Chapter 412 – I'm Just the Most Ordinary One on Our Team

The Dragon Gate List rankings frequently change.

If ranked experts go without new public achievements for a period of time, their names will disappear from the list—reportedly to maintain fierce competition on the Dragon Gate List and inspire newcomers to strive harder. If the esteemed names on the rankings remain unchanged for months, how would newcomers ever develop the ambition to pull down those above them?

Giant Spirit God Lu Liu dropped off the list even earlier.

After all, Lu Liu’s initial ranking on the Dragon Gate List wasn’t particularly high.

In contrast, the esteemed name of Omniscient Arrow God Seventeen still hangs prominently on the Dragon Gate List. Seventeen has numerous battle achievements to her name, with several spectacular battles that made her famous after Blue Star’s Fusion.

Dolai, who once briefly tested her skills and reached the top ten of the Dragon Gate List, had her name removed long ago.

Mu Yuan suspects this wasn’t due to time expiration, but because First Hand Commerce received news of Dolai’s advancement to the Legendary Realm, thus removing her name.

However, First Hand Commerce has never publicly stated the specific timeframe without public achievements that would lead to a ranked individual’s removal.

Some regular readers of First Hand Commerce publications speculate that the duration varies with the rank—the higher the ranking, the longer the name remains.

This theory quickly lost credibility.

Uta, who once ranked around tenth, stayed on the list for nearly half a year without new achievements;

Lu Liu, who once ranked around fortieth, also remained on the list for several months without new accomplishments.

The durations appeared roughly similar.

Such cases aren’t uncommon.

“This might be intentional obfuscation to conceal certain intelligence details, since the Dragon Gate List is completely public and accessible to anyone,” Mu Yuan speculated.

Just like when Dolai disappeared from the Dragon Gate List previously, outsiders couldn’t determine whether Dolai had broken through to the Legendary Realm or simply hadn’t produced new achievements for too long.

The information on the Dragon Gate List isn’t detailed either, only listing the ranked individuals’ past achievements.

No descriptions are provided about the ranked individuals’ Rank, skills, Concept Realm, etc.

Some ranked individuals even have their affiliated territories displayed as “???”, like Seventeen on the list. Mu Yuan doesn’t believe First Hand Commerce is unaware of Seventeen’s identity—at least six or seven people in Stone Ridge City know Seventeen’s origins, making it impossible to keep the information secret.

But in the eyes of most Stone Ridge City professionals, Seventeen remains a mysterious powerhouse of unknown background. Since she hasn’t publicly revealed her identity, the Dragon Gate List displays her as “???”.

As a Great Lord who has had multiple generals appear on the list, Lord Mu makes judgments based on his own situation.

“If we had more ranked experts, these deductions could be more accurate, but that’s not necessary.”

“Many lords keep several generals hidden too. What lord doesn’t hold back some cards?”

Through the Mind Seed, Soul Loss and others in Tianze City transmitted messages back. Listening to these real-time reports, Mu Yuan felt almost as if he had flown to Tianze City himself…

Of course, that was impossible.

Verbal descriptions remain unclear, and Soul Loss’s literacy level is limited.

Moreover…

“I never realized until trying it that long-distance mental connections still require considerable effort, with slight delays occurring.””This issue may gradually improve once more Tianyuan troops are stationed in Tianze City.”

…

Meanwhile, at Tianze Academy’s assessment training ground.

Crimson Shadow Skywolf effortlessly tore through the Water Dragon’s Song Formation, serving both as a demonstration and a proclamation of strength.

As an instructor at Tianze Academy, Red Shadow’s prowess demonstrated the institution’s formidable teaching resources.

After all, a top-tier titled expert ranked 12th on the Dragon Gate List—with potential to break into the top ten—was far rarer than even Legendary Realm masters.

Once such experts achieved breakthroughs, they would undoubtedly become elite masters within the Legendary Heaven-Earth Realm. Their future paths would be considerably smoother than ordinary legends, carrying the hope of impacting the Legendary God Soul Realm.

Following the demonstration, the instructor recruitment assessment was about to commence.

A staff member added, “If any candidate fails to last 60 seconds but demonstrates unique capabilities, the academy may still consider employment. Similarly, those who endure 60, 120, or 300 seconds while possessing special techniques will receive more favorable treatment from our institution, Your Excellency.”

With these words, the recruitment assessment officially began.

Candidates proceeded in order of registration.

Those with later slots needn’t worry—the entire process wasn’t cumbersome and would likely conclude within half a day.

“Me first? Heh, I’ve been waiting to try this.”

A saber-wielding expert stepped forward.

Perhaps having witnessed Crimson Shadow Skywolf effortlessly dismantle the illusionary formation, he appeared brimming with confidence.

Upon entering the formation and signaling readiness, the Water Dragon’s Song Formation hummed to life. Simultaneously, timer numerals composed of swirling water manifested above the array.

“1!”

Boom—!

The water dragons roared immediately, unleashing torrential auras.

Some dragons spewed dozens of massive water projectiles—the skill [Water Cannon Barrage];

Others swung their tails, coalescing water into crescent-shaped azure blades—the technique [Water Moon Slash];

Yet others dove from midair with majestic hydraulic pressure—the advanced skill [Dragon God Descent]!

Crucially, the formation’s attacks blended reality and illusion. Challengers who misallocated strength against phantoms would face instant defeat. Even those who could distinguish realities might still fail if their judgment lagged, leaving them overwhelmed.

The saber-wielding challenger exemplified this dilemma. As water dragons multiplied, his tension mounted. His darting eyes strained to track each dragon, yet he couldn’t reliably distinguish illusions from genuine threats through instinct or first impressions.

Soon enough, the saber expert met defeat.

Transported out of the formation, his injuries rapidly healed through the Miracle Building’s effects.

The timer froze at 39.3 seconds.

This duration occurred during the formation’s initial phase—when fewer water dragons allowed challengers to warm up and adapt.

“So you see, while this gentleman appears merely 20 seconds short, he actually lacked two-thirds of the required endurance.”

“However, his strategy was also flawed. The correct approach involves maximizing familiarity with the water dragons during the warm-up phase, enabling swift and accurate judgments when the true challenge begins.””Of course, taking the approach of Lord Red Shadow—directly slaying the water dragons and cutting straight through the Water Dragon’s Song Formation—will trigger the full power of the entire formation from the very beginning. So even if you have full confidence in your own strength, it’s advisable to start cautiously,” the young man commented.

It was clear he was extremely familiar with both the Water Dragon’s Song Formation and the assessment process.

Soul Loss whispered, “Bro, are we allowed to discuss these things openly?”

He couldn’t shake the feeling of being given exam tips beforehand, which made the still-innocent newcomer feel quite guilty.

Though feeling guilty, Soul Loss understood perfectly well that he should listen carefully and make use of whatever advantages he could get.

The young man slightly raised his head. “It’s fine.”

Then he added in a lower voice, “This isn’t really much of a secret anyway—walls have ears. The academy does this because they want to recruit clever strong practitioners, not just those with brute strength.”

“Besides, even knowing this strategy, whether one can execute it during the assessment still depends entirely on the challenger’s own capabilities. This examines multiple aspects: strength, experience, tactics, analytical skills, judgment, and decision-making.”

“But looking at you, brother, you clearly have exceptional talent. I’m sure you’ll pass—I trust my judgment.”

Soul Loss suddenly understood.

After all, the academy was hiring instructors, not merely combat specialists.

Though generally speaking, those who excel in combat rarely lack in other areas.

He could also see that employing proper tactics versus relying solely on brute force could lead to completely different outcomes when challenging the Water Dragon’s Song Formation.

After the saber-wielding strongman, several more brave souls took their turns.

Among them, the strongest only lasted 51 seconds. This expert employed excellent tactics and pushed his abilities to their limits, but unfortunately, his power was insufficient—he was defeated by just two diving attacks from the water dragons.

With several consecutive candidates failing to meet Tianze Academy’s minimum recruitment standards, the assembled experts from various regions began to feel disheartened.

This wasn’t right.

It seemed… just a tiny bit difficult.

Would none of the several dozen present candidates manage to pass?

“I heard the early assessments weren’t this difficult, but too many experts have been applying to Tianze Academy,” someone remarked.

“The academy has limited instructor positions. With more applicants, the assessment difficulty naturally increases. If we had come a month earlier, we might have secured third-class instructor positions. Now? Much harder.”

Though many Third and Fourth-Order Experts considered withdrawing, having come all this way, who would leave without even trying?

At least give it a try!

Without trying, they wouldn’t know how miserably they would fail.

One failed candidate squatted in a corner drawing circles, contemplating which other academy he should apply to.

Maybe he should just apply to be a regular instructor at an elementary academy.

At that moment, a young man wearing golden-feathered robes, with six golden wheels spinning around him, strode forward.

“It’s the Golden Wheel General from Lingfeng City!”

“Someone under the Lord of Lingfeng?”

“They say this Golden Wheel General has a hidden class. His rank is among the top tier of Outstanding Three-Star classes, comparable to ultra-rare ones like Bone Dragons and Balrogs!”

The Golden Wheel General was quite renowned.

His reputation was well-deserved, as expected. His six golden wheels spun—blocking and slicing—moving effortlessly within the Water Dragon’s Song Formation. Only when the formation continuously intensified its attacks did the Golden Wheel General eventually yield.

Time: 121 seconds.

Qualified for second-class instructor treatment!The difference between second and third rank wasn’t something everyone could intuitively grasp.

But the gap between 39 seconds, 51 seconds, and 121 seconds—that was strikingly clear.

The spectators collectively gasped, and for a moment, the entire Miracle Building seemed to warm up by a few degrees.

The next dozen or so applicants didn’t perform particularly well, with only one earning the third-rank instructor treatment.

Soon,

according to the prompt on the distant display screen, it was Soul Loss’s turn to step up.

Soul Loss was eager and ready.

He glanced at the young man beside him. “Bro, haven’t you been called yet?”

He remembered they had signed up quite late—any later and they’d have had to wait until next week.

The young man smiled faintly, as if he had been waiting for Soul Loss to ask so he could casually mention, “Oh, I passed it a while ago. I’m currently a second-rank instructor, so of course I can’t go up and join the fun.”

A legendary second-rank expert!

Impressive, impressive.

Soul Loss clasped his hands in admiration, then strode confidently toward the distant Water Dragon’s Song Formation.

He stepped into the formation.

Inside and outside the formation were indeed two completely different worlds.

From the outside, observing from a distance, there was no pressure and the view was clear. He could easily distinguish the real water dragons from the illusions—these phantom images weren’t particularly sophisticated, far inferior to Red Robe’s Illusion techniques. After all, if they were too advanced, they wouldn’t serve the purpose of training and challenge.

But once inside the formation, with mist swirling and water dragons circling, distinguishing them became noticeably more difficult.

Slightly tricky, slightly tricky.

Soul Loss drifted lightly to the side, then swung his palm, using Ghost Claw to shatter a diving water dragon.

He was entirely at ease, dodging with perfect timing and never wasting an ounce of energy.

He, Soul Loss, was an expert who had sparred with Bone Two, Bone Three, Brother Rakshasa, Uta, and even Dead Bone Boss himself!

Tianyuan City was never short of sparring partners.

At least, for a Fourth-Order Expert like him, Soul Loss, there was absolutely no shortage.

His combat experience was incredibly rich.

Through constant exposure and the aid of his Life-Sharing Skill, Soul Loss’s techniques and mental acuity were nothing to scoff at.

He lasted a full 153 seconds before barely conceding defeat.

And this was despite his Life-Sharing Skill having limited room to shine within the Water Dragon’s Song Formation.

In the distance, an insider—a second-rank instructor and young man from a sixth-tier territory—was slightly surprised, but not overly so.

After all, he had already observed that Soul Loss was a formidable expert.

Earning the second-rank instructor treatment—truly a man worthy of Rolling Clouds’s recognition!

“Let me reintroduce myself. I am Rolling Clouds, a second-rank instructor at Tianze Academy, responsible for Spell tutorials. From now on, we’ll be colleagues.”

“Pleasure to meet you. I’m the newly appointed second-rank instructor, Soul Loss.”

“How about grabbing a drink later? My treat. I know a great ice drink shop here in the academy.”

“Really? Uh, could you treat a few more people? I didn’t come alone, after all.”

Rolling Clouds was somewhat taken aback by this.

Tianze Academy’s recruitment standards were high, and not just anyone could sign up.

Typically, if an ordinary territory had even one person come here to apply, it was considered quite an achievement.

Brother Soul Loss seemed to be leading a group.

The others were probably just along for the experience.

However, Brother Soul Loss was exceptionally skilled and hadn’t been well-known before. It was possible that among the other experts from his territory, there might be someone capable of securing a third-rank instructor spot.

“How many of you are there?”

“Right there.”Soul Loss pointed into the distance, where a girl who appeared quiet and gentle was walking toward the Water Dragon’s Song Formation, holding an ordinary long sword.

No matter how you looked at her, this girl seemed completely ordinary.

So ordinary that she stood out as somewhat special in this Training Ground full of powerful individuals.

“This is our team leader, Lady Ailin.”

Soul Loss then pointed further away, where a young man was meticulously maintaining his bow and arrows.

“This is my brother, Zhou Yi.”

Soul Loss’s eyes scanned around until he finally spotted a figure in the corner.

“This is our big sister, Boss Red Robe.”

Four people in total.

The young man Rolling Clouds nodded slightly, but as he continued nodding, he suddenly felt something wasn’t quite right.

Soul Loss, who had already achieved second-class instructor status and demonstrated extraordinary strength and combat experience, seemed to hold a rather… position within this team.

Little brother.

Just what exactly was wrong here.

(End of Chapter)