Ling Xiao should now pay more attention to Tantai Lingzi, who harboured inexplicable hostility toward him, and Shen Tianlin, who had recently become the disciple of Demon Flame Heavenly Venerate.
Both had high cultivation levels, making them difficult to deal with.
Moreover, they were both participating in the Tower Climbing Ceremony. Although as seeded contestants they wouldn’t face him now, clashes were inevitable inside the Yuehua Treasure Tower.
“Today is the first day of the Moon Advent Festival, and the annual Tower Climbing Ceremony is about to begin. Since all the contestants have arrived, the battle for the slots starts now,” announced Heavenly Eye Heavenly Venerate, the head of the inner sect hall.
Ling Xiao had never seen this man before. Upon meeting him, he noticed the man’s appearance was strikingly different, with a vertical eye at the centre of his forehead.
It was said his martial soul caused certain physical changes, though whether this was true remained unknown.
After Heavenly Eye Heavenly Venerate announced the start of the qualification matches, everyone proceeded to draw lots.
“Junior Brother Ling, remember, if you face my senior sister, just surrender immediately. A half-step Heavenly Venerate is not someone you can provoke. Plus, her personality is much like Demon Flame Heavenly Venerate’s—extremely cruel and ruthless. With her master’s favour, even if she killed you on the spot, no one would dare say anything,” Lan Yuer warned Ling Xiao before the matches began.
“Got it, Senior Sister,” Ling Xiao replied, knowing Lan Yuer had his best interests at heart. He wasn’t one to act recklessly. After all, securing a slot was enough for now, no need to aim for first place immediately.
A wise man knows when to yield and when to stand firm. Fighting an unbeatable opponent head-on was the most foolish choice.
After the draw, the matches began.
As expected, the early rounds saw significant gaps in strength, so battles ended quickly, often decided in a single move, with some winning without even fighting.
It wasn’t until about a hundred contestants remained that the matches slowed, entering a truly intense phase where a single misstep could lead to elimination.
From the start, Ling Xiao hadn’t lost once, defeating all opponents in a single move.
But since his opponents were weak, his performance didn’t draw much attention.
After all, disciples like Ming Tian, Leng Hao, Bai Feifei, Wu Yang, and Qin Wu won in the same manner.
Among them, Ling Xiao was relatively inconspicuous.
The matches continued.
Soon, it was the turn of Zhao Ci, princess of the Beihan Kingdom.
Zhao Ci had already lost two matches: one to her brother Zhao Zhi, and one to Dai Yuling.
She was lucky not to have faced stronger opponents, or it would’ve been even more frustrating.
This match was crucial for her.
Having just finished his own match, Ling Xiao, with nothing better to do, watched from below the stage.
Zhao Ci’s opponent was Swordman Wang.
Swordman Wang had once been miserably defeated by Ling Xiao, nearly killed, but had survived. His strength hadn’t regressed, but he hadn’t improved either.
Even so, he was a Mortal Realm Second Layer martial artist.
Zhao Ci lost decisively.
Swordman Wang showed no mercy.
The most laughable part was that Zhao Ci had once been upset with Ling Xiao for injuring Swordman Wang, yet today, Swordman Wang left her clothes tattered, giving the disciples below quite a spectacle.
Ling Xiao sighed. Hopefully, this lesson would teach her the harshness of the world.
After three losses, Zhao Ci was regretfully eliminated, her final defeat utterly humiliating. It was her brother Zhao Zhi who draped a coat over her and let her cry on his shoulder, sparing her further embarrassment.
The next match Ling Xiao watched was Ming Tian’s.
Ming Tian’s opponent was an inner sect disciple at the early stage of Mortal Realm Sixth Layer, stronger in cultivation.
Thus, the disciple attacked confidently from the start.
But before his attack reached Ming Tian, he was struck hard, his body flying off the stage.
“What just happened?” The crowd below was stunned.
Disciples with lower cultivation and weaker perception had no idea what had occurred on stage.
“Tch, this guy’s use of the Nine-Tailed Ninja Spirit is even more refined, even paired with the inner sect heart technique he’s trained in at the Yuehua Sect. Impressive,” Ling Xiao couldn’t help but praise.
If not for encountering a freak like himself, Ming Tian would truly be the top genius under Master Baiyun.
But with Ling Xiao around, Ming Tian, the traitorous, master-betraying scoundrel, was destined for a tragic end.
“I think I saw a flash of red light!”
“I noticed it too. Terrifying, defeating someone a realm higher so easily!”
“This guy might become the biggest rival to our core disciples.”
Tantai Lingzi smiled at Lan Yuer, “Compared to that little junior brother you like, he’s a cut above.”
Lan Yuer ignored her, only smiling faintly. Though she didn’t know Ling Xiao’s true strength, she was certain he was no less than Ming Tian!
This was a woman’s intuition, and a woman’s trust!
“Yawn—!” Ling Xiao let out a yawn. He’d been up late forging the Rainfall Sword and was a bit tired.
But his yawn was a tad loud, noticed by the elders on the platform.
“Ling Xiao, what are you doing? Think you’re stronger than Ming Tian?” Elder Jin asked, clearly displeased.
“Elder Jin, forgive me, I didn’t sleep well last night, it’s not like I was doing anything. That said, it’s true I’m stronger than Ming Tian,” Ling Xiao said with a grin, looking at Elder Jin.
No need to hide it.
He believed the news of him killing Wang She in Shajiabao would soon reach the Yuehua Sect, so concealing it was pointless.
“Bold kid, I like your spirit!” Heavenly Light Heavenly Venerate laughed heartily.
“Heavenly Light, what’s that supposed to mean?” Elder Jin said, annoyed.
“Elder Jin, the kid just yawned, no need to make a fuss. The matches are still ongoing,” Heavenly Light Heavenly Venerate said with a faint smile.
“Hmph, Ling Xiao, you probably don’t know, Ming Tian’s cultivating the top-tier golden martial art *Hell Magma Technique*, only possible with his Nine-Tailed Ninja Spirit. It’s a fearsome technique even core disciples struggle to master. You really think you’re up to it?” Elder Jin sneered.
“Of course I’m not,” Ling Xiao replied, sounding like he was conceding, which pleased Elder Jin. But then Ling Xiao continued loudly, “Who let me not have a master who disregards sect rules to teach a newly-joined disciple a top-tier golden martial art!”
