Chapter 554: Chapter 336: Spirit Stele

Xu Yang collected the spirit coins but wasn’t in a hurry to attempt the trial. Because the trial wasn’t being conducted by a roll call, a massive crowd had gathered outside the gates of the Celestial Strategy Academy.

Soon, he saw Jiang Fan and a few friends easily pass through the gates, their silhouettes swallowed by the sky-filling brilliance.

Not long after, a silver moon rose behind Li Chuyang as he protected Qi Xuancheng and led him into the gates as well.

Of course, there were also many who failed to find an expert’s protection. Unable to even approach the Celestial Strategy Academy’s entrance, they were escorted away by the Academy’s students. Wu Xiuyuan, ranked twelfth on the Lingyun List, approached the gates with Ye Qiuling and several others.

Under the majestic coercion, Ye Qiuling and Zhang Hanzhou soon found it difficult to take even a single step. Wu Xiuyuan propped up his Martial Dao Imagery, enveloping Ye Qiuling and two men, and led the three of them into the Celestial Strategy Academy with great strides.

"As expected of the twelfth on the Lingyun List. What powerful Heart Spirit Cultivation, to actually be able to protect three people at once!" Wu Xiuyuan’s actions instantly drew a wave of exclamations.

Only then did Xu Yang realize that Chu Nanguai was using this method to test the Heart Spirit Cultivation of all the geniuses.

"I, Zhang Hanzhou, won’t stop here. I will enter the Celestial Strategy Academy!" Zhang Hanzhou’s eyes were bloodshot.

Wu Xiuyuan had abandoned him, and Ye Qiuling had forgotten their initial promise to advance and retreat together. She had even swallowed her pride to beg Xu Yang, only to suffer a bout of humiliation. He had to persevere. He would make all these people who looked down on him see that without them, he, Zhang Hanzhou, could still pass this trial!

Gritting his teeth, Zhang Hanzhou walked up to the entrance and slipped inside unnoticed.

"I made it in!" he rejoiced inwardly, almost unable to resist roaring out loud.

However, before he could celebrate for long, a far more terrifying coercion blasted out from within, sending him flying back out of the gate.

"PFFT!"

Zhang Hanzhou spewed a mouthful of blood. It felt as if an invisible hammer had smashed into his head, nearly blowing it apart. His facial features twisted in agony as he collapsed to the ground, wailing loudly.

However, this scene barely drew any attention. Students from the Celestial Strategy Academy immediately stepped forward and dragged him away to clear the path.

"I didn’t expect Zhang Hanzhou’s journey to end just like that," Sun Tao sighed. Once upon a time, he had also been like this, forced to give his all just to take a single step.

Xu Yang did not share this sentiment. He had always carefully hidden his talents and couldn’t empathize with Sun Tao’s feelings.

Suddenly, a wave of gasps rang out.

"Look quickly! That’s Lu Wei, ranked seventh on the Lingyun List."

"Such formidable strength. To think he can bring five people through the trial at once."

Among the hundred members of the Lingyun List, six were Spirit Bone Celestial Prides. Ranking seventh meant he was the absolute number one beneath the Spirit Bone Celestial Prides.

Lu Wei’s earth-shattering Martial Dao Imagery clashed against the coercion emanating from the Celestial Strategy Academy’s gates. He effortlessly led five people into the entrance, leaving behind a crowd of awestruck gazes.

"Why don’t I know a genius like that?" Having finally caught his breath, Zhang Hanzhou’s eyes turned red with envy. As long as an expert was willing to help, this trial could be passed with ease. Yet, not a single person was willing to lend him a hand.

"Xu Yang, Sun Tao, and that bitch Ye Qiuling—you all deserve to die!" Zhang Hanzhou’s face twisted with pure resentment.

"As expected of the seventh on the Lingyun List. His Heart Spirit Cultivation is truly terrifying," Gu Qingfeng remarked, a solemn expression on his face. He was ranked tenth on the Lingyun List, yet he only dared to bring three people along. Any more than that, and he wasn’t confident in protecting everyone.

Geniuses on the Lingyun List like Sun Tao, Liu Rumei, and Zhang Jun were equally moved. Such Heart Spirit Cultivation left them feeling hopelessly inferior.

"If I revealed my full strength, bringing five or six people shouldn’t be a problem either," Xu Yang mused inwardly.

He had just reached the entry level of Marrow Cleansing, yet he had already begun tempering his Heart Spirit with the Martial Dao Imagery of the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm. During the Outer Disciple tournament, he had even obtained the Supreme Heart Method Blood Prison Heart Saber, which specialized in refining the Heart Spirit.

After entering the Inner Sect and acquiring the Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pill Formula, he had consistently consumed the Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pill, which bolstered the Heart Spirit. In terms of Heart Spirit Cultivation, aside from those few mysterious Spirit Bone Celestial Prides, he was confident that even Lu Wei, the number one beneath the Spirit Bone Celestial Prides, couldn’t match him.

However, he had no intention of exposing all his hidden cards just for a few spirit coins.

"Let’s get going too!"

The group watched for a while longer. As the crowd around the gates gradually thinned, they strode forward.

As they approached, the majestic coercion grew increasingly stronger. Just as they neared the entrance, the two individuals who had paid him spirit coins finally couldn’t hold on any longer. Xu Yang activated his Martial Dao Imagery.

In an instant, the coercion driving straight into his Heart Spirit nearly tripled. However, this level of pressure was still well within his limits—in fact, it was quite effortless for him. Of course, he still put on a facade of struggling.

Glancing back, he saw Sun Tao looking completely relaxed.

"What a massive loss. This pressure isn’t that strong; I feel like I could have brought another person," Sun Tao said, feeling somewhat regretful. His rise had been too rapid, leading him to believe his Heart Spirit wasn’t strong enough. He hadn’t expected to underestimate himself like this.

"You’re amazing, Senior Brother!" Xu Yang gave him a thumbs-up.

Sun Tao rolled his eyes. Even he felt relaxed, yet Xu Yang was putting on this strained act. It was obviously fake.

The two turned to look at Gu Qingfeng. They noticed that this genius, ranked tenth on the Lingyun List, currently wore a solemn expression, moving as though he were hauling a thousand pounds of weight.

Liu Rumei was also escorting a disciple from the Luoxia Sect. Zhang Jun, having not yet comprehended Martial Dao Imagery, was alone, though he didn’t appear to be struggling.

The group ascended along the glowing White Jade Steps, the oppressive pressure following them the entire way. Soon, Xu Yang felt the weight on his body lighten, and familiar mountain-peak palaces appeared before his eyes.

Several Celestial Strategy Academy students stepped forward to verify their identities, only letting them pass once everything was confirmed.

"Thank you for your protection, Brother Xu. We shall take our leave now." The two men who had paid Xu Yang cupped their fists in farewell.

Xu Yang smiled and returned the gesture. "If you need help in the next trial, feel free to come find me."

"Will do!" The two nodded and quickly departed.

The crowd in the massive White Jade Plaza was noticeably smaller. Even though participants could bring others through the trial using Martial Dao Imagery, only slightly more than half the original number remained here.

Xu Yang estimated that only around seven hundred people had made it this far, meaning this Heart Spirit trial had eliminated three to four hundred participants.

Half an hour later, no one else emerged from the White Jade Steps, and its radiant glow faded away. Everyone knew that this trial had officially ended.

A few breaths later, Chu Nanguai walked through the air and landed at the front of the crowd.

"We will now begin the third trial, which will test your physical bodies," Chu Nanguai announced loudly, his voice transmitting clearly into everyone’s ears.

As he spoke, several Celestial Strategy Academy students carried out a stele-like object from a nearby palace. It was two meters tall, one meter wide, completely black, and radiated Spirituality.

Chu Nanguai pointed at the object and explained, "This is a spirit stele specifically used by the Celestial Strategy Academy to test physical strength. You will take turns striking it. Anyone who can leave a one-inch-deep Fist Seal on the spirit stele will advance to the next trial.

"Note that you are forbidden from using Gang Yuan during your attack; you may only rely on your physical strength. Anyone caught using Gang Yuan will be immediately eliminated."

"Leaving a one-inch Fist Seal feels too easy."

"With our strength, even those of us who don’t specialize in Body Refining could shatter a Half-Spirit Weapon barehanded."

"I just want to know if we’ll have to pay compensation if we accidentally smash this spirit stele."

"Those ten spirit coins were completely worth it! My physical body is strong; it was just my Heart Spirit Cultivation that was lacking."

Hearing how simple this trial seemed, many people broke into smiles, looking eager to give it a try.

"Use as much force as you like. If you manage to shatter the spirit stele, not only will you not have to pay compensation, but you will also be rewarded with academic credits," Chu Nanguai said, narrowing his eyes. Pointing directly at the person who had asked about paying for a broken stele, he added, "You, go first!"

The man strode up to the spirit stele, took a deep breath, and threw a punch.

His physical body had been cultivated rather well. His fist tore through the air, producing a series of sharp shrieks as it slammed into the spirit stele like a falling meteor.

"BANG!"

"CRACK!"

The spirit stele remained firmly in place. The moment his fist struck it, the stele flashed with a faint brilliance. Along with a deafening boom, the sickening sound of bones shattering rang out.

In the next moment, everyone watched as the man’s face twisted in agony. His fist was a bloody, mangled mess, with fractured bones clearly visible.

Looking back at the spirit stele, they saw a Fist Seal that was less than half an inch deep.

Those who had previously thought this trial would be easy were completely silenced. This man’s physical body was decent enough, yet even after shattering his bones, he had only left a half-inch-deep Fist Seal. This wasn’t simple in the slightest.

"It seems you can’t shatter the spirit stele," Chu Nanguai said with a laugh.

The man gasped sharply in pain, his face turning ashen. Not only had he failed to shatter the spirit stele, but he hadn’t even passed the trial.

Chu Nanguai continued, "This spirit stele possesses an incredibly strong recoil force. The harder you strike, the greater the recoil will be. If you don’t want your hand bones completely shattered like his, using eighty percent of your full strength will suffice."

Hearing this, the first participant’s face turned green. "Why didn’t you say that earlier?!" he cursed inwardly. If he had known, he wouldn’t have shot his mouth off and provoked a malicious bastard like Chu Nanguai.

Of course, the others also had ugly expressions on their faces. That man had used his full strength and still only left a half-inch Fist Seal. Relying on just eighty percent of their strength would make this even harder.

Someone quickly stepped forward and confiscated the injured man’s jade token. The next participant promptly took his place. Ten people went up in succession, but only six successfully left a one-inch-deep Fist Seal. Among them, three had used their absolute full strength.

Although leaving a one-inch Fist Seal allowed them to barely pass, their fists had all been battered into bloody pulps by the recoil.

As time passed, geniuses ranked on the Lingyun List began to step forward. Almost all of them managed to leave two-inch-deep Fist Seals.

Li Chuyang was the first to strike a three-inch Fist Seal, causing a minor sensation.

Not long after, Jiang Fan stepped up and similarly left a three-inch Fist Seal.

When Huo Xiaochen took his turn, he produced a four-inch Fist Seal, showcasing the terrifying physical body of a Root Bone Perfection genius.

Li Yunfei, whose rank was higher than Huo Xiaochen’s, only managed a three-and-a-half-inch Fist Seal.

Wu Xiuyuan, ranked twelfth on the Lingyun List, struck a four-inch Fist Seal.

Xu Yang saw Qi Xuancheng stepping forward as well.

"I must enter the Celestial Strategy Academy!"

Gritting his teeth, Qi Xuancheng threw a punch. He didn’t use his full strength, but he didn’t stick to eighty percent either—he utilized ninety percent of his physical strength.

With a loud boom, a one-inch-deep Fist Seal appeared on the spirit stele.

"I passed!" Ignoring his fractured fist, Qi Xuancheng was overwhelmed with joy.

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