Chapter 1847: Saint Tower Battle
A thought stirred in Fang Chen's mind. The Saint Tower Battle seems less like a simple competition and more like a talent selection assessment.
He smiled. "Fang Han, tell me about this Saint Tower Battle in detail. Everyone's cultivation varies, so do they just enter the Saint Tower and engage in a direct free-for-all? If that's the case, wouldn't Half Saints completely dominate the battle inside?"
Fang Han explained, "Half Saints cannot participate. There are strict criteria for participating in the Saint Tower Battle, and one of them is that you must not have condensed an Inner Domain. Therefore, the maximum cultivation allowed is only the Third Step of the Limit Breaking Realm.
"Aside from that, once you enter the Saint Tower, you will only encounter opponents of the same rank. The Saint Tower Battle doesn't only have one winner. Instead, for every single realm, the strongest individual is selected to receive the reward. Actually, the purpose of our own Saint Tower is to hone the clansmen's combat strength to have better results in the Saint Tower Battle. If someone can achieve dazzling results in the Saint Tower Battle three times in a row, they stand a chance of being selected and nurtured by the Qingming Supreme Alliance."
Speaking up to this point, a touch of lamentation appeared in Fang Han's eyes. "This is the real reason why all the races in the Divine Realm flock to it every time the Saint Tower Battle occurs. Our race has broken free from being slave soldiers for countless years, and although we now have ten Saints presiding over us, not a single person has ever been selected by the Qingming Supreme Alliance."
Fang Han's words confirmed Fang Chen's suspicion. The Saint Tower Battle was indeed a method for the Qingming Supreme Alliance to select talent. However, it only happened once every five hundred years, and a person had to obtain dazzling results three times consecutively to be selected.
"In the vast Divine Realm, there are only ten locations like Dragon Holy City. This means that every five hundred years, only a hundred and fifty people will receive this kind of honor. The people who managed to do it three times were even fewer. In one thousand five hundred years, they probably only select fewer than a hundred outstanding talents.
Either the Qingming Supreme Alliance has an extremely low demand for talent and exceptionally high standards, or...the number of Divine Realms under its command is simply unimaginable...
Fang Chen sighed inwardly.
Seeing Fang Chen sink into silent contemplation, Fang Han continued, "Reasonably speaking, it is the younger generation who participate in the Saint Tower Battle. Even if they don't achieve a ranking, it serves as a form of honing and lays a foundation for their future path of cultivation. Since you are a Third Generation Ancestor, Ancestor Cangyou instructed me to come and ask you if you would be willing to head to the Saint Tower Battle. This battle carries the risk of falling. Even among the Third Step Limit Breaking experts of our clan, only Ancestor Qianxue has decided to participate in this battle. The ancestors at the First and Second Steps have all declined to participate, intending to take a more secure path."
Fang Chen's expression stirred. "How many people from our Fang clan intend to participate in this battle?"
Fang Han smiled sheepishly. "As of now, only two, Ancestor Qianxue and myself."
Looks like the risk of failure is high. Otherwise, with the Fang Clan's size—and having just gained a Saint's protection—it doesn't make sense for only two people to participate in the Saint Tower Battle. Then again... all the races in the Divine Realm will send out their experts. The Fang Clan isn't merely competing with fellow humans this time, but also with experts of other races. The foundations of those foreign races are easily far stronger than the human race....
After a moment of silence, Fang Chen asked, "How are the rewards distributed? There will be fifteen first-place winners at one time. If someone else takes the Flesh and Blood Dragon Ginseng I need, wouldn't I have made the trip for nothing?"
Fang Han explained, "You do not need to worry about this. Longsheng City has prepared at least fifteen copies of every single reward. If one can suppress all other races within the same rank to achieve first place, they will have the right to designate their reward."
He hesitated briefly before still offering a reminder, "Ancestor Chen, the human race has never once had a case of taking first place. Therefore, you should still consider it thoroughly before deciding whether or not to head out. My thoughts are that we could make a trade with whoever obtains the Flesh and Blood Dragon Ginseng at that time to swap it over."
"Can external forces be utilized in the Saint Tower Battle?"
"Naturally not. The Saint Tower Battle tests divine abilities. All external forces will be rendered invalid within it—unless one's strength can surpass the master of the Saint Tower...."
"One last question. Over the years, has anyone from the Asura Race ever been selected by the Qingming Supreme Alliance?"
The Human Race's power was limited. Among the major races currently known to them, the one they understood most deeply and which was the strongest was the Asura Race. As for the Flame Race, there was no need to even ask about them. They were almost definitely no different from the human race, with no possibility of anyone ever being selected by the Qingming Supreme Alliance.
Fang Han smiled. "According to the intelligence we gathered, they once produced a genius who obtained first place in the Saint Tower twice in a row. The first time was when he was at the Three Foundation Realms, and the second time was when he was at the Nine Transformations Realm. The third time he participated, he was already at the Third Step of Limit Breaking. That time, he suffered a terrible defeat, not even entering the top hundred."
He revealed, "You have actually met this individual before. It is precisely Saint Fatian from back then."
"As expected... even the Asura Race failed to produce a single genius capable of obtaining first place in the Saint Tower three times in a row."
Fang Chen fell into thought. Though I have never been defeated in battles of the same rank, my opponents have been limited to just a handful of races, rather than the powerful races of the Divine Realm during the Nether Ruins era. There is risk in me going. But if I don't go, I might just become a frog at the bottom of a well.
Fang Han asked, "Ancestor Chen, how have you considered it?"
Fang Chen smiled. "Let's go. We'll treat it as broadening our horizons."
Fang Han also nodded with a smile. "That's what I am thinking too. We will prioritize our own lives and safety, but it's a chance to exchange pointers with people of the same rank from other races. We can understand the gap between us better this way."
"When do we set out?"
"In a few more days. We will wait for Ancestor Qianxue's notification then, and we will travel together with the divine ability users of the Wandao Alliance."
Fang Chen nodded.
***
A few days later.
Instead of Fang Han visiting, it was Fang Ding who successfully broke through the limit and advanced to the First Step of Limit Breaking. Fang Chen went to the Saint Tower to watch the excitement. Countless people were congratulating Fang Ding. Those at the ninth transformation were watching Fang Ding with great envy and yearning. The number of ninth-transformation experts who could break into the Limit Breaking Realm was abysmally low.
Fang Han had arrived beside Fang Chen at some point. He sighed with admiration as he watched people crowd around Fang Ding. "Uncle Fang Ding has finally reached the Limit Breaking Realm."
Fang Chen smiled. "You will too sooner or later."
Fang Han didn't seem confident. He might have top-tier talent among the Fang Clan's younger generation, but when the time to make that leap came, he wasn't sure if he could."
He smiled. "Ancestor Chen, let us go. Ancestor Qianxue is waiting for us."
Fang Chen's expression stirred as he turned to look. He saw Fang Qianxue standing not far away, gazing at Fang Ding with a gratified look. Seeing Fang Chen look over, she turned her eyes toward him and nodded.
Fang Chen and Fang Han walked behind Fang Qianxue and followed her into the distance.
Fang Chen noticed another group of energetic young Fang Clan divine ability cultivators approaching from the opposite direction. Among them, three familiar figures caught his eye, leaving him genuinely surprised.