The silence that blanketed the lake in the aftermath of the celestial fury was heavy, thick with the lingering scent of ozone and the weight of a thousand unspoken questions.
The spectators hovering on the distant sky, patriarchs of ancient families, sovereigns of nations, and masters of hidden sects, stared at Shen Haoran in a collective, paralyzed daze.
The visual was etched into their souls: a youth, yet to even touch the threshold of the Spirit Ascension Realm, standing atop a simple kiosk while staring down a Heavenly Tribulation that would make a Supreme Emperor's heart skip a beat.
Even with the aid of the Supreme-grade artifacts, the sheer gall, the monumental courage required to remain standing while the heavens tried to erase his existence, was beyond the comprehension of most.
He had survived...no, not just survived, he had dominated the trial, turning a divine execution into a personal training session.
