The Spirit Light Chains struck in rapid succession, and the Heavenly Lightning Formation on the platform collapsed instantly. "Impossible! How could my Heavenly Lightning Formation fail?" Xiao Long poured out his spirit qi, frantically trying to summon more lightning to attack Jun Laoye. Yet the bolts in the sky appeared to be severed at their source, dispersing harmlessly above him. Jun Laoye gripped the Earth-Shattering Spear and thrust it into the heart of the platform. "Boy, let me show you what a true Lightning Gathering Formation looks like! Lightning Shock Gathering Formation!" With a thunderous shout, Jun Laoye seized the foundations Xiao Long had laid and twisted them to obey his own will. In an instant, lightning spread across the heavens, channeling through the lightning giant before crashing down upon Xiao Long. "My Heavenly Lightning Formation... undone by some brat?" Without the formation, Xiao Long was nothing more than a low-level Qi Regulation Realm cultivator. Under the storm's onslaught, he staggered backward, overcome by desperation. "Strike while the iron is hot! Have a taste of some real lightning!" Jun Laoye roared, driving the lightning giant forward relentlessly. Watching the tempest engulf Jun Laoye, Nantian Yijian's eyes lit up with admiration. "Little Jun is unbelievable! Brothers, let's help him!" He raised his sword high and shouted, "Offense Break!" He went on to charge straight at Xiao Long. Xiao Long stammered as over two hundred figures bore down on him. Panic flashed across his face. "You... you... You are just relying on numbers! Face me one-on-one if you have the courage!" Lu Chen guided the Spirit Light Chains through several of Xiao Long's vital points, sealing his spirit qi. "Even if it's a one-on-one bout, we can still defeat you." "You... My spirit qi... is gone? But how?" "Brothers, there's no need to waste any more words with him. Let's regroup on the seventy-seventh step," Lu Chen said, waving his hand as the Serene Void Academy's disciples gathered together. Lu Chen whispered to Xiao Long as he passed, "Insects of summer cannot comprehend ice[1]. The Serene Void Academy is no longer what it once was. Next time, you'd better restrain yourself." With that, he stripped Xiao Long of his enchanted artifacts and treasures. "Insects of summer... cannot comprehend ice..." Xiao Long murmured bitterly, watching Lu Chen fade into the distance. "It must be that lightning giant... it has to be... That's why my formation collapsed..." Nantian Yijian walked next to Lu Chen and asked softly, "Boss, what's our next move? Many of our brothers are injured. Should we let them rest?" Lu Chen's gaze swept over the weary disciples. "Brothers, from here on, every opponent we face will at least be an inner sect disciple. Rest if you must. At the end of the day, this Mountain Gate Trial happened because of me. From here onward, I'll face what lies ahead." "Senior Martial Brother Lu, didn't we swear to storm this gate together?" Jun Xiaoma clutched at his bleeding wound, his voice ringing with defiance. "We won't stop halfway. Isn't that right, everyone?" "Brother Xiaoma is right!" Sun Xiaohu wiped the blood from his lips and rose to his feet. "Once we've set foot on this path, we either win or we fall, but we will never retreat! We'll show them that the Serene Void Academy has guts!" The others followed after Sun Xiaohu and shouted, "Yes! Regardless of whether we win or fall, we will never retreat!" "Good! Then let's charge together! If we win, we win together. And if we fall, we fall together!" Lu Chen quickened his pace and strode to the front. "We have nothing to prove to anyone. Our purpose is to reclaim the honor of the Serene Void Academy!" "They are unworthy of having us prove anything to them. Their short-sightedness has already sealed their future. We, on the other hand, will advance without restraint." Vaulting onto the head of Wind Dragon, Lu Chen looked toward the platform above. His eyes gleamed coldly. "Horse-Hunters! Come out of the cave and make your move once again! We'll carve a bloody path for the Serene Void Academy." "Senior Martial Brother Lu, save your spirit qi. I still have enough for one last fight," Fei Zhu moved slowly toward the platform, his voice heavy with resolve. "Let me take the lead and show them what true body cultivation looks like." With a thunderous roar, he bellowed, "Weapon Fusion! Great Weapon Fusion!" Unleashing his strongest technique, he charged headlong at the gatekeeper's platform. The platform shook under the force of his attacks. By the time the others arrived, a man was already lying unconscious at the center, while Fei Zhu had reverted to his normal form. "Senior Martial Brother Lu, I... I won," Fei Zhu said softly, turning to him. "The man ranked eight hundred ninety-fifth on the inner sect's Mountain Ocean List... I defeated him." "Hahaha, what a rush! That was truly exhilarating!" Fei Zhu tilted his head back, gasping at the clouds above. "Thanks to your Body Refining Pill, I've broken through to the level of Golden Dragon Skin." He let out a long breath. "It's a shame that my spirit qi is completely drained. I can't go any further." With that, he collapsed. "You've already done more than enough." Lu Chen caught him, placed him onto Wind Dragon, and infused a trace of spirit qi into his body. "Rest for now. Next, we storm the mountain gate." "Brothers, did you see that? We are one-in-a-million geniuses as well!" Wang Xiaolong stepped forward and strode up the mountain steps. "So what if they're famed names on the Mountain Ocean List? Fei Zhu still cut one of them down. Next up, it's my turn! I'll test the limits of my speed!" He shouted, "Wind-Chasing Shadow!" He turned into a streak of light as he rushed onto the seventy-seventh platform. Looking at Wang Xiaolong's figure, Jun Xiaoma shouted in frustration, "Wang Xiaolong, how dare you outdo me! I have missed out on the first and second chance to challenge the inner sect's disciples!" Watching him, Jun Xiaoma cried out in frustration, "Wang Xiaolong, how dare you show off! I missed the first and second chance to challenge the inner sect disciples!" "And now you're missing the third," came a voice behind him. Jun Xiaoma turned, just in time to see Sun Xiaohu rushing past with a plain blade in hand, grinning. "Hurry, or you won't even get fourth. Brother Xiaoma, I'll go first. I have improved a lot these past few days." Before Jun Xiaoma could retort, rustling footsteps sounded from behind. "Brother Xiaoma, fifth place is mine..." "Brother Xiaoma, sixth place..." In the blink of an eye, half the disciples behind him ran ahead. "Damn it! Wait for me!" Jun Xiaoma cursed, darting forward with all his speed to give chase. "Boss, let's move too." Nantian Yijian lifted his massive sword onto his shoulder and charged up the steps. "I'm the leader of the Horse-Hunters. I can't fall behind." "Then let's all push forward." Lu Chen released the Star Serpent Cloud Concealment, instantly catching up to Sun Xiaohu. "Brothers, let's see who's faster now." From atop the mountain gate, the disciples of the six academies watched in astonishment. "Fei Zhu actually defeated an inner sect disciple by himself. That disciple's even on the Mountain Ocean List." "I've fought him before. He was never this strong." "Yeah, same with Sun Xiaohu. He used to be all bark. How did he get so powerful?" "I heard a rumor that they have all gone to hunt beasts this time. They must have gotten their hands on some extraordinary treasure." "Do you know anyone from the Jade Flame Academy? I've heard the same rumors. They must have stumbled upon a secret realm during their hunt for beasts. Otherwise, how could their strength have increased so much all at once?" "Look at that youth with the massive sword. He's the fiercest among them, yet I've never seen his face before." "He's a new disciple of the Serene Void Academy. Last I heard, he was still in the Qi Regulation Realm, but who would've thought he'd become this strong?" "And that dragon-like beast behind them... its aura is even greater than the guardian beasts of the White Cloud Academy. A beast like that must have taken thousands, maybe tens of thousands of years to mature." Inside the building on the Mountain Ocean Peak. Hearing the commotion, Shan Long asked softly, "Wudi, what exactly did you obtain this time that makes you so resolute?" Jun Wudi chuckled, scanning the hall. "Hehehe... Lord Shan Long, you can probably guess what I've found, can't you?" Shan Long glanced at Jun Wudi. "Seems like your wish has been fulfilled. Will you stay? Some people have already started making their moves. Aren't you worried about him?" "Worried? My past deserves to be reclaimed. Perhaps I might have been more subtle before, but..." Lightning gathered in Jun Wudi's eyes as he stared into the distance, sharp and unyielding. "Now, my focus has shifted. I intend to recreate the scene from back then, only this time, the outcome will be reversed." "And what about him? Aren't you afraid he'll lose his protection?" "He has far stronger status than you can imagine," Jun Wudi said softly, lifting his cup for a sip of tea. "His background is beyond your wildest guess. You wouldn't even know where to start." Shan Long frowned at Jun Wudi's words. "Background? Isn't he related to your clan? I'm certain that was the lightning giant just now." He knew of Jun Wudi's identity, as well as the reason he had long concealed himself in the Heavenly Mandate Hall. "Hehehe... Lord Shan Long, even you can misjudge at times," Jun Wudi said with a smile. He turned his eyes to Lu Chen, shaking his head slightly. "That young man is my hope, but he's not the reason my focus has changed." "Oh? So it's that boy?" Shan Long studied Lu Chen. "His strength is impressive, but I can't see how his background could surpass your nephew's." "Heh. There's no need for you to know his background. Just look after him when I'm gone." Jun Wudi's gaze swept over the mountain steps, where one after another, disciples of the Serene Void Academy collapsed, only to be carried onto the back of the Wind Dragon. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on noᴠelfire.net "You're really planning to leave?" Shan Long sighed softly. "But perhaps that's for the best. A talent like yours shouldn't be wasted here. Now that your injuries have healed, it's time you returned." "Don't worry. I'll look after them," Shan Long added as he turned and walked out of the building on the Mountain Ocean Peak. Jun Wudi followed him toward the gate. He said, "Rest assured, so long as he's safe, you can definitely push further and break through to the Human Core Realm." Zhou Chang lounged in his chair, utterly baffled. "What on earth are you two talking about?" Bai Rufeng, sharper than the rest, had already caught onto something. "Quiet. Don't you see?" He leaned closer to Zhou Chang and whispered, "Haven't you noticed? Since Jun Wudi returned, Lord Shan Long himself has been here, waiting." Zhou Chang blinked, still not connecting the dots. "Right! I've been wondering why someone like Lord Shan Long, who never interfered in the affairs of the six academies, would personally come just to watch a Mountain Gate Trial." "Zhou Chang, you really are careless. Think carefully. Hasn't Lord Shan Long's demeanor changed since Jun Wudi's return?" "So, Lord Shan Long came here... just for Jun Wudi?" Zhou Chang's eyes widened as the realization sank in. "He came solely for Jun Wudi!" 1. It means that those with limited knowledge or narrow experience cannot understand things beyond their scope. A summer insect has never experienced winter, so if you try to tell it about ice, it cannot comprehend it ☜