Chapter 286: The Demon Extermination Ranking and the Great Demon Ranking

As the saying goes, those who know the times are... cough! Those who know the times are heroes.

As the eldest Prince of the Jiang Kingdom, Jiang Mingzhi is one person below the monarch but above ten thousand, recognized throughout the entire Eastern Wasteland as a talented youth, a true heaven-gifted hero.

Not only that, but Jiang Mingzhi also lives up to his name; the choices he makes... are truly "wise."

Jiang Mingzhi first used a transmission jade to indicate that he was unharmed, letting the guards disperse and leave, with only one Spirit Transformation guard remaining.

The Spirit Transformation guard Jiang Qi could not leave; this was Jiang Mingzhi's trump card as the eldest Prince. If even he were to leave, it would clearly tell others that there was a problem here.

But even so, Jiang Mingzhi had Jiang Qi voluntarily retreat to five hundred meters away from this location, forbidding outsiders from approaching.

After doing all this, Jiang Mingzhi looked up at Ren Yidao and said eagerly:

"Daoist Ren, I remember you asked about the Demon Extermination Ranking earlier. Are you interested in the Demon Extermination Ranking?"

"That's right."

Watching Jiang Mingzhi, who had decisively knelt before him with a thud, seemingly having completely forgotten the previous conflict, Ren Yidao was very satisfied.

Good!

Very sensible!

Although this world needs some unyielding backbones, sometimes it also needs some clever people who know how to be flexible.

At the very least, with these clever people around, communicating won't be so strenuous.

For Ren Yidao, Jiang Mingzhi can submit on the surface and can scheme his little plans in secret.

He doesn't care.

Even among married couples, there are many who are harmonious in appearance but divided in heart.

It is just a matter of being together in appearance but not in spirit; this is not a major problem worth mentioning.

Being obedient on the surface is also a form of obedience, and that is enough.

A tool, after all—as long as it can be used, that's fine.

It is enough that he can be used by me; what would I want his heart for?

I don't need to use favorability points to unlock new positions...

Even if one day the tool Jiang really rebels, I'll just go find another tool.

Having made up his mind, Ren Yidao patted his shoulder as if praising him and said kindly:

"Also, just call me Ren Yidao or Daoist Ren; there is no need for 'Lord'."

"Hmm, you are the eldest Prince after all, so you still need to pay attention to your image!"

Although he advised him so, Ren Yidao did not intend to let Jiang Mingzhi stand up from the ground.

Jiang Mingzhi also seemed not to have noticed this, and with a face full of gratitude, he cupped his hands in a salute:

"Many thanks, Daoist!"

Although he appeared this way on the surface, Jiang Mingzhi's heart was actually full of bitterness.

At this point, what are you still saying?

I've already knelt here, damn it; what dignity is there left to talk about...

If it weren't for the fact that the situation is stronger than the person, Jiang Mingzhi would never have compromised so obsequiously.

Hmm... probably!

Shaking his head to hide the bitterness in his heart, Jiang Mingzhi adjusted his mindset and spoke:

"Regarding your question earlier, Daoist, about whether everyone can be on the Demon Extermination Ranking, I actually cannot give you an accurate answer."

Ren Yidao raised an eyebrow, not knowing what Jiang Mingzhi meant.

"Oh? Why is that? Could it be that the person who established this ranking didn't make it clear?"

Yes is yes, no is no; where could there be a third answer?

"No, that is not the case."

Knowing that Ren Yidao's curiosity had been successfully piqued, Jiang Mingzhi deliberately slowed his speech and shook his head, feigning mystery.

Jiang Mingzhi had wanted to keep him in suspense a bit longer, but upon noticing the youth's smile that wasn't quite a smile, he decisively put away his thoughts.

He gave a light cough and immediately explained:

"Daoist, you may not know, but it is because this ranking is not controlled by any one person, but is a Supreme Treasure born of Heaven and Earth with no owner."

Sure enough, after he finished speaking, Ren Yidao, who had previously worn a casual smile, had his expression change slightly.

Ren Yidao frowned slightly and asked in surprise:

"A Supreme Treasure? And it has no owner?"

What is going on with this Eastern Wasteland?

There are wild, ownerless Supreme Treasures wandering about? And it can appear openly in Jiang City?

"Yes, a Supreme Treasure!"

Speaking of this, Jiang Mingzhi swept away his dejected state and spoke eloquently:

"The Demon Extermination Ranking is actually not the true name of this ranking; it is actually called the Great Wasteland God Ranking."

At this point, Jiang Mingzhi tentatively glanced at Ren Yidao, then stood up with his tacit permission.

Having finally stood up, Jiang Mingzhi didn't offer much thanks; he knew what Ren Yidao was most curious about now, so he didn't dawdle.

Jiang Mingzhi picked up an empty bowl from the table and, with a flick of his finger, split it completely in two.

He pointed at the bowl split in two and explained:

"This ranking is divided into two sub-rankings: one is the Demon Extermination Ranking, and one is the Great Demon Ranking. Only when the two are combined into one is it the Great Wasteland God Ranking."

"This ranking has existed since the beginning of the birth of Shenzhou. Its Dharma Power is immense, and its scope encompasses the entire Eastern Wasteland Divine Continent, yet no one has ever discovered the whereabouts of the main body of the Great Wasteland God Ranking."

Next, he divided one of the halves into three equal parts again:

"Among them, the Demon Extermination Ranking is divided into the Heaven, Earth, and Human rankings, representing the Heaven, Earth, and Human realms respectively, and it selects the heaven-gifted talents and heroes from each realm to be on the list."

"One thousand on the Human Ranking, one hundred on the Earth Ranking, and ten on the Heaven Ranking, for a total of one thousand one hundred and ten people."

"Logically speaking, if one wants to establish a convincing ranking for the people of the world, many details must be considered, such as cultivation base, combat power, influence, battle records, and so on."

"But the Demon Extermination Ranking is different; this ranking does not focus on the specific cultivation base of the cultivator themselves, but only values battle records, and specifically, battle records against the Demon Race!"

"As long as one meets the requirements of the Demon Extermination Ranking, one will automatically be listed, but because no one else from Shenzhou has ever been on the list, I cannot guarantee it to you, my lord."

Battle records against the Demon Race?

Ren Yidao's brows twitched, and he had a very ominous premonition in his heart.

Not good, I have a feeling this is going to go wrong!

And Jiang Mingzhi's next words confirmed Ren Yidao's uneasy intuition:

"The Demon Extermination Ranking, as the name suggests, was established for the purpose of exterminating demons, so battles between the Human Race will not cause changes to the list; only battles against the Demon Race will affect the ranking on the list."

Speaking of this, Jiang Mingzhi noticed Ren Yidao's slightly furrowed brows, wondering what he was thinking about, but he did not take it to heart.

It is perfectly normal for an outsider to find the Demon Extermination Ranking so special and feel strange; it is not abrupt at all.

But what Jiang Mingzhi did not know was that Ren Yidao was not marveling at the wonder of the Demon Extermination Ranking, but was thinking about a very important matter.

"If I fight with someone, will I affect the other person's ranking on the Demon Extermination Ranking?"

The answer... well, it probably would.

Although Ren Yidao believed that his talent for disguise could deceive most cultivators, he did not have the confidence to deceive a top-tier Supreme Treasure that could encompass the entire Shenzhou.

"This is a bit not good."

When he saw the Demon Extermination Ranking, Ren Yidao had originally thought he could happily be a list-climber for once.

He had already prepared himself to beat the delicate bottoms of the arrogant geniuses above his head one by one, and to enjoy the sad expressions of the little friends in the Eastern Wasteland...

As it turned out, this damn list didn't follow the script at all!

This damn list, in order to stop me from showing off my divine might, actually banned my account!?

It actually stopped me from getting on the list at the source!

Damn it...

I want to report this!

I want to report this Demon Extermination Ranking!

This is blatant racial discrimination!

Not only that, but this Demon Extermination Ranking was also very dangerous for Ren Yidao.

If not handled well, it could very likely expose his true identity to the people of the world.

If he were really forced to that point, then everything would collapse.

If the timing were right, Ren Yidao would not mind revealing the secret that he was of the Demon Race to the people of the world.

But the premise is that everything must proceed according to his own script, and it only happens when he says it can, not by being exposed by others in advance.

In addition, Ren Yidao noticed another detail and raised his hand to ask:

"Wait, I have a question. Does the 'extermination' in the Demon Extermination Ranking mean it only counts after the Demon Race has been killed?"

Jiang Mingzhi was stunned for a moment, blinked, and said:

"Uh... yes. I didn't expect the Daoist to be so sharp as to notice such a detail."

"Generally speaking, that is the case; only by killing the Demon Race can it affect the ranking, but if the Demon Race falls unconscious during the battle, it can also count."

Although that is what he said, the people of the Eastern Wasteland have always killed the Demon Race to the last, and cases of showing mercy are few and far between; they are truly too few.

Ren Yidao secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, which means as long as they don't fall unconscious, it's not a problem."

This was indeed good news, slightly better than the worst-case scenario he had imagined, but it was really only slightly better.

Ren Yidao emerged from his deep thoughts; he noticed Jiang Mingzhi's expression as if he had something to say, and raised his eyebrows to ask:

"Are you on the list?"

Jiang Mingzhi was waiting for this sentence. He did not answer immediately, but smoothed his hair with some reserve and said modestly:

"Hehe, I am dull, but I once reached the top twenty of the Human Ranking."

One must know that being able to rank in such a position in the entire Eastern Wasteland is actually quite an achievement.

But unfortunately, Ren Yidao did not buy it; having just arrived in the Eastern Wasteland, he had no concept of this at all.

Ren Yidao raised an eyebrow: "Twentieth place?"

Jiang Mingzhi's expression changed, his face twitched, he took a deep breath, and nodded slowly:

"... Yes."

Heh, isn't this just like HR talking to you about salary conditions?

They say the salary is within this range, but actually, you should just look at the minimum value.

A routine, it's all a routine.

"Only twenty... a bit surprising. I thought you would at least be in the top ten."

"And judging by what you said, you haven't made it to the Earth Ranking yet?"

Ren Yidao didn't think Jiang Mingzhi was much of a genius, but since he was a Prince qualified to participate in the Two Domains Conflict, he should be ranked higher, right?

Little brother, why are you only ranked twentieth?

Jiang Mingzhi did not hear the true meaning behind Ren Yidao's words and thought he was speaking up for him, which made him feel a bit better, so he shook his head and explained:

"The Daoist does not know, but the competition for the Human Ranking is the most intense. Many secret arts have the best effects during the Human Realm, and many people have the ability to fight across levels."

"But after reaching the Earth Ranking, fighting across levels becomes almost impossible. Although the difficulty of getting on the list is high, the competition is actually not as intense."

"In addition, there are many kingdoms in the Eastern Wasteland, and there are many reclusive experts hiding in the mountains and forests. Although these people are not famous, their strength is superb, and there are often cases where they suddenly appear on the list."

"It is the same for me; if I want to challenge the Earth Ranking in the future, I will only try after I am sure I can enter the top fifty of the Earth Ranking."

Ren Yidao nodded, understanding in his heart.

If that is the case, then this can be explained.

"The Demon Extermination Ranking has been finished, so what about the remaining Great Demon Ranking?"

Jiang Mingzhi pointed to the remaining half of the tea bowl, not cutting it again:

"The Great Demon Ranking is not as complicated as the Demon Extermination Ranking; there is no division of grades on the Great Demon Ranking, it only records the three thousand most ferocious Great Demons in the Eastern Wasteland."

"From the Human Realm to the Heaven Realm, Great Demons of every stage are among them, and it is likewise not ranked by cultivation, but by battle records."

Seeing that Ren Yidao seemed to have no concept of it, Jiang Mingzhi took out a portrait and introduced:

"Daoist, look, this demon is named Ink-Earth Yellow Sand Tiger; it is a Great Demon near Jiang City with the cultivation of Spirit Transformation Chuji, and it ranks four hundred and seventy-third on the Great Demon Ranking."

"This demon has signs of Bloodline Ancestral Return, and its strength is more powerful than many Great Demons at the middle stage of Spirit Transformation; my father the Prince wants to subdue it, which is why he allows it to wander around Jiang City."

After finishing, Jiang Mingzhi was afraid that Ren Yidao did not understand the ferocity of this demon and wanted to continue adding more, but was stopped by Ren Yidao raising his hand.

"No, no need to say more, I understand."

Ren Yidao stroked the ears of the yellow fur on his lap and smiled, nodding.

"I am already completely clear about the danger level of this Great Demon."

Yes, quite clear.

"By the way, are the changes to the Great Demon Ranking very frequent?"

"The changes further down are relatively large, but the ranking of the top five hundred is not considered frequent; it changes about once every month or so, and the top hundred might not even change once in several months... Oh, the ranking has changed?"

As Jiang Mingzhi was explaining, the three Demon Extermination Rankings in the distance suddenly faded and vanished into thin air.

The next instant, a terrifying ranking list composed of bones appeared in the same spot.

The Great Demon Ranking!

Jiang Mingzhi swept his gaze over it, then pointed to the position of the Ink-Earth Yellow Sand Tiger and said:

"Daoist, look, this is the tiger demon I mentioned just now... Eh? Four hundred and seventy-fourth? Another Great Demon has been added?"

His eyes narrowed, and Jiang Mingzhi looked upward quickly, soon discovering a strange demon name he had never seen before.

"Five-Tailed Earth Fox? What kind of demon is this? I have never seen it before."

Jiang Mingzhi quickly scanned the overall ranking, wanting to see if any fox demon below had undergone Bloodline Ancestral Return.

Whether it was luck or misfortune, Jiang Mingzhi, who was fully focused, did not notice Ren Yidao's terrible expression.

Ren Yidao was very angry.

It was not because his true form really had nowhere to hide under the Great Wasteland God Ranking.

What he was angry about was another matter.

A fundamental matter of principle that simply could not be tolerated!

Ren Yidao muttered curses in his heart:

"What kind of name is that!? I ask you, what kind of lousy name is that!?"

"Five-Tailed Earth Fox?"

"What kind of trash ranking are you! Do you have any taste in naming at all!? I might as well be Five-Flavor Earth-Yellow Pill..."

Huhu was furious!

The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became; Ren Yidao gave a light huff, stood up, and walked downstairs.

Not looking anymore!

Seeing that Ren Yidao was leaving, Jiang Mingzhi hesitated for a moment but chose to follow.

But before the Great Prince Jiang could speak, Ren Yidao said without looking back:

"That bowl, remember to compensate the shopkeeper for it."

"Ah!?"

The voice sounded calm, but it made Jiang Mingzhi's footsteps come to a sudden halt.

Jiang Mingzhi:?

It was just a bowl, did you have to be so fierce?

Jiang Mingzhi, who had suffered an undeserved disaster, felt aggrieved in his heart and shouted at the back:

"Alright!!!"