Seeing that Wang Hao's expression had not changed, Liu Jinlin continued, "The mainstream in Tianxing now is martial arts, but cultivators can also be listed on the rankings."
"As long as you have the strength, you can make it onto the Xuan Ranking, or even the Di Ranking. Once you're on the list, you'll gain a certain status and resources in Tianxing."
Wang Hao asked, "So, those two women from earlier must have been on the Xuan Ranking, right? They were at the late Qi Refining stage. By the way, what are the benefits of being ranked first among the new students in the assessment?"
"Don't even mention getting first place in the academy exam; even just being in the top ten will bring you a very generous reward."
Liu Jinlin paused for a moment, then continued, "Even the tenth-ranked freshman will receive 100 merit points, the ninth-ranked freshman will receive 200 merit points, and so on, with the fourth-ranked freshman receiving 700 merit points."
"The third-ranked freshman will receive 1,000 merit points."
"The second-ranked freshman will receive two thousand merit points."
"The top-ranked freshman will receive 3,000 merit points."
Wang Hao asked, "What can these merit points be exchanged for?"
Liu Jinlin said, "Merit points are the main currency of Tianxing. They can be exchanged for various cultivation resources, including pills, magic weapons, ferocious beast mounts, and even servants in the black market."
"You can exchange one merit point for a spirit crystal, and one hundred merit points for a stone containing spiritual energy. Now you know the value of merit points."
Wang Hao was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected that merit points could be exchanged for spirit stones. This surprised him. It seemed that there should be a spirit stone mine on Tianxing.
Liu Jinlin continued, "Although the requirements for cultivators in the Battle Tower are very high, it tests a cultivator's five senses, perseverance, judgment, spiritual awareness, and so on even more."
Wang Hao knew little about the Battle Tower. Even though Liu Jinlin's explanation was very detailed, he didn't know how far he could go. He could only do his best.
The woman named Qingran glanced around and said coldly, "The cultivation levels of this year's freshmen are quite good; three of them have even reached the mid-stage of the Qi Refining Realm."
Yan Qin's eyelashes were long and curled, and she smiled with bright eyes and white teeth, saying, "That's not necessarily true. Breaking through the battle tower tests a cultivator's talent, combat skills, willpower, and spiritual awareness even more."
Qingran's aura was extremely cold. She didn't reply and closed her eyes again.
Yan Qin pursed her lips, seemingly already used to it, but in her heart she was full of anticipation for tomorrow's Battle Tower challenge, wondering what kind of genius would emerge from this batch of freshmen.
Moreover, she learned from a rumor that the person who targeted the Li family was a freshman at the Burning Lamp Academy.
At dawn, as the first rays of sunlight shone into the west courtyard of the Burning Lamp Academy, all the new cultivators, led by the nine elders, arrived at the foot of the battle tower.
The War Tower, standing seven stories tall, radiates a metallic sheen. It doesn't resemble a constructed tower; rather, it's more like a perfectly integrated magical artifact.
This stirred something in Wang Hao's heart. He really wanted to see the so-called ruins of Tianxing. He couldn't believe that such a spirit tower could be dug out. He didn't believe that it was made by modern cultivators.
Wang Hao looked around and found that there were quite a few female cultivators, some of whom were exceptionally beautiful, as if they had stepped out of a painting.
Just as he was wondering, he overheard two people chatting nearby. From them, he learned that the West Courtyard of Burning Lamp Academy was dominated by women, and there were even three female demons. He had to be careful.
Wang Hao smiled noncommittally, not caring. As long as his cultivation was strong enough, how could he be bullied by a woman?
At this moment, the "Battle Tower Challenge" has begun, with ten people entering the battle tower at the same time.
Elder Shangren stood outside the gate of the Battle Tower and read out the list of the first ten people to enter the Battle Tower. Then everyone continued to wait.
About three minutes later, the first cultivator who failed the test walked out of the battle tower. He had a bloody hole in his chest, which was bleeding profusely, indicating that he had suffered a serious injury.
Everyone was shocked and began to discuss it. This person was at the early stage of Qi Refining Realm, yet he failed to pass the test in just three minutes.
The cultivator who failed the test looked dejected and said, "I failed at the second level of the first stage. One careless mistake, and I was defeated..."
Just as he was about to recount his experience, an elder standing not far away snorted coldly. His voice transformed into a sound wave, causing him to turn pale and immediately shut his mouth.
Just fifteen minutes later, the first batch of cultivators who entered the battle tower began to leave one after another. Among them, only three people passed the third level of the first floor.
Five people passed the second level of the first floor, while two others only passed the first level of the first floor before retreating.
None of the first batch of trainees passed the first level of the second stage. The three cultivators who passed the third level of the first stage have a high chance of passing the assessment, but the final outcome depends on the performance of those who follow.
Next, it was the turn of the second group of ten to enter the battle tower.
Among the ten people this time, a genius emerged who actually passed the second level of the second stage and almost passed the third level of the second stage.
Someone recognized the genius as Han Qiaosheng, one of the three great families of Tianxing, who had reached the peak of the mid-stage of Qi Refining at the young age of twenty-five.
Before long, it was Wang Hao's turn. He remained calm and showed little emotion as he walked into the battle tower with the other nine people. Ten small doors appeared inside.
Above the small door are three ancient characters: First Pass.
Wang Hao appeared very casual and walked directly into the second small door. The other nine cultivators also each chose a small door and went in.
As soon as he entered, a burst of bright light struck him. When he opened his eyes again, Wang Hao was already standing on a closed battle platform with iron walls on all sides.
This enclosed battle platform was quite spacious, measuring thirty meters in length and width, and twenty meters in height. Its four iron walls had nineteen recesses, each containing a bronze lamp.
Wang Hao walked to the center of the battle platform, and suddenly a figure emerged from the stone wall in the distance. The figure was about twenty years old and stood not far from Wang Hao, mechanically saying, "I am Li Xu."
"This represents the strongest power at the mid-stage of the Qi Refining Realm. If you can withstand three of my moves, you will pass the first test."
Wang Hao was initially startled, but upon closer inspection, he discovered that the "Li Xu" opposite him was merely a projection, lacking independent thought of his own; it could also be understood as a brand.
"Strange, isn't Li Xu at Dragon Phoenix Academy? How come he's here?" Wang Hao asked, puzzled, but still inquired, "Can you represent the strongest force among those in the Qi Refining Realm?"
Li Xu didn't show much expression and said, "Yes."
"If I defeat you, will I become the strongest person in the mid-stage of Qi Refining?" Wang Hao asked.
"Yes, defeat me and proceed directly to the second level," Li Xu replied mechanically.
Wang Hao smiled coldly, slowly took out the Zixiao Sword from his back, stood with the sword horizontally, and became one with the surrounding space.
He dared not reveal the existence of his storage ring here.
Inside the battle tower, in the very center of a secret chamber, sat two exceptionally beautiful women.
Qingran and Yanqin sat cross-legged in the center of the secret chamber. In front of them floated ten spiritual mirrors, showing the scenes of ten cultivators going through trials.
The people who were originally guarding the battle tower were two silver-robed elders from the Burning Lamp Academy.
However, Qingran and the young girl Yanqin wanted to see the geniuses among this year's freshmen, so they discussed with the two elders about having them help guard the battle tower.
Qingran possessed a cold and aloof air. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her face, making her skin appear exceptionally fair. She said calmly, "It's nothing. I'm going back to cultivate."
She seemed uninterested, stood up, her tall and beautiful figure on full display, and walked towards the outside of the battle tower.
Yan Qin waved to Qing Ran and said, "Sister Ran, don't go, come and see! This guy at the fifth level of Qi Refining can actually fight Li Xu of the Li family to a standstill."
Both of them were Xuan Ranking cultivators, reigning supreme in the West Courtyard, practically invincible, and were two of the three great female demons of the West Courtyard.
Qing Ran's icy face finally showed a slight ripple, and she walked over quickly. You should know that Li Xu is the most outstanding genius in the last hundred years, and he started to break through to the Martial Dao Earth Realm at the age of thirty.
However, if that's all, Li Xu is not enough to be called the most outstanding genius in the last hundred years. The reason he appeared in the Battle Tower of Burning Lamp Academy is because he also practiced the breathing technique!
Many martial artists abandon their breathing techniques once they reach the Earth Realm, partly because they don't have the mental energy to cultivate two different techniques. But Li Xu is different; he not only possesses the martial arts cultivation of the Great Perfection of the Profound Realm.
At the same time, he was also a cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Realm, which was unprecedented. No one could have done this before, but Li Xu did it.
Once his martial arts cultivation breaks through to the Earth Realm, and his cultivation technique also reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, then Li Xu will officially come into the sights of the five major financial groups and the high-ranking officials of various academies.
This means that Li Xu can balance the two cultivation methods. As for the second reason why those Earth Realm experts gave up cultivating the breathing method, it is because true qi and mysterious factors would conflict in the body.
Qingran was somewhat skeptical, but she still went back and looked at the spiritual mirror.
On the mirror, two men are engaged in a fierce battle.
They moved extremely fast, leaving more than a dozen afterimages.
Qingran sat down cross-legged again, picked up a list from the ground, looked at it, and said, "Wang Hao, he actually came from the wasteland... wait, why does Wang Hao seem familiar..."
Yan Qin, who was standing to the side, said with a smile, "Of course I know him. He's the Wang Hao who's been making headlines in Tianxing recently, the one who fought with Li Xu for a woman."
Upon hearing this, a hint of murderous intent flashed in Qingran's eyes, but it was quickly concealed, after all, Yan Qin was still beside him.
However, this slight emotional fluctuation did not escape Yan Qin's notice, but she did not say much. Everyone has their own secrets, but if this Wang Hao really is a genius.
Yan Qin wouldn't mind giving a slight reminder, since there aren't many people who cultivate breathing techniques, and geniuses are even rarer. Right now, we need a cultivator to pave the way for this useless technique.
Suddenly, the scene on the spiritual mirror changed, and Wang Hao's swordsmanship became sharp, forcing Li Xu to retreat continuously.
"How is that possible?"
Yan Qin and Qing Ran both held their breath and stared intently at the mirror.
"Whoosh!"
Wang Hao suddenly took three steps forward, passing through layers of sword shadows, and thrust out a sword that pierced through Li Xu's brow.
Li Xu's body froze in place, a sword-like gash appearing between his brows.
"Bang!"
With a crisp sound, Li Xu's body exploded, turning into wisps of pure spiritual energy that scattered in all directions.
Wang Hao narrowed his eyes, and then, to the astonishment of Qing Ran and Yan Qin, he opened his mouth and inhaled sharply, swallowing the spiritual energy that was about to dissipate.
"The quality is so-so, and the quantity is too small." Wang Hao sighed, sheathed the Purple Cloud Sword, opened the metal door, and stepped into the second floor.
Yan Qin and Qing Ran both showed shock, and were also curious about how many levels Wang Hao could reach. Yan Qin's eyes revealed curiosity, while Qing Ran's eyes showed more killing intent.
Wang Hao entered the first level of the second floor of the battle tower.
It was still a closed training ground, very similar to the first level of the first floor.
"Whoosh!"
Another figure with a spiritual form emerged from the stone wall; it was none other than Li Xu.
However, this time, Li Xu's aura cultivation was significantly stronger than before, reaching the peak of the late stage of Qi Refining Realm, and his eyes also showed a hint of intelligence.
"If you can withstand one of my attacks, you'll pass this level. If you defeat me, you'll directly enter the second level of the third floor," Li Xu said calmly.
Wang Hao smiled and said, "You don't use weapons?"
“You are not worthy,” Li Xu said.
Wang Hao wasn't angry. He muttered to himself, "Interesting. I want to see just how powerful the number one genius of the Tianxing Li family really is."
"The River Styx flows out to sea."
Li Xu clenched his fist and stepped forward, his speed reaching 86 meters per second, which was slightly faster than that of a typical Qi Refining Grand Perfection cultivator.
An ordinary mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator probably wouldn't even be able to catch a glimpse of Li Xu, let alone withstand a single move from him.
Wang Hao extended his spiritual sense without using his martial arts cultivation. He vaguely felt that Li Xu's presence here might be due to his cultivation of two different techniques.
"Whoosh."
Wang Hao moved his body to the left, dodging Li Xu's punch. At the same time, he suddenly swung his sword, slashing at the opponent's waist.
"The River Styx echoes."
Li Xu leaped into the air like a flying fish, forming an arc, and punched Wang Hao in the chest. The force he unleashed seemed to be even stronger than before.
His fist appeared in front of Wang Hao in an instant.
If Wang Hao were hit by a punch, he would definitely be seriously injured and leave the scene in disappointment.
"Heavenly Heart Sword Bell!"
Wang Hao blocked with his sword, and the powerful sword energy condensed into the phantom of a large bell.
"Bang!"
Li Xu's fist struck the surface of the giant bell phantom, causing it to immediately cave in and shatter. The powerful force of the punch sent Wang Hao flying backward.
Wang Hao's internal energy surged, but he was not seriously injured. However, Li Xu had no intention of giving him a chance to catch his breath and immediately attacked again, throwing a third punch.
"The Styx River transforms into a sword."
The force of Li Xu's punch was like a sword aura, piercing towards Wang Hao.
The force of the fist transforms into a sword.
Only by mastering the art of boxing to a high level can one unleash a punch with the power of a sharp blade.
"Interesting. Such strength is indeed not weak. If I had not reached the Supreme Spirit Realm, I would probably be evenly matched with him at the peak of the late Qi Refining stage."
Wang Hao murmured to himself, gaining a completely new understanding of Li Xu's strength. This person was hailed as a genius that only appeared once in a hundred years in Tianxing, and he was not just all show.
"Heaven's Heart Guides the Way!"
Wang Hao swung his sword, breaking Li Xu's fist force. Then, instead of retreating, he advanced and launched an attack on his opponent.
Inside the central secret chamber of the battle tower.
Yan Qin stared at the scene on the mirror and asked, "Sister Ran, when Li Xu was in the late stage of Qi Refining, what level of the Styx Fist Technique did he cultivate?"
“Nine punches,” Qingran said.
Yan Qin nodded and said, "How many punches do you think Wang Hao can withstand from Li Xu? If I remember correctly, Li Xu's phantom will dissipate after nine punches."
"I can't say for sure. Li Xu broke all the records of the past hundred years, whether in martial arts or breathing techniques..." Qingran stopped there.
Because almost everyone in Tianxing knew that this extraordinary talent from the Li family could overpower those of the same level, and even the disciples of the five major financial groups of the same era were overwhelmed by him.
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