Archfiend

Chapter 62: Chinacultivation.com (2)

 Xu Yangyi was none the wiser to all of this. Following his mouse click, the cultivation ranking page completely loaded.

On top, there were ten whole rankings! Each one was as dazzling and lustrous as a glittering jewel! So long as one was a cultivator, this was where they would pay attention to the number one of the entire cultivation world!

Xu Yangyi’s gaze began to deepen. In three years, three whole years, how many changes would’ve occurred to this familiar list? When he was at the academy, how many times had he and his classmates looked at these rankings with incomparable expectation, imagining a day when they stepped out from the academy doors and came to be ranked among one of these ten names? In an instant, their statuses would soar!

At that time, only then would Xu Yangyi dare to claim himself as an illustrious sage. Only then would he venture to title himself as the hero of a generation!

The Core Formation Dragon Ranking!

The Foundation Establishment Phoenix Ranking!

The Qi Condensation Tiger Ranking!

Xu Yangyi’s gaze was fiery as he looked over these three rankings. It was the Chinese cultivation world’s “China Cloud Cultivation Data Corporation” that held the greatest authority to construct these rankings. Over the course of a century, there weren’t many changes to it. Before the internet, newspapers were used. After the advent of the internet, the newspapers were unwilling to pass on their roles to other parties, so they became Chinacultivation.com’s most clicked-on section!

These three lists had always been what all cultivators paid the most attention to. Each list only recorded ten people. If your name was on this list—even if you were ranked tenth—each major power would sacrifice their hard-earned resources to recruit you!

Those who were the strongest were obvious at a glance. Those who were unneeded held no interest. Since the dawn of time, humanity’s gaze had been focused on the strong. 

Xu Yangyi inhaled deeply, but didn’t open the link straightaway. Instead, he continued to look.

Pill Elixir Dragon-Tiger Ranking!

Magik Artifact Dragon-Tiger Ranking!

Talisman and Formation Dragon-Tiger Ranking!

Magik Treasure Dragon-Tiger Ranking!

Outside of the Core Formation, Foundation Establishment, and Qi Condensation rankings, these four great auxiliary rankings were the second lists that deserved attention!

Any supreme pill elixir, supreme magik treasure, and mountain-protector grand array were the untransmitted secrets of each major power, the foundation that ensured their continued survival. It was similar to Fengyi’s talisman-specialized Wang Clan who had originally wanted to snatch up Xu Yangyi. If they brought out their Six Yang Gods, Six Yin Fairies; Immortal Erudition, and Dragon Swallows Setting Sun, wouldn’t these items sell at a sky-high price?

It was an absolute possibility!

In the modern era, the ten names on each of these lists were unquestionably apex pills, talismans, and artifacts belonging to noble clans. These families presently held the most profound techniques and the most esoteric knowledge. Of course, these were the noble clans who had the greatest understanding of flexibility and progress, capable of entirely meshing together with modern cultivation.

Moreover, these side channels brought enormous profit, enough to let them rank among the richest of the ten great cultivation clans!

He continued to look.

Demon Familiar Ranking!

Arcane Effort Ranking!

If these two lists were released to the outside world and obtained, they would give rise to open gambling from every major power, and the secret transaction of benefits. But placed among these nine great rankings, these lists could only be classified as third tier. 

A demonbeast that failed Form Transformation wouldn’t be able to cultivate a human form, and fit in with other cultivating demons. Even demon cultivators themselves looked down upon these demonbeasts as well. In the end, they could only be called demonbeasts. 

However, there was a reason to fail Form Transformation. 

Regardless of human or demon, both races had bloodlines. The stronger the demonbeast, the purer and more valiant the bloodline. As a result, Form Transformation would be more difficult. Xu Yangyi had once seen an educational video of a silver carp with a bloodline concentration of 70% that broke through to Form Transformation during the initial period of the Nation’s Founding. Its Form Transformation wasn’t the same as ordinary demons.

It had transformed into a dragon. 

He clearly remembered the vast schools of carp following destiny at the Yellow River’s Hukou Waterfall in the Great Jinshan Canyon. They arched over to leap the dragon gate, in the face of heaven-toppling river waters that surged no less than tens of meters high! 

In the end, a total of 81 bolts, nine sets of nine heavenly thunder tribulation, had forcibly turned that silver carp, whose head had already transformed into a dragon’s, into flying ash at the edge of Form Transformation. 

It was on that day the carp’s corpse descended from the Hukou Waterfall and spread wide through the river. Even ten-odd days after its fall, its corpse was still left unsalvaged. Furthermore, every carp shed tears of blood, eyes still wide in death with lingering grievances. 

This was the sole case after the Nation’s Founding which had surpassed the Chinese government’s control. It also wasn’t an event included in the M-Files of Qinshan Province’s governor. This was because… at that time, hordes of ordinary citizens had bore witness to this event. It was unknown how the matter continued to be suppressed, after the event.

Before these demonbeasts completed Form Transformation, and their consciousness not yet bloomed, they would be taken in by cultivators and be called demon familiars.

Qinshan Province’s Shui Clan was a lone lineage that had resided beneath the Qinling Mountains for 230 years. They had a specialized signing agreement process with demon familiars. Although the Shui Clan didn’t surpass ten successors every generation, they weren’t inferior in any regard to the three great auxiliary crafts of pills, artifacts, and talismans. 

The last list was… the Power Ranking!

In the cultivation world, all powers would be on this ranking. Regardless if the faction was public, secret, demon, or human, all would have a numerical evaluation on this list. 

Thus, even if a person of China Cloud ran into murder-prone demons, they would usually be able to keep their lives. 

The time now was Cultivation Civilization, not ancient cultivation. In the End of Days, talents had withered away, and everyone knew of the direct ratio between talents and resources. 

As for the Heavenly Demon Ranking frequently discussed by China’s human cultivators, it was the sole list not arranged by China Cloud. It was produced by the CSIB, an equal authority, however, they couldn’t publish China Cloud’s other rankings. 

“This is so awesome…” Zhou Tingting didn’t know the number of times she had looked at these rankings, yet her face was still full of yearning. “If I can be on this ranking one day too…”

Xu Yangyi was reticent. To be capable of being on this ranking, one admittedly had to be of a dazzling lineage. Her Zhou Clan could be overturned with a single move.

However, was it possible?

How many powers’ geniuses were without hope? If so, then what about a weak self-conscious girl without any power to support her or a fortuitous, unique arcane effort, even if she had someone to provide her with pills? Would China’s government excavate great mountains and vast rivers to look for spirit veins for her?

“Then I wouldn’t have to worry about money again!”

Xu Yangyi pursed his lips and his Adam’s apple stirred. When it came to pondering such a thing as a person’s heart, he didn’t wish to make willful guesses as to its subtleties. His vision skimmed over all the rankings. Afterwards, he clicked straight on the Core Formation Dragon Ranking.

First place: Old Demon Blackmount!

It was still him! Xu Yangyi sighed. This figure wasn’t a human, but rather a centuries-old spider that had survived since the Mongol dynasty. This demon’s aptitude was normal, but against all odds, it had walked the path all the way to the Great Circle of Core Formation. Were it not for fated chances being difficult to search for during the End of Days, perhaps it would’ve trod into the legendary Nascent Soul realm long ago. 

Second place: Mountainruler. Third place: Droughtbringer. [1] 

There weren’t any differences since three years ago. Xu Yangyi rubbed his chin. True, a Core Formation master’s lifespan was four centuries. These figures were living fossils that had survived to the present from the era of the Qing ancestor Giocangga. There wouldn’t be changes made so easily to this list. Besides, Mountainruler, who had cultivated a demon form in the mountains and seas of the South China Sea, had a very long lifespan. This demon had survived since the era of Kuhtughtu Khan and was at least six centuries old. It was difficult for there to be changes among the other Dao Masters. 

Nonetheless, these three positions were all demons!

A demon’s individual battle power in itself far outstripped a human’s. Otherwise, Vermilion Snow simply couldn’t have possibly slaughtered eight Foundation Establishment cultivators in a row with a half-step Core Formation cultivation. Anyway, the first three positions were all demon cultivators. In an age where humanity reigned as master, it was more or less an irony. 

The following seven were human cultivators: Floatingcloud, Ancientpine, Cloudcrane, Titanspirit, Skybearer, Earthcleaver, and Hiddenscent. 

Any one of them was an authority!

At the same time in the Panshan City branch, an old man deeply furrowed his brows. “It’s untraceable?”

“Yes…” The middle-aged woman at the front was in a cold sweat. “According to our investigations, the first time he appeared was within our Mingshui Province. However, his IP address kept on drifting all over the world afterwards. The last time it appeared…” 

She glanced at the old man, not daring to continue speaking.

“Speak.”

“Yes… In Osaka, Japan…” 

The old man’s brows locked deeply together.

“He should be using a kind of irregular login software… Please be at ease, sir. Within three days, we’ll be sure to discover his precise location!”

“Three days?” The old man laughed coldly, “Do the people of the technology department have to be changed?” The middle-aged woman dared not answer. “You have half an hour.” The old man looked darkly at the woman. “If you can’t find him in an hour, you, along with your technology department, are out of the branch. Get a better job elsewhere.”

“Crystal?”

“Yes…”

In another place, in a forest, a man in a cloak asked heavily, “Haven’t discovered it?”

“No! Gimme some time!” Gao Ye’s ten fingers were flying to decode, and beads of perspiration secreted from his head. “Dammit! He’s using some fuckin’ software! Is he so poor?! His IP address keeps floating around! I can’t wait to find out which crappy company developed this damn software! I’m going to frickin’ disclose him to cultivation network’s rights protection department!”

“Pick up the pace.” The man spun his pistol somewhat impatiently. “You should know… I hate waiting.”

“Of course, I know!” Gao Ye gritted his teeth and moved back and forth over his keyboard. “He’s really a troublesome spirit! Is he worried he’s going to meet a ghost?! I’m gonna beat him black and blue when I find him!”

“You’ve beat him up?” The man lit a cigarette.

Gao Ye was dazed, and his hand stopped as well. In the following second, he continued to type on the keyboard with lightning speed. “Your shortcoming is that you’re so blunt about the truth!”

In Bai County, Xu Yangyi moved the mouse neither hurriedly nor slowly as before. The next objective he chose was the Foundation Establishment cultivators. 

First place was Sunnihilator!

This was a name he had an impression of. A true genius that humanity only encountered once every century. In less than a hundred years, he had cultivated to the Great Circle of Foundation Establishment. Every martial arena bore his nameless stele for the observation of new students. 

Xu Yangyi only skimmed over because he wasn’t familiar with the people on the ranking, but it was impossible for their names to go unheard, like thunder piercing the ear.

Next, he clicked on the Qi Condensation Tiger Ranking. 

Xu Yangyi gathered his wits. The people on this ranking were ones that he wanted to meet very soon. He himself had already entered this world of manifold colors. All of these people would be his opponents or perhaps his comrades. However, the Qi Condensation first place caused him to focus on it for three seconds.

A familiar name...

Chu Zhaonan.

Below each cultivator, there was an introduction to their entire lives . Before, he hadn’t clicked on any of them, but right now, he mumbled to himself for a couple seconds and finally tapped on a key for the first time. 

“Sir has an interest in the top spot, as well?” Zhou Tingting, who had kept silent, scooted over and said excitedly, “I can read it out loud for you to listen to. Chu Zhaonan, age: twenty-four, height: 1.89 meters. Sex: male. Marital status: single. He rose to prominence three years ago in Fengyi City’s Qualifier, shaking Sunnihilator’s stone stele. His Gun Kata has already attained a higher level. Last year, he slayed a middle-stage Qi Condensation demon at Yuyang City by himself…”

1. Droughtbringer = 魃. This demon is normally just called Ba, second tone. Droughtbringer is something I made up because just calling it Ba sounds weird even though it is correct. Not sure if most of you guys realize this, but a good deal of these creatures come from actual myth and the companies i.e China Cloud, are based off actual companies and are in some cases supposed to be a magical version of that company. Yeah, this novel is a cultivation novel, but is also supposed to take place in the REAL world.