Chapter 65: Border Trial, Global Prodigies' Ultimate Grand Event!

[Needle Shower (SS Active Skill): Exclusive skill of the Cloud Realm Chessmaster. Transforms energy into sewing needles and throws them in a straight line, dealing three stages of magic damage and a slowing effect. The damage scales with the Chessmaster's highest attribute: 250% for the first stage, 500% for the second stage, and 2,000% for the third stage. There is a 2-second interval between each stage of damage. For 30 minutes after casting, all attributes are reduced by 30%. Cooldown: 12 hours.]

"Another ultimate skill!"

And it was precisely the burst damage type he needed the most right now!

As an ultimate skill, Needle Shower had two distinct flaws.

The casting time was long—requiring a total of four seconds to unleash its full damage—and it inflicted a state of weakness afterward, significantly reducing all attributes.

However, in the face of such heaven-defying skill coefficients, these two flaws were simply not worth mentioning!

A 27x damage multiplier, perfectly combined with [Devoted Heart], allowed Li Yao to deal world-shattering damage in a very short span of time.

If that final hit happened to trigger a weak-spot attack and a critical hit...

Li Yao's mouth twitched, and he drew a sharp breath.

"Among professionals, probably only invincibility skills could withstand this strike, right?"

Li Yao's horizons were no longer limited to his peers.

Anyone capable of fighting him would at least be a Third-Transition professional.

"When battling those people, I certainly need to be mindful of the aftereffects of casting..."

With professionals from major families, it was hard to guarantee they lacked invincibility skills.

He would have to figure out a way to force those out first before considering using this skill.

Li Yao glanced at his experience bar.

The Dark Wings and the Butcher Vanguard had contributed 20 levels and 95% of an experience bar's worth. Now that he had advanced to level 21, converted back, that amounted to less than 40% of his current bar.

"Absurd."

Li Yao muttered with a sigh.

The Tower to the Heavens dungeon could now be considered completely finished.

Out in the real world, reaching level 22 before the martial examinations would have been a question mark!

No wonder those martial academy professionals, after four years of grinding, were only around the Third Transition upon graduation.

One could easily imagine the sheer difficulty of leveling up!

Lost in thought, Li Yao walked toward the vortex leading to the outside world.

***

Meanwhile.

Outside.

The various major families joined forces to disperse the crowd.

Within a radius of one kilometer around the Tower to the Heavens, there was only one person left.

Xue Jiulan, dressed in martial robes, tilted her head back and gazed intently at the tenth floor of the Tower to the Heavens.

Her brows were slightly furrowed, her arms crossed over her chest, and the index finger of her left hand tapped rhythmically against her right arm.

In a voice only she could hear, she muttered:

"Why is it taking so long?"

"The last one, if I recall correctly, was that kid Lin Zhouting?"

Lin Zhouting, an SS-class professional from the capital's Lin family, a senior student, and president of the Jingyu Martial Academy Student Union.

"What was his clearance time again?"

"24 minutes?"

"It's been half an hour already, and he still hasn't come out?"

"Could it be... that the person the Principal thinks so highly of can't even clear the tenth floor?"

The thought had barely surfaced in her mind before Xue Jiulan shook her head to dismiss it.

If he couldn't clear it, he would have been slain by the Butcher Vanguard long ago; how could he have lasted until now?

However.

Clearance time represented hunting speed, and in most cases, hunting speed represented a professional's strength.

"In other words, Li Yao is weaker than that kid Lin Zhouting?"

Xue Jiulan's expression turned grave.

If he was only at that level, he was still a far cry from becoming a core member for the Territorial Trials...

Xue Jiulan's thoughts drifted into the distance.

The Territorial Trials were a global grand ceremony initiated by the Heavenly Dao of this world.

Held once every four years.

Every nation on the Blue Planet dispatched ten professionals under the age of 20 to participate together.

They would carve out territorial borders, allocate territorial resources, and bestow endless rewards.

With such an important event, every country would send out their most elite lineups, to the extent that even entities as powerful as SS-class professionals were reduced to mere threshold requirements.

The Principal's intent.

Was for her to pull Li Yao into Jingyu Martial Academy and have him become a core member for the Territorial Trials three months from now.

Clearing the tenth floor of the Tower to the Heavens could be considered the ceiling-level prodigy tier of the Dragon Country.

In past years, such strength would have definitely been enough.

But this year.

Among all professionals under 20 in the entire Dragon Country—whether they underwent early advancement or participated in the official advancement ceremony—not a single one had reached the tenth floor!

Becoming a core member meant leading these people to participate in a grand event filled entirely with top-tier prodigies.

The pressure was immense.

Xue Jiulan felt a headache coming on.

Li Yao had only changed his profession a few days ago. To make a little fellow like this a core member—had the old Principal lost his mind?

One had to know.

During the previous Territorial Trials, the Dragon Country sent two tenth-floor prodigies, and they had only managed to scrape together a third-place ranking.

And this Tower to the Heavens.

Back then, eight years ago, it was she who led a team, risking their lives alongside two other professionals of the same caliber to snatch it back.

Third place didn't come with rewards like this.

Xue Jiulan's expression grew increasingly heavy.

She could already imagine the sense of helplessness Li Yao would face when confronted by those prodigies.

It wasn't that Li Yao was weak; it could only be said that fortune was unkind...

Alas, why hadn't the old Principal discovered Li Yao a bit sooner?

If he had undergone early advancement, there might have been a sliver of a chance!

Just then.

The light spot on the tenth floor of the Tower to the Heavens flickered out.

A human figure materialized at the formation array.

"He's out."

Although Xue Jiulan had anticipated that Li Yao would clear the level, she still breathed a sigh of relief at this moment.

"The first tenth-floor clearance this year, at least we're not completely shut out!"

Xue Jiulan realized she had been overthinking things.

A successful subjugation of the tenth floor meant he was a top-tier genius, whether in the Dragon Country or across the entire world!

Imposing the pressure of the Territorial Trials onto him was unfair to begin with.

Xue Jiulan took a light step with her right foot, and in a flash, she appeared right in front of Li Yao.

The newly emerged Li Yao froze for a moment.

Not because of the newcomer's speed, but because of her gaze.

It had landed squarely on the Void Mantis, which was currently in a state of stealth!

"Is this the summoned beast that broke ten thousand in damage value even before its second transition?"

Xue Jiulan curiously scrutinized the Void Mantis.

"Not bad at all..."

"I'm talking about the stealth technique."

At a single glance, Xue Jiulan could tell that this summoned beast possessed exaggerated strength, and while its other attributes might be higher than ordinary summoned beasts, they were still within reason.

Li Yao looked at her without offering any explanation.

With not a soul around them at the moment, this person had every opportunity to strike and kill the Void Mantis.

Therefore, she must be an ally.

Seeing Li Yao's cautious demeanor, Xue Jiulan nodded in satisfaction.

She immediately produced a five-star badge.

"Five stars!"

Li Yao's body stiffened slightly.

"A Pillar-State General?"

"Since you recognize it, things will be easy." Xue Jiulan put the badge away and smiled as she spoke, "There's no need for formalities; I came here simply to tell you two things."

Without waiting for Li Yao's reply, she continued on her own:

"First is the matter concerning the Yan family. Your grudge with them is now under my jurisdiction."

Xue Jiulan's tone was casual, as if she didn't hold the Yan family in any regard at all.

Li Yao was somewhat surprised, but this was obviously not the time to interrupt her.

Xue Jiulan went on: "So you don't need to worry about what the Yan family might do to the Silver Wolf Guild, nor do you need to worry about them sending professionals above the fourth transition to trouble you. Just focus on leveling up in peace."

"However, the fact that you publicly killed that Yan-what-s-his-name professional this time was still a bit over the line."

Li Yao's heart skipped a beat.

They struck first, so the punishment shouldn't be too severe, right?

Xue Jiulan reached out to tap her chin, as if pondering what kind of punishment to mete out.

"Let's make it... a verbal warning!"

"You brat, watch yourself in the future!"