Chapter 181: Collecting Corpses

****

As soon as this post was published, it was immediately flooded with comments, and the comment count shot up to 99+ in an instant, while the number of reads increased at a rate of dozens per second.

Zhang Yuan clicked on the post, and the webpage lagged for several seconds before finally refreshing.

"Beforehand, I want to clarify that this ranking is determined based on past achievements, reputation, equipment, and other data, and is not 100% accurate, only for reference."

1: Zhao Chenghuang, Taiyi Sect, Level 3 Night Roaming God.

[Note: Zhao Chenghuang, a senior member of the Taiyi Sect, achieved Level 3 three years ago and was the third in the arena competition that year. For some reason, he intentionally stayed in the Transcendent stage and didn't advance to become a Saint. Zhao Chenghuang keeps an extremely low profile and rarely engages in combat with others. According to reliable sources, his training partner is a practitioner in the Saint realm, making it difficult for Transcendent stage practitioners to challenge him.]

[Reason for ranking: Maximum experience points, abundant equipment, mastery of a 4th-level Yin Corpse (Fire Shaman), and refinement of all Night Roaming God skills to the Transformation stage.]

2: Tudi Gong (Earth God), Zhongting, Level 3 Earth Elemental.

[Note: Tudi Gong was in the top five of last year's arena competition. This old man specializes in defense, especially known for his first-place ranking in the previous year. He nearly exhausted his opponent in the top ranking battle, reminding everyone of his formidable defensive abilities. Most of the top ten on the rankings are already Saints, and in a sense, Tudi Gong and Zhao Chenghuang have followed similar paths, refining their skills in the Transcendent stage for many years. This year, the old man is making a comeback, and his thick armor is making many people anxious.]

[Reason for ranking: Wearing the thickest armor to withstand the deadliest blows, and he's still your granddaddy.]

3: Sun Miaomiao, Taiyi Sect, Level 3 Night Roaming God.

[Note: Miaomiao obtained her character card at the beginning of last year and took one and a half years to reach the pinnacle of the Transcendent stage. She possesses outstanding talent and is extremely popular within the Taiyi Sect, thanks to her lovely and cute appearance. Worth mentioning is that Sun Miaomiao is the granddaughter of Elder Sun, and it is said that she has an extensive number of spirit servants, which makes people envious.]

[Reason for ranking: Faced two assassination attempts by two Level 3 evil professionals during the trials in the evil camp and managed to escape unscathed.]

4: Tianxia Guihuo (Fire Ruler of the World), Chihuo Gang (Red Fire Gang), Level 3 Fire Shaman.

[Note: An intelligent and rare figure among Fire Shamans who has successfully cleared A-level instances twice. He can contend with evil professionals of the same level. At the beginning of the year, he was exceptionally recruited into the "Shennong Guard" by Fire Lord.]

[Reason for ranking: Compared to the previous three, what he lacks is seniority and the ability to spend money.]

5: Yinchi (Tone Deaf), Water Palace, Level 3 Musician.

[Note: Typically, Transcendent stage musicians are considered support-oriented. Still, because of an item called "Music Slave," Yinchi has become a formidable character capable of both dealing damage and assisting. He is well-known in his local jurisdiction and has assisted in capturing many unruly civilian practitioners and evil professionals.]

[Reason for ranking: It's a terrifying thing when a support character can deal damage as well.]

6: Jiang Jingwei, Chihuo Gang, Level 3 Fire Shaman.

[Note: Jiang Jingwei is a descendant of a high-ranking member of the Chihuo Gang, and his identity is shrouded in mystery. Some might know that most Fire Shamans at the Dominator level have red hair, a symbol of the Fire Dao from ancient times. Although Jiang Jingwei is not at the Dominator level, he possesses innate red hair, confirming the rumors of high-ranking descendants.]

[Reason for ranking: Innate Fire Dao. People like him have a powerful affinity for fire, surpassing ordinary Fire Shamans in fire manipulation and usage, making them a rare existence comparable to peak professionals.]

7: Qingsongzi (Green Pine Child), Hundred Flowers Society, Level 3 Wood Demon.

[Note: Whether it's Night Roaming Gods known for their self-healing or Earth Elementals with endless stamina, as long as they're in the Transcendent stage, no one can match Qingsongzi in terms of physical endurance. We are eagerly looking forward to his battle with the old man Tudi Gong.]

[Reason for ranking: You might get exhausted, but he never will. A top-tier workhorse.]

8: Yuan Ting, Taiyi Sect, Level 3 Night Roaming God.

Please note that this appears to be a translated passage from a novel or story, as it describes a ranking of characters in a fictional world with various powers and abilities.

[Note: As one of the sixteen captains of the Taiyi Sect's Songhai branch, the fact that Yuan Ting is assigned to a frontline city is recognition of his strength. Yuan Ting graduated as an outstanding student and finished his training camp career. Recently, for some reason, Elder Sun recalled him to the training camp, where he underwent rigorous and hellish training, resulting in a significant improvement in his abilities.]

[Reason for ranking: Elder Sun must be confused!]

9: Maoshan Warlock, Taiyi Sect, Level 3 Night Roaming God.

10: Guohezu (Pawn Crossing the River), White Tiger Troops, Level 3 Scout.

11: Yuanshi Tianzun (Primordial Heavenly Sovereign), White Tiger Troops, Level 3 Night Roaming God.

[Note 1: Regarding the ranking of this individual, we engaged in intense and serious debates, and after careful analysis of his past achievements, martial arts, equipment, and other data, we believe that his level could place him in the top five. However, the arena competition focuses on sparring rather than life-or-death battles, greatly restricting the use of items. Excluding powerful items, Yuanshi Tianzun's own combat power isn't outstanding, so the 11th position is a relatively objective and reasonable rank.]

[Note 2: This individual has cleared two S-level instances and one A-level instance. If matched in a "Scenario" arena, Yuanshi Tianzun's combat power would rise to the top three.]

[Reason for ranking: Undoubtedly, he's the most outstanding newcomer in the Five Elements Alliance this year.]

"What a load of nonsense. Wang Tai is one of the participants, right? I'm going to give him a beating." Zhang Yuan patiently scrolled through the list of the top twenty ranked individuals, but he was clearly displeased.

He had expected that his ranking wouldn't be too high, at most within the top five. However, he hadn't anticipated being ranked 11th.

Who do they think they're looking down on?

"Hmph, they made a miscalculation about one thing. I do have powerful items, that's correct, but my items aren't the type that guarantees a one-hit kill. The Yin-Yang Robe is a formation-type item, different from Guan Ya's spear.

Strictly speaking, I don't possess that kind of overwhelmingly dominant item for a single lethal strike. Even the Bloodthirsty Blade, as long as I don't aim for vital areas, it's fine.

So, in reality, my strength isn't greatly compromised by the arena's restrictions. When the competition begins, all of you will be in for a big surprise. Besides, I haven't factored in the Yin Corpse yet."

Zhang Yuan was not satisfied with his ranking on the list.

However, he had to admit one thing: the top ten on the list, especially the top three, were opponents he couldn't confidently defeat even if he went all out.

Take "Tudi Gong" for example. Among the items he had in his arsenal, the Red Hat couldn't be used, and the Yin-Yang Robe would be weak against the Wood element while Fire countered Earth, directly nullifying the Yin-Yang Robe.

This old man was probably unbeatable.

The first and second places were both Night Roaming Gods, at Level 3 with maxed experience points. They were also the second generation of spirit practitioners, which meant they were unlikely to lack powerful items.

"Sun Miaomiao is Elder Sun's granddaughter. Because of my infamous reputation, will this woman target me? If I aim for the top spot, there's a high chance of encountering her."

"Furthermore, everyone in the top ten has their own unique strengths, making them formidable opponents where one misstep could lead to disaster. I need to ask Wang Tai for detailed data on this group of people."

After calming down, Zhang Yuan suddenly realized that while aiming for the top spot was difficult, he had to secure the Back Earth Boots.

In the long run, this was related to his growth in the Saint and Dominator stages. In the short term, acquiring the two major components of the Sacrificial Set would significantly increase his chances of successfully clearing the slaughter instances if they had set bonuses and skill enhancements.

Let's see what the comments have to say. He scrolled down the screen, browsing through the official comments from the practitioners.

[Please Call Me Queen: What's this? How am I, Yuanshi Tianzun, only ranked 11th? This is a garbage list, ugh!]

As expected, this woman was here.

[Queen: Yuanshi Tianzun's ranking is a bit low, but it's still reasonable. As for the others, I think there's no issue. At least, ranking the top three this way is reasonable.]

[Head of Pairs Drinking More: No issue? I'm feeling quite disheartened. I was just saying yesterday that the Back Earth Boots shouldn't fall into the hands of the Taiyi Sect, but now, two of the top three are Night Roaming Gods.]

[Piggy George: Well, there's no helping it. Among lawful professions, Night Roaming Gods are in a league of their own. If all three in the top three are from our Five Elements Alliance, that wouldn't be reasonable. Besides, there's still Tudi Gong, maybe he'll tire out the top one and top three.]

[No Women, No Pleasure: The pig upstairs really has the nerve to say that. At sixty years old, Tudi Gong has to bear the banner for the Five Elements Alliance's Transcendent stages.]

[White Dragon: Damn, I didn't make the list. What's even worse is that not a single captain from my Kangyang District made it.]

[Tang Guoqiang: Alright, alright, at least we have Yuanshi, though I feel his ranking is too low. Besides, isn't Yuan Ting also from Kangyang District?]

[Big Muscle Guy: At least we signed up. Li Dongze, that coward, didn't even have the courage to sign up.]

Zhang Yuan kept scrolling down the screen, but he didn't see anyone questioning the ranking of the top three. This wasn't a good sign.

"If I can't take the top spot this time, I can only hope for the second single-player Spirit Realm, which will come before the slaughter instances. Looking forward to the character card exclusive reward from the Demon King."

Zhang Yuan thought.

Next, he clicked on the list of the top twenty in the Saint stage.

1: Fu Qingyang, White Tiger Troops, Level 6 Swordsman.

[Note: Fu Qingyang, the eldest son of the Fu family, a renowned family in the Spirit Realm, is hailed as the strongest Saint in the Five Elements Alliance and the top-ranked Dominator. Even top professions like Night Roaming Gods and evil professions' Saints pale in comparison to him. Few people know why he is so powerful as a common lawful profession. After a long period of research and comparison, we have finally analyzed the secret of his strength.]

[Reason for ranking: Swordsmanship bordering on perfection!]

Swordsman? Is that what the Scout profession is called after changing to Swordsman? What does "bordering on perfection" mean? Does it mean that Fu Qingyang's swordsmanship is very strong?

Zhang Yuan continued to look at the second place.

2: Fengdu Ghost King, Taiyi Sect, Level 6 Star Official.

[Note: He was once a highly anticipated genius of the Taiyi Sect, the former top-ranked official Saint in the Spirit Realm. In the era before Fu Qingyang's rise, he was already highly anticipated. He once fought against the Demon King, who was also at the Saint level, and it was a draw.]

[Reason for ranking: Former king.]

Huh? Star Official? Zhang Yuan's eyes lit up.

Is the next profession for Night Roaming Gods called Star Official? Does this mean that their abilities have shifted from the Taiyin to the stars?

From the name alone, Star Official sounds a bit fancier than Night Roaming God. I wonder what the main abilities of this profession are.

3: Jiang Ju, Red Fire Gang, Level 6 Fire Demon.

[Note: As one of the official Four Sons of the Red Fire Gang, he possesses innate Fire Dao, and his strength is beyond doubt. However, he is too impulsive and hot-tempered, and his character flaws often make those around him overlook his talent and strength.]

[Reason for ranking: Forgive me for being blunt, the top two are both rubbish.]

4: Yin Ji, Taiyi Sect, Level 6 Star Official.

5: Huang Taiji, Central Court, Level 6 Mountain God.

6: Ye Yu Ten Men, Baihua Society, Level 6 Beast King.

7: Minghe, Water God Palace, Level 6 Plague God.

8: Ling Jun, Taiyi Sect (Baihua Society), Level 6 Beast King.

[Note: I have to say, compared to the top one, three, and five, this playboy's position as one of the official Four Sons might be because of his extraordinary appeal to women and his exceptional family background.]

[Reason for ranking: Setting aside the facts, he's still very strong.]

Comments:

[Ling Jun: What do you mean, 'setting aside the facts'? I'm really weak; I'm sorry. Who made this list? I'm going to beat him.]

[White Dragon: Playboy, playboy, I'm your fan, mwah.]

[Queen: Ah, the playboy has made an appearance. Get him!]

[Please Call Me Queen: Ah, the playboy, the playboy. Um, I don't think I'm a fan of yours, so never mind. The Saint ranking list is more comfortable. Qian, you make people feel secure.]

[Paparazzi Xiaofeng: Hey, did you guys know that Taiyi Sect's Yin Ji used to have a thing with the Demon King.]

[Please Call Me Queen: What? Is this so thrilling? Tell us more.]

[Paparazzi Xiaofeng: Yin Ji was quite famous within the Taiyi Sect. He combined beauty and strength, and it's said that the elders of the Taiyi Sect once intended to matchmake him with Fengdu Ghost King, but then the Demon King, a rival in love, appeared. Yin Ji was charmed by the Demon King and eloped with him for three months, only to be forcibly brought back to the Taiyi Sect by Elder Hongying. Why did Fengdu Ghost King fight with the Demon King? It was all because of this matter.]

[No Women, No Pleasure: How do you know all of this, guy upstairs?]

[Paparazzi Xiaofeng: I heard this from a Night Roaming God named Jian Ji from our jurisdiction. Jian Ji is a good friend of Yuan Ting, and he heard it from Yuan Ting himself.]

[Jiang Yang: If Yuan Ting said it, then it's probably true.]

[Qu Ri Kuduo: Well, although Yuan Ting from the Taiyi Sect is quite the chatterbox, he never tells lies.]

Compared to the posts under the top twenty in the Transcendent stage, the atmosphere in these comments was much more relaxed. This was likely because the top spot was held by Fu Qingyang, who was known as the unbeatable Dominator.

This undoubtedly brought great reassurance to many middle and lower-tier members of the Five Elements Alliance.

Yin Ji from the Taiyi Sect is the lover of the Demon King? Wow, next time, will the Cat King Speaker play the audio of them in bed together? The Demon King is quite a jerk; he's really causing trouble. Zhang Yuan suddenly felt a bit sorry for Fengdu Ghost King.

Well, with the Demon King's scoundrel ways, this Yin Ji probably harbors resentment for him now. As a descendant of the Demon King, I need to be careful with this woman.

Huateng Hotel.

Xie Lingxi stood by the table, peering at the list and said in a displeased tone:

"What the heck, my Brother Yuanshi is only ranked 11th? I believe that in the Transcendent stage, no one can beat him!"

The Mistress of the Stop Killing Sect, dressed in a red gown, sat lazily by the table. She toyed with the keyboard with her delicate hands, her gaze fixed on the computer screen, and said nonchalantly:

"Without Yuanshi here, you'd better brush up on your tea skills."

Xie Lingxi protested, "Mistress, why do you say that? Everything I said is true."

The Mistress of the Stop Killing Sect responded with a noncommittal "Hmm," and added, "I forgot, your penchant for green tea has become second nature to you."

"Hmph!" Xie Lingxi didn't have the energy to argue and wrinkled her nose.

At this moment, Xie Lingxi's phone, which was placed on the table, rang. The caller ID displayed: Dad!

"It's my dad."

She picked up the phone, said quietly to the Mistress of the Stop Killing Sect, and answered the call. "Lingxi, your dad will be entering the Spirit Realm soon and won't have time to watch the official arena battle. He's passing the 'tickets' to you. Please go in his place."

"Thank you, Dad, muah!" Xie Lingxi was delighted.

After a brief pause, her dad continued, "Well, the list of the top twenty in the Transcendent stage, have you looked at it? Is there a problem? Why is Yuanshi ranked so low?"

Xie Lingxi quickly replied, "Dad, Yuanshi's comprehensive strength can definitely place him in the top five, and the Mistress also thinks so."

Her dad responded with an "Oh," sounding relieved. "Good, that crazy girl also thinks so. That's great. Watch closely this time, and give me a detailed report later. If Yuanshi can make it to the top three, I'll send him an invitation to our home for the crab feast in August."

"Alright!" Xie Lingxi replied happily.

After hanging up the phone, the Mistress of the Stop Killing Sect sneered, "Why don't we just marry Yuanshi to the Xie family as a son-in-law?"

Xie Lingxi dared not speak, as her Mistress's gaze was far from friendly.

White Tiger Guard chat group.

Heng Sao Tianxia: "@Ling Jun, I saw someone on the forum talking about the relationship between Yin Ji and the Demon King. Is it true?"

Ling Jun: .

Heng Sao Tianxia: "Well, if you don't deny it, it seems to be true. Quite interesting; Yin Ji, with such a cold personality, ended up falling for the Demon King and even eloping? Your reputation as a playboy doesn't quite fit, huh?"

Ling Jun: "Good women love scoundrels. She hasn't married anyone to this day and still pines for the Demon King. Sigh, a scoundrel like him ruined her life."

You Feng Lai Yi: "Although I also think the Demon King is a scoundrel, there must be a story behind them if a woman has been pining for him for years. In this arena battle, I bet two million on the Gang Leader to win and one million on Zhao Chenghuang. If I lose, I'm eating dirt."

Ling Jun: "You, woman, clearly don't have our Yuanshi in your sights. @Yuan Shi"

Little Brain Axe: "Don't stoke the flames. Yuanshi has to get first place. It's definitely challenging, but I've bet a million on Yuanshi getting third place."

Third place? Is the reward for that a cute hairpin? Zhang Yuan thought, "What's the use of getting third place? Is it for selling cute hairpins?"

Just as he was about to chat and complain in the group, a text message from Xiaoyuan Auntie arrived first:

"Come over to collect the corpse!"

At first, Zhang Yuan was puzzled, but then he realized, his Yin Corpses had arrived!

(End of this chapter)