Chapter Twenty-Three: A Despairing Gap (Chapter Ten!)

A challenge?

Chen Fan was momentarily taken aback, then shook his head. “Sorry, I’m not interested.”

He had no need to break through his martial skills, nor any desire to spar with others, especially since this challenger looked fairly young. Chen Fan’s interest was minimal.

Having joined less than a year ago, Chen Fan held the right to refuse any disciple’s challenge.

Wan Qing gritted his teeth and said, “Chen Fan, my name is Wan Qing. I was originally slated to compete in the Hua Qing Pool challenge. You… stole my spot.”

Chen Fan was stunned for a moment before realization dawned. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, “I wonder what your current ranking is in the Illusory Realm…”

“Four hundred and fortieth…” Wan Qing replied, his voice tinged with disappointment. Despite using elixirs, he hadn’t broken through to the fifth level yet. And since weapons from outside were forbidden inside the Illusory Realm, his ranking had only improved slightly.

Chen Fan shook his head decisively. “It’s meaningless. You’re definitely no match for me. Don’t waste your time.”

Wan Qing’s rank was even lower than Chen Fan’s last standing, not to mention that Chen Fan had since broken through multiple levels.

Wan Qing’s face flushed red as he clenched his fists, a fierce sense of unwillingness rising in his heart.

Wan Tianbao glanced at Wan Qing with a complicated expression, then quickly said, “Junior Brother Chen, you’re still only around the four hundredth rank, and Wan Qing is not far behind you. If you truly believe your strength surpasses his, shouldn’t you show him clearly?”

Chen Fan chuckled softly, “I’m indeed ranked around four hundred now, but I haven’t even taken part in this assessment yet. Do you think I won’t improve in the next three months?”

Both men froze.

“Forget it. I was planning to participate in the Illusory Realm assessment anyway. Since you’ve sought me out, I’ll let you see… the gap between us!”

Chen Fan’s strength had improved considerably over this time—he had slain two sixth-level martial artists consecutively—and he was eager to see how far he could rise in the Illusion Hall rankings now.

Without hesitation, Chen Fan headed towards Illusory Plaza.

***

Upon Illusory Plaza, many were partaking in the assessment.

A youth clad in blue had just opened his eyes, his gaze shining brightly. This was Cha Wentong, one of the top five candidates this year and a disciple of the Star Cluster Tower.

After months of training, his strength approached the threshold of the Star Cluster Tower, though it still lagged behind Chen Fan’s.

At that moment, a companion pointed to the distance, “Who do you see over there?”

Cha Wentong paused slightly, “Chen Fan…”

“He’s come to challenge the Illusory Realm. I wonder how far he’ll climb this time. Should we stay and watch?”

A peculiar expression flickered across Cha Wentong’s normally calm face. Then, clenching his fist, he said, “Let’s stay a little longer.”

Chen Fan, now a rising star of the Martial Academy, was the focus of countless gazes. Yet he paid no mind to them, seizing the moment when a spot opened in Illusory Plaza to step forward and start his challenge.

Wan Qing and Wan Tianbao waited nearby, their expressions complicated.

“Could Chen Fan rise thirty? Fifty ranks more?”

If the difference were only around thirty ranks, external conditions might help bridge the gap. But if it was sixty, seventy, or even over a hundred, that was an enormous chasm.

***

Inside the Illusory Realm.

For this assessment, Chen Fan once again chose a sword.

“My three-foot sword has just broken through to the subtle level, yet it’s more powerful than the fully mastered Nine Yang Tyrant Tiger Fist. Long weapons inherently hold great advantage in combat. I wonder if I’ve reached the strength of a Moonlight Tower disciple now…”

From rank 400 forward, every bit of progress became exponentially more difficult.

There were over two hundred disciples in Moonlight Tower; the weakest was ranked around two hundred sixty or seventy.

Ninety percent of Moonlight Tower disciples were sixth-level martial artists, each stronger than the last, realms growing ever more formidable—some near unification.

Chen Fan had only recently broken into fifth-level martial arts. Though he had slain two sixth-level experts, he dared not claim his strength matched Moonlight Tower’s standard.

“Still, I’ve been too conspicuous lately; many eyes are on me. I should keep some tricks hidden. This assessment, I won’t use the second-level Origin Core.”

If Chen Fan were merely a disciple of Star Cluster Tower aiming for Moonlight Tower, he wouldn’t hold back, for hiding strength would bar him from entry.

But now that he had already joined Moonlight Tower early, it made sense to hold back a little.

The assessment began.

Chen Fan’s true skill had broken into the fifth level. His first opponent naturally rose to the fifth level as well.

Right from the start, he faced three fifth-level beasts.

Compared to three months ago, his strength had improved vastly—cultivation, martial skill, secret methods all enhanced.

He swung his long sword wildly; two or three strokes felled a fifth-level beast with ease.

The rest of the assessment was equally simple. In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he reached the threshold where he had been blocked twice before—

A sixth-level beast, accompanied by four fifth-level beasts.

At this moment, Chen Fan finally unleashed the first-level Origin Core burst.

He began by killing the weaker beasts first. His subtle footwork was as elusive as a phantom; a single sword slash cleaved through the air, killing a fifth-level beast.

Four beasts fell effortlessly.

In one-on-one combat, Chen Fan’s subtle-level three-foot sword technique was so swift that in fewer than dozens of moves, he slain the sixth-level beast!

Up to this point, Chen Fan was only slightly breathless.

“This is easy. Even without a powerful weapon, I can kill this beast effortlessly. Outside, with the power of the Dark Sword, I’m confident I could kill it within ten moves!”

This single sixth-level beast was already extremely strong. In Feiling County, any sixth-level guild leader or sect master would fall one by one before it.

But inside the Martial Academy, it was merely the last hurdle for fifth-level martial artists, and many fifth-levels could surpass it.

“Senior Brother Fan Zhong must have been at this level back then…”

Chen Fan’s eyes flickered as he recalled how Fan Zhong easily repelled Gao Yi, pondering deeply.

Reaching this level of strength at five levels was already extraordinary and rare within the academy.

After defeating this sixth-level beast, Chen Fan’s ranking rose to three hundred and sixtieth!

“Just a forty-rank improvement. It gets harder to climb as you go higher.”

Soon three sixth-level beasts appeared simultaneously, and Chen Fan felt the pressure mount.

Before the Origin Core burst from last time faded, he raised his sword and charged.

One-on-one, Chen Fan was confident to kill a sixth-level beast within dozens of moves, but three beasts together made the challenge exponentially harder.

Though he exerted great effort and spent another Origin Core, he finally slew all three sixth-level beasts!

His rank rose to around three hundred and twentieth, but he was already wounded from continuous battles.

Then five sixth-level beasts appeared before him.

Chen Fan felt the pressure double again. He gave his all, relying on his subtle-level perfected movement to dodge and weave.

After much effort and three successive Origin Core bursts, he wore down all five sixth-level beasts.

His rank reached two hundred and ninetieth!

Yet by now his injuries were severe.

“Sixth-level beasts are far stronger than fifth levels. Without using the second-level Origin Core, this is my limit…”

Ten sixth-level beasts appeared together, their threat level skyrocketing.

Moreover, these beasts weren’t foolishly attacking one by one to their deaths; they knew how to coordinate special combined attacks.

Chen Fan, at his last ounce of strength, managed to kill one more beast but ultimately suffered defeat.

He sighed helplessly.

“My cultivation is still too weak—I’ve only just entered fifth level martial arts. Without the Star Body Tempering Technique enhancing my physical strength, I wouldn’t have come this far…”

After completing their qi and blood cycle, sixth-level martial artists see a massive boost in physique, a gap immeasurable compared to before.

Chen Fan’s blood and qi advantage diminishes as he advances because those who reach this level have ever stronger foundations.

Especially those with blood physique, whose endurance rivals or even surpasses Chen Fan’s limits.

“If my movement technique reached unification, even ten sixth-level beasts wouldn’t threaten me. I could slay them at will. But sadly, I still fall short, unable to fully evade attacks from ten sixth-level beasts. If even one lands a hit, I suffer serious injury…”

Sixth-level beasts wield tremendous power.

Chen Fan also understood that even if he used the second-level Origin Core, it would be difficult to slay all ten beasts. Killing six or seven and climbing another twenty or thirty ranks would likely be his utmost limit.

His body was shredded by the beasts, and he returned to reality.

***

Meanwhile, a commotion rose upon Illusory Plaza.

Everyone gazed in astonishment at the Illusory Pot’s rankings, for just moments ago, Chen Fan’s name appeared on the Illusory Pot!

The Illusory Pot displayed only the top three hundred.

Though Chen Fan appeared at the very bottom of the list, ranking three hundredth, it was an astounding feat!

Wan Qing stared blankly at the rankings on the pot, his heart filled with despair.

“Two hundred and eightieth? Impossible…”

The last thread of courage to stand against Chen Fan vanished completely.

Breaking into the top four hundred was already difficult; to leap from four hundred and fortieth to under two hundred and ninetieth—a gap of over one hundred and fifty ranks—represented an abyssal difference in strength!

Such a gap rendered any challenge meaningless.

If only they knew Chen Fan hadn’t even used his full strength—what would they think then?

Wan Qing turned his head, unwilling to look at Chen Fan again. Summoning his last strength, he said, “Let’s… go.”