novelraw Chapter 50 – Flying Dragon Tower Ranking
Chapter 50 – Flying Dragon Tower Ranking
"Ranked 936th?"
When Wang Can saw his ranking, his face immediately turned extremely grim.
At just fifteen years old, he had advanced to the third layer of the Qi Sea Realm in Yushan City. Even the so-called genius elites in the Martial Hall couldn't compare to him.
Moreover, with a stroke of fortune, he acquired the inheritance of a fifth-grade blade technique, which made him always consider himself an unparalleled genius, dismissing others of his age.
But when he came to participate in the Free Spirit Outer Sect Assessment, he encountered Luo Xiu. His prideful strength was utterly crushed, leaving him defeated and in shambles!
That crushing defeat made him reflect deeply, realizing it wasn't that he was too weak, but that Luo Xiu was too strong, too abnormal.
And now, full of confidence, he came to the Flying Dragon Tower, only to find himself ranked 936th?
With over a thousand disciples in the Free Spirit Outer Sect, this ranking was practically at the bottom.
A bitter smile appeared on Wang Can's bloodstained face. All along, it was just what I thought, what I assumed.
Calling myself a genius? Just self-delusion...
"No need to be so downcast," a voice suddenly reached Wang Can's ears. He turned to see Luo Xiu standing behind him.
"The Free Spirit Outer Sect only accepts three disciples each year. The minimum entry strength is the second or third layer of the Qi Sea Realm. Even those who joined last year have had an extra year of cultivation. It's normal to start at the bottom of the rankings."
Luo Xiu said with a smile, "I heard many newcomers can't even make it into the top thousand."
Although Wang Can was once a competitor due to the first-place assessment competition, they both entered the Free Spirit Outer Sect together. Seeing Wang Can's despondent smile, Luo Xiu couldn't help but say a few words of encouragement.
"Thank you, Luo Xiu."
Wang Can took a deep breath. Hearing Luo Xiu's words, he felt somewhat relieved.
He had practiced martial arts since childhood, always progressing smoothly without setbacks. The successive blows almost made him lose faith in his Martial Dao.
But Luo Xiu's words at this critical moment pulled him back from the brink of despair. This magnanimity and kindness made Wang Can grateful and admiring.
"Are you here for the Flying Dragon Tower trial too?"
Wang Can calmed himself and asked Luo Xiu.
"I finally understand what it means that there's always someone better. Back in Yushan City, no one my age could match me, but in the Free Spirit Outer Sect, there are many who surpass me."
Yushan City was a small place, just a speck on the map of Yunlong Prefecture. The Free Spirit Outer Sect gathered almost all the elite geniuses of Yunlong Prefecture!
Seeing Luo Xiu's calm demeanor, Wang Can couldn't help but ask curiously, "How high do you think you can rank?"
"Who knows without trying," Luo Xiu replied with a smile.
Since Luo Xiu arrived a bit late, others had already entered the Flying Dragon Tower trial before him.
After a while, several more people were transported out of the Flying Dragon Tower, with rankings around the seven or eight hundred mark.
Standing beside Luo Xiu, Wang Can's face turned grim again, but he understood that as a newcomer, he had a significant gap compared to the older disciples.
However, he was confident that with his talent, in a few years, he would surely have a place among the top two hundred in the Flying Dragon Tower rankings!
Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, Wang Can said, "I need to go back and train hard. I hope you achieve good results in the Flying Dragon Tower, Luo Xiu."
With that, Wang Can turned and left, determined to learn from his shame and strive forward.
Not long after Wang Can left, it was finally Luo Xiu's turn to enter the Flying Dragon Tower.
"Is that guy Luo Xiu!"
"I heard this kid is going to fight Lin Jingyun at noon on the Life-and-Death Battle Platform. Challenging the seventh layer of the Qi Sea Realm with the third layer, he's truly fearless!"
"Lin Jingyun is ranked 137th. If he can't even make it into the top 150, he'll surely die at Lin Jingyun's hands."
"Third layer of the Qi Sea Realm entering the top 150? Are you kidding? To make it into the top 150, you need at least the seventh layer. Making it into the top 700 with the third layer would already be considered genius!"
Everyone was discussing, but no one had faith in Luo Xiu. For many outer sect disciples, who among them wasn't a genius from the Martial Hall families of Yunlong Prefecture before coming to the Free Spirit Outer Sect?
Even the first-place entry assessment winner appears every year, and in the Free Spirit Outer Sect, they're a dime a dozen.
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Amidst the chatter, Luo Xiu stepped into the first level of the Flying Dragon Tower.
The formation in the first level activated instantly, and Luo Xiu found himself in a vast grassland.
"Roar!"
Beastly roars echoed one after another. Not far from Luo Xiu were fifteen demonic beasts!
Sharp claws, bloodthirsty eyes, and cold fangs—these were fifteen second-level demonic beasts, each with an aura comparable to a martial artist at the third layer of the Qi Sea Realm!
"The first level of the Flying Dragon Tower, facing fifteen second-level demonic beasts?"
Luo Xiu's eyes narrowed. Although these were ordinary second-level demonic beasts, the sheer number made it difficult to pass without strength above the fourth layer of the Qi Sea Realm.
As he knew, passing the first level could roughly place one around the 700th rank on the board.
Of course, the ranking also depended on the speed of killing the demonic beasts and the extent of one's injuries.
"Roar!"
Demonic beasts wouldn't fight one-on-one. As the formation activated, fifteen second-level demonic beasts charged at Luo Xiu from all directions.
The first to pounce was a tiger beast, with thick skin and flesh, resistant to blades and swords.
"Dragon-Tiger Fist!"
Luo Xiu didn't draw his sword but clenched his fist, gathering True Qi. His fist struck like lightning, sending the tiger beast flying, its body collapsing mid-air and disintegrating into light particles.
This effect meant that Luo Xiu's punch was lethal to a second-level tiger beast.
The tiger beast was just one of the fifteen demonic beasts. Luo Xiu's movements didn't pause for a moment. As the other beasts charged, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes.
"Clang!"
His sword unsheathed, the Shadow Sword gleamed like a black light, executing the first move of the Aurora Sword Art, the Flash Sword!
The sword light flashed, blood splattered, and two demonic beasts were instantly decapitated, their bodies collapsing and vanishing.
The naked eye could barely catch Luo Xiu's sword movements, only seeing the flickering black streaks, like light and thunder.
In mere moments, all fifteen second-level demonic beasts were slain by Luo Xiu.
The surrounding scene suddenly changed, the grassland vanished, and Luo Xiu found himself still within the stone-walled first level of the Flying Dragon Tower.
Sheathing his sword, he walked towards the stairs, ascending to the second level.
The second level of the Flying Dragon Tower had no change in scenery. Instead, fifteen figures appeared, each clad in white, with indistinct features, some wielding weapons, others empty-handed.
The opponents were still fifteen in number, but these figures exuded a formidable aura, comparable to the fifth layer of the Qi Sea Realm!
"Swish!"
A martial artist figure charged with a sword, but before the blade could touch Luo Xiu, a flash of black light decapitated it.
At that moment, two blades of light attacked. Luo Xiu left a phantom in place, dodging the strike.
Then came a second phantom, a third, a fourth...
In a brief moment, under the assault of the fifth-layer martial artist figures, Luo Xiu created seven phantoms, pushing the Ten-Directional Phantom movement technique to its limit.
"Slash!"
The Shadow Sword flashed, and the attacks of the other martial artist figures struck his seven phantoms, while his sword instantly killed another fifth-layer figure.
With the ghostly movement of the Ten-Directional Phantom, even when surrounded, Luo Xiu could easily dodge most attacks. Those he couldn't avoid, he could block with his rapid sword strikes.
And when he wanted to kill, it was swift and deadly!
...
"It's been half an hour, why hasn't Luo Xiu come out yet?"
"Heh, maybe he's being chased by fifteen demonic beasts on the first level."
"If he can't pass the first level, his ranking would be similar to Wang Can's. Let's guess how far Luo Xiu can go."
Near the Flying Dragon Tower, many outer sect disciples couldn't help but discuss.
At this moment, within the second level of the Flying Dragon Tower, Luo Xiu's Shadow Sword danced, each strike as fast as lightning, showcasing the swift sword technique to its fullest.
Heads flew, blood gushed like a fountain, and Luo Xiu, clad in black, remained expressionless. Each sword strike claimed a life.
Finally, all fifteen fifth-layer figures in the second level were slain by him!
However, Luo Xiu wasn't unscathed. Despite mastering the Ten-Directional Phantom movement technique, facing the assault of fifteen fifth-layer figures, some attacks were unavoidable.
His black clothes were tattered in many places, and his True Qi was nearly half depleted, though he wasn't in mortal danger.
According to the Flying Dragon Tower's rules, any disciple facing a life-threatening situation would be directly transported out.
By Luo Xiu's estimation, without strength above the seventh layer of the Qi Sea Realm, passing the second level was impossible.
"I wonder what kind of opponents will appear in the third level."
Luo Xiu's eyes burned with fighting spirit as he stepped towards the stairs to the third level.
As soon as he stepped onto the third level, the surroundings transformed rapidly into a snowy landscape with towering mountains.
Walking on the snow made crunching sounds, and the cold wind made Luo Xiu shiver.
"The environment created by the formation in the Flying Dragon Tower is incredibly realistic."
Luo Xiu circulated his True Qi, dispelling the cold invading his body.
At that moment, his opponents in the third level appeared—wolves nearly two meters tall, five to six meters long, covered in snow-white fur!
"Snowfield Demon Wolves!"
Luo Xiu's pupils contracted, his expression serious.
These were second-level demonic beasts, but among the top of their kind. Even a late-stage Qi Sea expert might not win in a one-on-one fight.
And before him, there were fifteen Snowfield Demon Wolves!
Each wolf was robust, with blood-red eyes, appearing ravenous, exuding a chilling aura and highly aggressive.
Fifteen Snowfield Demon Wolves meant Luo Xiu was essentially facing fifteen martial artists above the seventh layer of the Qi Sea Realm.
"Kill!"
Luo Xiu shouted, charging with his sword.
The snowy ground was covered in silver, with only the black sword light cutting through the air. In moments, Luo Xiu was covered in blood.
The blood belonged to both the Snowfield Demon Wolves and him.
One by one, the wolves' bodies fell and disintegrated into light particles, but the realistic combat and flying blood felt all too real.
"Slash!"
A sharp claw struck, and Luo Xiu couldn't dodge completely. He avoided a fatal blow, but his left shoulder was torn, blood spraying.
Simultaneously, the wolf's brute force sent him flying, rolling in the snow.
"It seems my strength isn't enough to sweep through the Qi Sea Realm."
Luo Xiu activated his cultivation method, a strong vital force from the Heaven's Life and Death Cycle in his Dantian repairing his injured vital meridians.
Though unafraid of injury, Luo Xiu's True Qi was nearly depleted.
After all, his cultivation was still somewhat low, only at the third layer of the Qi Sea Realm, though his True Qi was more abundant and purer than others at the same level.
His true strength lay in his sword and movement techniques, but powerful moves consumed a lot of True Qi.
"Even though my True Qi is almost exhausted, passing this third level shouldn't be a problem."
Luo Xiu gripped his blood-stained Shadow Sword, his eyes filled with murderous intent.