Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 67: 'Land Rankings'

After spending nearly 30,000 silver taels, Wu Yuan donned his soft body armor, secured each throwing knife in position, and put on his clothing. He picked up several books and slung a bulky bundle filled with a thousand bone forging pills over his shoulder. Then, he stood up and left the Starcom Consortium, merging into the bustling crowd.

No one is following me. Wu Yuan maintained a constant awareness of his surroundings. As expected of a province-level Starcom Consortium, how generous of them.

Although a transaction of tens of thousands of silver taels was rather large, it appeared insufficient to alarm the Starcom Consortium's higher echelons.

Now, I should purchase my primary weapon for battle.

Wu Yuan's pace was quick, but not fast enough to attract undue attention. Mastering one’s movements to such a degree was no small feat.

... After more than two hours, passing by four large weapon shops, Wu Yuan finally settled on a fourth-grade battle saber from a moderately-sized establishment.

Fourth-grade superior weapons were already considered the top treasures of most weapon shops.

As for divine weapons? Without overwhelming power and backing, even if they could get their hands on a divine weapon, most weapon shops were not willing to display it. If not handled well, a Savant expert might be tempted to steal it.

After leaving the weapon shop, Wu Yuan headed to a nondescript store and purchased a common scabbard that could perfectly hide the blade of his saber.

With all errands complete and ensuring once again that he remained untracked, Wu Yuan surreptitiously obscured his traces, silently returning to the martial academy.

Throughout this excursion, whether it was the soldiers on the periphery of the martial academy, the guards on patrol within, or even the first-rate Adept Gu Ji guarding the first floor, none of them noticed Wu Yuan's movements.

Climbing the steps that lined the wall, Wu Yuan sat cross-legged at the center of the martial chamber.

With the strengthening of my soul, my perception of the world sharpens, deepening my understanding of Environmental Mastery. In terms of pure martial skill, I am no longer weaker than in my past life.

Awake and conscious for five months now, Wu Yuan's abilities now surpassed the peak of his previous life in every aspect. Re-entering the stage of Environmental Mastery propelled Wu Yuan's skills in stealth and infiltration to unprecedented heights.

In terms of stealth, I may still fall short of a Land Ranker, but I should surpass a Savant expert. Wu Yuan smirked. At least, Gu Ji didn't detect me.

Admittedly, this success was in part due to Wu Yuan taking the extra precaution to enter from an alternate side of the courtyard. If he were to assassinate a first-rate Adept? It would be challenging to accomplish that soundlessly.

If I can perfect Environmental Mastery, exercising complete control over my surrounding environment, even a Land Ranker might fail to sense my approach.

The more he practiced this skill, the more Wu Yuan recognized its potential in combat. However, the current Wu Yuan could only be considered a novice. There was still a long road ahead before he could reach perfect control.

Black Mountain Saber! Wu Yuan unwrapped the bundle, grasping the scabbard with one hand. As he lifted it, Wu Yuan roughly estimated its weight. He could confirm that the saber and its scabbard together weighed a staggering 106 catties.

The saber was named Black Mountain for two reasons. Firstly its blade was entirely black, forged from a special material that defied any reflection of light. This made it suitable for sneak attacks in the darkness. Secondly, Wu Yuan's strongest saber technique was called 'Thousand Mountains'. Integrating these two aspects naturally gave rise to the name Black Mountain Saber.

Let's give it another go. Wu Yuan's fingers itched to wield the blade. Firmly gripping the hilt once more, he pulled out the black saber from its scabbard. As the blade emerged, Wu Yuan sliced forward. The edge of the blade parted the air, accompanied by the faint sound of an explosion, and the room itself seemed to hum faintly. The edge of the blade remained three feet above the ground, unmoving as if frozen in time.

Indeed, this is a fine saber, not at all worse than Yang Long's machete. In fact, it may even be superior. A smile appeared on the corners of Wu Yuan's mouth. It can effortlessly withstand a force of 100,000 catties.

The true measure of a superior weapon was the limit of the material's resistance when force was applied. A sixth-grade weapon might appear sufficient, but for an expert like Wu Yuan, it might shatter on impact when he fought at full strength. With a swift motion, Wu Yuan sheathed the saber.

This saber cost me 12,000 silver taels. Come to think of it, the true worth of Yang Long's machete should be around tens of thousands of silver taels. It’s truly a shame to have lost it. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

Of course, Wu Yuan did not regret his decision. The notoriety of Yang Long's machete was too great, and various factions kept records of its appearance and details. If Wu Yuan wielded it, it would draw too much attention to him. Hence, he discarded it without heartache.

Wu Yuan purposely avoided purchasing a battle saber from the Starcom Consortium for the same reason, only acquiring soft armor and throwing knives from them.

Throwing knives were a standard issue at the Starcom Consortium and purchased by many experts across the world. Who could possibly keep track of all the buyers? Soft armor, worn discreetly beneath clothing, was also usually not exposed.

Only battle sabers and heavy armor were conspicuous. Such treasures were typically custom-made, and the Starcom Consortium would keep corresponding records. Should Wu Yuan ever cause a major incident while wielding them, the Starcom Consortium’s intelligence network would certainly launch an investigation, and easily trace the clues back to him.

The weapon shops that Wu Yuan visited appeared to be large establishments, but they operated solely within Southdream City. The owners mostly didn't care who they sold to, and possessed no ties to the intelligence business sector. This careful approach greatly reduced the likelihood of Wu Yuan being discovered, which was also why Wu Yuan decided to buy a regular scabbard. Every action taken was driven by the need for secrecy and safety.

"Young Master, are you still awake at this late hour?" A deep voice echoed from outside the martial chamber, it was Gu Ji. He had just heard the sound of a saber being drawn.

"I am awake. I was just practicing with my saber, there’s no cause for concern." Wu Yuan replied.

"Young Master, please rest early. I will head down first." Soon after, he heard the faint thumps of Gu Ji’s footsteps, and the stairwell fell into complete silence.

One must not underestimate the senses of a first-rate Adept. It was a good decision not to purchase a spear or a large axe, they are too conspicuous.

Wu Yuan preferred to use a spear or axe for group battles and a sword or saber for single combat. However, now that Gu Ji was following him around all day, he chose the saber for its ease of concealment. He could simply keep it in its scabbard and hang it on his waist. Even a Land Ranker could not make anything out just by looking at the scabbard. But a spear or a large axe? That would easily attract trouble!

Wu Yuan placed the battle saber beside him, reaching out for the stack of books. He picked up the one on top, its cover adorned with golden characters that read 'Land Rankings.'

Land Rankings! Finally, a chance to properly understand the top martial artists of this world. Wu Yuan's eyes brimmed with curiosity and anticipation.

He had long heard about these rankings early on and was eager to learn more about the renowned individuals listed within.

The Starcom Consortium's influence and intelligence network spanned the world, recording the notable feats of martial artists and assigning them ranks based on their strength. Ultimately, the 'Land Rankings', 'Human Rankings', and 'Genius Rankings' were formed. Each ranking was unique.

The title of Land Ranker, reserved for first-grade martial artists, was also derived from the 'Land Rankings’. Only first-grade martial artists could have their names recorded on the Land Rankings! In truth, the Starcom Consortium wasn’t the only organization that ranked the strength of martial artists. However, their unparalleled information network and absolute neutrality earned them widespread recognition and authority over the years.

He turned to the first page.

In the realm of human strength, the nine grades of martial arts illuminate the path.

To transcend the boundaries of mortality, to shed the human form, is to embark on the journey towards immortality! It is the divine way! The road to godhood! That is why Heavenly Rankers are known as land deities.

Heavenly Rankers approach the realm of deities, far removed from the ordinary folk of the world. Their deeds seem like myths, beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, making it challenging to compile an accurate list for the Heavenly Rankings.

A first-grade Grandmaster can roam the world, establish a sect, or rule over territories. They have reached the peak of mortality, the pinnacle of all beings in the land, and represent the limit that most martial artists can strive for...thus, they are known as Land Rankers!

In the first year of the Eastern Martial calendar, the Martial King established martial arts, classified martial arts into nine grades, framed the structure of the thirteen continents, and created the first Land Ranking...

In the year 1232 of the Eastern Martial calendar, the Nine Immortals Pavilion assumed this responsibility from the Wu Sect [1], revised the Land Rankings, and gradually gained public recognition for their list. This continued for nearly a thousand years.

In the year 2116 of the Eastern Martial calendar, thirteen years after the fall of the Nine Immortals Pavilion, the Starcom Consortium inherited the legacy of its predecessors, continuing the publication of the Land Rankings across the thirteen continents...

In the year 2432 of the Eastern Martial calendar, the rankings included martial artists from all thirteen continents of the Middle Land: Holy, Dong, Wu, Jiang, Chu, Yuan, Yan, Min, Nan, Bei, Mo, Xi, Huang, as well as two overseas continents: Qiong and Feng. Presently, all fifteen continents are included.

The Land Rankings are published once a year, documenting the names of all the Land Rankers from the fifteen continents. The rankings undergo revisions every October and are released in November, in two editions: primary and secondary.

The primary edition ranks all the Land Rankers from the thirteen continents of the Middle Land and two overseas continents based on their actual combat strength, supplemented by rumors and legends. Three Land Rankers and eighteen Savant experts jointly determine the rankings, which are then reviewed by Heavenly Rankers before being made public to the world.

The secondary edition ranks the Land Rankers from each continent, organizing them according to their region of activity and strength...

We, the Starcom Consortium, uphold the Martial King's will. This is the 3223rd issue, and the reviewing process concluded in October of the 3223rd year of the Eastern Martial calendar...

Wu Yuan read the book with surging emotions. The Martial King was a legendary powerhouse in the world of the Middle Land. He was a myth, a legend, and the first Heavenly Ranker to be officially acknowledged.

He delineated the thirteen continents, and despite occasional changes in provinces, counties, and municipalities over time, disputes over the continents had ceased for thousands of years.

He defined the nine grades of martial arts, which were still in effect today.

He set the criteria for the Land Rankings. Despite the twists and turns along the way, this duty was handed from the Wu Sect to the Nine Immortal Pavilion, and finally to the Starcom Consortium, and was still recognized by the martial artists of the world to this day.

The Heavenly Rankings? It remained a distant aspiration! To be listed in the Land Rankings, to earn the title of Grandmaster, was the dream that every martial artist in the Middle Land harbored since setting foot on the path of martial arts.

This is last year's issue. Based on my calculations, it won't be long until the new Land Rankings are released. Wu Yuan flipped through the pages. I'm excited to find out just how powerful the Land Rankers of the Middle Land world really are.

Within the dimly lit martial chamber, Wu Yuan’s vision remained unimpeded.

Jin Cang, ranked number one in the Land Rankings, reigns as Emperor Jin IV of the Great Jin Dynasty. He wields the first-grade divine weapon, the Sword of Emperor Jin. His current age is 62... The first Land Ranker caused a frown to mar Wu Yuan's brow.

The current emperor of the Great Jin Empire was surely busy with matters of the state. Yet he was also the most powerful Land Ranker?

1. the sect founded by the Martial King ?