Weird cultivation, power ranks

Li Feng glanced at Director Zhou Xing, who was now smiling and noisily sipping his water.

Then he lowered his head to look at the pile of things in front of him.

An Investigation Department trainee investigator's ID;

a compass about the size of two palms;

a brand-new phone;

a silver handgun;

and a slightly yellowed book.

Having applied to the Investigation Department and been accepted, Li Feng naturally knew exactly what all these things were.

Although the current Li Feng was no longer the original owner of this body, he had inherited the man's memories.

Perhaps many of them were rather hazy.

But whenever he encountered a relevant situation, a little thought was usually enough to bring them back, one by one.

The ID needed no explanation. It would serve as his identification from now on.

He simply hadn't expected it to be prepared in advance. He had thought he would have to wait a while.

The Investigation Department in this world was certainly efficient.

The compass was called the Tracking Compass. It mainly used traces of power to locate a target's whereabouts and direction, and was standard equipment for Investigation Department investigators;

the brand-new phone was also standard investigator equipment, immune to interference from weird powers;

the silver handgun was a specially made spiritual-energy pistol, capable of harming demons, monsters, ghosts, and weird entities;

as for the yellowed book...

That wasn't being given to Li Feng. It was an offshoot of the Weird Library, and also a catalog of cultivation methods.

The Weird Library supposedly held every written book in the entire world.

Its offshoots served as catalogs of the library's books.

Through these catalogs, one could directly redeem the corresponding books.

Then, after roughly a month, the redeemed books would crumble and disappear.

The Weird Library offshoot before him was a catalog specifically for cultivation methods.

It had been brought out so Li Feng could choose the method he wanted to cultivate.

Under the gaze of Personnel Office Director Zhou Xing, Li Feng opened the catalog with barely contained eagerness.

The first things he saw were two human cultivation methods.

Hmm...

"Human Body Tempering Art"

"Humanity Visualization Method"

Looking at the names of the two methods, Li Feng was momentarily speechless.

They really were... simple and straightforward.

Involuntarily, Li Feng looked up at Personnel Office Director Zhou Xing.

Seeing Li Feng's expression, Zhou Xing understood at once.

"Heh, those two human cultivation methods are on the first page, named after humanity itself, and extremely well suited to humans.

"But just have a look. There's no need to pay them much attention..."

As he reached the end, an irrepressible shadow passed through the depths of Zhou Xing's eyes, despite his seemingly casual manner.

"Why?"

After hearing Zhou Xing's explanation, Li Feng couldn't help asking.

If they had so many advantages, why shouldn't he pay them much attention?

"Why? Heh, because their limits are too low..."

At Li Feng's question, Zhou Xing chewed a tea leaf in his mouth, letting the bitterness spread as he replied with a hint of resignation.

"Even if you master the Human Body Tempering Art completely, all you'll gain is the strength to lift a thousand jin and immunity to ordinary blades.

"As for the visualization method, it only gives you a little ability to hypnotize people or cast illusions..."

Hearing this, Li Feng inwardly frowned. If that was all they did, why give them such grand names?

"Then the others..."

"The others..."

Zhou Xing murmured the words, but instead of answering Li Feng directly, he extended a hand toward him.

Li Feng didn't understand what he was doing.

But the next moment, his eyes flew wide open.

Zhou Xing flexed his outstretched hand slightly, and it instantly underwent a bizarre transformation.

Layers of yellow fur sprouted as his hand twisted and changed, finally becoming a tiger's paw.

"Uh, uh, uh..."

For a moment, Li Feng almost jumped up and shouted, "Monster!"

"Hahaha..."

Seeing Li Feng's shock, Zhou Xing couldn't help laughing heartily.

"Th-this..."

"Haha, this is perfectly normal. You'll get used to it eventually..."

"G-get used to it..."

Li Feng could hardly believe it.

"Does that mean the other methods..."

"Yes. Apart from those two, all the other methods were created by humanity's sages through imitating demons, monsters, ghosts, and weird entities.

"And the ultimate result...

"Is to become a special demon, monster, ghost, or weird entity with a human consciousness...

"But these methods are only imitations, after all. Unless you find the corresponding creature, devour it, and merge with its bloodline,

"humans can never become stronger than the beings they imitate..."

Hearing this, Li Feng could hardly believe his ears.

"Huh? Then wouldn't humans..."

"Wouldn't humans what? Always be inferior to demons, monsters, and ghosts?

"Heh, naturally, our human sages thought of that too.

"So, using different demons, monsters, ghosts, and weird entities with matching, compatible, or even complementary attributes, they created methods for combined cultivation and advancement..."

As he spoke, Zhou Xing extended his other hand and flicked his fingers into the shape of a crane's beak.

The next moment, his hand really became a crane's head, its red beak looking capable of piercing anything.

"This is the method I cultivate: Tiger-Crane Twin Forms!"

"T-Tiger-Crane Twin Forms???"

At that moment, Li Feng's head was full of questions.

So this was what Tiger-Crane Twin Forms meant?

It certainly... lived up to its name.

At the sight, a strange thought inevitably surfaced in Li Feng's mind.

Humans have limits, so I'm giving up being human...

In his previous life, that had only been a figure of speech. In this world, it actually happened.

And it might even be the case for every cultivator.

If so, he was beginning to understand why the two methods before him bore humanity's name despite their low limits. Presumably, they wouldn't cause people to mutate.

Meanwhile, with a thought, Zhou Xing reverted both hands to normal and said to Li Feng with a smile:

"Actually, I recommend that you cultivate Tiger-Crane Twin Forms too.

"It offers considerable power in speed, strength, offense, and defense. It really is a relatively well-rounded method, which is quite rare...

"Alternatively, you could cultivate a canine or wolf-based method. Those would make it easier to find clues when investigating cases..."

"Uh, let me look. Let me look. I'll have a look..."

Li Feng pressed his lips together, forced a strained smile, and turned the yellowed book's next page with difficulty.

The martial body-tempering methods included Tiger-Crane Twin Forms...

Everlasting Green Wood...

Heavenly Wolf Howling at the Moon...

The visualization and spirit-refining methods included the Fish-Dragon Visualization Method...

Heavenly Thunder Spirit-Refining Method...

As he turned page after page, reading the names and brief descriptions, Li Feng's expression grew increasingly grim.

Tiger-Crane Twin Forms was indeed well-rounded, just as Zhou Xing had said.

But in the end, it would turn him into a monster with a tiger's body, crane wings, and a crane's head for a tail.

Everlasting Green Wood would eventually transform him into a great tree. As for what kind of tree...

That depended on what he used as the basis for his visualization...

Its fundamental core, however, was an imitation of the Lord of Myriad Trees.

Supposedly, the Lord of Myriad Trees possessed the characteristics of every tree.

As for why a martial cultivation method involved visualization,

since these methods were created by imitating other beings, one naturally had to visualize the subject of that imitation.

The more detailed the visualization, the faster the cultivation.

This applied to Everlasting Green Wood, and to the other methods as well.

Heavenly Wolf Howling at the Moon involved visualizing a silver heavenly wolf with two wings, ultimately transforming into one...

The Fish-Dragon Visualization Method transformed the soul into a fish-dragon, allowing it to shed its shell and endure...

Yes, the soul became a fish-dragon, then abandoned the physical body to remain in the world—essentially becoming a fish-dragon ghost deity or Paranormal Entity.

If any method was slightly more normal, it was probably the Heavenly Thunder Spirit-Refining Method.

Although it still required abandoning the physical body in the end, leaving only the soul in the world,

it ultimately allowed one to retain human form.

Yet this method was the least viable choice, because it required observing the form of heavenly thunder, comprehending its essence, and absorbing its power...

In short, one had to take heavenly thunder into oneself.

As for how...

The most direct method was to get struck by lightning.

Regardless of whether anyone had ever succeeded or how its creator had developed the method, Li Feng had no intention of choosing it.

He didn't think he could withstand many lightning strikes.

Finally, Li Feng turned back to the first page and stared at the two methods in silence for a long time.

"Have you decided?"

Seeing Li Feng's expression, Zhou Xing asked with a smile.

"Uh...

"I'd like... to choose the Human Body Tempering Art and the Humanity Visualization Method first. Would that be all right?"

Li Feng hesitated. For now, he had no intention of giving up being human.

Besides, he had awakened the Mind Fog ability. Perhaps he could make something of himself through his own efforts.

A newly arrived transmigrator always had rather lofty ambitions.

Maybe I'm the special one?

"Oh, of course!"

Zhou Xing barely hesitated.

"Huh?"

Li Feng looked at Zhou Xing in surprise.

"Heh..."

Zhou Xing smiled, then said meaningfully:

"We were all young once."

When Li Feng reached the lobby with the pile of things in his arms, he was still a little dazed.

He hadn't expected Zhou Xing to agree so readily, giving him the two human cultivation methods to try first.

Shouldn't he have tried to persuade me a little more?

As soon as he entered the lobby, Li Jie greeted him with a smile.

"Li Feng, have you finished your onboarding?"

"Yes!"

"Then sit here for a while. Sometime after two, Lady Yuan Chengfang, the Level-One Investigator in charge of the South City District, will arrive. You can go back to the South District with her then..."

"Huh?"

Li Feng looked up in surprise.

"Oh? You didn't know?

"Didn't Director Zhou Xing tell you?"

"Since you live in the South District, you've been assigned there."

"The person in charge of the South District is Lady Yuan Chengfang, a Level-One Investigator..."

"Oh!"

Li Feng nodded in understanding.

As for whether Zhou Xing had mentioned it at the end...

Honestly, he had taken in so much information at once, catching a glimpse of the tip of this world's iceberg, that he was still rather dazed. He really hadn't noticed what Zhou Xing had said at the end.

From what Li Jie had just said, however, Li Feng more or less understood why he had been told to report at one.

It turned out that his direct superior would not arrive at headquarters until after two.

Sitting on a chair at one side of the lobby, Li Feng set the Human Cultivation Method manuals and the Compass beside him, then took out his phone and switched it on.

Seeing him like this, Li Jie covered her mouth and chuckled.

Working at reception, she had seen this sort of thing far too often.

Her gaze swept over the two Human Cultivation Method manuals beside him, and she chuckled again, not remotely surprised by his choice.

As Zhou Xing had said, who hadn't been young once?

The word “human” in the Human Cultivation Method alone was enough to make plenty of people choose it when selecting their first cultivation method.

She had made the same choice herself.

Of course, she had never switched to another cultivation method afterward, either.

That was why she was now a receptionist who rarely went out into the field.

For one thing, she had connections higher up. For another, she was simply too weak in combat.

Granted, the Investigation Department rarely needed to fight.

But how could investigating Paranormal Entity incidents ever be completely free of danger?

Meanwhile, after Li Feng switched on his phone, four official apps appeared on the screen.

Investigation Department, Response Department, Night Patrol Bureau, Public Security Bureau...

The Public Security Bureau was the Federation's department for maintaining ordinary public order.

It also handled evacuations during Paranormal Entity incidents, dealt with the aftermath, and so on.

Everything else looked almost identical to what he would find on an ordinary phone.

What truly made this phone special was its ability to function without interference from Paranormal Entity powers.

After fiddling with it for a while, Li Feng put it back in his pocket and picked up the Human Body Tempering Art beside him.

A quick read gave him a rough understanding of the Human Body Tempering Art.

The Human Body Tempering Art continuously strengthened the body through various movements, external blows, medicinal treatments, and similar methods.

Ultimately, however, it only gave the practitioner the strength to exert a thousand jin of force and a body that ordinary blades could barely injure.

Such abilities might let someone effortlessly overpower ordinary people, but against demons, monsters, ghosts, and supernatural entities, they seemed woefully inadequate.

Compared with other Paranormal Entity martial arts, the gap was anything but small.

Putting down the Human Body Tempering Art, Li Feng picked up the Humanity Visualization Method beside it and began reading.

The Humanity Visualization Method essentially involved visualizing oneself, at most adding weapons and equipment closely tied to one's own strength.

Compared with visualizing other powerful beings, which could produce all sorts of supernatural abilities, visualization rooted in oneself naturally fell far short.

It merely tempered the mind a little, granting a certain degree of hypnotic and illusion-casting ability.

By the time he finished reading, Li Feng felt the urge to exchange his cultivation method right then and there.

The core of the Human Cultivation Method was taking oneself as the foundation.

But damn it, if I'm already strong, there's no need to practice this method.

If I'm weak, and I cultivate by using myself as the model, then what's the point?

If he hadn't had his Mind Fog ability to fall back on, he really might have gone to exchange the manuals immediately.

"Phew!"

Exhaling the frustration pent up in his chest, Li Feng abruptly closed the book and raised his head with a sigh.

"Holy shit!"

The instant he looked up, he saw three heads leaning right in front of his face. Startled, he jerked his head back and blurted out a curse.

"Hahaha..."

"Hehehe..."

The laughter of Li Jie and the other two immediately filled the reception lobby.

Looking at the three people before him, Li Feng was momentarily speechless.

He had a vague guess about the identities of the two people beside Li Jie. One of them had to be his superior.

But shouldn't a superior project an air of authority? Was it really appropriate to play a joke like this on a newcomer?

Still, the joke really did make Li Feng feel much more favorably toward his superior.

At least working under someone like this probably wouldn't be too stifling.

"Hehehe, all right, enough teasing. This is your direct superior from now on, Level-One Investigator Yuan Chengfang..."

Covering her mouth with another chuckle, Li Jie introduced the people beside her.

One was a burly, middle-aged figure with hair that seemed to gleam silver: Level-One Investigator Yuan Chengfang, his future direct superior.

The other was only a few years older than him. His name was Wu Cheng, and he had joined about a year ago. He was a level-three investigator who also worked under Yuan Chengfang, and would be Li Feng's colleague.

"Hello, ma'am. Hello, Brother Wu. My name is Li Feng!"

"Hehe, good, good!

"Work hard under me, young man, and one day my position will be yours..."

Yuan Chengfang nodded with a smile and reached out to pat Li Feng on the shoulder.

"Huh?"

Li Feng was a little dumbfounded. Was she really that direct?

Beside them, Wu Cheng pursed his lips. The captain hadn't changed a bit.

As far as he knew, she had said exactly the same thing to him and another investigator when they first joined.

Still, he had no intention of exposing her now. The captain would retaliate and make life difficult for him.

Yuan Chengfang patted Li Feng on the shoulder again and said with a hearty laugh:

"Haha, do you have anything else to do here?

"If not, let's head back to the South District..."

"Huh? Oh, no, nothing else. I'm all done..."

Li Feng hadn't expected everyone in the Investigation Department to be so straightforward.

"Li, we're heading out!"

"See you, Sister Li..."

"See you, Sister Li..."

After saying goodbye to Li Jie, they left the Investigation Department.

"Hey, little brother Li Feng, take care. Come visit me sometime."

Something about those words sounded strange to Li Feng.

"Uh... sure, okay!"

After replying rather awkwardly, Li Feng hurried out of the reception lobby.

"Hahaha..."

His reaction immediately drew a hearty laugh from Yuan Chengfang.

After leaving the Investigation Department, the three of them got into one of its dedicated vehicles.

A driver in his fifties was already waiting inside.

Once everyone was seated, the driver stepped on the accelerator and drove swiftly but smoothly toward South City.

Only then did Yuan Chengfang make the introductions.

"This is Old Chang, Chang Sheng! He's a veteran driver for our South City Investigation Department.

"Just call him Old Chang.

"Old Chang, this is our new trainee Investigator, Li Feng..."

"Uncle Old Chang!"

Li Feng immediately greeted him with a smile.

"Hehe, no need to be so polite. Just call me Old Chang. Everyone does."

"That's right!"

Wu Cheng immediately nodded in agreement.

"Uh... all right, then!"

Having only just arrived, Li Feng didn't know the circumstances, so he could only nod.

Yuan Chengfang then began explaining some things about the Investigation Department and assigning Li Feng his jurisdiction.

The Yuanyang City Investigation Department was divided into five sections: east, west, south, north, and central.

Besides its base in the City Center, the Investigation Department also had corresponding bases in the eastern, western, southern, and northern districts, each overseen by a team led by a Level-One Investigator.

Yuan Chengfang was in charge of the South District.

However, across the entire South District, even counting Li Feng and Level-One Investigator Yuan Chengfang, there were only four actual investigators. Everyone else was support staff.

Besides Wu Cheng, there was another Level Three Investigator named Zhao Fei.

The eastern, western, and northern districts were all more or less the same.

As for the Investigation Department headquarters in the city center, its director, who possessed Horror Level strength, held the central district and coordinated the various branches.

The supernatural ranks in this world were classified according to how much they could interfere with reality and the destruction they could cause.

From lowest to highest, they were Ordinary Rank (Illusory Rank), Danger Level (Real Rank), Horror Level, City-Destroying Rank (Disaster Rank), Nation-Destroying Rank, and so on.

As for any ranks beyond those, they were not something ordinary people could know about.

Ordinary Rank, also called Illusory Rank, was essentially the level of the Wedding-Dress Bride Li Feng had encountered just after transmigrating. Without a response from someone, such entities could not interfere with or affect reality.

Danger Level, also called Real Rank, could already interfere with reality.

If a Horror Level entity unleashed its full power, it could easily destroy an entire city district.

City-Destroying Rank was powerful enough to destroy a city, which was why it was also called Disaster Rank.

Finally, Nation-Destroying Rank was powerful enough to destroy a nation with a population of over a hundred million.

Yes, a nation with over a hundred million people, not just any nation.

This had been verified before the Federation was established.

Nations with populations exceeding a hundred million had indeed been destroyed by Nation-Destroying Rank beings.

However, even Nation-Destroying Rank demons, monsters, ghosts, or supernatural entities could not fundamentally threaten Huaxia, where Shenzhou was located, or the other great powers.

Horror Level might seem unimpressive, being only the third rank.

In reality, however, it already represented the highest combat strength in the vast majority of cities.

City-Destroying Rank combat power was only found in certain first- and second-tier major cities.

Those with Nation-Destroying Rank combat power presided over entire regions.

Shenzhou, for example, publicly had five Nation-Destroying Rank figures, stationed in the four directions and the center.