Su Chen carefully sensed the changes, thumping his palm against his chest. It let out a solid, dull thud.
A mont later, the anomalies on the surface of his body finally dissipated. This defensive ability was still stacked upon the armor fused into his very flesh.
As for his Spiritual Might, he decided to test it slightly. With a re outflow of ntal energy, a drop of liquid condensed right before his eyes.
"Finally..." Su Chen let out a long, relieved sigh. "I don't have to voice it out loud anymore."
The flow of thought was far faster and clearer than verbal dictation. For example, condensing water vapor from the air into droplets only took a single thought, whereas speaking it out loud would require a long string of incantations.
In the heat of battle, vocalizing commands had almost no practical application. Now, however, things were completely different.
These two class abilities possessed the standard strength of top-tier professions, but after being fused and enhanced, their effects were exceptionally good.
Quite satisfied, Su Chen changed his clothes and stepped out of the Training Room. He gulped down a few mouthfuls of Nutrient Potion, allowing his body to gradually recover to its peak state.
Walking out of the Main Building, the starry sky outside was still sowhat dim, indicating it was still the Dark Sun Period.
"It is about ti I see just what kind of ttle the 6th-Tier professionals on the Holy List are made of."
His gaze landed on a sprawling, silver-white tallic building on the left side of his Floating Island. This was the challenge room Wei Zhenghong had gifted him.
However, ever since it was delivered, he had not used it a single ti.
This was the highest-spec training room that could be built on a Floating Island, capable of withstanding the unrestrained attacks of a 7th-Tier professional.
The mont he stood before the entrance, the opaque windows on all four sides lit up. The tal doors quietly split down the middle with a faint blue glow, sliding open silently to both sides. Inside, the cold white tallic walls rged seamlessly with the floor, giving off a smooth matte finish.
A cold electronic voice chid in his ear. "Lord Su Chen, welco."
Su Chen nodded and declared directly, "I want to challenge the 49th ranker on the Holy List, Yu Shen."
He wanted to use this opponent to test the waters first. Just as he took out his mystical artifact and prepared himself, the system responded. "Apologies. Your current rank is 5th-Tier, while your challenge target is within the top one hundred of the Holy List. For the sake of your safety, a direct challenge cannot be initiated."
Cannot be initiated? Su Chen paused, his movents freezing. "Then last ti, I..."
Halfway through his subconscious retort, he suddenly realized the truth. Last ti, it had not been a challenge; it was his initial ranking assessnt.
For a normal 5th-Tier professional, such a gap in strength was indeed massive. There was virtually no point in even attempting the fight.
"This..." Su Chen genuinely had not expected to encounter such a situation. He could not help but ask, "Under normal circumstances, doesn't the challenge projection simply dissipate when it receives an unbearable attack?"
"Correct. However, when the disparity in power is too vast, the system may not accurately gauge that threshold. Therefore, for your own safety, it is recomnded that you do not challenge an opponent with such a massive gap in ranking."
"But I want to temper myself. Is there no other way?" Su Chen asked.
This system's level of intelligence was clearly inferior to the Bronze Spirit. After a long period of silence, it simply repeated, "It is recomnded that you do not challenge an opponent with such a massive gap in ranking."
'What an artificial idiot...' Su Chen felt slightly speechless, but an idea sparked in his mind. He changed his line of questioning. "With my current ranking, what is the highest rank I can challenge?"
This ti, the system replied quickly. "The highest opponent you can challenge is ng Jingyuan, ranked 99th on the Holy List."
'A gap of a hundred ranks...'
Understanding the limitation, Su Chen spoke up, "Then I will challenge him."
"Command received. Challenging the 99th ranker on the Holy List, ng Jingyuan. Please wait a mont..."
"Wait a second," Su Chen suddenly asked. "Once I enter the top one hundred of the Holy List, will the challenge restriction be reduced?"
"Once you enter the top one hundred of the Holy List, excluding the top nine, you may challenge anyone at will."
"That works. The tenth rank is also a 7th-Tier..." Su Chen nodded in satisfaction. This would save him from having to climb up step by step, which would be a waste of ti.
Amidst intertwining streams of light, a frail, faceless phantom materialized in the room.
ng Jingyuan... Su Chen had never heard of this na before, but he did not let his guard down. He stared fixedly at his opponent with a solemn expression, his mystical artifacts already fused into his flesh, empowering him to the 6th-Tier.
Crimson thunder erupted around his body, further enhanced by the Holy Hand. His lightning core trembled. As the elents of thunder and fire surged through him, they beca increasingly dense and pure, crackling wildly around him as he entered his absolute peak state.
The mont the system announced, "Battle begin," the opponent's figure trembled violently. Frosty white mist erupted from his body, and a bone-piercing chill sliced through the air like invisible blades.
The frosty mist spread rapidly like a living serpent. Carrying a flurry of ice shards, it howled through the room and coiled tightly around Su Chen's limbs.
As the freezing air brushed against his skin, a hint of confusion flashed in Su Chen's eyes. Bruise-colored frost patterns crept from his fingertips all the way up his neck, and his breath condensed into white plus. In an instant, his entire body was encased in translucent, jagged ice.
But just a split second later, spiderweb-like cracks abruptly blood across the surface of the ice, accompanied by a rapid series of sharp cracking sounds.
Beneath the frozen layer, Su Chen's shoulder blades flexed violently as his muscles bulged with explosive power.
Boom!
The ice shattered inch by inch. Shards scattered in all directions like a fierce hailstorm, hissing and releasing trails of white steam the mont they hit the ground.
"This offensive power is a lot weaker than I imagined," Su Chen remarked, standing perfectly still. Fusing five 6th-Tier mystical artifacts into his body, along with the nurous enhancents from his abilities, had granted him an unbelievably massive boost in strength.
Simultaneously, the opponent's figure began to turn ethereal. Frosty white mist billowed from beneath his feet as his torso twisted and elongated within the biting cold currents.
Ice crystals sprouted wildly from his spine like living entities. Scales condensed piece by piece, their edges as sharp as razor blades. A draconic head reared out from the fog, its nacing fangs dripping with concentrated frost.
In the blink of an eye, he had transford into a thirty-ter-long ice dragon hovering in midair. The surrounding cold condensed into a swirling vortex of white mist, churning furiously with razor-sharp ice fragnts.
"Roar!" The dragon bellowed at the ceiling. The sheer force of its voice tore through the air, causing suspended dust particles to freeze into tiny ice grains that showered downward. A blizzard of frost and bone-chilling fury tore through the room, hurtling straight at Su Chen.
Su Chen narrowed his eyes. Digging his heels into the floor, he threw a devastating right punch from his waist. Crimson Flas, wrapped in blazing red lightning, erupted with an earth-shattering boom. At the tip of his fist, an intense wave of heat distorted the very space around it as it shot directly toward the incoming ice dragon.
Boom!
The explosive force of his punch plunged straight into the dragon's throat. The beast's icy scales disintegrated inch by inch. Before the shattered ice could even scatter, it vaporized instantly into white mist. The freezing draconic body exploded from the inside out, turning into fine powder that drifted down like an avalanche of snow.
"Challenge concluded. Congratulations, you have entered the top one hundred of the Holy List." The system's prompt remained as cold and emotionless as ever.
"That was far too easy. It barely took any effort at all," Su Chen muttered, retracting his stance.
In his current state of overwhelming power, this 99th ranker on the Holy List—a 6th-Tier professional who would be considered incredibly formidable by ordinary Bronze Sect mbers—was not even capable of withstanding a single blow from him.
Though the challenge had ended, Su Chen did not imdiately proceed to the next match. Instead, he decided to wait and restore his condition back to its absolute peak.
Without unleashing his ridian Wheel, the energy consumption for such a strike was still terrifyingly high. He drank a few more mouthfuls of Nutrient Potion and waited for his body to absorb the effects.
Suddenly, the system's prompt chid once more. "My Lord, you have a visitor."
The intelligent managent system across the entire Floating Island was completely integrated and would report to him at a mont's notice.
'A visitor...' Su Chen thought, looking at the virtual screen that abruptly popped up in front of him.
Over at the port, the familiar figure of Qing Cang could be seen waiting.
'Old Qing?' Su Chen's heart stirred. 'You finally decided to show up.'
With the Nutrient Potion still taking effect, Su Chen stepped out of the training room and headed over to the port. He offered a passionate welco, "Senior Apprentice Brother Qing Cang, why are you waiting out here? You could have just let yourself in. We are all family here, after all." He sneaked in a subtle tease.
Qing Cang shot him a glare, though an awkward expression unavoidably crept onto his face. He let out a few dry coughs. It was clear this brat was still holding onto the fact that he had used his abilities as a top-tier professional to bypass the Floating Island's periter defenses last ti.
However, that previous incident was rely a spontaneous whim brought on by a few drinks. Under normal circumstances, he was a very rule-abiding person.
"Alright, enough of that. What did you need for?" Qing Cang asked, stepping away from the port.
Su Chen walked closely beside him and replied, "It's nothing major. Wei Zhenghong has a student who wants to use the Profound Heaven Instrunt. Do you think there are still any open slots?"
He had contacted Qing Cang the very mont Wei Zhenghong left. Calling in a backdoor favor was definitely sothing best done face-to-face, but Old Qing had been incredibly busy and only found the ti to visit him now.
"You and Wei Zhenghong have such a good relationship?" Qing Cang asked, genuinely surprised. "Fine, I understand. Just one slot, right? Have him bring the person directly to ."
"It's that simple?" Su Chen could not hide his astonishnt.
anwhile, Qing Cang glanced at the virtual screen popping up from his wristband and typed out a quick reply. He then cast a look at the actively running challenge room and asked, "You already know about the Peak Star Tournant, don't you?"
"Mhm." Su Chen nodded. "Jiang Mufeng told us imdiately. It's quite a mild way to handle the situation."
Qing Cang let out a few cold chuckles. "At the very least, those other factions haven't forgotten who they truly need to keep in check."
Despite his harsh words, Su Chen could clearly sense that Qing Cang was no longer constantly on edge. He had noticeably relaxed.
Using the Peak Star Tournant as an excuse, both sides now had room to de-escalate the tension.
"The key factor is still our Honored Master. With him around, they are forced to tread carefully, hesitating to pelt a rat for fear of smashing the vase beside it. They don't dare push us too hard," Su Chen added. He understood this senior brother of his well; flattering him was never as effective as flattering the Bronze Ancient King.
Hearing this, Qing Cang could not help but smile, speaking as if it were an undeniable truth, "That is only natural. Our Honored Master's might is unfathomably profound—"
"However," Su Chen interjected, tactfully shifting the topic, "even with the Peak Star Tournant acting as a smokescreen, what kind of explanation are we going to offer regarding Qin Yun?"
Qing Cang kept his eyes glued to his virtual screen, clearly occupied with other matters. His verbal response sounded rather nonchalant. "This is much easier to handle than before, as long as the other four Great Sects and the Royal Court don't openly pressure us."
"At worst, we will just ask our Honored Master to kill Qin Yun to give them their explanation."
It was the simplest and most brutal solution. The other factions and the Royal Court had all lost a Morning Star Tier professional. If the Bronze Sect also lost one, using blood to prove their innocence, that would surely be enough to appease everyone.
What Qing Cang had previously feared the most was the four factions and the Royal Court joining forces to exert public pressure. This would have forced the Bronze Ancient King into a corner. The greater the external pressure, the safer Qin Yun would actually beco, as yielding to outsiders would make the Sect look weak.
But now, with the Peak Star Tournant serving as a buffer, the issue of being openly pressured was no longer a concern.
'Ask the Master to kill Qin Yun...' Su Chen glanced at Qing Cang, muttering inwardly. 'You make it sound so incredibly easy...'
Qing Cang had already moved past the topic, pondering aloud, "Calculating the ti, there are still two years until the Peak Star Tournant begins. You can observe the matches when the ti cos. It will be very beneficial for your own growth."
"By the tournant after that, you should be able to make a na for yourself. And by the one after that, you should have a solid chance of claiming the championship."
He held very high expectations for Su Chen. Being able to securely hold the position of the 5th-Tier Top Ranker at this stage ant he was already more formidable than Shen Yi'an.
Hearing this, Su Chen remained noncommittal, simply asking, "Are the other factions and the Royal Court truly willing to wait for two whole years?"
Qing Cang shook his head to explain. "It is rely that the actual tournant will be held in two years. In reality, the preparations and early arrivals are starting now."
"Many forces will have to depart, transfer through multiple stops, and then finally arrive at our Bronze Sect. The journey alone might take them close to a year."
"Furthermore, there is no shortage of factions eager to use this opportunity to build alliances and make friends. I estimate that in about half a year, delegations from the other sects and the Royal Court will begin arriving one after another."
"I recently took charge of this matter and am responsible for orchestrating the event. I will be incredibly busy, so only seek out if you have sothing extrely urgent."
"I see." Su Chen finally understood. Seeing that Qing Cang was preparing to leave right after his brief explanation, he quickly called out, "Senior Apprentice Brother, have you ever heard of sothing called the Marrow of the Morning Star?"
He had already asked everyone else he could; his only remaining option was to seek answers from a heavyweight like Qing Cang.
"The Marrow of the Morning Star?" Qing Cang paused in his tracks, looking back in surprise. "Where did you learn of that?"
"I just happened to hear soone ntion it in passing," Su Chen replied vaguely.
Qing Cang eyed him with deep suspicion. "Heard it in passing? This is an extrely rare material exclusively possessed by the Royal Court. Very few people even know of its existence. Exactly who did you hear this from?"
"Just Wei Zhenghong, Shen Yi'an, and their crowd. Soone brought it up during a gathering, acting all secretive about it, so I got a bit curious," Su Chen explained, hastily steering the conversation back on track. "What exactly is this thing? Does it have sothing to do with the Morning Star Tier?"
Qing Cang pondered for a mont before answering. "This substance is, quite literally, an extract from the body of a Morning Star Tier professional. Specifically, their bone marrow."
"Bone marrow?" Su Chen was stunned. He hadn't expected the na to be entirely literal. Unable to hold back his curiosity, he asked, "Is the Royal Court really the only place that has it? Doesn't every major sect have Morning Star Tier experts?"
Qing Cang clarified, "The physical composition of a Morning Star Tier professional is incredibly unique. Extracting their bone marrow and preserving its properties—only the Royal Court possesses that specific technology. It is an exceptionally precious resource that can single-handedly fulfill the class requirents for Physical-Type professions. It is highly beneficial even for 9th-Tier professionals."
"I see." Su Chen grew thoughtful. He had finally figured out what the Marrow of the Morning Star was, but it seed there was absolutely no chance of him getting his hands on it.
However, a sudden thought crossed his mind. "Then for this Peak Star Tournant, could the Royal Court possibly offer it as a reward?"
The mont the words left his mouth, Su Chen realized how unlikely that sounded. After all, it wasn't so ordinary trinket.
"I am not entirely sure." Qing Cang stared at Su Chen with mounting suspicion. "What do you even need that for?"
"Who wouldn't want a good treasure?" Su Chen replied matter-of-factly. 'Old Qing's curiosity is just too heavy. He insists on interrogating over every little detail.'
Su Chen quickly changed the subject again. "Does that an the Profound Heaven Instrunt won't be leaving anyti soon? After all, Tang Xiuqi is still here."
"Tang Xiuqi is already past the age limit; he won't be participating in this upcoming Peak Star Tournant," Qing Cang said, shaking his head. "However, you are right that the Profound Heaven Instrunt won't be leaving in the short term. Once all the current matters are resolved, it will head straight to the Royal Court."
"If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave." Qing Cang really was swamped. He glanced at a new ssage on his wristband, but this ti, his expression soured noticeably. He let out a cold snort. "He sure knows how to pick his monts. Becoming the 6th-Tier Top Ranker right at a ti like this."
"Oh?" Su Chen couldn't help but look over. "Is it Qin Tianlin?"
Soti earlier, he had heard Wei Zhenghong and the others ntion that the guy's progression speed was remarkably fast.
"Mhm." Qing Cang's face darkened. "He even went out of his way to do it publicly at the Challenge Center, making such a high-profile spectacle out of it. With how much noise he's making, you'd think he was breaking through to the Morning Star Tier."
The re thought of the Qin Yun Faction mbers cheering and celebrating in the Challenge Center right now filled him with overwhelming irritation.
Sighing, Qing Cang's tone softened slightly. "However, it is a Divine Dawn talent, after all. It was only a matter of ti."
Just as he was about to turn and leave, his eyes drifted back toward the challenge room. Retracting his gaze, he asked Su Chen, "You were just challenging the top ranks of the Holy List, weren't you? What rank have you reached?"
"Currently, I am ranked 99th," Su Chen answered honestly.
"99th on the Holy List?" Hearing this, Qing Cang was montarily dumbfounded, looking visibly shocked. He quickly pulled up the Holy List rankings to verify. His astonishnt only grew. "You actually managed to squeeze into the top one hundred?"
He stared intensely at Su Chen. The 6th-Tier professionals within the top one hundred were a force to be reckoned with. Their main classes and Special Professions were always structured into perfectly optimized, synergistic systems.
For a 4th-Tier to defeat a 5th-Tier was already exceedingly difficult. For a 5th-Tier to fight a 6th-Tier was as hard as ascending the heavens—especially when facing these elite sect disciples, whose combat foundations practically had zero weaknesses.
As a general rule, every 6th-Tier professional possessed around six to seven Special Professions. Among those, at least three or four directly amplified their combat power. For those specializing in extre short-term burst damage, they might even utilize more than five.
For Su Chen to force his way into the top one hundred, he must have put in an unimaginable amount of bitter effort.
As a master instructor of the Holy Hall, he had seen far too many individuals who relied solely on their innate talent, achieved fa at a young age, fell into self-indulgence, and ultimately disappeared among the crowd.
Su Chen's unyielding temperant was what he admired most about him.
"Not bad, not bad at all," Qing Cang praised, nodding repeatedly. "Perhaps in two years, you won't just be relegated to the sidelines as a spectator."
As he finally departed, the senior apprentice brother's mood had clearly improved by leaps and bounds.
After seeing Old Qing off, Su Chen's gaze shifted back to the challenge room.
'Qin Tianlin... the Top Ranker?'
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