The impact of the rankings exceeded everyone's expectations, but there were reasons for it.
Chief among them was that the Imperial Examinations of this era were practically a sham. In the end, advancement still depended on patronage from the imperial clan, great houses, and nobles at every level. Personal dependence was too strong, pedigree mattered too much, and the system could not effectively select talented people. By comparison, while there could be no undisputed first in letters, there could be no two equals in martial prowess. Rankings in cultivation represented genuine ability that could withstand scrutiny. Once they acquired a bearing on official careers and material prospects, their importance would naturally be magnified without limit.
And if that still seemed difficult to grasp in theory, a look at the current situation at the iron tower belonging to Imperial Uncle Cao, the Tower-Guarding Heavenly King and first on the Heaven Ranking, might offer a more immediate understanding.
Had they not seen it with their own eyes, the Brocade-clad Patrol Cavalry would never have imagined that people truly existed who knew neither the height of heaven nor the depth of earth and would actually storm the tower... Were they trying to show off their skills and make a name at the doorstep of the Heaven Ranking's number one, or did they intend to call directly on Intendant Cao and ask for a Vermilion Sash?
But whatever the case, if you stormed the tower at a time like this, you could hardly claim it had nothing to do with the rankings, could you?
"You brazen villains!"
"Where did these fools come from?!"
**"Everyone, form up! Longevity True Qi to the east, River-Cutting True Qi to the west, Li Fire True Qi to the south, Weak Water True Qi to the north... Radiant Light