Soul Emperor Awakening

Lin Xuan’s sprinting speed gradually increased, and he transformed into a streak of green light, hurtling down the tower without any sign of slowing.

This scene prompted the surrounding people to start discussing fervently, speculating whether Lin Xuan could break Tong Yulong’s record.

"Do you think Lin Yunlong can break the Child Demon’s record this time? I think it’s impossible!"

"I think he can do it. Lin Yunlong has only just arrived, and he’s already broken two of the Child Demon’s records. Maybe he’ll break this one as well."

"Are you kidding me? Over thirty thousand meters is a pressure of more than three hundred thousand jin. How could he possibly withstand that with his Cultivation?"

"I think it’s possible. He possesses the perfect Golden Dragon Body, and his Physique is incredibly strong. He might actually be able to break the Child Demon’s record!"

...

The buzz of discussion was ceaseless, with some even placing bets on whether Lin Xuan could surpass Tong Yulong’s record. Members of all three factions were present, and they had all paused their Cultivation to see if he would succeed.

If he really surpassed it, he would be a true miracle worker. To be able to withstand three hundred thousand jin of force with only a Ninth Layer of Spirit Refining Stage Cultivation—just how tough would he have to be? Not only would his Physique be strong enough, but his power would also reach three hundred thousand jin. A single punch from him could reduce almost anything to a pulp.

Lin Xuan paid no mind to their discussion. All he saw was the winding path leading down. As he descended deeper, his pace began to slow, primarily because the pressure on his body was growing increasingly intense.

In the blink of an eye, he reached the five-thousand-meter mark. The pressure on his body was equivalent to carrying fifty thousand jin. At this point, picking up speed was impossible. His Cyan Cloud Step could no longer maintain its pace. From here on, he could only rely on his own power to force himself onward.

Without the extreme speed of the Cyan Cloud Step, his pace was still considerable. Relying on his formidable Physique, he bore the immense pressure and continued downward, each step heavy and deliberate.

The crowd kept their eyes glued on him, not wanting to miss a single moment. Even the Guards on duty drew closer to watch, curious to see how far Lin Xuan could go.

’Only six thousand meters and I can’t keep up my speed anymore? This pressure is just too intense.’ Lin Xuan panted, his bones creaking under the strain. But his back remained ramrod straight, largely unaffected.

The intense pressure steadily slowed him, and his Elemental Power was being consumed at a frantic rate. This was a test of endurance, not a momentary feat of strength, so it was far more exhausting than wielding even the heaviest of Weapons.

Of course, no one had yet managed to forge a Weapon weighing tens of thousands of jin; the materials for such a creation simply didn’t exist.

As he descended, his speed continued to decrease until he settled into a relatively steady pace. By this point, he was already drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through. ’This really is a great place for Body Refining.’

Soon, he reached the ten-thousand-meter mark. A pressure of one hundred thousand jin slammed down on him, nearly forcing him to his knees. But he gritted his teeth and endured, continuing to press forward.

Under the mounting pressure, the sweat poured off him even more profusely. With every step, beads of sweat dripped to the ground. To say he was sweating buckets would be no exaggeration.

Pushing himself to his limits, he reached the twelve-thousand-meter mark, the continuous sprint having consumed more than half of his Elemental Power. Under normal circumstances, he could probably sprint a hundred and twenty thousand meters—never mind twelve thousand—before using that much.

’Is twelve thousand meters my limit...?’ Lin Xuan felt he was on the verge of collapse. He had gone from taking a dozen steps per breath to barely managing one.

He was practically inching forward, meter by meter. No matter how much he wanted to, he just couldn’t break into a sprint. Twelve thousand meters was his limit.

"What? Is he giving up already? He’s only at twelve thousand meters! And he was supposed to break the record!"

"I told you he couldn’t beat the Child Demon’s record. His Cultivation is so low, and it’s his first time in the Pressure Cyan Cloud Tower. How could he possibly get far?"

"Quick, look! He’s starting to sprint! My god, look at that speed!"

...

Just when the crowd thought Lin Xuan was done for, a golden glint flashed in his eyes. His entire body erupted in a golden light as he suddenly began to sprint madly, his speed nearly as fast as when he had first started!

At twelve thousand meters, he had found his body’s natural limit. Without specially activating the Golden Dragon Bone inside him, that was as far as he could go. The ability to endure one hundred and twenty thousand jin of pressure was already terrifying; he was absolutely unrivaled among those in the same Realm.

Forget those in his Realm; even cultivators a couple of layers higher would find it difficult to match him.

Now, he had activated the Golden Dragon King’s Soul Possession, unleashing the full power of his Golden Dragon Body. As the golden light flared, the surrounding pressure immediately lessened, allowing him to resume his charge downward.

"So fast! If he can keep up this pace, he could easily break the Child Demon’s record!"

"I think it’s just a flash in the pan. He’ll slow down again soon. The pressure gets heavier the deeper you go, not lighter!"

"I agree. With his current strength, I don’t think it’s possible."

...

Just as they predicted, it was now impossible for Lin Xuan to surpass Tong Yulong’s record. After a frantic sprint to nearly the fifteen-thousand-meter mark, he ground to a halt. The golden light enveloping him flickered, on the verge of extinguishing. His Elemental Power was almost completely drained—a state more draining than the aftermath of a vicious battle.

HUFF, HUFF... ’Is this my limit? It’s really the absolute limit.’ Lin Xuan was drenched in sweat, which was now tinged with blood. The terrifying pressure had ruptured some of his meridians, proof of just how staggering the force was.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to continue, but he had truly reached his breaking point. Even if he pushed himself to the brink of death, he knew he couldn’t surpass Tong Yulong. He was aware of his body’s absolute limits; at this point, even another Soul Possession wouldn’t help.

This was a physical issue, not a matter of his Realm. If the vessel was too weak, it wouldn’t matter how powerful the possessing soul was.

’Only fifteen thousand meters? I’m still a full fifteen thousand meters short...’

But Lin Xuan felt no despair, nor was he discouraged. When he started his descent—or rather, even before he entered the tower—he had known it would be impossible to surpass Tong Yulong.

He wasn’t a true miracle worker—at least, not one who could create miracles out of thin air. True miracles, as he saw them, were performed by those who already possessed overwhelming strength, allowing them to achieve astounding results that defied expectations. That was always how it had been for him.

’Only with sufficient strength could one create miracles; miracles didn’t create the person!’

Immediately and without hesitation, he turned and sprinted back the way he came. This action made it clear to the crowd that Lin Xuan had given up. The challenge was a failure.

But this was all just their own wishful thinking. Lin Xuan had never once said he was challenging Tong Yulong’s record; he was simply testing his own absolute limits. Now that he knew where his limit lay, it would only serve as greater motivation for him to train harder. Next time, he hoped he would be able to truly surpass this record!