Li Qi spent half an hour flipping through the book "Wu" and found the relevant records.
The book "Wu" stated: "In ancient tis, there were two brothers nad Shen Shu and Yu Le who could restrain ghosts. They lived on Mount Du Shuo in the Eastern Sea, standing under a peach tree, reviewing all the ghosts. Any ghost without reason or causing harm to humans would be bound with reed ropes by Shen Shu and Yu Le and fed to tigers."
Another record said: "On Mount Du Shuo in the Eastern Sea, there is a large peach tree spanning three thousand miles. In the northeast, there is a gate for ghosts to enter and exit. There are two deities, Shen Shu and Yu Le, overseeing ten thousand ghosts. Harmful ghosts are captured, tied with reed ropes, and fed to tigers. The Yellow Emperor then instructed people to carve statues of Shen Shu and Yu Le from peach wood, hanging them at their doors along with tiger images and reed ropes to ward off evil spirits."
This ant that in ancient tis, there were two brothers, Shen Shu and Yu Le, who could control ghosts and lived on Mount Du Shuo in the Eastern Sea. This mountain had a vast peach tree stretching three thousand miles. At the northeast corner of the tree was a gate where ghosts entered and exited. Shen Shu and Yu Le guarded this gate, capturing any unruly ghosts and feeding them to tigers. The Yellow Emperor taught people to hang carved images of Shen Shu and Yu Le at their doors to prevent evil spirits from entering.
Thus, Shen Shu and Yu Le beca door gods.
In these records, Li Qi saw familiar deities and astronomical knowledge from his own world.
Though he didn't know how this world related to his original one...
But these folk customs and ancient texts matched up?
Most importantly, the language and script were understandable, and there was even a country called Tang here...
Coincidence?
Forget it, none of that mattered much to him.
He must adapt to his current situation.
For the worship of the door gods, Li Qi used a different thod this ti.
He placed the willow branch given by Young Master Wu on the altar.
This ti, the divine qi of the door gods entered the willow branch.
This was also a thod recorded in the book "Wu," often used to create ritual implents for witches and shamans.
A strand of divine qi rged into the willow branch, making it visibly more lustrous, though no fundantal change occurred.
It was normal since the willow branch already contained divine qi from an Earth Spirit.
However, infused with the divine qi of Shen Shu and Yu Le, the willow branch gained additional properties.
According to the records, its ability to exorcise ghosts had improved.
Good, good, enhancing his equipnt now was beneficial.
After completing the worship of Earth Spirits, Li Qi did not proceed with the worship of Human Ghosts.
Because Human Ghosts referred to ancestors, but he had no ancestors in this world; he was an outsider.
As an outsider, unless he received recognition from a Human Ghost deity or beca a son-in-law, he wouldn't need to worship Human Ghosts.
After finishing these tasks, Li Qi, who had gotten up at three in the morning, looked up and saw the sun rising.
Fortunately, instead of feeling tired, he felt energized under the nourishnt of the Wood qi.
Shen Shuibei was still sound asleep, having slept peacefully all night.
Compared to the cautious Li Qi, she, as a fugitive with a bounty on her head, seed carefree.
One-track mindedness could be quite useful in so ways.
Let her sleep... after all, the room fee was paid by Young Master Wu.
Thinking about this, Li Qi stopped using the Ox Strength Technique and walked outside.
"Now, according to my situation, what rank should I be?" He tested his strength and mused aloud.
Using the classification system of Wu Deity Mountain, Li Qi thought he was just an ordinary beginner Wu person, needing to consult books for proper rituals. Even simple daily rituals took him three hours, requiring late-night sessions—barely qualifying as a novice.
The ranking system of Wu people was hard to compare with other paths across the realm.
Therefore, sages created a universal grading system ranging from ninth to first rank to "standardize the world."
Li Qi wanted to mock the phrase "standardize the world," but upon reflection, it might have more than symbolic significance—it could be a power struggle among great figures over the "Way."
Perhaps this system could indeed standardize the world and constrain all cultivators like the Heavenly Dao.
Setting aside such grand and abstract matters, Li Qi studied the grading system in detail.
Ranks one to nine were based on influence and understanding of the "Way," unrelated to combat strength.
Soldiers and swordsn could easily defeat less combat-oriented types like Wu diviners, but their impact on the Way was far less significant.
Due to this difference, a fifth-rank Wu diviner might be beaten by a seventh-rank soldier, but if the diviner hid and used divination or curses, they could still triumph.
Similarly, a dical cultivator, even at first rank, might lack destructive power but could still perform unique feats.
A Wu person with divine qi protection from an Earth Spirit could cause localized earthquakes at eighth rank.
In summary, the grading system focused on the Way, with only minor connections to combat strength. The main destructive power depended on the cultivation path.
However, ranks weren't just for show. High ranks in a particular path naturally ca with unique abilities, perhaps not specialized in combat but irreplaceable and unique.
By classification, eighth, ninth, and seventh ranks were the lowest, representing beginners progressing to familiarity.
Sixth, fifth, and fourth ranks were skilled practitioners, considered high-level experts with deep understanding and unique techniques.
Third, second, and first ranks were contemporary masters, usually sect leaders or heads of major forces.
Legends hinted at levels beyond.
The miscellaneous Chapters of "Wu" ntioned that Wu had Wu Gods, Dao had True Immortals, Confucianism had Sages, and Martial Arts had Human Immortals—first rank wasn't the peak.
But the book didn't elaborate further, possibly deeming it unnecessary.
As for Li Qi...
He confird multiple tis.
He was likely... unranked.
Yes, unranked. Once he mastered the seasonal rituals, continuously performing four seasons' worth of celestial and Earth Spirit worships for a year, filling his microcosm with seasonal qi and gaining protective divine qi, he might reach ninth rank...
"Sigh, a long road ahead. Diligently working for a year just to enter the ranks?"
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