74: All the prodigies bowed their heads.

The 590-meter mark!

The 580-meter mark!

...The 550-meter mark!

...Lin Yi's speed was extremely slow as he advanced step by step. Especially after entering the 550-meter range, his pace slowed even further, taking nearly the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn to complete a single step.

Yet despite the slowness, he continued to walk with unwavering determination.

On the square, watching Lin Yi's slow progress, the teachers and Disciples who were originally tempering their willpower stopped what they were doing. Each of them stared wide-eyed, their gazes fixed intently on Lin Yi.

Some even shouted out as they watched him.

"He moved! He moved again! He's already within the 540-meter range!"

"Heavens! Another Breakthrough, he's at 530 meters! Is this really his first time entering Tianshan Pavilion? Is he even human?"

"My god! 520 meters! He's already broken the record set by Senior Brother Liu Chuan eleven years ago. He's truly going to be Heaven-Defying."

"515 meters! The record set by Senior Martial Uncle Feng Lin twenty-six years ago has also been broken!"

"Another Breakthrough, 510 meters! The record set by Senior Martial Uncle Tian Gang thirty-four years ago has been broken as well!"

...The Disciples shouted one after another.

A new Disciple entering the pavilion and breaking records left by Seniors one after another—they had only heard of Senior Brother Jiang Hanhan, who had completed his apprenticeship three years ago, doing such a thing.

But when Senior Brother Jiang Hanhan challenged the willpower stone pillar, these Disciples hadn't even entered Tianshan Pavilion yet! They couldn't imagine how shocking it must have been.

Only now, watching Lin Yi challenge the willpower stone pillar in person, did they realize just how terrifying it was!

"I heard Senior Brother Jiang Hanhan's willpower talent was incredibly fearsome, rare even in the history of our Heavenly Mountain Sect."

"In addition, he had already achieved the Awakening of his willpower talent while he was still an ordinary Disciple in the Sect. So, as soon as he entered the pavilion, he easily rushed into the 500-meter zone of the willpower stone pillar, and even covered a long distance within the 400 to 500-meter range afterward."

"While this Lin Yi might not be as good as Senior Brother Jiang, he is equally terrifying. Do you think he can break into the top 500 meters?"

"That... surely not!"

"The 500-meter mark is a qualitative change! If a new Disciple could break into it, the entire Sect and even all of Qingzhou would be shaken. It's much harder than reaching the 510-meter mark."

"Among the Disciples who entered Tianshan Pavilion in the last hundred years, only Senior Brother Jiang managed it. As for this Lin Yi, I don't think he can do it."

"Exactly! I don't think he can either. Although he's reached the 510-meter mark, he's clearly at his limit. He might collapse at any moment; it's impossible for him to break through."

"Yeah! I also think it's unlikely."

...The Disciples whispered among themselves, none of them believing that Lin Yi could actually break into the 500-meter range.

On the square, after stepping into the 510-meter zone, even with the combined effects of his Heart Like Pure Ice and Will Growth talents, Lin Yi felt increasingly miserable and found it harder to endure.

He felt the terrifying impact of the willpower stone pillar like relentless waves in the ocean, while he was but a tiny skiff. Under these endless surges, he was being violently battered, at risk of being smashed to pieces at any moment!

That short 10-meter distance seemed like an insurmountable chasm!

"Hold on! Persevere!"

Before the willpower stone pillar, Lin Yi gritted his teeth so hard that blood began to seep out, and the veins on his head bulged prominently.

"Since I've already made it this far, I must break into the 500-meter range!"

"The 500-meter mark is a qualitative leap. Only by breaking through can I receive the highest level of attention from the Heavenly Mountain Sect and gain more resources for my growth."

"Besides, if I can't even break the 500-meter mark, how can I hope to achieve an Innate Breakthrough in the future? How will I find the yin-yang creation flower—rare even among Innate treasures—to save my father!"

"And if I don't work hard enough myself, then even with a cheat, I'd be nothing but trash!"

"Push!"

"Push!"

"Push!"

...Lin Yi roared in his heart, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists as he moved forward with all his might.

509 meters!

508 meters!

507 meters!

Lin Yi moved slowly, and with every inch he gained, the willpower impact grew even more intense.

Finally... *Thud!*

When he reached 504 meters, an incredibly terrifying willpower impact pierced through his mind, leaving his head reeling, and his body instantly collapsed.

"Sigh! It's over! It seems this new Disciple, Lin Yi, has failed after all!"

Seeing this, a teacher shook his head in disappointment.

"Indeed. Those few meters might seem short, but for someone who has reached their limit, even a single meter is an insurmountable obstacle. I thought I might witness a miracle, but it seems miracles aren't so easily born."

Another teacher sighed softly.

"Haha! I knew this dog wouldn't make it! Dammit, trying to break into the 500-meter range of the willpower stone pillar as soon as he enters Tianshan Pavilion! Why? Why do you bastards have such high talent? Dammit! I won't let you animals have your way!"

Some Disciples also cursed venomously in their hearts.

For a moment, a spectrum of human reactions played out in this small space.

"Sigh! What a pity. I'll go and bring Lin Yi out."

Seeing Lin Yi lying motionless on the square as if he had fainted, Wang Yu also sighed and prepared to move to bring Lin Yi out from the willpower stone pillar's range.

But just as he stood up... *Slap! Thud!*

The "fainted" Lin Yi suddenly began to crawl up from the ground. His eyes were bloodshot as if he wanted to devour someone, and blood trickled from the corners of his mouth where he had bitten it, but his gaze was more resolute than ever before.

Then, under the incredulous gazes of everyone, he took one step, two steps, three... and finally, a fourth step, bringing his entire body within the 500-meter range.

*Boom!*

At this moment, everyone—whether they had felt pity or schadenfreude—felt their heads buzzing.

Countless Disciples and even teachers stared wide-eyed, watching that hunched figure in the distance with absolute shock.

Yet at this moment, they felt that the hunched figure was so majestic and immense that it seemed to pressure all the Prodigies into bowing their heads.

"Breaking into the top 500 meters on his first entry into the pavilion!"

"Now, all of Qingzhou will be shaken!"