142: Ninety layers of ice

"Hahaha! Did you hear that? Deacon Leiming told them not to dirty the tower!"

"Indeed! This Divine Ascension Stele is an ancient divine artifact; if it's tainted by the filthy Qi of these Lower Realm ants, that would be an unforgivable sin!"

"Just watch, I bet that even the two of them combined won't be able to light up the fifteenth floor!"

Filthy words, like a deluge, poured in from all directions, threatening to completely drown the two figures who, in their eyes, were like incongruous outcasts!

Su Qingyue's hand, holding Lin Ye's, tightened abruptly! In her originally cold and clear eyes, for the first time, two clusters of towering rage ignited, enough to completely freeze one's Soul!

If Lin Ye hadn't held her back so tightly, she would have probably drawn her sword long ago, to let these ignorant frogs at the bottom of a well taste the wrath of a Half-God Realm expert!

"Qingyue," Lin Ye's voice calmly rang in her ear, "No need to be angry."

"The clamor of mere clowns will only... dirty your sword."

He slowly released her hand and gave her a smile full of trust and encouragement.

"Go."

"Let them see what a true Prodigy is!"

Su Qingyue looked at his dark eyes, so calm that not a single ripple stirred, and her heart, which had been filled with rage, miraculously began to slowly calm down.

She slowly raised her head, and on her beautiful face, veiled in frost, there was only an absolute pride, originating from the depths of her Soul, enough to make heaven and earth lose their color!

She released Lin Ye's hand and, under countless gazes filled with contempt, disdain, and schadenfreude, she walked step by step, calmly, towards the ten-zhang-tall, massive white stone stele that symbolized "Fate's Judgment."

Her white robes were whiter than snow, and her black hair flowed like a waterfall.

Finally, she stopped before the massive stone stele that emitted a warm white glow.

She had not the slightest hesitation, nor any trace of nervousness.

She simply and slowly raised her slender jade hand, which seemed to be carved from the most perfect mutton-fat white jade.

Then, under countless gazes filled with mockery and anticipation, she gently pressed it against the cold, yet warm-as-jade, surface of the stele!

At that instant!

Time seemed to completely stand still!

Everyone's breathing, at this moment, subconsciously... stopped!

Buzz—!!!

A terrifying hum, as if from primordial times, filled with endless freezing and eternal silence, suddenly erupted from within the massive white stone stele!

An indescribable, utterly pure ice-blue divine light, like an ancient Phoenix that had slumbered for billions of years, soared into the sky from within Su Qingyue's petite body!

That light was so cold! And yet so... dazzling!

The moment it appeared, the surrounding divine Qi, which had been full of vigorous life, was instantly frozen! It transformed into countless sparkling, star-like... colorful ice crystals!

Even the ten-thousand-zhang-tall, seemingly immutable Heaven-Reaching Divine Pagoda, with its mysterious divine patterns inscribed with the profound truths of the Dao, let out a mournful "creak" under this terrifying chill, unable to bear the strain!

And at the center of Su Qingyue's brows, the ice-blue, crystal-clear "Ice Heart Divine Core," which was already connected to her Divine Soul, rotated wildly like a supreme treasure completely activated! It emitted an unparalleled Divine Might, enough to make even Half-God Realm experts change their expressions!

"This... What is this?!"

On the plaza, the thousands of "natives" who had been watching with schadenfreude, their mocking smiles instantly froze!

They stared in horror, as if they had seen a ghost, at the beautiful figure enveloped in endless ice-blue divine light, their eyes, which had been full of disdain, now only held endless horror and... disbelief!

This aura... this terrifying pressure, enough to completely freeze heaven and earth... Is this truly a power that a "Wild God" who had just Ascended from the Lower Realm could possess?!

Even Deacon Leiming, who was in charge of the test, for the first time, showed an uncontrollable trace of... surprise and doubt on his originally arrogant and impatient face!

However, before they could recover from this sudden, earth-shattering anomaly!

The massive white stone stele, which had been silent for eons, finally... reacted!

A soft white light, yet seemingly containing endless vitality, suddenly lit up from where Su Qingyue's palm made contact!

But, this time, the white light did not slowly and laboriously climb upwards like the previous test-takers!

Instead... it was like a rocket injected with endless power!

Like a true Dragon breaking free from all restraints!

It soared upwards wildly at a speed beyond anyone's imagination, almost like "teleportation"!!!

First floor!

Fifth floor!

Tenth floor!!!

In just the blink of an eye!

The white light had already broken through the tenth floor, which symbolized the limit of "ordinary talent," like a hot knife through butter! And there was no sign of stopping!

"Ten... ten floors?! So fast?!"

On the plaza, the mocking and jeering laughter abruptly ceased!

Everyone was like ducks whose necks had been squeezed, their mouths agape, their eyes filled with an indescribable... astonishment!

However, this was only the beginning!

Twentieth floor!

Thirtieth floor!!!

The white light continued to climb wildly, sweeping everything before it! In an instant, it had already broken through the thirtieth floor, which symbolized the limit of "good talent"!

"Thir... thirty floors?! This... How is this possible?!"

Deacon Leiming, who had been arrogant, instantly lost most of the color in his face! For the first time, his eyes, which had been full of disdain, now showed an uncontrollable trace of... horror!

Thirtieth floor!

This was already comparable to the talent of the core direct disciples within their Thunder Cloud Clan!

Fortieth floor!

Fiftieth floor!

Sixtieth floor!!!

The white light was still soaring upwards wildly! Irresistible! Like the Milky Way descending from the Nine Heavens, it threatened to completely... pierce through this world!

When that dazzling white light, finally, without suspense, broke through the sixtieth floor, which symbolized the limit of "outstanding talent"—

The entire plaza fell into... dead silence!

A pin drop could be heard!

Everyone was as if petrified by a Spell, standing dumbfounded, staring intently at the massive stone stele, which was already completely submerged in endless white light, and the peerlessly beautiful white figure before the stele, like a Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden, with eyes like a God or Devil!

Sixtieth floor!

This was already a talent that would make all first-rate families within Tianxuan City frantically compete for a Prodigy!

And she, surprisingly... was so effortless?!

"Pro... Prodigy..." Someone, it was unclear who, managed to squeeze out these two words from their throat.

However, it was far from over!

Seventieth floor!

Eightieth floor!

Eighty-fifth floor!

Eighty-ninth floor!

Although the speed of the white light began to gradually slow down, it still, steadfastly, launched its final... assault towards the legendary... ninetieth floor limit!

Everyone's hearts, at this moment, were in their throats!

They held their breath, staring intently at the dazzling white light that was making its final struggle against some invisible barrier!

Ninetieth floor!

That was... the legendary... "Divine Talent"!

It was a supreme potential, enough to make even the high and mighty God Emperor experts take notice!

For tens of thousands of years, throughout Tianxuan City, those who could light up above the ninetieth floor on the Divine Ascension Stele were few and far between! Every single one of them eventually became a peerless expert capable of suppressing an era!

She... she, a "Wild God" from a lower plane, could she really... do it?!

Just as everyone was so tense they could suffocate!

Buzz—!!!

A vast bell chime, as if from beyond the Nine Heavens, filled with supreme majesty and sacred aura, suddenly rang out from within the massive white stone stele!

The previously slightly sluggish dazzling white light, as if blessed by some mysterious power, suddenly surged!

Finally, under everyone's horrified gazes, it effortlessly broke through that invisible barrier!

It steadily stopped at... the ninetieth floor!!!

Ninetieth floor!

High Grade Divine Core talent!!!

Boom!!!

After a brief dead silence, there was a deafening uproar, like a volcanic eruption, enough to completely overturn the entire sky!

"Ni... ninetieth floor?! My heavens! Am I dreaming?! It really is the ninetieth floor!!!"

"High Grade Divine Talent! It actually... it actually is High Grade Divine Talent!!"

"A... a 'Wild God'... actually possesses... supreme potential comparable to a God Emperor's Personal Disciple?!"

Countless exclamations, screams, and roars of disbelief converged into a terrifying sound wave, enough to completely engulf heaven and earth, wildly assaulting everyone's eardrums!

And Deacon Leiming, who had been arrogant and regarded everyone as ants, had long since gone limp as if all his bones had been removed, his legs gave way, and with a "thud," he collapsed onto the cold ground!

He looked at the beautiful figure, like a Nine Heavens Goddess, enveloped in endless divine light, and his face, which had been full of disdain and contempt, now only held endless... fear and despair!

Ninetieth floor!

He, what kind of... existence... had he offended after all?!

And at the edge of the plaza, which had already turned into a sea of celebration, Lin Ye stood quietly.

He watched as she slowly withdrew her jade hand, her face pale as paper, but her clear, cold eyes filled with endless pride and confidence.

On his perpetually calm face, finally, a genuine smile of... relief appeared.

He knew that from this moment on, no one would dare to slight her in the slightest!

And no one would dare to equate the words "Wild God" with "trash" anymore!

Under countless gazes filled with awe, worship, and fanaticism, he walked step by step, calmly, towards the Divine Ascension Stele, which also exuded endless Divine Might.