n

n

nFor some reason, Zhao Luo felt disappointed. The legendary man who had completely turned the Sect upside down wasn't the Second Elder. Instead, it was the First Elder.

n'Another interesting old man.'

nZhao Luo thought.

n'How far can I go with this brick?'

nZhao Luo wondered as he looked at the brick stick.

n

"Let it be.

"

nMite interrupted what Zhao Luo was doing.

n

"That brick has already been a part of someone else's rise.

"

nMite said.

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"Indeed. Huh.

"

nZhao Luo replied while listening to what Mite had said.

nThis was the first time he felt that Mite was acting like a senior brother.

n

"Let's get on that ring.

"

nMite instructed Zhao Luo as he jumped on one of the three square rings which had equipment.

nThe ring that Mite had entered was really big.

nThere were 5 rows with 5 drums per row lined one after another.

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"Will this be my debut performance?

"

nZhao Luo who was standing at the edges of the ring said while looking at the drums.

nHe wasn't particularly interested in this instrument as he had never even tried it but it looked like there was some secret behind these drums otherwise why would the trainee hall's training area have so many drums.

nZhao Luo looked at Mite who was standing in the middle with his hands behind his back. Mite looked like a judge who was there to give them points on their performance on this drum-like equipment.

nMite brought one of his hands from his back and made a gesture at Zhao Luo. He was telling Zhao Luo to get on the ring.

n'Let's do it.'

nZhao Luo encouraged himself as he went up to the ring stage.

nMite who had already been up there went up to the first row of the drums.

nHe equipped himself with the sticks that were next to the drum. The sticks looked like they were made of glass.

nWith a drum stick in both of his hands, Mite looked ready to conquer the World.

n'FWISH.'

nIn just a moment he had pulled back his left leg with his back arched backward and his arms thrown up towards the sky with the drum sticks in his hands creating a distorting sound in the air around him.

nThe drum sticks shined when they were raised as much as Mite could raise them.

n'Shwaa.'

nThe sound of air splitting was very audible as Mite brought down both of his arms with the drum sticks in his hands approaching the drumhead with an unimaginable speed.

nThen the last moment came when the drum sticks touched the drumhead.

n

"Boooom.

"

nA loud sound reverberated in the whole practice area.

n'Booom.'

n'Boom.'

n'Bom.'

nAfter the echoes died down, Zhao Luo was looking at Mite who was moving to the second drum of the first row.

n

"I should close my ears just in case.

"

nAs Zhao Luo placed his hands on his ears so he doesn't end up with a headache, Mite proceeded to hit the second drum.

nThe same thing happened as he took his form and then lashed out at the drumhead.

nFour sounds came from the second drum too. One was the sound of contact and the other three were the echoes.

nMite proceeded to the third one and did the same thing.

nHe kept on repeating it till he was already at the last drum of the third row.

nAgain, he followed the same steps and made the drum beating sound echo three times around the practice area.

nZhao Luo looked at Mite who was in a tired shape as he was dripping with sweat.

nThere were still two rows of drums left ahead of Mite. But it looked like he was already done.

n

"Is it that hard?

"

nZhao Luo questioned Mite as it only looked like, Mite weirdly beating the drum.

n

"Heh.

"

nMite just showed Zhao Luo q short laugh as he moved to the fourth row.

nThe first drum in the fourth row.

nMite was standing in front of him, readying himself.

nOnce again he raised his arms, arched his back swung his arms from back to the front landing the drum sticks on the drum head.

n

"Boom.

"

nA sound was heard but this time there were no echoes.

n'Did he not go all out?'

nZhao Luo wondered as it looked like Mite hadn't used his full power.

n'Cough.'

nMite spurted out blood as his legs were wobbling. It felt like he would fall anytime.

nMite back away from the drum and came back to the start of the ring where Zhao Luo was standing.

n

"Your turn.

"

nMite said as he smiled which disgusted Zhao Luo.

nThe blood was on his teeth and he was sticking them out as if they were some kind of award.

nZhao Luo barely controlled himself from punching Mite.

nZhao Luo moved towards the first row.

nHe stood right in front of the first drum of this row.

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"It's just a normal drum.

"

nZhao Luo said as he looked at the drum trying to find something extraordinary about it.

nThe only weird thing about this drum was the drum sticks which looked quite lavish.

nZhao Luo grabbed the drum sticks that were hanging on the side of the drum.

n'Ah.'

nZhao Luo cried as the sudden pressure on his hand made him felt like his hands were gonna fall off from his arms. The sticks were unusually very heavy.

nIt took a few seconds for Zhao Luo to get used to them.

n'So I just have to make it go Boom.'

nZhao Luo had a funny thought.

nHe had seen Mite's move 16 times already so it wasn't hard for Zhao Luo to copy Mite's movements.

nZhao Luo took a deep breath.

nZhao Luo pulled back his left leg as he slid it backward. He then arched his back as he raised his arms over his head which were falling backward because of the weight of the drum sticks.

n'BREATHE.'

nZhao Luo took another breath.

nAfter which he jolted his body as if his body was like a water tide. With the momentum of his lower body as his left leg slid forwards and the acceleration of his upper body as he jolted his back. His arms were coming like a jolted rope.

nThe drum sticks landed on the drumhead and a sound so loud was produced that it was enough to burst the eardrums of the people who had come here to spectate.

nIn this way, Zhao Luo had unconsciously aimed for two drums with one strike.

nThe first sound produced was because of the drum stick and drumhead coming in contact with this amazing force.

n

"BOOOOOM.

"

nThen the echoes started to be heard around by everyone.

n

"BOOOOM.

"

n

"BOOOM.

"

n

"BOOM.

"

nThe three echoes were heard clearly by everyone. Zhao Luo looked happy as he had matched with Mite.

nMite was also smiling as this much was already given.

n

"BOM.

"

nRight, when the 3 echoes died another echo was heard.

nIt lasted for a short interval but it was heard by everyone in the training area.

nZhao Luo scratched his head as he had put back the drum sticks in his hand.

nHe looked confused.

n'Wasn't producing 3 echoes the best result?'

nZhao Luo questioned himself.

nAs every time Mite had hit the drum with the drumstick, it would only create 3 echoes so Zhao Luo thought that 3 echoes were the limit.

n'Clap, Clap.'

nZhao Luo hears the sound of clapping coming from behind him so he turned around to look.

nMite who was pretty shocked with the fourth echo started clapping.

nHe was already admitting that Zhao Luo was better than many new trainees that he had seen before.

n

"You produced four echoes in your first try. That's remarkable.

"

nMite praised Zhao Luo.

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"Remember producing at least three echoes are required to pass every drum stage.

"

nMite started explaining.

n

"Why am I even beating on these drums?

"

nZhao Luo asked the first question that he had in his mind.

nHe had been going with the flow till now but it would be better to know what he was doing. In the first place, Zhao Luo wanted to fight this senior of his to qualify for becoming an outer disciple of the Sect.

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"You don't wait, good. The total echoes that can be produced are ten. If the strike is even more powerful than that, the drumhead would just burst open.

"

nMite ignored Zhao Luo's question and continued his explanation.

n

"Four isn't bad but there are still six echoes that you could have produced.

"

nMite mocked Zhao Luo.

n

"What? But you only had three echoes on every drum stage.

"

nZhao Luo fought back with his words. He knew that something was wrong behind Mite's taunt.

nMite just smiled mysteriously.

n

"All the drums are connected. If you reach the 25th drum and produce 3 echoes on it then you will get an amazing boost in your powers.

"

nMite explained the reason behind the beating of drums.

n'A boost in my powers? So my strength can increase if I reach the last drum.'

nZhao Luo thought as he looked at the last drum in the fifth row with his glowing eyes.

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"But it isn't easy. You will know when you reach the fourth row.

"

nMite also looked at the fourth row. That was where he had given up just now.

nZhao Luo thought that Mite was just spewing out bullsh*t to scare him.

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"The Drums of the Bellum.

"

nMite said.

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"You will know why these drums have that name soon.

"

nMite told Zhao Luo as he started grinning.

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