"East Emperor Holy Land Bi Xue, requirement met."
Duan Donghe stood at the very front of the corridor, having remained there for an inexplicably long time without dissipating. As the count of those breaking through the First Bottleneck entered an explosive growth phase, it quickly surpassed one hundred, and the numbers continued to surge.
Regarding the successive breakthroughs of the First Bottleneck, Luo Feng paid them no mind, diligently focusing on studying the Xi Huang Game in his own manner.
Time flowed by.
In Luo Feng's 3900th year of receiving the inheritance, the rate at which those breaking the First Bottleneck rushed forth was the fastest; afterwards, it gradually slowed down. Indeed, starting from the 5200th year, not a single more person broke through the First Bottleneck.
"Is this the limit for you all?"
Duan Donghe shook his head dismissively. "Two hundred and ninety-eight who broke through the First Bottleneck?"
Luo Feng, enveloped within the golden-red palace of light, also opened his eyes, nodding secretly. The Xi Huang Game was not one where more time automatically led to solving more puzzles; many Undying Beings present had limited potential, some might never break through even to Universe Venerable. To break through the First Bottleneck was naturally an extremely difficult feat.
At this moment, among the 298 who reached the First Bottleneck, all seven Universe Masters of the Strongest Tier had succeeded! All Universe Masters had succeeded! A minority of Undying Beings and some Universe Venerables had also met the requirement!
Naturally, only Luo Feng had reached the Second Bottleneck.
"Hmm?" Duan Donghe’s gaze shifted.
"East Emperor Holy Land, Bi Xue." Duan Donghe looked over, smiling and nodding. "You have broken through the Second Bottleneck. It seems the ones with the greatest hope of inheriting my Duan Donghe lineage this time are you and that Human, Yin He. You must strive diligently and not slacken."
"Yes, Lord Duan Donghe."
Venerable Bi Xue bowed.
Simultaneously, a crystal pillar began to emerge from the corridor floor beside him, erupting with light that caused the red palace and the golden palace to merge… enveloping everything in golden-red light! This light shimmered brilliantly against Luo Feng's own golden-red palace in the distance.
"Hmm?" Luo Feng frowned slightly.
"Venerable Bi Xue." Luo Feng murmured the name silently.
"Bi Xue!"
"Venerable Bi Xue, our East Emperor Holy Land is counting on you!" The Universe Masters of the East Emperor Holy Land were all joyful and excited. As long as someone from their faction obtained the inheritance, it represented the entire Holy Land receiving it.
Venerable Bi Xue also smiled faintly at those around him.
This inheritance was the great opportunity to change his destiny!
Before this, amidst the throng of experts in the East Emperor Holy Land, he was considered merely average—one of the "Quasi-Universe Masters." Due to the limited capacity of the East Emperor Holy Land's universe, among so many existing Universe Masters, their group of Quasi-Universe Masters had no chance to break through, lacking the supply of the Holy Land's universe origin required for advancement.
The energy consumption to advance from Venerable to Universe Master was staggering. It was absolutely impossible without the supply of origin power.
He, Venerable Bi Xue…
From such an awkward status as a Quasi-Universe Master, he had suddenly become the most dazzling figure in the entire East Emperor Holy Land, his status even surpassing that of any Universe Master or Universe Master of the Strongest Tier! Even the Ancestor of the East Emperor Holy Land personally met him, saying, "Solving the Xi Huang Game also proves your potential… even if you fail to gain the inheritance this time, you will still receive the finest cultivation from our Holy Land in the future. You need not feel pressure… just do your best!" "If you perform well enough this time! With limitless potential!" "I will spare no cost to help you become a Universe Master of the Strongest Tier, even helping you transcend reincarnation." The Ancestor’s promise had long set the desires burning in Bi Xue’s heart.
He was thrilled.
The dormant excitement, which had been silent for an unknown age, was reignited.
He felt as if he had returned to the years of striving hard in his youth, filled with fighting spirit!
"Become a Universe Master of the Strongest Tier?"
"Don't only the original universe nurture Universe Masters of the Strongest Tier? Does the Ancestor also have a method? That’s right! Since Duan Donghe left this lineage of inheritance, naturally, he intended for later generations to continuously cultivate and improve. If they couldn't even reach the level of Universe Master of the Strongest Tier, it would be absurd. Ancient civilizations possessed such means; perhaps the Ancestor, at great cost, could achieve it."
Venerable Bi Xue understood…
This was his greatest opportunity!
A chance for a complete turnaround!
Even if he failed, as long as he proved his potential—his supremely high potential—the East Emperor Ancestor would reverse time, resurrect him, and cultivate him further.
"Success!"
"Then what does Luo Feng amount to?" "I have been stagnant for endless ages, never even qualifying to enter the Sea of Universe, languishing in mediocrity, waiting for this very chance! I must seize this real chance to rise!" Venerable Bi Xue appeared outwardly indifferent, but inwardly, he was in a state of near frenzy. This opportunity, having arrived, felt like a drowning man grasping desperately!
He burned his ** completely!
He burned his very life!
All his wisdom, all his potential, erupted in this moment!
In the space of the Black-Patterned Stone Pillar.
The towering Black-Patterned Stone Pillar pierced directly into the endless depths of the misty clouds above, emanating an infinite, majestic will that crushed everything, as if billions of blood-soaked armored legions were charging forward, roaring.
This was the place where Luo Feng tempered his willpower.
The Mo Sha Clan clone had always remained here, and there were no other experts nearby. After all, the Black-Patterned Stone Pillar space held sixteen such pillars, and nearly every expert clustered around Pillar Number Two so they could frequently hear the explanations from Star Master Bei Chi. Thus, Luo Feng’s spot was cold and desolate.
A small stone particle detached itself from a massive rock, hovering in mid-air and slowly drifting towards the Black-Patterned Stone Pillar, moving agonizingly slowly.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Endless roars.
Willpower shocks surged like tides, each one more violent than the last, madly pressing down on Luo Feng's will.
Normally, when studying the Xi Huang Game or secret techniques, the Mo Sha Clan clone would fly to a slightly more distant giant rock, or even retreat to the periphery of the boulders, minimizing the impact of the willpower shock so it wouldn't interfere with cultivation. But when tempering his will, he forced himself as close to his limit as possible. Tempering his will at the absolute limit made it impossible to divide attention for cultivation.
"Roar~~~"
The stone began to writhe and deform, transforming into a naked male figure whose skin was covered in intricate spatial secret patterns.
If the Mo Sha Clan clone were to be killed under special circumstances, it would reveal its "True Form." The presence of spatial secret patterns on its skin indicated this form. The True Form was the most relaxed and burden-free state for the Mo Sha Clan clone, yet now, under extreme pressure, it involuntarily reverted to this form, having reached a critical threshold.
"Almost there."
"Just a little more."
Luo Feng's will roared.
It shouted in fury!
He felt he was about to break his limit—just a tiny bit more, closer than ever before to a breakthrough!
"Break through for me, AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Luo Feng’s will raged.
BOOM!!!
It was like a bolt of lightning!
Or perhaps like the instantaneous evolution of the endless Chaotic World into the myriad stars of the universe and countless living beings at this very instant!
Luo Feng's will cheered and rejoiced. There was a sense of boundless exhilaration, like a fish leaping freely in the vast ocean and a bird soaring high in the boundless sky. It felt like a divine dragon trapped in the shallows finally struggling free and ascending to the nine heavens, roaming wantonly. An incredibly powerful will radiated from the naked Mo Sha Clan clone.
"Hahaha." Black robes quickly materialized on the surface of the Mo Sha Clan clone as it laughed heartily.
"Forward!"
Whoosh!
The Mo Sha Clan clone rapidly advanced, rushing toward the Black-Patterned Stone Pillar, relentlessly approaching the new limit challenging him. As he approached, the flow of time accelerated continuously, becoming faster and faster!
"Twelve thousand times?" Luo Feng felt it was extremely strenuous when the time flow reached 12,000 times, recognizing it was nearly his limit.
"I heard that Star Master Bei Chi, the strongest in willpower tempering, cultivates where the time flow is over ninety thousand times…"
"There are always people better than you, masters beyond masters." Luo Feng smiled faintly.
He then reversed his flight, stopping only when he reached a position where the time flow was approximately 6,000 times. The willpower pressure at this spot—for the current Luo Feng—was like a gentle breeze, bringing only comfort and having no impact whatsoever on his cultivation.
"My will has transformed!"
"A powerful will greatly enhances the speed of consciousness for deduction and thought. Studying the Xi Huang Game will certainly be faster," Luo Feng thought happily to himself.
Willpower is the commander! Consciousness is the multitude of generals! Divine power is the army!
The transformation of the will…
Brought immense benefits to both cultivation and combat.
At least for him now, first, after his will broke through during this Duan Donghe inheritance, his confidence was stronger, and his chances of securing the inheritance were greater. Second, his will had finally broken through to the level of the Universe Master of the Strongest Tier, meaning he was now confident in claiming mastery over those heaven-defying white wings.
"Haha, a will breakthrough is like a hidden dragon ascending to the heavens." Luo Feng felt unspeakably elated.
Having achieved the breakthrough, Luo Feng devoted all his energy to the Xi Huang Game and secret techniques, pausing the tempering of his willpower!
"How satisfying."
He distinctly felt that when studying the Xi Huang Game, he could analyze and comprehend from multiple directions simultaneously, with numerous inspirations flooding his mind! Efficiency had clearly increased dramatically, and the further he progressed, the more he realized the increasing connections between the supreme secret techniques from the Ninth Abyss and the Xi Huang Game.
They mirrored each other, and his research speed soared continuously.
Virtual Universe.
"Hmm?"
The white-robed man turned with surprise toward Luo Feng, who was not far away. "He has only been studying the Xi Huang Game for this long? It took 3,000 years to crack the 2,000th puzzle, and in less than 11,000 years, he’s already starting on the 3,000th puzzle."
Yuan Zu was deeply astonished.
Because every thousand puzzles represented a new threshold, with difficulty skyrocketing exponentially.
The first 2,000 puzzles took 3,000 years.
Yuan Zu had estimated that if Luo Feng could manage to complete the 3,000th puzzle within 30,000 years, it would already indicate limitless potential, yet unexpectedly…
"The 3,000th puzzle."
Luo Feng stood before the three-dimensional phantom of the residual game, observing silently. The You Hai clone, inside the Giant Axe Miniature Universe, focused all its power on studying and cracking it. For a moment, his entire being entered a state of absolute peak enlightenment; billions of thoughts surfaced, countless inspirations collided, and numerous difficult problems were solved one by one.
Even some insights gained from studying the supreme secret techniques of the Ninth Abyss could be used for reference and mirroring…
In fact, Luo Feng himself believed that if he were to create secret techniques, given his current mastery of the Secret Pattern Diagram Flow, creating and fusing supreme secret techniques now would not be difficult. It was simply that he currently lacked the time to spend on creating secret techniques.
"Hmm?"
Luo Feng's eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on his face.