Chapter 8: Climbing Stairs: Officially Launched
Observing the people around me, each has their own opponent, stepping to a unique rhythm, breathing in a regular pattern, and swiftly beginning to run
Both types of people are not to be trifled with
Gathering the last remnants of vitality, I looked at the fellow challengers around me as if gazing upon cattle and sheep destined for slaughter, revealing a sorrowful smile.
... ...
They can all ...
A figure emerged from a distorted platform not far from him, catching his eye.
It is you.
Zhao Shengming is also ruthless, eliminating the person who entangled him with a single move
This scene made Zhao Wugou's heart grow increasingly heavy
This trial is not right. I merely sealed his dantian. Even if the differences in the world lead to variations in physical structure, it should not be fatal. Moreover, the force of my meridian-sealing technique can only be considered moderate; an ordinary person would not have any issues from it, let alone those who have managed to ascend these more than 6,000 steps in the trial.
Indeed, indeed
...
Zhao Wugou thought to himself: "Could there be some hidden truth behind this?"
Originally, he chose his "cousin"; from the information provided by the main deity, he could roughly infer the personality of this "cousin" and assumed he would agree to cooperate. However, it turned out that this "cousin" seemed to possess the ability to resolve the adverse effects of the malevolent energy from Jia 74, so he had no choice but to abandon the plan of selecting his "cousin".
Haha, it is fortunate that you encountered me; had it been someone else, they would have long since dealt with you with a single strike. This also carries another layer of meaning regarding face. You come to contest my ranking; if you win, it reflects my lack of strength, and if you lose, it indicates your poor judgment. However, you merely tested me, and after making your move, you immediately conceded. This is an offense against me. If I do not retaliate, I will be ridiculed when I later enter the sect.
Upon hearing this, Qi Yanggao's expression became quite peculiar: "Child, which family do you belong to? Has no one in your clan explained the rules of this sect's trial to you? The Ascending Ladder of the Guiyi Sect consists of three stages. The first stage only requires passing the Body Refinement Array to become a servant disciple. The second stage, the Soul Summoning Array, corresponds to outer disciples. These two stages allow for surrender. However, the third stage, the Return to Origin Array, pertains to inner disciples and even true disciples, where the only options are death or reaching the peak."
Although there were still doubts in her heart, Zhao Wugou kept him in her thoughts, intending to investigate this matter further when the opportunity arose
The young master possesses exceptional talent; this first place is well-deserved. Master, you are being too modest
This move startled him; he initially thought that sealing the opponent's dantian would at most render them incapable of fighting. However, to his surprise, the opponent collapsed directly to the ground, losing all vitality
I think this in my heart, but my body remains very obedient
Having climbed approximately over 1,900 steps, the number of challengers has dwindled to a mere few. In Zhao Wugou's line of sight, there are only about twenty or thirty individuals, in stark contrast to the chaotic scene below where battles erupt every few steps. Near the 2,000-step mark, it is often the case that dozens or even hundreds of steps pass before encountering another challenger.
Bending down and arching the back, he narrowly evaded the sword with great peril, swiftly taking a step to turn and pushing off with both hands, leaping onto the giant sword
The way to deal with a fool is to cultivate him into a greater fool, and then naturally there will be people to teach him how to behave properly mhetushu . comcom
Having escaped the blood-red staircase behind him, he quickly caught up with the trial-taker in front of him who was carrying a massive sword.
Zhao Wugou shook his head to indicate that he was unclear. Although he had some guesses, he still asked, "Then how does this relate to my current decision to give up and not compete with you for this ranking"
Zhao Wugou shrank his head and said, "How about I concede and not argue with you?"
From a distance, observing Zhao Shengming emerge and witnessing the bloody chaos of the battle, he furrowed his brow, sensing that the situation was not simple
He knows that those at the forefront are either extremely powerful madmen suffering from severe dementia or, at the very beginning, true prodigies who have yet to engage in combat while being at their peak.
As Qi Gaoyang fell, Zhao Wugou, who was still stepping on his giant sword, ascended the steps: "Indeed, the loopholes in the rules that I could think of must have been considered by others as well. Having been sheltered under the wings of my parents and master for decades, a lack of experience is simply a lack of experience"
I sighed inwardly, realizing that I could only seek another opponent to implement my plan
The virtual host mode has canceled the hosting.
However, the unfortunate reality is that severe dementia inevitably signifies formidable strength. Those lacking in capability, having tasted this sweet benefit, who would willingly abandon this shortcut to enhance their power? Not everyone is like him, a second-generation individual, and a legitimate second-generation at that, with abundant resources and no worries.
Only Zhao Wugou discovered something unusual; Zhao Shengming did not experience a decline in intelligence or madness due to the malevolent energy of Jiaqisi No. 74. Instead, he merely reaped the benefits without suffering any side effects
Child, you are behaving in a manner that is not in accordance with the rules
Having cleared away those who entangled him, his brows furrowed even more. However, in the next moment, as if having heard something, he raised an eyebrow, relaxing as if he had stumbled upon a great bargain.
Take advantage of the fact that there is no one around to entangle you, and quickly log onto the next platform
This time, Zhao Wugou no longer sought to seize the rankings ahead, wisely maintaining a distance of three steps from the front.
Zhao Wugou swallowed and said cautiously, "I say this is a misunderstanding, do you believe me?"
It seems that we cannot rely on this cheap cousin after all. I had intended to lend you a hand, but it appears that there are other plans in mind.
The person who emerged was none other than Zhao Wugou's cousin, suspected to be Zhao Shengming, the seemingly useless protagonist of this world.
After all, we have already reached the pinnacle
As I passed by that person, my foot was just a hair's breadth away from stepping onto the stairs, and a deep voice echoed in my ears
Qi Jia, Qi Yang Gao, I respectfully seek your guidance
Before Qi Gaoyang could finish speaking, Zhao Wugou, standing on the hilt of the sword, struck him on the head with a palm infused with hidden energy. The unique technique allowed the force to penetrate directly into his brain, causing Qi Gaoyang's tall figure to crash backward, with white brain matter oozing from his nostrils
Having observed the pattern, Zhao Wugou immediately began to survey the surroundings, preparing to find an opponent to implement his plan.
Zhao Wugou casually intercepted a trial participant who appeared to possess considerable strength, engaging in a struggle and preparing to stay here to await Zhao Shengming, ready to execute his own plan
Qiyang shook his head and smiled, saying: "Child, regardless of whether it is a misunderstanding or not, since you want to take my ranking, you can only continue to rise if you defeat me. This is the rule, and it cannot be changed"
The leaders of the various halls looked down upon this matter. Do you not have any awareness of your own son's situation? How many resources were spent just to barely elevate his cultivation? He spends his days causing trouble for the sect, displaying a frivolous demeanor, relying on the fact that you, as the sect leader, warned the families of every talented participant before the trials and suppressed the hidden threats to harm the talented commoners, yet he still has the audacity to flaunt his achievements here
After listening, Zhao Wugou lightly walked to the hilt of the sword and mysteriously said to Qi Gaoyang: "I just observed that as long as it's a two-on-two battle, it seems that no one will interfere during the ascension. How about we pretend to fight and go straight to..."
Turning around to look at Zhao Shengming behind him, he seemed to have entered hunting mode, taking down one child with each punch, wildly harvesting fellow challengers.
With a single step forward, the surroundings twisted once more, and suddenly a disciple from the Execution Hall appeared before me. He formed a hand seal, and the wooden plaque hanging from Zhao Wugou's waist abruptly broke free, flying into the disciple's hand. Then, addressing the recording personnel behind him, he said: "Zhao Wugou, the thirty-ninth to reach the summit, with a top-tier result. Proceed to the front for the spiritual root qualification test, and then prepare to await the entrance ceremony."
In the Hall of Unity, the sect leader gazed at the image in the light source, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth: "The foolish child is always so competitive, vying for the first place with those people. He must be taught a good lesson when he returns." Despite his words, the smile could not be contained, spilling forth uncontrollably.
The giant sword swung down suddenly, and Zhao Wugou had no time to react. Fortunately, the virtual host mode in the system responded on his behalf
In the end, feeling helpless, Zhao Wugou seized an opportunity, employing the technique of pulse interception to temporarily seal his opponent's dantian, leaving him to wait and observe.
This time Zhao Wugou found himself in an awkward situation. You could say he managed to avoid it, but then he jumped onto someone else's sword. What on earth is going on here
Before Zhao Wugou could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Qi Gaoyang, who looked at Zhao Wugou with disdain: "I thought you were naturally intelligent, but it turns out your vision is so narrow. You are not the first to have such thoughts. Do you know what happened to them?"
However, Zhao Wugou waited left and right, and his opponent was almost worn out, yet his "cousin" still had not arrived
This challenger is clearly stronger than those behind. Zhao Wugou merely caught a glimpse and could roughly discern the imposing aura akin to that of a mountain.
On the other side, Zhao Wugou, who was waiting for the implementation of the plan, encountered trouble. He found himself entangled with this unknown challenger while awakening his martial arts experience from his previous life, feeling somewhat anxious as he awaited Zhao Shengming. He was preparing to test his plan with this potential protagonist, his "cousin," hoping for an unexpected delight.
The plan is quite simple: to find someone who is severely impaired but still possesses capability, and relying on one's own extensive theoretical experience, to feign an inability to compete against the opponent, act irrationally, and ultimately escape to the next platform.
As soon as Zhao Shengming stepped off the stairs, he was approached by someone.
Muttering softly, he abandoned the original unrealistic plan and honestly continued to climb the stairs
The madman suffering from dementia wants to kill you; most of the proud sons of heaven possess their own pride and are unwilling to easily place themselves beneath others
The disciple in charge of the execution spoke the latter half of his sentence to Zhao Wugou, casually pointing him in a direction to test his spiritual root qualifications, and then returned the recorded wooden tablet to Zhao Wugou.
Looking up, he realized that he was not far from the summit, yet he noticed that the people ahead were walking slower and slower, reluctant to ascend to the peak.