Chapter 78: Psychic Energy
Chapter 78: Psychic Energy
"That Flame Maniac told you his name was Valerian?" Chi Zhonglin looked at Ji Xinghuo in surprise when he heard this.
"You know him?"
"I know him, but he doesn't know me." Chi Zhonglin shook his head. "This Valerian is not simple. If I remember correctly, he's ranked over 350 on the Tower, and he's quite famous and powerful in the New Roman Empire."
Ji Xinghuo was also surprised.
The Tower, as it is commonly referred to, is one of the three leaderboards set up by the ADC, ranking below the Heavenly King and Legend Boards but receiving the most attention.
There are only two requirements to be listed on the Tower: being under 50 years old and below the Legend rank.
Any superhumans from any country or region in the world can make it onto the leaderboard as long as they are strong enough. The leaderboard ranks a total of 10,000 people. To some extent, these 10,000 individuals represent the world's rising stars. The higher the ranking, the stronger the individual, and the greater the likelihood of advancing to the Legend rank.
While 10,000 spots seem like a lot, it is actually a very small proportion.
In the APAC alone, there are 150,000 superhumans, and if you include the rest of the world, the total number could exceed 500,000! Only one in 50 superhumans makes it onto the Tower.
Even the last-ranked person on the Tower has defeated 98% of all superhumans.
Moreover, not all those on the Tower are superhumans. A very small number of exceptionally talented individuals have made it onto the Tower as advanced superhumans. Zhao Manying is one such example. Before she advanced to become a superhuman last year, she was already ranked within the top 300 on the Tower.
There are many ways to get onto the Tower, the simplest being to defeat someone already on the leaderboard and take their place.
In addition, there is an assessment system.
Superhumans are assessed in six areas: psychic energy, stellar power, physique, martial arts, will, and external objects. This assessment gives a data-based score that represents the individual's overall combat strength.
The Tower is updated daily, and to maintain this frequency and data accuracy, the ADC has invested a lot of money to recruit a large professional team of over a thousand people for information collection, data statistics, assessment, analysis, and more, all to maintain the popularity of the Tower.
As a result, the Tower has gained immense exposure, and the ADC easily recoups its investment through advertising.
Almost all superhumans aspire to be on the Tower.
Ji Xinghuo turned to look at Ren Mian by his side. With Ren Jie's strength, she would definitely be able to make it onto the Tower, at least within the top 500.
However, she was not on the leaderboard.
The ADC's information-gathering capabilities were limited in the Star Realm, and since Ren Jie didn't return to Earth, they naturally couldn't collect information about her.
As for Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nancayi, they were among the very best of the advanced superhumans, their strength surpassing that of most superhumans.
If they wanted to be on the leaderboard, they probably wouldn't have any problems either.
Ji Xinghuo estimated that the two of them would probably be ranked around the 700th place on the Tower, the inverse of Valerian's ranking.
However, Valerian didn't seem to possess that much strength.
Ji Xinghuo was even more certain that Valerian hadn't been telling the truth.
"Being ranked over 300 on the Tower, he shouldn't be that weak, to the point where he can't handle a few dozen first- and second-order rock lizards." Chi Zhonglin said doubtfully, "Maybe he's not lightly wounded but heavily injured?"
"That's very possible."
Ji Xinghuo nodded. Even if he had saved Valerian's life, the other party wouldn't reveal his true condition. In fact, even if he hadn't stepped in, Valerian probably would have found a way to escape.
"Whether Valerian is hiding something or not has nothing to do with us." Ren Mian interrupted their discussion. "Our goal is the Deep Rock Rift. Before we arrive, we must minimize contact with others, especially avoiding battles with the Beiluosimen."
"Understood, Ren Jie." Chi Zhonglin replied.
Ji Xinghuo didn't say anything more.
Deep Rock Rift was a full 4,000 kilometers away from Olympia, located at the easternmost edge of the Beiluosimen's territory. Along the way, they had to cross through dozens of cities and settlements belonging to the Beiluosimen, a journey fraught with danger. The further they went, the higher the likelihood of encountering enemies.
Moreover, they were in enemy territory, and if they were exposed, countless enemies would pursue them relentlessly.
This was why Ren Mian needed him.
Ji Xinghuo was very clear about his task: to lead the team away from the Beiluosimen tribe, minimize combat, and ultimately reach the Deep Rock Rift.
As for what they would do once they arrived, Ren Mian had not yet revealed their mission.
After that, the team continued on their way.
Every day, the group would wake up and set off, resting two or three times along the way and setting up camp at night before continuing at dawn.
They traveled like this for a full 14 days in the Star Realm, which was almost equivalent to a month on Earth.
Their actual journey was much longer than 4,000 kilometers because they often had to take detours to avoid cities and enemies, ultimately traveling over 5,000 kilometers.
Even with Ji Xinghuo's quick recovery, his spirit was exhausted from continuously using his magnetic field sensing ability for 14 straight days.
However, using his magnetic field sensing ability for an extended period was also a form of training, making him more adept at this sensing technique and extremely familiar with magnetic field signals, allowing him to discern more information.
Along the way, they didn't encounter many battles.
When they did, it was against a small number of weak enemies, whom they defeated as quickly as possible before immediately leaving.
There were also dozens of monster hunts, where they harvested some exotic species.
The group stood at the edge of a cliff, gazing ahead at a massive rift valley that stretched for hundreds of kilometers, like an ugly scar on the face of the earth.
Even from a distance of over ten kilometers, they could make out the black fissure, surrounded by rugged rocks that resembled a giant maw ready to devour anyone who ventured too close.
Ji Xinghuo averted his eyes from the daunting sight.
He glanced at his teammates; aside from Ren Mian, who remained radiant as ever, Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nancayi both looked weary and travel-worn.
Of course, he himself was the most exhausted, feeling numb in both body and mind.
"Xinghuo, you've done well."
Ren Mian took out a white sweet-scented osmanthus flower and gently placed it on Ji Xinghuo's forehead. A cool sensation spread through his mind, bringing instant relief.
"It's still early. Let's rest for the day and enter the Deep Rock Rift tomorrow."
Soon, the group set up camp in a hidden location about ten kilometers away from the Deep Rock Rift. After eating, Ji Xinghuo and the others lay down to rest while Ren Mian kept watch.
Ji Xinghuo slept through to the latter half of the night and woke up feeling completely refreshed.
"Ren Jie."
He sat up and saw that Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nancayi were already awake. They had only been traveling, so their consumption of energy was relatively low, allowing them to recover faster.
"You're awake?" Ren Mian smiled. "Come and have something to eat."
Jiang Nancayi had already prepared food and was feeding it to Qinghong, who hadn't had many good meals during their journey over the past half month.
After Ji Xinghuo finished eating, he finally asked, "Ren Jie, what is our hunting target this time?"
Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nancayi also looked at her expectantly.
This was something they had been curious about for the past half month, but Ren Mian had kept it confidential. Now that they had reached the Deep Rock Rift, she should be able to tell them.
Ren Mian nodded slightly and said softly, "It's a toadling."
"What's a toadling?" Ji Xinghuo had never heard of it, but he saw the grave expressions on Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nancayi's faces, indicating that they knew something about it.
"Toadlings are the offspring of the Primordial Demon Toad," Ren Mian explained.
Ji Xinghuo's face paled at her words.
The Primordial Demon Toad was a star god, also known as "The Oldest One" or the "Toad God." While his fame might not match that of the Four Divine Masters, he was still a star god of the next highest rank.
It was said that the Primordial Demon Toad was one of the oldest, if not the oldest, star gods in the Star Realm, possessing spiritual power capable of destroying planets!
"Don't worry too much. It's just an ordinary toadling."
However, Ren Mian looked completely relaxed and smiled as she said, "In the Star Realm, intelligent toad-like species all claim to be descendants of the Primordial Demon Toad. In reality, most of them have no blood relation to him at all."
"Even if it truly is a descendant of the Primordial Demon Toad, it's not that big of a deal."
"The offspring of the Primordial Demon Toad are as numerous as the stars in the sky. New toads are born every day, and old ones are killed. That star god doesn't pay any attention to them."
"What we need to worry about is another matter."
Here, Ren Mian's expression turned serious.
"What is it?" Ji Xinghuo asked.
"This toadling is a super-class monster, but it doesn't live alone." Ren Mian explained, "It's being kept by the Beiluosimen Tribe. Beneath the Deep Rock Rift is a city of Stone Lizards, and aside from them, there are also some members of the other three tribes who are specifically tasked with protecting the toadling."
Chi Zhonglin looked puzzled. "Why are they protecting it?"
"This toadling lays several tens of thousands of eggs every year, and among them are a few rare exceptions. These eggs cannot hatch, but they are expansion curios."
Ji Xinghuo's eyes lit up, along with Chi Zhonglin's and Jiang Nancayi's.
Expansion curios!
These were items that all superhumans loved and could never have enough of.
"The toadling's eggs can increase the fusion of one exotic species, regardless of rank. Each person can only use one." Ren Mian said, "Not only do we need to obtain the toadling's eggs, which should be enough for each of us to have one, but we also need to kill the toadling and collect its exotic species."
"A spiritual exotic species?" Chi Zhonglin asked.
"That's right." Ren Mian nodded slightly. "This super-class toadling must possess 'spiritual power,' and I need this exotic species."
Ji Xinghuo understood now.
No wonder Ren Jie had brought the team all the way into the heart of the Beiluosimen Tribe's territory—it was for spiritual power!
Spiritual power was a super-limit exotic species and the most special one, extremely rare.
This was because it could open the door to cultivating spiritual power!
On Earth, there was a very powerful profession template called the "Psychic Stringer," with psychic power as its core exotic ability.
Psychic power was a tool that could convert stellar power into intangible spiritual power and, together with the "Stringer Exotic Power," could convert, shape, and control various forms of energy.
There were many branches of Psychic Stringers.
Common ones included Thermal Stringers, Kinetic Stringers, and Sonic Stringers, while less common ones included Electric Field Stringers, Optical Stringers, and Nuclear Stringers.
Different branches manipulated different forms of energy.
However, regardless of the branch, Psychic Stringers possessed strength far beyond that of ordinary professions.
Moreover, Psychic Stringers rarely focused solely on psychic power. Most of them were dual-cultivators and could combine their abilities with many profession templates to form advanced professions!
(End of Chapter)
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