Chapter 543: A New Record

’True combat is instinct, not calculation. No matter how refined the calculation, it can never compare to the body’s own instincts.’

Ye Xuan could clearly feel that his last attack hadn’t involved any calculation at all; it was an almost instinctive reaction. Yet it was this very combat instinct that allowed him to unleash a level of strength far beyond anything he’d shown before.

’This is what a true combat technique is.’

Ye Xuan was ecstatic. Although his physical strength, Profound Power, and other attributes hadn’t increased during this battle, he could clearly sense that with this breakthrough in his combat style, his power had improved immensely compared to before he entered the Trial Tower.

If he were to face a young genius like Lv Feng again, it would take him no more than a few moves to win.

’This Trial Tower is simply incredible. In my past life, I never grasped this kind of combat technique, but here in the Trial Tower, I’ve actually experienced it.’

Ye Xuan once again felt the terrifying power of the Trial Tower. For a Martial Artist, comprehending such a combat technique was a far more formidable advantage than any Cultivation Technique or secret manual.

BUZZZZZ...

Countless thoughts flashed through Ye Xuan’s mind. Before he could even savor the moment, sixty-four densely packed, shadowy spiritual bodies appeared all around him.

The seventh floor of the Trial Tower!

Sixty-four spiritual bodies.

WHOOSH!

As soon as these sixty-four spiritual bodies appeared, they didn’t attack directly. Instead, they linked together, layer by layer, as if forming a single entity. The auras of all sixty-four combined in an instant, creating a terrifying pressure far greater than the sum of its parts.

’This pressure...’ Ye Xuan’s expression changed, but it was immediately replaced by a look of excitement.

Fight!

A silent roar erupted in his heart. Having just grasped this new combat technique, Ye Xuan shot like lightning toward the sixty-four spiritual bodies before him.

He would use these sixty-four Martial Artists of the same level to test his newfound strength.

A frenzied battle exploded in an instant.

The sixty-four spiritual bodies on the seventh floor were clearly much stronger than the thirty-two on the sixth floor.

They no longer attacked randomly and without order. Instead, they seemed to form a single, cohesive unit, working together with clever coordination.

’The trials in this tower aren’t just about individual combat. Compared to the sixth floor, although the strength of each individual black-robed Martial Artist hasn’t changed, the ones on the seventh floor are clearly better at coordinating. The combat power they can exert is far more astonishing.’

But for Ye Xuan, the stronger these spiritual bodies were, the more excited he became.

RUMBLE!

The two sides clashed wildly.

Under Ye Xuan’s sublimated combat technique, the spiritual bodies were cut down one by one.

One!

Two!

Ten!

Twenty!

Although the sixty-four black-robed Martial Artists were coordinated, they were no match for Ye Xuan’s extraordinary combat technique.

But by the time he had killed the thirty-sixth one, Ye Xuan finally realized something was wrong.

These sixty-four black-robed Martial Artists weren’t pigs waiting for slaughter; they were genuine experts of the same level. Every move he made consumed a massive amount of his Profound Power.

By the time he had killed thirty-six of them, he had already used up three-quarters of his Profound Power.

’At this rate, my Profound Power won’t last until the end.’

Sure enough, by the time Ye Xuan had killed the fiftieth opponent, his Profound Power reserves could no longer keep up.

PFFT!

The dozen or so remaining black-robed Martial Artists attacked in unison, killing Ye Xuan instantly and causing him to vanish from the Trial Tower’s space.

「Before the stone gate outside the Trial Tower.」

Ye Xuan’s real body’s eyes snapped open.

’It really wasn’t that simple. I thought I could pass the seventh floor with my technique alone. It seems I was too arrogant.’

Ye Xuan knew very well that there was nothing wrong with his combat technique. The only thing lacking was his Profound Power.

But Profound Power was also a part of one’s overall strength.

’To kill sixty-four Martial Artists of the same level, even my dense Profound Power isn’t enough. The only way is to wait until I break through to the Tier Seven Martial King Realm.’

A Tier Seven Martial King’s Profound Power could regenerate endlessly, making it nearly inexhaustible. Only then would he have any hope of passing the seventh floor.

Otherwise, even if he broke through to the Tier Six Third Layer, he wouldn’t be able to pass the seventh floor.

Because even if his Profound Power increased, the strength of the black-robed Martial Artists in the Trial Tower would also increase significantly to match him. They would cancel each other out, resulting in almost no change to the overall difficulty.

「In the stone chamber.」

Having finished the trial, Ye Xuan didn’t rush to get up. Instead, he sat there, carefully contemplating the gains and losses from the battle.

’Two hours... This Xuan Ye’s trial has lasted for nearly two hours. In all my time supervising the Trial Tower, this is the longest I’ve ever seen. I wonder how many floors he managed to clear.’

The cloaked elder stared at Ye Xuan’s cross-legged figure, utterly shocked, but he didn’t dare to disturb him in the slightest.

「Outside the Trial Tower.」

The name "Xuan Ye," which had been in a nondescript position on the ranking stele, suddenly began to flash wildly.

"It’s moving! Xuan Ye’s rank is finally moving!"

"My heavens, it’s been almost two hours, hasn’t it? Just how many floors did that kid clear?"

"Two hours! This is a first in the history of our inner courtyard."

"No matter what, this kid must have at least reached the fifth floor."

Countless inner courtyard disciples, who had been waiting with growing impatience, immediately fixed their gazes on the ranking stele the moment they saw Xuan Ye’s rank begin to flash.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Xuan Ye’s rank shot up from its position in the upper-middle ranks.

In the blink of an eye, he had reached the fifth-floor bracket.

But his name didn’t stop there; it continued its frantic ascent.

"It’s still rising! Is he aiming for the sixth floor?"

The crowd gasped in shock, but before the words even faded, Xuan Ye’s name had already broken into the top ten.

It even surpassed Xu Wenqing, who was originally ranked eighth.

Originally, there were a total of nine disciples in the Gale Light Academy’s inner courtyard who had reached the sixth floor.

Xu Wenqing was ranked ninth among them.

But ever since Lv Feng, who had been seventh, died, Xu Wenqing’s name had risen to eighth place.

And now, Xuan Ye’s rank had actually surpassed the eighth-ranked Xu Wenqing. This undoubtedly meant that Xuan Ye had already reached the sixth floor of the Trial Tower.

The crowd instantly erupted into an uproar.

"What? Xuan Ye actually broke through to the sixth floor of the Trial Tower? How is that possible?"

"Are you kidding me? Last time he was on the fourth floor, wasn’t he? How could he improve so much at once?"

"Reaching the sixth floor of the Trial Tower and breaking into the top ten on the ranking stele just a few months after joining the academy... My heavens."

All the students present were stunned, but an even greater shock was yet to come. After breaking into the top ten, Xuan Ye’s rank showed no signs of stopping and continued to soar.

Fifth!

Third!

Finally, Xuan Ye’s name flashed once below Tianlun’s before jumping directly into the number one spot.

Xuan Ye’s name flickered twice in the top position before finally dimming.

The entire area fell deathly silent.

"What?"

"First!"

"Senior Brother Tianlun was pushed down?"

It was like the calm before a storm. The silence was shattered by a thunderous explosion of shocked voices. Every student’s eyes were wide as they stared fixedly at Xuan Ye’s Trial Tower rank, their faces etched with disbelief.

In a corner, the expressions of Tianlun and several other top inner courtyard disciples changed drastically.

First place. He actually took first place. This result was completely beyond everyone’s expectations.

What shocked them even more was the floor number displayed next to Xuan Ye’s name on the ranking stele.

The Seventh Floor!

Those three words—like a giant mountain—weighed down heavily on every student’s heart.

Everyone felt their throats go dry, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

In the recent history of Gale Light Academy, a genius who could reach the seventh floor hadn’t appeared for many, many years.

The highest-ranked person was the current number one, Tianlun, but he had been stuck on the sixth floor for over a year, unable to break through to the seventh.

But now, a new student who had only been enrolled for a few months—and had been in the inner courtyard for less than one—had actually broken through to the seventh floor. The shock was more than they could bear.

"Tianlun, that Xuan Ye actually surpassed you in the Trial Tower and broke through to the seventh floor. How unexpected."

A mature-looking woman in red leather armor looked at Tianlun with a teasing expression.

"The seventh floor, is it?"

Tianlun’s fists clenched, his gaze turning cold. As the number one of the inner courtyard, he was immensely proud. His previous encounter with Ye Xuan had been born of mere curiosity, not hostility.

But when the goal he had struggled toward for over a year was shattered by a new student who had been in the inner courtyard for less than a month, the feeling was something no one but him could possibly comprehend.

"Hua Xiuhong, what are you so happy about? Didn’t he break your record too?" a man with a longsword at his waist and long hair flowing down his back said indifferently.

"Hehe, I’m just a weak little woman, only ranked third on the stele. But you two, the first and second on the ranking stele, getting surpassed... Where are you going to hide your faces?"

Hua Xiuhong giggled. Her tone seemed casual, but the glint in her eyes revealed her inner turmoil.

It wasn’t just them. Throughout the hall, everyone was discussing the matter with shocked expressions.

Finally, under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Ye Xuan slowly walked out of the Trial Tower.

The atmosphere in the hall was suffocatingly quiet.

Just then, a figure in a gray robe suddenly stood up, walked slowly toward Ye Xuan, and stopped in front of him.

The crowd’s pupils constricted.

"It’s Tianlun."

"What is he planning to do?"

Every student’s heart skipped a beat.

Tianlun, the number one disciple of Gale Light Academy’s inner courtyard, an undisputed powerhouse.

Legends of his deeds were passed among countless students.

A year ago, while only at Tier Six Triple Peak, he single-handedly slew a villainous Tier Seven Martial King expert while training outside the academy. The fact that he did it in just over ten moves caused a huge sensation.

Although many students at Gale Light Academy knew that the top-ranking titans of the inner courtyard all possessed the strength to rival a Tier Seven Martial King, Tianlun’s feat was the first true confirmation of this rumor.