Treasure-hunting: Into the Unknown

"Humph! Alright then, why not? Let's have that race!" Ordinarily, Joyce would never accept such a ridiculous provocation; her personal dignity simply didn't allow her to stoop that low. But Zachary did love to push buttons, and as he hadn't yet even reached the Heaven Level but still stood on equal footing with her on this floor, it got under her skin. She was nevertheless confident that he would never defeat her, not with her quadruple martial speed.

"Then, let's begin!" Zachary braced himself, bringing his hand down as a signal.

Joyce burst forward in a surge of violent martial energy that whirled around her. Zachary, who was just next to her, would've undoubtedly felt the intensity of her extraordinary power, particularly that of the quadruple martial speed. In his eyes, he saw that she almost seemed to transform into a swallow, hovering from earth's gravity, soaring into the air and falling onto the 47th floor.

The assembled warriors at the Soul Testing Pagoda burst forth into cheers and uproar, recognizing the magnificence of Joyce's quadruple martial speed. As a warrior, she was surging in strong, fierce power and she also reached the first grade of Heaven Level, all of which made her get ever closer to Queenie's record.

"Magnificently done, Joyce!" Colin remarked, having already climbed to the 48th floor with three other disciples flanking him. All three were at the premium stage of Heaven Level. Upon the sight of Joyce's climb, he couldn't help but nod in approval.

"You better not fall behind, Colin!" Joyce batted her eyes at him mischievously.

Colin smiled at that, stretching out his arms in response. Almost immediately, his feet emitted an incredible amount of martial energy. Under the stunned eyes of the crowd, he shot upward, falling to the 49th floor before them.

There was a roar of disbelief and astonishment from the crowd at the feat. Though Colin was only at the medium stage of Heaven Level, it would appear that he had every ability to match any disciple at premium stage of that level as well.

Colin had now advanced to another floor just one step away from that much-awaited 50th floor. The three disciples at premium stage of Heaven Level left below stood agape in shock and resentment. They were unable to believe that a freshman had outmatched them.

Zachary now glanced at the steps. He was only three floors away from the 50th floor, and even though it seemed like a short distance, it felt more as though like trying to cross a raging, divine river that wouldn't allow trespassers to get by.

"It looks like you can't keep up with me after all. That's what you get for shooting your mouth off," Joyce sneered as she turned back, having seen Zachary momentarily stopped in his tracks.

But that was all the motivation Zachary really needed, bein

ness.

The masters, including Sara and Vincent, stood atop the Soul Testing Pagoda and were watching Zachary's ascent carefully.

"Do you think he'll really do it? He'll reach the 50th floor?"

"If he did manage to set foot on it, it would be a miracle."

"I'm afraid that our college's boarding records will all have to be rewritten."

"But this is perplexing. As far as anyone can remember, only the disciples at the Heaven Level and are approaching the King Level can even hope to reach the 50th floor..."

Sara didn't appear particularly surprised by all this, but her eyes couldn't hide a glint of pure excitement. Not even she had ever expected Zachary to rise to this level, to the point that he was about to shatter Queenie's record. It was history being made before their very eyes.

Under the intent stare of everyone assembled, Zachary had transformed into a purple mark that was about to set foot onto the 50th floor. But even to warriors of Heaven Level, that traitorous stone step was a challenge in itself. Without pure, unadulterated strength, there would be no way for him to get through it.

And just as everyone had expected, when the purple beam that was Zachary started to approach the stone step itself, an invisible force seemed to bear down upon him, halting his momentum. An incredible pressure was bearing down from above, with hands of thunder and lightning reaching out and preparing to hurl him down the endless abyss. Zachary struggled to get control back, trying to fight against such omnipotent pressure, but in the end he could not hold on. His martial energy collapsed, shattering away, as though he were a bird being stripped clean of his wings. He floundered briefly and teetered, threatening to plunge down.

And everyone who beheld this unspeakable scene felt their heart jump to their throat at the climax of the thrilling test.