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**
Third Layer of the Body Refining Pagoda – Deepest Region
The space here was shrouded in darkness, with layers upon layers of black thunderclouds blanketing the sky so densely that even light seemed to struggle to penetrate. Bolts of lightning, like colossal flood dragons, tore through the heavens, their terrifying might causing the entire world to tremble.
Amidst the raging lightning, several figures hovered in midair, radiating boundless spiritual light from their bodies, dispersing the relentless thunderbolts that rained down upon them.
At the forefront stood Ran Ben, Cai Lin, Mang Lie, and several others, their gazes all locked onto the scene ahead.
There, the thunderclouds had condensed into an enormous platform, spanning tens of thousands of feet across.
Beyond the platform, the space appeared fractured and unstable, but through the gaps, countless streaks of light could be seen shooting across the void like meteor showers.
Everyone present could sense that within those cascading streaks of light, there were droplets of liquid flickering with lightning energy.
An extremely pure yet violent force radiated from them.
"That's... Thunder Marrow?"
Ran Ben and the others almost simultaneously displayed expressions of greed. Thunder Marrow was a rare substance formed when the power of thunder and lightning in the heavens and earth condensed to an extreme degree.
It possessed miraculous effects in refining one's physique and even reshaping one's marrow and bones. Its value was in no way inferior to that of Blood Spirit Mud.
Despite their greed, Ran Ben and the others withdrew their gazes. The Thunder Marrow lay beyond the Thundercloud Platform, making it clear that to obtain it, one had to first cross this platform.
This was the gateway to the fourth layer.
Only by passing through this trial could one enter the fourth layer of the Body Refining Pagoda!
Their attention shifted to the rear of the Thundercloud Platform, where ten lightning-infused meditation mats shimmered with brilliance. A flicker of understanding crossed their eyes—these mats likely represented the available spots for those who could proceed to the next layer.
This meant that nearly half of the people here would be eliminated.
The brutal elimination rate did not faze Ran Ben, Han Yue, or Mang Lie in the slightest. They remained composed, their confidence evident. Clearly, they were certain that among those ten spots, they would claim one.
Only Cai Lin appeared indifferent, though a trace of concern flickered in her beautiful eyes as she glanced behind her. While she had faith in Mo Yu's abilities, the fact that he had yet to arrive after so long made her a bit uneasy.
A Late Arrival
Swish! Swish!
As Ran Ben and the others quietly awaited, the distant sky occasionally echoed with the sound of breaking wind. Soon after, figures in varying states of disarray gradually approached.
These were the other prodigies from various clans who had lagged slightly behind. Upon seeing the ten glowing mats on the Thundercloud Platform, their pupils contracted, and their expressions grew solemn.
They understood the difficulty of seizing one of those spots.
In the lightning-infested sky, figures floated, maintaining a wary distance from one another.
Ran Ben's half-closed eyes slowly opened, scanning the assembled participants before his lips curled into a faint smirk. As expected, only nineteen people had made it this far.
It seemed that Mo Yu from the Heaven Swallowing Python Clan had indeed been eliminated.
"How laughable."
Ran Ben muttered to himself and shook his head, no longer bothering to dwell on the failure of others. Instead, he turned his gaze to the remaining competitors and smiled.
"Everyone, the time is nearly up. Shall we proceed together? From here on, whoever claims a spot will depend on their own strength."
In the distance, Han Yue and Xu Lie nodded indifferently.
Seeing this, Ran Ben chuckled and took the lead, stepping toward the Thundercloud Platform.
However, just as he was about to set foot on the platform, his expression suddenly shifted. His gaze snapped toward the distant horizon, filled with surprise and doubt.
At the same time, Cai Lin, Mang Lie, and the others also tensed. They had all sensed an exceptionally powerful surge of spiritual energy sweeping from afar.
"Someone's still coming?!"
The realization shocked the gathered prodigies. Their eyes met in silent acknowledgment before their hearts trembled slightly.
"It's Mo Yu! He actually made it here!"
Even Han Yue's previously indifferent expression flickered with emotion. Staring into the distant sky, he muttered in a low voice, "Such speed... is he unafraid of the lightning in this place?"
It was obvious that Mo Yu was barreling forward without concern, completely disregarding the raging thunderbolts.
Rumble!
As the gathered prodigies processed their shock, the thunder in the distance grew even more frenzied. In just a few dozen breaths, they saw a streak of black light, like a colossal ape, tearing through the darkened sky and roaring toward them.
Lightning rained down in an attempt to stop it, but when it struck the black figure, it only caused a slight tremor, failing to hinder its speed in the slightest.
Swish!
In a flash, the black streak arrived outside the Thundercloud Platform. As the light dissipated, a young figure stood in midair, attracting everyone's gaze.
The darkness fully faded, revealing Mo Yu standing tall, a slight smile on his lips as he surveyed the group watching him intently.
"Apologies for the delay."
His feet hovered above a dark glow, his figure lean and imposing. A black radiance shimmered across his skin.
Even Ran Ben and Han Yue, powerful as they were, found their eyes narrowing at the sight of Mo Yu's arrival. A subtle yet unmistakable sense of danger radiated from him.
"This guy... he seems stronger than before."
Ran Ben's face remained neutral, but his clenched fists betrayed his unease. He could feel that Mo Yu was no longer the same as he had been before.
Cai Lin, however, simply smirked, her lips curving into an amused arc.
Han Yue gave Mo Yu a deep, evaluating look before shifting his attention elsewhere. "Now that everyone is here, let's begin. Only ten will remain standing."
As his voice fell, he wasted no time. His figure blurred as he stepped onto the Thundercloud Platform, standing with hands clasped behind his back. A faint but chilling aura spread from his body, sending an oppressive force across the battlefield.
Swish! Swish!
Following Han Yue's lead, the other competitors shot forward, taking their places on the platform, yet still keeping their distances from one another.
Mo Yu, too, landed on the platform, his eyes glinting thoughtfully. Judging by the setup, this challenge appeared to be a battle royale. Only the last ten standing would have the right to ascend to the fourth layer.
"Eliminating half the contenders, huh?"
Mo Yu murmured to himself, raising his hand as spiritual light began to condense at his fingertips.
Just as his power gathered, Ran Ben's eyes suddenly narrowed. Rather than focus on Mo Yu, however, he turned his gaze in another direction.
Something else had caught his attention.
There stood a black-robed man, his gaze carrying a hint of coldness as he locked onto Mo Yu. This man was none other than the prodigy of the Thunder Serpent Clan, who had previously clashed with Mo Yu and Cai Lin in the meteorite belt.
The black-robed man exchanged a brief look with Ran Ben, seemingly reaching some silent agreement. Immediately, a sinister smile surfaced on his lips as he stepped forward, heading directly toward Mo Yu.
Cai Lin and Mang Lie quickly noticed the Thunder Serpent Clan prodigy's intentions against Mo Yu. Their brows furrowed as they prepared to intercept him.
However, just as they were about to act, figures suddenly flashed before them. Ran Ben's faintly smiling face appeared in front of Cai Lin, clearly intending to stall her and buy time for the Thunder Serpent prodigy.
Meanwhile, another prodigy from the Celestial Hound Clan, an acquaintance of Ran Ben, emerged in front of Mang Lie, seemingly unbothered by the idea of lending a hand.
"I've long heard of the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python's reputation in the Spirit Beast Continent. I'd like to seek some guidance," Ran Ben said indifferently, his eyes lingering on Cai Lin's stunning beauty and icy demeanor.
Cai Lin's eyes turned frosty as she stared at Ran Ben blocking her path. It was obvious that he was deliberately entangling her to give the Thunder Serpent prodigy enough time to deal with Mo Yu.
"You're courting death," Cai Lin said in a low voice.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Ran Ben merely chuckled nonchalantly. He tilted his head slightly, glancing at the black-robed man who had already arrived before Mo Yu, a sneer flickering in his eyes.
This brat had gone through all that effort to catch up, but he would likely be the first to be eliminated.
Elsewhere, the black-robed Thunder Serpent prodigy stood before Mo Yu, his lips curling into a chilling grin. His bared, razor-sharp teeth exuded an eerie coldness.
Pointing toward the edge of the platform, he spoke in a grim tone, "Mo Yu, is it? If you step down yourself now, you might still have a chance. Otherwise, if you die here, you won't even have anyone to collect your corpse."
At those words, Mo Yu merely gazed at him indifferently. His cold stare instantly ignited a murderous fury in the black-robed man's heart—it was as if Mo Yu were looking at an idiot.
"Courting death!"
Killing intent surged within the black-robed man. Without another word, he stomped his foot fiercely. Instantly, a wild and unrestrained torrent of spiritual energy erupted from within him.
Amid the vast energy, lightning flickered, and thunder rumbled as if resonating with the raging storm in the heavens.
A formidable pressure radiated from the black-robed man's body.
Mo Yu sensed the oppressive force and raised an eyebrow. It seemed that the Thunder Serpent Clan had an exceptional affinity with the natural forces of thunder and lightning. Even their spiritual energy carried traces of thunderous power, making it incredibly violent.
"I'd like to see what you can do with just your measly Sixth Grade Supreme strength!"
A ruthless glint flashed in the black-robed man's eyes. The next instant, with a thunderous roar, his figure transformed into a streak of lightning, shooting forward with blinding speed.
In a flash, he appeared in midair before Mo Yu.
Boom!
The black-robed man's face remained icy. Overlooking Mo Yu from above, he suddenly slammed his palm downward. Within his palm, an immense amount of lightning energy condensed—destructive and overwhelming.
"Great Thunder Palm!"
With a single palm strike, countless bolts of lightning converged, forming a terrifying force capable of obliterating the heavens.
The dazzling lightning reflected in Mo Yu's pupils. He gazed at the roaring, lightning-infused palm descending toward him, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Compared to the Red Python Clan member from before, this black-robed man was clearly much stronger. No wonder he was considered a prodigy of the Thunder Serpent Clan—he was indeed formidable.
However, despite the ferocious palm strike, Mo Yu showed no fear. Instead, a burning battle intent surged in the depths of his eyes. He could feel the blood in his body stirring violently, yearning for battle.
After enduring the tempering of the third layer of the Body Refining Pagoda, immense power had already been dormant within his flesh.
The Heaven-Shaking Force Ape might not be the most fearsome among spirit beast clans, but Mo Yu had unearthed its potential to the extreme. Now, even the Heaven-Shaking Force Ape Clan's own prodigies might not compare to him.
His face remained expressionless as brilliant black light burst from his body. His bones trembled, and a deep, resounding roar of a giant ape echoed within him.
Boom!
His blood surged like a storm, and the power within him could no longer be suppressed. Rather than restrain it, Mo Yu chose to unleash it fully. He stomped the ground fiercely and shot upward, charging directly toward the descending palm strike.
"Seeking death!"
Seeing Mo Yu rush forward, the black-robed man sneered savagely. The lightning in his palm grew even more ferocious.
The deafening roar of thunder shook the heavens. His palm seemed to expand a hundredfold, transforming into a massive mountain of lightning crashing down on Mo Yu.
Whoosh!
Mo Yu's ghostly figure flickered through the air. As he gazed at the massive thunderous palm descending upon him, he took a deep breath.
His arms suddenly elongated and turned pitch-black, like those of an iron-forged ape, exuding an incomparably terrifying power.
Heaven-Shaking Arm!
A force capable of shattering the heavens erupted from Mo Yu's arms, so intense that even he was somewhat shocked.
With the continuous refinement of his body, Mo Yu gradually realized that the power within his divine beast physique was being unlocked bit by bit.
"This punch... is called Heaven-Shaking Arm—Great Ape King Fist!"
His pitch-black arms, covered in a metallic luster, rippled with bulging veins like coiled dragons.
He raised his head, staring at the massive thunderous palm rapidly magnifying in his vision. Through the blinding lightning, he caught a glimpse of the black-robed man's sinister expression.
The latter seemed to be savoring the pleasure of crushing him in a single blow.
But unfortunately for him, that wish would not be fulfilled.
Mo Yu smirked. Without further hesitation, his terrifying, black-glowing fist shot out.
With a force as heavy as the heavens, his punch collided head-on with the massive thunderous palm.
Boom!
The moment the fist struck, space itself shattered.
**
For exclusive access to 500+ advanced chapters and more, visit my Ko-fi page and support the journey:
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