Chapter 114: Brewing

Inside the live broadcast room, Le Jingchen was explaining the rules and procedures of the Sky Pillar challenge to the audience.

"For the Sky Pillar challenge, the specific process is as follows: In the first round, contestants each report their target weight, and then they take turns stepping onto the stage to lift the Sky Pillar."

"There will be a total of three rounds, and each contestant will ultimately be scored based on their best performance across all three rounds."

"It's important to note that during the process of reporting their target weight in each round, contestants cannot know what weight other participants have reported."

"This means that before stepping onto the stage in each round, aside from the weight they intend to lift, contestants will only find out how much weight other participants are lifting in that round – whether it's more or less than their own – after each person has taken their turn."

Gang Shan, who was alongside him, asked, "So, it seems a crucial aspect of this challenge is accurately judging one's own maximum strength."

Gang Shan slowly continued, "If you misjudge your maximum strength by estimating too low, your score will be lower. But if you misjudge by estimating too high, you simply won't be able to lift it, resulting in a failed round, a wasted opportunity to lift the Sky Pillar, and even potential injury."

Le Jingchen nodded in agreement, "That's right. In my estimation, all contestants will report a relatively light weight in the first round. This will allow them to adapt, warm up, conserve energy, and assess the maximum weight of the Sky Pillar they can lift."

"In the second round, they will aim for a weight close to their personal limit, securing a baseline score."

"Only in the third round will they go all out, pushing their limits."

In the resting area of Songyang High School.

Wang Hai, He Dayou, and others were watching Gang Shan's live broadcast while simultaneously observing the competition in person.

The reason they were watching Gang Shan's broadcast was due to Wang Hai's recommendation.

Wang Hai had said: "If you're going to watch a body cultivation streamer, Gang Shan is a good choice. He has extensive experience, doesn't sell supplements or techniques, and is one of the few truly reputable streamers."

After watching, everyone found Gang Shan and Le Jingchen's explanations of the physical competition to be very insightful, so they continued watching up to this point.

Qian Shen listened from the side and nodded, saying, "I see. Although this round is a competition, it's actually more of a self-challenge."

He Dayou asked, "Teacher Wang, how much weight do you think Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen can lift on the Sky Pillar?"

Wang Hai calmly replied, "At least 6,000 to 7,000 kilograms should be fine. Beyond that... it's hard for me to say."

Wang Hai watched Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen queuing to report their target weights on the field, then looked up at the Sky Pillar, thinking to himself: "In this final challenge, beyond just exerting strength, the most important factor is the insight and judgment regarding one's own maximum strength."

"Those with sufficiently high levels of body cultivation not only possess immense strength and speed but also need to have a profound understanding and insight into their own physical condition."

"There are only three attempts. Will they choose a weight close to their strength limit, or attempt to challenge something beyond it?"

"What would you choose?"

Meanwhile, upon hearing the figure of 6,000 to 7,000 kilograms, the others nearby took a deep breath, expressing their admiration.

Zhao Tianxing remained silent because he felt that if he, the weakest person present, were to exclaim or gasp, he would appear like a clown.

"Alas, as long as a person is weak and poor, every word, every action will appear ridiculous in the eyes of the strong."

"Weakness and poverty are always relative."

He looked at Qian Shen and He Dayou beside him, thinking, "Even someone as rich as Qian Shen, or as strong as He Dayou... once they come to this competition arena, compared to these contestants, they seem weak and poor."

"And no matter how arrogant they were in the past, or what kind of prestige they held at school, their current actions, contrasted with the powerful individuals on stage, would appear comical, even clownish."

This was the principle Zhao Tianxing had deduced after extensive self-observation, which he termed the "Weak-Poor Clown Theory."

"A strong or wealthy person, simply by appearing before a group of even stronger or wealthier individuals, becomes poor or weak, then appears comical, and ultimately a clown."

Zhao Tianxing sighed inwardly, "There's no helping it. This is an era where scores reign supreme, immortal cultivation is revered, and money can move mountains."

With all contestants' target weights reported for the first round, the competition officially began.

Contestants would take to the stage one by one, in order from lowest to highest target weight.

The first to step onto the stage was a person from Ziyun.

The purple-skinned individual slowly walked onto the stage, and the number "2000 kg" appeared on the body of the Sky Pillar.

Looking up at the slowly descending Sky Pillar, the Ziyun person let out a soft yell, extended both palms skyward, and firmly struck the base of the Sky Pillar.

With a loud thud, the previously descending Sky Pillar was abruptly halted.

After five seconds, the "2000 kg" display on the Sky Pillar disappeared, and the pillar slowly ascended, retracting back into place.

The Ziyun person who had just performed let out a small sigh of relief and walked off the stage.

Following him, contestant after contestant stepped up, each lifting their reported weight.

The numbers appearing on the Sky Pillar grew progressively higher, from 2000 kg to 2500 kg, then to 3000 kg...

When Chu Qiuhe took the stage, he was already lifting a 3500 kg Sky Pillar.

With a shout, he effortlessly stopped the 3500 kg Sky Pillar, then slightly propped it up, feeling the pressure it exerted.

He secretly estimated, "With my strength level, lifting up to 6500 kg shouldn't be a problem, right? Should I push it higher? Try to challenge my limit..."

In the live broadcast room on the other side, Gang Shan and Le Jingchen watched student after student take the stage.

Gang Shan chuckled, "As expected, everyone is warming up in the first round and getting accustomed to the Sky Pillar's mechanics."

Le Jingchen stated, "How much physical strength can be exerted, and ultimately how much weight of the Sky Pillar can be lifted, is inextricably linked to a person's strength limit and the contestant's condition on that particular day."

"However, for contestants with strong insight into their own bodies, this round is usually enough to accurately determine their limits and know the maximum Sky Pillar weight they can support."

As both commented on the competition, the numbers on the Sky Pillar continuously changed, generally ranging from two or three thousand kilograms to three or four thousand kilograms.

Clearly, no one was exerting their full strength in this round. All contestants were adapting to the Sky Pillar, conserving energy, and silently assessing the maximum weight their bodies could lift.

Yet, even the three to four thousand kilogram Sky Pillars left many students in the audience stunned.

Zhang Yu ascended the high platform, slowly making his way directly beneath the Sky Pillar.

He hadn't felt it while offstage, but now, standing directly beneath the Sky Pillar, looking up... he felt as if the entire sky was being obscured.

Especially as the Sky Pillar slowly descended, it felt as if the entire sky was sinking, bringing an immense sense of oppression to those below.

Zhang Yu reached out to touch the base of the Sky Pillar, feeling the downward pressure, and thought to himself: "Is this what a 3600 kg Sky Pillar feels like?"

Sensing the Sky Pillar's weight, perceiving his body's condition, and the support from every muscle fiber... Zhang Yu gradually formed an estimate of how much weight he could lift.

As Zhang Yu descended from the stage, he nodded at Bai Zhenzhen, who was preparing to go up.

And as Bai Zhenzhen stood beneath the Sky Pillar, feeling the downward force, she couldn't help but think: "Indeed, watching from below and actually lifting it on stage are completely different sensations..."

In the live broadcast room, Gang Shan asked, "Jingchen, who do you think will win the Sky Pillar challenge?"

Le Jingchen replied, "The muscle mass of students with demonic lineage far exceeds that of other contestants. Therefore, even with similar physical strength, their power output tends to be greater."

"This increased strength, a result of greater muscle mass, was a burden due to extra volume and weight in the agility and speed challenges of the first two rounds, but in this round, it becomes an advantage."

"Among the students with demonic lineage, Xiong Wenwu has the highest body weight and the highest physical strength."

"If Xiong Wenwu represents the pinnacle of raw strength, then Yu Xinghan embodies the fusion of strength and technique, capable of more deeply excavating the body's power and unleashing greater strength with less muscle mass."

"The ultimate champion of the Sky Pillar challenge should come down to Xiong Wenwu and Yu Xinghan."

While Le Jingchen and Gang Shan were talking, the second round of the Sky Pillar challenge had already begun.

And as the two had previously explained, contestants had all chosen a weight close to their limits, aiming to secure a baseline score in this round.

As contestant after contestant took the stage, the numbers on the Sky Pillar steadily increased, with every student demonstrating a much higher weight than in the previous round.

Shortly after Lian Tianji had just lifted the 6000 kg Sky Pillar,

Chu Qiuhe failed when challenging the 6800 kg Sky Pillar.

With a furious roar, he desperately propped up the base of the Sky Pillar with both palms, but his body trembled ceaselessly under the 6800 kg pressure. He couldn't stop the pillar's descent at all and ultimately had to grit his teeth and retreat from the stage.

In the live broadcast room, Gang Shan commented, "Alas, this is what happens when you overestimate your own capabilities."

Le Jingchen said, "The flaw of simulated demonic muscle is that it easily reduces one's control over their body, leading to inaccurate judgments. For ordinary people seeking powerful physical strength, the best method is still through medication..."

"As for the naturally superior muscle mass of those with demonic lineage, and the physique and control like Yu Xinghan's which requires meticulous guidance from a Golden Core Master, these are not conditions available to ordinary people..."

Clearly, in this Sky Pillar challenge, Le Jingchen intended to label Xiong Wenwu and Yu Xinghan, who were vying for the championship, as "demonic lineage" and "Golden Core disciples," thereby emphasizing the greater accessibility and importance of medication and super-metabolic surgery for ordinary people.

Just as Le Jingchen began promoting Ziyun Pharmaceutical's new technologies once again,

It was finally Bai Zhenzhen's turn for her second attempt.

With a surge of power, she successfully lifted the 7000 kg Sky Pillar.

Feeling her body's condition, especially the pulsing of her scars, Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself: "I'll try 8000 kg next round; that should be close to my limit."

After Bai Zhenzhen finished, it was Zhang Yu's turn to take the stage.

After lifting the 7000 kg Sky Pillar, he walked off the stage expressionlessly.

Seeing Zhang Yu's 7000 kg performance, Le Jingchen thought: "Oh? Given his previous demonstrated ability, he should have been able to lift a heavier Sky Pillar... Did Zhou Chechen's warning take effect?"

"Or perhaps his body hasn't fully recovered yet from the potent medication he took in the previous match?"

In Songyang High School's resting area, watching Zhang Yu's performance, Wang Hai sighed inwardly: "Did he indeed injure himself in the last match? Alas, that's not how you take medication. This kid really... why didn't he ask me before taking it?"

After Zhang Yu finished, the next contestant, Le Mulan, lifted the 7500 kg Sky Pillar. Song Hailong successfully challenged 8300 kg, Hu Yuntao lifted 8800 kg, and Yu Xinghan even surpassed 9000 kg.

However, Zhang Yu, at the side of the competition arena, paid no mind to anyone's thoughts, nor did he even pay attention to the contestants taking the stage one by one.

At this moment, his eyes were fixed solely on himself, on his own flesh and blood.

In this moment, he focused only on himself, solely to unleash his strongest power in the next round.

This was because, during his first attempt at lifting the Sky Pillar, Zhang Yu, through his understanding and mastery of his own body, had clearly pinpointed his limits.

At his level, he could even sense how much weight his body could lift after an over-limit burst of power.

Therefore, he chose not to waste energy pursuing a baseline score in the second round. He didn't go all out early in the second round, which would have drawn the attention and pursuit of other contestants.

He simply lifted a 7000 kg Sky Pillar, neither drawing attention nor expending much effort. Then, he fully concentrated his mind and conserved his physical strength, intending to reveal his peak moment on the final stage.