208: Chapter 207 Prodigy? Just a stepping stone!

Ao Zhan.

He had heard this name countless times on the Lijian Cliff.

The number one Outer Sect Disciple of Heavenly Sword Peak; it was said he had already touched the threshold of the Inner Sect and only lacked this final leap.

With thirty percent mastery of the Ice Soul True Intent, coupled with the Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique 'Mystic Ice Sword Canon', the power of a single sword strike was enough to freeze the Bloodlines of Cultivators at the same level.

And at this moment, that figure was also set to become his first opponent in the Dragon Gate Trial.

No, not an opponent.

A stepping stone.

He withdrew his gaze and stood quietly in place, waiting for the Dragon Gate Trial to begin.

—

The Hour of Chen.

A dull drumbeat suddenly exploded from within the Latent Dragon Courtyard!

The drumbeat was as heavy as a mountain, echoing throughout the entire plaza and making the eardrums of over a thousand Outer Sect Disciples buzz!

As the drumbeat faded, an elderly voice rang out:

"The Dragon Gate Trial begins now."

The voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly entered everyone's ears.

The green stone gate in the center of the plaza suddenly shuddered!

In the center of the stone gate, within the previously empty doorway, a massive vortex suddenly emerged! The vortex was dark blue and thirty zhang in diameter, slowly rotating in the center of the stone gate. With every rotation, an unspeakable pressure dissipated from within the vortex!

The dragon gate.

The East Sea Dragon Gate.

Jiang Hanzhou stared at the vortex, his pupils shrinking slightly.

He could sense that deep within the vortex lay some sort of indescribable power—it was the power of space, the power of time, an existence that transcended his scope of understanding.

The vortex spun, gradually stabilizing.

Through the vortex, the scenery on the other side was faintly visible—

It was a cluster of dilapidated palaces.

Massive coral palaces had collapsed onto the seabed, broken Coiled Dragon Pillars floated in the Void Realm, and ruined debris drifted slowly in the undercurrents.

Those palaces, those Coiled Dragon Pillars, and that debris were all shrouded in a layer of faint blue light. The light was extremely dim, yet a single glance was enough to make one's soul tremble.

What kind of place was that?

No one knew.

But every Disciple who had participated in the Dragon Gate Trial knew—hidden inside were great Opportunities sufficient to drive Primal Elephant Realm Cultivators mad.

—

The drum sounded again.

This time, the elderly voice became even more majestic:

"The rules of the Dragon Gate Trial are as follows—"

"The number of those who leap through the dragon gate is limited to thirty."

"Behind the gate lies the East Sea Trial Grounds, spanning a thousand miles. Within the trial grounds, there is the heavy pressure of Weak Water, rampant Yao Beasts, illusory mazes, and mechanical traps."

"Those who are first to arrive at the 'Dragon Palace Ruins' in the center of the trial grounds within three days may enter the Inner Sect."

"If, after three days, more than thirty people have arrived, the top thirty will be taken."

"If there are fewer than thirty, then however many there are shall be counted."

"Now—"

"Open the dragon gate!"

As the words fell, the thirty-zhang vortex suddenly expanded!

It expanded from thirty zhang to fifty, then to a hundred!

The rotation speed of the vortex grew faster and faster, and the pressure also grew stronger—so strong that some Disciples with weaker cultivation turned pale and retreated repeatedly.

But no one actually withdrew.

Everyone's eyes were fixed intently on the vortex, staring deep into its depths at that cluster of dilapidated palaces.

Leap through the dragon gate.

Enter the Inner Sect.

This was the dream of every Outer Sect Disciple.

It was also the motivation for their life-and-death Cultivation.

—

"Go—!"

It was unknown who shouted first.

The crowd surged forward with a roar!

Over a thousand Outer Sect Disciples were like a tide, frantically rushing toward the hundred-zhang vortex!

Jiang Hanzhou did not move.

He just stood in place, watching the figures rushing toward the vortex.

The moment those figures stepped into the vortex, their bodies suddenly sank!

Some stumbled, some fell directly to their knees, and some were even pinned to the ground by the sudden heavy pressure, unable to crawl up for a long time.

The heavy pressure of Weak Water.

The first test after the dragon gate.

Legend has it that the Weak Water pressure is a Restriction set by the Dragon Clan, capable of making those who enter bear ten, a hundred, or even a thousand times their own gravity.

The stronger the cultivation, the stronger the pressure.

At this moment, those Disciples charging at the very front were enduring unimaginable pressure, struggling to move forward one step at a time.

As for those with weaker cultivation, they were now completely pinned to the ground, unable to even move a finger.

—

Ao Zhan moved.

He took a step forward, and the faint blue light around him suddenly surged!

The light condensed into a thin layer of ice crystals around him, which flowed and neutralized the Weak Water pressure layer by layer!

He stepped into the vortex.

The moment he entered, his body sank slightly, but in just an instant, he stabilized his form.

Then, he began to walk forward.

With every step he took, the seawater beneath his feet condensed into a layer of ice. The ice surface extended forward, paving a crystal path in front of him.

He just walked like that along the ice crystal path, heading step by step into the depths of the vortex.

His speed wasn't fast, but it was incredibly stable.

Teng Yuzhi followed closely behind.

She took a deep breath and activated the Li Huo Golden Body Art.

A layer of red-gold light suddenly emerged around her! Though not as dazzling as Ao Zhan's ice crystals, it was equally blazing and domineering, blocking the Weak Water pressure layer by layer!

She stepped into the vortex.

Her body suddenly sank!

But she gritted her teeth and forcefully withstood the impact of that moment.

Then, she began to walk forward.

Every step was difficult, every step was trembling, but she did not stop.

Jiang Hanzhou looked at her, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.

He suddenly understood.

Back in the Scripture Pavilion, Teng Yuzhi had recommended the Li Huo Golden Body Art to him, saying this technique was of great use for Body Tempering.

At the time, he thought it was just a normal recommendation.

But now he understood.

She recommended this technique not just because it was suitable for those practicing fire-attribute techniques, but because she had known all along that the first trial of the Dragon Gate Trial was the Weak Water pressure.

And the Lihuo True Flame produced by the Li Huo Golden Body Art was precisely a Sharp Weapon for resisting the Weak Water pressure.

She had cultivated it.

But only to the third layer.

The third layer's Lihuo True Flame could resist the Weak Water pressure, but only just barely.

Whereas his Li Huo Golden Body Art had already achieved a Breakthrough to the fifth layer—Blood Burning.

He took a deep breath and stepped out.

The moment he stepped into the vortex—

Boom!!!

An unspeakable heavy pressure frantically surged in from all directions!

The pressure was invisible and intangible, yet it weighed on his body like something physical, pressing on his shoulders and spine until every bone creaked!

Ten times?

No.

At least thirty times.

His body weight had become thirty times heavier at this moment.

With every beat of his heart, it had to endure thirty times the pressure.

With every inch his blood flowed, it had to endure thirty times the resistance.

With every breath he took, he had to use all his strength to counter the heavy pressure pushing against his chest.

His body suddenly sank!

The ground beneath his feet caved in, forming a deep footprint the moment he stepped down!

But he did not fall.

He only swayed slightly before stabilizing his form.

A dark gold light quietly emerged around him.

That was no ordinary Lihuo True Flame, but the Blood Burning True Flame—tempered through Blood Burning and fused with Dragon Blood Power.