Starting with the consumables of the Demonic Sect, one can barely achieve immortality.

Yan Cheng's eyes were bright, and he had an epiphany.

The term "rank" sounds mysterious and profound, but it becomes easy to understand when connected to the current situation of clear hierarchical distinctions within immortal sects.

A cultivator's high level of cultivation not only means that his combat power is stronger than that of a lower-level cultivator, but also that he is at a higher level of life.

Among cultivators at the same Qi Refining stage, the difference is at most the number of cave dwellings they have opened; their rank may not be that different.

But for a Foundation Establishment cultivator who has built a foundation for immortality, it's a completely different story.

The immortal foundation within a Foundation Establishment cultivator is essentially a part of the Great Dao they cultivate.

Although it is only a very small portion, it is enough to exert an irresistible pressure on the Qi Refining cultivator's rank!

Thinking about it this way, it's no wonder that apart from Huang Tong, the true disciples of the hall never show themselves in front of the group of corpse cultivators.

These individuals are all genuine Foundation Establishment cultivators. A single unintentional glance from them is enough to cause the Qi Refining Corpse Cultivator's internal Qi to become imbalanced, resulting in his immediate death from explosion.

To elevate one's own status, the only way is to steadily improve one's realm of understanding.

It is to try to connect one's own life with something of higher status than oneself.

For example, it can be kept as a personal talisman.

The improvement in rank brought by this method has its limits. Yan Cheng himself is at the Qi Refining stage, and even with the blessing of [Hidden Radiance], his rank can only rise to the peak of Qi Refining at most.

Huang Tong's situation is similar.

The true forms of Wudingwu and Youyuzhong are guaranteed to be at least at the Baodan level.

After transforming into the mist on her face and the golden bell in her hand, it only barely brought her to the peak of Qi Refining.

It's not that the treasures aren't powerful enough, but my cultivation level just can't keep up.

Even so, her oppressive power in the eyes of the lower classes was still terrifying.

Yan Cheng was now experiencing a divine intervention, his mind racing with thoughts:

"The difference in rank brings benefits far beyond just the study of magic."

In battles between spells of the same school, the one whose rank is significantly higher than their opponent will possess an undeniable and substantial advantage.

Outsiders wouldn't see it; they'd only attribute this advantage to a difference in cultivation level or strength.

"Actually, that's not entirely wrong. Doesn't a higher rank usually equate to greater strength?"

"Unfortunately, finding a suitable practice partner for cultivating either Shangyin or Taiyin techniques is not easy in this Hall of Longevity."

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh:

"If I don't suppress those who are less virtuous, how will the world know that my position is noble and incomparable to my peers?"

……

It wasn't until half a month later, on the day of the Dharma assembly, that Yan Cheng realized he had been worrying unnecessarily.

He had just received the message from the Golden Crane and hadn't even had time to go out when he saw four early-stage corpse cultivators standing respectfully outside the door.

Four people with eight arms were able to lift the four corners of the coffin.

Yan Cheng sat on the black coffin, letting the four corpse cultivators carry him to the fourth floor.

His face remained expressionless as he glanced at the equally numb expressions of the corpse cultivators, thinking to himself:

Although he's only at the early stage of Qi Refining, he's still a dignified cultivator.

Forced to act like a common laborer, carrying someone's sedan chair, yet showing not a trace of resentment!

Are these people able to accurately perceive the difference in status between Yan Cheng and them?

Not necessarily, and there's absolutely no need for it.

Mid-stage cultivation brings a leap in status and position, which in turn reinforces people's imagination of one's cultivation level.

Even without displaying force, people naturally prostrate themselves before the esteemed Supreme Immortal.

The Heavenly Child sent these four people to greet him, partly to curry favor with him, but also to reinforce the hierarchical order within the Hall of Longevity.

There were no late-stage corpse cultivators walking outside the hall. Under the true disciples, mid-stage corpse cultivators were the backbone of the Longevity Hall's fighting force.

If the higher-level cultivators want these consumables to be in awe, obedient, and useful to them, they must make the mid-level cultivators feel the same superiority over the lower-level cultivators.

As a result, everyone from top to bottom tacitly accepts that this hierarchy is unchangeable, and the only option is to climb higher at all costs, repeatedly lowering the bottom line.

It eventually turned into this horrible mess.

Yan Cheng should have been happy about the improved treatment, but for some reason, a gloom seemed to hang over her heart.

Before I knew it, we had reached the fourth floor.

The fourth floor of the Hall of Longevity, as far as Yan Cheng knew, was the residence of mid-stage corpse cultivators.

This place has always been off-limits to early-stage corpse cultivators. How dare those early-stage cultivators from the second floor come to the fourth floor to absorb the spiritual energy of the fourth-level master?

Even the corpse cultivators carrying the coffin stopped before the last step.

Yan Cheng glanced up at the plaque of "Hall of Transmission of Dharma" hanging high outside the hall, then pushed open the door and strode inside.

This hall was much smaller than the main hall on the first floor, and at this moment, including Yan Cheng, there were only twenty or thirty people standing sparsely.

Yan Cheng was quite surprised, not expecting that so many rising stars would break through in just half a month.

These people didn't have the "Upper Yin Heaven Corpse Path Chapter" or the Moon Laurel Pure Yin Profound Flower to assist them. Their success in breaking through was due to both talent and luck.

His gaze swept over the cultivators, and he quietly sat down cross-legged in a secluded corner.

In contrast to his understated demeanor, Tiantong's clear, cheerful voice remained unchanged:

"Please be seated, everyone."

"Everyone here has fought their way through hundreds or thousands of people to successfully break through to the mid-stage of cultivation."

"If you were to stand there like those mediocre people on the first and second floors and listen to my lecture, it would be beneath your dignity."

When facing a group of mid-stage players, this guy's attitude was so friendly it was as if he had become a completely different person.

The more polite he was, the more Yan Cheng felt that he had no good intentions, and just stared at him coldly.

Let Tiantong continue:

"Over the past two weeks, I have prepared cave dwellings for you all on the fourth floor. You are welcome to move in at any time."

"The yin energy on the fourth floor is much purer than that on the lower floor."

"If you cultivate here, you will surely achieve twice the results with half the effort, and the mid-term completion will be just around the corner."

Yan Cheng usually inhales and exhales pure laurel yin essence, so he can't tell how much purer the yin energy of the fourth layer is compared to that of the second layer.

However, upon hearing Tian Tong's words, all the cultivators could not hide the joy on their faces.

Everyone was used to seeing Tian Tong acting as Huang Tong's proxy, issuing orders in the palace.

He had long believed that once he reached the mid-stage, he would no longer be a disposable resource in the eyes of advanced cultivators, but would surely become as powerful as the Celestial Child!

Yu Caiying, standing next to Tiantong, smiled coldly at the sight.

A bunch of easily fooled idiots.

Do you really think the Emperor would give anyone benefits for no reason? Do you think this is some kind of charity place?

The hall needs mid-stage cultivators to become stronger, so the concentration of Yin energy on the fourth floor is increased.

When they are no longer needed, they immediately withdraw all the yin energy back to the upper level.

The group of corpse cultivators in front of us, even if they cultivate to the end of their lifespan, will never be able to see the threshold of the later stages!

Since the corpse cultivators have been resurrected under the "Secret Technique of the Yin Ghosts Carrying the Coffin," their physical bodies are dead, but their souls are alive.

As living beings, they naturally have a limited lifespan.

How many years can a Qi Refining cultivator with a Yin body survive in this place?

Decades? A hundred years?

It doesn't matter. In any case, none of the corpse cultivators sitting in this Dharma Transmission Hall will live to a ripe old age.

She squinted her alluring eyes at Yan Cheng, only to find that the latter didn't pay any attention to her at all, but was staring intently at Tian Tong.

Yu Caiying felt inexplicably uneasy, looked away, and gave a soft snort:

"He does possess a certain air of elegance and bearing... for a mere dying man!"