Chapter 63: Calculate!

Calculate!

A reader: Since he’s a modern soul, can’t you quantify the differences between levels? Even a genius crossing ranks needs plausibility.

Answer: First, it can be quantified.

But earlier supplementary explanations about plausibility in the novel have displeased some readers.

So yesterday, in the end of Chapter 59, I briefly clarified it—without quantification, because I was too lazy to calculate so precisely.

Since you asked, I’ll do the math properly now.

Second, I previously replied in the comments to a reader who thought crossing ranks was unreasonable: in combat, besides cultivation base, one relies on secret techniques; lower-level cultivators vary widely in their mastery of these techniques—that’s the core of crossing ranks.

But higher-level cultivators live longer and possess all the secret techniques they should, so the power gap narrows and crossing ranks becomes harder—this is a normal manifestation under plausibility.

Alright, I’ve answered your question. Now let’s calculate!

Wang Xianzhou’s cultivation base is Qi Refining. Considering his persona as a combat master and his peak Qi Refining level, his combat power base is 10 (the Qi Refining ceiling—otherwise he couldn’t have passed the combat selection to become an Immortal Alliance Traveler).

Wang Xianzhou attempted Foundation Establishment four times but failed each time; however, these attempts gradually elevated his spiritual power above all other Qi Refining cultivators.

Translated into combat power: 10 * 1.1 * 1.1 * 1.1 * 1.1 = 14.641

Adding the Wang family’s secret techniques, custom magic treasures, and high-grade Foundation Establishment talismans:

14.641 * 2 (Wang family secret techniques) * 1.5 (custom magic treasure) * 1.25 (high-grade talisman) = 54.90375

Note: These subsequent multipliers decrease proportionally, accounting for diminishing marginal effects.

In many traditional xianxia novels, multipliers ignore diminishing returns and stack blindly, yielding tens of thousands of times— I find that unreasonable.

Given the fantasy setting of xianxia novels, that style isn’t wrong, nor is mine—both are valid; creativity is subjective, and I chose to account for diminishing marginal effects.

Wang Xianzhou once joined the Red Lantern Society and learned one of the Ten Sects’ secret techniques.

Later, he joined the Immortal Alliance and learned its secret techniques and its unique peak Qi Refining killing technique: [Divine Shock Stab, etc.].

(As the top-tier power, the Immortal Alliance’s cultivators have relatively higher upper limits at each stage—note: higher upper limit doesn’t mean everyone within reaches it.)

54.90375 * 1.125 * 1.0625 * 1.03125 = 67.678

Roughly calculated, Wang Xianzhou’s combat power reaches 68.

For Qi Refining cultivators, the base number is 0–1.

For Qi Refining cultivators, the base number is 1–10.

For Foundation Establishment cultivators, the base number is 10–100.

Take the mid-to-lower value of 30 for Foundation Establishment base.

(In the quantified 10–100 range, the weakest Foundation Establishment cultivators have a base of 10—but that doesn’t mean they’re equal to peak Qi Refining.)

A simple logic: very few Foundation Establishment cultivators are so weak as to have only a base of 10; most are stronger.

And Foundation Establishment cultivators are generally not that weak—they still hold overwhelming superiority over most Qi Refining cultivators.)

Apply a 75% conversion rate from cultivation base to combat power: this Foundation Establishment cultivator’s combat power base is 22.5.

A Qi Refining cultivator killing a Foundation Establishment one must target the weaker ones (I didn’t use the absolute weakest for my example; the only reduction was the conversion rate, but I still gave 75%).

A weaker Foundation Establishment cultivator has secret techniques, but not good ones; he joined a major sect but must start as a laborer and can’t immediately obtain the sect’s Foundation Establishment secret techniques; his magic treasure and spirit weapon may be decent, he has talismans, and perhaps a survival ultimate technique.

22.5 * 1.75 (secret technique) * 1.263 (major sect secret technique) * 1.188 (magic treasure/spirit weapon) * 1.094 (high-grade talisman) * 1.047 (ultimate technique) = 67.6713

Even under these favorable conditions for the Foundation Establishment cultivator, Wang Xianzhou’s final value still exceeds his.

Such Foundation Establishment cultivators are numerous in this world’s setting; take Wu Jinyan as an example—if he reached Foundation Establishment, his final combat power value would certainly not be this high.

In peak condition, Wang Xianzhou kills Wu Jinyan, who has only recently reached Foundation Establishment, as easily as slaughtering a chicken.

Low-level cultivators have short lifespans; many haven’t even joined major sect systems, and their own techniques are incomplete.

After Foundation Establishment, they must catch up—and this process becomes another way for the sects to exploit these Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Of course, being exploited is also a kind of value (I’m merely describing the concept; I don’t necessarily endorse it—but whether I agree or not, many such things are happening).

In short, Wang Xianzhou’s journey—as a Wang family combat genius, an Immortal Alliance Traveler, and a Red Lantern Society inner disciple—has brought his combat power to a peak within Qi Refining.

Therefore, when encountering certain Foundation Establishment cultivators, he can indeed achieve cross-rank kills within this novel’s power system.