High Martial Arts: Liver Becomes the Master of the Universe

Chapter 294 Making History: Ninety-Nine Floors in One Hour! First Place in the Imperial Tower!

Following the guidance of the Nine Spirit King's incarnation, Qin Feng walked steadily, passing through the well-arranged pavilions and towers and the spiritually rich meditation rooms in the East Courtyard of the Holy Academy, and finally arrived at a spacious and magnificent training ground.

The training ground was paved with some kind of unknown white jade, forming a seamless whole. It was engraved with mysterious and complex array patterns, which constantly absorbed and released pure spiritual energy from the universe, making the concentration of spiritual energy here far exceed that of the outside world.

At this moment, dozens of figures stood silently on the field, like spears poised to strike, their sharpness and aura overwhelming.

Qin Feng's gaze swept over them calmly, and he understood.

This place undoubtedly gathers the most elite group of students from the East Campus of the Holy Academy.

At a glance, there were about forty people, and without exception, they were all martial artists at the extreme black hole level.

Their standard college uniforms were embroidered with different emblems in gold thread, symbolizing their distinguished status within the college.

Among the crowd, a figure caught Qin Feng's eye and made him pause slightly.

She was a slender young woman with a beautiful face and an innate wariness and aloofness in her eyes.

Qin Feng recognized her; she was the mysterious hidden figure he had caught a glimpse of on the edge of the chaotic battlefield during the great war that had spread far and wide outside the territory of the Crimson Feather Universe Kingdom—Qian Yue.

At that time, her aura was concealed, hidden beneath the secret treasure, and if it weren't for his special spiritual power, he would hardly have been able to detect her.

Unexpectedly, she was also a student of this sacred academy.

At the very front of the group, one figure stood out.

She was a female warrior dressed in pure white streamlined power armor, with a tall and imposing figure.

Her aura had long surpassed the level of a black hole, firmly establishing herself in the realm of divine prohibitions.

What surprised Qin Feng even more was that he could clearly sense that the quality of the other party's spiritual power had reached "purple-gold".

This is indeed a rare talent.

Within the human empire's system, those who can refine their spiritual power to a purple-gold hue at the black hole level, besides himself, are extremely rare, each one a peerless genius worthy of being recorded in history.

However, despite the fact that these students were all outstanding in terms of foundation and strength, Qin Feng keenly perceived the essential difference between them and the top-tier individuals he had actually fought.

Whether it's the restrained domineering aura that Caesar, a close friend, has cultivated after countless life-and-death battles, or the ancient simplicity and gravitas that the Stone Emperor seems to be as old as heaven and earth, or the top geniuses among all races like Shui Mo Na who is deep in calculation and Shi Fo who sees through illusion, they all possess a charm of having washed away the superficiality and returned to simplicity.

Looking at these prodigies before us, their most prominent characteristic is their arrogance!

A pride and sharpness that stems from talent, success, and an invincible belief.

Each person is like the blazing sun high in the sky, radiating their light and heat without any concealment, their confidence almost scorching.

This kind of temperament is like a flower carefully cultivated in a greenhouse; though dazzling and beautiful, it may not be able to withstand the most brutal storms of the cosmic ocean.

Just as Qin Feng was making his own assessment, the Nine Spirits King had already led him to the front of the group.

"Everyone, be quiet."

The Nine Spirits King's voice wasn't loud, but it contained an undeniable majesty, and the faint whispers that had been emanating from the training ground vanished instantly.

He pointed to Qin Feng beside him, a strange smile on his face, and slowly said, "Let me introduce you, this is your new classmate."

"His name is Qin, and he comes from a remote star system that you have never heard of."

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng was taken aback, and then a feeling of being both amused and exasperated welled up inside him.

He naturally understood that the Nine Spirits King was deliberately concealing his identity to pave the way for the upcoming "teaching activities".

He could only helplessly play along with this playful old man who had been granted the title of King, nodding slightly to the crowd as a greeting.

He then walked to the end of the line.

Today he was dressed in a simple black robe, with black hair and black eyes, and his facial features were firm and cold.

Although he had suppressed his aura, which was enough to shake the universe, to the extreme and returned to simplicity, the unique temperament he had condensed after experiencing countless battles and traversing mountains of corpses and seas of blood was like a divine weapon hidden in its sheath. Even without seeing its blade, its awe-inspiring presence was still hard to conceal.

He simply stood there quietly, yet he left the first and most profound impression on all the geniuses present—powerful!

A kind of power that cannot be specifically described in words, but can be clearly perceived by a martial artist's instincts.

Among the group, Qian Yue's beautiful eyes were already wide open.

She stared intently at Qin Feng's retreating figure, her eyes brimming with shock and disbelief. It was...it was him!
That peerless ferocious god outside Chiyu Pass!

Later, he single-handedly defeated five domain lords and became the fierce god Qin Feng, who was idolized by countless students in the five academies!
How come he is here?

And we even became... new classmates?

Her lips moved slightly, countless questions and exclamations welling up in her mind. Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly felt as if her throat was locked by an invisible force, and no matter how much she struggled, she could not make a sound.

She looked at the Nine Heavens King in shock, only to see him glancing at her with a half-smile, the meaning in his eyes self-evident.

Nine Spirits King actually used his mental power to silence her!

Qian Yue was extremely anxious, but there was nothing she could do.

She could only stare with her big, bright eyes, her gaze anxiously shifting between Qin Feng and the Nine Spirits King, as if countless cats were scratching at her heart.

King Jiuling ignored Qian Yue's little tricks and turned his gaze to the female warrior at the God-Forbidden level.

"The training content this time is still the Emperor Tower."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable determination.

"Divin".

He called out the female warrior's name, "I know your mind is made up, and you are determined to go to the Island of Death to train. Well then, I will give you a chance today."

His finger slowly pointed at Qin Feng, who had just joined the team.

"If you can defeat this new classmate from the Borderland Galaxy in the challenge at the Dita, then I will personally approve your application and allow you to go to the Island of Death."

The moment the words fell, with a whoosh, more than forty sharp gazes on the field converged on Qin Feng like focused searchlights.

Curiosity, scrutiny, challenge, and doubt—a mix of emotions are reflected in these gazes.

The female warrior known as Devin slowly turned around.

Her white power armor reflected a cold metallic luster under the light of the training ground, exuding a long and powerful aura, like a volcano poised to erupt.

There was no contempt in her deep blue eyes, only pure fighting spirit and inquiry, as she asked, word by word, "Teacher, what is his strength?"

"rest assured,"

King Jiuling smiled calmly, "His realm is the same as yours, the ultimate black hole realm. I won't let you suffer a loss."

Upon hearing this, Devin's fighting spirit burned even brighter.

As a fellow extreme black hole level expert and a god-level forbidden powerhouse, she was confident that she was no weaker than anyone else!

"lets go!"

King Jiuling said no more, waved his hand, and walked out of the training ground.

The group followed in a grand procession, displaying remarkable momentum.

Along the way, they encountered many other warriors from the Holy Academy. Those who were slightly weaker would all turn their heads and respectfully make way for this team composed of top students and the Nine Spirits King who was leading them.

Meanwhile, some powerful instructors at the Domain Lord level or even the Marquis level would greet the Nine Spirit King with a smile from afar.

After passing through several spatial portals, a colossal tower reaching to the heavens soon appeared before them.

That is the Imperial Tower.

It stands quietly in the core area of ​​the Holy Academy headquarters. The tower is made of some unknown material and has a deep bronze color. It is covered with mottled marks of time and countless mysterious Taoist patterns.

The spire pierces the sky, disappearing into a chaotic sea of ​​clouds formed by the power of laws. Even from a distance, one can feel the immense power and pressure emanating from the primordial era, making one's soul tremble.

In front of the Imperial Tower, there also stands an enormous stone tablet.

The stone tablet is made of the same material as the tower, and its surface shimmers with light. Lines of ancient golden characters float slowly on the surface, recording the glorious achievements left here by countless human geniuses throughout history.

"The rules of the Dita are very simple."

The Nine Spirits King's voice rang in everyone's ears. Although he was speaking to everyone, his gaze seemed to be glancing at Qin Feng. "It does not test the specific realm of the person who enters the tower, but only their strength. No matter what level you are, after entering the tower, the guardian you will face will be a projection of the same realm as you, but with different strength, secret techniques, and combat wisdom."

"What you need to do is keep climbing upwards. The Imperial Stele next to you will give you a ranking based on the highest level you have reached and the time you have taken. Remember, only the top 10,000 performers will be qualified to have their names inscribed on this stele."

King Jiuling's words were mainly meant for Qin Feng.

Qin Feng understood that the mechanism of this Emperor Tower was almost identical to that of the Blood God Tower he had once ventured into. The only difference was that there was no time flow bonus here, and the stone tablet only recorded the first 10,000 people, making its selection criteria undoubtedly more stringent.

His gaze fell upon the enormous imperial stele, his eyes slowly sweeping over it from bottom to top.

The names on the inscription were all renowned figures, powerful individuals who had left an indelible mark on human history. But when his gaze fell upon the very top, his pupils contracted slightly.

First place: Shen Yi.

Record: 95th floor.

Time taken: one year.

Qin Feng was somewhat unfamiliar with this name, but the fact that he could reach the ninety-fifth floor in just one year speaks volumes about his terrifying strength.

It's important to understand that while he swiftly cleared the ninety-ninth level of the Blood God Tower, that was with the help of a massive amount of Blood Jade Crystals and the foundation built up over twenty million years of arduous cultivation. Within this Emperor Tower, there are no external aids; everything depends on one's own raw strength.

Following Shen Yi, there were several other names who also conquered the ninety-fifth floor, but the time they took varied from several years to several decades.

There are far too many geniuses who have left their mark on the Emperor Tower, even more than on the Blood God Tower, and they are all human geniuses.

The reason is simple: the Blood God Tower originates from the Crimson Forbidden Land, which is not opened frequently, and even when it is opened, the Blood God Tower may not appear. The Blood God Tower will wander among various forbidden lands and appear randomly.

The Imperial Tower has always been located within the Holy Academy.

Qin Feng noticed that the name of Diwen, the forbidden genius on whom the Nine Spirits King had placed high hopes, did not appear on this inscription.

Clearly, her previous tower-climbing performance was not enough to place her among the top 10,000.

"Alright, everyone understands the rules now."

King Jiuling clapped his hands, signaling everyone, "Let's begin. Go in one by one according to your student ID number."

At his command, the forty-odd students no longer hesitated, lined up in an orderly fashion, and transformed into streams of light, disappearing into the huge and deep entrance of the Imperial Tower.

In the blink of an eye, only Qin Feng and King Jiuling remained on the field.

Qin Feng did not rush in. Instead, he and the Nine Spirit King exchanged a smile, both understanding each other's thoughts.

In this "teaching" session, the real "teaching materials" haven't even appeared yet; students need to be given ample "preview" time to experience their own limits.

The two waited quietly in front of the tower, and the atmosphere became relaxed.

Qin Feng watched the figures disappear into the light curtain of the tower gate, a thought stirring in his heart. He asked, "Senior, there is something I don't understand. Just how dangerous is that Island of Death and Fall? Why are you so adamant in preventing them from going there?"

Upon hearing this question, a complex emotion flashed in the eyes of the Nine Spirits King. He sighed softly and said, "Sending them is not a trial, but a pointless sacrifice. I do not want to, and do not wish to see, such meaningless sacrifices."

He strolled to the side of the imperial stele, reached out and stroked the cold surface of the stele, his voice heavy: "Qin Feng, you must know that place is a meat grinder of unimaginable size."

Only those with a will as firm as ten-thousand-year-old iron and exceptional talent capable of surviving adversity should set foot here.

These children's sincere desire to serve humanity is commendable and praiseworthy, but given their current mindset, going in would be suicide.

Qin Feng frowned slightly: "Everyone calls it a meat grinder, but what level of warfare does it roughly correspond to?"

"Well... let me put it this way,"

King Jiuling pondered for a moment, organized his thoughts, and his expression became extremely serious. "Among all the front-line battlefields currently under the jurisdiction of the Holy Academy Sea, the Island of Deathfall is the place with the most terrifying intensity of war and the highest casualty rate, without exception."

All the top-ranked races of the myriad races, as well as the weaker ones, have deployed massive numbers of their prodigies and elite troops there.

"The reason is simple: it produces a unique strategic resource called 'Cosmic Crystal'."

"Cosmic Crystal?"

Qin Feng repeated, "This is the first time I've ever heard of this name."

"Yes."

King Nine Spirits nodded heavily. "This kind of crystal can greatly accelerate the speed at which a King-level expert comprehends and integrates with the laws of the universe. Its effect is even several times better than the Seven-Colored Bodhi Tree you possess!"
"Tell me, how fierce would the competition be for such a treasure that can directly influence the quantity and quality of a clan's top combat power?"

Qin Feng was deeply shocked. Even better than the Seven-Colored Bodhi Tree?
No wonder, no wonder it drives all races crazy!
A king-level expert is the true pillar of a race. Any resource that can help them advance is enough to trigger a bloody war that sweeps across the universe.

King Nine Spirits continued, "Not to mention, besides the cosmic crystals, the Island of Death and Fall itself is divided into inner and outer layers. Both the inner and outer islands are huge natural resource areas, full of rare treasures and ancient ruins. As long as you can come out alive, almost everyone will experience a complete transformation."

"What's the difference between the inner and outer islands?"

Qin Feng pressed for an answer.

"The difference lies in the rules, and... life and death."

The Nine Spirits King's tone grew increasingly somber, "The laws of the Island of Death and Fall are very special; they naturally repel power above the Marquis level."

Therefore, the inner island is the battlefield for powerful Marquis-level warriors, who compete for the cosmic crystals produced in the core area. The rules of the inner island are relatively 'mild'; even if a Marquis-level warrior perishes there, they can be resurrected and rejoin the battlefield as long as their own kind on the outer islands kills them.

"And the outer islands..."

King Jiuling paused, his eyes turning deep. "The outer island is a flesh and blood mill prepared for all living beings below the rank of Marquis. Here, if you die, you truly die."

The only exception is that by slaying enemies, you can obtain a loot called 'Resurrection Marks'. Only by accumulating enough marks can you exchange them for the opportunity to resurrect the creatures of the inner island.

Therefore... in order to survive, to become stronger, and to supply the war effort on the inner islands, the fighting on the outer islands became extremely brutal.

"Over the years, the number of black hole-level beings that have perished on the outer islands has become too numerous to count. Even domain lord-level powerhouses have been harvested like wheat, one crop after another."

"Tell me, under these circumstances, how could I possibly let these arrogant recruits, who have never seen real bloodshed, enter?"

King Jiuling turned around and looked at Qin Feng, his eyes filled with the heartache and helplessness of a mentor: "Qin Feng, you must know that the human race has put in tremendous effort and resources to cultivate any black hole-level creature."

And for top talents like you, the effort and dedication that the clan has poured into you is immeasurable.

To be honest, even I don't want you to go to the outer islands; they're... too dangerous.

Upon hearing these words, Qin Feng fell silent.

He finally understood the Nine Spirits King's good intentions. This was not to stifle the spirit of a prodigy, but a profound form of protection.

"But,"

After a long pause, Qin Feng spoke slowly, his voice firm, "Someone has to go."

"yes……"

A hint of bewilderment and sadness flickered in King Jiuling's eyes. "That's true. Someone has to go. The front lines can't be without warriors, and our homeland needs someone to protect it. Some kings even personally sent their most beloved children to the front lines of the Island of Death..."

He said, "Anyone's son can die on the battlefield for the human race, so naturally my son can too."

"but……"

King Jiuling changed the subject, laughing self-deprecatingly, "When it comes to other people's children, when it comes to the geniuses he himself is teaching, he can't bring himself to be ruthless and doesn't want them to go to the front lines and risk their lives." King Jiuling didn't say it explicitly, but Qin Feng could tell that the titled king was probably King Jiuling himself.

Qin Feng did not reply, but simply stood there quietly.

On such a heavy topic, any words of comfort seem pale and powerless.

"Hehe, I'm sorry you had to see that."

King Jiuling quickly composed himself, regaining his carefree demeanor, and said with a smile, "Let's not talk about that anymore. These little guys will probably be inside for a year or two."

"Since I've got some free time lately, I can teach you some knowledge about physical and mental training. Your master, Devouring Heaven, said that the 'Path of Limits' you've chosen actually has some similarities to the path I explored in my early years."

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng immediately perked up and bowed respectfully: "Please, senior, do not hesitate to enlighten me! I am all ears!"

"it is good!"

King Jiuling's eyes showed appreciation. He never hesitated to share his experience with eager-to-learn juniors.

"Then let's start with the basics. First, you need to deeply understand why the physical bodies of the strong are so powerful?"

King Jiuling posed the first question.

"Because the physical body of a strong person has undergone repeated baptism and tempering of massive amounts of spiritual energy at every stage of their growth, as well as constant scouring and nourishment of their own spiritual power."

Qin Feng pondered before answering, "This has fundamentally changed our cell structure and gene sequence, and their arrangement and combination are completely different from those of ordinary living beings."

Furthermore, a vast amount of psionic energy and spiritual power flowed like rivers within the body's meridians, spontaneously constructing tiny and stable psionic aggregates.

"Hmm, not bad, you understand it very well."

King Jiuling nodded in satisfaction and continued to guide him: "So, how can we go further on this basis? The knowledge of formations you have learned can come in handy now."

You can try to aggregate the tiny psionic energies that spontaneously form within your body, and guide and organize them using precise array knowledge, condensing and sublimating them into more powerful and stable 'runes'.

When every cell, every inch of your flesh and blood is imprinted with this power rune, your physical strength will naturally reach a new level.

"And this is only the first step. Once you have enough runes and they are stable enough, you can try to combine countless runes to construct 'array patterns'."

Ultimately, countless miniature arrays will be constructed within your physical body. Imagine your body itself becoming an ultimate war fortress composed of countless arrays—how powerful would you be then?

Qin Feng listened with a trembling heart, as if a brand new door was slowly opening before him.

"Of course,"

King Jiuling changed the subject, "The theory is good, but the practice is extremely difficult. To build an array on flesh and blood, the body's own bearing capacity is required to be extremely high. This requires you to use your knowledge of weapon crafting to constantly 'hammer' and 'forge' your own body, improve its material, and make it able to withstand the enormous pressure brought by imprinting runes and array patterns."

"In this process, how do we replenish what we've consumed, how do we repair damage, and how do we catalyze transformation? That requires the knowledge of pharmacology to precisely 'neutralize' and 'regulate' the process."

Sometimes, even highly toxic agents can have a miraculous effect, producing a transformative effect, provided you can precisely control the dosage and mode of action of the 'poison.'

Looking at Qin Feng, who was deep in thought, King Jiuling concluded: "In short, Qin Feng, you must remember that on the path you have chosen, you must not regard the three major disciplines of formation, weapon crafting, and medicine as three independent entities."

You need to integrate them and see them as a complementary and inseparable whole.

Only through the integration of these three elements can one truly forge an unprecedented physical physique.

Qin Feng felt a sudden sense of clarity, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the dawn. Countless scattered pieces of knowledge he had learned in his studies were now completely connected by the words of the Nine Spirit King, forming a clear and grand theoretical framework.

"As for tempering mental strength..."

King Jiuling pondered, “This path is more dangerous and more mysterious than tempering the physical body. I don’t have much experience to directly impart to you. But I can point you in a direction for your reference.”

"Which direction?"

Qin Feng quickly asked.

"Mechanical Gods".

King Jiuling slowly uttered these four words, "In the research of spiritual power and soul, the Mechanical God Race is at the forefront of all races."

You can go to the 'Enlightenment Stele Forest' in the Holy Academy to find some rubbings of the mechanical gods' inherited secret techniques and see if you can find your own way of thinking from them.

However, remember this: never venture into the territory of the Machine Gods on your own. That place... is extremely dangerous for any living being.

King Jiuling gave his most sincere advice.

"Junior...I'm grateful for your advice!"

Qin Feng took a deep breath and bowed deeply to King Jiuling once again.

This time, it is heartfelt gratitude and respect.

For him, the guidance from the Nine Spirit King was no less valuable than a supreme divine skill!
The three are integrated, working together to temper the physical body.

The mysterious mechanical race's secret arts provided him with valuable insights for refining his soul.

Others may not be able to join the Mechanical God Clan, but Qin Feng... possesses a genuine Mechanical Clan avatar!

This means that he can not only learn their theories, but also personally experience and analyze the mysteries of the soul held by the Machine Gods.

There is hope for him!

And it was a light unlike anything ever seen before!
Qin Feng stood before the Emperor Tower, quietly pondering, repeatedly deducing, dissecting, and recombining the theories taught by the Nine Spirit King in his mind.

He was so engrossed in planning his own path that he forgot about the passage of time.

This reflection lasted for three whole years.

Over the course of three years, the light gate of the Imperial Tower would flash intermittently, and students would be teleported out one after another. Most of them were pale-faced and listless, clearly having exhausted their energy in the tower.

When the last student emerged from the tower, all eyes turned to Devon, who was standing at the front of the group.

She was the one who persevered to the end, and also the one with the best results.

"teacher!"

Devon stepped out of the portal, his aura somewhat weak, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, filled with pride and anticipation. "I've passed the ninety-first floor! I've surpassed my previous record by another level!"

She paused, looking intently at King Jiuling, and said earnestly, "Now, may I go to the Island of Death? I heard that Senior Yun... has already gone!"

Upon hearing the name "Senior Yun," a barely perceptible flicker of emotion flashed in the eyes of the Nine Spirits King, but he quickly concealed it.

He merely glanced at Devon, then pointed to Qin Feng, who had already awakened from deep meditation.

"I said, we'll talk about it when I can beat him."

King Jiuling gestured to Qin Feng, indicating that it was his turn to take the stage.

"it is good."

Qin Feng nodded. Three years of quiet contemplation had made his temperament increasingly profound and composed.

Without uttering any unnecessary words, he moved swiftly, transforming into a silent streak of light and instantly disappearing into the massive light gate of the Imperial Tower.

Behind him, a group of geniuses from the Holy Academy waited with curiosity and anticipation.

Devin stared intently at the entrance to the Tower of Empires. She couldn't gauge the strength of this mysterious "new classmate," and for the first time, a sense of uncertainty and worry crept into her heart.

Meanwhile, Qian Yue, who was in the crowd, was so anxious that she was about to go crazy.

She desperately wanted to shout to everyone, to tell them that the mysterious student whom the teacher used as a target was none other than the idol they admired and longed for, the peerless fierce god who single-handedly shook the world—Qin Feng!
However, the Nine Spirits King's silencing spell still firmly locked her voice, preventing her from uttering a single word.

……

Before the Dita Tower, time seemed to be stretched into a strong and silent thread.

Those forty-odd human prodigies, as the most outstanding group of students in the Eastern Academy of the Holy Academy, each possessed the potential and strength to cause waves in their respective universes.

They either sat cross-legged, closed their eyes and regulated their breathing, their bodies surrounded by faint spiritual energy fluctuations, clearly seizing every minute and second to nurture their secret techniques and foundation.

Or take out a secret treasure that you carry with you, and use your spiritual power to carefully wipe and communicate with it. The treasure will shimmer with light, reflecting the owner's aura.

Even more so, some simply stood quietly, gazing up at the towering Imperial Tower that seemed to be as old as the universe itself, their eyes deep, clearly contemplating their future path in martial arts and deducing various possibilities.

The air was filled with a pride and tranquility that belonged to geniuses. They were used to waiting, and they were used to surpassing themselves while waiting.

For them, the mysterious new classmate named "Qin" who just joined might bring some surprises, but in the end, he is just a passerby and a reference point on their long path of cultivation.

The best among them, like Devon, set their sights on the 90th floor and above of the Imperial Tower. Each attempt to conquer the tower is a challenge to their limits, and it is common for them to spend several years on it.

In their minds, it would probably take quite a while for this new student to complete his first challenge.

However, this tranquility belonging to the prodigies was broken by the gentle yet unquestionable voice of the Nine Spirit King.

"Everyone, pull yourselves together and stop focusing on your own pursuits."

The Nine Spirits King's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every student, carrying a peculiar penetrating power that seemed to directly shake their minds.

The students who were sitting cross-legged slowly opened their eyes. The students who were nurturing the secret treasure stopped what they were doing, and the students who were deep in thought also pulled their wandering thoughts back.

They all turned their puzzled gazes to their teacher.

One of the more outgoing male students couldn't help but speak up, his tone a mixture of confusion and respect: "Teacher, this student Qin is attempting the tower for the first time, so it will likely take him quite some time. It would be a waste of our time for us to just wait here. We might as well take this opportunity to cultivate for a while and perhaps even make some progress."

His words drew agreement from many people, who nodded in agreement.

In their view, this was undoubtedly the most reasonable arrangement.

The path of spiritual practice is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind, and every moment is precious.

Upon hearing this, King Jiuling revealed a profound and unfathomable smile. He slowly shook his head, but his tone became unusually firm: "No need."

These three words, though brief, convey an undeniable and powerful confidence.

The students looked at each other, increasingly puzzled.

What does the teacher mean by this?

Could it be that this new student is so fast at clearing the tower that they don't even have time to train? That's simply unbelievable.

They all deeply understood the difficulty of the Imperial Tower. It was not just a battle against projections of the same level, but a comprehensive test of one's temperament, will, combat wisdom, and even one's foundation.

Even for someone as talented as Devon, it took him a full three years to clear the ninety-one floors.

"teacher……"

Devon couldn't help but speak up, her voice clear and firm, "After the ninetieth floor of the Imperial Tower, the opponents on each floor are theoretically invincible models among their peers. To defeat them requires a long period of deduction and battle. Even if this student Qin possesses extraordinary strength, I'm afraid..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was already very clear.

She didn't think anyone could finish the challenge so quickly.

King Jiuling simply smiled and waved his hand, offering no further explanation.

He turned around and turned his gaze to the ancient stone tablet, his eyes filled with a hint of anticipation and amusement that he himself was unaware of.

He knew Qin Feng was very strong, strong enough to be valued by the Holy Academy, strong enough to defeat five Domain Lords with his Black Hole-level body.

But he also wanted to see for himself where the true limits of this little guy, who was hailed as a "fierce god," really lay.

What kind of miracles will he create within this tower of real-time flow?
Under the unquestionable demands of the Nine Spirits King, even though their hearts were filled with confusion and bewilderment, these proud sons of heaven in the East Courtyard could only suppress their restlessness and put away their thoughts.

They abandoned their cultivation and focused all their attention on the silent imperial tower and the equally silent stone tablet beside it.

Time passed second by second as everyone waited listlessly.

A quarter of an hour passed, and the Imperial Tower remained completely still, with no change in the rankings on the stone tablet.

Half an hour passed, and everything remained calm.

Some students began to get impatient, feeling that the teacher was making a mountain out of a molehill this time.

However, just as an imperial era was about to begin, a sudden change occurred!
hum-

A soft hum, seemingly originating from the primordial universe, resounded from inside the massive stone tablet.

Immediately afterwards, the entire stone tablet emitted an unprecedentedly brilliant golden light, so bright that it even overshadowed the stars in the sky, causing everyone present to subconsciously squint.

"Look! The stone tablet is responding!"

Someone let out a gasp, instantly putting everyone's hearts in their throats.

The once stable and unchanging rankings on the golden stone tablet now rippled violently, like the surface of a calm lake tossed with a boulder.

The names ranked 10,000th, 9,000th, and 5,000th disappeared instantly, as if wiped away by an invisible hand, and were quickly filled in by the names below them.

Immediately afterwards, this fluctuation spread wildly upwards with overwhelming force!
The names of the 100th, 50th, 10th... those engraved on the stone tablet, representing the most outstanding geniuses of the human race throughout countless eras, are now moving down one position at an unprecedented speed!
"My God! This... this person has broken into the top ten?"

"No! It's still rising!"

Amidst the gasps of surprise from the crowd, the invisible shockwave of ranking, without the slightest pause, broke through the barrier of the top ten with unstoppable force!

Ninth place, eighth place, seventh place...

Finally, amidst the near-frozen breaths of everyone, the record of "ninety-five floors, completed in one year," which had previously hung high at the top of the list and was set by the legendary human prodigy "Shen Yi," was ruthlessly pushed to second place.

Then, at the very top of the stone tablet, the supreme first place, a brand new name, accompanied by dazzling golden light, was personally engraved on it stroke by stroke by the rules of the Great Dao.

Qin Feng, ninety-nine floors, during the First Empire.

These nine short characters, each seemingly carrying the weight of a star, struck the hearts of every witness with tremendous force.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

Space itself seemed to freeze in the face of this overwhelming information.

Before the entire Imperial Tower, tens of thousands of onlookers, including the forty-odd prodigies from the Eastern Academy, fell into a deathly silence.

Their mouths opened unconsciously, their eyes widened, and the line of golden, yet seemingly unreal words were reflected in their pupils, their minds blank.

Ninety-nine floors?

During the time of an empire?
Either of these two words alone would be enough to cause a huge uproar in the Holy Academy.

When these elements are combined and associated with the name "Qin Feng," the impact they create exceeds the comprehension of most people present.

"Am I...am I seeing things?"

A student muttered to himself in a trembling voice, rubbing his eyes hard, but the words on the stone tablet remained perfectly clear.

"Ninety-nine floors... the theoretical limit of the Imperial Tower... can someone actually reach it?"

"The key isn't the ninety-nine floors! It's time! An imperial time! Do you understand what that means? It means... instant kill! From the first floor to at least the ninetieth floor, almost all of them are one-hit kills! Without any hesitation or thought!"

"This...this is impossible! Is he a monster?"

"Qin Feng... that name... I remember now! The Hidden Dragon Ranking! It's the number one on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, the one who, with his black hole-level body, directly killed five domain lords... the fierce god Qin Feng!"

No one knows who first shouted out this name, but it was like throwing a spark into a pot of boiling oil, instantly igniting the entire scene!
(End of this chapter)