Soul Emperor Awakening

Of the one hundred participants, only Lin Xuan remained. This meant he was the true powerhouse, the genius among geniuses of the group. Therefore, even though the last person to be eliminated failed to reach the summit, he still had every reason to be proud.

After all, among so many people, a member of his small family had climbed so high. How could they not take pride in that?

"Kid, you have to make it to the top!" Tuo Shengfeng said, his eyes burning with intensity as he watched Lin Xuan. "If you do, you’ll be the Tu Family’s greatest hero! Not only will we support you, but we’ll pour all our resources into your cultivation!"

The Tu Family was clearly part of the Martial God Race, yet the Martial God didn’t seem to favor them much. It wasn’t that he showed them no favor at all—he had granted them an entire Martial God Tower, after all. But from the Martial God’s perspective, what did it matter if they were his own kin? If someone lacked the ability to make the climb, they were useless, even if they were his own son.

After all, he could help them for a time, but not for a lifetime. In the end, they had to rely on their own efforts. Anything else was just empty talk.

"By participating in this trial on the Divine Martial Platform, you have all gained a surge of Energy within you," the Martial God announced to the spectators. "The higher one climbs, the more one obtains, but only a slow ascent allows for greater absorption. Of course, the slower the climb, the greater the danger. Absorb it well; it will benefit you greatly!" He then turned his gaze to Lin Xuan, who was still climbing, and his voice deepened. "I hope you can reach the summit. Show me the extent of your Willpower!"

The spectators were stunned by the Martial God’s words, their eyes glued to Lin Xuan. Could it be that Lin Xuan’s pace from the very beginning had been perfect? It allowed him to keep climbing without falling behind, all while absorbing a great deal of the Energy the Martial God had bestowed.

If that was the case, then those who had mocked Lin Xuan were the real idiots. There was no point in being fast; it was nothing more than empty showboating. *This* was what truly captured everyone’s attention: Lin Xuan, the sole person left on the entire Divine Martial Platform. That was the most stunning sight of all, and every single person was watching him climb.

If he made it to the top, the Martial God’s inheritance would be his. If he failed, at least the Energy he’d absorbed would serve as a considerable boost. They believed the reward must be substantial; the Martial God wouldn’t have mentioned it otherwise.

Lin Xuan continued his unhurried ascent, maintaining a steady pace. In truth, he felt no pressure at all. His Willpower was as solid as a rock; the Illusions couldn’t penetrate his defenses and had no effect on him whatsoever.

The physical pressure was even more meaningless. After absorbing the Ten Thousand Year Golden Dragon Bone, Lin Xuan’s Physique was simply too powerful. Besides, after tempering himself for so long in the Ice and Snow Tower, this Divine Martial Platform felt almost ordinary by comparison.

’The Ice and Snow Tower and the Divine Martial Platform are similar, but in terms of tempering, the Ice and Snow Tower is clearly superior. You can only climb this Divine Martial Platform once, and the difficulty isn’t even that high.’

’The difficulty is still respectable enough. In that case, I’ll be taking this Martial God’s inheritance!’ A glint flashed in Lin Xuan’s eyes. He put a bit more force into his grip and continued his ascent.

Just as he reached the halfway point, a dark cloud suddenly materialized, hovering directly above him. In the blink of an eye, with a loud CRACK, a bolt of lightning shot down from the cloud and slammed into Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan’s body shuddered, but he wasn’t seriously injured. Still, a numbing sensation spread through him as Thunder Elemental Power surged chaotically through his meridians, disrupting his focus.

"Isn’t that the thundercloud from above the Demon Cloud Sea?" someone in the crowd immediately recognized it. "The Demon Cloud Sea is perpetually shrouded by dark clouds. If you fly too high, you’re guaranteed to be struck by lightning."

And now, that very same cloud had appeared above Lin Xuan!

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Several more bolts of lightning struck down in quick succession, slamming into Lin Xuan and leaving scorched black patches on his skin. As he continued his ascent, the lightning bolts grew thicker, more powerful, and came in ever more frequent volleys.

Climbing the Divine Martial Platform meant enduring not only immense pressure and Illusions, but now also the devastation of this terrifying lightning. It was a three-pronged assault, and the difficulty skyrocketed once more.

’Lightning? This isn’t the first time I’ve been struck!’ With a fiery glint in his eyes, Lin Xuan continued to climb without the slightest hesitation, enduring the constant barrage of lightning.

His skin quickly became charred, as if coated in a layer of black paint. But amidst the darkness, a faint golden light flickered, a sign that he was withstanding the lightning strikes through sheer fortitude.

But just as he was more than halfway up, a figure suddenly materialized before him. It immediately swung its fist down at Lin Xuan, and the fierce pressure of the blow washed over him.

Lin Xuan swiftly swung his fist in a counterattack. BANG! He shattered the manifestation of Martial Intent with a single punch, but the impact sent him flying downward. He fell nearly ten feet before he managed to frantically grab hold of a step, arresting his fall.

Though the summit was only a hundred feet away, it now seemed as distant as the heavens. Just when he thought he was on the verge of a smooth victory, he was punched back down. The difficulty had increased yet again!

"Haha! Looks like he’s not going to make it after all! So what if he’s the last one left? He still can’t reach the top!" Lan Qinghua burst out laughing, feeling an immense, gloating satisfaction.

It would be best if Lin Xuan failed. If no one received the reward, then Lan Qinghua wouldn’t feel so resentful.

It wasn’t just Lan Qinghua; many others felt a surge of vindictive pleasure, hoping Lin Xuan would never reach the top. If he actually succeeded, the Tu Family’s power would only grow, which would be of no benefit to them.

"He’s burned black as charcoal! Patriarch Tuo, if this keeps up, your precious genius is going to die!" Zeng Yinghua chimed in with a taunt. Lin Xuan was indeed covered in soot, with blood now trickling from his wounds—a ghastly sight.

A buzz of discussion immediately erupted, everyone debating whether Lin Xuan could make it. The difficulty was immense now. Could he really reach the top?

Lin Xuan, still clinging to the platform, took a deep breath. He snapped his eyes open, and a Divine Light burst forth from them. With a powerful heave of his arms, he launched himself upward like a sharp arrow. His speed increased dramatically!

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

His burst of speed seemed only to hasten his demise. The lightning strikes instantly intensified, coalescing into a single massive bolt that came crashing down on him.

"BEGONE!"

Lin Xuan roared and threw a punch straight up. BANG! The massive lightning bolt shattered. The residual power still surged through his fist and into his body, causing him to falter for a moment—but only a moment. He immediately resumed his rapid climb, just in time to meet the incoming charge of the Martial Intent.

"BEGONE!"

Lin Xuan roared again, unleashing a furious punch that shattered the Martial Intent. He clung to the platform like a deeply rooted pine tree. Once he steadied himself, he shot forward again without a moment’s pause!

At that moment, Lin Xuan was like a ferocious beast, surging madly upward. As he took yet another lightning bolt, the layer of charred skin encasing his body suddenly cracked and fell away. Underneath, a layer of golden Dragon Scales was revealed, gleaming brilliantly upon the high platform!