Chapter 1166: Uninhabited Territory

Above the hundredth floor of the Heavenly Profound Tower, the difficulty surged. Profound beasts not only grew stronger in profound energy but also became more ferocious. Various profound projections employed countless unexpected tactics, and a slight error could lead to severe injury.

Furthermore, as these profound projections and beasts had a far greater understanding of the terrain than newly arrived profound practitioners, escaping them was almost impossible. Even if one managed to force their way to the next level, the creatures would pursue them relentlessly until death.

Finally, on the one hundred and forty-second floor, with a tragic scream, a profound practitioner perished under the ambush of three profound projections.

Upon revival, they were sent back to the one hundred and thirty-second floor, and all the profound beasts and projections previously defeated within those ten floors also resurrected.

Many on the God Sealing Stage were moved. Below the one hundred and fiftoth floor, deaths had already begun. Beyond the two hundredth floor, the question might no longer be who reached the three hundredth floor first, but rather how many would be able to reach it at all!

After the one hundred and fiftieth floor, the ascent rate in the Heavenly Profound Tower noticeably slowed. Even the top one hundred ranked powerhouses became cautious, significantly reducing their speed. Those with lower rankings frequently found themselves in chaotic and perilous situations. Some even needed to rest for a while before entering the next level.

However, there were a few predictable exceptions.

Luo Changsheng was already nearing the two hundredth floor, yet his demeanor remained unchanged. Facing hordes of profound beasts and projections, he merely swept through them with a faint white light, seemingly without effort, as the creatures fell silent, lifeless.

As the last profound beast fell, his figure gracefully landed at the entrance to the next level. He moved with effortless grace, like clouds and flowing water, creating a scene of countless deaths that was paradoxically pleasing to witness.

"Young Master Changsheng… is barely thirty years old, and he hasn't spent more than a few years at most in the Divine Spirit Realm, yet he commands profound energy in this realm to such a degree. When I compare him to myself in my youth, there's simply no comparison."

This sigh came from a Realm King of an Upper Star Realm.

Luo Changsheng appeared delicate, his aura gentle as water, his gaze devoid of sharpness, and he seemed to be a man of few words. Standing among a group of people, one might easily overlook his presence if unaware of his identity.

Yet, every time he displayed his strength, it elicited uncontrollable awe, showing the world why he was known as "Young Master Changsheng," renowned throughout the Eastern Divine Region.

"Jun Xilei… at such a young age, her profound cultivation is astonishingly high, and her sword mastery is simply divine. I, who have dedicated my life to the Way of the Sword and considered myself a master, actually feel ashamed in front of this junior."

"Haha, she's no ordinary junior. She's the sole successor of Senior Sword Monarch, the future Sword Monarch!"

"The daughter of the Glazed Light Realm King has largely kept pace with Jun Xilei. Both have their strengths, and their cultivations are difficult to distinguish. If they meet in the God Sealing Battle, it will surely be a fierce fight."

"As for Lu Lengchuan of the Heaven Covering Realm… though he is also one of the Four God Children of the Eastern Region, a clear disadvantage is becoming apparent compared to the other three. He is also more than twenty years older than them. It seems this generation, the Heaven Covering Realm will be inferior to the Sacred Universe Realm and the Glazed Light Realm."

"The youngest daughter of the Glazed Light Realm, while ranked quite low… still, to reach this stage with only a Divine Spirit Realm Level One cultivation is truly astonishing."

"No, no, have you noticed something? Although this girl has consistently been ranked last and her ascent speed is indeed very slow, she has not died even once. Meanwhile, at least two hundred people ahead of her have died at least once. This is the most remarkable aspect."

The Heavenly Profound Tower battle continued, growing increasingly intense. After reaching the two hundredth floor, the Four God Children of the Eastern Region, who had been far ahead, also noticeably slowed down. At this point, a clear picture of the true combat strength among the thousand Chosen Children was beginning to emerge.

Discussions buzzed on the God Sealing Stage. Finally, with a thunderous cheer from the Sacred Universe Realm, Luo Changsheng successfully stepped onto the two hundred and fiftieth floor.

Only fifty floors remained to the finish line!

After entering the two hundred and fiftieth floor, Luo Changsheng's expression turned grim. His profound energy remained constantly unleashed, and his steps became slow and cautious, no longer exhibiting his previous leisurely pace. On his left arm, two distinct, though not severe, wounds were visible.

Only the last fifty floors remained, but undoubtedly, their difficulty was far more terrifying than the previous two hundred and fifty floors combined. For the Four God Children of the Eastern Region, the true challenge and ordeal had only just begun.

"The difficulty of the Heavenly Profound Tower is completely beyond imagination," said an Upper Realm King. "The Heavenly Profound Pearl sets the difficulty according to the profound practitioners' strength within it. Clearly, the Heavenly Profound Pearl never intended for everyone to reach the summit. The 'shortest time to the summit' is likely just a pretense. Perhaps only about thirty people out of these thousand will actually have the strength to reach the top, regardless of time."

Those around him nodded in agreement.

And just as Luo Changsheng stepped onto the two hundred and fiftieth floor amidst countless exclamations, Yun Che, who had remained motionless and was increasingly ignored and forgotten by everyone, suddenly stirred. He began to run unhurriedly towards the entrance to the first floor.

His movement immediately drew the attention of many, followed undeniably by their derisive laughter.

"What's he doing? He can't possibly be trying to ascend the tower, can he?"

"Hahahahaha, he clearly doesn't know that the enemies on the first floor are in the Divine Spirit Realm. If he dares to go in, he won't last a single breath."

"It would be better to just lie there and sleep. Why insist on seeking death and making a fool of himself?"

As the mockery spread, a multitude of gazes instantly converged on Yun Che. Looking down on the weak undoubtedly brought them an intense sense of superiority. Even those from lower star realms, at the very bottom of the strong practitioners on the God Sealing Stage, found immense, comforting pleasure in Yun Che's situation.

As Yun Che moved forward, his speed increased, and his figure rapidly faded. The moment he stepped into the first floor, he completely vanished without a trace.

All laughter ceased instantly, replaced by wide eyes and faces full of astonishment.

"He… vanished!?"

"Wh-what's going on? What happened?"

"Did he… voluntarily forfeit his qualification and get teleported out? No… that's not right!"

"Look quickly… the projection… it's still moving!"

Yun Che's figure had completely disappeared, but the projection of his battleground continued to move. The image swept past the first floor, then to the second, quickly past the third, and into the fourth… Throughout this process, only the image was visible; Yun Che's figure was nowhere to be seen.

"What's happening?" The Eternal Heaven God Emperor's eyes showed a peculiar glint. Then, he suddenly thought of something, revealing an expression of disbelief.

Even the Heaven Expelling God Emperor, who had shown no interest in the Heavenly Profound Tower battle, suddenly sat upright, his eyes radiating strange light as he stared intently at the empty projection.

"Could it be…?"

"It's complete stealth!" the Dragon Monarch stated slowly.

Since arriving at the Eternal Heaven Realm, his face, gaze, and voice had never been so solemn.

The Five God Emperors all looked sideways. "Dragon Monarch, is it truly…?"

"There are many records of such stealth techniques; they are by no means false," the Dragon Monarch said slowly. "You should all be aware of this. It is the pinnacle of movement profound arts, the ultimate realm. Even if one obtains a profound art of this caliber, truly mastering it is as difficult as ascending to heaven. It requires not only extremely high comprehension but also, it is rumored, an extreme affinity for one or more natural elements, peak mastery over profound energy, a special understanding of the aura of heaven and earth, and furthermore, enlightenment gained through immense fortune… It is, simply put, exceedingly demanding."

"Though I have seen many records, in my three hundred and fifty thousand years of existence, this is the first time I have truly witnessed it with my own eyes!"

"You… no, *we*, have all underestimated this young man."

The Dragon Monarch was visibly moved as he spoke.

The Five God Emperors remained silent for a long time, not uttering a single word. Perhaps they had never imagined that one day, their understanding would be shattered by such a young man.

"Brahma Heaven God Emperor, I recall that the ultimate realm of your Brahma Monarch God Emperor's 'Grand Light Brahma Shadow' is 'Stealth Without a Trace'," the Dragon Monarch suddenly asked.

The Brahma Heaven God Emperor nodded slightly. "That is correct. However, this realm was only achieved by an ancestor nine hundred thousand years ago. No one has mastered it since. I myself attempted it for ten thousand years but gained nothing."

"If I am not mistaken, what this young man is using is the Ice Phoenix Sect's divine profound art from the Snow Song Realm—'Broken Moon Flickering Shadow'!" The Dragon Monarch exhaled slightly. "No wonder he became the personal disciple of the Snow Song Realm King!"

"This isn't just simple stealth," the Heaven Expelling God Emperor murmured, pinching his chin, his eyes still fixed on Yun Che's projection. "Not only has his figure completely vanished, but his aura has also disappeared. He rushed through so many floors, and none of the profound beasts or profound projections reacted at all… Remarkable! To think such a movement art exists in this world—it's truly wondrous!"

The Brahma Heaven God Emperor remained silent for a long time, a strange glint in his eyes. *Besides Ying'er, there's actually a second person in this world who can achieve this.*

Ying'er's talent and comprehension were unmatched in the entire God Realm; she achieved the stealth realm in an instant of enlightenment after breaking through to the Divine Master Realm… and this person is only in the Divine Tribulation Realm…

If even the Dragon Monarch and the Five God Emperors were inwardly aghast, one can imagine the reactions of others. The entire God Sealing Stage erupted in an uproar; even the Realm Kings themselves simply couldn't believe their eyes.

"What on earth is happening?"

"Is it some demonic art? Or a special profound artifact?"

"A movement profound art? Impossible! How could such a movement art exist in this world!"

"Is this… cheating? Damn it… what is going on!?"

Yan Juehai was dumbfounded, and Huo Rulie's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Then he suddenly shuddered and exclaimed, "Hey… Elder Huanzhi, what in the world is this? How did that Yun Che kid… manage to do that?"

Meanwhile, Mu Bingyun and Mu Huanzhi had both stood up, utterly thrilled.

"Could it be…" Mu Huanzhi's eyes widened. He had thought of something but still couldn't believe it.

"'Broken Moon Flickering Shadow'! The ultimate realm that neither the Sect Master nor any previous ancestors have ever achieved!" Mu Bingyun whispered, mumbling.

As the Master of a Divine Hall in the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect and an inheritor of the Ice Phoenix bloodline, witnessing this ultimate movement art of Ice Phoenix power was a deeply soul-stirring and exhilarating experience, one that she would cherish even in death.

Stealth, without a doubt, was one of Yun Che's greatest trump cards, and a vital life-saving one at that. For a long time, the only one who truly knew he could use stealth, besides himself, was Mu Xuanyin.

Only today had Shui Meiyin, a completely unexpected factor, been added to that list.

As for everyone else, even Mu Bingyun was unaware. In the Black Soul Realm, he had assassinated so many and toyed with the Black Soul Divine Sect for so long, yet no one knew he could use stealth—because they would never in a million years have conceived that someone could completely vanish, both in form and aura.

With this trump card, there were many times when even dying was difficult for him.

After a long silence, prolonged thought, and careful deliberation, he finally revealed this trump card before countless people, all for the sake of reuniting with Jasmine.

This was the only method he could conceive, and furthermore, his stealth ability had already been discovered by Shui Meiyin. Once she spoke of it, it would no longer be a secret.

Amidst the completely chaotic exclamations, shouts, and discussions, Yun Che, now without a visible form, sped forward. When he first comprehended the realm of stealth, he had to walk cautiously, as even a slight mistake could expose him.

But now, having been tempered in the Black Soul Realm and undergone two years of arduous cultivation, Yun Che was completely proficient in stealth. In his stealth state, he no longer needed to be cautious, and his speed grew ever faster…

Ten floors… twenty floors… thirty floors… fifty floors…

One hundred floors!

One hundred and twenty floors!

One hundred and fifty floors!

Two hundred floors!

On the God Sealing Stage, the clamor gradually subsided. All eyes, previously fixed on the Four God Children of the Eastern Region and other profound practitioners, were now glued to Yun Che's projection, staring in stunned silence as the image rapidly moved…

Two hundred and twenty floors…

Two hundred and thirty floors…

Two hundred and forty floors…

Two hundred and fifty floors…

Then… he surpassed Luo Changsheng's current floor… and the projection continued to ascend…

There was no pause, no fierce battle. All the profound beasts and projections seemed to have been completely stripped of their consciousness, not one showing even the slightest reaction.

For other profound practitioners, every floor required extreme caution, especially in the later stages, where each one represented a potentially fatal struggle.

But for Yun Che… his battlefield was simply an ascent of the tower!

Two hundred and seventy floors…

Two hundred and eighty floors…

Two hundred and ninety floors…

Two hundred and ninety-nine floors… On this floor, thirty profound beasts and thirty profound projections stood guard together. Yun Che's speed slowed. He walked unhurriedly among them; at his closest, he was less than twenty steps away from a gigantic profound beast.

Yet, that profound beast remained sprawled on the ground, looking around as before. Though clearly alert, it showed no reaction to Yun Che whatsoever.

In this manner, Yun Che passed through the most dangerous and terrifying two hundred and ninety-ninth floor as if no one were present. He walked directly into the entrance leading to the three hundredth floor, and as he stepped inside, his stealth state lifted, revealing his true form under countless stunned gazes.

The three hundredth floor had no profound beasts guarding it, only a profound teleportation array in the center.

Yun Che's expression was calm, devoid of joy or sorrow, as he walked directly into the profound array.

With a flash of light, Yun Che's Heavenly Profound Tower projection completely collapsed and vanished without a trace.

In the center of the God Sealing Stage, from within the dense white light that enveloped the true forms of all "Chosen Children," Yun Che slowly walked out.

A deathly silence greeted him.

"According to the rules, I am first, correct?" Yun Che completely ignored everyone's reactions, stopped, and stated expressionlessly to Venerable Quhuai, who stood directly in front of him.

Venerable Quhuai gazed at Yun Che. This chief arbiter, who had disciplined countless star realms and divine path powerhouses and whose expression would not change even if the sky fell, was speechless for a long time.