Chapter 63: Begin the Calculation!

Begin the Calculation!

A Reader: Since it's a modern soul, shouldn't the differences between levels be summarized with data? Even geniuses crossing tiers need rationality.

Answer: One, it can be quantified.

But the supplementary explanation of rationality given earlier in the book was disliked by some readers.

So when I updated yesterday, I only explained it at the end of Chapter 59, but without a quantified explanation, because I was too lazy to calculate it that finely.

Since you asked, I will calculate it properly.

Two, I clearly replied in the comments section to a reader who thought crossing tiers was unreasonable: in martial duels, besides cultivation, one also relies on secret transmissions; the level of secret transmissions among low-level cultivators varies, and this is the core of crossing tiers.

But high-level cultivators live longer and possess all kinds of secret transmissions, so the power gap is smaller, making it harder to cross tiers; this is also a normal manifestation under rationality.

Alright, I've answered your question; now let's start calculating!

Given that Wang Xian Zhou's cultivation is at the Qi Refining stage, considering his character setting as a Dueling Master and his cultivation at the peak of Qi Refining, his cultivation converted into dueling strength yields a base strength of 10 (the ceiling of the Qi Refining stage; otherwise, he couldn't have passed the dueling selection to become a Xian Alliance Envoy).

Wang Xian Zhou attempted Foundation Establishment four times but failed each time; however, this process of rushing toward Foundation Establishment gradually made his spiritual energy stand out among Qi Refining cultivators.

Corresponding to strength, this is 10 * 1.1 * 1.1 * 1.1 * 1.1 = 14.641.

After factoring in Wang Shi's secret transmission techniques, custom-made magical artifacts, and high-grade Foundation Establishment talismans, it becomes:

14.641 * 2 (Wang Shi secret transmission techniques) * 1.5 (custom-made artifacts) * 1.25 (high-grade talismans) = 54.90375.

Note that these subsequent multipliers decrease proportionally in sequence, taking into account the marginal effects of influencing factors.

In some traditional cultivation novels, multipliers ignore marginal effects and are mindlessly stacked, producing figures of tens of thousands of times; I do not agree with this.

Considering the fantasy background of xianxia novels, that writing style is not wrong, nor is my style; neither is wrong; creation is highly subjective, and I choose to consider the issue of marginal effects.

Wang Xian Zhou once joined the Red Lantern Sect and learned the secret transmission techniques of the Red Lantern Sect, one of the Ten Sects.

Later, he joined the Xian Alliance and learned the Alliance's secret transmission techniques and the Xian Alliance's unique top-tier killing moves for the Qi Refining stage, such as 【Divine-Stunning Stab】.

(As a ceiling-level power, the upper limits of cultivators under the Xian Alliance are relatively higher at different stages—note that a high upper limit does not mean everyone within it can reach that limit.)

54.90375 * 1.125 * 1.0625 * 1.03125 = 67.678.

Roughly calculated, Wang Xian Zhou's strength comes to about sixty-eight.

Taking the cultivation base of a Qi-Channeling cultivator as 0–1.

Taking the cultivation base of a Qi Refining cultivator as 1–10.

Taking the cultivation base of a Foundation Establishment cultivator as 10–100.

Taking a value slightly below the middle of the Foundation Establishment cultivation base range: 30.

(In the quantified 10–100 range, among early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, those with the worst Dao Foundation levels are at 10, but this does not mean they are the same as high-level Qi Refining cultivators.)

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

Moreover, Foundation Establishment cultivators are often not that weak, so they still hold an overwhelming advantage over most Qi Refining cultivators.)

Applying a seventy-five percent conversion rate from cultivation to dueling strength, this Foundation Establishment cultivator's dueling strength base becomes 22.5.

A Qi Refining cultivator slaying a Foundation Establishment cultivator must be slaying a relatively weak one (I did not use the weakest example; the only weakening applied was the conversion rate, which was still given at seventy-five percent).

A weaker Foundation Establishment cultivator has secret transmissions but not good ones; joined a major sect but must start from doing menial work and cannot immediately obtain the major sect's Foundation Establishment secret transmission techniques; their artifacts and spiritual artifacts are merely decent; they have talismans, plus a life-saving ultimate move.

22.5 * 1.75 (secret transmissions) * 1.263 (major sect secret transmissions) * 1.188 (artifacts and spiritual artifacts) * 1.094 (high-grade talismans) * 1.047 (ultimate move) = 67.6713.

In the case where I chose a not-weak Foundation Establishment cultivator, Wang Xian Zhou's final value is still higher than this Foundation Establishment cultivator's.

Such Foundation Establishment cultivators are certainly not rare in this book's worldview; take Wu Jinyan as an example: if he had achieved Foundation Establishment, his final dueling strength value would certainly not be this high.

Wang Xian Zhou in his peak state killing Wu Jinyan, who had been at Foundation Establishment for only a few years, was as simple as killing a chicken.

Low-level cultivators do not live long; many have not yet joined the major sect system, and their own techniques have deficiencies.

After achieving Foundation Establishment, they need to make up for these deficiencies; this process is also the major sects further exploiting these Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Of course, being exploited is also a form of value (I am merely expounding a concept, not implying that I fully endorse this concept; but regardless of whether I endorse it or not, many things are simply happening).

In short, Wang Shi's dueling genius, the Xian Alliance's Envoy, the Red Lantern Sect's inner disciple—Wang Xian Zhou's entire cultivation journey allowed his strength to reach a certain peak during the Qi Refining stage.

Therefore, when encountering some Foundation Establishment cultivators, he can indeed achieve tier-crossing kills within the power system settings of this book.