6: Chapter 6 Ranking of Masters

If one were to rank the named experts in “Xiao Yuer and Hua Wuchuan,” Meng Li believes that T0 would undoubtedly be Yan Emperor, which is Late Stage Jiang Yuyan.

The original drama did not have a Martial Dao Realm division. To determine superiority, one can only start from the Martial Arts learned by the characters and their battle records.

Late Stage Jiang Yuyan not only knew Transferring Flowers and Grafting Trees, but also gathered the Martial Arts of the three top experts: Yan Nantian, Yao Yue, and Lian Xing. She possessed not only their Martial Arts moves, but also their Cultivation, which accumulated to several hundred years.

The phrase “several hundred years” is naturally an exaggeration when calculated by normal age.

However, the Cultivation of Yan Nantian and the other two cannot be measured by common sense.

Lian Xing, needless to say, Cultivated Hun Yuan True Qi; one year of her Cultivation was equivalent to twenty years for an ordinary person.

Yao Yue’s Cultivation efficiency was not as exaggerated, but she practiced Wedding Dress Divine Skill. Given her style, it was impossible for her not to have Absorbed others' Martial Arts over the years.

Yan Nantian’s Internal Skill and sword techniques belonged to a matching Cultivation Technique called Divine Sword Technique, which shared the same name as the sword technique Yan Nantian practiced in the original novel “The Legendary Siblings.” This was not mentioned in the original drama; Meng Li learned about it through his Golden Finger.

This Cultivation Technique was also extremely powerful, capable of transforming Internal Energy into formidable Sword Qi, with astonishing destructive power.

And Yan Nantian was the recognized number one in the world when Jiang Feng was alive, and he was the only one in the entire drama to use Sword Qi. The Internal Energy Cultivated by his Cultivation Technique, Divine Sword Technique, clearly cannot be judged by general standards.

Therefore, in terms of Martial Arts, Late Stage Jiang Yuyan could be said to be unparalleled throughout the entire drama.

In terms of battle records...

Liu Xi, who had Absorbed all the Cultivation of Five Yang and Two Yin, was powerless to resist her.

Late Stage Hua Wuchuan alone could slaughter the experts of various Martial Forest Schools, but he was easily subdued by her.

Even if he teamed up with Yan Nantian and Xiao Yuer, Jiang Yuyan fought them as an adult would fight children. If Yan Nantian hadn't used a surprise move, overloading and unleashing all his Cultivation to injure Jiang Yuyan, they wouldn't have escaped at all.

Yan Nantian died not long after escaping, and Jiang Yuyan recovered from her injuries in just a few days.

During the final decisive battle, Jiang Yuyan personally stated that even if Hua Wuchuan were joined by thirty thousand elite soldiers, they would not be her match.

She might have exaggerated this due to her inflated ego, but there shouldn't be much embellishment.

After all, Late Stage Hua Wuchuan alone could wipe out the experts of various Schools.

Yan Nantian also said before his death that after Jiang Yuyan digested the Internal Energy of the three top experts, her Cultivation was unprecedented, and in a direct confrontation, all the experts of the entire Martial Forest combined would not be her match.

Jiang Yuyan's eventual defeat seemed to be due to Xiao Yuer taking the Poison King's Sacred Water to trick her, coupled with Jiang Yuyan's lingering obsession with Hua Wuchuan, always holding back, which led to her being counter-killed.

But in Meng Li's view, ultimately, it was the Protagonist Halo of Xiao Yuer and Hua Wuchuan at play, making them incredibly resilient. Coupled with plot demands, Jiang Yuyan was dumbed down, her ego inflated, her mind not clear, only knowing how to use Transferring Flowers and Grafting Trees.

If she had been a bit clearer-headed and used Heart Shattering Palm a few times, Xiao Yuer would have been taken offline immediately.

After that, if she had been ruthless and crippled Hua Wuchuan's Martial Arts, then used Mi Xin Great Technique on him, the ending would have been instantly rewritten.

She could have had both the world and the man.

And if Jiang Yuyan at that time could have thought of such a thing, she would truly have done it.

This is because in the Late Stage, due to her immense power and expanding ambition, her love for Hua Wuchuan had quietly changed.

Compared to the early stage's pursuit and desire to be loved, in the Late Stage, her feelings for Hua Wuchuan were more of an unfulfilled resentment and obsession, wanting to possess and control him.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have resorted to drugging Hua Wuchuan to achieve her long-cherished wish. Later, when Hua Wuchuan stated that she wanted to be the second Empress Wu Zetian and would have three thousand male consorts, she wouldn't have replied that as long as he treated her sincerely, she would not mistreat him.

Considering all of the above, putting aside the final plot kill, Yan Emperor's T0 ranking is well-deserved.

And below T0, in T1, Meng Li believes is Yan Nantian.

In the original drama, there was little mention of Yan Nantian's Martial Arts, only that his sword techniques were recognized as the strongest when Jiang Feng was alive.

His title as the number one in the world was even personally acknowledged by Yao Yue.

In terms of battle records, when Yan Nantian first emerged from Demon Island, he was suffering from amnesia. To protect Xiao Yuer and others, he exchanged blows with Liu Xi. At that time, Liu Xi had already Absorbed all the Cultivation of Five Yang and Two Yin, but he was defeated in just a few rounds and dared not face Yan Nantian directly again.

From this, it can be seen that his Martial Arts far surpassed Liu Xi's.

Afterward, Yan Nantian regained his memory and went to Yihua Palace to seek revenge on Yao Yue, causing great destruction there.

With Yao Yue's Martial Arts, she should have detected it immediately.

And given her temperament, she would normally have immediately come out to teach a lesson to, or even kill, the person causing the destruction.

However, the actual situation was that Yao Yue only appeared after a while. After appearing, she didn't immediately make a move, but instead cooperated with Lian Xing to disrupt Yan Nantian's newly recovered memories, finally launching a sneak attack when he was unprepared, severely injuring him.

This completely contradicts Yao Yue's proud, even arrogant, personality.

Unless she knew that she couldn't defeat Yan Nantian head-on, and even teaming up with Lian Xing wouldn't make a difference.

This point was later confirmed.

Because when she was about to kill Yan Nantian, she personally admitted that he was the number one in the world.

Therefore, a fully powered Yan Nantian's combat strength in the original drama should only be below Yan Emperor, firmly holding the T1 position.

It was precisely because of his powerful Martial Arts that Yan Nantian in the drama was characterized by recklessness in his actions, which led to his downfall and being sealed for nearly twenty years.

And his experience also aligns with the consistent style of ancient novels: no matter how high your Martial Arts, you cannot guard against the treachery of human hearts. In the Jianghu, even great figures can stumble, being brought down by minor characters using poison.

Experts at the T2 level should be Yao Yue and Lian Xing.

The two are in the same tier, but Yao Yue is slightly stronger than Lian Xing.

Their learned Martial Arts need no further elaboration; Wedding Dress Divine Skill and Hun Yuan True Qi were bug-level in the original drama.

In terms of battle records, everyone who genuinely fought them head-on in the original drama lost. Theoretically, only Yan Emperor and Yan Nantian could surpass them.

The T3 tier should be Hua Wuchuan.

In the early stage, he already firmly suppressed those Sect Head-level experts in the Martial Forest.

Murong Wudi, who prided himself on being invincible, used his family's unique skill, Raging Dragon Palm, against Heart Shattering Palm, and was beaten to the point of spitting blood. Hua Wuchuan was unharmed, only retreating a few more steps than his opponent.

Later, after learning Hun Yuan True Qi, Hua Wuchuan further solidified his suppression of Liu Xi.

In the Late Stage, due to the deaths of Yao Yue and Lian Xing, Hua Wuchuan slaughtered the experts of various Schools in Yihua Palace and retreated unscathed.

Afterward, the Disciples and descendants of various Schools launched a siege against him, but he easily wiped them out while blindfolded.

The T4 level includes Liu Xi and Divine Nun of the South Sea.

In the early stage, the two were evenly matched, fighting head-on when Mu Rong Xian and others raided the execution ground, both sustaining injuries.

Later, after Liu Xi Absorbed all the Cultivation of Five Yang and Two Yin, he should have surpassed Divine Nun of the South Sea.

In terms of Martial Arts, the only thing mentioned about Divine Nun of the South Sea in the original drama was the Boundless Thirteen Swords, but it was never demonstrated, so its power is unknown.

Liu Xi's Absorbing Qi Technique could Absorb others' Internal Energy, allowing him to learn their Martial Arts, and also to heal himself by Absorbing others.

In terms of battle records, Liu Xi could suppress Murong Wudi with just the initial power of his Absorbing Qi Technique, and Murong Wudi could injure Tie Ruyun. Therefore, in a direct confrontation, Liu Xi's Martial Arts should be significantly superior to Tie Ruyun's.

However, Liu Xi was too cowardly!

In the original drama, whenever he saw the situation was unfavorable, he would retreat or flee on the spot.

When capturing the Five Great Pure Yang experts, Liu Xi did not appear himself, but instead set up a trap for ten experts, including Murong Wudi, to besiege them.

After Tie Ruyun was rescued from the Death Tower, to cover his daughter and Xiao Yuer, he stayed behind alone, at which point he only had two or three tenths of his Cultivation left. Logically, Liu Xi could have easily taken him down, but he still chose to use his Mountain-Splitting Yama Palm and the lives of his subordinates for a sneak attack first.

Later, if Tie Ruyun hadn't used his own suicide as a ploy for a sneak attack, he basically couldn't have harmed Liu Xi.

Below that, in T5, are Tie Ruyun and Murong Wudi, with the former being slightly stronger than the latter.

Tie Ruyun said that Murong Wudi could injure him, but that battle was ten against five, and Tie Ruyun was being besieged.

Using Liu Xi as a standard, Murong Wudi was subdued in one encounter.

There was a factor of Liu Xi striking first, but it also showed that Murong Wudi's Cultivation was far inferior to his opponent's.

Whereas Tie Ruyun, in a direct confrontation, could fight Liu Xi for a while.

Further down, the only one worth mentioning is Tie Xinlan.

In the early stage, she was slightly inferior to the Sect Head of Mount Emei in Martial Arts competitions. Later, after taking the rare Fire Spirit Ganoderma and being treated and recuperated by Hua Wuchuan with Hun Yuan True Qi, she could exchange several blows with Yao Yue in Yihua Palace and even release Protective Aura, which should make her superior to Sect Head-level figures.

However, later on, her Martial Arts were crippled by Yao Yue.

Further on, there are only some characters with average performance and unremarkable battle records.

For example, the Five Great Villains.

Or the Sect Heads of the Eight Great Schools, Jiang Biehe.

And Liu Xi's subordinates Tan Tian, Say Earth, Dan Zuo, Dan You, etc.

Among them, Jiang Biehe's Martial Arts should be similar to Tan Tian's and Say Earth's. In the Late Stage, when Liu Xi called back Dan Zuo and Dan You, he personally stated that these two's Martial Arts surpassed Tan Tian's and Say Earth's, and Jiang Biehe was not their match either.

As for the other protagonist in the original drama, Xiao Yuer...

His strength came from the cunning and schemes of the Five Great Villains and the Troublemaker Master, as well as a sharp-tongued mouth.

In terms of Martial Arts, he was probably only slightly stronger than a small fry.

This is because the Five Great Villains who taught him Martial Arts were themselves of average skill, and he had no significant related fortuitous encounters afterward.

After sorting out these situations, Meng Li reined in his wandering thoughts and decided to choose the Yi Hua Jie Mu Version of the Marrying Clothes Divine Skill from the many options.

...