156: Chapter 156 Three Layers of Divine Thrust, Eightfold Perfection, A Newcomer with Unparalleled Comprehension

However, upon closer observation, one could discover that deep within its core lay a terrifying, penetrating intent capable of freezing the Soul.

Merely "looking" at it, one could feel a slight stinging sensation in the Primordial Spirit, as if being pricked by needles—this was the most basic form of the God-Shocking Sting, the Embryo.

"Whew—" Inside the Sea of Consciousness, the Primordial Spirit consciousness conveyed a hint of mental fatigue. "I didn't expect that just condensing the Embryo would consume so much. I'll leave the delicate operation of carving the runes for after I recover my state. In the meantime, I'll also nurture the God-Shocking Sting."

A newly condensed God-Shocking Sting needs to be nurtured; if used directly without nurturing, it can easily shatter during intense impacts.

Shattering not only means the failure of the secret technique but also backlashes against the Primordial Spirit itself, causing unpredictable damage.

With a shift in thought, the Primordial Spirit figure in the Sea of Consciousness opened its mouth slightly toward the God-Shocking Sting Embryo, and an invisible suction emerged.

The three-inch-long spike was like a young swallow returning to its nest; it instantly shrank, turning into a glimmer of light that was swallowed into the Primordial Spirit figure's belly for nurturing.

A warm, nourishing sensation was fed back, and the dim glow of the Primordial Spirit figure seemed to recover a bit of vitality.

As consciousness returned to his Physical Body, Li Wen took out a finely packaged transparent test tube emitting a cold Aura from a small refrigerated cabinet nearby.

It was a Level 5 Mental Recovery Potion priced at twenty million star coins.

He casually pulled out the soft stopper and drank the azure liquid inside in one gulp, as if drinking plain water.

The cool yet life-filled liquid quickly slid down his throat, and a powerful cooling energy rushed straight to his brain, like a sweet spring soaking parched earth, rapidly nourishing the mental Origin that had just been heavily consumed.

"It really is good stuff." He smacked his lips, feeling the pleasant sensation of rapid recovery.

Ever since the principal saw through his Primordial Spirit Realm and granted him special permissions, these basic resources, which seemed exorbitantly priced to ordinary people almost had an unlimited supply for him.

He flopped onto the bed beside him; the feeling of relaxation after mental exhaustion made him just want to briefly empty his thoughts.

As for whether others would call it a waste if they knew? That was completely outside his consideration.

February 25th.

Early morning.

Cultivation on the third floor of the Lightning Induction Tower continued as usual. The violent power of lightning was transformed and absorbed by the Nine Heavens Divine Body Mind-Cultivation Technique, tempering his body and allowing his Primordial Spirit to return to its optimal state through continuous honing.

Returning to Villa No. 1, Li Wen once again entered the cultivation quiet room.

Sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, his mind was calm.

In the Sea of Consciousness, the Primordial Spirit figure opened its mouth and spat out the God-Shocking Sting Embryo that had been nurtured overnight.

The Embryo floated, emitting a light that was purer and more restrained than yesterday.

The truly critical step began—inscribing the first layer of runes.

Primordial Spirit Power was mobilized again, turning into a carving knife thinner than a hair yet containing matchless will.

One after another, complex and profound rune lines filled with the Concept of destruction and piercing began to be slowly outlined on the surface of the spike Embryo.

With every stroke, it felt as if a wisp of Primordial Spirit Origin power was being drained.

The inscription of each rune required a level of meticulous control over Primordial Spirit Power that reached an incredible degree, and it also required the entire rune construction to be completed in one go, without the slightest pause or deviation in the middle.

If even a tiny error node appeared, the entire rune structure could collapse instantly, and the Embryo would be slightly damaged, requiring it to be nurtured again.

However, facing immense pressure unimaginable to ordinary people, Li Wen's state of mind remained as steady as a deep sea.

When the intent to carve arose, LV12 Absolute Focus was boldly activated.

In an instant, the world was segmented and stripped away in his consciousness.

All irrelevant perceptions—the passage of time, external sounds, and even the sense of his Physical Body's existence—receded like a tide.

The only thing remaining was the Sea of Consciousness, the spike Embryo before him, and the rune trajectories that needed to be carved, which were constantly being deduced and verified in his mind.

His Primordial Spirit Power was controlled as if it had a life of its own—precise, stable, and efficient.

Every turn and every connection landed exactly on the intended rune node, without the slightest tremor or delay.

The entire carving process was like a Great Master immersed for a hundred years depicting the most proud work of his life, or like a program following the simplest Laws executing perfectly.

Pain? Resistance? Mistakes? These thoughts never caused even a ripple in his current state of extreme focus.

Long? Short? In the state of Absolute Focus, the scale of time had become blurred.

Finally!

As the final stroke fell, the core rune network constituting the first layer of God-Shocking Sting instantly lit up on the surface of the spike Embryo.

All the rune paths seemed to come alive, glowing with flowing light, connecting with each other into a seamless whole that emitted devastating Soul fluctuations.

Buzz. The God-Shocking Sting, having completed its inscription, gave a sudden jolt.

Its form underwent a subtle change; the surface of the three-inch spike was no longer blank but covered in profound and mysterious,

ever-flowing dark gold patterns.

It was no longer just an "Embryo" but a Primordial Spirit Magic Treasure in the true sense, emitting a heart-palpitating sharpness and deathly stillness.

The original exposed stinging sensation was completely withdrawn, transformed into an internal death threat sufficient to make a powerhouse's Primordial Spirit instinctively wary.

The Primordial Spirit figure opened its mouth again, swallowing the transformed God-Shocking Sting into its belly for deeper stabilization and nurturing.

"It's done!" In reality, Li Wen slowly opened his eyes, and deep within them, a sharp light that seemed to pierce through the void flashed by.

He flexed his fingers, his thoughts shifting slightly.

Without the need for hand seals or incantations, the moment his intent pointed, the three-inch-long God-Shocking Sting wrapped in dark gold runes appeared before a decorative metal painting on the opposite wall of the quiet room, as if traveling through space.

It was silent and soundless, without triggering any energy fluctuations, and had no physical trace.

Only Li Wen's own powerful Primordial Spirit could clearly "see" its existence and trajectory.

Its speed was so fast that beings below the Primordial Spirit level could almost never capture its activation.

The time it took to leave Li Wen's Sea of Consciousness and reach the target was so short in physical terms that it could be ignored.

Invisible to the naked eye, undetectable by physical means.

Only powerhouses who also possessed a Primordial Spirit could sense that fleeting, terrifying Aura through Primordial Spirit induction.

"No wonder the secret technique description says it can easily kill those who haven't condensed a Primordial Spirit. If they can't even see a shadow of the target, how can they sense it? How can they dodge?"

Li Wen controlled the God-Shocking Sting to travel silently through the quiet room, simulating various tricky attack trajectories.

The God-Shocking Sting was like an invisible ghost, completely obeying his will. "Unless they possess a Soul-defense type treasure, or their will and Soul are strong enough to sense the omen of death in advance—otherwise, they will surely die."

Feeling the powerful strength contained within the new "sting" being nurtured in his Sea of Consciousness, a very faint curve appeared at the corner of Li Wen's mouth.

From now on, he had another lethal and hidden powerful trump card—the Primordial Spirit God-Shocking Sting!

As long as he didn't encounter Marquis Level beings who truly mastered the secrets of the Primordial Spirit, possessed strong Soul defenses, or had overwhelming power, his life had an extra layer of solid protection on a conventional level.

Night fell quietly.

Li Wen stood before the huge floor-to-ceiling window of the villa, looking at the violent thunderclouds that never ceased atop Nine Heavens Peak in the distance.

June 2nd, galactic calendar year 227.

On the third floor of the Nine Heavens Peak Lightning Induction Tower, the heavy alloy door of the "B-1" quiet room slid open silently to both sides, revealing the suppressed electric light within.

A figure stepped out steadily from inside.

Golden electric light flowed around his body like living creatures, jumping and moving across his skin, outlining a well-proportioned silhouette that contained explosive power.

Every strand of electric light seemed to carry a heavy texture, making the surrounding air faintly distort and emit slight crackling sounds.

This was Li Wen, who had just cultivated the eighth layer of the Nine Heavens Divine Body to Perfection.

As his eyes opened and closed, thunderclouds seemed to gather in his deep pupils, and electric light flashed for a moment before the intimidating divine light was restrained.

—

More than three months of bitter cultivation had settled not just a Breakthrough in Realm, but also a sense of ease in controlling the power of thunder.

At this moment, although he was just standing calmly in the corridor and the lightning around him had not yet fully subsided, that restrained power made the lights in the passage seem to dim a bit.

[Name: Li Wen]

[Age: 19]

[Realm: Advanced Super Martial Artist (Level 28.9 → 29.9)]

[Class: Scholar Lv12 (34560/204800)]

[Skills: Blade Technique - Concept (58%), Five Styles of Dawn (Instant Rainbow Style 100%, Silent Rainbow Style 100%, Mountain-Crushing Style 90%)]

[Cultivation Technique: Nine Heavens Divine Body · Eight Layers Three Levels (100%)]

With a slight shift of thought, his consciousness swept over his status panel.

Three months of silence had brought an all-around improvement.

His Physical Body Rank had long since risen to Level 29.9, and the barrier of the Flying Star Rank was within reach.

If he wanted to, he could step into the Flying Star Realm at any time. But he wouldn't do that.

For the cultivation of the Nine Heavens Divine Body, the eighth layer was not the end. The ninth layer's Great Perfection was the end point he had chosen for himself at the Super Martial Artist stage.

Only by stepping into the Flying Star Rank with this strongest Foundation could he build a truly flawless Foundation on the path of the God-Fiend Body.

Among the top existences of the twelve Super-Grade God-Fiend methods, if he could break through with a ninth-layer Great Perfection, how powerful would his potential truly be?

To call him the strongest Flying Star Rank of the same level would definitely not be an exaggeration.

His progress in the way of the blade had not stopped either.

With the 120% Comprehension Ability bonus from the Lv12 Scholar, even in a profound Realm like "Concept" where ordinary people find it hard to progress, he had still steadily advanced by nearly 20 percentage points.

Estimating at his current speed, in about eight or nine more months, he would be able to touch the threshold of the "Concept" Peak.

The latter three forms of the Five Styles of Dawn also continued to deepen, with the Mountain-Crushing Style nearing Perfection.

His biggest trump card, the God-Shocking Sting, had even earlier reached the third-layer Great Perfection Realm.

This pure Primordial Spirit attack secret technique, once unleashed, was like light or lightning, exceptionally hidden, and enough to instantly kill those Great Sun Realm God-Fiends who had condensed a Primordial Spirit.

This was his lethal ace on the Soul level.

The lightning surrounding him was like docile spirits; as his thoughts flowed, they slowly withdrew into his body.

The violent Spiritual Qi fluctuations in the passage also subsided, leaving only his tall figure and a faint, lingering scent of ozone.

"It's been over three months—" Li Wen murmured to himself, stretching his slightly stiff limbs and making a crisp bone-cracking sound.

He didn't linger and went straight down the familiar alloy passage toward the lower part of the Lightning Induction Tower.

Leaving the 'B' area, he entered the middle passage where the energy was relatively milder, and then to the wide but sparsely populated hall on the first floor.

Walking along the way, Li Wen keenly felt a hint of abnormality.

It was too quiet.

It wasn't just that there were few people; although Nine Heavens Peak already had few Disciples, it shouldn't be almost empty this morning.

In the past, he could at least occasionally meet a few fellow Disciples in the passages or the hall to exchange a few words, or see them hurrying to cultivation rooms.

But today, since he walked out of the third floor, he hadn't seen a single Soul.

A slight doubt arose.

With a shift in thought, Li Wen's Primordial Spirit Power instantly spread out like invisible ripples.

Having reached the third layer, his Primordial Spirit's coverage range had long exceeded ten miles, enough to encompass the entire core area of Nine Heavens Peak.

However, after a few breaths, the result made him frown slightly.

Aside from the Auras emitted by some natural energy nodes inside and outside the mountain, and the ancient, eternal violent thundercloud core at the Peak—he couldn't sense a single life Aura belonging to the Disciples of Nine Heavens Peak, which would be mixed with lightning Origin Qi and blood.

“Did something happen?” Li Wen instinctively tensed for a moment, his gaze turning sharp.

But he immediately dismissed that slightly panicked thought.

Nine Heavens Peak was one of the twelve core Peaks of Kindling University, and its Peak Master was an unfathomable existence; how could something easily go wrong?

In a flash, a memory fragment that had almost been buried by his cultivation schedule surfaced.

He stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing slightly: "—Wait, is today June 2nd?"

Nine Heavens Peak was ravaged by thunderstorms year-round, and the violent energy fields could cause any precision electronic equipment to fail instantly.

Therefore, when moving about the Peak, he never carried items like cell phones or smartwatches; his sense of time relied more on mental calculations during cultivation intervals and his own biological clock.

To confirm his suspicion, he didn't linger. His steps seemed slow, but he left faint afterimages on the ground, descending the mountain as fast as a light breeze.

The safe mountain path he had walked countless times, already etched into his physical instincts, was rapidly left behind.

Soon, he reached the foot of the mountain.

His exclusive small aircraft was quietly parked on the private platform, its surface energy shield isolating it from the weak residual thunderstorm ripples drifting down from the mountain.

Li Wen stepped forward quickly and pressed his palm against the hatch's induction area. The hatch opened silently, and he stepped inside.

The familiar high-tech cabin lit up with soft lights, and the main control screen in front of the pilot's seat also powered on.

In the corner of the screen, the time and date were clearly displayed:

[June 2, 227 galactic calendar, 10:27]

“It really is today.” Li Wen’s previous doubts completely vanished.

Freshman Assessment Day.

Kindling University held its admissions assessment for the entire Galactic Federation at this fixed time every year.

The two-day assessment was Kindling University's premier annual event.

Disciples from the major Peaks, and even Peak Masters, would take the time to go to the Wudao Peak main square to observe, hoping to discover good prospects early or scout fresh blood for their own Peaks.

No matter how few people Nine Heavens Peak had, a collective absence at this time would be truly strange.

A trace of pure curiosity welled up in his heart.

He also wanted to see if any eye-catching Geniuses would appear among this year's newcomers.

After all, he himself was a member of last year's sensational class.

Without returning to Villa No. 1 on Mingde Peak to rest, Li Wen directly set the destination on the main control screen—Wudao Peak.

The engine emitted a low hum, and a pale blue flame surged from the powerful vector nozzles.

The aircraft rose vertically and gracefully, then instantly turned into a streak of light, speeding toward Wudao Peak in the university's core area.

Through the porthole, he could see the clouds and mist swirling around the distant main Peaks.

Wudao Peak, White Jade Square.

Massive circular stands rose in tiers, surrounding the wide assessment grounds in the center.

The banners of the twelve main Peaks hung high in their respective sections of the stands, dividing the bustling crowd into distinct camps.

—

The energy particles in the air seemed restless due to the gathering of thousands of people; the noise was deafening, filled with the excitement and anticipation unique to youth.

Li Wen arrived at the designated aircraft parking area on the periphery.

He leaped down from his streamlined personal aircraft and merged into the crowd heading toward the square.

As Kindling University's most prominent rising star—a cultivator of the eighth layer of the Nine Heavens Divine Body who had made a stunning debut at the New Year's Eve gala.

Even though he deliberately kept a low profile, his tall, slender figure and the steady Aura he couldn't completely restrain were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing a ripple among the Disciples nearby who recognized him.

“Look, it's Senior Brother Li Wen from Nine Heavens Peak!”

“It's Junior Apprentice Brother Li!”

“I heard he has already cultivated the eighth layer of the Nine Heavens Divine Body.”

“The eighth layer of the Nine Heavens Divine Body—if I remember correctly, the last time someone from Nine Heavens Peak achieved that was twenty or thirty years ago.”

“Tsk tsk, this is the benchmark of our year—”

Awe, envy, curiosity—all sorts of gazes were projected from all directions, accompanied by whispers.

The Disciples at the Super Martial Artist level had especially complex expressions.

Half a year ago, everyone was at the same starting line, but now the other party had taken a commanding lead, leaving them far behind.

Li Wen was already used to this and walked forward without a change in expression.

He habitually looked toward the Nine Heavens Peak area; as expected, the seats in that section were still quite empty compared to other places. A small population had always been the reality for Nine Heavens Peak.

“Li Wen!”

A familiar shout came; it was Wang Shuo, with Fang Chenghong standing beside him.

Li Wen paused and walked over.

“You came too? That's rare. Aren't you spending all your time on the third floor of the Lightning Induction Tower and deep within the vast sea of books lately?”

Wang Shuo smiled and punched Li Wen's shoulder, his tone familiar and tinged with a bit of emotion.

This fellow townsman from Jiangnan was progressing at a speed that felt like he was using a cheat.

“I came out for some fresh air and to see the fresh blood of this year's class,” Li Wen said with a calm smile.

“Take a look, this year really produced a few monsters,” Fang Chenghong chimed in, his face serious as he looked toward the center of the square. “There was a real powerhouse in the batch that just finished the Comprehension Ability test.”

Li Wen nodded: “Yeah, I heard some rumors. How are things with you guys?”

“Not bad, just following the routine,” Fang Chenghong replied briefly.

Under the immense pressure brought by Li Wen, he, Du Yun, and the others hadn't slacked off.

After a few pleasantries, Li Wen parted ways with the two.

He walked to an inconspicuous corner at the very edge of the Nine Heavens Peak stand and sat down. He withdrew his Aura to the extreme, as if he were just an ordinary Disciple watching quietly, completely unremarkable.

But he could clearly perceive several exceptionally sharp gazes projected from the directions of Lietian Peak, Xingyan Peak, and even Nine Heavens Peak’s own section.

The owners of those gazes were all the top senior Disciples or well-known Geniuses of each Peak.

His gaze calmly swept toward the center of the square.

The Comprehension Ability assessment was in full swing, with massive circular light screens separating various simulated combat zones.

A new batch of two hundred young Geniuses who had finished their meditation in the Enlightenment Chamber were walking out, preparing for the final verification of their understood Moves.

These young faces bore nervousness, excitement, and a trace of fatigue and daze from the deep comprehension they had just concluded.

Just then, Li Wen felt the vast majority of Disciples in the surrounding stands, regardless of their Peak affiliation, all focus their gazes in unison on one particular youth.

The youth was not tall, with fair skin and red lips, looking exceptionally handsome, but his eyes revealed a brightness and sharpness that far exceeded his peers.

“Look! That's him!”

“That's him! Two minutes! It only took him two minutes to enter meditation! He went in before the Enlightenment Incense even started drifting!”

“My god, the fastest one from last year seemed to take three minutes, right? This year is just too ridiculous!”

The discussions rose like a tide around Li Wen, all revolving around that handsome youth.

Entering meditation in two minutes, the amazing performance inside the Enlightenment Chamber—words of high praise kept entering his ears.

Among them, the record from last year and the name associated with "three minutes" were repeatedly mentioned.

For a moment, even Li Wen developed a bit of interest.

His gaze, which had been tempered by Primordial Spirit Power and was now as sharp as a hawk's, also turned toward the youth in the center of the field who had instantly become the focus of the entire venue.

Soon, it was this batch's turn to go on stage and demonstrate the weapon Moves they had comprehended in the Enlightenment Chamber.

When the handsome youth, guided by an attendant, walked toward an empty circular demonstration platform, the gazes of the entire audience were like physical beams of light, firmly locked onto him.

The buzzing discussion grew louder, filled with curiosity and anticipation: “Here he comes! Look, how many Moves can he demonstrate!”

“Senior Brother Li Wen from last year did ten Moves! He entered meditation so fast, can he reach ten Moves too?”

“I feel like it'll be more—it's said the Blue Smoke Reaction when he entered meditation was particularly strong—”

“If he really exceeds ten Moves, it'll be Heaven-Defying—”

The youth walked steadily to the center of the demonstration platform.

His gaze swept across the stands, and when his eyes inadvertently brushed past the young figure sitting quietly on the edge of the Nine Heavens Peak section, his pupils contracted slightly.

Li Wen!

A strong emotion flashed through the youth's eyes; it was the desire and heat that came after having a clear goal, carrying the sharp spirit of a newborn calf that does not fear tigers and the will to catch up to the other party as a benchmark.

The third layer of the Primordial Spirit gave Li Wen a perception far beyond ordinary people; the instant change and the emotion contained in the youth's gaze were clearly captured by him.

Li Wen's expression remained unchanged, but like looking at an outstanding junior, the corner of his mouth curled into an extremely faint, almost imperceptible, kind smile.

Catching up? Li Wen's heart was as calm as still water.

With his current terrifying Comprehension Ability bonus from [Scholar] LV12, the youth before him might be gifted, but wanting to overtake him—that road would be very, very long.

The youth withdrew his gaze, took a deep breath, and his expression instantly became solemn and focused.

His weapon was a blade; a long blade that looked like a standard-issue weapon was held in his hand, yet it seemed to come to life.

In an instant, a clear sense of sharpness emanated from him!

The demonstration began!

Swish! The first strike was delivered, clean and crisp, carrying a sense of poised power.

Swish! The second strike followed seamlessly, as natural as flowing water.

Swish, swish, swish—!

One strike after another! His movements weren't flashy, but they were extremely precise and swift, as if every strike was etched deep into his muscle memory, clearly interpreting the essence of the blade Moves on the mural.

Three strikes, five strikes, seven strikes—

As the blade Moves continued to be performed, the exclamations from the stands rose like wave after wave of the sea.

“Eight strikes! My god, how long has it even been?” someone shouted out in shock.

Before the voice could fade, the ninth strike was already delivered!

The chilling blade light left a faint silver trail in the air above the demonstration platform.

“Nine strikes!”

“He's tied the highest record of everyone from last year except for Senior Brother Li Wen!”

Whoosh—!

An even greater uproar erupted.

But the youth's movements didn't falter for a second; the tenth strike was immediately slashed out.

Boom!

The entire square seemed to freeze for an instant, followed by the sound of collective, uncontrollable gasps.

“Ten strikes! Ten strikes! He tied—he tied Senior Brother Li Wen's record from last year?!”

“This—this—”

However, what made everyone's thoughts almost completely grind to a halt was that after the youth delivered the tenth strike, his momentum didn't decrease; instead, it grew even stronger.

The eleventh strike! The blade's edge tore through the air, carrying a decisiveness that could sever anything.

Gasp! On the stands, countless people subconsciously covered their mouths, their eyes bulging.

Then, the twelfth strike was slashed down fiercely with a perfect, flawless posture, as if all the Saber Intent had reached Great Perfection and Unity.

Clatter—someone's water bottle fell to the ground, making a clear, crisp sound.

Dead silence.

It was as if time had been frozen. In the vast Wudao Peak square where tens of thousands had gathered, one could now hear a pin drop.

Everyone, whether they were Disciples, teaching assistants maintaining order, or even the distinguished teachers in the front rows of the stands, was in a state of complete shock.

King Chu He, who was in charge of presiding over the entire assessment process, had at some point stood up abruptly from his seat.

His normally steady gaze was now like burning stars, containing an irrepressible and immense surprise as he stared fixedly at the handsome figure standing with his blade sheathed in the center of the field.

That usually majestic face was even slightly moved by excitement.

The silence, after being frozen for several seconds, was finally broken by a trembling voice filled with disbelief: “—Twelve strikes?”

“Twelve strikes! Heavens! He—he actually comprehended them all?!” the first person to come to their senses screamed out.

“All of them! There are only twelve basic blade Moves on the mural in total! He didn't miss a single one; he comprehended them all!”

Someone repeated this shocking fact in a tone that was almost like sleep-talking.

"Peerless! This Comprehension Ability——it is definitely Peerless-grade! A Peerless-grade never seen before!"

From somewhere in the stands, the uncontrollably excited words of a Marquis-level Divine Demon, whose Aura was as deep as the sea, rang out. He even forgot to control his voice, letting this exclamation resound throughout the nearby area.

The entire square was like a boiling oil pan into which ice cubes had been thrown, instantly erupting into a Peak of frenzy.

Exclamations and unbelievable discussions——all the sounds intertwined, forming a massive wave of noise that almost overturned the entire Wudao Peak.

A new legend, a Peerless Comprehension Ability Genius who broke historical records, was born before everyone's eyes.

"This boy's name is Sun Rui. He's from the capital and is the grandson of the Blade Crane King, Sun Zhen." A voice sounded beside Li Wen, carrying undisguised amazement and a hint of complexity.

At some point, Du Yun had squeezed through from the front and stood by Li Wen's side.

"Rumor has it he touched the threshold of Saber Intent in his second year of high school, and there have always been whispers that his Comprehension Ability is top-tier. Seeing it today, I didn't expect it to be this ridiculous."

"Yes, I felt it," Li Wen's gaze remained on Sun Rui, who was receiving the attention of the masses in the center. His tone was as flat as water. "His Saber Intent is not bad, and his Foundation is very pure."

"...Not... bad?" Hearing these two light words, Du Yun's mouth couldn't help but twitch.

He glanced at the person beside him, the number one of their year, who remained calm and unruffled.

If these words had come from anyone else, Du Yun would definitely think they were pretending to be a big shot and would have snapped back without hesitation.

But the person before him was Li Wen——the guy who had easily condensed the Purple Heaven Divine Chain at the New Year's Eve party, and whose current Realm was unfathomable.

If he said "not bad," then it probably meant... it was really not bad? For a moment, Du Yun felt a blockage in his heart; the gap was so wide that even the thought of being unconvinced had to be suppressed.

The noise was like a boiling volcano. After a brief pause, the assessment continued to advance, but this sensational effect would clearly last for a very long time.

Li Wen sat quietly for a while longer, his gaze sweeping over several specific areas and the new batch of Geniuses taking the stage, seemingly confirming certain information.

In the center of the square, a huge holographic projection was displaying real-time scenes of fierce competition in different practice areas, with flashes of blades and swords and energy collisions.

The shifting lights and shadows reflected in the depths of Li Wen's eyes. His gaze remained calm, but within that depth, a tiny flash of lightning seemed to pass by, so fast that no one could catch it.

He stood up, not saying goodbye to Wang Shuo, Fang Chenghong, or Du Yun, nor attracting any attention from the observation areas.

Just as he had come, he turned away silently, following the path he had arrived on. With steady steps, he left the edge of the Nine Heavens Peak stands, merged back into the scattered flow of people, and soon disappeared in the direction of the outer docking area.

The exclusive deep-blue personal aircraft of Villa No. 1 on Nine Heavens Peak emitted a faint hum as the suspension System activated.

Li Wen entered the pilot's seat, and the hatch closed silently.

Whoosh!

The aircraft climbed lightly and swiftly, instantly breaking through the thin, lingering mist on Wudao Peak, leaving a faint blue trail of light in the azure sky as it flew toward Mingde Peak.

Light and shadow passed through the drifting clouds, and the clamor regarding the new Peerless-grade on the square below seemed to be completely isolated.

The cloud layers outside the window were ever-changing, like the even more magnificent road ahead, unknown and full of challenges.

The silver-white personal aircraft landed smoothly on the helipad of Villa No. 1 on Mingde Peak.

The hatch slid open, and Li Wen stepped out, his eyes, which had just experienced the bustle of Wudao Peak, already returning to tranquility.

The midday sun spilled over him, reflecting his Physical Body, which had become increasingly restrained and solid after being tempered by lightning countless times.

Inside the villa, a high-energy lunch cooked from top-tier nutritional ingredients was already laid out.

Li Wen ate quietly, chewing each bite slowly to allow the energy in the food to fully transform into nourishment for his body. This was a life habit that had integrated into his very bones.

During his afternoon nap, a thought surfaced in his mind: how to Breakthrough the Great Perfection of the eighth layer of the Nine Heavens Divine Body and Move toward the final ninth layer.

As his Cultivation deepened, especially after crossing the threshold of the seventh layer, he felt more clearly how harsh the hidden conditions were behind that seemingly reachable ninth-layer Realm.

Why had so few people on Nine Heavens Peak reached even the seventh layer over the years? It was definitely not just a matter of resources or Comprehension Ability.

He inspected himself internally, his thoughts flowing: "Technique Realm is the most basic hurdle. Intent Realm is only the starting point. The later the Nine Heavens Divine Body gets, the more uncontrollably violent the Divine Power of lightning within the body becomes. Without a strong enough Saber Intent to restrain, guide, and control it, it's like trying to bind a surging river with straw rope; it will be torn apart by backlash in an instant. The further one goes, the Saber Intent strength and control required grow exponentially. My overall Concept accumulation from the Five Styles of Dawn is profound; I should be up to standard in this regard."

"Focus and precise control are even more paramount, running through the entire process."

He recalled the moments in the quiet room of the Lightning Induction Tower, where even Drawing Lightning into the Body required cautious and minute guidance.

The slightest error could cause the violent lightning slurry to explode within his body, causing severe wounds that would be difficult to heal.

Breaking through from the eighth to the ninth layer would involve a quality and total amount of divine lightning far exceeding before, and the requirements for focus and control would only be higher.

"Fortunately, I have Absolute Focus and the third layer of the Primordial Spirit as a double insurance; this is my unique advantage."

"Additionally, there is... Heart-Nature and Will." Li Wen's gaze became deep and solemn.

"For the barrier between the eighth and ninth layers of the Nine Heavens Divine Body, the Will must reach the true 'Great Sun Realm' God-Demon standard! This means I must complete all two hundred steps of the illusion array in Jian Xin Hall——not a single step less."

He remembered the Heart-Nature test when he first entered Kindling University. He had exerted all his strength to reach one hundred and ninety steps, stunning the entire school and being hailed as one of the top three Heart-Nature potentials in thirty years.

"Now, a year has passed." Li Wen felt the resilience deep within his body.

"Drawing Lightning into the Body year-round, I endure the agonizing pain of lightning tempering my bones and marrow every single second. This pain is unimaginable to those who haven't experienced it personally; it has long since surpassed the scope of ordinary physical torture and reached the Soul and Will. Day after day of suffering, fighting against the instinct to collapse, should have significantly improved my Will."

He frowned slightly, his rationality overriding any self-satisfaction.

"But exactly how much have I progressed? Have I really met the requirement for two hundred steps? Without personal experience, everything is unknown."

This uncertainty made him wary. Breaking through the ninth layer was no joke; the backlash of failure would be extremely terrifying.

"If my defensive line of Will loosens even slightly at a critical moment and is crushed by that ultimate divine lightning power, not only will the Breakthrough fail, but my Foundation will inevitably be severely damaged. Even with Absolute Focus and the third layer of the Primordial Spirit protecting me, it would likely take a year or half a year to recover to my original state."

His strong sense of risk management instantly made him reject the impulsive idea of attempting the Breakthrough directly in the Lightning Induction Tower this morning.

"If I'm not certain, there's no need to take the risk." Li Wen had always been steady, knowing well that sharpening the axe does not delay the woodcutting.

"Heart-Nature and Will are the only uncertain links. Then I'll confirm them first!"

He quickly set a plan: complete his Blade Technique Cultivation in the afternoon as usual to maintain his body's sense of sharpness, then immediately head to Jian Xin Hall to challenge those two hundred steps of the illusion Realm again.

In the exclusive practice room on the top floor of the martial arts field in the afternoon.

There were no spectators, no cheers, only the sharp whistle of the long blade tearing through the air.

Li Wen's figure was like lightning, practicing the Five Styles of Dawn to Perfection in his hands, each strike containing the Concept of a different Move.

——

Sweat soaked his specially-made practice uniform, only to be evaporated by the strands of electrical light flowing around his body.

After the Cultivation ended, he simply washed away the fatigue and grime and changed into a clean black casual outfit of Kindling University.

Li Wen did not delay for a moment and walked directly to the helipad.

"Destination, Jian Xin Hall." The command was issued, the aircraft took off, silently slicing through the magnificent evening glow toward an ancient hall hidden among the lush green mountains.

A year later, the heavy, simple stone gates of Jian Xin Hall, engraved with the marks of time, once again came into view.

The wind in the mountains carried a unique chill and the scent of plants, seemingly blowing away all the heat from one's body.

Stepping into the hall, the scene was indeed as he had imagined.

Without the hubbub of the major assessment period, the empty hall appeared solemn and silent.

Only a faint scent of sandalwood and an indescribable mental pressure permeated the air.

Several attendants on duty, dressed in gray uniforms, were quietly handling matters at their posts.

When the attendants on duty saw the face of the newcomer, their professional calm was instantly shattered, replaced by undisguised shock and deep respect.

One of them, a middle-aged attendant who was clearly a small leader, immediately put down his work and walked over quickly.

"Senior Brother Li!" He bowed slightly, his voice carrying obvious excitement.

It was no wonder he was so excited. The young man before him was already one of the brightest stars of Kindling University.

The news that he had cultivated the Nine Heavens Divine Body of Nine Heavens Peak to the eighth layer had already shaken the entire school months ago.

One had to know, how many years had it been since Nine Heavens Peak produced a Disciple of this level?

Privately, speculations about whether "Li Wen is going to charge for the legendary ninth-layer Great Perfection" had already spread like wildfire among the Disciples of various Peaks.

At this moment, this legendary figure had personally come to Jian Xin Hall, combined with that key quality required to Cultivate the Nine Heavens Divine Body to the top—Will.

This connection flashed through the middle-aged attendant's mind like lightning.

Could it be——Senior Brother Li is really making the final preparations for that step? He's going to charge for the ninth layer?!

As soon as this thought arose, the middle-aged attendant felt his scalp tingle, and his heart beat uncontrollably fast.

The eighth layer was already the only one in recent decades; if he could truly achieve the ninth layer Great Perfection——he could no longer be described as a Genius; this would be enough to be recorded in the annals of Kindling University's history of the last hundred years.

The look he gave Li Wen was full of unbelievable shock and a certain excitement about witnessing history.

Without a word, he almost instinctively turned to lead the way: "Senior Brother Li, this way please!" His attitude was extremely eager, for fear of delaying this person for even a second.

Li Wen could feel the other party's strong emotions, but he just nodded calmly: "Yes, thank you for your trouble."

He followed with steady steps.

The illusion array hall was even more empty and quiet than the front hall, with only a dozen or so people scattered about.

A few Disciples who were still chatting quietly at the entrance glanced over casually as someone entered. When they saw it was Li Wen, they also instantly erupted.

*Hiss*——Junior Apprentice Brother Li!"

"It's Li Wen! Why is he here?"

"Could it be——"

With disbelief and excitement on their faces, these people also stepped forward to greet him warmly, their words full of respect and curiosity for the strong.

Li Wen did not become arrogant because of his fame; he politely responded to each one, his eyes clear and peaceful, making people feel as if they were in a spring breeze.