Chapter 278: The "Earth Ranking" Artifact Spirit Clone
"Zhang Ruochen... isn't he that recently famous student from the Martial Market Academy? They say he's killed more than one Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artist, and he's also the secret disciple of the Silver Robe Elder Pavilion's Pavilion Master."
"I knew it. How could a young powerhouse appear out of nowhere? So it was him."
Xue Qingshan felt some regret. He shouldn't have underestimated Zhang Ruochen back then. If he had been more cautious, he would have surely guessed his identity.
Although Xue Qingshan had broken through the third level of the Nine Absolute Tower, his current strength was only enough to contend with the weakest of those Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artists.
But Zhang Ruochen could already kill a mid-stage Heavenly Extreme Realm powerhouse. How could the two be compared?
Xue Qingshan lifted his gaze toward Lei Jing, his heart trembling. "Could he be Zhang Ruochen's master, the Pavilion Master of the Silver Robe Elder Pavilion? Right, even the Silver Robe Elders bowed to him. That must be it."
Xue Qingshan quickly clasped his hands and bowed to Lei Jing, then immediately walked out of the speed testing chamber.
At the same time, Tu Jin seemed to recall something as well. With a look of reverence, he bowed to Lei Jing and followed Xue Qingshan out.
After everyone had left, Zhang Ruochen began his speed test.
The speed testing chamber was a massive circular space sixty meters in diameter. Formation inscriptions were laid out on the ground, capable of precisely recording a martial artist's maximum speed.
Zhang Ruochen stood at the starting line, channeling true qi into his legs and executing the Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow footwork. The true qi around his body condensed into a faint dragon shadow.
"Roar!"
With a low, resonant dragon roar, Zhang Ruochen burst forward, transforming into a series of afterimages.
Circling the circular space, he ran ten consecutive laps before stopping.
Lei Jing, standing nearby, nodded. "Your fastest burst speed was on the fourth lap, reaching two hundred and forty-six meters per second. Slightly inferior to Luo Shuihan. Of course, given your current martial cultivation level, having such speed is already astonishing enough."
"Once you reach the Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection, your speed should be able to break three hundred meters per second. As far as I know, even the top ten experts on the annual 'Earth Ranking' find it difficult to achieve a burst speed of three hundred meters per second."
Looking at Zhang Ruochen, Lei Jing couldn't help but marvel. That such a remarkable prodigy could emerge from the Demon Ridge was something he had never anticipated.
Zhang Ruochen was far more outstanding than he had imagined.
Next came the final round: combat testing, also the most crucial one.
Zhang Ruochen and Lei Jing arrived outside the combat testing chamber.
That Silver Robe Elder announced, "Based on the results of the first and second rounds, your opponents for the combat test will be arranged. Tu Jin, Xue Qingshan."
"Present!"
Tu Jin and Xue Qingshan stepped forward, arriving at the entrance to the combat testing chamber.
The Silver Robe Elder said, "Your overall strength is similar, roughly equivalent to a martial artist ranked ninety-seven thousandth on the 'Earth Ranking.' Now, you may choose the ranking you wish to challenge. Remember, you only have three chances. Finally, based on your best result, you will be given a ranking on the 'Earth Ranking.' If all three challenges fail, it proves you are not yet qualified to enter the 'Earth Ranking.'"
The data on strength and speed were only reference standards.
In actual combat, there were many uncertain factors: combat experience, sword dao realm, spiritual power, mindset, and so on. All these could affect the final test result.
Perhaps some martial artists with inferior overall data to Tu Jin and Xue Qingshan might rank far higher than them.
Thus, data could only be used for reference; combat ability was what truly mattered.
"Now, you may begin selecting your opponents," the Silver Robe Elder said.
Confident in his combat experience, Tu Jin said, "I want to challenge Zhao Wuyan, ranked ninety-four thousand two hundred seventy-first on the 'Earth Ranking.'"
Xue Qingshan said, "I want to challenge Xue Xiaoxian, ranked ninety-five thousand four hundred thirty-second on the 'Earth Ranking.'"
Clearly, before participating in the 'Earth Ranking' test, Tu Jin and Xue Qingshan had done their homework. They had reviewed the profiles of those experts on the 'Earth Ranking' and chosen opponents they were most likely to defeat.
After Tu Jin and Xue Qingshan entered the testing chamber, it wasn't long before they stumbled back out, bearing injuries and looking dejected.
Obviously, their first challenges had not succeeded.
After recovering from their injuries, they immediately began their second challenges.
Having experienced their first failure, they had to lower their expectations.
Tu Jin challenged an 'Earth Ranking' expert ranked ninety-seven thousand third.
Xue Qingshan challenged an 'Earth Ranking' expert ranked ninety-seven thousand four hundred fifty-ninth.
Half an hour later, both emerged again, wounded.
They had failed once more.
After this failure, they became even more cautious. If they failed the third challenge as well, it would mean their entire test was for nothing.
The next test would have to wait three months.
The 'Earth Ranking' was always updated once a quarter.
"I... I challenge Zuo Feng, ranked ninety-nine thousand four hundred fiftieth."
Tu Jin had lost some confidence, challenging a martial artist ranked very low on the 'Earth Ranking.'
Xue Qingshan, sweating profusely, kept flipping through the names on the 'Earth Ranking' before finally choosing one. "I challenge Qin Shuilan, ranked ninety-nine thousand six hundred forty-first on the 'Earth Ranking.'"
Tu Jin and Xue Qingshan entered the training chamber once more.
Luo Shuihan frowned slightly. "Tu Jin and Xue Qingshan are seasoned fighters, among the top young talents in the Demon Ridge. Yet they can't even defeat opponents of similar strength? The 'Earth Ranking' test really isn't that simple."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Who among those on the 'Earth Ranking' isn't a seasoned fighter?"
Lei Jing, standing nearby, reminded them, "Zhang Ruochen, Luo Shuihan, your talent is very high, but your age puts you at a significant disadvantage compared to those on the 'Earth Ranking.' So 'combat experience' is your weakness, and your 'mindset in battle' is certainly less steady than those martial artists who have lived for decades."
"Therefore, during your first challenge, try to challenge an 'Earth Ranking' martial artist weaker than your overall strength. If you win the first battle, your mindset will relax a lot. Carrying the momentum of victory, it will be easier to defeat opponents stronger than you."
"Tu Jin and Xue Qingshan lost their first battle, which made them anxious and restless in the next two. If your mindset is unstable, it's hard to achieve a good ranking."
"Thank you for the guidance, Pavilion Master," Zhang Ruochen and Luo Shuihan said simultaneously.
Another half hour passed. Tu Jin was the first to come out, wounded, with disheveled hair and a look of utter dejection. "How is this possible? How... how could I lose..."
Muttering to himself, he staggered out of the testing hall.
"Tu Jin actually failed," Zhang Ruochen said, frowning.
Luo Shuihan said, "The first two failures already shattered his confidence. Once confidence collapses, losing to someone weaker than yourself is only natural."
A moment later, Xue Qingshan emerged from the testing chamber, looking quite excited. He had barely managed to win, passing the third round of combat testing.
That Silver Robe Elder recorded Xue Qingshan's details in a brownish-yellow booklet. "Although you passed the three rounds, you only defeated a martial artist ranked ninety-nine thousand six hundred forty-first on the 'Earth Ranking.' Whether you make it onto the next edition of the 'Earth Ranking' remains uncertain."
Every time the ranking was updated, there were bound to be changes, especially among those near the bottom. Many would be pushed out.
Although Xue Qingshan had completed the three tests, he was only at the threshold of entering the ranking. If the next edition's competition was fierce, he might be pushed below the hundred thousandth place.
Upon learning that Tu Jin had failed, Xue Qingshan was already in a good mood. At least he had passed the test, proving he was stronger than Tu Jin.
Whether he could enter the 'Earth Ranking' would depend on luck.
After Xue Qingshan left, the Silver Robe Elder's gaze fell on Luo Shuihan and Zhang Ruochen. "Luo Shuihan, your overall test strength is equivalent to a martial artist ranked three thousand seven hundredth on the 'Earth Ranking.' Now, you can choose the ranking you wish to challenge based on your strength. Remember, you only have three chances."
Luo Shuihan thought for a moment. "I'll challenge that martial artist ranked three thousand seven hundredth on the 'Earth Ranking.' I want to know, with equal strength, can I defeat my opponent?"
The Silver Robe Elder nodded and opened the testing chamber.
After Luo Shuihan entered the testing chamber, the Silver Robe Elder immediately walked up to Lei Jing and bowed. "Pavilion Master, how should we arrange Zhang Ruochen's combat test?"
The Silver Robe Elder didn't know the results of Zhang Ruochen's first two rounds, so he naturally had to ask Lei Jing.
Lei Jing said, "I've already told Zhang Ruochen his position on the 'Earth Ranking.' You don't need to worry about it. Zhang Ruochen, do you remember what I just told you?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded.
"Then go in," Lei Jing said.
Zhang Ruochen entered the testing chamber, arriving in a vast space eighty meters long, sixty meters wide, and forty meters high.
"Swoosh!"
Golden characters appeared on the stone walls of the space.
Each line of golden text represented a martial artist on the 'Earth Ranking.'
At the top of those golden characters, two large golden words appeared:
Earth Ranking.
A deep voice sounded in the chamber. "I am the artifact spirit clone of the 'Earth Ranking.' Congratulations on passing the first two rounds. Now, you can tell me which martial artist on the Eastern Domain 'Earth Ranking' you wish to challenge."
It was said that the "Yellow Ranking," "Mysterious Ranking," "Earth Ranking," and "Heavenly Ranking" were all powerful sacred artifacts, possessing artifact spirits comparable to deities.
The artifact spirit of the "Earth Ranking" had condensed the battle wills of countless martial artists on the ranking from across the world. It even had independent thoughts and could split into countless "artifact spirit clones," spread throughout the world, managing the 'Earth Ranking' testing halls everywhere.