Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)
chapter-4000

When they stepped onto it, the direction of the pressure instantly changed. Previously, the pressure was coming from above. However, now that the pressure was actually coming from the front, Long Chen felt like he was trying to push through a flood.

The change in direction caused his body to sway. However, he quickly stabilized his body. As for everyone behind him, they quickly adapted to it. With Long Chen at the front, he was receiving the greatest impact, so the pressure on them was lessened.

Long Chen brought them three thousand meters forward and saw the second step. When they stepped onto it, the pressure once more increased.

Zhu Yunwen and the others had special tools for measuring the pressure here, so they measured it. This place had reached a pressure level of one hundred and twenty dragon power. In other words, the pressure was increasing steadily just like before.

However, now the pressure was not from above but directly against them, so it was even more difficult than the first level. By the time Long Chen brought them to the fifth step, most of them finally found it difficult to push any further. Their physical bodies were starting to feel like they were tearing apart.

Thus, Long Chen had no choice but to stop. At the very front, he underwent more blood refinement. He found that after the pressure increased, he was able to effectively undergo further refinements.

His dragon blood seemed to be able to grow without limit as long as he had enough pressure. When he was no longer able to refine it, it simply meant that the pressure was not enough, not that he had reached the limit.

As a result, everyone paused to cultivate on the fifth step. Long Chen was at the very front, while behind him were Zhu Yunwen, Yu Qianxue, Zhu Yifeng, Yu Qingxuan, and the other princes and princesses.

Zhu Yunwen and the others were also under immense pressure. They were right behind Long Chen, creating a bigger safe space for the imperial disciples. As they spread out behind him, they further split the pressure that passed by Long Chen.

It was only thanks to this that the imperial disciples were able to reach the fifth step. However, the pressure here was so great that the imperial disciples, as well as the princes and princesses, had reached their limit.

Under this terrifying pressure, their power gradually revealed itself. A few previously unremarkable disciples were displaying a sharp light now.

Amongst the imperial disciples, over three thousand of them began to step forward, taking on greater pressure to lessen the burden on the ones behind them. Of course, this also benefited them.

Long Chen continued to refine his blood, qi, and bones. In just a day, all three of them had once more reached the limit of this pressure.

He then began refining his spirit again. It was still very painful, and Long Chen needed to rest after just an incense stick’s worth of time. After that, he continued to walk forward.

After another day passed, more and more golden spots appeared on his Yuan Spirit. However, he didn’t sense it getting stronger, only feeling immense pain.

If it weren’t for the dragon expert being his guide, he might even think that he had done something wrong. Eventually, his Yuan Spirit also reached the limit, and no further golden spots appeared.

At this time, Long Chen noticed that Zhu Yifeng and the others’ auras were growing increasingly powerful. Their flame energy in particular was starting to give off terrifying fluctuations, exuding the will of the Vermilion Bird within them.

Compared to when they had first entered, their auras were already much stronger, to the point where they seemed like completely different people.

Long Chen had no choice but to sigh in wonder. The Vermilion Bird Empire’s foundation was truly astonishing. This Vermilion Bird’s trial by fire was most likely one of their hidden trump cards.

At this moment, everyone had gotten accustomed to the pressure here. However, Long Chen had them stay where they were while he continued onward. With him gone, the pressure on them gradually rose.

Fortunately, thanks to their improvements during this time, with their combined forces, they were able to endure the pressure.

Seeing that, Long Chen went off alone and arrived at the sixth step. Here, he finally found something different. This was a training ground with various kinds of equipment.

It was just like the imperial family’s training grounds. However, the equipment here was far heavier. Long Chen found one hundred dragon power bracelets, three hundred dragon power arm bracers, and five hundred dragon power leg protectors.

Long Chen equipped them, and his body instantly felt much heavier. However, he still hadn’t reached his limit. Even nine hundred dragon power wasn’t his limit, which meant that he was already far stronger than when he had tested himself in the imperial family’s training grounds.

Long Chen then looked through the equipment and found that he was already wearing the heaviest bracelets, arm bracers, and leg protectors.

Feeling helpless, Long Chen added a one hundred dragon power belt, and a five hundred dragon power heart-protector to his body.

The heart-protector went on his back, but due to how hard it was, it was like he was wearing a tortoiseshell. It was very uncomfortable. But in order to reach his limit, he couldn’t bother with how it felt.

The weight on him was one thousand five hundred dragon power, and only now did he start to feel difficult to walk. With this heavy equipment, he started walking forward, and the immense weight stimulated his body.

His refinement of his blood, qi, and bones had reached a terrifying level. But that had not stimulated his flesh, meridians, tendons, and other parts of his body as profoundly. If they ended up mismatched in strength, he would be unable to unleash his power properly. Thus, he had to train them now.

Long Chen unleashed some simple punches and kicks, and after a bit, his arms and legs already felt unbearably sore. He then continued after resting.

However, just as he predicted, this stimulation caused his power to rise at a shocking rate. In just a few hours, he could unleash thirty punches in one go. Although he was panting like a dog, his power was truly rising at an unbelievable rate.

“Senior, I should have about three thousand dragon power now, right?” asked Long Chen.

“Even three thousand dragon power is meaningless,” said the dragon expert indifferently.

“Why?” asked Long Chen, feeling dumbfounded.

“Your path has changed from back then. Without completing the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art, don’t even think about researching a new Seven Star Battle Armor. Otherwise, you will die!”

Long Chen was startled. He was about to ask more questions when the dragon expert said, “Don’t waste your limited time on such meaningless questions.”

Long Chen helplessly continued to cultivate. A day later, everyone else reached the sixth step. People tried to use the equipment here, but they could only use the lightest ones. The heaviest piece that someone else picked was only fifty dragon power.

Long Chen eventually brought them to a giant gate. Here, the pressure had reached two hundred dragon power. After that, they stopped and cultivated here for three days.

It was on the third day that Yu Qingxuan’s expression suddenly changed. She took out a cracked jade talisman. “Not good! The war has already started!”