CHAPTER 1169: CHAPTER 1170: SHREWD MERCHANT!

A day passed by in a flash.

Ling Feng awoke from his meditation and training, and as he opened his eyes, a formidable sharpness spread out from him as the center.

After a day of meditative insight, Ling Feng gained new comprehension in cultivating the "Soul Splitting Technique".

"It’s time to find out what Queen Huanxin’s test is all about."

Ling Feng touched his nose and, without disturbing Tuoba Yan, he headed alone towards the core area of Tianhuan Island, the Heavenly Illusion Palace.

After forming a master-servant contract with the Sky Blue Jade Scale Snake, Tuoba Yan’s cultivation unexpectedly advanced further, so Ling Feng left her to continue her meditation at the inn.

When she wakes up, her strength might have another breakthrough.

Quickly, Ling Feng arrived at the grand and majestic building, the residence of Queen Huanxin, the Heavenly Illusion Palace.

The steps of the Heavenly Illusion Palace numbered nine hundred and ninety-nine; the fact that Queen Huanxin resided within proclaimed her supreme status on Tianhuan Island.

Anyone who came to pay respects needed to do so with an upward-looking posture.

Of course, these steps had another significance: only geniuses who could successfully ascend these nine hundred and ninety-nine steps within the stipulated time were qualified to participate in Queen Huanxin’s test.

And among those geniuses who passed the steps, only one would have the opportunity to use Queen Huanxin’s Time Hourglass.

Once a year, and each time, it would produce an exceptionally talented figure far beyond their peers.

When Ling Feng arrived, there were already over a hundred people at the foot of the steps leading to the Heavenly Illusion Palace!

In addition, there were many people who came to join the excitement, looking enviously at those geniuses who stepped onto the stairs, because at least they had the chance to ascend, while ordinary talents, whose divine sense strength was not strong enough or whose cultivation was too weak, would most likely tumble down immediately, humiliating themselves.

Much like the Soul-locking Bridge, upon these nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, there was an incredibly terrifying Array. Each year, fewer than five, sometimes even fewer, successfully ascended and entered the Heavenly Illusion Palace to meet Queen Huanxin.

"More than ninety percent are at early-stage King Level, such a sight!"

Ling Feng squinted. The cultivation level in this area of the Tianlan Sea Domain was far superior to that of the Sky White Empire; reaching King-level in one’s thirties demonstrated talent comparable to that of Yan Cangtian.

Of course, reaching Emperor Level before the age of fifty depended on individual fortune and talent.

Some might advance to King-level around thirty, yet by the end of their lives, not break through to Emperor Level. Such cases were not uncommon.

The path of cultivation is like millions of soldiers charging a single log bridge; out of ten thousand King-level experts, only one or two might eventually become Human Emperors.

"These faces mostly didn’t appear in the Heroic Pavilion, indicating that those with real power are generally low-key, while those in the Heroic Pavilion are merely ostentatious."

Ling Feng sneered and soon spotted some familiar faces in the crowd.

One was the man in the black robe beside Murong Zining, apparently named Murong Huang. He had promised Murong Zining not to take his life again, and as long as Murong Huang behaved, he would keep his word. But if Murong Huang acted recklessly, he would not hesitate to act.

Another was the purple-robed cultivator he encountered at the city gate, the one who had sold him two Heroic Pavilion tickets at a high price.

"Heh heh..."

The purple-robed cultivator, upon catching Ling Feng’s eye, showed no hint of guilt. Instead, he approached with a hearty smile, exclaiming, "Hey brother, it’s you again!"

Ling Feng rolled his eyes, replying coolly, "You, sir, are truly a shrewd merchant!"

"Hey, you didn’t lose out in the Heroic Pavilion; I heard Queen Huanxin gifted you a top-quality Heavenly Phantom Spiritual Fruit worth a million crystals. You should be thanking me. You’re so wealthy; giving me twenty or thirty thousand crystals isn’t too much, is it?"

The purple-robed cultivator squinted, eyeing Ling Feng with ill intent.

"Your skin is thicker than a black donkey I know!"

Ling Feng was speechless, turned his gaze to the steps in front of him, and couldn’t be bothered with him anymore.

"Brother, I’m called Yang Huanzhi, what’s your name?"

Seeing that Ling Feng ignored him, Yang Huanzhi nudged him with his arm, sidling up to him with a grin.

"Why should I tell you my name?"

Ling Feng rolled his eyes; this guy was overly familiar.

"You might not know, since you caused a scene at the Heroic Pavilion and even took out the Second Elder’s grandson Jian Chen, lots of people in the city want to know your name. The first person to announce your name will get a ten thousand crystal bounty. I’ll split ten percent with you if you tell me?"

"..." Ling Feng was speechless. What kind of person was this, driven by greed to this extent?

"Twenty-eighty works too, or thirty-seventy? Forty-sixty? Come on, brother, let’s all make some money, fifty-fifty should do it, right?"

"Take the money and scram!"

Ling Feng threw a bag of Elemental Crystals toward Yang Huanzhi, who caught it with his movement technique and laughed, "I’m off, I’m skedaddling!"

"So greedy, what’s the background of this guy..."

Ling Feng shook his head, smiling wryly, and thought that Yang Huanzhi seemed to be well aware of everything happening on Tianhuan Island. Judging by his movement technique, his background should be not simple, and his cultivation surpassed those so-called Inner Sea Geniuses who appeared in the Heroic Pavilion.

"He must be a hidden master pretending to be naive, and extremely greedy!"

Ling Feng secretly rated Yang Huanzhi and continued to observe the crowd.

Not far behind Murong Huang stood a cloaked figure in black, their face and body entirely obscured by the cloak, impossible to determine gender or size.

Entirely no aura emanated from them, making them as ethereal as a wisp of a ghost.

"This person is somewhat peculiar!"

Ling Feng made a mental note of the black-robed individual. Besides Yang Huanzhi, this mysterious figure seemed also to be a strong competitor for the Time Hourglass.

At that moment, Great Elder Tianyi from Tianhuan Island descended from the sky, landing on the steps of the Heavenly Illusion Palace, and announced the start of the test from a high position.

"The test of Queen Huanxin begins now!"

"Rule one: There are twelve hours; if you cannot finish the steps within twelve hours, you cannot pass!"

"Rule two: You may only advance, not retreat; stepping back one step means disqualification from the test!"

"Rule three: Only Martial Artists under thirty-five may be tested; those beyond may leave now!"