Section 129: Success

The two hundred and ninety-third time!

Compared to the previous attempts, Tang Tian’s speed was actually much slower. But if one looked closely, they would notice that his rhythmic shifts had become far more elusive.

He moved among the Eighteen Bronze Figures like a butterfly dancing through flowers; though he appeared unhurried, their weapons always grazed his body by the thinnest of margins, striking only empty air.

Suddenly, his waist swayed like a flexible stalk of wheat, leaning gently to the left before snapping to the right with even greater speed.

*Shhh!*

A sword tip whistled past his waist.

Tang Tian, as if he had anticipated this all along, whipped his right leg upward like a striking viper, unleashing a brilliant arc of light.

*Tan Leg!*

*Snap!* The tip of his leg struck the center of the blade, and the Crane Body Force he had been coiled to release erupted, as sharp and piercing as a bird’s beak.

Number 11’s frail frame shuddered as if struck by lightning, sent tumbling backward.

Tang Tian had intentionally baited Number 11 into making a mistake. As the most insidious and dangerous of the lot, Number 11 was the first one he needed to eliminate.

Ignoring Number 1, who lunged toward him, Tang Tian used the Vortex Scattered Hands to pull Number 9, causing it to stumble. *Boom!* Number 9 tripped over one of the other bronze figures. Number 1, unprepared for Number 9’s sudden movement, had to abruptly halt its charge.

Number 9’s position was constantly shifting, forcing the other bronze figures to adjust their formations. Suddenly, Tang Tian darted out from beside Number 9’s feet like a ghost, appearing exactly where the multi-armed triplets were aligned.

Moving with spectral grace, he arrived at the side of Bronze Figure Number 4. He took a deep breath, his internal power surging. With a flick of his palm, he induced Number 4 to reflexively parry, while his legs—like two gleaming, heavy axes—swung alternately!

*Bang! Bang!*

This time, the sharp Tan Leg did not use the Crane Body Force, but the Heaven Dragon Force.

A Tan Leg infused with Crane Body Force was like two razor-sharp battle axes, but one infused with Heaven Dragon Force was like two heavy cannon blasts. Tang Tian held nothing back; he threw everything he had into these two kicks.

Number 4 was struck as if by two artillery shells and flew straight back, colliding with Numbers 5 and 6, who were in the same line. The three tumbled together like a pile of gourds.

Tang Tian retracted his form, slipping back to the side of Number 9, and once again used the Vortex Scattered Hands to force Number 9 to lean backward.

Taking advantage of the gap while Number 9 struggled to stabilize, he suddenly appeared before Number 1 and unleashed a Great Monument Palm.

Number 1 did not flinch, fiercely meeting him with a punch.

However, the surrounding air suddenly vibrated, and Number 1’s punch faltered for a split second. Tang Tian’s Great Monument Palm, like a massive stone tablet, slammed squarely into Number 1’s fist.

*Thud!*

Number 1’s frame trembled.

Tang Tian let out a muffled groan; he had used his full strength for that strike. Yet, instead of retreating, he pressed forward. His legs traced two sharp arcs of light, *ping-ping*, slicing into Number 1’s joints. Both of Number 1’s elbows were severed instantly.

Tang Tian retreated once more into the shadow of Number 9.

Circling the massive body of Number 9, he masterfully controlled its positioning, occasionally striking other bronze figures with the Great Monument Palm and sending them flying.

The number of figures around him dwindled.

As Number 9’s body collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash, Tang Tian was the only one left standing.

*Hoo... hoo...*

The only sound in Tang Tian’s ears was his own ragged, bellows-like breathing. The vast Chamber of the Eighteen Bronze Figures was now deathly silent.

Looking at the bronze figures scattered across the floor in disarray, Tang Tian stood rooted to the spot, unable to believe his own eyes.

He... he had actually done it...

He had broken through the Chamber of the Eighteen Bronze Figures!

An unprecedented sense of achievement flooded every cell in his body. He stared at his palms with bloodshot, astonished eyes, but soon, that astonishment transformed into irrepressible ecstasy.

"Hahahaha!"

"I did it!"

"You bastards! I did it!"

...

Tang Tian jumped over to the bronze figures, triumphant. "Hahaha! I told you! I told you I’d beat you bastards! Hahahaha! I truly am a god-like youth!"

Beneath his feet, the bronze figures lay in pieces, some with bent joints, others with parts scattered everywhere. The empty chamber echoed with Tang Tian’s arrogant declaration of victory.

However... so sleepy...

It felt like he was exhausted...

The tension that had held firm through two hundred and ninety-three battles finally snapped, and a wave of fatigue and exhaustion washed over him. He tried to force his eyelids to stay open, but they grew heavier and heavier. The world before him was gradually swallowed by darkness.

How could a god-like youth be tired...

Just a little sleepy...

Tang Tian collapsed backward onto the ground. Seconds later, thunderous snoring filled the room as his stomach rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

When Bing arrived, he found Tang Tian sleeping soundly, a string of drool trailing from the corner of his mouth. He looked completely undignified, like a child exhausted from play, sleeping in perfect peace.

His sleeping face was bruised, black and blue, beyond recognition. His clothes were shredded, and his exposed skin was covered in a dense web of wounds.

Though the injuries sustained in the Chamber of the Eighteen Bronze Figures were not fatal, they were no less painful. Yet, there was not a trace of pain on Tang Tian’s face; instead, he wore a smile of infantile contentment, his mouth slightly agape, opening and closing in rhythm with his snores.

Two hundred and ninety-three matches...

How on earth did this guy win...

To think I missed such an important battle...

When Bing had opened the Chamber of the Eighteen Bronze Figures, he had never expected Tang Tian to pass. He had only intended to apply more pressure to force him to grow faster.

But this guy... he had actually cleared the chamber...

No, he had conquered it!

Bing watched Tang Tian quietly, his heart unable to settle for a long time.

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When Tang Tian woke up, he felt ravenously hungry and thirsty, his limbs weak. His eyes burned with a green glint as he frantically grabbed food from the Aquarius martial cabinet, dashed toward the water source like a gust of wind, and threw himself against the bronze channel, gulping down water.

The food Tang Tian kept on him consisted of non-perishable rations. He didn't care about the taste now; he simply devoured it.

Eat, eat, eat...

Tang Tian actually finished all the dry rations in the Aquarius martial cabinet in one go.

"It's all gone..." Tang Tian touched his belly, which was now noticeably round, feeling a lingering sense of hunger.

Bing drifted in like a ghost, his painted poker face wearing a smirk. "Yo, the youth is awake. I’m quite surprised you managed to break through the Chamber of the Eighteen Bronze Figures!"

"Wahahahaha! Of course! How could a short-sighted guy like you, Old Man, understand the infinite potential contained within a god-like youth!" Tang Tian lacked any shred of humility, standing akimbo with an arrogant laugh, looking completely undignified.

Bing smiled. "True, true. Then let’s start the next challenge! A youth should constantly challenge himself! That’s the only way to ignite infinite potential."

Tang Tian’s heart skipped a beat, and all his arrogance vanished. He laughed awkwardly. "Aha, no rush, no rush! Let’s go find Qianhui first. Once we find her, we can start. There’s plenty of time, plenty of time."

The Chamber of the Eighteen Bronze Figures had already been so terrifying; the other challenges...

Tang Tian remembered that when Bing mentioned the chamber, he had said it was only one of the top three most painful training sessions in the New Recruit Camp. This meant there were at least two other types of training that were absolutely no less brutal.

Just thinking about it made Tang Tian’s scalp tingle.

If anyone talked to him about training right now, he would throw up.

Two hundred and ninety-three matches—nearly three hundred. Even if you forced yourself to eat three hundred steamed buns, you’d eventually vomit.

"Bing, we’ve already wasted too much time. We need to hurry." Tang Tian quickly changed the subject. "Let’s start opening the path now."

The corner of Bing’s mouth curled into an arc. "Are you sure you’ve rested enough?"

"Of course!" Tang Tian slapped his chest. "I’m fully recovered! A god-like youth is as vigorous as a dragon and a tiger! Come, let’s go open the Southern Cross passage!"

He then shifted his tone, squinting his eyes to mimic a master, lowering his voice into a gravelly, muffled tone: "My great axe has grown thirsty and impatient!"

"Then let's go." Surprisingly, Bing didn't mock him, instead turning to walk out. "By the way, I’ve prepared a new mount for you."

"A new mount?" Tang Tian blinked. "Little Ostrich was doing just fine."

"Don't forget you took out Kong Youlin. Anything from the Southern Cross Legion is too eye-catching." Bing reminded him. "I had Sai Lei refit one for you."

Tang Tian, following behind Bing, stopped and pointed blankly toward the distance. "Is that the thing?"

Bing smiled and nodded. "That’s right!"

"Are you sure this thing won't collapse when I sit on it? Good heavens, what kind of ostrich is this starved?" Tang Tian’s face darkened. "That crazy woman must still be holding a grudge and doing this on purpose."

The mount in front of him had shrunk drastically in size. The bronze mechanical ostrich was taller than Tang Tian, with incredibly thick, sturdy legs. But the creature before him looked like a starving ostrich, skin and bones, only half the height of the previous one. Its legs were as thin as reeds.

What made Tang Tian even more furious was that it was painted entirely red!

A sharp, unpleasant voice sounded from behind him. "It’s a flamingo!"

Sai Lei’s eyes crackled with electric sparks, cold and murderous. "Are you insulting my work? Hmm, kid? If you don't know quality, keep your mouth shut! It’s far superior to the bronze mechanical ostrich. Its own weight is only one-third of the previous one, which means it consumes only one-third of the energy. Its speed is not a bit slower than the bronze mechanical ostrich, and more importantly, its short-distance burst speed can rival a sixth-grade light-body technique known for its velocity!"

"It’s that strong?" Tang Tian was taken aback, though he remained skeptical.

"Why don't you try it and see, kid!" Sai Lei said proudly.

Tang Tian didn't say another word and jumped onto the flamingo’s back. The bird moved like a gust of wind, beginning to race around the training field.

"Wow, this is great!"

Tang Tian urged the flamingo to sprint, shouting in joy. He quickly grew to love it. The flamingo was indeed excellent; its stride was far lighter than the bronze mechanical ostrich, almost silent, without any of the clanking, booming sounds of its predecessor.

Sai Lei huffed and turned away to attend to her own business.

"Old Man, let's go!" Tang Tian let out a howl and urged the flamingo to charge out.

Soon, Tang Tian reached the spot where he had encountered the Star Soul Snake last time, but it was empty.

Bing pointed the way, and the two moved forward cautiously. To their utter surprise, they didn't encounter a single Star Soul Beast along the way.

"Are you sure we’re not lost?" Tang Tian asked.

Bing looked uncertain. "It has to be this way. That path is very well hidden."

His eyes suddenly lit up. "Yes, this is it! Look there! That rocky pass—go through it!"

Tang Tian’s spirits lifted, and he quickly dove into the rocky passage. After winding through twists and turns for about an hour, a Star Gate appeared before them.