Alone and Infinite

Li Xia's eyebrows slowly furrowed: "But if you calculate it this way, even if you're number one in every rank, you'll only achieve 80% completion by the ninth rank."

"There must be other ways to achieve completion." Awoo had been dead for two thousand years, and it had no idea what new things these halls had come up with.

As I said before, two thousand years is a very short time for a temple, but a very long time for humankind.

The time has been so long that the appearances reflected in the human subconscious have been completely transformed.

"Moreover, having achieved first place in every arena tier, do you still need this thing to break through to the ninth tier or higher?"

Li Xia found it a bit unbelievable that he was always number one in every arena tier. Wasn't that an invincible position?

Aowu frowned and pondered for a while before slowly saying, "Your Highness, breaking through to the ninth rank doesn't seem to have a direct relationship with strength. And I vaguely remember that primordial artifact."

Perhaps the more important attribute is the one that follows.

It's possible that Li Xia will soon stop worrying about things that are too far in the future.

I directly clicked on another reward: [You have obtained the stage reward: Top 10 in the Arena (Tier 2)]

[Competitive Top Ten (Tier 2)]

Type: Badge

Quality: No grade/Special

Special equipment: Does not occupy an equipment slot

Wearing Effect 1: Gain an additional 1000 Hall Points at the end of each derivative world.

Wearing Effect 2: Upon advancing while holding this badge, you will gain an additional 1 Enlightenment Point.

Wearing Effect 3: After advancing while holding this badge, you will gain an additional 5 attribute points.

Wearing effect 4: Fixed increase of 100 health points and fixed increase of 50 mana points (adjustable).

Special effect: The bonuses of wearing the item are enhanced based on the arena ranking, specifically the bonuses from levels 1, 2, 3, and 4.

[Review: This badge represents honor and will bring rewards, provided you hold onto it until you reach the next stage of your journey.]

Li Xia pinched her chin, feeling both that it was difficult to judge and that it was expected.

So it seems the most useful thing about getting this badge is actually the fourth effect?

I don't know what the effect of a fixed increase of 100 health points is, but a fixed increase of mana points is really useful.

In the early stages, based on an attribute ratio of 1:10, the blue bar would normally be around 100-200.

Adding fifty more mana points is definitely not a small amount, and it can be adjusted freely.

After trying it out, Li Xia discovered that the 100 HP bonus could be converted into 50 MP, which is a 2:1 conversion.

If you don't choose to heal, it directly increases your mana by 100 points! That's excellent!

The extra 1000 points for the first effect are simply laughable; they're better than nothing, and their symbolic significance outweighs their practical value.

The second and third tiers are really powerful, but you need to stay in the top ten of the arena until you reach the third tier.

Li Xia suddenly realized what was happening.

If you look at it this way, did I somehow manage to get something for nothing?

With other rewards being negligible, the best approach is to wait until you're promoted before tackling the arena.

Once you get a ranking, go and advance to the next level. After you succeed, you'll be all smiles with the enlightenment points and attribute points you've earned.

However, this method also has a weakness: you only have one chance to climb the rankings.

If they can't break through, it'll become a joke.

"It's alright. Although it's a big pie, there's a good chance we'll get to eat it."

After reviewing the attributes, Teacher Ao promptly offered his comments.

"Meow!"

Black Charcoal didn't quite understand, but raised its paw to indicate that it agreed.

Li Xia hung the badge on his belt and then reopened the arena battle panel with a fierce fighting spirit.

Keep pushing!

[Matching successful]

[Audience size: 94]

[We have found opponents with similar current rankings; awaiting their confirmation!]

[Current opponent ranking: 9th]

A sixty-second countdown appeared, and at the same time, Li Xia suddenly received a message from a stranger in his personal communications.

Starlight (High Council of Arcane): Brother, I am the Ninth. Let's make a deal. Can you give up a purple item and a Time Copper Coin?

Li Xia: Hehe

Starlight (High Council of Arcane): Hey bro, you're pretty good!

[Your opponent has forfeited the match, Executioner, you have risen to ninth place!]

Li Xia: ?

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1. Monthly pass 2. Recommendation vote

I added one chapter today. I'll continue adding more tomorrow. Plus, I've got another 200 monthly votes, so I only owe 6 chapters now.

Chapter 201 Second-Tier Supreme: A Deathmatch?!

You voted? How did you vote?

It wouldn't be accurate to say that you don't care about rankings.

Starlight is willing to spend a piece of purple equipment and a Time-Space Coin, which is definitely a huge investment.

It should be said that they care about it extremely much.

Li Xia suppressed her doubts; if she couldn't figure it out, she wouldn't think about it anymore—it wasn't anything important anyway.

Continue matching!

In the private box of the top ten, Behemoth leaned back in the huge sofa, letting two androids massage his shoulders.

The muscles, as stiff as steel, were taut, and the miniature motors in the bionic robot's hands whirred at high speed.

This finally brought a hint of relief to Behemoth's face.

Lisa pushed a cup of tea towards her and shook her head: "I thought that once you dropped out of the top ten, this private room would be taken back."

"It's a kind of proof that you've been in the top ten before, since the main rewards are all required to be held until you advance."

Behemoth said indifferently, then let out a long sigh:

"I heard the rewards for the top ten weren't like this before. It's good that you get them just for playing. I wish it were like before."

Lisa paused in her tea-pouring, then shook her head with a wry smile.

That's how it used to be in the arena. There were no restrictions on trading, and guilds could freely give low-level members powerful equipment and huge amounts of Hall Points.

That was an era dominated by guilds. The Hall of Fame was still the Hall of Fame, but those guilds were like regional warlords or duchies, possessing an incomparably powerful position.

Those who are independent or disobedient to the guild will only face death.

They manipulated the arena to allow guild members to farm stats and earn rewards, and they 'farmed' by collecting taxes from the output of apostles entering derivative worlds.

These destructive actions ultimately led to the Temple of Light suffering repeated defeats in high-level battles.

This also provoked extreme anger from the Temple of Light, which broke free from a special state.

According to records within the guild, the difficulty of guild quests has increased to an unbelievable level.

Failure results in immediate annihilation, along with a reduction in the guild's inventory; any items that would otherwise exempt you from punishment become ineffective.

At the same time, the newcomers who started from the first rank were also trained at an accelerated pace. After hundreds of years of adjustments, the current balance was finally achieved.

Guilds have their advantages and disadvantages. Guilds of all sizes, adventure groups, and merchant alliances account for 80% of the ecosystem.

But in the end, they were unable to finish it, nor could they touch the remaining 20%.

As a second-tier core seed of the Brotherhood of Steel, Behemoth naturally has the authority to access more intelligence and information.

“Don’t think about it anymore, that era—” Lisa paused, as if recalling the shock she felt when she first saw the records.

"Most apostles know this will only lead to a vicious cycle, but no one can resist the allure of more resources, readily available equipment, and attribute points."

Lisa breathed a sigh of relief: "Let's not talk about that. I'm more curious about why the High Council of Arcane Arts suddenly gave up."

Don't care about rankings?

Behemoth laughed loudly, exhaling two streams of scorching air from its nostrils, and said disdainfully;

"It's not that he doesn't care, it's that he cares to death."

The ninth-ranked player gains 150 mana, which is just enough for him to have a little left after activating his ultimate skill.

If he drops to tenth place, he won't be able to unleash his ultimate move. Do you think he wouldn't be anxious?

Behemoth sat up, and the two androids massaging him behind him immediately lowered their hands and waited quietly to the side.

He chuckled and winked at Lisa, saying:

"What a pity—that kid Starlight majors in electric and fire magic, relying on his talent 'overheating overload' for output."

He must have secretly watched my fight with Xia. Although I don't know the specific stats, just from the performance, I can tell that Xia has extremely high resistance to fire and electricity.

If Starlight were to fight him, wouldn't that be asking for trouble?

In particular, the protective shield of starlight is not a one-time use, but a passive effect that accumulates over time. If it is broken, it will take some time to reassemble.

That's why I told Xia to give Starlight a good beating, to stop him from constantly running around the arena and annoying me!

Lisa chuckled, surprised that there was such a secret. If it weren't for Behemoth, a tank who always wanted to challenge the Starlight, she would have been surprised.

No one else could possibly know so much about Starlight's background.

After laughing for a while, he watched as Li Xia reappeared in the arena.

Lisa's expression gradually turned serious, and she asked in a low voice:

"You fought him, how did it feel?"

The private room suddenly fell silent, and Behemoth's abrupt pause in breathing became particularly noticeable.

"powerful"

Behemoth's voice was slightly low, and seemed to carry a hint of fear:

"When that spear pierced my chest, I... I was actually a little scared. It wasn't just the spear that pierced my chest; it also had that force that seemed to want to tear a person apart."

Lisa turned her head abruptly and realized that it wasn't an illusion; she really saw a trace of confusion and fear on Behemoth's face.

"So I subconsciously transformed. I can't even understand why Xia is so strong. Perhaps his attributes aren't outstanding, but his aura, fighting style, and even his skills are."

They far surpassed us, as if he regarded every battle as his last.

"Win or die!"

Behemoth leaned back again, gazing at the starry ceiling, and murmured:

"I'm starting to understand why Starlight isn't playing anymore. Perhaps he doesn't want his pride to be shattered."

"I'm not a lunatic! Why would I go up there looking for trouble???"

A young man wearing a robe embroidered with flames and lightning stood on an exquisite low table in front of him.

He picked up his glass and gulped down a large mouthful of wheat juice.

"How could I not know the strength of Behemoth?"

He's ranked tenth because he's exactly the one I counter, and I'm ranked ninth because that bastard in eighth place counters me.

The eighth-ranked guy can only bully me. If it hadn't been such a coincidence, his ranking would have been different.

Behemoth is completely dumbfounded by that kid, wouldn't I just be giving up for nothing?

The second-tier leader of the Arcane High Council shook his head helplessly, his white beard swaying as he did so.