Chapter 44 Entering The Sword Tower

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Elder David explained how things in the Sword Tower worked to Arthur and the rest.

"After you all enter the Sword Tower, you just have to walk into one of the opened rooms within and the test will begin," David said with a straight look.

"There are enough rooms to contain all of you, so you can all enter at once. Once the entrance to the room you enter is closed, you will find yourself in a circle."

"This circle is referred to as the Sword Ring as it is a battle ring where you will battle Sword Puppets, which will immediately appear."

Someone among the crowd raised his hand and asked, "Elder, are we allowed to use an outside source of strength like the treasures in our possession to assist us?"

David looked at the one who spoke and said, "No, you can not. Immediately any such treasure is used, you would be sent out of the tower."

"The Sword Tower is to test your ability to do battle, and any use of external sources of strength defeats that purpose."

The crowd nodded in understanding, with some of them looking anxious as they never had any good battle experience.

Arthur was confident of his strength in being able to surmount this challenge and do more.

'From the information I have of the Heavenly Sword Sect, it has been said that no one has ever been able to reach the highest floor, the 33rd Floor,' Arthur recalled what he knew of the sect.

'The highest a disciple had been able to reach was the 25th floor, and said disciple is currently the third disciple of the Sect Leader.'

Elder David continued speaking, "With that being said, your preferred weapon will be provided for you by the Tower when you enter, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Now the next thing you need to note is that you will all be tested according to your cultivation level so that you know that no one has any advantage here due to having a higher cultivation level."

"And finally, there will be a reward for the top ten persons that reached a higher floor than the rest. With the higher you rank, the greater the reward you will receive."

"Moreover, there will be an even more special reward if anyone manages to reach the 25th floor," David suddenly smiled.

Murmurs arose as the crowd was all fired up when they heard that they could be rewarded if they reached the top ten in this test.

"Hmmm, Elder I want to ask. What about going past the 25th floor?"

The sudden question quieted the crowd as everyone's interest was piqued.

"Yeah, what about reaching higher than that, what would the sect do then?"

David wanted to reply but Sophia spoke before he did.

"If anyone could go past the 25th floor, then that person will become one of the candidates for the position of the Heavenly Sword Sect's Prime Disciple."

In any sect, the Prime Disciple is the strongest disciple and also the next in line to be the sect leader. This was a great opportunity and many of them desired such an identity.

"But I will have you know that no one had gone past the 25th floor in the history of the sect," Sophia felt that it would remain the case for this generation too.

"Aside from that only one person had reached the 25th floor, and the rest all stopped at the 24th floor, so everyone should know their limits."

"After all, you can die from this test as this is not an illusion formation. All injuries sustained are real, so let me say it once more, know your limits," Sophia said with a serious expression and a somewhat cold tone

David looked at her from the corner of his eye and said nothing, only he thought in his heart.

'She still said it in the end...'

The crowd felt like cold water was poured upon them and their stirred-up hearts cooled down.

"Doesn't that mean that going past the 25th floor would be practically impossible for us?"

"That's right, I know I am not weak but I wouldn't count on surpassing what no one had ever done before."

Whatever confidence the crowd had was washed away as reality set in. Almost everyone removed the goal of reaching the 25th floor from their hearts...almost.

'I have to succeed!' Sun Wukong clenched his fist tightly as even if he didn't want to, he must reach the 25th floor.

"Hey, why so serious?" A voice said from behind Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong heard that voice and turned to see Arthur who had appeared by his side while the Elder was speaking.

"You are Invincible," Sun Wukong was surprised as he did not sense when Arthur appeared beside him.

'My senses are very keen, so how did he do it?' He wondered.

"Yes, I am. I saw you looking a bit moody and couldn't help but check out on a fellow disciple. What's wrong?" Arthur smiled.

"What?..." Sun Wukong didn't expect that and just answered.

"Um, I am not allowed to tell you the real reason but, I just have to reach the 25th floor no matter what. Only thing is, I don't know if I can do it," Sun Wukong said with a frown.

"Oh, is that it?" Arthur asked.

Sun Wukong was confused by such a response as Arthur's expression indicated that what he was worried about was not an issue.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Isn't it just the 25th floor? You can do it for sure. Even if you don't believe you can, I do," Arthur said with a grin and just walked away.

Sun Wukong stood there with a dumbfounded expression because he could see that Arthur spoke with confidence and he was not gaming it at all.

'He believes in me that much?'

Sun Wukong suddenly felt a bit more confident in his ability because of that, and he also recalled a certain memory.

"You are Sun Wukong, that name is all the strength you need," he muttered the last words he heard from his master who had disappeared a few years ago.

"I am Sun Wukong...I won't let you down, Master."

By this time Sophia had finished speaking and the door of the Sword Tower had been opened.

Everyone began to walk into the tower and as they were told when they entered it, they appeared in a round hall filled with an unknown number of rooms.

Under the instruction of the Elders, everyone picked a room and entered. Like and Arthur did too.

And so the test began...only...

"Why did you lie to them?" Elder David asked Sophia.

"I think it was best that way, what good would it do if they were afraid of death," Sophia replied.

David sighed, "I understand...you don't want to allow the past to repeat itself."

"Let's not dwell on that please."

David nodded and changed the topic, "Do you think any of them will be able to reach the 25th floor?"

"Hmm, I am not sure. Although I heard that there are a few good seedlings amongst them that I am sure someone will reach the 24th floor."

"I think so too."

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