Gravity Array! Ye Hao took the lead, crushing the entire field!

As Sikong Yang's majestic voice fell, the hearts of the nine hundred plus students shivered in unison.

Only then did they realize that the previous "Ten-Day Body Tempering" was actually just the preliminary selection!

They had thought that as long as they achieved a Breakthrough to the Body Tempering First Level, they would already be guaranteed as the favored children of heaven at Taibai Academy!

But they hadn't expected that such a hard threshold would still be blocking them right at the entrance gate!

If they were to fall at this final step, wouldn't their mental state collapse on the spot?

They had celebrated far too early!

"Look! The countdown has already begun!"

While everyone was still dazed, someone suddenly pointed into the distance and exclaimed.

On a giant light screen at the side of the square, bright red numbers had already begun to tick down.

"Damn! There's no time to hesitate!"

"Charge!!"

This shout was like a starting gun, instantly making everyone snap out of it.

No longer daring to let their minds wander, everyone put in all their effort and, without a word, dashed toward the towering stone steps!

In their view, wasn't it just climbing stairs?

They were no longer the fragile college students they used to be, who would pant for half a day after running a thousand meters.

Now, they were genuine Body Tempering First Level Cultivators!

Their physical fitness was top-notch; they could climb sixteen floors in one breath without any effort.

Although these ten thousand steps looked high, with their leg strength, wasn't it just a piece of cake?

Moreover, compared to the physical exertion, what they worried about and feared most deep down was the unknown Formation assessment called "Asking Heart" that Sikong Yang had mentioned.

After all, the words "Asking Heart" sounded mysterious; no one knew what would happen.

However...

The moment the students in the lead set foot on the first stone step...

Their expressions suddenly changed!

"Holy crap!!"

"What's going on?!"

"Why does it suddenly feel like I'm carrying a mountain on my back?!"

A burly boy had just taken a step when it felt like an invisible hand was pressing him down; his knees buckled, and he almost knelt on the spot!

Refusing to believe it, he gritted his teeth and took another step, but the sense of heaviness didn't disappear—instead, it became even heavier!

And it wasn't just him.

All the students who charged up afterward encountered the same situation the moment they stepped onto the stairs.

Their originally light bodies instantly became incredibly heavy; every time they lifted a leg, it required several times more effort than usual!

"I get it!!"

Amidst the panicked shouts, a boy suddenly cried out in excitement; instead of fear, his face was filled with fanaticism.

"This must be the legendary Gravity Grand Array!"

"Just like what's written in those cultivation novels!"

"When those great Sects screen Disciples, they set up this kind of Formation on the mountain path to test the Disciples' Foundation and perseverance!"

"Hahaha! I never would have thought!"

"In my lifetime, I can actually experience a plot from a novel in reality! This is too cool!"

Hearing the shout from this "knowledgeable" student, the surrounding students who were still somewhat panicked suddenly realized what was happening.

"A Gravity Grand Array?"

"Good heavens..."

"As expected of Taibai Academy! They even have methods like this!"

"This is way too hardcore!"

Although their bodies were tired, the light in everyone's eyes grew even brighter.

This was more like it!

Cultivation should have the prestige of cultivation; how boring would it be if it were just climbing stairs?

"Oh? Not bad."

"There are actually students who know their stuff?"

High in the sky, Gu Zhiyun, who had been watching the activity below, couldn't help but show an unexpected smile when she saw her arrangement being recognized.

Indeed, it was just as that student had said.

For the first eight thousand steps of this Mountain-Climbing Ladder, she had indeed additionally set up a small Gravity Grand Array.

After all, if they were thrown directly into the Heavenly Demon Heart-Questioning Array from the start, it would be far too cruel for these rookies.

So she had specially added this "appetizer" to both grind down the students' sharp spirits and test whether their Body Tempering Realm Foundations were solid.

Only those who could withstand this gravity and walk step by step to the eight thousandth step would be qualified to enter the true "Heavenly Demon Heart-Questioning Domain"!

"Brothers! Charge!"

"Don't be scared by this Formation! We are Cultivators!"

After the initial surprise, everyone's competitive spirit was ignited.

They put in all their strength and began to climb upward against the pressure.

But this was destined to be an extremely difficult process.

The Gravity Grand Array was no child's play; the further up they went, the stronger the sense of oppression became.

The originally strong young men and women now felt as if they were carrying a thousand-jin weight.

Every step they took could be described as struggling; sweat poured down as if it were free.

To put it bluntly, their speed within the Grand Array was not even as agile as seventy or eighty-year-old elders taking a stroll in the park!

However...

Among this staggering crowd, there was a highly conspicuous exception.

That was—Ye Hao!

At this moment, Ye Hao was also walking on the steps.

But he was completely different from the surrounding classmates who were hunched over and red-faced.

His body was upright Like a Pine, his steps were steady and powerful, and his expression was as calm as water.

The gravity that was enough to crush a person seemed as if it didn't exist on him at all!

He just strolled along the steps like this; not only did his speed not slow down, it actually became faster and faster.

In just a short while, he was already far ahead, leaving everyone else far behind.

He alone formed the first tier!

"Eh?"

"This kid... is quite interesting!"

Old Sword, who had been staying by Li Fan's side, had appeared at some point and was floating in mid-air watching the scene.

When his sharp eyes swept over Ye Hao, who was leading the way, his gaze suddenly narrowed slightly, revealing a glimmer of surprise.

"What is it, Old Sword?"

"Is there... something wrong with his body?"

Li Fan keenly noticed Old Sword's abnormality and couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

He followed Old Sword's gaze and also discovered Ye Hao's amazing performance, secretly admiring him in his heart.

"Tsk..."

Old Sword stroked his beard and didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stared at Ye Hao and scrutinized him for a moment before saying somewhat uncertainly:

"It's hard to say..."

"The feeling is very obscure; it seems... it hasn't been fully revealed yet."

"But the way the blood Qi circulates in his Physical Body..."

At this point, Old Sword paused, his tone becoming somewhat meaningful.

"If it's truly what I suspect..."

"Then this kid is truly interesting..."

Having said that, Old Sword fell silent, acting like an annoying riddler.

This left Li Fan completely confused, his heart feeling as itchy as if a cat were scratching it.

What exactly is it?

Could you, old man, not stop halfway through your sentences?

But he didn't dare ask more, so he could only helplessly fix his eyes on Ye Hao, trying to see if he could figure something out.

And in the time it took for the two to talk...

Ye Hao's figure didn't stop for even a moment.

He was like a tireless beast, running wildly within this Gravity Grand Array.

Three thousand steps... four thousand steps... in the blink of an eye, he had surprisingly and easily charged to the five thousandth step!

It could be said that he was crushing the field, leaving everyone in the dust!