The Deity's Strike

"Look over there." Taxisis stiffly raised a hand and pointed ahead.

Not far from the hut, a four- or five-story tower stood half-buried among the dunes. A faint silver glow flickered at its summit, like a beacon pointing the way.

"So... that was it?" Xia Fan showed a look of sudden realization.

"What is it?" Taxisis asked in confusion.

"You mentioned before that whether challengers succeeded in the Dragon-Climbing challenge or not, none of them ever left the tower unscathed. That meant the trial began very quickly, giving them practically no time to regret it." Xia Fan voiced his conjecture. "So the Dragon-Climbing Tower doesn't actually need to be climbed. The trial begins the moment one enters the stone hall."

Taxisis blinked. "Then what was my trial?"

"Most likely, the assassins sent by the Mage Tower."

"..." She froze. "That counts?"

"You can tell from its name that the Dragon-Climbing Tower can gather information about those who enter it on its own. As for the content of the trials... didn't past challengers say that every person faced a different ordeal? If you were already seriously wounded by a surprise attack, yet the Dragon-Climbing Tower still demanded that you complete another trial, that would be far too unreasonable." Xia Fan spoke with great conviction. "That also explains why the lights gradually went out. They were actually a countdown. Once the flames were extinguished, the challenge was declared over."

Taxisis said nothing. She felt that her thoughts could no longer keep up with the speed of this Easterner's reasoning.

"There are three possible outcomes. The first is dying halfway through, which means failure. The second is holding out until the lights burn out, yet failing to escape the danger, which is also failure. The last is completing the challenge before the light