After school, Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, planning to head over to Mu Ye's place to undergo his special training once again.
Over half a month had passed. As Huo Yuhao walked along the tree-lined path, he didn't feel much relief; instead, a heavy sense of pressure weighed on his heart.
He still hadn't passed Mu Ye's apprenticeship assessment.
"Time... there's only half a month left."
Huo Yuhao pursed his lips tightly, unable to help feeling a bit worried.
The assessment period Mu Ye gave was one month. Within this month, if he couldn't satisfy Mu Ye, he would lose the chance to become his disciple.
Although the two of them didn't have a formal master-disciple relationship yet, in Huo Yuhao's heart, that middle-aged man—who usually wore a clean chef's uniform and was extremely strict in his teachings—was already his true teacher.
If Mu Ye hadn't spent the last half-month using all sorts of precious medicinal baths to cleanse his marrow and strengthen his bones regardless of cost, and if Mu Ye hadn't taught him those profound physical power-exertion techniques, his current strength would likely be much weaker than before he entered the academy.
Huo Yuhao kept this kindness in his heart; he was deeply moved.
"I must succeed. I absolutely cannot let Senior Mu Ye down."
Huo Yuhao swore secretly, the look of determination in his eyes growing even more intense.
Following the address Mu Ye gave him, Huo Yuhao crossed through the dense forest behind the mountain. He hadn't been to this area before; it was a newly opened zone of the academy. Huo Yuhao was quite curious about this academy—it was clearly a floating island, yet its area could actually expand. It was truly impressive.
It must be Lin Feng's handiwork. So powerful!
As he walked, Huo Yuhao suddenly came to a halt.
He looked up toward the front, and his azure eyes instantly constricted violently.
"What is... that?"
He saw a building with an extremely terrifying aura standing tall within the valley ahead.
A sign stood prominently beside it, with the two words 'Thunder Pool' written on it.
From a distance, it looked like a forbidden zone completely covered by lightning.
In that area, the entire sky seemed to be torn apart, as countless bolts of purple lightning, as thick as an adult's thigh, crashed down incessantly from the heights.
Rumble—!
Bang!
The massive explosions were continuous, making the ground beneath his feet tremble slightly.
What horrified Huo Yuhao the most was that before he arrived in this area, he couldn't hear a single sound of thunder, nor could he see any storm clouds.
But once he stepped past a certain boundary, that world-ending aura of lightning instantly rushed toward him.
This feeling was likely based on the same principle as how one couldn't see the island when looking up from below the academy.
The space here was clearly distorted or shielded by some extremely powerful means.
Huo Yuhao looked at the Thunder Pool ahead, flashing with violent purple light, and couldn't help but shudder.
Lightning of this intensity—even the aftershocks were terrifying!
"Senior Mu Ye's next assessment... it couldn't be related to this Thunder Pool, could it?"
Huo Yuhao swallowed hard, his heartbeat involuntarily quickening.
He hadn't even fully approached yet, but his skin could already feel the stinging sensation caused by the ionization of the air, and his hair stood on end.
If I really have to go inside... I'll probably die, right?
"You're here?"
A deep voice rang out.
Huo Yuhao snapped back to his senses and saw that middle-aged man in the chef's uniform standing quietly at the edge of the Thunder Pool not far away.
Mu Ye's extremely sharp eyes fell upon Huo Yuhao, his expression indifferent.
"Senior Mu Ye."
Huo Yuhao took a few quick steps and greeted him respectfully.
After seeing Huo Yuhao arrive, Mu Ye only gave him a faint nod, then turned around and pointed at the violent sea of lightning behind him.
"Go in."
Mu Ye spoke, his tone devoid of any emotion.
"This is a cultivation site newly created by Dean Lin, called the Thunder Pool. Normally, if students want to enter it for tempering, they have to spend a large amount of Contribution Points."
"But now, with my permission, you can use it directly without paying any price."
Mu Ye spoke coldly, his gaze looking directly into Huo Yuhao's eyes.
"I have already taught you the method to call upon your own potential, and I have also taught you the tricks to temper your body through external forces."
"The road ahead must be walked by yourself."
"After you go in, no one can help you. If you are accidentally struck dead by lightning, it only means your luck is bad, or rather, you are not suited to inherit the mantle of my Body Sect."
Speaking to this point, Mu Ye paused, his tone becoming quite terrifying.
"If you are unwilling now and think it's just suicide, you can turn around and leave immediately. I won't force you, but I will absolutely never take you as a disciple again."
Mu Ye's words were forceful, each word striking Huo Yuhao's heart like a heavy hammer.
Shrink back?
Huo Yuhao looked at that purple sea of lightning; it was filled with destruction and frenzy. It was a Domain that mortals should not touch. Entering it would likely be a narrow escape from death!
As for the three words 'Body Sect' that Mu Ye had just mentioned, they were automatically ignored by Huo Yuhao.
But... Dai Huabin's mocking face flashed through his mind, as did the cold walls of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and his mother's frail figure before she died.
If I can't even endure this kind of tempering, how can I talk about revenge? How can I talk about becoming stronger?
Becoming stronger was never something that could be achieved easily; it required gambling with one's life!
Senior Mu Ye had done so much for him, even going as far as using his authority to let him enter this kind of forbidden land. How could he choose to retreat here?
"I'll go."
Huo Yuhao looked up, and in those azure eyes, there was no longer any fear, replaced instead by a near-obsessive determination.
He took a large step forward, choosing to face the Thunder Pool without hesitation.
Watching Huo Yuhao's performance, a faint, almost imperceptible trace of admiration flickered across Mu Ye's stern face.
But he didn't show it, only nodding slightly and saying calmly:
"Commendable courage. However, besides you, there is one more person who will undergo the same trial today."
"There's someone else?"
Huo Yuhao was slightly stunned, feeling somewhat confused.
In all these days, he didn't seem to have ever seen Mu Ye teaching any other students. Could it be a senior from the higher grades?
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from the other side.
"Phew, I finally made it in time."
A voice full of vitality rang out, carrying a youthful energy that seemed as if it would never tire.
Huo Yuhao turned to look, and his pupils suddenly shrank.
"Wulin?"
The newcomer was Tang Wulin.
"Yuhao, you're here too?"
After Tang Wulin saw Huo Yuhao, he revealed a bright smile and greeted him very naturally.
"You two, stop wasting time with nonsense here."
Mu Ye pointed somewhat impatiently toward the center of the Thunder Pool, which had already begun to riot.
"Since you're both here, then go straight in."
"Remember, the longer you stay inside, the greater the benefits for you. But if you can't hold on, crawl out yourself. Don't expect me to save you."
Huo Yuhao looked at the Tang Wulin before him. Was he going to enter the test with Tang Wulin? With Tang Wulin as a comparison, the pressure was immense!
"Yuhao, don't lose! I believe in you! You must surpass that kid Tang Wulin!"
"Become a god! Become a god! Become a god!"
Inside Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness, the Skydream Ice Worm cheered him on.
Huo Yuhao couldn't help but give a bitter smile. Was this something that could be achieved just by believing?
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A/N:
5 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.