The formation was clearly under immense strain. No matter how formidable it once was, it was now forced to yield. A chilling sound echoed through the air as something shattered, and Adrian's expression grew serious. He knew this was the moment of destruction for the formation.With a powerful kick, he shattered the formation. Simultaneously, the Prism Stone erupted in a brilliant light, surging toward Adrian with deadly intent.Watching the scene unfold, Adrian smirked. “Turning on me after I’ve helped you, huh?”As he spoke, Adrian unleashed an attack, matching the energy radiating from the stone. The two forces collided with a thunderous crash, and the Prism Stone trembled violently, seemingly shocked by the encounter."It seems like you can control your power properly," Adrian remarked. Just then, the divine light he had summoned transformed into a terrifying formation, instantly trapping the Prism Stone.The stone shuddered fiercely, its light trying in vain to resist Adrian.
The stone trembled before shaking its body in a very human-like gesture. It was clear that the stone was signaling to Adrian that it didn’t have the strength for this task and was advising him to abandon the thought.Adrian was momentarily stunned but then replied, “The Phoenix Tree seems strange. It's evergreen and ancient, yet the plants around it have withered away. Shouldn't everything near it be brimming with life?”Given the nature of such a divine tree, the area surrounding it should logically be full of vitality. Unable to understand this contradiction, Adrian added, “Let’s go see for ourselves. If it’s this mysterious, there must be some hidden opportunity within it. Let’s find out what it is.”Adrian picked up the stone and threw it into the void. The stone quivered, glowing with light as if resisting Adrian's decision.Seeing this, Adrian chuckled and reassured, “Don’t worry. You’ve been around it for so long. It must consider you an old acquaintance. It surely won’t tro
Adrian felt an invisible force blocking his path, catching him off guard. He froze, momentarily stunned by the unexpected resistance. Trying to move backward, he found himself paralyzed. When he attempted to push forward, it was equally futile.Just as Adrian searched for a way out, a cyan light shot toward him with deadly precision. As the light closed in, his expression darkened. "What is this? Isn’t this a bit excessive?"The cyan light showed no signs of stopping, ignoring Adrian entirely. The latter summoned all his strength, his immense power surging to resist."Don’t underestimate me!" he roared, his energy flaring wildly as he fought back. But his efforts backfired. The force rebounded with terrifying strength, slamming into him."Ugh!" He coughed up blood, his energy thrown into turmoil. Desperately, he tried to break free, but the cyan light wrapped around him, leaving him in agony. Without a moment to recover, violent winds and a crushing force hammered him relentlessly.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently. Adrian looked up to see a massive surge of cyan light rushing toward him like a tidal wave, and his expression fell. One strand of that light had already left him badly injured. And now, with countless strands converging, survival seemed impossible.He wanted to dodge, but escape was futile. The sheer intensity of the power felt like it could swallow him whole in an instant.Adrian’s face darkened with a deadly resolve. He was prepared to destroy anything in his way. But strangely, the cyan light didn't strike him as expected. Instead, it surrounded him, forming a glowing barrier.Momentarily confused, Adrian had braced for an attack, but the light now seemed less hostile. This shift in events frustrated him. He despised the feeling of having his fate controlled by another force, with no way to turn the situation in his favor. Despite his anger, he understood that against such overwhelming strength, his rage was powerless.Refusing to surrender
Adrian's expression became increasingly grave as he failed to detect any abnormalities in the surrounding space. But the very absence of change terrified him more than anything. If he could sense the space shifting, it would mean he had some grasp of the situation. But now, with no clues to work from, he felt uneasy and on high alert.Staring into the void, doubt flickered in his eyes. Just moments ago, he had been immobilized, and now he was free to move. He couldn't decipher what the Phoenix Tree was planning, and the uncertainty gnawed at him. If this dragged on much longer, he feared he would be worn down completely.Adrian mused darkly, recognizing the Phoenix Tree’s power far exceeded his understanding. One wrong step could mean his death."I didn't mean to intrude. Please, let me go. I'm a straightforward and honest person," Adrian called out, but the void offered no response. He tried a different tactic. "How about we make a deal? That Prism Stone outside is valuable. How ab
No matter what kind of beast appeared, Adrian was determined to give it everything he had. Any mistake here could cost him his life, so he couldn’t afford to be careless. With that thought, he channeled golden energy into his hand and charged forward with deadly force.As Adrian lunged, the monstrous beast charged back, its massive body towering over him. Adrian was as small as an ant in comparison, but he knew that if he didn't destroy it, he’d be the one to fall.The beast seemed mindless, and that gave Adrian an advantage. Without intelligence, it was vulnerable to attacks from multiple angles. His speed was his greatest asset, and he intended to use it to overwhelm the creature.Adrian unleashed his full power, throwing precise strikes of energy, determined not to let the beast escape. He understood that the true test behind this trial was survival. He had to kill the creature, or he might be trapped here forever.Adrian's expression was as hard as stone, filled with murderous
As Adrian briefly lost himself in thought, the beast charged again. Without hesitation, he kicked out with full force. With a loud boom, the creature was sent flying once more.Everything became clear then—Adrian’s physical strength far surpassed that of the beast.The creature, driven by primal instinct, was incapable of using its more dangerous attacks. This puzzled Adrian. What was the Phoenix Tree trying to accomplish with this duel? Was it merely testing his strength? These questions lingered, though he couldn’t fully understand the purpose.Regardless, Adrian knew what had to be done. He had to eliminate the beast.Golden light surged from his hand as he focused on the creature. "Beast! Since you’re so eager to die, don’t blame me!"Adrian sensed the creature’s core pulsating deep within its body. If he could extract and consume it, his power would likely surge to new heights. Though such a method seemed ruthless, it was a necessary step on his path to greater strength.His
Adrian was never one to back down. Since his opponent clearly wanted him dead, he wouldn’t just sit by and accept his fate. Even if it cost him his life, he wouldn’t allow himself to be humiliated so easily.In that instant, powerful energy surged around him. The terrifying force he released seemed strong enough to shake heaven and earth, faint sparks flickering around his body. He sensed his strength advancing rapidly, his inner core refining at a furious pace. Yet, oddly enough, no external threat appeared. It was as if the crisis had vanished entirely.Adrian opened his eyes, his gaze steely with cold determination and a glint of murderous intent. He could feel his power growing once again. However, something felt strange. The mysterious Phoenix Tree, lurking in the shadows, hadn’t acted against him, allowing him to refine his core undisturbed.This left him even more puzzled. What was the Phoenix Tree’s intention? If it had truly wanted to test him, it had already missed the per
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