Soul Emperor Awakening

The two Patriarchs couldn’t get in, but Lin Xuan, of all people, managed to. The situation left them completely dumbfounded. They couldn’t enter, so how had Lin Xuan?

"What’s going on? How did that kid get in? Is it because of something to do with the Martial God Tower?" Lan Qinghua was dumbstruck. ’If Lin Xuan is the only one who can enter, doesn’t that mean all the treasures inside will be his?’

’At this rate, Lin Xuan could do whatever he wanted inside. He could take his sweet time gathering treasures before leaving. Everything would be so easy.’

Tuo Shengfeng was stunned for a moment, but then he burst out laughing. "It’s fine if we can’t get in. We’ll just wait out here!" He didn’t mind at all that he was unable to enter. As long as Lin Xuan could, that was all that mattered.

Lan Qinghua’s face was livid. Even Zeng Yinghua, who arrived right after, looked grim. This meant the Tu Family would monopolize all the treasures, a scenario they absolutely did not want to see.

The Cultivators who rushed over next tried to touch the barrier, only to find that it was just that—a barrier. They couldn’t get through at all.

Lin Xuan, already inside, was even more stunned. Turning his head, he saw that most of the people outside were glaring at him with jealousy and rage. They looked like they wanted to swallow his bones and peel off his skin.

’That’s strange. Am I really the only one who can get through?’ Lin Xuan turned to look inside the main gate. There was nothing unusual. It just looked like a great hall, unchanged from before.

More accurately, it was just a hall. He couldn’t see any passages; it was just a vast, empty chamber with nothing in it. ’So much for the promised treasures.’

The place was completely bare. Even though Lin Xuan had gotten in, he couldn’t obtain any treasures.

"I’m in! I’m in!" someone suddenly shouted. Sure enough, a person walked in—a young man at the Essence Pill Stage Level. He was ecstatic. ’If I can achieve something great here, my future will be limitless.’

More people followed, passing through the barrier with ease. Judging by their appearance, they were all under the age of thirty! ’Does this mean that only Cultivators under thirty can enter?’

The answer was yes. Anyone over thirty was blocked, unable to get in. As long as someone was under thirty, they could enter, regardless of their Cultivation.

"Quick! Go find people with a Bone Age of thirty or under and bring them here!"

Some of the Patriarchs began to roar in frustration. They had never anticipated such an outcome. This situation had appeared without any warning. They had all assumed that merely qualifying by passing the Seventh Layer of the Martial God Tower would be enough. Who would have thought there was also an age restriction?

If age were judged by appearance alone, most powerful experts wouldn’t look old. As their Cultivation increased, they tended to look like they were in their thirties, with some appearing even younger. The higher their Cultivation, the younger they looked—unless their lifespan was nearing its end, in which case they would age rapidly.

However, it was too late for them to go back and summon more people. Their family clans were too far away. Thus, some families gave up and began searching the area they were in for anything they could find.

Younger members generally had low Cultivation, so they hadn’t brought any of them along. Instead, they had sent Elders, all of whom were in their thirties, forties, or older. How could they possibly get in?

Only major families like the Tu Family, which produced a steady stream of geniuses, would have younger members with relatively high Cultivation. For instance, this time, major families like the Lan Family had dispatched geniuses at the Peak of Essence Pill Stage, and even powerful ones at the Spirit Pill Stage, treating this expedition as a form of training.

Besides, their Cultivation levels were already quite high, giving them the ability to protect themselves within the Divine Martial Hall.

For a disciple with decent talent, their Cultivation would typically soar to the Spirit Pill Stage Level by the time they were about thirty. Some were even at the Second or Third Layer of the Spirit Pill Stage, which was nothing short of formidable and Heaven-Defying.

Having been meticulously groomed by major families, it was perfectly normal for them to reach such a level.

"The count of one hundred has been reached. Divine Martial Platform, rise!"

Few had ever heard this voice, but Lin Xuan had heard it many times. It was the same cold, mechanical voice from the Martial God Tower. The moment the words faded, a deep RUMBLING sound echoed from the ground. Within the vast, open area, a towering platform rose, forming a staircase that led directly to the very top of the Divine Martial Hall!

As the Divine Martial Platform ascended, a wave of Martial Intent swept out from it. The powerful Martial Intent rolled towards them like a tidal wave, causing everyone who had entered to feel immense pressure—a pressure that came from the Martial God himself!

At this point, no one else could enter from the outside. Even those with a Bone Age under thirty were barred, for the required number had been met: exactly one hundred people, no more, no less.

Facing the oppressive Divine Martial Platform, they were all deeply stunned. ’What in the world is this thing?’

"Welcome to the Divine Martial Hall..." A handsome, middle-aged man floated down from the Divine Martial Platform, landing gracefully on the ground. A faint light shimmered around his body, proving he was not a physical entity but a form of Energy imbued with a Divine Thought.

"The Martial God!"

When Lin Xuan got a clear look at the person who had floated down, he realized the man was identical to the depiction of the Martial God carved on the Stone Gate. The others all gasped, never having expected to see the Martial God here.

This was not the Martial God in his youth, nor in his prime as a young man. This was the middle-aged Martial God—his most mature and powerful form.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he swept his gaze over the crowd and said with a faint smile, "Welcome, everyone, to the Divine Martial Hall. Only those under the age of thirty are permitted to enter, regardless of Cultivation or talent. One can lack talent, but one must never lack diligence... Perhaps in most cases, hard work cannot make up for a lack of natural ability, but the first thing you must possess is a strong Willpower! Once you have unyielding Willpower, anything becomes possible!"

Had anyone else made such a statement, they would have been met with scorn. But the one speaking now was the Martial God. No one dared to refute him, but in their hearts, many found it hard to agree with his words.

The reason was simple. While it was true that hard work could make up for a lack of skill, talent was something that couldn’t always be compensated for. A talented person would pull further and further ahead, while someone with poor talent would struggle to advance. This was considered a foregone conclusion.

"I know not all of you agree with what I’ve said..." The Martial God gently clenched his fist, and the entire Divine Martial Hall began to tremble. Outside, the powerful experts were instantly forced to their knees. Even the Patriarchs of the great families were crushed downwards, barely able to prop themselves up with their hands to keep from collapsing flat on the ground!

This was merely a wisp of Divine Thought, yet it possessed such immense power. Everyone was left dumbfounded.

"I am the Martial God," he said with a faint smile. "A weakling who started with nothing more than a Fourth-class Talent. A Grade that all of you would look down upon. And yet, here I am, effortlessly crushing all of you so-called experts!"

The Martial God... only had a Fourth-class Talent. The explosive revelation detonated in everyone’s minds. A talent like that was utterly unremarkable. Yet the peerless Martial God before them was this powerful, capable of crushing them all.