The Way of The Dao

Ling Tian saw Mu Shen coming and asked: "Problems?"

Mu Shen showed a bitter smile: "Yes, brother Tian... but don't worry, it's just a toad that wants to eat swan meat, haaa..." Mu Shen breathed a sigh.

"I understand you." Ling Tian nodded his head with a weak smile and said: "Beauty always attracts trouble..."

Mu Shen was surprised by Ling Tian's comment. He just shook his head in recognition.

"But, if it's for our loved ones, it doesn't matter, we'll always protect them." Ling Tian said when a loving smile appeared on his face, apparently reminiscent of someone.

Mu Shen knew that Ling Tian was like him. He must have faced many problems. With something in common, he felt their relationship was closer.

"By the way, Brother Tian, I'll keep telling you about martial artists." Mu Shen sat back in the chair before continuing: "As I was saying, due to the threats of the demon beasts that our Star City faces, most people start training martial arts at a young age, while those who do not practice, take care of the crops in the fields, construction, sales, among other things.

We martial artists use a special technique that consists of absorbing the energy of the surroundings, to obtain power in our body and to be able to face the demonic beasts.

Also, we can obtain energy from some special plants that grow in the forest, and with a proper mixture of medicinal plants, you can create an elixir to increase the power in yourself.

Obviously, obtaining power is not enough to fight the beasts. Normally, one has to learn direct martial arts, either by training under someone powerful from a great family, or by going to the City Academy, where you would be taught the basics of fighting the beasts.

You can train in the mastery of the sword, spear, hand to hand, knives, among other things. That would depend on your choice or your affinity with weapons."

Ling Tian nodded as he recorded that information in his head and slowly digested it, understanding the basis of martial artist training.

"Do you know how the ranges or levels mentioned are divided?" Ling Tian wanted to ask this. According to what I had seen, it seems that every Stage of Chi Gathering is a range in this place.

Mu Shen nodded and continued talking.

"The ranks of power are divided into 9 ranks. And each rank, is divided into three levels, which would be 1-3 Stars.

The first rank is the Bronze level. 1-Star Bronze. 2 and 3 star. Once you reach 3 stars, you can try to break the limits of your body's capacity to enter the next rank.

The second rank is the Silver level. Same thing, 1-3 stars.

The third rank is the Black level.

These first three are called novice or beginner martial artists, since most of them are young people between 14 and 18 years old.

The next three ranks are called masters, because, to enter the fourth rank, you need a lot of energy. So many young people get stuck in the third rank. If people under 20 can enter the fourth realm, they are considered geniuses and will be chosen to be nurtured and advance more quickly in their power as a martial artist.

The fourth rank is the Heaven level.

The fifth rank is the Great Heaven level.

Right now I am in this rank, I am only 1 star, as it doesn't have much that increased my power.

The sixth rank, is the King's level. The people who reach this rank are usually people in their thirties and are the elders of these great families, or their respective families. But it is rare for small families to have King level ranks, as they don't have the resources to nurture a person to this level. Similarly, it is unlikely to find young people in this range.

The next rank is Emperor. There are less than 20 people in the entire Star City in this rank. All of these people belong to great families. These people have a lot of prestige and are very respected, so one would seek to avoid the way to offend them, as they can punish you by forcing you to work in the fields or locking you up for several days in jail, so that you can meditate on your offenses.

The last is the rank of Legend, and there is only one person who has reached this rank, and that is the Lord of the City, Lord Long Cheng!" Mu Shen spoke with a fervent look as he said, "My goal is to become a legendary rank like Lord Long, so that I can protect my younger sister from both those bastards and the demon beasts!"

Ling Tian nodded in acknowledgement as a bitter smile emerged within him: 'Long Cheng? That guy was the only Legendary rank in the entire Star City? It seems that I inadvertently saved the Star City by saving its only rank Legend, hehe"

"Wait, you said there were nine ranks and you only mentioned eight, what's next?" Ling Tian remembered that he had only mentioned 8 ranks, but he didn't say the last one.

"As such, there is no ninth rank until now, it's just that hundreds of years ago there were records that you could get to that rank, but over time, it becomes more difficult. Until now, only Mr. Long has been able to reach the legendary rank of eighth. Hmmm, if I remember correctly, I think the ninth rank would be level Semi-God or God, but it's been hundreds of years since anyone has reached that level." Mu Shen shook his head

"Just as the ranks of martial artists are divided, so are the demon beasts divided into the same ranks."

Ling Tian nodded and began to understand all the information given by Mu Shen.

'According to the information he just explained to me, each rank would be exactly one Stage of Chi Gathering, so it would look like this:

Bronze Rank - First Stage of Chi Gathering

Silver Rank - Second Stage of Chi Gathering

Black Rank - Third Stage of Chi Gathering

Heaven Rank - Fourth Stage of Chi Gathering

Great Heaven Rank - Fifth Stage of Chi Gathering

King Rank - Sixth Stage of Chi Gathering

Emperor Rank - Seventh Stage of Chi Gathering

Legend Rank - Eighth Stage of Chi Gathering

Divine or God Rank - Ninth Stage of Chi Gathering?

And what it says about 1-3 stars, is the Stage itself, but divided into Early, Middle and Late Stage.

For example, a 2-star Silver rank would be the Middle Stage of the Second Stage of Chi Gathering.

A Great Heaven rank of 3 stars would be the Late Stage of the Fifth Stage of Chi Gathering.

A 1 star Emperor rank is the Early Stage of the Seventh Stage of Chi Gathering.

'Haaaa, this is a bit confusing, hahaha, for an immortal like me, I wouldn't bother with these little stages, but now I'm a simple mortal, I have to get used to it and find a way to get back to my peak...'

Ling Tian meditated on all the information, relating the form of power of martial artists to his cultivation.

"By the way, I see that you have just increased your cultivation to the rank of Great Heaven, and I see that you are about 20 years old, doesn't that mean that you are practically a genius and would be favored by some family? You might even have the power to protect your little sister, so those guys wouldn't come after your sister..." Ling Tian asked when he remembered the rank of Mu Shen, and seeing his age, he was still a young man.

Mu Shen flashed a bitter smile as he said, "Do you think I do not know that? It is just that these families only see for their own interests and if you go under their doors you have to serve that family for several years as they trained and nurtured you. So I can't do that, I can't leave my little sister alone. Besides, that Ming family is one of the great families, but it's a tyrannical family itself, because when it comes to recruiting young people, you have to serve them for a long time in the end."

"I get it." Ling Tian sighed at the knowledge that, in any world, there are always selfish people thinking about themselves. Even though they face threats from demonic beasts at any time, they continue to pursue their personal conflicts and seek to profit from them.

"But it seems you've been lucky to get to this rank, haven't you, Brother Shen, hehe?" Ling Tian showed interest in his eyes, telling him to tell him about how he became strong so young. Ling Tian likes Mu Shen, so he can't help but see him as a good friend.

"Hehe". Mu Shen showed a slightly embarrassed smile as he explained, "I went out in search of some medicinal plants days ago, but I didn't expect to find the dragon's stalk. This stalk could help me directly increase my strength towards the rank of Great Heaven. So once I was about to return, I watched the lightning fall far from where I was, so I ended up going to that place and it took me almost two days. When I arrived I found you all wounded on the ground and I brought you with me."

Ling Tian understood why Mu Shen had come to this place. Normally, one would be scared and run as far away as possible, not wanting to get involved in something dangerous.

"Well, I leave you to rest, Brother Tian, I see you are still very weak. Any problem you can call me and I'll come right away. If I'm not here, Mu Shuiruo will stay at home, so she could help you. I'll go get some more medicinal plants for my younger sister to make you some medicinal soups so that you can recover quickly. I think I'll be back before evening." Mu Shen rose and left Ling Tian to rest.

"Before you go, could you pass me my ring that's on the table, please?" Ling Tian soon remembered the ring and reminded him of Mu Shen.

Mu Shen nodded and passed the ring to Ling Tian. After that he left the room.

'Let's see if I have any healing pills left over so that I can cure my body.' Ling Tian thought as he checked his spatial ring.