Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 407: Chapter 262: Essence_1

For people, being idle with a full belly is quite a frightful thing, because they tend to create all sorts of tasks for themselves, eventually causing turmoil and upheaval, leaving no other option but to tear everything down and start anew.

Therefore, a power, an organization, must have an enemy, a rival, to redirect conflicts outward, ensuring internal stability.

During the Heaven Martial era, Great Zhou was continuously expanding its borders, achieving true unification under heaven.

But what after unification under heaven?

Conflicts still had to be resolved, demands still had to be stimulated, otherwise, internal chaos would be inevitable, especially since Martial Artists are extraordinary, brimming with energy. If you don’t give them something to do, they will find something to do for you.

To keep these people busy, to relieve conflicts, and to stimulate demands, Xu Yang established the Divine Martial Ranking List and the Zodiac Warfare, enticing all Martial Artists with fame and benefit, giving them goals and ambitions to strive for.

There is no need to discuss much about the Divine Martial Ranking List as it is simply a ranking list.

But the Zodiac Warfare takes precedence.

Every sixty years, a Zodiac cycle, a Zodiac Warfare is held to determine the rankings in the Divine Martial List and compete for the title of “World’s No.1”.

Though it’s called World’s No.1, this title is not unique, for Xu Yang aimed to advance the Martial Path system, requiring a blooming of various talents. Therefore, he awarded many “World’s No.1” titles, such as Worlds No.1 Internal Skill, meaning the highest Cultivation in internal skills under heaven.

In addition, there are titles like World’s No.1 Sword, World’s No.1 Palm, World’s No.1 Doctor, World’s No.1 Craftsman, and so on, allowing Martial Artists to specialize in their own fields, stimulating development, competition, and progression, thereby advancing the entire Martial Path system.

This was the Divine Martial Ranking List and Zodiac Warfare that Xu Yang set up back then.

And now…

“The Divine Martial Ranking List consists of four main lists: the Divine Martial List, Heaven Martial List, Earth Martial List, and Human Martial List!”

“The Divine Martial List ranks only Divine Martial Realm experts without limit to their number; as long as one’s Cultivation reaches the Divine Martial Realm, they can be listed. The rankings and the title of World’s No.1 are determined through the Zodiac Warfare!”

“The Heaven Martial List ranks only those in the Divine Bridge Realm, selecting the number of Heaven Gang, totalling thirty-six spots. Rank is not determined by the Zodiac Warfare; challenges for positions can happen on any given day, and those who make the list are honored as Heaven List Grandmasters.”

“The Earth Martial List ranks only those in the Yuan Core Realm, choosing the number of Earth Sha, totaling seventy-two spots. Similarly, rank is not decided by the Zodiac Warfare; challenges are acceptable any time, and those on the list are respected as Earth Martial List experts.”

“The Human Martial List ranks all Martial Artists below the Yuan Core Realm, selecting the number one hundred and eight of Heavenly Punishments and Earthly Evils. Hence, it is also known as the Hidden Dragon List. The one at the top is almost destined to become a Heaven List Grandmaster or even a Divine Martial Expert.”

“Besides the four main lists, there are the Divine Weapon List, Treasure List, Beauty List, and other lists to satisfy worldly desires for mighty weapons, rare treasures, and the pursuit of fame and beauty…”

Su Shaoqing explained, “A thousand years ago, the Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Demon Sect, Heavenly Demon God Monarch Leng Aotian, dominated the Six Great Holy Lands of the Righteous Path for nine consecutive Zodiac Warfares, reaching the pinnacle of the Divine Martial and honored as the World’s No.1 Demon, the strongest in Divine Martial. Although he later disappeared, his ranking remains unshaken to this day.”

Hearing this, Xu Yang grew interested, “One man overpowering six major powers, and for nine consecutive cycles, could it be that he has mastered all five sets of the War God’s Atlas from the Heavenly Demon Sect?”

“There is such a rumor, although it has never been confirmed. Nonetheless, the existence of Leng Aotian indeed granted the Evil Path’s Heavenly Demon Sect, which has always been at a disadvantage, the status to stand on equal footing with the Sacred Places of the Righteous Path.”

Su Shaoqing shook his head, “It’s a pity that a thousand years ago, for some unknown reason, Leng Aotian suddenly disappeared, causing the Heavenly Demon Sect to fall back into a weaker position, suffocated by the pressure from the Six Great Holy Lands of the Righteous Path.”

“Disappeared?”

Upon hearing this, Xu Yang couldn’t help but smile and asked, “What is the lifespan of someone in the Divine Martial Realm?”

“This…”

Su Shaoqing paused, then admitted, “Generally around two thousand years. Even with the consumption of heavenly materials and earthly treasures that extend lifespan, it’s unlikely to surpass two thousand five hundred years, at least from what we’ve seen so far.”

“Two thousand years lifespan?”

Hearing this, Xu Yang frowned.

A lifespan of two thousand years, in the real Cultivation World, is the standard longevity for a Deity-Transformation Cultivator.

That is to say…

Divine Martial Realm is equivalent to Divinity Transformation.

Divine Bridge Realm, on the other hand, parallels Nascent Soul.

How do you reach the Deity-Transformation Realm?

Could it be due to the splitting of the War God’s Atlas?

A complete War God’s Atlas, although a Mahayana-level Cultivation Technique, can only take one to the Divinity Transformation Realm after splitting. To progress further, these manuals must be pieced back together. Like the Heavenly Demon God Monarch Leng Aotian, who mastered all five atlases, he thus became the World’s No.1, the strongest in Divine Martial…

Wait a minute!

If the Heavenly Demon Sect had five sets of the War God’s Atlas for Leng Aotian to cultivate, what about the Six Great Holy Lands of the White Path? Could they possibly gather the War God’s Atlas to study and cultivate together, gaining an even higher level of power?

Highly likely!

Although this might damage the interests of the lower ranks, for the top-level Divine Martial Experts, advancement in Cultivation means an increase in strength and lifespan. With such a temptation, how many could resist?

For their mutual benefit, the Divine Martial Experts of the Six Great Holy Lands very likely gathered their twelve sets of the War God’s Atlas to study and cultivate together, deducing a higher realm of Martial Path.

Therefore, the Divine Martial Realm is just the visible peak, and in secret, there might be even more powerful Martial Artists in existence, who, if not quite at the level of Integration, could match that of Return to Void.

“Fortunately, it’s just Return to Void, I can handle that!”