Chapter 181: Chapter 133: Niu Niu Shows Her Might
Not only Lin Chen, but many who ascended the Immortal Ascension Ladder realized it too late.
The reason Cao Zhi was panting from the start wasn’t due to lack of strength, but because he exerted himself too much at the beginning.
So, the people behind began to conserve their strength, slowing their pace and speed.
Daoist Zhang also told them that the academy’s admission test lasts for one day, so they could take their time.
Lin Chen lingered on the third step for thirty seconds before continuing to the fourth step.
The third step also had a Plowhorn Beast. Although its skill had mutated, it shattered with just a touch from Xiaobai.
On the fourth step, the Spirit Beast finally changed; it was no longer a Plowhorn Beast, but instead, a Burning Mountain Bull.
"Did I exploit a bug? This Path to Immortality might not detect what kind of Spirit Beast Xiaobai is."
Lin Chen’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
He speculated that the Demon Beasts he encountered might be related to his own Spirit Beast.
Xiaobai lingered for thirty seconds again, then continued upward.
...
Lin Chen’s speed was quite fast, immediately drawing attention.
Fame brings its own challenges, and naturally, it made others envious.
Currently, the sixth to tenth steps had the most people.
In just five minutes, Lin Chen set foot on the sixth step.
"No rush," someone whispered. "He’s using too much force up front, he’s sure to falter later."
Many nodded, watching Lin Chen expectantly.
But after Lin Chen and Xiaobai stepped into the sixth step, they only lingered for thirty seconds.
"Weak, too weak." This gave Lin Chen confidence.
Ignoring the latter stages, the first few were simply not challenging.
Lin Chen decided to speed up.
The next few steps varied in situation.
The first three steps had Plowhorn Beasts, the next three had Burning Mountain Bulls, and the following three had Earth-Sounding Oxen.
These were all Spirit Beast elements Xiaobai had in its bloodline before.
Finally, Lin Chen reached the ninth step in one go.
"Excuse me..." Lin Chen said.
There were so many people on the ninth step that it was almost full, and Lin Chen had to ask them to make way.
Lin Chen wondered why these people were climbing so slowly when the front was so easy.
Was the tenth step that difficult?
Lin Chen and Xiaobai stepped into the tenth step and saw three burly figures:
Plow Horn Beast King.
Burning Mountain Bull King.
Earth-Sounding Ox King.
Level:
21.
"...."
Lin Chen grimaced, finally sobering up.
Did the difficulty have to spike so suddenly?
"Xiaobai, go!" Lin Chen shouted.
Xiaobai roared, transforming into a Kui Spirit Beast, and lunged forward.
....
"He should have stopped by now."
Those over ten stories up might not have been paying much attention to Lin Chen.
But those below the tenth floor hoped Lin Chen would stop here.
The Plowhorn Beast had climbed so many steps already...
Give them a break.
Daoist Zhang didn’t pay much notice to Lin Chen either. As an examiner for the academy’s admission, he had seen many geniuses, and Lin Chen’s speed was ordinary in his view.
The tenth step was a turning point, representing one’s combat power.
The students who could reach this point and pass the tenth step should be quite ordinary.
This time, Lin Chen and Xiaobai stood one foot on the step for a full minute.
Then Lin Chen opened his eyes.
"Withdraw, withdraw, withdraw~~"
Countless people hoped so in their hearts.
But they were disappointed; Lin Chen didn’t retreat but advanced, stepping onto the tenth step.
This moment energized those people...
If the Plowhorn Beast could reach the tenth step, they couldn’t slack off.
Having stepped onto the tenth step, Lin Chen recalled the intense battle just now...
The opponents were indeed strong, and their skills had mutated.
But unfortunately, Xiaobai had long surpassed this level, not even needing to use Thousand Shadows Unification; just using a Combined Skill solved it easily.
"Can you still fight?" Lin Chen asked Xiaobai.
"Moo~~"
Xiaobai nodded.
Just warming up, how could it be over?
In your heart, is Niu Niu that incapable?
Hearing their conversation, the people on the tenth step squinted their eyes...
Just warming up after reaching the tenth step?
What was this ox showing off about?
....
Soon, they realized, Niu Niu wasn’t lying.
Seemingly invigorated by the Three Great Beast Kings, it pushed its way rapidly to the nineteenth step.
By that time, there weren’t many people in front, about twenty people above the twentieth step.
And there were twenty people on the nineteenth step.
Seeing Lin Chen reach the nineteenth step, those hoping for Lin Chen to "fail" finally gave up hope.
Best climb the steps diligently themselves...
"Excuse me... May I?" Lin Chen asked.
The twenty people looked at Lin Chen and Xiaobai, thinking, buddy, aren’t you going to rest?
How about considering the feelings of others present?
Without any pause, Lin Chen and Xiaobai walked from the nineteenth to the twentieth step.
From the eleventh to the nineteenth steps, there were no more Ox-Type Spirit Beasts; they were replaced by a variety of other Spirit Beasts, most of which were Spirit Transformation level.
Some were plentiful, with seven or eight.
Others were only four or five, but powerful.
As Lin Chen stepped onto the twentieth step, he saw only one Demon Beast.
Though a Demon Beast, it could walk upright and held a giant oval axe, all dusty black...
"Bull Demon King?" Lin Chen was stunned.
What a random inclusion was this?
Wait a minute.
This Demon Beast didn’t secretly use my memory, did it?
Lin Chen patted his head and said to Xiaobai, "Go."
He wasn’t intimidated; even if it were the Bull Demon King, it was still the young Bull Demon King.
After all, its level was just 22.
Xiaobai transformed again and charged forward.
The Bull Demon King was formidable, withstanding the Soul-Calming Hoof, finally forcing Xiaobai to use Thousand Shadows Unification.
Lin Chen’s gaze grew expectant.
Even though this was an Illusion Realm, it still counted as actual combat.
He was eager to witness the power of Thousand Shadows Unification.
"Moo!"
Accompanied by Xiaobai’s furious roar, it started running swiftly, beginning with One Qi Transforming Four Bulls...
Five Bulls
Six Bulls
...
Twelve Bulls
With Xiaobai’s speed increasing, each Residual Shadow merged back into Xiaobai.
Xiaobai collided, snapping the Bull Demon King’s axe, splitting its body in half.
"Fake..."
Lin Chen immediately knew the Bull Demon King’s authenticity.
The Bull Demon King in Journey to the West had way more power, at least its weapon was an Immortal Artifact.
Path to Immortality, you stole my memory, and even the duplicated character didn’t match up.
Lin Chen opened his eyes and stepped into the twentieth step.
At this moment, nearly half of those present watched him in disbelief.
Lin Chen was inside for just twenty seconds...
Was it done?
That was fast.
Someone skeptically eyed their nineteenth step, finally mustered courage, and stepped in again.
Yet this time, only three seconds in, with Spirit Beast legs trembling, they retreated.
...
At this point, Lin Chen showed no sign of stopping, continuing towards the twenty-first step.
By now, he had finally entered Daoist Zhang’s line of sight.
Usually, crossing twenty steps meets the Spirit Academy’s baseline.
Lin Chen achieved this leaning solely on the Plowhorn Beast.
Daoist Zhang glanced at the roster, which read:
[Lin Chen]
[Jiuxing City]
[Spirit Ruins Ox]
"A variant?" Daoist Zhang wondered, "But it shouldn’t be, since the Spirit Ruins Ox’s direct capability isn’t strong?"