N-A-A Chapter 566: Comparison of Combat Strength
Chapter 566: Comparison of Combat Strength
IV. Demonic Cultivation
Strengths:
Their explosive power is unmatched among cultivators of the same level. The techniques of demonic cultivators are based on exchanging life for injury, and injury for death. At the same cultivation level, a demonic cultivator's output can be significantly higher than that of a cultivator when fighting desperately.
Advancement is rapid. Satisfying the demonic desires is all it takes to become stronger; killing someone, stealing a treasure, or consuming a pill can all increase cultivation. Unlike righteous cultivators who must cultivate arduously for hundreds of years.
It's bizarre. The methods of demonic cultivators are sinister: curses, blood sacrifices, possession, mind control—they are impossible to guard against.
Shortcomings:
It's easy to get out of control. If the demonic seed grows too big, it will backfire, causing anything from minor demonic possession and madness to severe self-destruction.
They were ganged up on and beaten. Demonic cultivators are the common enemy of the entire cultivation world; the righteous path kills them on sight. No matter how strong a demonic cultivator is, he can't withstand being outnumbered.
The inner demons are strong. When undergoing tribulation, the inner demons are ten times stronger than those of righteous cultivators. It's considered good if only one out of ten demon cultivators survives their tribulation.
Advantage level:
From the mortal demon to the human demon (from Qi Refining to Golden Core), demonic cultivators have the greatest advantage because righteous cultivators haven't fully developed yet, allowing demonic cultivators to kill beyond their level through explosive power. After reaching the Nascent Soul stage, righteous cultivators' understanding of laws and their mental cultivation improve, and the advantage of demonic cultivators gradually diminishes.
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5. Ghost cultivation
Strengths:
They are bizarre and extremely difficult to kill. Ghost cultivators have no physical form, so physical attacks are almost ineffective; they can only be harmed by methods of restraint such as lightning magic, Buddhist light, and Taoist talismans.
They can possess another body. It doesn't matter if the physical body is destroyed; they can just find a living person to possess.
They are extremely powerful in places with heavy yin energy. In places like mass graves, ancient battlefields, and the underworld, the combat power of ghost cultivators can double or even triple.
Shortcomings:
They were utterly suppressed. The light of Buddhism, the thunder of Taoism, sunlight, and heavenly lightning were all the nemesis of ghost cultivators. At the same cultivation level, ghost cultivators were basically easy prey when they encountered Buddhist disciples.
They fear yang energy. Ghost cultivators dare not approach places where living people gather, temples with flourishing incense offerings, or the midday sun.
Cultivation is difficult. Ghost cultivators need to find places with abundant yin energy to cultivate, and they often have to devour other ghosts. If they are not careful, they will be killed as evil ghosts.
Advantage level:
Before reaching the Nascent Soul stage (Ghost King), they are relatively weak because they are subject to too many methods of restraint. After reaching the Ghost King stage, they can walk under the bright sun, and their weaknesses are partially compensated for, but they still suffer against Buddhist and Taoist sects. Only in places with heavy Yin energy can ghost cultivators truly reign supreme.
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VI. Taoist School
Strengths:
It subdues ghosts and demons. At the same cultivation level, it's like a father beating his son when the Taoist sect fights ghost cultivators. The Five Thunder Orthodox Method, talismans, and magic seals are all the nemesis of ghost cultivators.
Incense offerings boost. In places where incense is abundant, the combat power of a Taoist sect can leap up a major realm. If the people of an entire city believe in you, you can mobilize the power of that city.
They possess strong support abilities. Healing, exorcising evil spirits, performing rituals for the deceased, and protecting a region are all skills that righteous cultivators are not particularly adept at, but that the Daoist sect excels at.
Shortcomings:
A direct confrontation is less effective for Taoism. Taoist magic requires drawing talismans, setting up formations, and invoking deities, taking a long time to prepare. In a sudden, unexpected battle, Taoism is at a significant disadvantage.
They rely on incense offerings. If no one believes in you, your magical power weakens. In uninhabited areas, the fighting strength of the Taoist sect is greatly reduced.
The upper limit is low. Daojun is the highest level, equivalent to the Nascent Soul stage, and cannot go any higher.
Advantage level:
The period from the Golden Core stage (True Person) to the Nascent Soul stage (Celestial Master) is the peak. One can fight monsters of a higher level in places with strong incense offerings, but outside of this environment, one's level is average.
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VII. Buddhism
Strengths:
Their defenses are extremely high. The golden bodies and protective aura of Buddhist disciples are the most difficult to kill within the same cultivation level. When a demon cultivator's fist strikes a Buddhist disciple, it's like striking iron.
It can suppress evil spirits. The Buddha's light has an additional damage bonus against ghost cultivators and demon cultivators, making it even more effective than the Taoist method.
The power of faith is amplified. The more believers there are, the stronger the Buddha's power becomes. It's the same principle as the incense offerings in Taoism.
They have a stable mind. Buddhist disciples are less likely to suffer from demonic possession, and their inner demons are much milder than those of ordinary people when undergoing tribulations.
Shortcomings:
Their attack power is relatively weak. Buddhism excels at salvation, sealing, and defense, but is less adept at killing. Their damage output is significantly lower than that of cultivators of the same level.
The precepts bind us. Buddhist disciples are bound by precepts; killing, eating meat, or having romantic relationships will break these precepts, and breaking them will cause our spiritual power to decline.
Cultivation is slow. Buddhism emphasizes sudden enlightenment, and it's common to get stuck at a certain level for decades without progressing.
Advantage level:
The strongest stage is from the Nascent Soul stage (Zen Master) to the Deity Transformation stage (Elder). Their defense is abnormally high, making them almost impossible to damage at the same level. They are also overwhelming against ghost cultivators and demon cultivators. However, once they reach the Tribulation Transcending stage, their weakness in output becomes apparent, and they cannot defeat cultivators or demon cultivators of the same level in one-on-one combat.
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Combat Strength Summary (Under Normal Circumstances at the Same Level)
Melee Combat: Demon Cultivator > Martial Arts > Demonic Cultivator > Buddhism > Orthodox Immortal Cultivation > Taoism > Ghost Cultivator
Ranged DPS: Orthodox Immortal Cultivation > Demonic Cultivation > Taoism > Monster Cultivation > Buddhism > Ghost Cultivation > Martial Arts
Defensive capabilities: Buddhism > Demon Cultivation > Martial Arts > Orthodox Immortal Cultivation > Demonic Cultivation > Taoism > Ghost Cultivation
Endurance: Orthodox Immortal Cultivation > Demon Cultivation > Buddhism > Martial Arts > Ghost Cultivation > Taoism > Demonic Cultivation
Restraint Relationship:
Buddhism and Taoism are effective against ghost cultivators and demonic cultivators.
• Thunderclap demon cultivators and ghost cultivators
Martial arts are effective against low-level cultivators (instant kill at close range).
Orthodox cultivation methods counter everyone (in later stages, the laws of cultivation overwhelm all).
Special environment:
• Sparse spiritual energy: Martial arts are number one, Taoism and Buddhism are number two, and immortal cultivators are at the bottom.
• Popularity of incense offerings: Taoism and Buddhism rank first, others take a backseat.
• Heavy Yin Energy: Ghost Cultivator Number One
• Normal environment: Demonic cultivators and monster cultivators are strong in the early stages, while orthodox immortal cultivators are strong in the later stages.
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"Host, the above is a comparison of the combat power and advantages/disadvantages of all systems. Simply put: low-level martial arts can bully cultivators, mid-level demonic cultivators can roam freely, and high-level orthodox cultivators can crush everything. There is no absolute strongest, only the most suitable environment and fighting style."
Listening to the system's detailed explanation of the various combat forces, Zhang Lei became excited. This not only concerned whether he could become powerful in the future, but also helped him analyze the strengths and weaknesses of various powerful enemies.
Zhang Lei thought for a moment, then asked again, "System, is cultivating immortality a more advanced form of Taoism?"
System: "Ding—Host, that's a good question. This system will give you the answer directly: No. Cultivation is not an upgraded version of Taoism; they are two different paths, they just look alike."
To give an analogy, Taoism is like farming, dependent on the weather. A good harvest is possible when the weather is favorable, but disaster strikes in a year of famine. Cultivating immortality is like running a factory, generating its own electricity and producing its own goods, unaffected by the weather, but requiring a large initial investment and advanced technology.
There are three specific differences.
First, the sources of power are different. The power of Taoism comes from the power of incense offerings and the blessings of the patriarchs. If the people believe in you and make offerings, you have magical power. If no one believes in you, your talismans become ineffective. The power of cultivation comes from within oneself. The golden elixir is formed by oneself, and the nascent soul is nurtured by oneself; it has absolutely nothing to do with whether others believe in it or not. Whether spiritual energy is present or not, one continues cultivation without interruption.
Secondly, the goals are different. Taoism seeks "perfect merit and virtue, and becoming an immortal after death." Simply put, one cultivates virtue and accumulates good deeds while alive, and after death, the Heavenly Court gives one a position, such as a City God, Earth God, or Judge—a kind of retirement within the system. Cultivating immortality, on the other hand, seeks "physical sainthood and immortality in this life." It doesn't rely on being deified after death, but on cultivating to become a Great Luo Golden Immortal in this lifetime, transcending the Three Realms and the Five Elements.
Third, the upper limits are different. In Taoism, reaching the Dao Lord level is the ceiling, equivalent to the Nascent Soul stage in immortal cultivation; there's no higher. To advance further, one must either undergo corpse liberation and reincarnate to cultivate again, or enter the path of immortal cultivation. However, in immortal cultivation, from Qi Refining to the Great Luo Golden Immortal, there is no ceiling.
So, host, you can understand it this way: Taoism is one of the top-tier methods in the human world, but it and immortal cultivation are two different systems. Immortal cultivation is not a more advanced version of Taoism, but rather another, more fundamental path with a higher ceiling. It's just that those exceptionally talented individuals in Taoism, after reaching the Dao Lord level, often find themselves unable to advance further and thus switch to the path of immortal cultivation. That's why you see many legends about certain Celestial Masters ultimately achieving "corpse liberation and immortality"—in reality, they have simply switched to immortal cultivation.
Conversely, cultivators of immortality wouldn't choose the Daoist path. They've already explored enough paths of cultivation; there's no need to pursue a path with an even lower ceiling.
In short: Taoism is a human-based system, while immortality cultivation is the way of heaven and earth. One can transition from Taoism to immortality cultivation, but one cannot return to Taoism through immortality cultivation. Immortality cultivation is more advanced than Taoism, but it is not a higher form of Taoism—they are two different entities.