Adrian ultimately left the last person alive and handed him over to Sion. He then hurried toward the chief’s residence. By the time he got there, the battle was almost over. Thalia was covered in blood, indicating that she was no match for a Warlord at this moment.Adrian shook his head helplessly. He couldn't intervene in a battle of this level now as his strength was yet to be fully restored.When Thalia saw Adrian appear, she suddenly rushed toward him."How dare you try to cause trouble in front of me!"Fynn's stern shout was like a decree from the heavens, and Thalia froze in place as if struck by lightning.Adrian's understanding of battle far surpassed that of ordinary people. When Thalia charged toward him, he was already prepared. He had intended to escape, but after Fynn spoke, he changed his mind.Everything happened in an instant. Whether it was fleeing or attacking, it was just a matter of thought.Thalia glared at Adrian as he charged toward her, shouting, "How dar
"No wonder she was willing to trade fifty treasures for your life. I can tell she’s very afraid of you," Fynn explained.Adrian chuckled. It seemed that he had left quite an impression on that pest."Do you know what kind of person she is?" Fynn asked."Of course, I do. That parasite is leeching onto a slave of mine from the outside world. I came in here to get my slave back.""A parasite? That's an interesting term. I don’t think anyone in history has ever dared to describe that person in such a way." Fynn chuckled."As long as you have enough strength, you can call anyone anything, no matter if they’re a dragon or a parasite." Adrian chuckled as well.Although that was what he said, Adrian knew that Fynn didn’t have the qualification to call Thalia a pest. No matter how hard Fynn tried, his final stage would probably be limited to that of a Warlord. As an old man—and possibly one of the oldest people in this world—his potential had been squeezed dry."You truly are extraordina
Fynn's eyes lit up as he studied Adrian as if he had understood something."When I’m in there, I'll do my utmost best to back as many villagers alive as possible, along with the corresponding number of treasures," Adrian said solemnly, "If I fail, whether I fall in the secret realm or fail to bring them out alive, you can kill me later.”Adrian already knew the answer. He believed that Fynn, being a shrewd person, would make the most rational choice.Sure enough, Fynn nodded and said, "That makes sense. I agree with you. Let’s wait for the outcome of the expedition."Adrian smiled and nodded. He turned around to leave, then stopped when he noticed Fynn was about to say something. "How should we deal with Blade's Reach?" he asked instead.Fynn was taken aback for a moment, Adrian's question interrupting his train of thought. He was just about to ask Adrian about his true strength. He knew that neither Adrian's weaker state when they first met nor his current seventh level was Adria
What was even more crucial was that none of those who entered the secret realm were below the seventh level. They ranged from the intermediate seventh level, like Sion, to the advanced seventh level. On top of that, each of them possessed various treasures. Despite this, the mortality rate was still incredibly high.Adrian felt that even if he recovered to his peak state, entering that place would still be extremely dangerous. But it was his only option. Although Fynn had spared him, it wasn't out of kindness. He simply saw Adrian as a valuable exploit. If Adrian lost his usefulness, everyone knew what Fynn would do. Thus, time became a precious commodity for Adrian.In the following days, Adrian trained non-stop, even forsaking eating and sleeping. He entered an extreme state of training, pushed to this extent by the pressure from Fynn. After all, the chief was at the Warlord stage, possibly an immortal who had lived for over two hundred years. He was one of the strongest opponents
Fynn's expression turned dark. He had always been the leader of Mudstone. This had been the case for over two hundred years, and it didn’t matter what his personality was like many years ago. After being influential for over two hundred years, he inevitably became more domineering. It had been a long time since anyone dared to speak to him this way."Are you threatening me?" He squinted at Blade’s Reach’s representative."The search team that we sent out suffered twenty casualties including the death of an intermediate seventh level. This isn’t a trivial matter, Chief Fynn, and I hope you realize the seriousness of the situation.”Blade's Reach’s representative didn't care that Fynn was angry and continued to rebuke him.Fynn chuckled in anger and shook his head. "It seems like you're the ones who don't understand the seriousness of the situation.""What—”"You're seeking death!" Fynn grabbed the leader by the neck. The advanced seventh level stood no chance against him. "You dar
The Blade's Reach villagers smirked and nodded. "Fine, as long as you lead us to Adrian.""Follow me," Duo said coldly, then led the people of Blade's Reach to the cave."Adrian, wasn’t that bat a warning for us not to come here?" Lyra gripped Adrian's hand tightly as they walked through the pitch-black cave, feeling scared and nervous.He chuckled and said, "Don't worry. Things are different now."According to Adrian's estimation, that giant bat was at most an intermediate seventh-level monster, which was the same level as himself. So, there was no need to fear that bat. Last time, he didn't want to cause trouble. Adrian felt that he could finally further explore the cave now. He was curious about what was at the end of it.Lyra trembled, completely different from her cheerful disposition the last time they were here."Chit chit!"The warning from the bat monster resounded as a powerful gust of wind rushed toward Adrian and Lyra."Ah!" Lyra screamed in fear of the foul-smellin
"I'll deal with you later.” Adrian smiled.Those from Blade's Reach wouldn't be easy to deal with. If he had to fight this bat too, Adrian would have a headache. Luckily, the bat's attacks weren’t strong. It was more like probing rather than attacking the pair full-on.Adrian turned and walked toward Duo and the others. He gestured to Lyra not to stay silent, walked past her, and dove into a nearby corner.In less than a minute, Duo and the others appeared. Counting Duo, there were twelve people in the group. The leader troubled Adrian. Judging from the strength of his inner energy, he was likely an advanced seventh-level.Suddenly, someone at the back of the group shouted, “Watch out!”Duo had barely entered the Phenomena Stage, far from reaching the seventh level. Walking into such a place made him extremely nervous. At the same time, he cursed Adrian and Lyra, wondering why they had come to such a dangerous place for seemingly no reason.Hearing someone behind him scream, he k
A few seconds passed, but Adrian did not reappear.Duo asked in bewilderment, "Did he run away?""Watch out, Haris!"Haris Bay was the leader of their group and also the only advanced seventh-level among them. Adrian had appeared behind Haris at some point, pressing the Hellblade into the latter’s neck.Haris was startled and lunged forward. The Hellblade left a deep wound on his shoulder."Impossible..."Adrian's strength exceeded their expectations, and he hadn't escaped. From what he just did, it was clear that he was prepared to kill them."Hehe!" Adrian chuckled coldly.He figured that the advanced seventh-level was not easy to deal with. If it had been an intermediate seventh-level, he would have likely split him in half with a single strike. But this guy was resilient enough to block the Divine Frost Slayer Blade. Thus, Adrian changed his tactics and turned to attack the weaker individuals.Duo and the others looked horrified, thinking that Adrian had gone mad. But he w
The Daemon Emperor was startled."What is happening? This power..."Formless energy was surging forward, pressuring his nerves and senses.Below, Andy and the others trembled uncontrollably."Who is it?" Finnian stared into the crimson mist.Even Andy was horrified, his gaze locked on the unfolding scene in disbelief, and asked, "What is this? What exactly is happening?" At this moment, Adrian abruptly opened his eyes.Apparently, the Daemon Emperor had once conspired with Adrian's subordinates to ambush him.However, Adrian had managed to annihilate the traitors and sealed this Daemon Emperor. Now, fate had brought them together again."If I killed you once, I can kill you again." Adrian stood tall, his white robes fluttering in the air.The Daemon Emperor was stunned into silence."This is impossible! You're not that mortal boy!""Is that so? In this life, your end has come, and so has the era of the daemons." Adrian's voice was calm yet resolute. He stretched out his han
Adrian's face hardened at the words. He despised threats above all else. While he understood what the mysterious entity desired, he couldn't yet fully comprehend its implications or find a way to counter it. His only choice was to focus on growing stronger.Within the hot spring, waves of raw, terrifying power surged and crashed violently against Adrian's body.The force, though beneficial, was brutal and overwhelming. Adrian's body struggled to endure, cracking as though it were disintegrating."Arghhh!"A heart-wrenching scream echoed as Adrian's flesh was torn apart and his aura gradually dimmed."Ahhh!"His agonized cries echoed once more. He could no longer withstand the pain.In the distance, a towering figure appeared and sneered. "What's this? Can't take it anymore? Pathetic. Humans are truly the epitome of stupidity."Suddenly, Adrian erupted with an explosive surge of energy, and in that instant, he broke through to the pinnacle of the Void Stage."Hmm? He actually b
At that moment, the crowd was speechless.Adrian had ascended as if it were the easiest thing in the world.Faced with such a sight, no one could say much beyond admiration. Even if the Holy Son claimed Adrian had cheated, many secretly wished they could cheat the same way.Lacking Adrian's means, all they could do was envy him.Finnian chuckled. "Haha! You really caught us all by surprise, kid. Still, I'll count this as you repaying me a favor."For Finnian, the outcome couldn't have been better. With a broad smile, he seemed to have achieved his desired result. Adrian's successful climb was all that mattered to him.Once Adrian had vanished, the focus shifted to the rest of the group and their trials.When Adrian opened his eyes again, his entire body ached, but an oddly comforting sensation flowed through him. Surveying his surroundings, he realized he was now in a pond."Where am I?" he asked.Though uncertain about the place, Adrian knew he had cleared the trial and arriv
The onlookers stared in bewilderment, their faces etched with confusion as they struggled to grasp the unfolding events.Meanwhile, Adrian seethed with barely contained rage. This wasn't his first encounter with such torment. Every few steps he ascended, another trial awaited.To Adrian, the relentless punishments felt suffocating. Yet he pressed on—this was the final stretch of the climb. "Adrian, hang in there!" Andy shouted, urging him to conquer the last step. To Andy, reaching that final step symbolized Adrian's growth. He had witnessed Adrian's remarkable resilience countless times and held unwavering faith in his potential. In Andy's eyes, Adrian was destined for greatness. Adrian's expression turned cold as he locked his gaze on the steps ahead. Determination flickered in his eyes. "If reaching the top guarantees a reward, it doesn't have to be me up there. As long as someone makes it, that's enough." With that, he shifted his focus to the void above and formed
Adrian felt as if every nerve in his body was beyond his control. A deep sense of grievance filled his heart as the divine thunder from the void relentlessly crashed down.Rage surged within him, but under the onslaught of endless forces, he felt weak and constrained.Still, he had no choice but to press forward. He knew victory was within reach if he could endure a little longer—giving up now would mean death.If he fell, the shame and humiliation would crush him.Below, the Holy Son and others waited, eager to see him fail and mock him. This left Adrian no option but to push forward, striving toward the void above and his ultimate goal.The violent forces continued to bombard him from the sky.With every step, the thunder's impact intensified tenfold. His soul, already battered from a fierce battle with a horde of beasts, now felt as though it was dragging his exhausted body forward.Anyone else would likely have succumbed to despair. After all, under such immense pressure, ev
The oppressive forces descending from the void seemed determined to halt Adrian’s ascent up the staircase.Yet he refused to yield. To him, these overwhelming challenges were merely obstacles to conquer.He pressed forward with relentless determination.Thunderbolts continued to rain down, but the ominous red light from before did not return—a relief, as he never wished to endure its crushing weight again.The memory of that light still haunted him, leaving a lingering sense of helplessness. Its suffocating pressure had drained his strength, reducing him to a gasping, powerless state.Despite the toll on his body and mind, Adrian remained singularly focused on reaching the final step. His burning desire for greater power drove him forward, unwavering and resolute.Step by step, he ascended, reaching the 95th step in what felt like an instant.Only five steps remained. His gaze locked onto the summit, and a wild glint lit his eyes. A daring idea sparked within him, consuming his
Adrian pondered his situation, his cold gaze reflecting simmering frustration. Yet deep down, he recognized that whoever had designed the staircase was far from ordinary.Creating such a formidable trial required unimaginable power.Even a pinnacle Void Stage expert—or perhaps someone of the Multiply Stage—might bow in reverence before the ladder's creator."He won't last much longer. The divine lightning in this void is utterly destructive. In moments, he'll be reduced to ashes," sneered the Holy Son, his sharp eyes gleaming with malice.To the Holy Son, Adrian's demise was inevitable. Adrian had dared to offend him, and he was certain such audacity could only lead to death.Adrian caught the Holy Son's words and cast him a frosty glare. His intent to kill was unmistakable, though now wasn't the time.The staircase was no place for personal vendettas—eliminating him here would require careful planning.He also knew the Holy Son carried seals of immense power. A reckless move co
Finnian's sharp gaze reflected a hint of admiration. "Kid, you owe me a big favor this time. You'd better treasure this opportunity."Adrian remained silent, unsure how to respond. His cold eyes revealed no emotion, though he fully grasped the challenges ahead.Fear was a luxury he couldn't afford—he'd come too far to back down now.Suddenly, a streak of red light surged from the void, hurtling toward Adrian with terrifying speed. His eyes widened in shock as the crimson beam struck him, slamming him against the staircase.Caught off guard, Adrian collapsed, sprawled helplessly on the steps.The crowd below watched in astonishment. No one had expected his seemingly indestructible body to be overwhelmed so easily.The Holy Son sneered. "Haha! It seems he's triggered some kind of taboo. Let's see how arrogant he is now!"His voice dripped with schadenfreude, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction as he relished Adrian's struggle.Despite the crushing force, Adrian refused
"What exactly is up there pulling me so strongly?" Adrian's expression hardened as he pondered the mysterious force drawing him upward.A surge of violent energy erupted across the sky, crashing down like a raging storm.Adrian advanced cautiously, each step deliberate and precise.Gone were the reckless strides of before—now he moved with steely determination, fully aware of the lurking dangers.He'd learned that the void's formidable forces seemed to target him directly, compelling him to proceed step by step. Any attempt to bypass its unseen barriers would provoke a devastating strike."Ridiculous," Adrian muttered. "If I've chosen to climb, nothing will stop me."The void's relentless power intensified.Bolts of thunder hammered down mercilessly, battering Adrian's body. Yet fear never crossed his mind.What was there to be afraid of?To him, the divine thunder wasn't an obstacle—it was a crucible, a tool to temper his body and strengthen his resolve.Despite the storm, A