"It's the Earth-shattering Drum."
Numerous disciples stared at a gigantic drum in the sky which had a radius of about 33 feet. This huge drum was crafted with the skin of Tier Five demonic beasts, and the sound of it could travel across a distance of more than 15 miles.
The Sky Cloud Sect's disciples would gather at the Sky Cloud Square whenever they heard the sound of this drum, except those who were undergoing Isolated Cultivation; they were not allowed to come over.
Once the drum had sounded nine times, the entire square became quiet as many disciples continued to rush there. In the blink of an eye, there were more than 30,000 people in the square.
At that moment, around thirty Powerhouses shot out from the depths of the Sky Cloud Sect. Li Lingtian was secretly shaken when he felt their powerful vigor. Every single Warrior Spirit Powerhouse had achieved a Tier Five Warrior Spirit.
The thirty Warrior Spirit Powerhouses approached the tall platform and stood on top of it. Following that, twelve silhouettes fluttered over before everyone realized that they were all Tier Nine Warrior Spirit Powerhouses.
Once the Tier Nine Warrior Spirit Powerhouses had arrived, four elders who were about fifty years old flew over as well. The powerful Qi that was emitted from the elders' bodies produced such intense and endless pressure that gave people an oppressed feeling.
"Warrior King Powerhouses. They're really Warrior King Powerhouses."
Deep down, Li Lingtian was incredibly shocked. Since Warrior Spirit Powerhouses were already extremely strong, he had never imagined that four Warrior King Powerhouses would appear as well. Warrior Kings were certainly mighty existences.
It seemed like the sect had placed a lot of importance on the tournament this time because they had brought out their Warrior King Powerhouses. Naturally, this was done to ensure that everything was fair when they were examining the disciples below them. For the sake of the sect, they could not allow any Geniuses to be overlooked.
"I, Long Tian, am the organizer of this tournament. I swear that I will judge this tournament in a fair and impartial manner.
"Elder Zhang Ling, Elder Qin Tian, Elder Ge Mu, and Elder Bai Shui will examine and supervise you together as well."
Once all the Powerhouses on the platform had sat down, a Tier Nine Warrior Spirit Powerhouse in the middle stood up and announced loudly. Being a Tier Nine Warrior Spirit Powerhouse, his voice echoed throughout the entire square.
"The tournament will be split into four stages. Warriors who are Tier Five and below will join the first stage, while those who are Tier Six to Tier Eight will join the second stage. Next, Tier Nine Warriors will join the third stage while Warrior Spirit disciples will join the fourth stage.
"The top ten individuals in each stage will then be allowed to join the next stage's tournament to compete to win a spot among the top hundred in the end.
"An abundance of prizes are in store for the top hundred disciples, and the top fifty disciples at every stage will also be awarded. Registration starts now."
Long Tian spoke loudly and clearly as he repeated the tournament rules again. All the disciples were extremely shocked because they had never imagined for the format of the tournament to be different this time.
As soon as Long Tian had finished making his announcement, the disciples below started to register themselves at the respective areas, according to their stages. Their cultivation level and status would be checked during registration to prevent Tier Nine Warriors from going to lower stages. Otherwise, it would be unfair for the others.
"Senior Brother Li, we've finally found you."
A crisp voice rang out before a sweet aroma instantly drifted over. When Li Lingtian turned around to look, he realized that Xue Da, Shangguan Linger, and Cheng Yun had arrived.
"Aren't you three going to line up for the tournament?"
Li Lingtian glanced at the trio before he quietly asked.
"Of course we're going to register for it. It doesn't matter whether we win or lose because we get to compete with all these Powerhouses this time. We'd never let such a good opportunity slip away."
Xue Da spoke loudly. Since he had received Li Lingtian's peerless Vitality Pill, he had managed to cultivate himself and progress from a Tier Five peak Warrior to a Tier Six peak perfection.
Cheng Yun had also reached Tier Six perfection while Shangguan Linger had made the best progress out of all three of them. She was previously at Tier Four, but she was now at Tier Five peak Warrior perfection. Since she was already at Tier Five, it was extremely likely that she was in a more advantageous position than Cheng Yun and Xue Da. After all, everything was due to the difference between their tiers.
"Aren't you going to register? Why are you here? You're supposed to register over there."
Shangguan Linger pointed at the area for the disciples in the second stage to register. Obviously, she was unaware that Li Lingtian had already achieved Tier Nine Warrior perfection. As such, Li Lingtian was currently standing at the area for the third stage.
"I'm entering for the third stage of the tournament, so why would I go there?"
Li Lingtian smiled before he spoke indifferently. He had always gotten along well with his three friends.
"The third stage is for Tier Nine Warriors."
"You… Unless you're at Tier Nine?"
"That's impossible. You were only a Tier Three Warrior when I first met you, and only a few months have passed since then. Oh my god, don't you scare me!"
All three of them were completely stunned because Li Lingtian had managed to advance by six tiers in less than a year. Was he defying the natural order, or were the rest of them clearly too weak?
"But it's only Tier Nine."
Li Lingtian kept saying these ridiculous things with a straight face. Despite that he had advanced by six tiers in half a year, he was still acting so calmly. At this point, he was a terrifying threat to the rest of them.
He had achieved Tier Nine peak Warrior perfection, but he could continue progressing to other states if he had not reached his limit. Furthermore, he did not spend much time cultivating because most of his time was spent on refining pills.
The other people looked dejected as this news had certainly traumatized them.
"Brother Lingtian, you're here."
While the others were stunned, a sweet voice rang out and Li Lingtian could instantly feel that numerous stern gazes were fixed on him. However, a sense of helplessness stirred in his heart.
This voice was extremely familiar because it belonged to his fiancee, Tang Zimeng, who was an exceptionally beautiful young woman. Numerous disciples in the Sky Cloud Sect who had nothing better to do had nicknamed her the "Unique and Talented Beauty". She was also known as a goddess throughout the Sky Cloud Sect.
Many disciples secretly desired her as their partner because she was a goddess in their hearts.
Wherever she went, Tang Zimeng would always be accompanied by a large group of followers. Now that Tang Zimeng was with Li Lingtian, he naturally became the center of attention as well. It was impossible for him to have any peace and quiet.
"Goddess, my name is Cheng Yun."
Bang!
"You're heartless. How could you abandon your friends for a chick? I hope you receive divine punishment!"
A perverted look appeared on Cheng Yun's face when he saw Tang Zimeng. He wanted to approach the beautiful woman, but somebody kicked him and caused him to fall on the ground painfully just as he was done speaking.
Cheng Yun noisily cursed under his breath before he finally returned to his senses and crawled up.
"Junior Sister, my name is Xue Da."
Bang!
"Dear God, please send down a lightning bolt and burn this pervert to a crisp."
A good-natured look appeared on Xue Da's face while he disdainfully looked at Cheng Yun who was on the ground in the distance. As he was about to approach Tang Zimeng, he was sent flying up into the sky and crashed on the ground instead.
"Hurry up and register yourselves."
Li Lingtian glared briefly at both of them before he turned around and looked at Tang Zimeng. Although they had not seen each other for only a few months, she looked much prettier and cuter than before.
"Senior Brother Li, I'm going to register too."
Upon noticing Tang Zimeng's unique and gorgeous appearance, Shangguan Linger could not stop the ache from stirring in her heart. Moments later, the young Tang Zimeng turned to Li Lingtian and piped up.
"Brother Li, who is this Senior Sister?"
Tang Zimeng pursed her bright little red lips when she asked that question. She hung onto Li Lingtian's arm as she glanced at Shangguan Linger in the distance.
Her actions had instantly attracted numerous people to stare daggers at Li Lingtian. If looks could kill, he would have been murdered at least ten thousand times already. The Sky Cloud Sect's disciples had secretly thought of Tang Zimeng as their goddess, but they never had the chance to speak to her on a normal basis. So when they saw her clutching a normal disciple's arm in an intimate manner, they felt an impulse to rush over immediately.
"Well, she's my Junior Sister whom I met some time ago."
Li Lingtian spoke indifferently, ignoring all the murderous gazes that were fixed on him. Then, he started to line up at the third stage with the other Tier Nine disciples. There were more than ten thousand disciples in the Sky Cloud Sect, and more than two thousand of them were Tier Nine disciples.
"Oh, you're standing at the wrong place, Brother Lingtian."
Tang Zimeng faintly tugged at Li Lingtian as she spoke gently. Li Lingtian was at Tier Six the last time she saw him, so she could not help herself from feeling shocked now. Naturally, she could not believe that Li Lingtian was at Tier Nine.
"No, I'm not standing at the wrong place."
Li Lingtian smiled. He could not be happier with his fiancee, Tang Zimeng. All the disciples in the Sky Cloud Sect thought of her as their goddess, but she had been pledged to marry Li Lingtian ever since they were children.
If Tang Zimeng had been in his previous life, she would have been a peerless beauty such that all of the other gorgeous women would surely pale in comparison.
"The Tier Nine Warriors are the only ones who can register for the tournament here.
"Brother Lingtian, are you… Could it be that you're a Tier Nine Warrior now?"
Tang Zimeng's spirited pupils darted around before she looked at Li Lingtian in disbelief. She would not have dared to believe him even if she was beaten to death.
"Yes, you're right. I'm a Tier Nine Warrior now."
As his cultivation level grew higher, it would be harder for people to tell. Even a Warrior Spirit Powerhouse would fail to determine the true state of his current cultivation level.
Tang Zimeng looked dumbfounded, but a delighted look replaced her expression after that. Her heart was filled with excitement as though she was the one who was a Tier Nine Warrior. Later, Tang Zimeng constantly remained by Li Lingtian's side, accompanying him as he went to line up and register himself. Nonetheless, she did not want to participate in the tournament. It was impossible for her to compete against the Tier Eight disciples when she had only reached Tier Six peak.
"State your cultivation level and your name."
Two Tier Five Warrior Spirit Powerhouses were carrying out the registration for the third stage. They barked those orders indifferently as they saw Li Lingtian walking over.
"Tier Nine Warrior, Li Lingtian." Once he had finished speaking, Li Lingtian extended one hand and stretched it toward the crystal before him. After that, his name, status, cultivation level, and other information appeared there.
"Hmm, a fifteen-year-old Tier Nine Warrior."
The Warrior Spirit Powerhouse who was responsible for the registration let out a shocked cry; a fifteen-year-old disciple was a Tier Nine Warrior! The Powerhouse was also incredibly surprised because the young man was no less a peripheral disciple.
All the other Genius disciples only managed to become Tier Nine Warriors when they were at least twenty years old. Furthermore, they had also relied on countless other resources to climb up. Deep down, the Powerhouse was stunned by this young man.
"Alright, here's your plaque. Good luck."
The Warrior Spirit Powerhouse who was carrying out the registration glanced happily at Li Lingtian before he passed a plaque to him soon after that. Suddenly, all the other disciples around them glanced unconsciously at Li Lingtian a few more times. This was the first time that the person at the registration area had wished a disciple good luck. This meant that he had high hopes for Li Lingtian.