Chapter 294: Creating History, Ninety-Nine Floors in One Hour! Emperor Tower

Chapter 294: Making History, Ninety-Nine Floors in One Hour! The First Name on the Imperial Tower!

Following the guidance of the Nine-Spirit King’s avatar, Qin Feng walked with steady composure, traversing the intricate pavilions and mist-shrouded meditation chambers of the Eastern Academy before arriving at a vast, magnificent training ground.

The ground was paved with an unknown white jade, seamless and monolithic, inscribed with profound and complex arrays that constantly inhaled the pure spiritual energy drifting through the cosmos, rendering the concentration here far superior to the outside world.

Dozens of figures already stood silently on the field, like spears poised for battle, their sharpness exposed and their auras formidable.

Qin Feng swept his gaze across them, his mind clear.

Gathered here were undoubtedly the most elite students of the Eastern Academy.

At a glance, there were over forty of them, every one a warrior at the Limit Black Hole level.

Their standard academy uniforms were embroidered with golden insignias, symbolizing their distinguished status within the institution.

Amidst the crowd, one figure caused Qin Feng’s gaze to pause slightly.

She was a slender young woman with delicate features, her eyes holding an innate wariness and detachment.

Qin Feng recognized her; she was the mysterious lurker he had glimpsed on the edge of the chaotic battlefield outside the Chi-Yu Star Domain during that far-reaching war.

Back then, her aura had been obscure, hidden beneath secret treasures; had it not been for his unique spiritual power, he would have barely noticed her.

He had not expected her to be a student of this academy.

At the very front of the formation, one figure stood out in particular.

She was a female warrior clad in pure white, streamlined power armor, her posture upright and her spirit piercingly heroic.

Her aura had long transcended the Black Hole level, firmly stepping into the Divine Prohibition realm.

What surprised Qin Feng even more was his clear perception that the quality of her spiritual power had reached the level of "Purple Gold."

This was indeed a rare talent.

Within the hierarchy of the human empire, those who could temper their spiritual power to a purple-gold hue at the Black Hole level were, himself aside, as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns—each one a peerless prodigy destined for the history books.

Yet, despite the solid foundations and strength of these students, Qin Feng keenly sensed an essential difference between them and the top-tier existences he had truly fought.

Whether it was the restrained dominance of his dear friend Caesar, tempered by countless life-and-death battles, the archaic weight of the Stone Emperor who seemed as eternal as heaven and earth, or the deep calculations of Shui Mo and the void-piercing insight of the Stone Buddha among the myriad races—they all possessed a quality of returning to simplicity after the vanity had been washed away.

In contrast, the most prominent trait of these prodigies was their arrogance!

A pride and sharpness born of talent, of smooth sailing, and of an invincible conviction.

Each was like a sun hanging in the zenith, unreservedly radiating their own light and heat, confident to the point of being scorching.

This temperament belonged to flowers cultivated in a greenhouse; though dazzling, they might not withstand the most brutal storms of the cosmic sea.

Just as Qin Feng was silently evaluating them, the Nine-Spirit King led him to the front of the line.

"Everyone, quiet."

The Nine-Spirit King’s voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable majesty, and the faint whispers on the training ground vanished instantly.

He gestured toward Qin Feng beside him, a faint, inscrutable smile on his face as he spoke slowly: "Let me introduce you to your new classmate."

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

At these words, Qin Feng was momentarily stunned, followed by a sense of wry amusement.

He understood that the Nine-Spirit King was deliberately concealing his identity to pave the way for the "teaching activity" to follow.

He could only helplessly play along with this old-urchin-like King-level powerhouse, nodding slightly to the group as a greeting.

Afterward, he walked toward the end of the formation.

He wore a simple black robe today, his hair and eyes dark, his facial features firm and cold.

Though he had restrained his aura—which could shake the universe—to the absolute limit, returning to the simplicity of a commoner, the unique temperament forged through thousands of slaughters and across mountains of corpses and seas of blood remained like a divine weapon hidden in its sheath; even without the blade exposed, its chilling intent was hard to mask.

He simply stood there, leaving the first and most profound impression on all the prodigies present: strong!

A strength that could not be described in words, yet was clearly perceived by the instincts of a warrior.

Within the ranks, Qian Yue’s beautiful eyes were already wide open.

She stared fixedly at Qin Feng’s back, the shock and disbelief in her eyes nearly overflowing. It was... it was him!

The peerless demon god from outside the Chi-Yu Pass!

The same demon god, Qin Feng, who later single-handedly reversed the tide against five Domain Lords and was worshipped as an idol by countless students across the five great academies!

How could he be here?

And as... a new classmate?

Her lips moved, countless questions and exclamations surging in her heart, but just as she was about to speak, she felt her throat locked by an invisible force, and no matter how she struggled, she could not make a sound.

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

The Nine-Spirit King had directly used his spiritual power to silence her!

Qian Yue was anxious but helpless.

She could only glare with her rolling eyes, her gaze darting back and forth between Qin Feng and the Nine-Spirit King, as if thousands of spirit cats were scratching at her heart.

The Nine-Spirit King ignored Qian Yue’s small antics, his gaze turning to the female warrior of the Divine Prohibition level.

"The content of this training is, as always, the Imperial Tower."

His tone was flat, yet carried an unquestionable decisiveness.

"Diwen."

He called the female warrior’s name. "I know your heart is set on training at the Island of Dead Meteors. Very well, today I will give you a chance."

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

"If you can surpass this new classmate from the frontier star system in the challenge of the Imperial Tower, then I shall personally approve your application and allow you to go to the Island of Dead Meteors."

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

Curiosity, scrutiny, challenge, and doubt—all sorts of emotions intertwined in those stares.

The Divine Prohibition female warrior known as Diwen turned slowly.

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

There was not a hint of contempt in her azure eyes, only pure battle intent and inquiry, as she asked word by word: "Teacher, his strength?"

"Rest assured,"

The Nine-Spirit King smiled calmly. "His cultivation level is the same as yours, both at the Limit Black Hole realm; I will not let you be at a disadvantage."

Hearing this, the battle intent in Diwen’s eyes burned even more fiercely.

As a Divine Prohibition powerhouse at the same Limit Black Hole level, she was confident she was inferior to no one!

"Let’s go!"

The Nine-Spirit King said no more, waving his hand as he walked toward the exit of the training ground.

The group followed in a grand procession, their momentum extraordinary.

Along the way, they encountered many other warriors of the academy; those with weaker strength, seeing this team of elite students and the Nine-Spirit King leading them, all cast sidelong glances and respectfully cleared the path.

Meanwhile, some powerful Domain Lords and even Marquis-level instructors would smile and greet the Nine-Spirit King from a distance.

After passing through several spatial gates, a colossal tower that seemed to bridge heaven and earth soon loomed before them.

That was the Emperor Tower.

It stood in silent majesty at the heart of the Holy Academy’s headquarters. Its structure, forged from an unknown material, possessed a deep, ancient bronze hue, scarred by the relentless erosion of time and etched with countless arcane Daoist inscriptions.

The spire pierced the clouds, vanishing into a chaotic sea of primordial energy formed by the convergence of cosmic laws. Merely gazing upon it from afar evoked a sense of primeval, overwhelming pressure that made the very soul tremble.

Before the Emperor Tower stood a monolith of immense proportions.

The stone was of the same material as the tower, its surface shimmering with flowing light. Rows of ancient, golden characters drifted slowly across the face of the monument, chronicling the glorious feats of countless human prodigies throughout the ages.

"The rules of the Emperor Tower are simple."

King Jiuling’s voice resonated in their ears. Though he addressed everyone, his gaze lingered almost imperceptibly on Qin Feng. "It does not assess the specific cultivation level of the challenger, but tests their true strength. Regardless of your rank, the guardians you face within will be projections of your exact cultivation level, yet they will possess distinct combat techniques, secret arts, and tactical wisdom."

"Your task is to climb ever higher. The Emperor Monument beside you will provide a comprehensive assessment based on the highest floor you reach and the time consumed, generating a ranking. Remember, only the top ten thousand performers earn the right to carve their names upon this stone."

King Jiuling’s words were meant primarily for Qin Feng.

Qin Feng understood perfectly; the mechanism of this tower was nearly identical to the Blood God Tower he had once conquered. The only difference was the lack of time-dilation effects here, and the fact that the monument recorded only the top ten thousand, making the selection criteria undeniably more rigorous.

He cast his gaze toward the massive monument, scanning it slowly from bottom to top.

The names inscribed there were legendary, belonging to powerhouses who had left indelible marks on human history. When his eyes reached the very pinnacle, his pupils contracted slightly.

First Place: Shen Yi.

Record: Ninety-fifth floor.

Time: One year.

The name was unfamiliar to Qin Feng, but the sheer terror of reaching the ninety-fifth floor in a single year spoke volumes of the individual's power.

He knew that while he had speed-run the ninety-ninth floor of the Blood God Tower, he had relied on vast quantities of blood jade crystals and the foundation of twenty million years of bitter cultivation. In this Emperor Tower, no external aids were permitted; one had to rely entirely on raw, inherent strength.

Following Shen Yi were several others who had also reached the ninety-fifth floor, though their time taken ranged from several years to several decades.

There were far more prodigies honored here than in the Blood God Tower, and all of them were of the human race.

The reason was simple: the Blood God Tower originated from the Scarlet Forbidden Zone, which opened at irregular intervals and did not always manifest the tower, as it wandered randomly between various forbidden realms.

The Emperor Tower, however, remained permanently within the Holy Academy.

Qin Feng noted that the God-Forbidden prodigy Di Wen, in whom King Jiuling had placed such high hopes, did not have her name upon the monument.

Clearly, her previous performance had not yet been enough to break into the top ten thousand.

"Very well, the rules are clear."

King Jiuling clapped his hands, signaling the group. "Begin. Enter one by one, according to your student numbers."

At his command, the forty-odd students hesitated no longer. They lined up in an orderly fashion, transforming into streaks of light as they vanished into the vast, abyssal entrance of the Emperor Tower.

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

Qin Feng did not rush to enter; instead, he exchanged a knowing smile with the King, both understanding the other’s intent.

The true "textbook" for this lesson had yet to appear; the students needed to "preview" the material first and experience the limits of their own potential.

The two waited quietly before the tower, the atmosphere momentarily turning leisurely.

Watching those figures disappear into the light curtain of the tower gate, Qin Feng felt a stir in his heart and asked, "Senior, there is one thing I do not understand. What kind of perilous place is the Island of Dead Meteors, and why are you so adamant about preventing them from going?"

At this question, a complex emotion flickered in King Jiuling’s eyes. He sighed softly, lamenting, "Letting them go is not training; it is a senseless sacrifice. I do not wish, nor am I willing, to see such meaningless loss."

He paced toward the Emperor Monument, his hand tracing the cold surface of the stone, his voice heavy. "Qin Feng, you must understand that place is a meat grinder of unimaginable scale."

"Unless one’s will is as firm as ten-thousand-year cold iron and one’s talent is so exceptional that one can survive against all odds, one must not set foot there."

"These children have a sincere heart to serve humanity, which is commendable, but with their current temperament, entering that place is simply walking to their deaths."

Qin Feng frowned slightly. "If it is indeed a meat grinder, what level of war intensity are we talking about?"

"Hmm... let us put it this way,"

King Jiuling pondered for a moment, organizing his thoughts, his expression turning grave. "Among all the frontline battlefields currently under the jurisdiction of the Holy Academy Sea, the Island of Dead Meteors has the most terrifying intensity and the highest casualty rate, without exception."

"All the top-ranked races of the myriad clans, as well as the weaker ones, have poured vast numbers of prodigies and elite forces into that place."

"The reason is simple: it produces a unique strategic resource known as 'Cosmic Crystals'."

"Cosmic Crystals?"

Qin Feng repeated the name; it was the first time he had heard it.

"Correct."

King Jiuling nodded heavily. "These crystals can drastically accelerate a King-level powerhouse’s comprehension and integration of cosmic laws. Their effect is several times greater than even the Seven-Colored Bodhi Tree you possess!"

"Tell me, how intense would the competition be for a treasure that can directly influence the quantity and quality of a race’s peak combat power?"

Qin Feng’s heart shook violently. Better than the Seven-Colored Bodhi Tree?

No wonder—no wonder it drove the myriad clans to madness!

King-level powerhouses were the true pillars of a race; any resource that could facilitate their progress was enough to ignite a bloody war that would sweep across the entire Cosmic Sea.

King Jiuling continued, "Not to mention, beyond the Cosmic Crystals, the Island of Dead Meteors itself is divided into an inner and outer layer. Both the inner and outer islands are massive, natural resource hubs filled with rare treasures and ancient ruins. Anyone who walks out alive experiences a transformation akin to a rebirth."

"And the difference between the inner and outer islands is?"

Qin Feng pressed.

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

King Jiuling’s tone grew increasingly somber. "The laws of the Island of Dead Meteors are unique; they naturally repel any power above the Marquis level."

"Thus, the inner island is the battlefield for Marquis-level powerhouses, where they contend for the Cosmic Crystals produced in the core regions. The rules of the inner island are relatively 'gentle'; even if a Marquis falls there, as long as their kin on the outer island secure a kill, they can be resurrected in the outside world and return to the fray."

"But the outer island..."

King Jiuling paused, his eyes turning deep and dark. "The outer island is a meat grinder prepared for all beings below the Marquis level. Here, if you die, you are truly dead."

"The only exception is that by slaying enemies, you can obtain a trophy known as a 'Resurrection Mark.' Only by accumulating enough marks can one exchange them for the chance to resurrect a soul on the inner island."

"Therefore... in order to survive, to grow stronger, and to fuel the war on the inner island, the slaughter on the outer island is brutal to the extreme."

"Over countless years, the number of Black Hole-level beings who have perished on the outer island is beyond counting, and even Domain Lord-level powerhouses are harvested like wheat, crop after crop."

"Tell me, under such circumstances, how could I possibly allow these proud, untested recruits who have never seen true bloodshed to enter?"

King Jiuling turned to look at Qin Feng, his eyes filled with the pain and helplessness of a mentor. "Qin Feng, you must know that the human race pours immense effort and resources into cultivating every single Black Hole-level being."

"And for top-tier prodigies like you, the investment the race has made is beyond measure."

"To be honest, even I do not wish for you to go to the outer island. It is... simply too dangerous."

Hearing this, Qin Feng fell silent.

He finally understood King Jiuling’s painstaking efforts. This was not an attempt to crush the spirit of a prodigy, but a profound act of protection.

"However,"

After a long moment, Qin Feng spoke slowly, his voice firm. "Someone must go."

"Indeed..."

A trace of melancholy and sorrow flickered in King Jiuling’s eyes. "That is true; someone must go. The frontlines cannot be without warriors, and our home must be defended. There are even Kings who have personally sent their most beloved heirs to the frontlines of the Island of Dead Meteors..."

"He said that any man's son could die for the human race on the battlefield, and his own son, naturally, could do the same."

"But..."

The Nine-Spirit King shifted his tone, laughing at himself with a touch of irony, "When it came to other people's children, or the prodigies he had personally mentored, he found he lacked the heart; he did not want them to face the nine-in-ten chance of death at the front lines." The Nine-Spirit King did not state it explicitly, but Qin Feng could discern that the king he spoke of was likely the Nine-Spirit King himself.

Qin Feng did not reply, standing in silence.

In the face of such heavy burdens, any attempt at comfort would seem pale and hollow.

"Heh, forgive me for letting you see such a spectacle."

The Nine-Spirit King quickly composed his emotions, returning to his usual carefree demeanor as he smiled and said, "Let us speak no more of this. Those little ones will likely be inside for a year or two."

"Since we have time to spare, I can teach you a few things about the tempering of the flesh and the spirit. Your master, Swallowing Heaven, mentioned that the 'Path of Extremes' you have chosen bears some resemblance to the path I explored in my youth."

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng felt a surge of spirit and bowed respectfully: "I beg for your guidance, Senior! This junior is all ears!"

"Good!"

A look of appreciation flickered in the Nine-Spirit King's eyes; he was never one to withhold his experience from a diligent student.

"Then let us begin with the basics. First, you must deeply understand: why is the flesh of a powerhouse truly formidable?"

The Nine-Spirit King posed the first question.

"Because the flesh of a powerhouse, at every stage of growth, has been repeatedly washed and tempered by vast amounts of spiritual energy, and continuously scoured and nourished by their own spiritual power,"

Qin Feng replied after a moment of thought. "This causes our cellular structure and genetic sequences to undergo a fundamental transformation, their arrangement and combination differing entirely from those of mundane beings."

"Furthermore, vast rivers of spiritual energy and mental power flow through the flesh and meridians, spontaneously constructing tiny, stable aggregates of spiritual energy."

"Hmm, excellent. Your understanding is quite thorough."

The Nine-Spirit King nodded in satisfaction and continued to guide him: "Then, on this basis, how do we go further? The knowledge of formations you possess can be put to use here."

"You can attempt to guide and organize those spontaneously formed micro-aggregates of energy within your body using precise formation theory, condensing and sublimating them into more powerful, stable 'runes'."

"When every cell and every inch of your flesh is branded with these power runes, the strength of your body will naturally ascend to a new level."

"And this is only the first step. When the runes are sufficiently numerous and stable, you can attempt to combine them into 'array patterns'."

"Ultimately, within your own body, you will construct billions of micro-formations. Imagine it: your body itself becoming an ultimate war fortress composed of countless arrays. To what heights of power would you then attain?"

Qin Feng felt his mind reeling, as if a brand-new door were slowly opening before him.

"Of course,"

The Nine-Spirit King changed his tone, "The theory is sound, but the practice is immensely difficult. To construct formations upon a living body requires an incredibly high capacity for endurance. This necessitates the use of artifact-refining knowledge to constantly 'hammer' and 'forge' your own body, enhancing its material so it can withstand the immense pressure of branding these runes and array patterns."

"And in this process, how do you replenish consumption, repair damage, and catalyze transformation? That requires the knowledge of pharmacology for precise 'neutralization' and 'conditioning'."

"At times, even highly toxic agents can produce miraculous effects of breaking through to build anew, provided you can precisely control the dosage and the method of the 'poison'."

The Nine-Spirit King looked at the deep-in-thought Qin Feng and summarized: "In short, Qin Feng, remember this: on the path you have chosen, you must never view formations, artifact-refining, and pharmacology as three separate disciplines."

"You must integrate them, viewing them as a mutually reinforcing, inseparable whole."

"Only through this trinity can you truly forge a limit-breaking physique that no predecessor has ever achieved."

Qin Feng felt a sudden clarity, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun. The countless scattered fragments of knowledge he had gathered from his studies were, in this moment, strung together by the Nine-Spirit King's words, forming a clear and grand theoretical framework.

"As for tempering the spirit..."

The Nine-Spirit King mused, "That path is far more perilous and mysterious than tempering the flesh, and I do not have much experience to impart directly. However, I can point you toward a direction for your reference."

"Which direction?"

Qin Feng asked hurriedly.

"The Mechanical God Race."

The Nine-Spirit King slowly uttered these four words. "In the study of the spirit and the soul, the Mechanical God Race stands at the very forefront of all races."

"You may go to the 'Forest of Enlightenment Steles' in the Holy Academy to find some transcriptions of the Mechanical God Race's secret techniques and study them, to see if you can find your own path within them."

"But, remember: never venture into the territory of the Mechanical God Race on your own. That place... is extremely dangerous for any flesh-and-blood lifeform."

The Nine-Spirit King offered his most sincere advice.

"This junior... has been taught!"

Qin Feng took a deep breath and performed a profound bow to the Nine-Spirit King once more.

This time, it was born of genuine gratitude and admiration.

The Nine-Spirit King's guidance was, to him, worth no less than a supreme divine scripture!

A trinity of disciplines working in unison to forge the body.

And the mysterious techniques of the Mechanical Race providing invaluable insights for tempering the soul.

Others might not be able to go to the Mechanical God Race, but he, Qin Feng... possessed a genuine Mechanical Race avatar!

This meant he could not only study their theories but even personally experience and analyze the mysteries of the soul from the perspective of the Mechanical God Race.

His path now held hope!

And it was brighter than ever before!

Qin Feng stood before the Imperial Tower, lost in quiet contemplation, repeatedly deducing, dismantling, and reconstructing the theories the Nine-Spirit King had imparted.

He was completely immersed in the planning of his own Great Dao, forgetting even the passage of time.

This meditation lasted for three full years.

During these three years, the light gate of the Imperial Tower flickered from time to time as students were teleported out, most of them pale and mentally exhausted, having clearly drained their strength within the tower.

When the final student emerged, all eyes turned to Devin, who stood at the front of the group.

She was the one who had persisted the longest, and she held the best results.

"Teacher!"

Devin stepped out of the light gate, her aura somewhat unstable but her eyes exceptionally bright, carrying a hint of pride and anticipation. "I cleared the ninety-first floor! One level higher than my previous record!"

She paused, her gaze burning as she looked at the Nine-Spirit King, and said earnestly: "Now, may I go to the Island of Dead Meteors? I heard that Senior Yun... has already gone!"

At the mention of "Senior Yun," a flicker of imperceptible emotion crossed the Nine-Spirit King's eyes, though he quickly masked it.

He merely glanced at Devin calmly, then pointed to Qin Feng, who had just awakened from his deep meditation.

"I said, only after you can surpass him."

The Nine-Spirit King signaled that it was Qin Feng's turn.

"Very well."

Qin Feng nodded; his three years of quiet reflection had made his temperament even more profound and steady.

Without a wasted word, he moved, transforming into a silent streak of light that instantly vanished into the massive light gate of the Imperial Tower.

Behind him, the prodigies of the Holy Academy waited with faces full of curiosity and anticipation.

Devin stared intently at the entrance of the tower; she could not gauge the strength of this mysterious "new student," and for the first time, a flicker of uncertain worry stirred in her heart.

Meanwhile, Qian Yue, standing in the crowd, was nearly driven to distraction.

She desperately wanted to shout at everyone, to tell them that this mysterious student being used as a benchmark by their teacher was none other than the idol they all worshipped and yearned for—the peerless, terrifying god of war who had shaken the universe with his own hands: Qin Feng!

Yet, the Nine-Spirit King’s ban remained firmly locked upon her voice, rendering her unable to utter a single word.

...

Before the Imperial Tower, time seemed stretched into a taut, silent thread.

Those forty-odd human prodigies, the most distinguished students of the Sacred Academy’s Eastern Court, each possessed the potential and strength to stir waves within their respective cosmic nations.

Some sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation, their bodies wreathed in subtle fluctuations of spiritual energy, clearly seizing every fleeting second to nourish their secret arts and foundations of the Dao.

Others drew forth their personal artifacts, polishing and communing with them through mental force, the treasures shimmering with light that danced in harmony with their masters' auras.

More still stood in quiet contemplation, gazing up at the tower that pierced the clouds as if it were as eternal as the cosmos itself, their eyes deep with the weight of mapping their own martial paths and deducing infinite possibilities.

The air was thick with the pride and serenity of genius; they were accustomed to waiting, and accustomed to transcending themselves within that wait.

To them, the mysterious new student named "Qin" might bring a moment of surprise, but he was ultimately just a passerby and a reference point on their long, arduous journey of cultivation.

The best among them, such as Di Wen, had set their sights on the ninetieth floor and beyond; each ascent was a challenge to their own limits, and spending years in the attempt was the norm.

In their estimation, waiting for this newcomer to complete his maiden challenge would surely consume a considerable span of time.

However, this composure of the prodigies was shattered by the Nine-Spirit King’s gentle yet unquestionable voice.

"Collect yourselves; cease your individual practice."

The King’s voice was not loud, yet it resonated clearly in every student's ear, carrying a peculiar penetrative power that seemed to shake their very souls.

Those sitting cross-legged slowly opened their eyes, those tending to their treasures halted their movements, and those lost in thought pulled back their wandering minds.

They turned their questioning gazes toward their teacher.

A more spirited male student could not help but speak, his tone a mix of confusion and deference: "Teacher, this student Qin is making his first attempt; it should take quite some time. To wait here idly is a waste of our hours; we might as well use this opportunity to cultivate and perhaps make some progress."

His words drew nods of agreement from many; to them, this was the most logical arrangement.

The path of cultivation is like rowing against the current; one must advance or be swept back, and every moment is precious.

The Nine-Spirit King offered a cryptic smile at these words, shaking his head slowly, his tone turning remarkably firm: "There is no need."

A mere three words, yet they held a powerful confidence that brooked no rebuttal.

The students exchanged glances, their confusion deepening.

What could the teacher mean?

Could this new student’s speed in clearing the tower be so swift that they would not even have time for a moment of practice? That seemed utterly inconceivable.

They each knew the difficulty of the Imperial Tower intimately; it was not merely a battle against projections of their own rank, but a comprehensive test of temperament, will, combat wisdom, and the very essence of their Dao foundations.

Even one as gifted as Di Wen had spent three full years to clear the ninety-first floor.

"Teacher..."

Di Wen also felt compelled to speak, her voice cold and resolute. "Beyond the ninetieth floor, every opponent is a theoretical template of peerless strength. To defeat them requires long periods of deduction and combat. Even if this student Qin is extraordinary, I fear that..."

She did not finish, but her meaning was clear.

She did not believe anyone could conclude the challenge so rapidly.

The Nine-Spirit King merely smiled and waved his hand, offering no further explanation.

He turned away, casting his gaze toward the ancient stone stele, his eyes holding a flicker of anticipation and amusement that even he had not noticed.

He knew Qin Feng was strong—strong enough to be valued by the Sacred Academy, strong enough to defeat five Domain Lords while still at the Black Hole level.

But he also wished to see with his own eyes where the true limits of this "God of Slaughter" lay.

Within the real-time flow of this Imperial Tower, what miracles would he create?

Under the Nine-Spirit King’s absolute command, despite their lingering confusion, the prodigies of the Eastern Court suppressed their restlessness and set aside their own agendas.

They abandoned their practice, focusing their full attention on the silent tower and the equally silent stele beside it.

Time slipped away, second by agonizing second, in the boredom of their wait.

A quarter-hour passed; the tower remained motionless, and the rankings on the stele showed no change.

Half an hour passed; all remained calm.

Some students began to grow impatient, feeling the teacher had made a mountain out of a molehill.

Yet, just as an Imperial Hour was about to elapse, a sudden change erupted!

Hum—

A faint vibration, as if born from the dawn of the universe, resonated from within the massive stele.

Immediately following, the entire monument erupted in unprecedented golden light, so brilliant that it eclipsed the stars above, forcing everyone present to instinctively squint.

"Look! The stele is reacting!"

Someone cried out, and in an instant, everyone’s heart leaped into their throats.

They saw that upon the gold-drenched stele, the rankings—once as steady as mountains and eternal as time—were now rippling violently, like a calm lake struck by a boulder.

The names at the ten-thousandth, nine-thousandth, and five-thousandth positions were wiped away by an invisible hand, vanishing in an instant, only to be swiftly replaced by those below them.

Then, this turbulence surged upward with unstoppable momentum!

The hundredth, the fiftieth, the tenth... those names carved into the stone, representing the pinnacle of human prodigies throughout the ages, were all simultaneously pushed down a position at a speed never before seen!

"Heavens! This... has someone broken into the top ten?"

"No! They are still rising!"

Amidst the chorus of gasps, the invisible shockwave of the rankings surged forward without pause, shattering the barrier of the top ten!

Ninth, eighth, seventh...

Finally, as everyone’s breath caught in their chests, the record that had long hung at the summit—the "Ninety-fifth floor, one year" set by the legendary prodigy "Shen Yi"—was ruthlessly shoved into second place.

Then, at the very pinnacle of the stele, in the supreme first position, a brand-new name was inscribed by the rules of the Great Dao themselves, accompanied by a blinding golden radiance.

[Qin Feng, 99th floor, 1 Imperial Hour.]

A mere nine characters, yet each seemed to carry the weight of a star, crashing heavily into the heart of every witness.

Time, at this moment, seemed to grind to a total halt.

Space itself seemed to solidify under the weight of such shocking information.

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

Their mouths hung open, eyes wide, their pupils reflecting the golden, surreal text, their minds rendered completely blank.

Ninety-ninth floor?

One Imperial Hour?

Either of these terms alone would be enough to stir a cataclysmic wave within the Sacred Academy.

But combined, and linked to the name "Qin Feng," the impact exceeded the cognitive grasp of almost everyone present.

"Am... am I hallucinating?"

A student muttered in a trembling voice, rubbing his eyes fiercely, yet the text upon the stele remained clear and absolute.

"Ninety-nine levels... the theoretical limit of the Imperial Tower... could someone truly have reached it?"

"The point is not the ninety-nine levels! It is the time! A single imperial hour! Do you understand what this signifies? It means... instant annihilation! From the first level to at least the ninetieth, it was almost entirely one-hit kills! Without a moment of hesitation or pause!"

"This... how is this possible! Is he a monster?"

"Qin Feng... that name... I remember now! The Hidden Dragon Ranking! It is the top of the Hidden Dragon Ranking, the fierce god Qin Feng who, while still at the Black Hole level, slaughtered five Domain Lords in head-on combat!"

It is unknown who first shouted this name, but it was like casting a spark into a cauldron of boiling oil, instantly igniting the entire crowd!

(End of chapter)