World version update

Chapter 273 The Path of the Plague
In the mysterious version of the transcendental system, there is a very important factor, namely, rank.

Whether casting spells or performing rituals, extraordinary individuals require the assistance of a corresponding rank, and those of higher rank have an almost overwhelming ability to dominate those of lower rank.

The differences between low and medium sequences are not yet obvious, but once you reach sequence five, the importance of position becomes particularly prominent.

If a lower-ranking being forcibly casts a spell on a higher-ranking being, they will suffer a backlash from that higher-ranking being.

Of course, not all extraordinary individuals can form a backlash between their ranks; at least two ranks must be separated for this effect to be achieved.

Furthermore, there is no significant improvement in rank between low and medium sequences, and the phenomenon of rank backlash is almost never seen. This means that rank backlash is almost exclusively the domain of high-rank powerhouses.

For example, the Sequence Six who just made a move was only a mid-sequence transcendent. For Lu Yan to cause a backlash against him, it means that he must be at least a Sequence Four human saint, or even higher.

Human saints are powerful figures who can hold sway over a region within the Church of the True God. Most of the great noble families in the kingdoms that have been established for thousands of years rely on one or two human saints for support.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, a saint in the human realm has a lifespan of at least several hundred years, having completely transcended the boundaries of the mortal world.

As for the higher-ranking Sequence Three gods and humans who have appeared in the world? The middle-aged man at Sequence Five dared not think about it, nor could he.

"A saint?" Lu Yan's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

"That's it!"

The many extraordinary individuals present were all deeply moved, as if they had witnessed a legendary being. Their previously arrogant faces were now filled with awe and shock, and they all bowed respectfully to Lu Yan, their previous arrogance completely gone, as they had displayed when praised by the emerging nobles and capitalists.

A middle-aged scholar-like extraordinary individual, dressed in a dark green robe and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, stepped forward first and bowed deeply: "Cain of the Axiom Academy greets Your Highness!"

Immediately afterward, the fifth-ranked powerhouse in the crimson tuxedo stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and placed his right hand on his chest: "Dukao of the Crimson Council greets Your Highness!"

"Talena of Destiny, pay homage to the Saint!" A silver-haired female superhuman bowed gracefully, her eyes displaying a rare violet hue and gleaming with wisdom.

One after another, the extraordinary individuals stepped forward to pay their respects, their expressions reverent and their eyes filled with awe.

Those who are able to enter Violet Manor are almost all extraordinary individuals who have taken incomplete extraordinary paths; most of them have legitimate lineage inheritances.

Although most of them have declined, this act itself is a form of etiquette, and even more so, a recognition and respect for the strong.

The nobles and capitalists who had been surrounding the superhumans looked at each other in bewilderment, not understanding what had happened, but also sensing the seriousness of the situation.

They stood cautiously to the side, not daring to make any rash moves, for fear of disturbing this mysterious and unpredictable saint.

Earl Violet stood there, his expression shifting from shock to contemplation, and finally to a complex sense of awe.

As the host of the banquet, he finally stepped forward and bowed deeply: "Arthur Levington of the Violet Family, on behalf of the family, pays the highest tribute to the esteemed saint."

I apologize for my previous rudeness; it was my fault for not recognizing you.

His voice was sincere, and his posture was humble, a stark contrast to the imposing manner he displayed during his earlier interrogations.

Although the Violet family is renowned in Orank, it is only one of the emerging noble families. The family lacks extraordinary heritage, otherwise it would not have organized this extraordinary banquet.

Since the first Extraordinary Banquet, dozens of banquets have been held, and Earl Violet has made a large network of connections, including many of the top five elites who have been granted knighthoods by the royal family.

Even so, no human saint has ever participated in the extraordinary gathering.

To the sages of the mortal world, the Violet Family and the newly emerging nobles are nothing more than a bunch of nouveau riche, lacking any real foundation to attract them.

If we can take advantage of this opportunity to establish a connection with this sage in the human world, the level of the extraordinary gathering might be elevated to a higher level.

Lu Yan simply smiled calmly: "No need to be nervous. I'm only here to attend this banquet and make a deal with everyone here."

Upon hearing the word "transaction," all the extraordinary individuals present immediately showed signs of excitement.

"What does Your Highness require?"

Lu Yan's gaze swept over the many extraordinary individuals present.

"I need to gather knowledge of extraordinary methods, the more the better, as long as they are not repetitive."

The excited expressions on the faces of the superhumans froze instantly, and after exchanging glances, they fell into a moment of hesitation.

The extraordinary path is undoubtedly the most important core knowledge for all extraordinary individuals. When combined with important extraordinary materials, it is enough to build a powerful extraordinary organization.

Especially since most of the extraordinary individuals present had a lineage behind them, and even if their power declined, their extraordinary knowledge could not be traded to others at will.

After a moment, it was Dukao from the Crimson Council who took the initiative to ask:

"My lord, what is the purpose of your collection of knowledge about extraordinary paths?"

Lu Yan had no intention of hiding anything and said directly, "Of course, it's about creating a completely new path to transcendence."

The extraordinary individuals' pupils suddenly contracted; the shock from Lu Yan's words was even greater than the shock of his identity as a saint among mortals.

No matter how powerful the mortal saints are, they are still too far removed from them. With their limited understanding, it is difficult for them to have a clear concept of the strength of the mortal saints.

Creating a path to the extraordinary is different. Since all extraordinary individuals walk on such a path, they naturally understand better what kind of great power is needed to create a path that can support extraordinary individuals.

After a brief silence, a superhuman shrouded in a black robe spoke from a corner of the banquet.

“Your Highness, I am willing to offer you the path to transcendence.”

Everyone turned to look in the direction of the voice, and upon seeing who had spoken, a strange light flashed in their eyes.

The black-robed superhuman stepped forward, and wherever he went, both newly emerging nobles and superhumans made way for him.

Before even getting close, Lu Yan could smell the intense aura of death emanating from the other party, as well as the extraordinary fluctuations of a Sequence Five.

His gaze swept across the black robe, but the simple illusion could not obstruct Lu Yan's view. Beneath the shadow of the black robe was a festering face covered in pustules, the dark green blood carrying the stench of decay and plague.

“Your Highness, the extraordinary path I have taken is called the Plague Path, which is said to originate from a hidden being known as the Lord of Plague.”

Lu Yan's expression shifted slightly. To be considered a hidden existence, one must at least be a demigod of Sequence Three.

A path to transcendence that originates from demigods certainly has considerable reference value.

The black-robed superhuman took out two scrolls from his robes and handed them to Lu Yan, his voice hoarse as he said:

“These two scrolls contain extraordinary knowledge from Sequence Nine to Sequence Five, as well as potions and rituals required for advancement. I want to use these things to make a deal with His Highness the Saint.”

Lu Yan reached out and took the scroll containing knowledge of extraordinary methods. The plague aura on it dissipated automatically before it even touched Lu Yan.

Unrolling the scroll, Lu Yan's eyes were instantly filled with awe as he took in all the extraordinary knowledge.

"The plague pathway is based on the cultivation of microorganisms, which are gradually refined to form plague energy. Strictly speaking, it can be considered a method of refining poisonous insects."

As Lu Yan muttered to himself, the black-robed superhuman also revealed an arrogant expression.

The plague pathway is an extremely powerful extraordinary pathway. Once it enters the sequence, it can spread disease and kill people invisibly. In war, it is an extremely powerful weapon.

Unfortunately, those fools at Violet Manor had no idea what he was worth. They only feared his appearance and the negative effects of his plague, and even wanted to expel him. If he hadn't already advanced to Sequence Five and possessed formidable strength that even Earl Violet would have to fear, he wouldn't have even had the chance to step through the manor's gates.

Just as the black-robed superhuman was overjoyed, he suddenly heard Lu Yan change the subject:

"Unfortunately, this plague pathway is too fixated on the plague itself, and its own flaws are too great."

No matter how powerful a plague may be, it is still just a plague. Its conceptual level is too low, and its tangible and substantial nature is also restrained by many extraordinary forces.

If the plague's energy is nurtured to a certain degree, and then used to create a natural disaster, it might be possible to advance to the fourth rank.

"However, the concept of natural disasters is too broad. I'm afraid that the Lord of Plagues can only occupy the tip of the iceberg, not to mention the extraordinary paths created by the Lord of Plagues."

At this point, Lu Yan's voice was full of regret, completely unaware that the black-robed extraordinary being had fallen into a daze.

Plague evolves into natural disaster!

Just six words, like a bolt from the blue, struck the black-robed superhuman in the heart.

The plague originated from a demigod, and Sequence Five was already the limit.

To advance to Sequence Four, either the Lord of Plague needs to make further breakthroughs and broaden the path to transcendence, or the Black-Robed Transcendent needs to open up a new path on the incomplete path to transcendence.

Both are too difficult. Throughout history, countless extraordinary individuals have been trapped by incomplete extraordinary paths, but how many have been able to break free of their shackles?
The black-robed superhuman himself had no hope whatsoever, which is why he was the first to trade his knowledge of the superhuman path.

However, Lu Yan's two casual words gave the black-robed extraordinary being a glimmer of hope, a glimmer of hope to break free from the shackles of the plague and advance to the fourth rank.

Although advancing to Sequence Four is still incredibly difficult for him with his abilities, there is still a glimmer of hope, which is completely different from before.

Even if they ultimately fail to advance to Sequence Four, as long as they can transform the plague into a natural disaster, their strength can still surpass that of ordinary Sequence Five extraordinary beings.

"Pfft!"

The black-robed extraordinary being knelt before Lu Yan without hesitation, all arrogance gone, and spoke with a devout expression:

"Thank you for your advice, Your Highness!"

"Thank you for your advice, Your Highness!"

Those Sequence Six and Sequence Seven extraordinary beings didn't understand what had happened, but the Sequence Five extraordinary beings present realized just how great an opportunity the black-robed extraordinary being had obtained, and they all showed expressions of envy.

"Get up!"

Lu Yan's words were like a decree, and the air transformed into an invisible hand that lifted the black-robed extraordinary being.

"It's just a transaction, no need to thank me."

As he spoke, Lu Yan waved the scroll in his hand and said:
"What are you prepared to exchange this extraordinary knowledge for?"

The black-robed extraordinary voice exclaimed excitedly, "His Highness the Saint has paved the way for my advancement to Sequence Four. How could I dare to ask for anything more?"

"I am willing to bestow upon Your Highness extraordinary knowledge, along with its corresponding potions and rituals!"

Lu Yan glanced at the potion and ritual in the hands of the black-robed superhuman.

Potions and rituals are key to mastering extraordinary abilities for other extraordinary individuals, but they are not important to Lu Yan.

Potions and rituals of Sequence 4 and above might be somewhat useful, but those of Sequence 5 and below are completely useless.

"This is all I need."

Shaking the scroll of extraordinary knowledge in his hand, Lu Yan continued:

"That remark was just a gift, and had nothing to do with the transaction."

As he spoke, Lu Yan slowly extended an index finger and gently tapped the forehead of the black-robed extraordinary figure.

Those fingers were long and elegant, yet their fingertips exuded an indescribable sacred aura, drawing an almost invisible golden trail in the air.

Everyone present held their breath, their heartbeats seemed to slow down, and they watched the scene intently.

The black-robed superhuman trembled slightly, but dared not flinch, only bowing his head reverently to accept the saint's favor.

"Since you didn't ask for much in your transaction, I will grant you health!"

Lu Yan's voice was calm and gentle, but the last two words seemed to carry an inviolable divine decree, echoing in the hall and shaking the souls of everyone present.

The moment the words fell, the hood covering the black-robed superhuman's head was lifted by an invisible force and slowly fell down, revealing his ugly face covered with pustules.

His skin was grayish-yellow, covered with festering wounds, pus and blood intertwined, exuding a sickly aura.

This is a sign of long-term plague erosion. Even though he has now advanced to the fifth rank and can control the plague energy at will, he still cannot eradicate the deeply eroded body.

The nobles present involuntarily took a few steps back, some even covering their mouths and noses, their faces showing disgust.

But the next moment, their expressions changed to shock and amazement.

A dazzling golden light descended from the void, like a sacred waterfall, enveloping the black-robed extraordinary being within it.

The golden light did not come from any visible light source; it seemed to pour down directly from the sky, carrying an indescribable aura of holiness.

The pustules and blood that were originally covered in plague began to heal rapidly under the golden light.

First, the oozing stopped, then a scab formed and healed, and finally it disappeared completely, revealing healthy new skin. The whole process took only a few seconds, but it felt like a long, natural healing process.

The black-robed superhuman touched his face in disbelief; it was now smooth as ever, without a trace of disease.

Over the years, he had sought out numerous extraordinary individuals with healing abilities, asking them for help.

But whether it's an extraordinary physician or a church bishop, there's only one answer they get.

It is incurable.

Healing the physical body is easy, but the key problem is that the plague on the black-robed superhuman is caused by superhuman power, and using other superhuman power will only be rejected by the plague pathway.

It is almost impossible to heal his physical wounds unless his plague aura is neutralized.

Over time, his physical defects and the plague power he wielded made it difficult for him to integrate into high society.

Only today, with Lu Yan's intervention, was the hidden danger that had accumulated in him for decades resolved.

He knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face, his voice trembling:
"Your Holiness, this is a miracle, a true miracle."

Inside the hall, the extraordinary individuals watching this event no longer hesitated as before; their eyes were filled with the same fervor.

(End of this chapter)