Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh!
Luoyue Nation, eastern region.
A private aircraft decelerated smoothly, landing safely at a spacious airfield.
The white-gray cabin door opened, and a retractable staircase extended to the ground.
A dozen black sedans were parked a hundred meters away, their occupants a mix of sharply dressed security personnel, business tycoons, and political elites.
Their eyes burned with anticipation as they eagerly approached the aircraft.
A subtle air of ingratiation hung in the air, but the figure inside the cabin shook his head silently.
"There's no escaping this, is there?"
Celine, clad in a black jacket and sunglasses, carried a black backpack, clearly disliking the ostentatious reception.
She had specifically requested minimal fanfare, yet here they were, unable to avoid the spectacle.
As the thought crossed her mind, she glanced behind her.
The accompanying security personnel and flight attendants stood respectfully in two rows, while Yang Wudi, wearing a brown trench coat, strode forward at a measured pace.
"They'll definitely ask about the Martial Dao Alliance," Celine warned. "And your Transcendence-level strength will likely draw a lot of attention."
Yang Wudi nodded slightly, pulling a white cigarette case from his pocket.
He took out a cigarette and gently waved away the well-meaning security personnel in suits, lighting the tip himself.
"We can't keep owing Grandmaster Chen favors forever."
"He seems particularly interested in the Fragments of Divinity. We need to do something. That stone wall in the east is peculiar, and we'll need manpower to investigate."
Celine nodded in agreement, lighting her own cigarette as she listened to his calm explanation.
Having traveled all the way to Luoyue for this purpose, there was no point in distractions or reservations now that they had arrived.
They descended the cloud ladder.
Local dignitaries eagerly approached, curious about the purpose of their visit.
Celine waved them off, about to fabricate a plausible excuse.
But then, glancing sideways, her wheat-toned brow furrowed slightly.
Yang Wudi, who had been walking beside her, had suddenly stopped, his eyes closed.
A faint aura began to emanate from him, causing the surrounding crowd to pale.
"Yang?"
At the same moment...
In the Red Nation, at Radiant Light Old City...
The first rays of dawn pierced through the lingering darkness, the crimson sun tearing through the night's veil.
A silver-gray aircraft descended from the sky, gradually slowing until it landed in the clearing behind the Saint Sect's Back Mountain.
The calm waters of the pond rippled outward in concentric circles, disturbed by the aircraft's descent.
Several figures waited anxiously, their expressions a mix of concern and apprehension.
"Sect Leader, are you truly going to Nanjiang?" one Grandmaster couldn't help but ask, all eyes turning to the massive boulder in the center of the pool.
Liu Duanyun, clad in a white ancient robe, slowly rose to his feet. The rippling water around him froze solid.
His imposing figure reflected in the still water as he spoke calmly, ending the group's debate.
"I know what I'm doing."
After he spoke, the Grandmasters exchanged complex glances.
Some turned to Zhang Hengshan, who was also waiting nearby, their eyes pleading for him to intervene.
But to everyone's surprise, the Old Chief, who had always opposed this duel, simply shook his head and stood silently by the shore, offering no words of advice or warning.
Puzzled, the group watched as Liu Duanyun stepped onto the frozen water, walking steadily toward the shore.
The solidified pool resembled amber, everything frozen in stillness. Even the cascading waterfall failed to create a single ripple.
As their gazes shifted, a flicker of hope began to dawn in some of their eyes.
"The Sect Leader has already achieved Transcendence and fused the New Martial Arts, reaching a realm beyond human comprehension."
"Perhaps... he's now on par with Grandmaster Chen?"
"This duel... might not be a defeat after all?"
The crowd exchanged glances, their conviction growing with each passing moment. Why else would the Old Chief not have intervened to stop the duel?
A flicker of hope ignited in their hearts, but it was immediately extinguished as the pool of water suddenly trembled violently.
Liu Duanyun, who had been about to step onto the shore, froze in his tracks and closed his eyes.
The crowd watched in bewilderment as the once-frozen pool erupted into dense, rippling waves, as if the water were boiling!
Boom!!
A deafening roar reverberated through the spiritual world.
The Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder, which stretched to the heavens, shook violently. Yang Wudi and Liu Duanyun, who had both appeared on the ladder, instinctively locked eyes.
Their gazes seemed to merge, their figures appearing so real and lifelike.
"So, you've truly transcended," Yang Wudi murmured, narrowing his eyes. He wasn't sure if his voice could reach Liu Duanyun's mind, as this level of spiritual connection seemed almost mystical.
Liu Duanyun offered no response, leaving Yang Wudi uncertain whether he had been heard.
He merely lifted his head silently, gazing toward the higher reaches of the Heavenly Ladder.
Two figures, one real and one illusory, clashed fiercely on the platform of the Third Gate.
The silver-blue armored figure, crackling with Thunder Light, moved with blinding speed, exceeding Mach speed several times over. Clones flickered in its wake, as if the figure had merged with lightning itself.
Kicks, leaps, entanglements, and fatal strikes.
Each afterimage of the clone carried a palpable killing intent, forcing Chen Feng into a purely defensive stance.
Trapped in what felt like a relentless siege, he was bombarded by phantom strikes from the silver-blue combat boots, leaving him no chance to retaliate. Even when he occasionally managed to throw a punch, it was countered with even greater speed.
Neck, chest, abdomen, back, groin...
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every vital point on his body was targeted, leaving him teetering on the brink of defeat.
But then...
"It seems he's about to succeed," Yang Wudi remarked with a hint of admiration, glancing in the same direction.
Before leaving the Red Nation, he had consulted Chen Feng about the phenomena here, allowing him to roughly guess the underlying reason.
Only those who successfully cleared a gate could reveal their name to others, establishing a brief spiritual resonance.
Liu Duanyun, with his thick brows and broad face, remained silent, his response echoing in the deafening roar that reverberated through the Heavenly Ladder.
Boom!!!
A pillar of golden light erupted, engulfing the platform of the Third Gate.
The overwhelming force unleashed shattered the dozens of silver-blue boot phantoms into fragments.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A crushing pressure, akin to the collapse of a world, descended upon everything, extinguishing every arc of lightning in its wake.
In the end, only one figure remained, frozen before Chen Feng. The silver-blue combat boot was a mere half-inch from his temple.
"It's over," Chen Feng murmured, his voice resonating with a deep, echoing power. Crimson Gold Flames erupted in his eyes.
Boom!!
A fist compressed with Golden Qi and Scarlet Flame Force exploded forward like a cannonball, violently tearing through the dense, viscous air.
Bang!!
The phantom shattered, and a silver-blue arc flashed.
The invisible shackles of potential shattered once more. Chen Feng glanced down to find a pair of silver-blue combat boots now adorning his feet.
An immeasurable surge of World Force flooded into his body, pushing his Physical Body and spirit beyond their limits, unlocking even greater potential.
Sensing something, he turned his head sharply.
The two figures gazing up at him from below gradually faded into transparency, their eyes meeting across the distance for a fleeting moment.
Buzz!
The world brightened, bathed in radiant light.
Chen Feng's consciousness returned, but the scene before him was no longer the ruins of Qinggang City.
Extending his Perception, he found the sky outside the Mountain Gate gradually turning azure, layered white clouds surging like a vast ocean.
The crimson sun hung high, illuminating the world.
This came as no surprise, as he had entered the Mind Heavenly Ladder at the very moment he was about to exit the Dream Realm.
Exiting the Dream Realm at this moment naturally meant awakening mentally and returning to reality.
"You're awake?"
The black wristband vibrated softly, projecting the Star Spirit's holographic intelligence, which materialized into her petite humanoid form once more.
With a gentle flick of her silver mechanical tail, she pressed close, scrutinizing Chen Feng with suspicion.
"This is so strange."
"You just took a nap, yet your Life Energy Field has grown stronger again?"
She murmured, her confusion palpable. For the first time, she entertained the notion that Chen Feng might not be human at all, but rather a star realm creature.
Only races with such extraordinary bloodlines possessed the ability to grow stronger through sleep.
"I simply gained some insights in the Dream Realm," Chen Feng replied, shaking his head without elaborating.
He had already discerned that the Star Spirit lacked a comprehensive understanding of Qinggang City's dream power, focusing primarily on secondary Dream Incursions and Fragments of Divinity.
This contradicted her earlier claims about the mysterious artifact.
"Insights from the Dream Realm?"
"I believe some civilizations in the star realm do have methods of strengthening themselves through dreams..."
The Star Spirit muttered to herself, her suspicion lingering. Chen Feng ignored her, turning his attention to the interface before him.
Streams of data automatically surfaced, displaying the attribute increases from breaking through his limits once again.
Strength: 106 → 114
Agility: 97 → 110
Constitution: 113 → 124
Willpower: 100 → 108
"A 40-point attribute boost," Chen Feng murmured, his eyes flashing with surprise.
This attribute growth far exceeded his previous gains.
"Ah, right, there's also the breakthrough in the Golden Dawn Art itself," he quickly realized, recalling the crucial factor.
This wasn't just the reward for clearing the Heavenly Ladder; it was also the Physical Body Enhancement from achieving Golden Body Perfection.
Immediately, he focused on carefully sensing his own body, adapting to his transformation.
Crack!
As he clenched his fist, the air exploded with a sharp crack.
The entire Sect Mountain Gate's air currents seemed to tremble, as if he had grasped them in his hand.
"Ten thousand tons," Chen Feng estimated, his eyes gleaming with insight.
Next, he assessed his Physical Body, sensing that it had already caught up to his Steel Bone Talent, rivaling abyssal rainbow iron.
According to international standards, it would at least be at the fourth-grade rainbow iron level, comparable to the body of a second-stage legendary cyborg.
These changes weren't unexpected. The Golden Dawn Art was fundamentally a martial arts Strengthening Technique, emphasizing the Physical Body.
What truly surprised him was the improvement in his speed.
Speed had always been his weakness, only improving somewhat after mastering the Thunderclap Art.
Now, thanks to breaking through the Pinnacle of Speed, the World Force not only enhanced his potential and strengthened his entire body, providing greater amplification, but also granted him a new specialization through focused development.
His maximum speed now exceeded five times the speed of sound.
Moreover...
Thump!
His heart jolted, and the Star Spirit beside him cast a startled glance.
Chen Feng effortlessly entered Resonance State, his figure flickering momentarily.
Though he remained rooted in place, a perfect duplicate of himself materialized beside him.
The Star Spirit's eyes widened. Even with her formidable computational power, she experienced a fleeting illusion, mistaking the duplicate for the real Chen Feng.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In the next instant, an arc of light flashed around Chen Feng, and he instantly appeared high above in the sea of clouds.
Gale-force winds raged, distorting the light.
Though he remained stationary in the sky, seemingly motionless...
Suddenly, nine identical figures materialized around him.
Some threw punches, others kicked, and still others swung their elbows horizontally.
They appeared to be mere afterimages, but...
"Hah!"
Chen Feng vanished in a flash, unleashing a devastating punch.
The nine afterimages sprang to life, their illusory movements solidifying into a unified, earth-shattering strike.
Boom!!
The cloud layer exploded, a cone-shaped shockwave tearing through the sky and piercing thousands of meters.
It was as if a high-yield missile had detonated, dimming the crimson sun by several degrees.
The Nanjiang Military was instantly alerted, emergency alarms blaring from monitoring instruments along the distant High Wall.
The surging data triggered the Warships and defensive systems in the area. Even Wang Cheng, the Legendary Flying General, snapped his eyes open, gazing skyward.
The blazing sun hung in the sky, yet seemed strangely dimmed.
Violent shockwaves from the cloud-layer explosion continued to ripple outward, the roiling air surging like a raging tsunami.
(End of the Chapter)
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