It was now Long Jiuyyao and his sister's turn to step forward and beat the drums. The two strolled out and climbed the ancient path one step at a time!
The two of them lined up side by side, each taking a position before one of the war drums.
"Brother, want to see who does better?"
Yuan Xin turned to look at Long Jiuyyao with a challenging expression. He could only shake his head and smile wryly. This Wild Girl was still thinking about competing with him at a time like this!
"Sure! Whoever loses has to do one thing the other asks."
"No problem!"
Yuan Xin agreed readily. She hadn't even considered what Long Jiuyyao might ask her to do, because she didn't think she could lose to him!
All ten people in Long Jiuyyao's row struck the drums at the same time. In an instant, all ten Giant Drums boomed!
The turbulent air currents swept across the world. Long Jiuyyao had immense physical strength, and the punch he threw was terrifying. His war drum rang out nine times in succession. Yet no one was paying attention to him now. After all, nine strikes were only the entry-level mark!
By contrast, quite a few eyes had gathered on Yuan Xin. She was youthful and beautiful, with the lively charm of a young girl and peerless looks. On top of that, she was the Patriarch's daughter.
Before long, Yuan Xin had struck the drum sixteen times, drawing quite a bit of attention for the moment. But it was clear that her breathing had grown unsteady, and she stopped striking the drum. It seemed sixteen strikes were her limit.
Long Jiuyyao had already struck the drum fifteen times, but he noticed that everyone else in his row had left the drum platform.
Long Jiuyyao threw his next punch at the war drum!
It was already his sixteenth strike. The force one had to withstand increased with every strike, and it was no longer as simple as before! Only someone who had experienced it firsthand could understand how terrifying that power was!
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Three more synchronized booms rang out: nineteen strikes!
Long Jiuyyao was now the only one left on the entire ancient path still striking a war drum.
Nineteen strikes was an astonishing result! Tai Feichen had managed only nineteen himself, and Long Jiuyyao had now reached the same level!
The Clan Elders couldn't help but look his way. It wasn't just because of his score of nineteen strikes, but also because of his background—a secret known only to the Clan Elders and a handful of influential clan members.
Even Tai Feichen and the others turned their attention to him. Tai Feichen's expression was dark. He had thought he would make a stunning debut and shake the world, but only after joining the competition had he realized there were plenty of people in the clan who were no weaker than him.
As Long Jiuyyao struck the drum for the nineteenth time, a faint Dark Gold Radiance spread across the surface of his skin.
"Boom!"
Just as they were still reeling in shock, the sound of a war drum rang across the sky, making their hearts leap again. Twenty strikes!
Ji Xian's gaze shot straight toward Long Jiuyyao. He hadn't paid him much attention before. Nineteen strikes meant he was still a little behind Ji Xian, so there was no need to be overly concerned.
But now Long Jiuyyao had also reached twenty strikes. Ji Xian had experienced it himself and knew just how powerful the force returned by the drum was at the twentieth strike!
It was roughly equivalent to a full-strength blow from a late-stage Origin Core Realm expert.
Long Jiuyyao could withstand the attacks because his bones were Ancient Dragon Bone, naturally extremely tough. He had also tempered his body at Long Chongshan and possessed strong recuperative abilities.
The war drum's attacks were terrifying, but they still weren't enough to cripple Long Jiuyyao's body with a single blow. As long as he wasn't killed in one hit, his body could recover quickly!
"Boom!"
Twenty-one strikes.
Liu Qing was also looking over. A smile curled at the corner of his mouth, as though he found the situation rather interesting!
The Dark Gold Radiance on Long Jiuyyao's body now shone brilliantly, like a blazing sun.
"Boom!"
Twenty-two strikes!
The crowd was stunned once more. Among these hundred people, that result was enough to put him head and shoulders above the rest!
Long Jiuyyao looked down the ancient path. At that moment, the young man's sharp spirit was on full display!
Long Jiuyyao turned around, his black robes billowing. Vast Yin Sha Power surged from his body and gathered on his index finger. He suddenly thrust it forward!
Below the ancient path, the Dragon Clan Elders cried out in shock. "That's Blood Yin Sha Qi! This kid actually dares to absorb such extreme Yin Sha energy to cultivate in the Earth Origin Realm."
"Black Obsidian Dragon Finger."
"Boom!"
The war drum sounded in response, bringing his total to twenty-three strikes!
This man, whose cultivation was only at the late stage of the Earth Origin Realm, had ultimately achieved a score on par with Liu Qing!
After striking the drum for the twenty-third time, Long Jiuyyao seemed to have run out of strength. He leaped backward and landed below the platform!
Yuan Xin stared at Long Jiuyyao in shock. She knew his physical body was powerful and bolstered by Ancient Dragon Bone, but he was only at the late stage of the Earth Origin Realm.
"This man is called Long Jiuyyao. The Patriarch took him in as an adopted son three months ago. He's at the late stage of the Earth Origin Realm," people said among themselves.
"Gasp! The Patriarch's son is only at the Earth Origin Realm, yet he struck the drum twenty-three times. In the Dragon Clan, that kind of talent must be in a league of his own!"
With everyone watching him, Long Jiuyyao continued along the ancient path. He had caused too much of a stir!
By now, there weren't many people left who hadn't beaten the war drums. Almost a whole day had passed. Those who had passed continued along the ancient path, while those who hadn't could only leave in dejection.
The crowd moved forward along the ancient path, filling the wide corridor shoulder to shoulder. Long Jiuyyao got to enjoy what it felt like to be the center of attention.
The Drum Beating trial had eliminated dozens of people outright. Fewer than fifty remained! The brutal nature of the clan competition was plain to see here!
Now that the Drum Beating trial was over, the next one would be even more difficult and dangerous. Everyone had to face it: the Life and Death Heavenly Ladder!
The Life and Death Heavenly Ladder was as wide as the ancient path and stretched for three thousand zhang. It could hold a hundred people at once!
However, everyone had to rush across the Life and Death Heavenly Ladder at the same time, which made it far from easy. The slightest misstep could send someone flying off and cost them their place in the competition.
The crowd watched as Great Elder Tian Sha flew through the air and landed directly at the far end of the Life and Death Heavenly Ladder, before an Ancient Palace. He opened its doors!
Great Elder Tian Sha looked ahead. By now, everyone who remained had gathered before the Life and Death Heavenly Ladder. They stood facing it. Three thousand zhang seemed like a short distance, but few were destined to make it across.
Great Elder Tian Sha lit a stick of incense. It was neither long nor thick and would burn down in at most a hundred breaths!
Clearly, the participants had to cross the Life and Death Heavenly Ladder before the incense burned out.
But with so many people moving at once, crossing would be no easy task. They would have to clear every obstacle in front of them, and everyone would attack at the same time. The scene was bound to be chaotic, and that was when the strongest would stand out!
"The incense is burning. Anyone who hasn't crossed the ladder before it burns out will be eliminated!"
Great Elder Tian Sha said calmly, "Begin!"
"Charge!"
Long Jiuyyao shouted. Dark Gold Radiance flared around him, pressing down on those nearby. He used the opening to rush through the crowd and take the lead.
Everyone surged forward at once, racing for the path like lightning!
The ladder was wide, and Long Jiuyyao couldn't hold back everyone. Plenty of people still rushed ahead of him. Liu Qing, Tai Feichen, Ji Xian, and the Yan Shan brothers were all unwilling to fall behind!
Some even unleashed terrifying attacks on the ladder, hoping to knock others off so they'd face less competition later!
There was only one word for the scene now: chaos!
After several screams, more people were blasted off the Life and Death Heavenly Ladder and eliminated. Of course, no one would lose their life in the clan competition. They were all descendants of the clan, but injuries were unavoidable.
Long Jiuyyao charged through dozens of people. Extreme Yin Sha Yuan Power burst from his palm, making the limbs of everyone around him stiffen slightly. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a terrifying attack comparable to one from a Heaven Origin Realm expert!
Those on the Life and Death Heavenly Ladder were just as unwilling to give in. They launched fierce attacks at everyone around them, and brilliant waves of Yuan Power lit up the area.
Among the crowd, those with weak cultivation and combat strength were nothing but cannon fodder under this onslaught!
"Boom!"
Just then, an immensely powerful force erupted from one side of the Life and Death Heavenly Ladder. Its terrifying might sent everyone nearby tumbling off the ladder and into the boundless sea of clouds below!
"It's Liu Qing!"
Someone cried out. The one who had unleashed that astonishing power was none other than Liu Qing.
Liu Qing was now shrouded in endless green light. He was like a raging dragon, his aura exploding with fury as he sent everyone blocking his path flying. No one could withstand even one of his blows!
Though most of those he had sent flying were at the Heaven Origin Realm and weren't among the strongest in this clan competition, they had still passed the first trial. Yet before Liu Qing, they were as helpless and weak as lambs. This was enough to show how powerful he was!
Liu Qing stood alone and had no one to hold him back. He attacked without the slightest restraint!
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