Chapter 198 - 196: Too Ugly, No Date

Cloud Ascending Peak was five hundred meters tall. It was so steep it looked less like a mountain and more like a giant stone pillar.

At this moment, the array on Cloud Ascending Peak activated, shrouding it in a terrifying hurricane.

"This is way too dangerous!"

The geniuses’ attitudes toward the assessment changed drastically.

The closer they got to Cloud Ascending Peak and felt the powerful gales, the more frightened they became.

"Danger is relative to the weak. If you don’t want to participate, it’s not too late to give up now."

The Steward wore a faint smile, which only intensified everyone’s unease.

It seemed the rumors were true. The Yunxiao Sect’s entrance exam was unconventional and extremely brutal, with a seventy percent death rate. This was no joke.

Those in the Spirit Sea Realm couldn’t fly. A fall from several hundred meters up would result in death or permanent disability.

Some people present were already thinking of backing out.

"I forfeit the assessment!"

A very young man uttered these words and left.

In the Yunxiao Sect’s Lower Sect Area, three Sect Elders in charge of receiving new disciples were looking down from a high vantage point.

"The path of Martial Arts is a journey against the current, an act of defying heaven itself. It’s a hundred times steeper and a hundred times more perilous than this Cloud Ascending Peak. The slightest misstep leads to eternal damnation!"

"If they don’t even have the courage to face Cloud Ascending Peak, they are destined never to become true experts!"

The gray-haired old man’s words were cold and heartless.

"Senior Brother Fang is right. Our Yunxiao Sect is no place for a comfortable life. It’s better that those trash-tier rookies leave, saves them from throwing their lives away for nothing."

"In recent years, fewer and fewer people have been coming for the Yunxiao Sect’s assessment. It’s all because of that seventy percent death rate, hahaha!"

A large, somewhat unrestrained fat man standing beside them laughed heartily.

"Why don’t you two guess how many people will pass the assessment this year?"

The third Elder was a dignified and elegant woman.

"There are four hundred and twelve people participating. By that calculation, a little over a hundred will survive, and likely fewer than one hundred will actually pass!"

...

"I’ll go first!"

A young man at the Spirit Sea Realm Second Layer approached Cloud Ascending Peak, executed a Body Martial Skill, and leaped upward.

"This peak is so slippery!"

The young man couldn’t help but frown.

The assessment was far more difficult than he had imagined.

The surface of Cloud Ascending Peak was completely bare, without a single blade of grass. It even seemed to have been polished smooth.

The higher he climbed, the stronger the surrounding winds grew, and the greater the difficulty became.

This was a test not only of one’s Body Technique, but also of one’s observation, adaptability, and willpower.

However, those participating in the assessment were the first and second-ranked geniuses on the Human List from over a hundred kingdoms in the Eastern Domain. They were the elites among elites.

The young man was extremely cautious, as if treading on thin ice, and managed to avoid any mishaps.

But his mind was in a state of high tension, and his fear was constantly mounting.

Outsiders couldn’t see any of this.

"It doesn’t look too hard. I’ll give it a try!"

Five more people stepped forward to take the assessment.

One of them had just climbed to a height of one hundred fifty meters when his foot suddenly slipped, and he fell.

The fierce gales blew him far from the cliff face, leaving him with no way to regain his footing.

"AHH! Save me!"

The man screamed for help from the Steward below, his cry echoing in all directions.

But the Yunxiao Sect’s Steward just watched coldly, making no move to intervene.

Another genius who was climbing saw the man fall. His heart filled with panic, terrified that he would be next.

But the more he feared, the more prone to error he became.

He misjudged a move, missed the rock face, and fell as well.

THUD! THUD!

The two fell one after another, smashing into a mangled pulp of flesh and blood. The stench of blood filled the air.

*HISS!*

Everyone gasped.

These two were both top-three geniuses on the Human List in their respective kingdoms, yet now they were nothing but shapeless masses of gore.

Some of the less confident candidates were scared into giving up and returning home.

"How could a mere mountain peak stand in my way!"

But many more chose to face the challenge head-on. Figure after figure approached Cloud Ascending Peak!

All around the peak, figures leaped and began to climb.

"I must get into the Yunxiao Sect!"

Yuwen Xuan clenched his fists, his gaze resolute, and stepped forward.

At the same time, the woman in yellow also stepped out. Her features were exquisite, with long eyelashes, graceful eyes, and shapely brows. She was exceptionally pretty and captivating.

Her appearance immediately stunned many of the men.

"I remember when the Steward announced her information earlier. This woman is ’Ke Yuexuan,’ number one on the Human List of the Qu Du Kingdom!"

One man’s eyes filled with admiration.

SWISH! SWISH!

Yuwen Xuan and Ke Yuexuan began their ascent at almost the same time.

But within three breaths, Ke Yuexuan had already climbed to a height of fifty meters, directly surpassing Yuwen Xuan.

Yuwen Xuan felt immense pressure. ’There are too many powerful geniuses at the Yunxiao Sect’s assessment.’

"What an astonishing Body Technique!"

"To move as if on flat ground in this environment, leaping fifty meters in an instant... This woman is truly incredible!"

The crowd marveled at Ke Yuexuan’s Body Technique.

Ordinary geniuses climbed cautiously, not daring to rush. Some even chose not to use their body techniques at all and simply crawled up slowly.

’Yuwen Xuan has improved quite a bit.’

Luo Tian paid some attention to his acquaintance.

By his judgment, Yuwen Xuan would have no problem passing the first assessment.

In fact, many people could theoretically reach the summit, but there were too many uncertain factors.

After watching for a while, Luo Tian finally decided to participate in the assessment and walked to the foot of Cloud Ascending Peak.

"Luo Tian?"

Seeing Luo Tian preparing for the assessment, Yuwen Xuan’s expression turned complicated.

He had always seen Luo Tian as the target he needed to surpass.

But Luo Tian repeatedly created miracles. It was said that while he was a fugitive, he had even escaped from an expert at the Earth Element Realm.

When Yuwen Xuan heard this news, he was utterly shocked and had the sinking feeling that he would never be able to surpass Luo Tian.

Now, Luo Tian was also here for the first assessment.

In Yuwen Xuan’s mind, an invisible competition had already begun.

’I absolutely cannot let you surpass me! I have to reach the top faster!’

"Master, that brat is going up."

Seeing Luo Tian step up, Lin Qiao’Er became agitated, her eyes filled with cold resentment.

Aboard the Black Spirit Blood Eagle, she had been careless and was ambushed by Luo Tian, nearly falling to her death.

’I must get revenge for this!’

Lin Qiao’Er took a step forward, also preparing to take the assessment—and to obstruct Luo Tian, making him fall to his death!

"Not so fast. If you rush out now and scare that brat, what if he backs down and withdraws from the assessment?"

Yan Qing chuckled softly and placed a hand on Lin Qiao’Er’s shoulder.

"Wait until he’s climbed a hundred meters before you make your move. By then, he won’t be able to retreat. His only choice will be to keep climbing. And the higher he climbs, the harder he’ll fall."

A cruel smile appeared on Yan Qing’s face.

"Master is as thoughtful as ever."

Lin Qiao’Er nodded, throwing in a bit of flattery.

SWOOSH!

Luo Tian’s figure soared into the air like a feather, a wisp of smoke, ethereal and traceless as he leaped upward.

In the time it took to take three breaths, Luo Tian had already climbed to a height of seventy meters.

In terms of his initial performance, Luo Tian completely crushed Ke Yuexuan, who had gone before him.

And his Cultivation was a full two Small Realms lower than Ke Yuexuan’s.

"What kind of Body Technique is that?"

"The Tier of that Body Technique is definitely not low! The key is, his technique is profound and fluid, and he uses it with such mastery. It has to be at the Great Achievement Realm at least!"

"No wonder this kid was able to kill Zheng Wei. He really has some tricks up his sleeve."

The surrounding geniuses were all captivated by Luo Tian’s display.

Within five breaths, Luo Tian had already climbed to a height of one hundred meters, and it looked completely effortless.

"Lin Qiao’Er, go now!"

Yan Qing shouted.

He hadn’t expected Luo Tian to be so fast either.

Lin Qiao’Er planned to obstruct and interfere with Luo Tian, but if the distance between them was too great, she wouldn’t be able to catch up. How the hell was she supposed to interfere then!

"Yes!"

Lin Qiao’Er’s expression sharpened, and she immediately rushed onto Cloud Ascending Peak.

...

「On Cloud Ascending Peak.」

Yuwen Xuan glanced down and was shocked to see Luo Tian approaching him. ’How is he so fast?’

He had started climbing long before Luo Tian, yet he had only just reached a height of two hundred meters.

Seeing that Luo Tian was about to catch up, Yuwen Xuan couldn’t help but speed up.

Luo Tian, on the other hand, wasn’t thinking too much about it. He had no intention of competing with Yuwen Xuan and hadn’t yet noticed Lin Qiao’Er pursuing him from below.

He executed his Perfection Level "Cloud Traveling Step" and climbed steadily.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Fierce gales assaulted him from all sides, but the Cloud Traveling Step was inherently flexible and adept at borrowing force from its surroundings. Moreover, Luo Tian had cultivated it to the Perfect Realm.

Luo Tian moved through the fierce winds with ease. At his current altitude, at least, the gales around Cloud Ascending Peak couldn’t affect him much.

Soon, he reached a height of two hundred meters.

Just then, Luo Tian faintly heard a shout from below.

"Dammit, Luo Tian! Wait for me if you’ve got the guts!"

Lin Qiao’Er cursed, unwilling to give up.

Luo Tian’s climbing speed was simply too fast for her to catch up, which meant she couldn’t interfere with him.

Unable to get her revenge and forced to watch Luo Tian ascend rapidly, Lin Qiao’Er grew desperate and blurted out such a ridiculous thing.

Luo Tian glanced down and finally noticed Lin Qiao’Er trailing behind him.

He instantly understood her intentions. A mocking smile curled his lips as he called back, "Wait for you for what? You’re too ugly. I’m not interested in a date!"