Chapter 298: The Sacred Academy Trial! A Man Should Establish Merit and Career! The Limit of

Chapter 298: The Sacred Academy Trial! A Man Must Achieve Greatness! The Lord of Extremes!

Commotion, shock, awe, curiosity—countless complex gazes converged upon a single figure.

Yet, Qin Feng, the eye of this storm, possessed a heart as still as an ancient well, undisturbed by the slightest ripple.

Three millennia of profound seclusion had long since tempered his temperament into something as unyielding as rock.

To him, the praise or slander of the outside world was but dust upon the path of cultivation, brushed away with a flick of the sleeve, leaving no trace behind.

His high-profile display, shattering three records in succession, was not for the sake of showing off his might, nor to chase hollow fame. His purpose from beginning to end had been singular: to conduct a final self-test for the "Path of Extremes" he was about to tread, and to demonstrate to the Sacred Academy’s high command—and to his own mentors—that he possessed the undeniable qualifications and strength to venture to the "Island of Dead Falls."

Now, the test was complete, and the results had even exceeded his own expectations.

The mastery of thirty billion secret arts, the grandmaster-level proficiency in three auxiliary disciplines, and the terrifying comprehension granted by the [Primordial Singularity] foundation had brought him to an unprecedented state of perfection, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Ignoring those who sought to approach him for conversation or challenge, he moved slightly, dissolving into a blurred afterimage that silently wove through the layers of the crowd, vanishing at the edge of everyone’s vision.

He made straight for a remote corner of the Sacred Academy, a deserted quiet room reserved for warriors to engage in deep meditation and cultivation.

The chamber was forged from an unknown black metal, insulating all sound and spiritual sense from the outside world.

As the heavy bulkhead slowly sealed shut, the entire world seemed to fall into instant silence, leaving only the faint, imperceptible hum of the spiritual energy circulation system.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged, not immediately entering a state of cultivation, but instead sinking his consciousness into the subspace network that blanketed the entire human territory, actively gathering all real-time intelligence regarding the "Island of Dead Falls."

Along the way, he had heard scattered rumors about the island, but most were hearsay, saturated with personal bias and emotional coloring.

He needed reports that were objective, macro-level, and closer to the truth.

As his consciousness raced through the deep data streams of the network, a tapestry of war, far more severe and blood-soaked than he had imagined, slowly unfurled before him.

"Alert: The Seventh War Zone of the Island of Dead Falls' outer island has fallen. The Third Legion of the Fire Dragon Battle Group has been annihilated. Three hundred and forty-seven Black Hole-level prodigies and twelve Domain Lord-level prodigies have perished. Marquis Red Flame himself has fallen and awaits resurrection on the inner island."

"Battle Report: The Allied Races have laid an ambush in the 'Black Blood Swamp.' The elite forces of the Zerg, the Undead, and the Mechanical races have joined hands to cripple our 'Thunderlight Legion.' Legion Commander 'Marquis Thunderlight' has been killed in action."

"Emergency Notice: Spiritual energy reserves on the inner island are critical! Due to the total collapse of the outer island front, the consumption rate of the inner island resurrection pools has reached thirty times the daily average. All Marquis-level powerhouses on the inner island are forbidden from taking the initiative unless necessary; shift to a full strategic defensive posture."

Each cold, cruel report sliced through the reality of the war like a blade.

The conflict on the Island of Dead Falls could no longer be described as "tense"; it had reached the brink of "catastrophic" and "imminent collapse."

Humanity’s prodigies—whether the renowned Black Hole-level or the Domain Lord-level capable of holding their own—were falling at an alarming rate.

And on the higher-level battlefields, those revered as "Marquises," who should have been the pillars of stability, were also suffering heavy losses, waiting for their chance at resurrection.

What caused Qin Feng’s heart to sink the most was the intelligence mentioned repeatedly: "The Allied Races have joined hands."

Throughout the countless ages of the past, the myriad races had been filled with competition and hatred, warring against one another without end.

This had always allowed humanity to find opportunities to form alliances, divide, and conquer when facing external pressure.

Yet this time, on the unique battlefield of the Island of Dead Falls, the myriad races seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, forming a vast, unprecedented alliance aimed at humanity.

The Zerg’s fearless disregard for death, the Undead’s eerie persistence, the Mechanical race’s efficient precision—these formidable enemies were already difficult to handle individually; once they formed a cohesive force, the destructive power generated was far more than a simple sum of its parts.

Opposing this were humanity’s overstretched forces and nearly exhausted resurrection resources.

The depletion rate of resurrection imprints was shocking.

Every resurrection of a Marquis-level powerhouse required the consumption of a resurrection imprint.

Now, with both the entrance and exit open, it should have been the perfect time for humanity to rotate troops and replenish resources, but the cruel reality was that not a single Marquis-level powerhouse from the inner island could walk out alive.

They had all fallen at their posts, their soul imprints quietly queuing in the resurrection pools.

This meant the inner island’s defensive line existed in name only.

Once the outer island was completely overrun and the Allied Races pushed inward, those Marquis-level powerhouses awaiting resurrection would lose all protection, becoming lambs led to the slaughter.

At that point, all the foundations humanity had built on the Island of Dead Falls over the past few million years would be destroyed in an instant.

Even more terrifying, those fallen Marquises would truly be "obliterated in body and soul," forced to wait for humanity to reclaim the outer island and accumulate enough resurrection imprints to return.

Inside the quiet room, the air seemed to solidify.

Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes; those pupils, once as deep as the starry sky, now burned with two fierce, chilling flames.

He knew he could wait no longer.

This time, he, Qin Feng, must go!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Qin Feng immediately linked to the highest-encrypted communication channel via the subspace network and contacted his master—the Heaven-Swallowing King.

Space rippled slightly. In the center of the room, countless points of light converged and intertwined, outlining a hulking, majestic figure within a single second.

Though it was but a holographic projection, the aura of devouring the heavens and dominating the universe it exuded felt as if it had truly descended, causing the room’s spiritual energy circulation system to flicker in momentary chaos.

It was none other than the Heaven-Swallowing King.

"Qin Feng."

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s figure solidified, his gaze like lightning, instantly discerning Qin Feng’s current state. A rare look of satisfaction crossed his eternally stern face. "Not bad. The depth of your foundation far exceeds my expectations. It seems these three thousand years have been fruitful for you."

"Master."

Qin Feng rose and bowed respectfully, then went straight to the point: "Disciple has emerged from seclusion, and my foundation is fully consolidated. May I ask, Master, can I now head to the Island of Dead Falls?"

His voice was steady and powerful; every word revealed an unquestionable resolve.

"Hmm..."

The Heaven-Swallowing King let out a meaningful hum. He did not answer immediately, instead gazing deeply at his disciple.

In those eyes, which seemed to pierce through the past and future, a complex emotion flickered—a mixture of gratification and concern.

After a moment, he spoke slowly: "Disciple, have you truly decided to go? You must understand that the situation on the Island of Dead Falls is completely different now than it was three thousand years ago, or even a hundred years ago."

The Heaven-Swallowing King leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming unprecedentedly grave: "The myriad races have staked everything this time. The quantity and quality of the experts they have dispatched far exceed any previous attempt.

And our human race, due to fighting on multiple fronts, is severely lacking in troop deployments.

A vast number of Domain Lord-level prodigies, and even some long-established Marquises, have fallen on the outer island.

As it stands, the will of the high command is... strategic abandonment."

"Abandonment?"

Qin Feng’s brows furrowed instantly.

"Yes, abandonment."

The Heaven-Swallowing King nodded slightly, explaining: "Or rather, a 'strategic retreat.' The high command’s decision is to concede these thirty thousand years of contention. We are to consolidate all forces, preserve our combat strength, and wait for the next time—thirty thousand years from now—when the exit opens again, to gather superior forces and launch a thunderous counterattack."

He paused, his voice growing deeper: "This means that if you go in now, you will receive no organized support. There will be no top-tier comrades fighting by your side to resist the enemy.

You will have to face, alone, a force of top-tier prodigies from the myriad races that outnumbers you many times over."

"Furthermore, I must tell you the truth."

The Heaven-Swallowing King looked directly into Qin Feng’s eyes, speaking word by word: "Your life no longer belongs solely to yourself.

You carry the hope of humanity’s future. The high command does not wish for you to head to the Island of Dead Falls now and take such a risk, which is almost certain death."

The quiet room fell into a brief silence.

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s words pressed down like a mountain.

The information contained within was immense, revealing not only the dire state of the war but also the helplessness and difficult choices faced by humanity’s high command in the face of this crisis.

Yet, Qin Feng’s expression remained entirely unchanged.

He listened in silence, absorbing every word of the revelation.

Seconds later, he raised his head and posed a question that seemed, on the surface, to be unrelated: "Master, as far as I know, for a King-tier powerhouse to break through and ascend to the Emperor-tier, they are in desperate need of cosmic crystals. The Island of Dead Meteors is our human race’s most vital and efficient source for these crystals, is it not?"

"It is."

The Heaven-Swallowing King conceded, "But for those of us at the King-tier, life is eternal. Thirty thousand years is but a fleeting moment.

To risk our generation’s finest prodigies merely to secure enough cosmic crystals—the math simply does not add up.

We can afford to wait; the human race can afford to wait."

"Master, the human race can afford to wait, and the King-tier powerhouses can afford to wait."

Qin Feng’s voice rose sharply, his burning gaze fixed upon the holographic projection of the Heaven-Swallowing King. "But what of the human warriors still trapped inside?

What of our comrades who are currently fighting tooth and nail, struggling for survival in the desperate reaches of the outer islands?

If we offer no aid and allow them to be besieged by the myriad races for thirty thousand years... will they not face the end of their supplies and be slowly worn down until they perish?"

These words struck the Heaven-Swallowing King’s heart like a heavy hammer.

The King fell silent.

He could not refute the claim, for what Qin Feng spoke was the brutal truth.

"Yes... that is the reality."

After a long pause, he let out a heavy sigh. "The truth is, we cannot spare a force of prodigies capable of rivaling the allied armies of the myriad races. In the absence of a path to victory, to avoid greater losses, we have no choice but to... cut our losses."

"Cut our losses"—a cold and rational term.

It meant that those trapped soldiers had already been struck from the strategic board by the high command, becoming the price of abandonment.

"I can go."

Qin Feng’s voice was not loud, yet it rang out with absolute clarity in the quiet chamber.

These three words held no trace of tragic heroism or agitation, only the calm and firm tone of stating a fact.

It was as if he were not planning to enter a meat grinder where even Marquis-tier powerhouses faced a nine-in-ten chance of death, but merely setting out for an ordinary trial ground.

"Disciple!"

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s voice turned suddenly stern. "I know you possess a noble heart and cannot bear to see your comrades suffer.

But you must understand, there are many hot-blooded prodigies who share your sentiment!

Their intentions are good, but the laws of cosmic warfare have never been rewritten by mere passion alone!

Sacrifices made for the greater good are common throughout the long history of human struggle!

Their sacrifice is not without meaning, nor does it mean the human race has truly abandoned them!"

"Master, I understand these principles."

Qin Feng’s eyes did not waver; instead, they grew increasingly brilliant, a radiance born of absolute confidence. "But the reason I must go is not merely out of passion, but because... I have the ability to rewrite this outcome!"

He straightened his chest, and an invisible, overbearing aura surged into the sky, causing even the Heaven-Swallowing King’s hologram to ripple violently.

"Emerging from seclusion today, no one below the rank of Marquis can kill me!"

"Once I ascend through slaughter, as a Domain Lord, it is not impossible for me to slay a Marquis in reverse!"

"If that is the case, why bother with strategic maneuvering? Why wait another thirty thousand years?"

"Let me enter the outer islands alone and slaughter every prodigy of the alien races!

With that, the pressure on the inner islands will vanish, and the countless Marquis-tier seniors awaiting resurrection can return to the battlefield indefinitely!

Then, with forces combined from within and without, we shall surely wipe out every alien on the Island of Dead Meteors and hold this strategic stronghold firmly in the hands of our human race!"

His words were resonant, heavy with an extraordinary, overbearing power!

Within the chamber, the very air seemed to ignite under the weight of his bold declaration.

The Heaven-Swallowing King, a King-tier powerhouse who stood at the pinnacle of the universe and had witnessed countless storms, was left utterly stunned.

Truth be told, he had never imagined that Qin Feng’s strength and confidence had expanded to such a terrifying degree.

In his own projections, Qin Feng’s emergence from seclusion, backed by his unfathomably deep foundation, should have been enough to easily slay entry-level Domain Lords, perhaps even stand his ground against mid-level ones.

But to survive against those who had spent millions of years refining their Domain Lord status—the high-level or even peak-level Domain Lords—was a different matter entirely.

After all, the gap in cultivation levels was not so easily bridged.

Yet now, Qin Feng claimed... no one below a Marquis could kill him?

And that he could kill a Marquis after becoming a Domain Lord?

What an arrogant declaration!

And yet, the Heaven-Swallowing King did not doubt him.

Because he knew better than anyone that his disciple was never one to boast.

On the contrary, in the vast majority of their past encounters, Qin Feng had been excessively humble.

Every word he spoke was rooted in absolute certainty.

If he said he could do it, he would do it!

Did this mean that Qin Feng had obtained some earth-shattering fortune without his knowledge?

Or was the potential of his "Path of Extremity" far beyond the scope of his own estimations?

In truth, the Heaven-Swallowing King’s deductions were not wrong; he had simply missed one trump card that no one but Qin Feng knew of: his Mechanical Race avatar.

Countless thoughts flashed through the King’s mind, and in the end, all his shock, doubt, and worry dissolved into a sigh filled with infinite emotion and expectation.

"Very well..."

After a long while, the Heaven-Swallowing King’s hologram stabilized once more. His eyes turned piercingly sharp, as if he intended to see through Qin Feng entirely.

"Qin Feng, come to the main campus of the Holy Academy at once."

"This matter is of the utmost importance; it must be discussed by the highest echelons of the human race before a final decision can be made."

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s voice turned grave.

"Yes, Master."

Qin Feng nodded slightly, without a moment’s hesitation.

The communication cut off, and the hologram dissolved into specks of light.

Qin Feng did not linger. The door to the chamber opened, and he transformed into a brilliant streak of light, shooting into the sky and racing directly toward the core of the Human Holy Academy—the main campus.

Along the way, the discussions in the subspace network regarding the Island of Dead Meteors grew increasingly frantic.

"Alas, my dear friend 'Lin Yuan' lost contact in the Black Blood Swamp three days ago; his fate remains unknown..."

"My partner is still on the outer islands. We promised to return home and marry once the exit opened, but now... I cannot even receive a single message from her."

"Can someone go and save them! They are heroes of the human race; they shouldn't just be abandoned like this!"

Sorrowful laments and desperate pleas for help echoed incessantly in Qin Feng’s ears.

These voices were like invisible whips lashing against his heart, yet they also served as fuel, causing the flame within his chest—the one named "conviction"—to burn with even greater intensity.

Go!

He must go!

For the sake of his trapped comrades, for the glory of the human race, and for that unprecedented "path of limits" he had carved for himself, he had to make this journey to the Island of Death and Falling!

......

Meanwhile.

The Human Sanctuary, the Main Hall.

This was one of the power centers of the entire human territory, the supreme hall where the fates of trillions of souls were decided.

The architecture of the hall defied description; it seemed to contain a universe of its own, with stars drifting slowly across the vaulted ceiling, each one representing a peerless powerhouse who had rendered great service to humanity, past or present.

At this moment, this hall, usually vast and solemn, was filled with figures.

Each presence was as deep as an abyss and as vast as the sea; merely standing there caused the surrounding laws of space to subtly distort.

They were the pillars of the human race, the anchors stabilizing the universe—the King-ranked powerhouses!

And above these King-ranked figures, on higher tiers, sat beings with even more terrifying auras.

Their forms were shrouded in a hazy halo, rendering them indistinct, yet the occasional sliver of leaked energy was enough to make the stars tremble and the cosmos lose its luster.

They were the Emperor-ranked, the Saint-ranked, and even... the legendary, elusive Universe Venerables!

The entire hall was crowded with powerhouses, yet the atmosphere was so oppressive it felt frozen.

A supreme meeting concerning the strategic direction of humanity for the next tens of thousands of years was underway.

Seated at the very top, upon a throne that resembled a void of chaos, was the founder of the Limit Battle Group and one of the nominal supreme leaders of the Human Sanctuary, a great existence revered as the "Lord of Limits."

His body seemed to exist between illusion and reality, his features hidden from all, yet his voice bypassed every obstacle, resonating directly within the depths of every soul present.

"How many King-ranked powerhouses are on the verge of ascending to the Emperor rank?"

The Lord of Limits' voice was flat and majestic, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. Below, a King-ranked powerhouse clad in robes of starlight, his presence as steady as a mountain, stepped forward and replied respectfully: "Reporting to the Lord of Limits, according to the latest statistics, there are three hundred and seventy-two of our kin at the peak of the King rank, just one step away from the Emperor rank.

If we can provide them with a total of three hundred thousand units of cosmic crystals as breakthrough resources, we expect to add a new batch of Emperor-level combat power within ten thousand years."

"The Eternal Mountain is about to open."

Another Emperor-ranked powerhouse, whose aura was as sharp as a divine sword, spoke with eyes closed, his voice like the clashing of gold and iron. "If a batch of newly ascended Emperors can join as fresh reinforcements, our race will have a great chance of seizing control of the Eternal Mountain and obtaining massive strategic resources."

At these words, the atmosphere in the hall became even more delicate.

It turned out that the reason the war on the Island of Death and Falling had suddenly become so tragic was the impending opening of the "Eternal Mountain."

The Eternal Mountain was a mysterious forbidden zone in the universe, opening only once every few million years.

It contained supreme opportunities and strategic resources that would drive even Emperor and Saint-ranked powerhouses to madness.

Its ownership would directly influence a race's developmental potential in high-level combat power for the next several million years.

It was for this reason that the ten thousand races were sparing no expense, fighting frantically on the Island of Death and Falling—the primary source of "cosmic crystals"—attempting to weaken humanity's competitiveness in the upcoming "Battle of the Eternal Mountain" by cutting off their resource supply.

This was no longer a simple struggle for resources; it was a "war of racial destiny" concerning the future of the entire species.

And because of this, the human leadership was caught in a dilemma.

"If we abandon these thirty thousand years and wait for the next, then dispatch a great army to the Island of Death and Falling..."

The voice of the Lord of Limits echoed slowly through the hall, as if he were performing some complex deduction. "This move could guarantee us a large amount of cosmic crystals, but the quantity... would certainly not reach the thirty-thousand-unit mark.

While our reserve of Domain Lord-level prodigies is deep, this time, almost every top-ranked race has sent one or two 'God-Forbidden' level geniuses. More importantly, they are joining forces to oppose our human race."

"God-Forbidden"—the mention of this term caused the breath of many powerhouses in the hall to hitch.

God-Forbidden represented those who had broken conventions, surpassed limits, and possessed the terrifying ability to reverse-slay those of higher combat levels.

Any God-Forbidden prodigy was the most precious asset of a race.

And this time, the number of God-Forbidden prodigies among the allied races had reached a desperate figure.

"San Ruo, Qin Feng, Devin, Caesar, Fire Dragon..."

An Emperor-ranked powerhouse slowly recited a string of names, each representing the most elite God-Forbidden prodigy of this human generation. "According to reports from below, these twenty-plus God-Forbidden prodigies all have a strong desire to go to the Island of Death and Falling to share the burden for the race."

"This time, should we..."

The Emperor-ranked powerhouse proposed, his words carrying a hint of risk.

"No!"

Before he could finish, the Lord of Limits flatly rejected the idea.

"Even among the God-Forbidden, there are gaps."

The voice of the Lord of Limits finally carried a hint of unquestionable resolution. "These children are the future hope of our race, the pillars who will grow to protect our lands millions, even tens of millions of years from now.

Even if we must concede the opportunity of the Eternal Mountain this time, we must absolutely not let them risk their lives on the Island of Death and Falling now!"

The will of the Lord of Limits was the supreme will of the human race.

He shook his head, his voice spreading throughout the hall: "In the universe, the first law of survival has never been about how much you can fight or how much you can gain. It is about how to ensure your own losses are minimized."

"Among these prodigies, some are Black Hole-level, some are Domain Lord-level; they are indeed the elite of our race. But the ten thousand races have sent more prodigies, with stronger combat power, and they are working together!

A single race might not be a match for us, but so many powerful races united—we are indeed at a disadvantage.

We cannot gamble our most precious future on such a certain defeat!"

The words of the Lord of Limits plunged the hall into silence once more.

Everyone understood that this was the most rational and secure decision.

Cruel, yet necessary for the eternal generations of humanity.

The atmosphere in the hall was oppressive to the extreme, and a feeling of "helplessness" spread among these powerhouses who usually commanded the winds and clouds.

Just then.

A steady, powerful voice broke the dead silence.

"Lord of Limits, fellow colleagues."

The Heaven-Swallowing King stepped forward proudly, his burly frame seeming to hold up the very heavens.

He scanned his surroundings, finally fixing his gaze upon the chaotic throne, and spoke in a deep voice:

"Let my disciple, Qin Feng, go. He alone is enough."

At these words, the entire hall was shocked!

Countless gazes—some surprised, some confused, some questioning—instantly converged upon the Heaven-Swallowing King.

"Heaven-Swallowing!"

A King-ranked powerhouse familiar with him couldn't help but transmit his voice: "Have you lost your mind? Qin Feng may be peerlessly gifted, but his cultivation time is short. To let him face the God-Forbidden coalition of ten thousand races alone—isn't that sending him to his death?"

However, the Heaven-Swallowing King turned a deaf ear to all the questioning.

He straightened his spine, his voice growing louder, resounding throughout the hall:

"My disciple Qin Feng, his strength is already no less than that of a peak Domain Lord; he is more than capable of protecting himself!"

If he can seize his destiny within the Isle of Death and Decay, successfully ascend, and tread that path of the ultimate which belongs to him alone, then he shall possess the strength of one man to slaughter his way through the entire island!

Hmm?

The words of the Heaven-Swallowing King, especially that final declaration of slaughtering the entire Isle of Death and Decay, caused all the powerhouses present, including those exalted Universe Venerables, to cast side-long glances.

This was a boast of truly staggering proportions!

A clamor erupted within the grand hall.

Heaven-Swallowing King, we all know you hold your disciple in the highest regard.

A King-ranked powerhouse spoke slowly, his voice laced with a scrutinizing tone. We also acknowledge that Qin Feng’s performance in the Scarlet Forbidden Land and the Path of the End was indeed breathtaking.

He stepped into the Divine Prohibition, his physical body is peerless, his mental energy has reached the legendary pure black quality, and his hidden cards are numerous. However...

The King-ranked powerhouse shifted his tone: He is, after all, less than ten thousand years into the Black Hole grade, and according to the records, he has spent all his time tempering his physique and spirit, with only the shallowest exposure to arrays, alchemy, or artifact forging.

Relying solely on the ferocity of his body and spirit, he might dominate in a duel, but faced with the combined siege of dozens of other Divine Prohibition-level prodigies from myriad races—each with complementary abilities—he... I fear he would not even be able to preserve his own life.

These words voiced the inner thoughts of the vast majority of the powerhouses present.

They acknowledged Qin Feng’s strength, but they did not believe he had reached the level where he could ignore all else and stand against a massive alliance single-handedly.

The prodigies of the myriad races are also of the Divine Prohibition level!

Divine Prohibition prodigies may seem rare in a thousand millennia, but the universe is vast, and the ages are long.

Accumulated over countless epochs, the number of hidden Divine Prohibition-level powerhouses is quite considerable.

Especially those veteran prodigies stuck at the Domain Lord level, who have accumulated tens of millions of years of experience; although they were not included in the Hidden Dragon List—which only records those below the Black Hole level—their true combat power is not to be underestimated.

Facing such enemies, sending Qin Feng alone, in their view, was akin to throwing an egg against a rock.

The Heaven-Swallowing King was being far too arrogant.

...

Within the main hall of the Holy Academy, the chamber symbolizing the highest will and authority of the human race, the atmosphere was as heavy as eternal, unmelting ice.

Majestic figures sat or stood, their auras as deep as the abyss; their very existence was enough to warp time and space.

The voice of the Nine-Spirit King echoed through the hall, carrying a note of indisputable caution and composure.

He looked at the Heaven-Swallowing King, who was arguing his case, his words filled with both affection for the younger generation and consideration for the greater good.

Heaven-Swallowing, what King Ice-Origin said just now is correct. Qin Feng’s future is limitless; he can be called a prodigy the likes of which our human race has never seen in eons. If he can truly walk the path of the ultimate, it is not impossible for him to achieve the status of an invincible King, or even touch the legendary realm of the invincible Emperor. However,

The Nine-Spirit King changed his tone, his gaze turning sharp. But 'now,' he is still too green. His foundation has not yet fully transformed into combat power. His future is an invaluable treasure to our race; we cannot, and absolutely must not, gamble his brilliant future on a bloody battlefield of unknown outcome.

These words were reasonable and fair, leading many King-ranked powerhouses in the hall to nod slightly.

They had witnessed the rise and fall of too many prodigies and knew well that the transformation from potential to strength requires time, and even more, a relatively stable environment.

The Isle of Death and Decay is a meat grinder at this moment; throwing a rough jade like Qin Feng into it carries too great a risk.

Upon hearing this, the Heaven-Swallowing King raised his brows. He was a man of bold and fierce character, and he retorted without the slightest hesitation: Nine-Spirit, that sounds nice! Your son, Yun Zhou, can shed his blood on the battlefield to fight for the race, but my disciple cannot? Why is his life a life, while my disciple’s life must be treated by you all as a collector’s item to be put on a shelf?

You!

The Nine-Spirit King was choked into silence, a look of helplessness and indignation appearing on his face. This is completely different! You are being unreasonable!

Am I being unreasonable?

The Heaven-Swallowing King sneered, about to continue his rebuttal.

Just then, the silence of the hall was broken by an abrupt sound.

It was a Marquis-ranked powerhouse responsible for intelligence transmission; his face bore undisguised astonishment and confusion, as if he had seen something that overturned his understanding.

Wait... Lords, we have just received a real-time data update from the Holy Academy’s core testing grounds.

He took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. Just now, Qin Feng... he cleared the Puppet Alley, the Living Flesh, and the Great Sun Furnace—all three trials—and... he set brand-new historical records for all of them!

Hmm?

Once these words were spoken, it was as if a giant boulder had been cast into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves.

Throughout the hall, the gazes of all the King and Emperor-ranked powerhouses turned in unison toward the Marquis.

For a moment, the Marquis felt as if he were being watched by the will of thousands of universes simultaneously, the pressure so great he nearly suffocated.

What did you say? Say it again!

A hot-tempered King-ranked powerhouse could not help but press him.

Puppet Alley, Living Flesh, Great Sun Furnace... all historical records broken?

Another Emperor-ranked powerhouse, a master of arrays, furrowed his brows, his tone filled with disbelief. How is this possible?

I recall that it has only been a little over three thousand years since Qin Feng left the Thunder Universe City and arrived at the Holy Academy headquarters.

Correct, it is exactly three thousand one hundred and twenty-seven years.

A powerhouse reported the time with precision.

Three thousand years... to cultivate the vast and boundless fields of artifact forging, alchemy, and array mastery to a level that breaks the Holy Academy’s historical records? Are you joking!

The Holy Academy’s historical records, though only open to Black Hole-ranked students, carry significant weight! Has his level already reached that of a Domain Lord?

What is going on?

Inside the hall, the discussion erupted like a bursting dam.

These great beings, who stood at the pinnacle of the universe, could not maintain their composure.

They knew all too well what these three trial grounds represented.

Puppet Alley tests the comprehensive mastery of artifact forging and mechanical engineering.

Living Flesh tests the profound understanding of life sciences, pharmacology, and alchemy.

The Great Sun Furnace tests the ultimate control over array theory and spiritual energy manipulation.

These three are all major disciplines that require endless ages to study.

Many ultimate Black Hole powerhouses can only master one in their entire lives, yet Qin Feng, a junior who hasn't even lived a fraction of the time of an ultimate Black Hole, has reached an unfathomable height in all three fields in a mere three thousand years?

This is no longer a word that can be described as genius; this is a monster!

Listening to the exclamations and doubts rising one after another, the stifled anger in the Heaven-Swallowing King’s chest was swept away, replaced by unparalleled pride and exhilaration.

He threw his head back and let out a wild laugh that shook the hall.

Hahahahaha!

The laughter was filled with triumph and bravado.

Everyone!

The Heaven-Swallowing King ceased his laughter, scanned the room with piercing eyes, and spoke with a voice like a booming bell. All the speculation and debate are nothing but talk on paper! Facts speak louder than words; why don't you test him yourselves and see clearly?!

He took a step forward, his presence overwhelming. I have already summoned my disciple; he is on his way to the main hall. If you do not believe it, you are welcome to test him yourselves and see exactly what he is made of!

As these words fell, the previously noisy hall instantly went silent.

The great beings looked at one another, strange lights flickering in their eyes.

Test him personally?

This proposal instantly ignited the competitive spirit and curiosity that had lain dormant within their hearts for untold eons.

"Excellent!"

It was unclear who spoke first, but the sentiment was immediately echoed by all.

These titans, perched high above the clouds, were each a peerless prodigy who had carved a path through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Which one of them had not once been the vanguard of an era?

Many among them had even stepped into the legendary realm of the "God-Forbidden," or at the very least, reached the half-step threshold, each possessing earth-shattering power and unyielding pride.

Now, a "little monster," hailed as unprecedented in all of history, had emerged, and as he was poised to undertake a dangerous mission vital to the race's strategy, personally weighing his mettle was both a test and a peculiar form of amusement.

In an instant, the hands of every master in the hall began to itch with eagerness.

"Interesting, truly interesting. I must see for myself what kind of world-shaking talent this little fellow possesses to be so lauded by you, Swallowing Heaven."

"Indeed, it is time to see how this 'Path of the Limit' differs from the roads we walked in our youth."

"If we are to test him, it must be fair. We shall all manifest avatars at the Limit Black Hole realm, without utilizing a single shred of law comprehension or power beyond that level. Agreed?"

"Agreed!"

In a heartbeat, pure psionic fluctuations began to emanate from the majestic figures of these powerhouses.

One after another, they split off avatars from their own essence—entities identical in aura to their true forms, yet with their power levels precisely suppressed to the "Limit Black Hole" stage.

These were no mere psionic projections; they were perfect replicas containing all the combat experience, technical insights, and even the imprinted will of their true selves at that specific stage of cultivation.

One, ten, a hundred, a thousand...

Amidst flickering radiance, one after another, avatars of Limit Black Hole rank, standing with the stillness of deep pools and the weight of mountains, descended silently into the center of the vast, empty hall.

They wore diverse power armors, varied in form and weaponry, yet without exception, they radiated a terrifying pressure that made the heart tremble.

At a glance, their numbers were vast, reaching into the tens of thousands!

More shocking still, even the Lord of the Limit Battle Group—the one who sat at the highest point, his form perpetually shrouded in mist as if merged with the universe itself—slowly manifested an avatar of the same Limit Black Hole rank, quietly blending into the thousands, appearing utterly unremarkable.

If this scene were to be revealed, it would drive the entire human domain into a frenzy.

Ten thousand avatars replicated from Kings, Emperors, and even Universe Venerables, all at the Limit Black Hole level—what an extravagant, what a terrifying lineup!

The true forms of these great beings silently hid their auras and shapes, merging with the light and shadow of the hall, while their wills descended entirely upon their avatars.

Countless profound gazes pierced through space and time, quietly watching the grand gate about to open, waiting for the young man who was soon to step into this "examination room."

The atmosphere grew scorching and heavy with anticipation in the silence.

They all held a hidden resolve.

If Qin Feng was truly as brilliant and talented as he and his master claimed, and could prove himself against such a lineup, then what harm was there in letting him go to the Island of Death?

A man in this world should strive for glory and make his name known across the cosmos!

But if he lacked that strength, possessing only potential and reckless courage, then... he had best remain in the Holy Academy and continue his cultivation.

The human race could endure for a time for the sake of the future, minimizing unnecessary losses.

...