"Ah.My head hurts" Ling Xuan woke up, clutching his head.
As he looked around he saw that he was currently in a carriage, yet the carriage was not moving instead it was at rest.
"So you've finally woken up eh?" A voice came from near Ling Xuan And he darted his eyes to see the individual.
It was a figure whose entire body was covered in a black robe. He was standing near Ling Xuan staring at him with no emotion.
"Who are you and where am I ?" Ling Xuan forced some words to come out of his mouth.
The figure looked at him, and spoke
"This is the site of the Disciple Selection, where you will be tested to see whether you can become either a favoured one among the sects or just a lowly outer disciple." Their voice was precise and cold like a machine.
"We are currently in one of the 4 designated areas for the test, Fort Shang Mei. Now get up and leave this carriage outside where your future is not here." The individual demanded.
Ling Xuan slowly stood up and walked out of the carriage, as he was leaving he stopped for a moment and asked the individual.
"Who was that?" He was indeed referring to Shang Zhang, an individual that had the power to shake the earth itself and reduce all noise to silence.
The individual didn't say anything. Seeing which Ling Xuan left, sighing.
As Ling Xuan went away, the individual muttered something before driving the carriage to some place else.
—--------------------------------------------------------
What Ling Xuan saw outside stunned him, instead of what he thought would eb a well built fort, what greeted him instead was an old decrepit structure. Its walls were covered with moss and it showcased rich flora everywhere.
"Fort Shang Mei, if I remember correctly, was one of the fortresses used during the rule of the Hau Dynasty and was abandoned after Old Xia rose to power. Yet who would've thought that this place which was believed to be a forgotten structure was actually the site of the Disciple Selections !" Ling Xuan remembered this structure's history from the books he had read.
He noticed that there were several other youths who were walking around the fort. Yet it seemed like there were very few of them which perplexed Ling Xuan.
"Senior Brother Ling Xuan !" A voice called out to Ling Xuan, who immediately found the caller. It was Xiao Kang !
He ran towards Ling Xuan and hugged him so tightly that Ling Xuan felt that his refined arms were starting to ache slowly.
"Senior Brother ! It has been a long time since we've seen each other and it looks like fate has bound us together !". Xiao Kang laughed happily.
"Xiao Kang, we've only been in the capital city for three days and yet you say that you haven't seen me for a long time?" Ling Xuan chuckled while analysing him as well.
As Ling Xuan looked at Xiao Kang he noticed several changes such as his previously black martial robe had been replaced for a mixture of green and white robe which strangely seemed to fit him very well. His hair which had previously been flowing down was now tied by a band.
Ling Xuan had also noticed that his strength had risen and he was probably in the Adept Rank now.
"Ah, apologies Senior Brother, it's just that ever since my brother and I had arrived in the capital we were very bored as in the Northern Sector no type of conflict is allowed." Xiao Kang scratched his head and laughed.
"I see, so what do you reckon we are supposed to do here?" Ling Xuab asked
Xiao Kang went silent for a moment and scoped with his eyes the surroundings before saying in a hushed tone.
"Senior, I have heard that the Disciple Selection will be personally overseen by the Great Dragon Generals !"
"Dragon Generals !" Ling Xuan was shocked.
The Dragon Generals were the individuals who were directly underneath the Dragon King and in power were equal to the Sect Masters. Which meant they were Grand Masters ! No they were beings who even among Grand Masters could be said to be powerful, after all why else would they be generals?
There were only 3 'known' Dragon Generals yet known was the keyword, according to what he heard when he was young in the Ling Clan, there were probably more than ten.
"When did you come to know of this ?" Ling Xuan asked as the cool wind blew his hair.
"Well, the driver of the carriage said it after some of us bribed him." Xiao Kang answered.
"Some?" Ling Xuan raised his eyebrows.
"Wait, did you not come along with others in a carriage?" Xiao Kang was surprised.
"Oh you mean that, hehe" Ling Xuan laughed awkwardly as he realised that he was the only from the Southern Sector to come to the Disciple Selections as all others were probably still unconscious after Shang Zhang's attack.
"Perhaps it could've been that you were the odd one as all the others were sorted into the other carriages leaving only a single carriage for a single person." Xiao Kang said, as he didn't know of what had happened in the Southern Sector.
"Yes it's probably that." Ling Xuan agreed as well, he didn't want to go through the hassle of explaining Shang Zhang.
BOOM
As they were about to converse further, a sudden boom erupted.
"What the !" Both Ling Xuan and Xiao Kang were shocked.
Dong !
Dong !
Dong !
The sounds were continuing to happen which confused Ling Xuan.
"What are these sounds?"
"These are the beats of a drum !" Xiao Kang realised and told Ling Xuan.
"What ! How do you know ?" The shocked Ling Xuan asked Xiao Kang.
"When I was young I had a passion for drums and used to play them all the time and I still do ! I still remember when m-" As Xiao Kang was about to speak further Ling Xuan interrupted him.
"Ok fine ! I understand but tell me do you know the reason for these drum beats ?" Ling Xuan didn't want to listen to Xiao Kang's reminiscing.
"These drum beats are for calling someone ! It seems that we have to go to the location of these beats and only then will the Selection start !" Xiao Kang informed Ling Xuan.
"If that is so then let's go !" Ling Xuan did not want to waste further time and so they began moving towards the source.
—-------------------------------------------
BOOM
BOOM
BOOM
As they walked to the source the drums kept getting louder, now they could hardly hear each other's voice.
Ling Xuan also noticed that more people began popping up all heading to the same direction he was going. This strengthened the reasoning that following the drums was the way.
"Even if someone does not know what the drumbeats signify, their innate curiosity will push them forward. This plan is truly genius !" Ling Xuan inwardly praised the overseer of the Selections.
Soon they were in front of a large field with a podium jutting out of the ground. On this podium was a drum which was being beaten.
Ling Xuan saw numerous individuals all his age stand in front of the podium with awe apparent in their eyes.
"Wait there is something other than awe, it's fear !" Ling Xuan realised but he still was not that shocked until he looked at the person who was playing the drum.
Ling Xuan's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
"Th-this is " Xiao Kang also realised the identity of the man.
Silky, black hair reached his knee. His muscles looked toned and not anything abnormal.
He was half naked with his upper abdomen reflecting the sunlight. This was the perfect human. This was the Dragon King, Xia Fugui !
He played the drum seamlessly, the sound had become so loud that the shockwaves were destroying the surface below his feet yet he didn't care he continued to beat it.
"Why is he here !" Ling Xuan was shocked after all in front of him stood the most powerful being in the world !
As time passed more individuals began to appear on the field and finally after forty minutes the drumming stopped.
Xia Fugui walked to the edge of the podium and waved his hand. Immediately twelve individuals wearing wooden masks appeared from somewhere.
"Anyone that faints in the next 5 seconds will be considered disqualified." Saying this Xia Fugui closed his eyes.
"1"
Suddenly a great pressure erupted from Xia Fugui completely eradicating the podium as well as sending everyone except the 12 who were near him flying in the air.
"Oh shit !" Ling Xuan screamed as he was thrown into the air.
"2"
The pressure then forced the ones in the air to get pushed to the ground. The ones whose body was refined to some greater degree survived this without a scratch which could not have been said for the others.
"Ahhhhhhh ! My hand !" Screams could be heard.
"3"
The earth in front of Xia Fugui was torn apart and rocks the size of the human hand were flung towards the youths. This resulted in the first unconscious person. Followed by several others all who were hit in the skull or other parts.
"This guy's insane ! More than five seconds have already passed and yet he is still attacking !" Ling Xuan clenched his teeth and blocked all incoming attacks.
"4"
Ling Xuan felt something pushing his back and before he could realise what was happening, he and the other youths were all being pushed closer to Xia Fugui !
"Wait, don't tell me he intends to !" Ling Xuan suddenly realised what Xia Fugui was doing.
"5"
The pressure that was pushing then stopped suddenly, causing almost everyone's spine to shatter.
"Rapid acceleration and deceleration!"
Xia Fugui looked at the youths for a moment before turning to the twelve figures.
"Now take out the disqualified" Saying this he vanished leaving sonic booms in his path.
Quickly the twelve figures moved along with a group of guards who none of the youths had noticed and swiftly carried away the disqualified who were still unconscious.
Yet Ling Xuan noticed that most of the ones who were unconscious were not taken away.
"This means that they actually took only the ones who had fallen unconscious during the first five seconds, which means that the rest of the moves performed by the king did not serve any actual meaning! Wait they must've had some reason, perhaps he was testing our talent!" Ling XIan deduced.
As the disqualified were moved away and the rest of the unconscious were waking up he still noticed that the twelve figures were still staring at them.
"Don't tell me that the Selection isn't over yet!"
Ling Xuan realised that this day was going to be a very long one.