Sect Rankings

"Yang Ling, do you have any ideas right now?"

Xu Qing asked.

Yang Ling pondered for a moment. "To improve mining efficiency, the quality of the pickaxes is crucial."

"Exactly!"

Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing's eyes lit up.

With good pickaxes, mining would naturally go faster.

They could level up more quickly as well!

"If every miner had a refined steel pickaxe, the production problem would naturally be solved."

Yang Ling said.

Xu Qing sighed helplessly. "Refined steel pickaxes? Do you know how much that would cost? Our Mountains and Rivers Sect can't possibly equip every miner with one."

After a pause, he added, "Besides, even if we gave them refined steel pickaxes, some miners would probably still deliberately slack off."

Yang Ling and the other two had guessed Xu Qing's current predicament.

If nothing unexpected happened, he could only keep this Red Gold Ore mine for three months.

"Some miners will always be hardworking."

Yang Ling pondered. "When the time comes, I'll select those miners and issue refined steel pickaxes to them."

Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing immediately understood what he meant, and their eyes brightened slightly.

"Any other suggestions?"

Xu Qing asked.

"Yes."

Yang Ling pondered. "I want a pickaxe better than refined steel."

"How much can one person mine, no matter how hard they work? That won't solve the root of the problem."

Xu Qing was somewhat helpless and subconsciously began scratching at his ears and cheeks. "If I'd known this was such a hot potato, I wouldn't have taken it. Now I'm afraid I'll lose all face within the Mountains and Rivers Sect."

"Senior Brother Xu, we still have three months. We can think of a solution slowly."

Yang Ling said, "We don't need to care whose people those stewards are. What truly matters are the miners themselves. If some miners deliberately slack off, drive them away. Bring in new people."

"With over ten thousand miners, how many do you plan to drive away?"

Xu Qing waved his hand. "Besides, how would newcomers know how to mine? I tried mining at the Fire Crystal Mine last time. Mining requires skill. If I weren't a Martial Artist, I definitely wouldn't mine as quickly as an experienced miner."

After a pause, he said, "Forget it. Stop thinking about it. We'll play it by ear. No matter what, at least that Fire Crystal Mine won't change hands again. Wu Que's matter will cause my eldest senior brother plenty of trouble, hehe."

Xu Qing glanced at Yang Ling and changed the subject.

"Now that you're a Constable, you should have been taught the Bandit-Catching Saber Technique, right?"

"Constable Lin did indeed give me the manual for the Bandit-Catching Saber Technique."

Yang Ling nodded.

"That's a good thing. If you cultivate the Bandit-Catching Saber Technique to Perfect Mastery, you'll have a chance to obtain the Tiger-Capturing Saber Technique. That saber technique is no weaker than our Mountains and Rivers Sect's River-Mountain Draw-Sword Art."

Xu Qing said.

Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing exchanged glances, their desire to become Constables growing even stronger.

Yang Ling's expression shifted slightly, and he asked while the opportunity was there.

"Senior Brother Xu, what conditions must be met for the Iron Garment Division to bestow the Tiger-Capturing Saber Technique?"

"First, as I just said, you must cultivate the Bandit-Catching Saber Technique to Perfect Mastery."

"Second, you must become an Eighth-Rank Iron Garment Constable."

"Then, you'll need to undergo another assessment and prove that you're qualified to obtain the Tiger-Capturing Saber Technique."

"As for the specific details of the assessment, I don't know."

Xu Qing said casually.

So becoming an Eighth-Rank Iron Garment Constable really required another assessment...

Yang Ling's thoughts stirred.

"You don't really want to become an Eighth-Rank Iron Garment Constable, do you?"

Xu Qing could not help laughing. "It's nearly impossible, so don't overthink it. Ninth Rank is still something you can consider."

"Senior Brother Xu, Constable Lin is already a Ninth-Rank Iron Garment Constable. Is Eighth Rank really that difficult?"

Yang Ling asked curiously.

"Ninth Rank is easy. You can see them everywhere."

Xu Qing smiled. "But going from Ninth Rank to Eighth Rank is an entirely different path."

Seeing Yang Ling's puzzled expression,

he pondered for a moment. "If you regard the Iron Garment Division as one of the Zhao Kingdom's foremost sects, then Ninth-Rank Iron Garment Constables would be outer disciples. But once you reach Eighth Rank, you become an inner disciple."

"The difference between outer disciples and inner disciples is enormous. Some people wait their entire lives and still never receive that change in status."

"So that's how it is. That analogy is quite fitting."

Seeing this, Yang Ling quietly gave Chen Guoqing a look.

Chen Guoqing immediately spoke up. "Brother Yang, could you tell us about the differences between the sects in the martial world?"

"What kind of martial world man am I? I only know the surface of such things. If you want to ask, ask Senior Brother Xu."

Yang Ling waved his hand.

Xu Qing glanced at Chen Guoqing, then at Yang Ling, before smiling faintly.

"We still have some road ahead. It wouldn't hurt to chat with you about the martial world."

Yang Ling, Chen Xu, and Chen Guoqing were all quietly delighted.

They urgently needed all sorts of information about the Divine Realm.

Among it, matters of the martial world were the most important, as they concerned their future plans.

"You want to know about the strength of the martial world's sects, right?"

Xu Qing smiled. "What do you think of the Mountains and Rivers Sect?"

Yang Ling said, "Very strong."

"Strong? The Mountains and Rivers Sect can only be considered a third-rate sect at best."

Xu Qing mocked himself. "Above third-rate are second-rate sects, and above second-rate are first-rate sects. Don't be fooled by the fact that our Mountains and Rivers Sect controls several Fire Crystal Mines and one Red Gold Ore mine. Compared with those great second-rate sects, we're like insects beside elephants."

"So the Mountains and Rivers Sect really is only third-rate..."

When Yang Ling had seen that Xu Qing's River-Mountain Heart Method was merely a third-rate cultivation method, he had already had a similar suspicion. Today, Xu Qing's words confirmed it.

If so, the ranks of martial world sects were most likely determined by their martial arts and cultivation methods.

"With Senior Brother Xu here, the Mountains and Rivers Sect will definitely become second-rate, perhaps even first-rate, someday!"

Chen Xu said.

Xu Qing said, "You think too highly of me. The Mountains and Rivers Sect will never become second-rate in this lifetime."

"Senior Brother Xu, why!?"

Chen Xu looked stunned.

"Because of martial arts and cultivation methods."

Xu Qing said calmly, "The classification of sect ranks is closely tied to martial arts and cultivation methods."

"The Mountains and Rivers Sect only possesses third-rate martial arts and cultivation methods. How could it advance to second-rate?"

"Nowadays, every major martial world sect guards its martial arts and cultivation methods strictly. They will never pass them on to outsiders."

"Unless a second-rate cultivation method suddenly fell into the Mountains and Rivers Sect's hands, and we could keep it, only then might we have a chance to advance into a second-rate sect."

Yang Ling and the other two were all somewhat shocked.

It seemed martial arts and cultivation methods were exceedingly rare.

Wait... does that mean Bitter Enlightenment Temple probably doesn't know that Buddhist scripture is actually the first-rate Vajra Wisdom King Art?

Otherwise, with Bitter Enlightenment Temple's strength, how could they have allowed Prisoner Slayer to get his hands on it?

At this thought, Yang Ling immediately felt relieved.

If his guess was true, Bitter Enlightenment Temple probably would not continue dwelling on the matter.

They might truly believe that they had merely lost a Buddhist scripture.

"Yang Ling, since you agreed to come with me to the Red Gold Ore mine, I said I'd teach you a martial skill."

Xu Qing took out a manual and tossed it to Yang Ling.

"This is the Black Tiger Fist. Though it's somewhat commonplace, it isn't something just anyone can cultivate."

"Black Tiger Fist..."

Yang Ling looked at the three large characters on the manual, his feelings complicated.

If he had obtained this martial skill when he had first entered the game, he would definitely have been overjoyed.

Now... he simply did not have enough time to cultivate so many miscellaneous martial skills.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Xu!"

Yang Ling clasped his hands in salute, looking very "excited."