

50,000 catties

second-grade

Savant expert

100,000 catties

first-grade, reach human biological limit

Grandmaster/ Land Ranker

200,000 catties