Becoming God of a Dystopian World

Zhao Luo had finally reached the Training Area.

"Hah, what? Why are there so many disciples surrounding that ring?"

Zhao Luo questioned as he looked at a ring platform.

This ring platform was around the inner rings that were in the middle of the Training Area.

"I can swear that those pillars were not there before..."

Zhao Luo said as a shocking look appeared on his face when he noticed that there were 15 pillars on the ring.

It was the only ring platform that had around 15 disciples on it but Zhao Luo couldn't see what they were doing as the ring was surrounded by other disciples but the pillars were easily visible even though Zhao Luo had just entered the Training Area.

The surrounding disciples were waiting for their turn while some were just there watching how well their fellow disciples were doing.

"They must be training inside the moonstones."

Wu Yang told Zhao Luo.

Feng Mei and Yan were also behind Zhao Luo as they watched the situation while they all closed in on that ring.

"Unlike the Drums of Bellum, Moonstone Challenge is very different. There are a total of 15 moonstones on the ring so 15 disciples can train in the space inside the moonstone at a time."

Wu Yang started explaining the challenge to Zhao Luo.

"Most of the disciples don't even think of it as a serious challenge, they just try to train in the space inside the moonstone hoping to clear as many stages as they can. But everyone is aiming to get stronger as they train inside the stone."

Wu Yang's explanation was finally starting to make sense to Zhao Luo.

"While moonstone challenge only opens once a year whenever the first badge of the new trainees join the sect, it is still a good experience for the new disciples while the old disciples stand at a higher ground as they have been preparing for a year or multiple years to clear the challenge or do well in it."

Wu Yang told Zhao Luo as they walked towards the ring platform.

There were two times every year when new disciples would be joining the sect like two batches of trainees and Zhao Luo's group was from the first batch, the most recent disciples of the Xin Sect.

"How many stages are there?"

Zhao Luo asked as the only thing that mattered to him was clearing the challenge as a whole.

If he knew about the number of stages he will be challenging then it will be easier for him to preserve his strength in each stage.

"That.....even I don't know about the exact number of the stages but last year the highest stage cleared was 72."

Wu Yang answered as the four looked at the disciples who were on the stage.

"72? That many and that still isn't the end? Who could be the one to each such a high stage?"

Zhao Luo had questions piling up but to him, the identity of the disciple who had reached the 72nd stage was more important.

"That doesn't matter now. You just need to try your best to clear the moonstone challenge otherwise either you will have to wait another year or advance to become an outer disciple while forgetting about this challenge. Also the REWARDS. HAHA."

Wu Yang told Zhao Luo while rolling him up. 

As if Wu Yang's words had ignited a fire in Zhao Luo's eyes he looked eagerly at the ring platform.

They were still behind quite many disciples.

'What's this pillar?'

Zhao Luo questioned as the 15 disciples that were on the stage, each one was standing in front of a pillar. 

There were 15 pillars on the ring platform. The pillars were 10 feet tall and took quite a space but the ring still had a lot of space. 

The space around the ring was crowded as only 15 disciples were able to go up the ring at a time while others waited.

Each disciple was standing in front of a pillar while his hand was placed over a round-shaped stone that was yellowish-white in color like the moon. This is how the ring came to be called the Moonstone ring platform. 

As the stone kept on glowing the disciple's facial expression would keep on changing.

Sometimes like he was having a hard time other times like he was in pain and then like he had achieved a victory as a smile would emerge on his face.

All the disciples were like that.

On top of the 10-foot tall pillars, numbers were being displayed which showed the number of stages the disciple was in.

"Interesting."

Zhao Luo exclaimed as the disciples had their eyes closed so he could already see that the ones participating in the challenge weren't their physical bodies but their soul or more like their consciousness in solid form.

Zhao Luo looked around and noticed there were still more than a thousand disciples that were in the line which was a very annoying situation for him.

"Hmm."

The one thing that he didn't like was waiting so Zhao Luo wondered.

'Tap.'

Zhao Luo patted the shoulder of the disciple in front of him once.

But the disciple didn't realize that someone had patted him.

'Tap, Tap'

"Hey."

Zhao Luo patted the shoulder of the disciple again and also called him out.

"What do you want?"

The disciple shouted as he was focused on the ring and how well the disciples were doing by looking at the number displayed on top of the pillar.

He didn't like getting interrupted by someone so he started shouting at Zhao Luo without even looking at him.

'Kyaa~'

'Thud.'

That disciple fell while screaming as he noticed that the person he was shouting at was none other than Zhao Luo, the rising star of the trainer hall.

"I...I....a.."

The disciple started stuttering as Zhao Luo brought his hand closer to him.

The disciple thought that Zhao Luo was going to smack him thus he closed his eyes as a natural reaction to a known action.

But instead of getting smacked, Zhao Luo had grabbed this disciple's hand and helped him in getting up.

While getting up the disciple opened his eyes just to see the radiant smile on Zhao Luo's handsome face which made him calm instantly.

"What can I do for you Brother Zhao Luo?"

The disciple asked Zhao Luo as he started rubbing his hands.

"I was wondering if you would let us swap positions with you?"

Zhao Luo didn't behave arrogantly instead he was very kind as he asked for the favor from the disciple.

This was Zhao Luo's ultimate plan.

'i will keep on swapping positions with every student till I am at the front. Hahahaha.'

Zhao Luo barely held his laughter as he waited for the disciple's answer.

"Sorry, Brother Zhao Luo. I can't do that."

The disciple apologized to Zhao Luo as he declined Zhao Luo's request.

Zhao Luo looked sad as he had failed to move up a position from the start.

"It's okay you don't have to apologize."

Zhao Luo told the disciple. 

"No I mean you don't have to just swap position with me."

That disciple said with an honest smile.

"Ahem."

The disciple cleared his throat.

"Huh."

Zhao Luo had never heard someone clear their throat so loudly.

'What is this guy doing?'

Zhao Luo thought as he was already declined but this disciple still had more to do.

After the guy cleared his throat, many disciples were looking at him.

"Guys."

Then he said as loudly as he could.

The other disciples who were still watching the advance of the disciples on the ring also looked at this disciple.

The disciple pointed his hands at Zhao Luo and started a speech.

"There is no one who doesn't know the prodigy who beat Senior Mite on the second day and stood against the great Senior Zi Fei of the inner hall on equal grounds."

The disciple opened the speech as he praised Zhao Luo which left Zhao Luo baffled as shock took over his body.

'I am a prodigy? Hah.'

Zhao Luo thought as every student surrounding the ring was looking at him.

Zhao Luo went a step further to cover his face with his hand in a way that would make him look even more charismatic and more like a prodigy.

"Who isn't envious of him? Who doesn't want to be like him? What we have never been able to do, the star of the trainee accomplished in two days. Yes, two days my friends."

The disciple continued as sometimes he questioned the other disciples while other times told about Zhao Luo's impossible feats.

'It wasn't a big deal. Well, standing against Senior Zi Fei was harder than clearing the Drums of Bellum.'

Zhao Luo thought as nodded his head agreeing with what the disciple was saying.

"He is a completion of our dream. A ray of hope for all of us. So I ask you all just a simple question."

The disciple looked down before looking back at them again.

"Shouldn't we help someone who is doing so much for us?"

The disciple asked the other disciples.

'What? What am I doing for them?'

Zhao Luo was confused but contrary to his reaction the answer of the other disciples proved something else.

"We SHOULD~"

They answered together raising a wave that hit Zhao Luo's heart.

Unknowingly he had become an idol for them.

"Cant we let him pass so he can surprise us again?"

The disciple asked them again.

The other disciples understood what this disciple was talking about.

Nobody took time on thinking of their answer 

"We CAN."

The disciples answered as they split apart into two columns making way for Zhao Luo and his group.

"Brother you are famous."

Feng Mei told Zhao Luo while looking in shock.

"Haha."

Zhao Luo laughed. He didn't know that yesterday's events would increase his popularity so much.

"Let's go."

He told them but when he looked around Wu Yang wasn't there 

'Where did he go?'

Zhao Luo wondered about Wu Yang who had mysteriously slipped away from behind him.

Without wasting any more time Zhao Luo walked to the front with Feng Mei and Yan.

The disciples were back in line after Zhao Luo reached the front.

"Ah, I forgot to thank that disciple."

Zhao Luo said while looking at the ring in front of him.

"Haha, you can thank me now Brother Zhao Luo."

The disciple said as he had also taken advantage of Zhao Luo's free pass to reach the front with him.