Chapter Seventy-Two: Submitting the Application

For an entire month, Ke Bei did not step outside his room. He clenched his teeth and persevered, holding onto a single, burning desire—to grow stronger.

The effect of the second level of the Cultivation of Origin was astonishing. In just thirty days, Ke Bei’s strength increased to the equivalent of two hundred ordinary men. If it came down to sheer physical power, even among those with extraordinary abilities, it would be hard to find anyone on the Azure Dragon Ranking who could match him, provided they didn’t use their innate powers.

Yet Ke Bei felt that this was still far from enough. Even with his strength growing at this rate, he found it too slow—painfully slow! Every practitioner at the Transcendent Realm possessed innate abilities, and the geniuses on the Azure Dragon Ranking had powers that were nothing short of formidable. Apart from the Nine Yang Divine Art, Ke Bei had no advantage whatsoever. And even now, he had only mastered the first three layers of the art, his inner strength still far from impressive. This made his advantage all the more negligible.

No Transcendent Realm cultivator would be foolish enough to rely solely on physical power and not use their innate gifts.

Dissatisfied with the increase in his physical strength, Ke Bei found a measure of consolation in the final blade technique his bearded father had left behind.

“Thunderous Ninefold Slash!”

After a month of grueling training, Ke Bei finally achieved some understanding. Though he was not yet able to unleash all nine layers of force with a single strike, he could now casually deliver a blow that stacked five layers of power. Occasionally, he could even reach six.

Thunderous Ninefold Slash—unleashing five strikes in an instant, stacking fivefold power—this alone made Ke Bei’s attack strength four times greater. Having already reached the terrifying strength of two hundred men, with this fourfold amplification, he could exert the force of eight hundred men. If he activated the Nine Yang Divine Art simultaneously, he could even reach the strength of a thousand.

A thousand men’s strength—such terrifying power was already equivalent to a full-force blow from a high-level Divine Clan member.

If his saber, stained with blood, executed the Thunderous Ninefold Slash, Ke Bei was confident he could split even Hei Qin’s metallic body in two.

His speed was no less than that of most strong contenders on the Azure Dragon Ranking, and now his attack power was not inferior either. His only weakness remained his poor physical defense.

With his current strength, Ke Bei could cleave Hei Qin in two with a single blow, yet at the same time, his own body would likely be reduced to a skeleton by Hei Qin’s razor-sharp golden energy.

“Phew—”

As night fell, Ke Bei wiped the fine sweat from his forehead after a day’s hard training with the Thunderous Ninefold Slash, letting out a slow breath.

“That should be enough,” he murmured, gazing at the saber in his hand, a faint smile touching his lips.

Ten days earlier, Ke Bei had unintentionally learned about the Tower of Ascension from Luo Han. He had originally guessed that the tower was within the Jiujang Genius Training Camp. He was mistaken, but not by much—after all, only by joining the training camp did one have a chance.

From Luo Han, he learned that each month, the Jiujang Base’s training camp allotted thirty spots to enter the Tower of Ascension. The first time, the top thirty on the Azure Dragon Ranking had gone; this time, it would be those ranked thirty-first to sixtieth.

Finally receiving news about the Tower of Ascension, Ke Bei was elated. His purpose for coming to the Jiujang Base was the tower itself—to complete the second ring of the Nine Yang Divine Art’s mission. Now, with a lead at last, he was naturally excited.

The system was Ke Bei’s greatest card. Completing its missions was the fastest way to increase his strength. Otherwise, to reach the top three of the Azure Dragon Ranking or to possess power rivaling the God of War Realm—who knew how long that would take?

Ke Bei had no time to waste.

Every day lost meant Han Lingyue would spend one more lonely day at the bottom of Azure Dragon Lake.

According to Luo Han, this time the Tower of Ascension would open to those ranked thirty-first to sixtieth on the Azure Dragon Ranking. To earn a spot, Ke Bei had to break into the top sixty.

But the ranking battle for the Azure Dragon Ranking was held only once a year.

When Ke Bei first heard this, he was nearly driven mad with frustration. The task for the second ring of the Nine Yang Divine Art had a three-month limit, and half that time had already passed—how could he wait until the next ranking battle?

Fortunately, after inquiring in detail about the rules, he felt some relief.

The ranking battle was annual, but every month, each trainee was granted three chances to challenge those ahead of them. Victory meant immediate replacement of the loser. If challenged, those on the ranking had to accept, but similarly, they could face only three challenges per month.

“With my current strength, breaking into the top sixty shouldn’t be a problem,” Ke Bei clenched his fist tightly.

“There are three days left before the second group on the Azure Dragon Ranking heads for the Tower of Ascension. It’s time to submit my challenge application.”

He took a cold shower, washing away the sweat and exhaustion, feeling instantly refreshed. Donning clean clothes, he drew a deep breath.

Ke Bei walked out of his lodgings, making his way toward the place where challenges were submitted.

“I challenge the sixtieth on the Azure Dragon Ranking,” he announced in a deep voice to an elderly man with snow-white hair and beard, seated on a bamboo chair behind a stone table.

As long as he made it into the top sixty, he would secure a spot. Naturally, Ke Bei chose an opponent of relatively weaker strength to increase his chances. Though confident in his own power, he knew not what strange innate abilities the ranked contenders might possess—better to choose a softer target.

“The sixtieth has already accepted three challenges this month. If you wish to challenge, you must wait until next month,” the old man intoned, stroking his white beard, unhurried.

“Wait a month? Shall I still challenge the sixtieth, or choose another adversary?” he asked.

“Already accepted three challenges?” Ke Bei paused, then understood. If he wanted to pick the weakest, surely many others had the same idea.

“I challenge the fifty-ninth,” he said after a moment’s silence.

The old man, as if expecting this, smiled at Ke Bei and shook his head.

“Not possible?”

Ke Bei frowned.

“Fifty-eighth?” Again, the old man shook his head.

“Fifty-seventh? Fifty-sixth? Fifty-fifth?” He went on, all the way—

“Fortieth!” Ke Bei gritted his teeth, looking at the ever-smiling, ever-shaking old man.

“Young man, you want to enter the Tower of Ascension this month, don’t you?” The old man’s weathered face bore an amused smile as he asked.

“Yes! I must go!” Ke Bei replied resolutely, his brow furrowed, not understanding the reason for the old man’s question but unwavering in his resolve.

“In that case, you needn’t waste your effort. Only one spot remains for a challenge: the thirty-first rank. Do you dare fight him?”

“I do!” Ke Bei answered without hesitation, his voice cutting like a blade. With no other option, he would not turn back—he would go to the Tower of Ascension this month, soft target or not.

His firm and decisive answer took the old man aback for a moment, but then a smile returned to the elder’s face.

“If you are so determined, very well. Submit your application; your match will be scheduled for tomorrow.”

“Thank you!” Ke Bei nodded to the old man, submitted his application, and turned to leave.

The old man, his hair and beard as white as snow, watched Ke Bei’s departing figure, a faint smile on his weathered face.

“Little Han’s judgment isn’t bad at all… This youngster, do your best.”