157: Chapter 157 Ninefold Succession, Extraordinary Phenomena Arise!

Chapter 157: Ninth Layer Achieved, Phenomenon Arises! (Seeking subscriptions; follow-up reads have dropped significantly, friends please support!)

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Wen did not waste any time, turning his gaze toward the area in the center of the hall shrouded in a soft curtain of light.

That was precisely the entrance to the Heart-Nature Illusion Formation; the light curtain was stable now, clearly ready for entry at any time.

Li Wen nodded to several Disciples nearby, signaling the attendants to open the illusion Formation.

Stepping into the illusion Formation, a sense of both familiarity and strangeness instantly enveloped him.

The scene before his eyes became hazy and illusory, but Li Wen's consciousness was even clearer and more resilient than it had been a year ago.

He took a step. The confusion of the illusion was like a gentle breeze against his face, having no effect on him whatsoever.

He walked fifty steps. Various low-level temptations and fearful visions arose, yet they could not shake his heart, which was as solid as a rock.

He walked one hundred steps. To the Disciples outside still marveling at the entrance, they only saw Li Wen's speed advancing steadily without almost any hesitation.

In just a few short minutes, he was already far ahead, leaving the other six who were struggling forward far behind him.

"My god—so fast! Too fast!" a Disciple couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice.

"Incredible—Senior Brother Li's Heart-Nature is simply incomparable to what it was a year ago!"

"Yeah, I still remember during the last assessment he eventually reached one hundred and ninety steps. Looking at his speed now, I'm afraid even one hundred and ninety-five steps won't stop him—could it be—"

The Disciple's tone was filled with disbelief.

Inside the illusion Formation.

One hundred and fifty steps.

The difficulty of the illusion increased sharply, beginning to excavate deeper memory fragments and emotional fluctuations from within.

One hundred and seventy steps. Confusion regarding the future and the great fear of possibly losing everything suddenly struck.

One hundred and eighty steps. The pressure was enough to make an ordinary Super Martial Artist collapse instantly.

Li Wen's expression remained calm, his gaze sharp as a blade.

A year of painful torment from drawing lightning outside, and the baptism of facing the Void Realm wind tribulation during his Primordial Spirit Soul Emergence night travels, had long since polished his will into steel tempered a thousand times over.

Though these illusions were powerful, they were like waves crashing against a reef; the reef remained solid as ever.

One hundred and ninety steps!

A year ago, when he reached this point, his spirit suffered heavy pressure, and ultimately the string of his will snapped, leading to failure.

At this moment, his feet only paused slightly.

The terrifying illusion that had once stopped him here reappeared—a vortex of extreme destruction and despair, seeking to swallow him whole.

He gritted his teeth, veins bulging slightly on his forehead as sweat instantly soaked through, but deep within his eyes, the flame of will forged from countless pains flared up fiercely.

"Break!"—it wasn't a roar from his mouth, but a silent bellow issued on a spiritual level.

One step, he firmly crossed the one hundred and ninetieth step.

Without the slightest pause, he continued forward.

One hundred and ninety-one steps—one hundred and ninety-three—one hundred and ninety-five steps!

Reaching this position, the ease finally faded completely from Li Wen's face, his brows locked tight.

Every step forward was like climbing while carrying the weight of an entire mountain range on his back.

The illusions before him became bizarre yet incredibly realistic; they no longer merely simulated pain and fear but began to weave exquisite, perfect facades that catered to the deepest desires of his heart.

Possessing the power to protect everything, the peace and comfort after the human crisis was resolved, and even—a kind of eternal, great liberation.

This massive temptation in the name of Perfection was even more lethal than pure terror.

One hundred and ninety-six steps!

The deceptiveness and viscosity of the illusion climbed another order of magnitude.

He needed to concentrate for a long time, mobilizing his entire mind like solving a puzzle to analyze the flaws in the illusion before he could find the true path amidst the layers of temptation.

It took two minutes before he managed to take a difficult step.

One hundred and ninety-seven steps!

This step felt like falling into an endless Reincarnation, experiencing various familiar and profound "failure" scenarios that repeatedly battered the Foundation of his unyielding conviction.

He held fast to the core of his Primordial Spirit, like gripping a fixed anchor tightly amidst raging waves, sweat soaking his back.

It took a full five minutes before he gritted his teeth and broke free, stepping forward.

One hundred and ninety-eight steps!

The illusion of this step returned to the Origin, pointing directly at the most primal fear of survival—the brink of death.

It wasn't just the demise of the physical body, but a dark void where even the Soul's consciousness would be completely erased.

This ultimate fear that reached the very meaning of existence caused Li Wen's Primordial Spirit to feel bursts of chill and a sense of tearing, as if countless steel needles were piercing his mental level simultaneously.

He mobilized his experience of facing destructive energy during every instance of Drawing Lightning into the Body, igniting the will to find life within death that had integrated into his very marrow.

He resisted, he analyzed—fifteen minutes felt as long as a century.

Finally, his left foot was raised with great difficulty and immense weight, landing heavily on the one hundred and ninety-eighth step.

At this moment, only two steps remained! The end was within reach!

However, the Mental Energy he consumed for this step was unprecedented; his will was almost squeezed to its limit.

As he stepped onto the one hundred and ninety-eighth step and the new illusion followed immediately, Li Wen felt an unprecedented wave of fatigue and dizziness strike, and a microscopic, imperceptible lag involuntarily appeared in his thought to resist.

It was this single moment of lag that allowed the tide of the illusion to instantly submerge his final spiritual line of defense.

Buzz! A slight vibration came from the illusion Formation.

Li Wen's footsteps finally froze at the one hundred and ninety-eighth step, no longer advancing.

Radiance flowed as a soft white light slowly escorted Li Wen out of the illusion Formation.

He stumbled a step before steadying himself, his face pale from overexertion, lingering shock in his eyes, but more so gravity and a hint of—profound relief.

The few people outside were in a complete uproar.

One hundred and ninety-eight steps!

The way they looked at Li Wen was no longer with mere awe; it was as if they were looking at a monster.

In the Kindling University freshman Heart-Nature test, reaching two hundred steps represented possessing the potential for the "Great Sun Realm," which was a significant threshold toward becoming a top-tier powerhouse.

Countless older students were stuck at one hundred and eighty or ninety steps for years or even over a decade without making any progress.

Yet Li Wen, in just one year, had leaped from one hundred and ninety steps to one hundred and ninety-eight; this simply wasn't a rate of progress a human should have.

However, Li Wen's mood was not one of joy.

"One hundred and ninety-eight steps—still two steps short of the goal," he murmured in his heart.

This difference of two steps was the sturdiest and most difficult barrier to break through before quantitative accumulation reached qualitative change.

The sense of fear and exhaustion that had nearly swallowed him during that last step just now was incredibly clear.

He was absolutely certain that if he had impulsively gone to charge at the ninth layer of the Divine Body this morning, at the final critical moment, this tiny gap in will would surely have become the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Failure to Breakthrough, a heavily damaged Foundation, all efforts wasted—the thought of these consequences made him feel a lingering fear.

Relief outweighed regret.

"Only this last piece of the puzzle, Heart-Nature and will, is missing." Li Wen's gaze became firm once more.

He was well aware of his advantages; Absolute Focus and the third layer of the Primordial Spirit allowed his control over power and energy to reach an incredibly precise level.

With the accumulated Concept of the Five Styles of Dawn, he was fully qualified in terms of technical Realm.

Now, the biggest shortcoming was the final two steps of willpower.

This wasn't due to a lack of talent, but rather because the accumulation of "quantity" and "depth" had not yet truly reached the critical point to trigger a qualitative change.

Li Wen bid farewell to the attendants and those Disciples who were still in a state of massive shock, and boarded his return aircraft.

Kindling University under the night sky was brightly lit, like a sea of stars embedded within the vast mountains.

Returning to the quiet room of Villa No. 1.

Li Wen sat cross-legged, eyes slightly closed, and began to adjust his future Cultivation plan.

"For the coming period, the core of the Breakthrough will be will," he decided.

The tempering from "two hours of Drawing Lightning into the Body at the Lightning Induction Tower daily" would be temporarily paused.

In its place, after the daily afternoon Blade Technique practice, he would fixedly head to Jian Xin Hall to hone his Heart-Nature!"

Each step in that illusion Formation, especially after one hundred and ninety-five steps where the spirit and will were squeezed to their limits without causing actual harm, was far more effective than any so-called spiritual tempering that wasted time.

When his will truly reached the standard of a Great Sun Realm god-fiend's will, that would be when the gates to the ninth layer of the Nine Heavens Divine Body would swing wide open for him.

With the plan set in his heart, there was no more confusion.

Li Wen opened his eyes; his gaze was as calm as water, yet it contained a determination like steel.

Outside the window, the starlight was like water.

A new round of bitter Cultivation would begin tomorrow.

July 12, galactic calendar Year 227.

Early morning.

Faint sunlight filtered through the window of Villa No. 1 on Mingde Peak, spilling onto the floor.

Li Wen slowly opened his eyes, and just like every morning for the past month or so, the moment his consciousness returned, he naturally brought up his status panel.

[Name: Li Wen]

[Age: 19 years old]

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

[Class: Scholar Lv12 (34560→48960/204800)]

[Skills: Blade Technique · Concept (62%), Five Styles of Dawn (Instant Rainbow Style 100%, Silent Rainbow Style 100%, Mountain-Crushing Style 100%,]

Heavenly Gap Style 10%)]

[Cultivation Technique: Nine Heavens Divine Body · Eighth Layer, Third Tier (100%)]

The various values on the panel were like the most precise clock, recording his efforts that had not slackened for even a second.

Though the Nine Heavens Divine Body was still stuck at Eighth Layer Perfection, he was not far from the final Breakthrough.

Over the past month, he had spent two hours every morning stepping into that illusion to hone his will.

Every day he endured the limit of pressure applied by the illusion, like tempering a piece of stubborn iron deep within his Soul.

The gains over the month were not small; he had finally struggled forward from the initial one hundred and ninety-eight steps to one hundred and ninety-nine.

He was only one last step away from those two hundred steps.

Li Wen estimated to himself that perhaps another one to two months of ceaseless day and night polishing would surely see him cross that boundary of two hundred steps.

The growth of Scholar experience points accompanied every reading and thought, climbing regularly and steadily.

On the path of the saber, after crossing the 60% Concept threshold, he did not stagnate; on the Foundation of the Silent Rainbow Style's Perfection, he steadily pushed up to 62%.

The "Heavenly Gap Style" was still difficult, only reaching 10%, but this speed of improvement was already a Realm countless swordsmen dreamed of.

After finishing his washing and enjoying a breakfast prepared with high-energy nutrient solution, Li Wen did not head straight to the Martial Arts Field as usual.

Today, he had another itinerary: Wudao Peak, White Jade Plaza.

Today was the day for the new batch of Kindling University Disciples to hold their Peak Selection Ceremony.

According to school rules, all older Disciples who were not in secluded cultivation were required to be present for the ceremony.

The invitation had naturally reached Li Wen's hands. He had agreed to go together with Fang Chenghong.

When they arrived at Wudao Peak by aircraft, the majestic White Jade Plaza was already a sea of people.

The identification flags of the twelve main Peaks fluttered high, with older Disciples from each Peak gathered below to observe the ceremony.

The air was filled with a clamor mixed with expectation and curiosity.

Fang Chenghong habitually looked for familiar faces, while Li Wen keenly captured many points of discussion coming from the center of the square.

Almost everyone's gaze, whether intentionally or not, was cast toward a fair-skinned, calm youth at the front of the new Disciple line—Sun Rui.

"Sun Rui, the top scorer of this batch, supposedly led people to hold off the impact of the Interstellar Gate in the practical test."

"Tsk, how does he compare to last year's Li Wen?"

"That's hard to say. Li Wen's spiritual perception is peerless, and his Nine Heavens Divine Body has already reached Eighth Layer Perfection. Achieving such a feat in just one year is unprecedented in nearly fifty years!"

"But Sun Rui's Comprehension Ability is also at a monster level. Comprehending Saber Intent in his second year of high school—with this kind of Foundation, it will be very easy for him to step into higher-level technique Realms in the future—"

"They each have their strengths. Junior Brother Li Wen is strong in spiritual perception and actual combat; Junior Brother Sun focuses more on the extreme of Comprehension Ability. However, who can ultimately go further depends on their choices and perseverance."

"No one can say for sure. Why don't we guess which Peak Junior Brother Sun Rui will choose?"

"Right, right, which Peak he chooses today is the key. Will it be our Lietian Peak?" a Disciple from Lietian Peak said with anticipation.

"I feel like the possibility of him choosing Nine Heavens Peak is greater, after all, he has already comprehended Saber Intent."

Li Wen listened to the surrounding discussions with a calm expression, his gaze also falling on the young man, Sun Rui.

This boy's Comprehension Ability was indeed astonishing, even higher than his own Comprehension Ability when he had activated Lv9 [Absolute Focus] during the Comprehension Ability assessment.

However, his Absolute Focus was now Lv12, and with the Scholar Rank's boost, his Comprehension Ability was even better than before, which should have leveled the gap.

But as for the specifics, this kind of internal perception was hard to compare intuitively and ultimately difficult to measure precisely.

He simply waited for Sun Rui's choice with interest.

"The Peak Masters are here!" someone whispered.

Everyone's gaze instantly turned toward the entrance of the high platform.

Twelve figures with majestic Aura arrived together.

Leading them was still the white-haired, black-clothed Peak Master Fang Qinghan, with an indifferent expression and eyes as deep as an abyss.

Following him in order were the Peak Master of Lietian Peak, the Peak Master of Xingyan Peak—all the way to the last one, the Peak Master of Bibo Peak.

As soon as the twelve King-rank existences took their seats, an invisible pressure spread out, and the clamor of the square quickly subsided.

Subsequently, the white-haired Principal quietly appeared at the main seat; his simple speech and blessings for the freshmen were peaceful yet powerful.

The process was concise and clear, and the Peak selection ceremony officially began.

Just like last year, the presiding Marquis-level Divine Demon loudly announced the rules, starting from the two-hundredth place on the gold rankings and selecting Peaks in reverse order.

Time passed as the process moved forward in an orderly fashion.

One by one, the freshmen whose names were called stepped forward and walked toward the queue of their desired Peak Master.

The distribution of choices was no different from previous years.

Lietian Peak remained a major favorite, its team constantly growing; Xingyan Peak and others followed closely behind; while in front of the Nine Heavens Peak camp, it remained empty.

The old Disciples of Nine Heavens Peak who were watching the ceremony saw their initial anticipation gradually tinged with solemnity.

Especially the Disciples of Nine Heavens Peak, who cast their gazes toward the remaining ten people.

"So far this year, no one has chosen our Peak yet. Let's hope we don't end up with none again," a Disciple of Nine Heavens Peak said.

"Shut your jinx mouth. What's the rush? Hasn't it always been that people only choose our Peak at the very end in previous years? Even if those in front chose it, they wouldn't be able to practice it, so it's no different from not choosing."

"Exactly! The most important one is Sun Rui!" another Disciple added, his gaze tightly locked on the very top of the gold rankings.

Li Wen also paid attention to the progress.

As the rankings moved forward, name after name was called, and the direction of the choices became clearly visible.

Lietian Peak became the destination for most of the top performers.

Finally, the presiding Marquis-level Divine Demon reached the top ten.

The tenth, ninth, eighth—all the way to the fifth place—made their choices.

In front of Nine Heavens Peak, no one had yet stopped.

At this moment, the discussions in the observation area also quieted down, and countless eyes focused on the last five people remaining.

"Ranked fifth, Liu Hao, chooses Lietian Peak!"

"Ranked fourth, Chen Lu, chooses Xingyan Peak!"

"Ranked third, Zhang Gan, chooses Lietian Peak!"

A faint, almost imperceptible sigh sounded among the Disciples of Nine Heavens Peak.

Only two people were left: the second on this year's gold rankings, Zhao Qiming, and the top-ranked Sun Rui.

"Ranked second, Zhao Qiming!" the host's voice rang out.

The young man took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across the Peak Masters, and finally, with determination, he stepped toward the position faintly enveloped in violent thunderlight.

"Student Zhao Qiming is willing to join Nine Heavens Peak!" His words were firm and powerful.

In an instant, a burst of long-suppressed cheers erupted from the Nine Heavens Peak observation area. Although they tried their best to restrain themselves, the joy of finally getting what they wanted was still evident.

At least, this year wasn't zero.

After Zhao Qiming finished selecting his Peak, everyone's gaze, like a spotlight, fell entirely on the last remaining Sun Rui.

The entire White Jade Plaza seemed to hold its breath.

"Ranked first on this year's gold rankings, Sun Rui!" The voice of the presiding God-Fiend expert also carried a hint of formal solemnity.

The square fell completely silent.

Sun Rui moved.

He did not hesitate in the slightest, his steps firm.

He did not stop in front of the lower-ranked Peak queues like other high-ranking Disciples. Instead, facing everyone's searching, expectant, and speculative gazes, he walked straight to the very front—the first position in the Peak Master ranking.

One step, two steps—he passed by the third-ranked Xingyan Peak.

Everyone's heart was hanging by a thread.

The Peak Master of Lietian Peak's eyes narrowed slightly, and the Disciples behind him almost stood up.

However, Sun Rui's pace did not falter, and he calmly bypassed the second-ranked Lietian Peak queue.

A few low sighs came from the direction of Lietian Peak.

Finally, Sun Rui stopped steadily in front of the Peak Master of Nine Heavens Peak, Fang Qinghan.

He looked up, his eyes clear and persistent, and cupped his hands in a bow: "Student Sun Rui is willing to join Nine Heavens Peak."

His voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly in the silent square.

After a second of absolute silence, the observation area where the Disciples of Nine Heavens Peak were located erupted into cheers and applause that were far more enthusiastic and proud than before.

A barely perceptible ripple crossed Peak Master Fang Qinghan's deep eyes, and he nodded slightly.

The Peak selection ceremony came to a Perfection conclusion.

As the ceremony ended, the crowd began to disperse.

Li Wen did not stay long. After greeting Fang Chenghong, he turned and walked toward the aircraft parking area.

The square was still noisy, with each Peak surrounding and welcoming their new Disciples.

Just as Li Wen was about to step out of the edge of the square, a clear gaze, filled with inquiry and a strong sense of challenge, fell on his back.

The keenly perceptive Li Wen stopped his pace and slowly turned around.

Dozens of steps away, Sun Rui, who had just finished his selection and was surrounded by several Senior Brothers from Nine Heavens Peak, was watching him from afar.

There was no malice in that gaze, but it was full of the sharp Aura of a young Genius showing his brilliance, like a newly sharpened blade unsheathed, flickering with a burning flame of refusing to be second and vowing to catch up or even surpass.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

The noisy background sound seemed to fade away.

A calm and gentle smile appeared on Li Wen's face.

In this smile, there was no condescending scrutiny, nor was there the slightest anger at being challenged. It was as if a Senior had seen a vibrant junior, with a hint of appreciation, a kind of clarity and certainty after experiencing trials.

His eyes were as deep as an ancient well, calmly reflecting the sharpness in Sun Rui's eyes.

Sun Rui didn't seem to expect Li Wen's spiritual perception to be so keen. A flash of surprise quickly crossed his eyes, and his sharp gaze couldn't help but falter slightly.

However, Li Wen did not give the other party another chance to probe further.

Meeting Sun Rui's gaze, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened a bit, remaining gentle, yet seemingly containing an inexplicable depth.

Then, under Sun Rui's surprised gaze, he naturally withdrew his sight, turned around, and walked away with a composed pace, his steps echoing on the white jade floor as he moved further away.

It was as if the challenging gaze of the Genius youth, which was enough to draw the attention of the entire field behind him, was merely a breeze brushing against his face, failing to leave any ripples on his calm heart.

That departing back, in Sun Rui's eyes, was invisibly shrouded in an unfathomable Aura.

Time flies. More than two months have passed since the end of the Peak selection ceremony at Kindling University.

September 25, galactic calendar year 227.

The morning light filtered through the window lattice, waking Li Wen.

His eyes opened, clear and deep, without a hint of waking grogginess.

After more than two months of day-after-day tempering in the illusion, his rock-like barrier of willpower had reached the Realm of Perfection.

A mysterious premonition lingered in his heart, clear as day.

"The Breakthrough is today." Li Wen rose from the stone bed, a sharp light of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

Three months of accumulation and suffering were all for this moment.

After eating a special breakfast rich in energy, Li Wen did not linger.

He took an aircraft straight to the mountain where Jian Xin Hall, a place where many Disciples tempered their willpower, was located.

Inside Jian Xin Hall, the entrance to the illusion Formation, shimmering with faint light, stood silently.

Li Wen stepped into it with a calm expression, and the familiar pressure of the illusion surged toward him like a tide.

But at this moment, his will was already like tempered steel, no longer wavering in the slightest.

The multiple layers of barriers constructed by past setbacks, fears, and temptations collapsed layer by layer before absolute clarity and tenacity.

With every step he took, his Soul seemed to be repeatedly forged, removing the impurities and retaining the essence.

Finally, when his Mental Energy was nearly boiling and the edge of his consciousness was enduring extreme pulling, the barrier of the 199th and 200th steps that had blocked him for three months shattered with a bang.

He took a step forward, and the illusions before him peeled off like pieces of glass, revealing the true sight of Jian Xin Hall.

Buzz—

The moment he stepped out of the illusion Formation, the world seemed to clear up.

Li Wen clearly felt a sense of sublimation from the depths of his Soul sweeping through his entire body.

His Mental Energy seemed to have broken free from invisible shackles, jumping up a large level and becoming more condensed and pure.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, the three-foot-tall Primordial Spirit figure also silently grew a size larger, its spiritual light becoming more intense, its solidity significantly improved, and the sense of power in its every movement becoming more majestic.

This moment marked his will truly stepping across the extremely difficult threshold of the "Great Sun Realm."

At the same time, it also satisfied the willpower condition for the Nine Heavens Divine Body to Breakthrough to the ninth level.

Some Disciples around him, who had finished their tempering or were waiting to enter the Formation, were all shocked and pale when they saw Li Wen successfully walking out from the deepest part, their eyes filled with disbelief and heartfelt admiration.

Great Sun Realm willpower! This was a Realm that many in the Bright Moon Realm found difficult to reach!

Li Wen ignored these startled gazes.

The opportunity for a Breakthrough had arrived, and he didn't want to waste a single second.

He quickly left Jian Xin Hall and boarded the aircraft he came in again, aiming straight for Nine Heavens Peak.

Ten minutes later, the aircraft landed smoothly at the parking spot at the foot of Nine Heavens Peak.

The cabin door opened, and Li Wen's figure shot out like a light green streak of light.

With his toes lightly tapping the ground to gain momentum, he charged forward without any pause, rapidly climbing up the winding mountain road, his speed so fast that he only left faint afterimages behind.

He didn't go directly to his destination, the Lightning Induction Tower, but instead turned his steps toward the Martial Arts Field first.

The field was open, and the morning wind was whistling.

Li Wen unsheathed his long blade, and the Five Styles of Dawn moved with his heart; the blade light was sometimes like the Silent Dawn and sometimes like a Surging Long Rainbow.

This hour of Blade Technique Cultivate was not for pursuing technical improvement but for adjusting his entire body's blood Qi, spirit, and will to the most harmonious and coordinated Peak state through this most familiar method.

The moment he sheathed his blade, his Aura had already climbed to the highest point, his sharpness restrained and ready to be unleashed.

Only then did he turn around and walk with steady steps toward that towering purple Lightning Induction Tower.

Compared to more than two months ago, the first floor of the Lightning Induction Tower was obviously a bit more lively.

In addition to a few old students Cultivating the first three levels of the Divine Body here, there were two young but eye-catching figures—none other than Sun Rui and Zhao Qiming, who had recently joined Nine Heavens Peak.

Sun Rui's Comprehension Ability, which was hailed as peerless, indeed lived up to its reputation.

After only a month of contact with the Nine Heavens Divine Body Foundation Chapter, he had successfully achieved Drawing Lightning into the Body, his progress no less than that of Li Wen in the past.

Although Zhao Qiming was slower, he also finally completed Drawing Lightning into the Body a few days ago after spending two months.

At this moment, both of them were sitting cross-legged near their respective "C-Rank" quiet rooms, with faint electric arcs leaping across their bodies.

The moment Li Wen's figure stepped into the first-floor lobby, he immediately became the focus of everyone's attention.

Having not shown his face here for over three months, his appearance naturally drew significant attention.

After a brief silence, respectful greetings rose one after another.

“Senior Brother Li!”

“Greetings, Senior Brother!”

Li Wen's expression was gentle as he gave a slight nod in response, but his pace didn't falter as he walked straight toward the stairs leading to the higher floors.

As soon as his back disappeared around the corner of the stairs, the first-floor lobby immediately erupted into a wave of suppressed, intense discussion.

“I heard Senior Brother Li Wen has been at Jian Xin Hall for the past three months, honing his will.”

“He hasn't come for Body Tempering in over three months because he went to temper his will?”

“Did you guys feel it just now? That Aura of his—”

“He's coming to the Lightning Induction Tower at this time and heading straight upstairs—”

“Is there even a need to guess? He's definitely here to Breakthrough to the Ninth Heaven!” This speculation was like a massive boulder dropped into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves.

“The Ninth Heaven?!”

“My god—this—how long has it been?”

“The last person to master the Ninth Heaven was a hundred years ago, right?!”

Everyone inhaled sharply, their faces filled with extreme shock and disbelief.

The ninth level of the Nine Heavens Divine Body!

That was already the supreme Realm of the Nine Heavens Divine Body!

The news spread like wildfire, quickly moving from the first floor of the Lightning Induction Tower to the entire Nine Heavens Peak, and in even less time, it swept through the entire Kindling University.

Sun Rui, who was also in the crowd, slowly opened his eyes. His deep gaze followed the direction Li Wen had left, and the burning flame of desire to surpass him in his eyes blazed even brighter.

Ninth level? This was indeed a speed he hadn't anticipated.

However, this didn't make him back down; instead, it stirred an even stronger fighting spirit.

Li Wen turned a deaf ear to the clamor and commotion behind him.

His mind was focused, and his steps were steady.

The third floor of the Lightning Induction Tower remained empty and desolate, with only the energy of thunder vibrating faintly in the air.

Without a moment's hesitation, Li Wen walked straight toward the heavy, specialized quiet room at the furthest end intended for breaking through to the ninth level—the A-rank Breakthrough Quiet Room.

He pushed open the massive door, which was cast entirely from a strange, dark purple metal covered in profound, mysterious patterns.

An Aura of destruction, far more ancient, violent, and heart-palpitating than that of the second-floor Breakthrough room, rushed toward him.

The energy-conducting patterns inside the room were no longer simple bright silver but were instead a deep dark gold interwoven with purple-black, resembling a dormant primeval lightning beast.

In the center of the space, an extremely complex Formation core rotated faintly, seemingly brewing a Nine Heavens Divine Punishment that did not belong to the mortal world.

This was the key to introducing the ninth and most terrifying type of divine lightning—the "Nine Nether Netherworld Evil Lightning."

Its power far exceeded the sum of the previous eight divine lightnings. Without a Great Sun Realm will, exquisite control, and an incredibly powerful physique, attempting to force it would be no different from seeking death.

Li Wen entered, and the door closed silently behind him, completely isolating the interior from the outside.

He sat cross-legged on the eye of the Formation.

Without any hesitation, he fully activated the Nine Heavens Divine Body Cultivation Technique at the eighth level of Perfection. His internal body seemed to transform into a massive lightning furnace, every cell resonating and emitting a hum of desire for empowerment.

With high mental concentration, the great powers of [Absolute Focus Iv12] and [Primordial Spirit Level 3] were simultaneously awakened.

“Draw!”

His consciousness hooked in, and a wisp of Divine Thought precisely lit up the core Formation patterns.

BOOM—!!!!

It was no longer a pillar of lightning, but a roar that seemed to come from the Nine Nether Abyss.

A bolt of purple-gold divine lightning, so pure it was nearly pitch black, containing the boundless and majestic power of both destruction and Rebirth, erupted from the Formation core without warning, completely swallowing Li Wen in an instant!

Even though he was prepared, the moment the Nine Nether Netherworld Evil Lightning, which contained the Evil Qi of the world's Origin, poured into his body, Li Wen's frame shook violently.

His skin instantly charred and cracked, his blood seemed to be boiling and evaporating, and the pain that reached deep into his marrow and tore at his Soul far exceeded any previous tempering.

This power was extremely violent, filled with an intent of resistance and destruction, frantically crashing around inside him, attempting to completely shred and annihilate every inch of his flesh and every wisp of his Divine Soul.

Intense pain repeatedly crashed against the shores of his consciousness like a tide, threatening to completely overwhelm it at any moment.

Li Wen gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead bulging like coiled dragons.

His will, comparable to the Great Sun Realm, now displayed its true prowess, standing firm like the heart of a furnace amidst a boundless storm.

Even as the world-ending Lightning Tribulation washed over his mind, his spirit remained absolutely clear at its core.

The miniature Primordial Spirit radiated brilliant golden light, stabilizing his Sea of Consciousness; [Absolute Focus] twisted all his conscious power into a single strand, guiding the majestic eighth-level Nine Heavens lightning power within his body to arduously channel, surround, and fuse with this new, stronger "Nine Nether Netherworld Evil Lightning."

Every act of channeling was fraught with peril; the slightest mistake would mean eternal damnation.

Time passed in pain and perseverance, each breath feeling as long as a year.

With Li Wen's stubborn resistance and skillful guidance of his will and power, that destructive purple-gold lightning gradually showed signs of becoming docile, and its violent power began to be step-by-step restrained and refined.

Whoosh—!

When the last wisp of Nine Nether Netherworld Evil Lightning was completely tamed and integrated into the depths of every cell in his body, a throb of life-essence sublimation erupted from the deepest part of his being.

Outside the quiet room, at some point, a massive pitch-black thundercloud vortex had gathered in the sky above the Lightning Induction Tower.

Countless small purple-gold electric snakes darted and wove through it frantically, emitting low and majestic roars, as if the Thunder God of the Nine Heavens was looking on!

Inside the quiet room, piercing purple-gold light radiated from beneath Li Wen's skin.

The violent lightning no longer tore through his body recklessly; instead, it became like a docile sprite, happily flowing and leaping across his skin before eventually being reabsorbed within.

The newly formed purple-gold patterns on his skin flickered—deep and ancient—before finally fading beneath the surface, leaving behind a frame more solid than refined gold and containing a terrifying thunderous majesty.

That omnipresent Aura of destruction eventually transformed into a heavy, abyss-like internal pressure, as if he were in control of the thunder itself.

The Ninth Heaven of the Nine Heavens Divine Body!

Inside the quiet and serene Breakthrough room.

The last wisp of the violent "Nine Nether Netherworld Evil Lightning" around Li Wen's body completely fused into his flesh and blood. The purple-gold divine patterns on his skin faded, returning to a deep, restrained state.

At the very moment his work reached Perfection and his Nine Heavens Divine Body officially stepped into the Ninth Heaven, a sudden change occurred above the Lightning Induction Tower.

Heavy dark purple thunderclouds abruptly surged in the sky, the layers rolling with low, continuous thunder.

Streaks of purple electric snakes, carrying an Aura that could destroy heaven and earth, flickered in and out of the clouds, entwining and condensing with one another.

Finally, they transformed into a faint, Dragon-like, majestic and sacred purple lightning silhouette.

It circled the Peak of Nine Heavens Peak for a moment before letting out a low thunderclap that echoed between heaven and earth, slowly dissipating.

This sudden, brilliant heavenly majesty instantly startled the entire Nine Heavens Peak.

Near the Lightning Induction Tower, Gu Yan, who was guiding a newly joined Junior Brother through the process of drawing lightning, sensed the terrifying rhythm of heaven and earth and abruptly looked up.

When he clearly saw the circling purple lightning phenomenon, he was instantly struck as if by lightning himself, standing frozen on the spot.

“The Ninth Heaven—this is—the exclusive heavenly phenomenon for breaking through to the ninth level of the Nine Heavens Divine Body!”

Gu Yan's lips trembled slightly, his voice shaking with unbelievable wild joy and shock. “It really is the Ninth Heaven! Junior Brother Li Wen—he really succeeded!”

At the same time, Du Yun, Fang Chenghong, and Chen Xing, who were Cultivating in different corners of the Nine Heavens Peak martial arts arena, were also startled immediately.

Looking at that familiar yet infinitely more grand lightning phenomenon, the three of them stopped their movements simultaneously and looked at each other, seeing the same shock in each other's eyes.

“That direction—it's the highest floor of the Lightning Induction Tower! Li Wen!” Du Yun clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with immense excitement and a faint, hard-to-detect yearning.

“Hiss—how long has it been? He—he actually really reached the Peak of the Ninth Heaven!”

Fang Chenghong took a deep breath, feeling his chest filled with a massive impact—it was extreme shock followed by a heartfelt pride for his companion.

Chen Xing nodded vigorously, his thousand words turning into a single sentence: “Our Nine Heavens Peak has finally produced another true monster!” His eyes were also filled with joy.

For a time, all over Nine Heavens Peak, whether it was Disciples drawing lightning to temper their bodies or those in quiet rooms studying Mind-Cultivation Techniques, everyone stopped because of this earth-shaking phenomenon. Discussions and exclamations rose one after another.

Everyone understood that a new legend had been born on their Nine Heavens Peak.

The news of Li Wen's successful Breakthrough to the ninth level of the Nine Heavens Divine Body was like the clouds being split by that giant lightning shadow.

With a speed far exceeding imagination, it instantly ignited Kindling University's internal network and communications, sweeping through the major Peaks like a mental storm.

Praise, amazement, and unbelievable discussions filled every corner.

However, Li Wen, who was at the heart of the storm, seemed as if he hadn't heard the clamor of the outside world.

Inside the Breakthrough room, he slowly opened his eyes, and a flash of purple electric light seemed to pass through his deep pupils.

Feeling the vast power contained within his body and the sublimation of his life essence, he calmly exhaled a breath containing tiny purple electric arcs and pushed open the heavy door.

He didn't go down the tower but instead walked directly toward the A-rank Area on the third floor of the Lightning Induction Tower.

Unlike the first and second floors, the A-rank Area no longer had multiple Cultivation rooms, but only one remaining.

The moment he stepped in, a sense of pressure quite different from any previous Cultivation room hit him head-on.

The space inside wasn't large, cast entirely from a dark, near-black metal. The patterns etched onto it were no longer for guiding lightning but instead faintly formed a complex spatial Formation, drawing in more core and essential energy.

Inside the entire quiet room, deep purple lightning as thick as liquid permeated the air. They were no longer violently discharged but instead contained a terrifying power sufficient to instantly disintegrate a Peak Flying Star Rank expert, quietly floating and flowing.

The air was distorted by the extreme energy density, emitting a low sizzling sound.

Li Wen's expression remained unchanged as he stepped into the center of this sea of liquid lightning.

With a slight thought, the glow of Iv12 [Absolute Focus] spread silently from between his brows, and the Nine Heavens Divine Body Ninth Heaven Cultivation Technique operated at full power.

“Draw!”

There was no need to use a Formation to pull it; at his thought, those viscous, destructive liquid lightnings began to rush into his body as if they had found their master.

The tearing sensation brought by the massive energy impact came instantly, far more pure and continuous than during the Breakthrough.

However, under the control of Iv12 Absolute Focus, the vast power of his level 3 Primordial Spirit provided precise guidance, and the tough Foundation of the Ninth Heaven Nine Heavens Divine Body remained unshaken.

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