"Holy crap!"
Bang!
A door in the challenge center was violently shoved open. Wang Ye, his face deathly pale and drenched in cold sweat, stumbled out, screaming at the top of his lungs, "Deacon Deng! Deacon Deng!"
His voice was frantic, his expression thoroughly panicked.
Such a massive commotion immediately drew the attention of numerous Sanctuary candidates who hurried over to see what had happened.
The rooms in the main hall were almost completely full, with people even forming lines—a rare sight indeed.
"What is it?"
Deacon Deng furrowed his brows tightly. Watching Wang Ye rush over, he firmly pinned the young man down by the shoulders.
"Mental trauma! A mental shadow!"
Wang Ye pointed frantically at his own head, babbling repeatedly, "Hurry, hurry! A mental shadow!"
Deacon Deng cast a sweeping glance over him. A sharp light flashed in his eyes as his consciousness invaded Wang Ye's mental body, quickly locating the dark mass of trauma.
About two or three minutes later, Wang Ye let out a long breath of relief. He staggered back a few steps, lingering fear etched across his face. "That... that Star Seed Su is way too..."
He stammered for a long time, originally wanting to say "insidious," but feeling it was inappropriate. Finally, he forced out a single word: "Monstrous!"
"This is related to Su Chen?"
Many of the people queuing nearby perked up their ears, some of whom were even Tier 5 professionals.
Finding a Tier 4 professional ranked above them naturally left them feeling somewhat dissatisfied, even if the person in question was a Star Seed. Naturally, they wanted to see what was going on.
"Nonsense! That is exactly why he is a Star Seed, while you are just a foolish brat!" Deacon Deng scolded harshly, waving his hand dismissively. "Go, go, go. Do you not know your own limits? Just climb the ranks honestly and stop dreaming about challenging those at the very top!"
Though he spoke sharply, Deacon Deng was muttering to himself internally.
'This Su Chen really is formidable. The intensity of that mental shadow was incredibly high. No wonder he can stand above all the Tier 5 professionals.'
Soon enough, another person bolted out of a room, their face panic-stricken as they yelled, "Deacon Deng! Deacon Deng!"
Deacon Deng's face darkened. He already understood what was happening and sighed inwardly. As the deacons on duty, it was their responsibility to handle these sorts of accidents.
It was not just Su Chen; many Sanctuary members possessed abilities that left lingering aftereffects. If these were not cleared out in time, they posed significant hidden dangers.
However, this was also a part of their strength. Forbidding the use of such abilities would prevent them from displaying their true power. The most the staff could do was warn challengers beforehand and treat the afflicted as quickly as possible.
Before long, the entire first batch of challengers rushed out. Their faces were etched with terror, their bodies trembling as they lined up to be treated.
Curious onlookers asked around and finally learned the truth. The new Star Seed possessed a terrifying mental deterrence ability. If a challenger failed to withstand it, they would be left with a severe mental shadow.
Just the mere thought of him would involuntarily birth a sense of deep reverence in their minds—it was utterly twisted.
"Where did he even get an ability like that? Didn't our new Star Seed come from a barren planet?"
Hearing this, some people immediately began to reconsider their challenges.
Mental injuries were far different from physical ones. Who knew if it would leave behind any permanent hidden side effects?
If they bumped into Su Chen on the street one day and fell to their knees on the spot, it would be far too humiliating.
Slowly and silently, the crowd in the challenge center thinned out. The ones who remained were almost exclusively Tier 5 professionals.
Deacon Deng was left exhausted and drenched in sweat. His main profession was body-focused, and his mental strength was only at the Tier 6 level.
Treating three or four people was manageable, but there were far more than just eight or ten in front of him. With twenty or thirty people lining up, he hurriedly notified the other deacons to come over and help. Meanwhile, outside the Bronze Core, on a certain floating island, Wei Zhenghong stepped down from his vessel, the Tyrant Cloud. Someone was already waiting for him.
It was an emaciated, withered old man. Seeing him arrive, the elder quickly greeted, "So it is Star Seed Wei. My master is still busy and is not seeing anyone."
"Save it, don't give me that excuse." Wei Zhenghong was entirely unceremonious. Showing zero regard for the other party's age, he shoved the old man aside. "I reckon his refinement is just about finished anyway."
"Star Seed Wei..." The old man chased after him. He hesitated for a brief moment but ultimately refrained from attacking.
"Shen Yi'an!" Wei Zhenghong roared at the top of his lungs the moment he set foot on the floating island.
This floating island was quite distinctive, decorated with artificial rockeries and flowing streams. Even the buildings flanking the paths did not look like cold metal, but rather appeared to be constructed from some sort of timber.
Hearing his shout, people inside the houses peeked out nervously. Upon realizing it was Wei Zhenghong, they hastily pulled their heads back in.
"Star Seed Wei, my master truly is—"
"Let him in." A calm voice drifted out from the main building.
"This..." Even the old man was caught by surprise.
Wei Zhenghong burst into loud laughter. "Ha, I knew it! It's been two whole months. If he hadn't succeeded by now, you'd be preparing to collect his corpse!"
Speaking without the slightest filter, Wei Zhenghong strode boldly into the main building.
A pristine mirror reflected a well-proportioned young man with his arms outstretched while female attendants carefully dressed him.
"I swear, your Shen family has way too many rules. What era are we even living in? You still need other people to put your clothes on for you?"
Wei Zhenghong had complained about this countless times before. Acting as if he had just returned to his own home, he casually found a spot and sat down.
Shen Yi'an's expression remained indifferent. "Rules are rules."
Wei Zhenghong curled his lips. This Shen family was an ancient Morning Star-ranked lineage within the Bronze Sect. Their power was exceptionally deep, and Shen Yi'an's father was actually one of the Seven Chief Seatholders.
Hailing from a certain life-bearing planet, apart from their formidable internal strength, the faction was most renowned for the notoriously tedious rules that governed the Shen family.
"Did you successfully forge your Sacred Class?"
"Naturally." Shen Yi'an nodded, his expression placid.
Wei Zhenghong looked surprised. "Don't tell me you only just succeeded?"
"You guessed right." Shen Yi'an adjusted his clothes. His attire was quite distinct—a white ankle-length robe cinched at the waist with a green metal buckled belt.
"Want to spar?" He turned around, gazing at Wei Zhenghong.
Wei Zhenghong flatly refused. "Not interested. You've already succeeded in your forging. Why the hell would I fight you now? Let's wait until I successfully forge mine."
"Oh? So you didn't come to pick a fight with me?" Shen Yi'an seemed slightly surprised.
Wei Zhenghong grinned widely. "Su Chen has arrived. You probably didn't know yet, did you?"
"Su Chen?" A flicker of light passed through Shen Yi'an's eyes. He had already heard news about Su Chen before he began forging his Sacred Class. He couldn't help but remark, "To arrive safely, he is certainly quite lucky."
Quite lucky? Who knew what Wei Zhenghong was thinking, but he wore a half-smile as he tapped his knuckles rhythmically against the table. "By the way, how many times did you trigger the Ancient King Stele's resonance again?"
Shen Yi'an furrowed his brows, not understanding why Wei Zhenghong would suddenly ask such a question.
"Four times," Shen Yi'an replied. This was public knowledge, after all.
Wei Zhenghong already knew this; he was just asking deliberately. "Four times, huh. I reckon with just one or two more times, you'll gain its full acknowledgment. Truly impressive. I've only managed to trigger it once so far."
Shen Yi'an felt no pride at being flattered; in fact, his suspicions only grew. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Did you know Su Chen was acknowledged by the Ancient King Stele?" Wei Zhenghong said nonchalantly, before adding, "Just yesterday, the moment he arrived at the sect."
"Hm?" Shen Yi'an's expression shifted slightly, his eyes filled with shock and uncertainty. He glanced toward the stooped old man standing at the doorway and saw the elder nod with a bitter smile.
He actually gained its acknowledgment? Shen Yi'an remained silent for a long moment before sighing softly. "No wonder he became the Chosen One. He truly is extraordinary."
"Extraordinary? It's much more than just that." Wei Zhenghong bared his teeth in a grin. "I just accompanied him to set his rank on the leaderboard. Care to guess his position?"
Shen Yi'an had no interest in playing guessing games. He frowned and cast a glance at the old man by the door. A trace of mental energy rippled outwards.
A look of astonishment immediately washed over his face. "Rank 299, the absolute peak of Tier 5!"
"You're no fun..." Wei Zhenghong grumbled, slapping the table in dissatisfaction.
"This man..." Shen Yi'an started, but stopped after two words. He began pacing back and forth before stating solemnly, "It's simply inconceivable."
"Haha!" Wei Zhenghong burst out laughing. "So there are actually things that leave you feeling it's inconceivable?"
Shen Yi'an shot him a sideways glance, his brow furrowing. "Many things have a traceable logic—whether it's raw talent, class compatibility, or pure hard work. But strength is something built fist by fist, kick by kick. Strong is strong."
"To possess such power is completely inconsistent with his age. Could he have possessed another body to be reborn?" he suddenly asked.
"His mental signature has already been sampled and verified," Wei Zhenghong replied lightly. "If he truly was a reborn soul possessing a body, the Ancient King would have crushed him to death long ago."
'That's true...' Shen Yi'an nodded. He genuinely hadn't expected the new Star Seed to be so extraordinary. He couldn't help but ask, "What about Qin Tianlin's side?"
"It's useless. With Su Chen's performance, as long as he doesn't make any massive blunders, absolutely no one can shake his position," Wei Zhenghong sneered coldly.
"You've already met him?" Shen Yi'an asked, sensing the subtext.
Wei Zhenghong leaned back in his chair. "He perfectly matches Qing Cang's evaluation. His temperament goes without saying, and he possesses not even half an ounce of arrogance. I'm honestly amazed. Do barren planets really hone people that well?"
"That is a fortunate thing indeed," Shen Yi'an nodded.
"Is it?" Wei Zhenghong gave a meaningful smile. "Calculating by the Ancient King's age, this succession definitely won't fall into Qin Yun's hands."
"It is far more likely to fall to our generation. Originally, you had the highest hopes since Qin Tianlin wasn't a Chosen One. But now that Su Chen has taken the lead and gained acknowledgment, don't you have any thoughts about it?"
"If he has the ability to overtake us from behind, then he can take it." Shen Yi'an gave him a look, feeling somewhat surprised. "It seems you've taken quite a liking to him, to actually probe me on his behalf."
"Your Shen family shares life and death with the sect, so Qin Yun's gaze will never fall upon you. Naturally, you can rest easy," Wei Zhenghong scoffed. "But it's completely different for the rest of us."
Shen Yi'an remained silent for a moment before shifting the topic. "With our little martial uncle's abilities, he is bound to shine brilliantly. However, his talent..."
He hesitated slightly.
"I just got word recently that Master Qing has left again. His destination: the Profound Heaven Sect."
"The Profound Heaven Armillary?" Shen Yi'an was stunned.
Wei Zhenghong nodded. "Exactly. With an Ink Jade talent, using the Profound Heaven Armillary's aid could likely elevate him to the Crimson tier. If his luck is a bit better, even Profound Purple is possible."
"The Ancient King truly favors him greatly," Shen Yi'an couldn't help but sigh. He glanced at Wei Zhenghong and asked, "Did you come here specifically just to tell me this?"
Wei Zhenghong shook his head, his brow furrowing. "Han Xingliu is coming."
"Han Xingliu?" Shen Yi'an paused. "Coming to the sect?"
"That's right," Wei Zhenghong nodded. "I only just learned about it. After Sovereign Hanhai's birthday banquet concludes, Han Xingliu will follow along and return here."
Shen Yi'an's expression soured. "The Royal Court's undying ambition for the Molten Fire still hasn't faded..."
After experiencing the Ancient King Stele's acknowledgment and establishing his position on the leaderboard, there wasn't much left for Su Chen to do.
Quite a few people had come knocking to bother him, and banquet invitations poured in endlessly, but he had firmly rejected them all.
Later on, having grown thoroughly annoyed, he simply activated lockdown privileges. Anyone wishing to visit him had to obtain prior permission before they were even allowed to dock at his port.
On his floating island, within the training room, crimson energy flames surged from the four walls, transforming into a roaring fire tornado that completely swallowed Su Chen.
Deep within the heart of the flames, his bones emitted explosive sounds like forging iron. His spine glowed brightly, section by section, resembling a red-hot steel rod.
At a certain moment, Su Chen's entire body trembled. All the flames wrapping around him were blasted away as an unbroken chain of explosive cracks echoed from his internal skeleton.
A profound sense of completion welled up within him. Su Chen slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of scorching fiery air. "My class progression is finally maxed out."
"It took less time than I initially estimated. It's only been two months. The talent enhancement is extremely obvious, and there's also the double experience buff from the Great Venerable."
The [Hundred-Refinements Furnace Body Forging Technique] had leveled up to the Master tier some time ago, granting him an enhancement ability called [Hundred Refinements], which greatly increased his bone density and toughness.
"Hm..." He opened his status panel and scanned it. Now that all the required materials had been gathered, his Lightning Aura Flame Soldier class was primed to evolve into the Radiant Thunder Flame Monarch.
He had borrowed five hundred thousand Star Coins from Wei Zhenghong, and the materials had been delivered by Ding Fan a while back.
However, the promotion requirements had not yet been completely fulfilled. He had previously consulted the sect, and while they could indeed assist him in completing it, an environment like a Thunder-Fire Purgatory was quite specialized.
He would need to leave the sect and travel to a specific region. Although he would be escorted by high-tier professionals, Su Chen felt that, given his current circumstances, it was better not to venture out rashly.
Furthermore, he would have to disclose the exact class requirements to the analysis team, which could cause the sect's internal staff to grow suspicious of the incredibly high tier of his new class.
"Forget it. I'll just use the Punishing Thunder Potion since I have it." Now that his progression was maxed, Su Chen had no intention of waiting around. He directly consumed the Punishing Thunder Potion to forcefully fulfill the requirement.
The Radiant Thunder Flame Monarch instantly shifted into an available promotion state. With a mere thought, the class evolution commenced!
In an instant, Su Chen felt his heart violently spasm before being entirely engulfed by molten gold flames that materialized out of thin air. Every single heartbeat now pumped out blood mixed with scorching plasma and liquid fire.
His heavy breaths exhaled searing currents laced with electrical arcs and flying sparks. His heart pounded heavily and rapidly, slamming like a blacksmith's hammer as the surging power washed over his vital organs.
Although Su Chen was well prepared for the agonizing metamorphosis of promotion, his face still inevitably paled, and he clenched his jaw tightly.
Crack! Crunch! His body trembled involuntarily. A dense chorus of pops erupted from deep within his skeleton. From his spine all the way down to his fingers and toes, every single bone felt as if it had been tossed into a blazing furnace.
The old bones were shattered and incinerated, while new ones rapidly grew from within. These new bones were terrifyingly hard and brilliantly radiant. It looked as though molten gold flowed through their marrow, while shimmering, crackling electrical patterns crawled all over their surfaces.
His entire body's musculature was repeatedly torn apart and stitched back together by two distinct forces. Molten iron, liquified by the boiling flames, flowed into the crevices of his muscles, while arcs of lightning acted like countless fine needles drilling deep into the muscle fibers, pulling them taut and packing them with explosive power and incredible resilience.
Beneath his skin, glowing pathways resembling an electrical grid flashed brightly, intertwining seamlessly with the crimson radiance of flowing magma.
[Calamity Patroller has successfully promoted to Radiant Thunder Flame Monarch!]
[Aura Thunder Calamity Armor has transformed into Radiant Thunder Flame Binding: Mitigates physical and elemental impacts.]
[Thunder Walk has transformed into Thunder Flash Flame Strike: Leaves behind Radiant Thunder marks while moving. Using elementalization, you can rapidly traverse between these marks.]
[Calamity of Pale Thunder shares similarities with the new class abilities. Commencing fusion and transformation...]
[Calamity Lord shares similar compatibility with the new class abilities. Commencing fusion and transformation...]
[Calamity Strike shares similar compatibility with the new class abilities. Commencing fusion and transformation...]
[Calamity Seal shares similar compatibility with the new class abilities. Commencing fusion and transformation...]
[Fusion and transformation successful. You have gained the class ability, Core of Radiant Thunder: All class abilities and elemental attacks related to thunder and fire elements receive a 100% power boost. The Thunder Core can be completely liberated to enter the Radiant Thunder State, granting a 200% power boost.]
[Bonus reward acquired: The consumption of all body-focused class abilities is reduced by 20%.]
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