158: Chapter 158 The Final Step

When Lin Mo stepped onto the eightieth floor, the aura of the entire Bone Platform changed noticeably.

There were no skeletons or white shadows in the center of the platform.

There was only a slowly rotating bone ring, and within it, a faint wisp of white light hovered without dissipating.

As soon as that white light entered Lin Mo's body, the entire space fell silent for a moment.

It wasn't because it lacked movement.

But because it was too much 'like' Martial Intent.

So much so that even the elders subconsciously held their breath.

Lei Wanjun stared at that white light, remaining silent for a long time before whispering:

"It's helping him reconstruct his combat instincts."

Shen Guhong's expression shifted slightly.

"It's not helping."

"It's recognition."

As those words were spoken, the expressions of the several people around darkened.

Because they all saw it—

Lin Mo's way of attacking was changing.

It wasn't getting faster.

It wasn't getting stronger.

Instead, it was becoming more and more 'effortless.'

Void-Treading Cloud-Scaling Steps, Aurora Flowing Cloud Slash, the Power of Thunder, Dragonborn Foundation... these techniques that originally required active activation began to be used by him as naturally as breathing.

Ji Wuchen stood below, a rigidity appearing in his expression for the first time that was hard to conceal.

He had originally thought Lin Mo was just one step ahead.

But now he suddenly realized that this person wasn't 'leading.'

He was remaking himself.

Gu Yunting's expression wasn't very pleasant either.

He understood what was happening, and it was precisely because he understood that he felt even worse.

Because he knew that no matter how much he practiced, it would be difficult to train this 'skill becoming instinct' quality.

Ye Huangyi's eyes darkened slightly, scrutinizing Lin Mo as a peer-level opponent for the first time.

As for Lin Mo, there was no explanation, no pause.

He just continued to walk upward.

Like a blade that refused to turn back.

By the eighty-fifth floor, the gap between the External Prodigies had become very obvious.

Ji Wuchen was still frustrated by the suppression of the tenth-plus floors.

Gu Yunting barely stabilized his rhythm, but he was clearly not as composed as before.

Lu Chenzhou's momentum was suppressed most severely by the Bone Platform, nearly being forced back by the counter-shock several times.

Ye Huangyi was the first to adjust, truly entering her peak state.

As for Yan Shisan, he remained quiet but had already quietly caught up with many people.

But all of this, compared to Lin Mo, had already begun to look insufficient.

Lin Mo seemed to be taking everything the Bone Platform gave him, dismantling it layer by layer, and then reassembling it into his own combat logic.

This caused the elders below to fall into silence.

Wei Qianshan was originally the most stable one, but now as he looked upward, he actually showed a rare hesitation.

"It's as if he's using this place to complete the formation of his Martial Dao."

Daoist Master Yun Yao nodded gently.

"It's not 'as if.'"

"He is."

When these words were spoken, everyone felt a shock in their hearts.

Because this meant that Lin Mo wasn't here to 'take a test' at all.

He was treating the Bone Platform as a great melting pot.

And even more terrifying was that the Bone Platform was actually melting things for him.

Hearing the elders' judgment, Ji Wuchen's expression instantly turned extremely cold.

He was not convinced.

But the prerequisite for his lack of conviction was that he first had to explain why Lin Mo could reach this point.

Yet, he couldn't explain it.

Gu Yunting also fell silent.

He began to realize that his so-called 'genius' was still at the stage of mastering moves and raising his realm.

While Lin Mo had already begun to touch the level of 'how to become one's own Martial Dao.'

This gap was no longer just a small margin.

The ninetieth floor.

The ninetieth floor was a true watershed.

On this floor, the Bone Platform no longer provided specific enemies, but instead exerted an extremely massive sense of suppression.

It was as if the entire Bone Platform had suddenly come to life.

The more you tried to force your way forward, the more it would push you back to your original spot.

Many people by this point fully understood:

In the latter half of the Bone Platform, what mattered wasn't who had more strength.

But rather who first understood how they should 'live' on this Bone Platform.

Lin Mo stood in the center of this floor, his aura terrifyingly calm.

He didn't make any obvious moves.

But any observer could feel that his entire combat rhythm no longer required external driving forces.

He was like a self-operating Martial Dao machine.

As soon as hostility appeared, his movement techniques would automatically shift.

As soon as killing intent approached, his blade momentum would naturally connect.

As soon as suppression fell, the thunder and Dragonborn momentum within his body would rise to meet it.

At this moment, Lei Wanjun finally let out a long breath.

"This kid... might really be able to obtain the Martial Demon's inheritance."

Gu Yunting stared at Lin Mo, his lips moving slightly, but in the end, he said nothing.

He realized for the first time that the bit of arrogance in his heart was being ground away bit by bit.

Lu Chenzhou was even more completely silent.

The look in his eyes when he watched Lin Mo was no longer one of disdain, but a kind of almost stifling confusion.

Why could a person turn combat into this?

Why could a person's way of growing be so far removed from the path they were familiar with?

Ye Huangyi was also watching.

She saw deeper than others, so her expression was also colder.

She knew that Lin Mo had begun to touch a certain 'invisible door.'

As long as he stepped through, he would truly be on a different level from them.

And Yan Shisan, standing further down, looked up at Lin Mo, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly smiled.

There was no jealousy in that smile, only a very faint realization.

"So that's how it is."

He whispered.

"You aren't just challenging the tower either."

"You are finding your own Dao."

No one heard these words.

But if someone had, they would likely have been even more silent.

Because the people who truly understood Lin Mo were becoming fewer and fewer.

On the ninety-fifth floor, the aura of the Bone Platform had completely changed.

It no longer felt like a trial.

It was more like an abandoned ancient battlefield.

Oppressive, heavy, empty, and desolate.

Even the air seemed to be ground from bone ash.

On this floor, Lin Mo paused for a moment.

Not because of hesitation.

But because for the first time, he felt that the things merging within his body had reached an extremely critical threshold.

He would either complete a true transformation here.

Or be completely suppressed by this Bone Platform.

And the people below finally saw this point as well.

Ji Wuchen's face grew a bit paler.

Gu Yunting's sword-heart was no longer as aggressive as it was at the start, but instead carried a bit of heaviness.

Lu Chenzhou's Fist Intent had long since been ground to the point of pain.

Ye Huangyi was the calmest one.

She knew that Lin Mo was already standing in a place they couldn't understand.

At this time, the elders' attitudes had also completely changed.

Lei Wanjun no longer said "young people compete for experience."

Shen Guhong no longer said "the final inheritance belongs to people of our level."

After the ninety-fifth floor, these words were no longer suitable to be spoken.

Because the facts were right before their eyes: Lin Mo had not been eliminated by the Bone Platform.

On the contrary, he was pulling the Bone Platform toward his own direction.

Daoist Master Yun Yao looked upward and said softly:

"This child is about to melt himself into a blade."

Wei Qianshan's eyes were complex.

After this floor, the mindset of the External Prodigies had completely shifted.

The gap was already so large that even comparison seemed meaningless.

Before the ninety-ninth floor of the Bone Platform, Lin Mo stood before the final flight of bone steps.

One more step forward, and it would be the end.

At this moment, the entire Bone Platform was terrifyingly quiet.

Above, there were no roars, no suppression, no skeletons.

There was only a nearly solemn silence.

It was as if all the dead battle intent was waiting for the final person to arrive.

Below, Ji Wuchen had completely lost his initial arrogance.

Gu Yunting's gaze was incredibly heavy, but he no longer spoke a single word of disdain.

Lu Chenzhou didn't even want to clench his fists anymore.

Ye Huangyi's expression was the calmest, but it was precisely because of that calmness that it showed she had suppressed all her emotions.

She acknowledged it.

Lin Mo was not someone they could easily summarize with the words 'same generation.'

As for the elders, each was more silent than the last.

Watching Lin Mo stand before the ninety-ninth floor, they all suddenly had a strange feeling, as if this Bone Platform wasn't waiting for a trial-taker to reach the top.

But was waiting for Lin Mo to truly finish walking it.

As Lin Mo's foot landed, the entire Bone Platform emitted a low rumble that sounded almost like a sigh.

The ancient order that had slept for too long finally opened its eyes at this moment.

...