Chapter 43: The Cultivation Realm

Having just escaped the swarm of puppets on the third floor, the group had hoped for a moment of respite. Instead, they found the fourth floor even more harrowing. Flames raged in every direction, accompanied by thick, choking smoke—it was a literal scene of an inferno.

Some of the candidates broke down instantly. "When will this ever end!"

But the others had no time to spare him a glance. As fire and smoke spread, the group had no choice but to activate their breathing techniques to cope. However, in their desperation, many who were not well-versed in these techniques inhaled the thick smoke, causing their eyes to stream with tears. Forced to stop their breathing techniques, they immediately began suffering burns from the encroaching fire. Soon, the fourth floor was filled with agonizing screams.

Almost everyone who had reached the fourth floor was a martial artist; the average students had been mostly eliminated during the third stage. The combination of fire and smoke left these candidates in misery, and even some of the top twenty martial artists began to sustain injuries. Only those like Nangong Hang remained unscathed, though even they looked pale, clearly drained by the exertion.

Eventually, some could no longer hold on. Though their burns were not fatal, the pain was unbearable. Just then, the passage to the fourth floor opened again. Those who could no longer endure rushed back toward the floor below; they would rather be pummeled by puppets than roasted alive here.

A minute later, the passage to the fifth floor opened. The remaining fifty-odd candidates felt a glimmer of hope. They did not know what awaited them on the sixth floor, but it did not matter—anything was better than this hellish place. Of the original thousand-plus candidates, only fifty remained. Every one of them was a formidable, gifted martial artist. Yang Feng recognized about half of them, having defeated them all himself.

...

The sixth floor was a realm encased in frost. Everyone shivered the moment they arrived. It was so bitterly cold that their very breath turned into ice crystals, and since they were all wearing short sleeves, they had no choice but to resume their breathing techniques to stave off the freezing air. Yet, as they inhaled the frigid atmosphere, it felt like swallowing shards of glass—the pain in their lungs was excruciating.

Still, they dared not stop. In such extreme cold, ceasing their breathing techniques would mean freezing to death in mere seconds. This level was deceptively quiet, save for the biting wind and bone-chilling frost. Many had hair coated in white rime, their faces devoid of all color.

Only ten minutes passed before some began to falter due to exhaustion. Just then, the door leading back to the fifth floor opened, and those who could no longer persist retreated. They suddenly found that they actually preferred the searing fire to this frozen void.

Now, only about twenty people remained on the sixth floor. The door to the seventh floor slowly creaked open. With the exception of Yang Feng, everyone stumbled toward the seventh floor, their limbs so stiff from the cold that they moved like zombies.

Finally, they reached the seventh floor. It was a vast, open plaza. Unlike the previous levels, it appeared entirely empty. However, having learned their lessons, no one dared to be careless, and they scanned their surroundings with intense vigilance. They knew the seventh floor would only be more perilous.

As if to confirm their fears, Luo Yang’s voice echoed from nowhere: "Those who cannot continue or do not wish to challenge the seventh floor may give up and exit through the back door. If you choose to proceed, there may be danger to your life! There will be no rescue; you are responsible for your own fate!"

At these words, some hesitated. They realized that by breaking through to the seventh floor, they had already earned fifteen hundred points—a decent haul for them. This cultivation secret realm awarded points via their wristbands as they ascended each level. Ultimately, five more people decided to leave. Nangong Hang, Xiang Yang, and the others, however, walked confidently into the grand hall of the seventh floor.

The moment they entered, the door behind them slammed shut, and a giant mechanical ape, ten meters tall, plummeted from the ceiling. It swiped at the group with a single massive palm. Everyone scattered to avoid the blow. Those who were slow to react were struck and sent flying. The mechanical ape did not pursue those who were already incapacitated, but instead lunged at the others. Its strength was immense, and its speed was blinding.

The group was kept constantly on the move. Having already exhausted their stamina to reach this floor, they feared that if this continued, they would be run into the ground long before the mechanical ape even had to strike them down.

Xiang Yang roared, "Nangong Hang, this won't work! Join me, and let's see if we can take this thing down!" As fellow geniuses from Nantong City, they understood each other well.

Nangong Hang nodded without a moment's hesitation. "No problem!"

In the next instant, Xiang Yang activated his breathing technique, his body seemingly swelling with power. Utilizing his talent for immense strength, he lunged at the mechanical ape’s shoulder. Nangong Hang, unwilling to be outdone, launched a sneak attack from behind while the ape’s attention was fixed on Xiang Yang.

"The spear strikes like a dragon!" Nangong Hang thrust forward.

Every candidate who had reached the seventh floor possessed top-tier perception and timing. Though the two had not coordinated their plan, everyone understood the principle of capitalizing on an opening. No one held back; they unleashed their most powerful martial arts techniques at the mechanical ape.

Yang Feng also joined the fray. Even though he was the strongest fighter present, he did not have the confidence to shatter the defenses of this mechanical beast. Its power was simply too overwhelming; it was clearly beyond their capacity to handle.

Boom!

The mechanical ape was struck by a dozen attacks simultaneously, and then it simply stood still, unmoving. A look of joy washed over the group—they believed their combined assault had succeeded. Only Yang Feng frowned; this felt wrong, and he remained on high alert.

Sure enough, just as the others cheered and let their guards down, the red light in the ape's eyes flared with sudden intensity. It grabbed the unsuspecting Xiang Yang and slammed him violently into the ground!

Boom!

Xiang Yang hit the floor, vomiting blood as he sustained heavy injuries. This was only because the puppet’s protection mechanism had triggered; had the ape thrown him with full force, even a strength-awakened martial artist would have been pulverized into paste.

The mechanical ape let out a hideous roar that left everyone dizzy and disoriented. This time, the speed of its attacks increased even further. With a single swipe of its claw, it sent two more people flying.