"Let's not think about it too much for now. We need to enter the core area first to have a chance to change anything," Cang Yin said.
Perhaps...
Through one of these cycles.
They could change the fate of the Langya Sect.
And at the same time, change the fate of these demonic beasts?
Before.
No one had ever achieved such a thing.
But this time.
Cang Yin inexplicably felt.
With Li Shuang present, they might just be able to do it.
"Let's go. Continue," Li Shuang's voice was exceptionally calm.
Her pupils were serene, but within the Sword Dao Space, Lili shivered involuntarily.
As a sword spirit connected to Li Shuang's heart, no one understood Li Shuang better than her.
A sleeping volcano resided deep within Li Shuang's heart, awaiting the right moment to erupt completely.
When half an hour was almost up, Li Shuang still waited with the others at the entrance of the disciples' dormitory.
In her senses, the true spirit representing Lin An never appeared.
This showed.
Lin An was indeed helping them.
Lin An didn't mind Li Shuang and the others' caution.
He didn't need reckless allies either. Trust always built up slowly.
During the second cycle, the strength of the demonic beasts slightly increased, and so did the points for hunting them.
After one night, Li Shuang alone accumulated over a hundred points, and everyone else also gained something.
The next day.
Lin An reissued tasks.
The few tasks he issued were all related to the places they had previously mentioned.
In fact.
One of the tasks even directly specified that they should go to the Scripture Pavilion to find a particular book.
Lin An had already begun to guide them in finding the truth within his capabilities.
Li Shuang, on the other hand, came to Langya Palace again.
Her expression was solemn.
One cycle lasted only three days.
Today was already the second day.
The third day was the day of ascension, and on that day, the positions of the people in Langya Palace would not change.
If she wanted to go to the second floor, she had to accumulate enough points on the second day.
And her current points barely exceeded three hundred.
To accumulate a thousand points.
Her ranking had to be first!
Even second place wouldn't be enough.
Otherwise.
She would have to wait for the next cycle.
Li Shuang recalled the top-ranked person from their group yesterday.
"Langya Sect Disciple: Yan Tie."
That was the name of the top-ranked person.
"Alright, now for the shift change."
The group of refiners who worked the night shift stepped down, and Li Shuang and the others quickly took their places.
On the leaderboard, names quickly appeared one by one.
This Yan Tie, once again, swiftly reached the top.
This time.
Li Shuang was much more skilled than yesterday, and her name also quickly climbed up.
She stablezed her rank after reaching the top ten.
But.
A mere top ten.
This was not enough!
Except for the first place, everyone else in the top ten only received 200 points.
Even if she worked hard for another night, she would only gain over a hundred more points.
Adding to what she had before, it would only be around six hundred points.
This speed of accumulating points was already very fast.
But.
It still wasn't enough.
Li Shuang desperately tried to catch up, her hands striking with a unique rhythm.
Her consciousness seemed to be split into two.
One half was responsible for this side, the other for that side.
Her two hands busied themselves independently, yet without the slightest disorder.
Every minute, every second, her refining proficiency increased. Lumps of spirit marrow were extracted, and Li Shuang converted all of them into value points.
Now.
Her accumulated value points successfully exceeded fifty thousand.
An hour later.
Li Shuang's ranking had slowly risen to fifth.
The top five all had their own unique techniques, and Li Shuang found it exceedingly difficult to catch up.
Just fifth. This was not enough.
She could be faster!
Faster!
Li Shuang's focus was pushed to its extreme.
Amidst the repeated, monotonous strikes, her breathing naturally changed.
Li Shuang suddenly realized something!
The Heaven and Earth Furnace taught her a unique breathing method, allowing her to connect more intimately with all things.
This breathing method was a unified technique.
But all things, however, had their own unique auras.
If a person understood an item sufficiently, they could perceive the unique 'qi' contained within that item.
By sensing this 'qi', they could then adjust their own breathing.
This was the true, high-tier breathing method!
Prior to this, what she had exchanged from the furnace was only a mid-tier breathing method.
Now.
Li Shuang, relying on herself, had touched the threshold of a high-tier breathing method.
And so. Everything became different.
To grasp the 'qi' of all things was a long process, and Li Shuang still had a long way to go before truly mastering the high-tier breathing method.
However, through days of incessant tempering.
She had already formed a sufficient understanding of the Blazing Crystal before her.
The 'qi' of the Blazing Crystal was already within her perception.
And so.
The next moment.
Despite having the same movements and the same dual-tasking.
Li Shuang's striking efficiency had inexplicably increased slightly compared to before.
Each strike's efficiency improved a little.
Accumulating repeatedly, Li Shuang's improvement was terrifying.
After some time.
Her ranking started to rise again.
Fourth!
Third!
Second!
Her ranking stopped at second place.
Yan Tie also seemed to sense Li Shuang's threat. He glanced back at Li Shuang, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes.
He had been here for a year.
In one year, he had struck countless Blazing Crystals.
How could he lose to a newcomer!
Yan Tie also grew determined.
He bit his tongue hard, and his aura surged again. Yan Tie's striking speed suddenly accelerated.
He was giving his all.
But.
The amount of spirit marrow Li Shuang extracted was still getting closer and closer to his.
Yan Tie watched the continually shrinking gap, feeling a slight panic.
Ding!
His last strike, astonishingly, didn't even hit the Blazing Crystal, but landed directly on the platform.
At the same time, their group's time was up.
Senior Brother Lin reappeared on the field.
He looked at the rankings with some surprise, then gave Li Shuang a smile: "In two days, you've reached the top of the leaderboard. You truly are an unparalleled refining genius. Li Shuang receives a thousand points reward. Tomorrow, someone will take you to the second floor of Langya Palace."
Li Shuang let out a sigh of relief.
She lowered her hands, tucking them into her sleeves to hide her slightly trembling wrists from excessive exertion.
Li Shuang also observed the reactions of the others.
Evidently.
This point-earning policy only applied to her.
Or rather.
It only applied to outsiders like them.
They could go to the second or third floor as long as they had enough points and completed a hidden task of hunting demonic beasts.
What about the others?
Their ranks were fixed.
Those who belonged to the first floor would forever remain on the first floor.
Those who belonged to the second floor would forever remain on the second floor.
Li Shuang had cycled twice and hadn't found any instances of people from the first floor going to the second, nor any from the second coming to the first.
These true spirits of Langya Sect were firmly bound by the rules.
Only they were the variables!
Li Shuang's pupils constricted.
Tomorrow!
The second floor of Langya Palace!
She wanted to see if going to the second floor would bring her closer to the truth of the ascension.