Chapter 925: Entering the Seventh Level

The sixth floor was even more spacious, and its walls were covered with various formations.

Battles between From-Saint realm experts are incredibly powerful. If their power were to leak, it could easily cause disaster. With the reinforcement of these formations, it was different. Those who entered could fight freely without any concerns and could better unleash their strongest combat power.

Approaching and looking towards the center, they had expected to see a puppet lying on the ground, either heavily injured or shattered, just like in the first five levels. However, this was not the case.

A puppet was sitting nearby, looking imposing and at ease. Its aura was like a sharp long sword, emanating a bone-chilling coldness.

"Isn't the puppet on the sixth floor supposed to be at the From-Saint initial stage? How come... it doesn't look like it?"

"It doesn't look like it, it seems to have become stronger!"

"Aren't puppets' strengths fixed? Can't they cultivate? How could it have gotten stronger?"

Seeing this, everyone's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

With their discerning eyes, they could easily tell that this puppet's actual strength had already surpassed the confines of the From-Saint initial stage and reached the intermediate stage!

But... wasn't the sixth level always at the initial stage? When did its cultivation increase?

Puppets are machines, artifacts of Heavenly Craftsmen. Even if they possess sentience, they are still just tools... they cannot cultivate. If they can't cultivate, how could their strength increase?

"Could it be... that this guy killed the Dean?"

Someone spoke up, and everyone instantly froze.

In the previous levels, the Dean had passed with great ease, and the puppets were easily defeated. Now that the puppet's strength in this level had suddenly increased, and the Dean hadn't returned, could he have been killed before he could react?

If that were true, they would definitely be sinners in history.

"What about the person who challenged this level a day ago?"

Unable to hold back any longer, Zhao Bingxu took out his elder's token and urgently asked.

"The person who challenged this level? You mean Teacher Zhang, right! I have already acknowledged him as my teacher and become his disciple-puppet. May I ask why you are looking for my teacher..."

The puppet quickly stood up, smiling as it spoke.

"Acknowledged him as teacher..."

"Disciple-puppet?"

Zhao Bingxu, Elder Mi, and the others' eyes went dark, and they nearly collapsed.

The Dean could make people acknowledge him as their teacher, and make beasts and sacred artifacts recognize him as their master; they had tolerated all of that... After all, there were precedents. But making a puppet acknowledge him as its teacher? What in the world was that?

Although this thing could speak human language and had sentience, it was still a machine after all. Its memories and knowledge were infused into it. Acknowledging a teacher... what would it even learn?

"Yes, I was originally blocking my teacher, about to fight. Then he suddenly discovered a clear flaw in my refining process and helped me correct it... A simple correction immediately raised my strength by a level. Someone so formidable, of course I had to acknowledge him as my teacher!"

Seeing everyone's confusion, the puppet quickly explained.

"A flaw in the refining process?"

The Dean of the Heavenly Craftsmen Academy's mouth twitched. "Since when... did the Dean also become proficient in the art of Heavenly Craftsmen?"

So many renowned teachers had challenged this level throughout history, but none had ever spotted a problem. Yet, the Dean not only pointed it out but also helped correct it... His understanding of the Heavenly Craftsmen profession was clearly superior, not inferior, to his own!

This... was there any profession in the world that the Dean didn't master?

"Yes, Teacher Zhang is my master, and he went to the seventh floor a day ago. If you want to find him, just go up..."

The puppet nodded.

"Let's go!"

Knowing that this puppet had already acknowledged him as its teacher, it naturally wouldn't obstruct them anymore. Everyone proceeded towards the seventh floor, as recorded by the former Dean Mo Liuzhen.

The puppet on this floor possessed strength at the From-Saint late stage. They wondered what Teacher Zhang would encounter and if he would be in danger.

"I've read the notes left by Dean Mo Liuzhen," Zhao Bingxu said with a solemn expression as they walked upwards. "They record that when he challenged the seventh level back then, it was extremely dangerous, with death possible at any moment. Fortunately, he had a breakthrough during the battle, which allowed him to win in one fell swoop."

Dean Mo Liuzhen had left notes detailing his experiences while challenging the Record Mountain.

The reason he was able to reach this level with only a Chrysalis Stage initial cultivation was not purely due to his strength. There was also an element of luck involved; had he not fortuitously broken through, he might have been severely injured or even died, let alone breaking the record.

As they ascended higher in the Record Mountain, the puppets grew stronger. Their power was also harder to control, easily leading to unpredictable situations.

The Dean had entered here a day ago and hadn't returned; could he have encountered such a situation?

"I sincerely admire the Dean's strength, but the Chrysalis Stage is still too low," someone said. "To cross almost three major cultivation levels and challenge a From-Saint late stage expert, the chances of winning are simply too slim!"

"Yes, I've seen many Battle Masters over the years," another added, "But to speak of someone crossing nearly three major cultivation levels to fight and still win, I've never seen it!"

"If even Battle Masters can't do it, how could the Dean possibly accomplish it?"

Thinking of the formidable puppet on the seventh floor, everyone grew increasingly worried.

Although Battle Masters are a type of renowned teacher, they are actually completely different. They are similar to an army, used to protect humanity and uphold the authority of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

Because of this, Battle Masters emphasize combat power. They don't study auxiliary professions, nor do they focus on teaching and nurturing or cultivating students. Instead, their rank is determined solely by their strength.

Compared to teaching and nurturing, other professions are certainly not worth mentioning. But when it comes to combat power, almost no one can compare to them.

Even these individuals find it difficult to cross nearly three major cultivation levels and win a battle. How much more so for an ordinary master teacher?

Full of worry, everyone arrived at the seventh floor.

This place was even wider; pushing open the door and stepping inside, it seemed somewhat deserted, unlike the compact previous levels.

Numerous defensive formations were fortified all around. There was no sign of anyone in the middle of the spacious hall, leaving them bewildered.

There was no puppet, nor any traces of battle. Had the Dean not fought here?

"Wait, what's that?" As if discovering something, Elder Mi pointed towards a corner nearby.

Everyone looked in unison and immediately saw a pile of shattered parts on the ground.

"It's the puppet... it's been dismantled into pieces!" The Dean of the Heavenly Craftsmen Academy came closer, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

Each of the puppets in the Record Mountain was composed of tens of thousands of intricate and complex parts. This one, however, had clearly been forcefully broken apart and returned to its original state.

"Could this be the guardian puppet, already smashed into such a state?" Elder Mi's gaze was dull.

Defeating the puppet was already difficult. To dismantle it into this state... how strong must one be?

"It should be..." Shaking his head, the Dean of the Heavenly Craftsmen Academy wore a wry smile.

Although he had never been to this floor before, the pile of parts on the ground, with their complex structure, superior materials, and exquisite refining techniques, clearly indicated their extraordinary nature. When assembled, their strength would certainly surpass the From-Saint realm.

For such a powerful puppet to be reduced to this pile, no one would believe it wasn't the Dean who did it.

Everyone had thought it would be difficult for him to win. Yet, upon arrival, they saw that he had directly dismantled the puppet...

Dean, you are truly ruthless!

The puppet was only responsible for guarding the level. How did it offend you so much that you dismantled it into this monstrous state...

Tens of thousands of parts, even with blueprints, would take a six-star Heavenly Craftsman at least several days to restore... Most importantly, this was just the physical body; restoring its sentience and battle consciousness would likely be even more troublesome, requiring assistance from the Martial Arts Academy.

In other words, with this dismantling by the Dean, their two academies would be busy for at least half a month to get this level operational again.

However, almost no one who hasn't reached the Half-Saint realm can challenge this level. With no such challengers appearing for thousands of years, there's no need to rush.

"In the previous levels, the Dean had always shown mercy," Wei Ranxue said. "It seems on this floor... he truly took action!"

In the many previous levels, the Dean would either glance at them or shout, his only goal being to repel the puppets and render them unable to attack. He hadn't truly used his full strength.

Upon entering this level and seeing parts scattered everywhere, it was clear he had directly engaged in combat.

Even they, at the From-Saint late stage, would find it difficult to win against such a puppet. Yet, the Dean, who was only at the Mortal-Transcending Ninth Layer initial stage, had dismantled it into scattered parts...

"Back then, Dean Mo Liuzhen only barely won," someone mused, with twitching mouths. "But the Dean not only won but also dismantled it like this. How strong is he? And how exactly does he cultivate?" Everyone fell silent.

It seemed the Dean's strength was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. Not only could he challenge opponents beyond his cultivation level, but he could also cross nearly three major levels, already reaching or even surpassing the standard of a Battle Master.

Terrifying!

Previously, they had thought the Dean put almost all his energy into auxiliary professions, which explained why he was so formidable in them. Now it seemed that auxiliary professions were indeed skills he hadn't seriously focused on; his true energy was dedicated to cultivation!

Otherwise, he wouldn't possess such formidable combat power.

No one achieves greatness without effort! To be this formidable, he must have undergone unimaginable rigorous training.

Putting everything else aside, his sheer perseverance alone was admirable.

"The Dean is fine on this floor, it looks like he went to the eighth floor. This is bad..." After circling the room and finding no trace of Zhang Xuan, Zhao Bingxu's brows furrowed as something occurred to him.

"Yes, he must have entered the eighth floor..." Elder Mi's face also turned a little pale.

"What's wrong? Is there something unusual about the eighth floor too?" Elder Wei Ranxue, who didn't know much about the Record Mountain, frowned and asked, noticing their unnatural expressions.

"We're worried the Dean might encounter danger on the eighth floor!" Zhao Bingxu said.

"Oh, that's what it is. No need to worry," Wei Ranxue said with a smile. "For the seventh floor, we also thought the Dean would find it difficult to pass, but in fact, he reduced the puppet to this state, proving his strength is incredibly formidable, far beyond our imagination! With such ability, passing the eighth level, which only has a From-Saint peak stage puppet, shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

From the moment they entered the Record Mountain, everyone had been filled with various worries. But the Dean, with his absolute strength, had shown them that such worries were completely unnecessary.

They had already passed seven consecutive levels, witnessing the miracles created by the Dean step by step. Was there anything left for them not to believe?

Even if someone were to tell her now that the Dean had fought his way through the entire journey, she would find it completely acceptable.

"It's not as simple as you think. The puppet on the eighth floor is quite special, different from the previous ones..."