Chapter 45: the Heavenly Pressure Trial 2

"Good luck, baby~" Aveline’s sweet voice echoed in his mind through their mental connection.

"Thanks, Aunt!" Veyron replied through mind transmission.

Seeing the loving expression on her face filled him with warmth and determination. With such precious people supporting him, he had even more reason to perform well in the upcoming trial.

Finally, he turned toward Grand Elder Eleanor and gave her a playful wink as well.

Eleanor was momentarily startled by his unexpected gesture before a faint twitch appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"This brat!" she muttered, her usually cold expression betraying a hint of exasperation. Beside her, Aveline couldn’t help giggling at Eleanor’s reaction.

Meanwhile, Veyron wasted no time. With a confident smile, he turned around and swiftly leaped into the teleportation gateway.

The moment Veyron leaped into the teleportation gateway, he was transported directly into the hall where the trial was taking place. Almost all the other participants arrived at the same time.

However, the instant they appeared inside the hall, a tremendous pressure crashed down upon them, causing their legs to buckle beneath them.

Many struggled to remain standing, feeling as though they would collapse to their knees at any moment.

And this was only twofold gravity.

Veyron glanced around and saw numerous disciples struggling to withstand the pressure. Some had already fallen to their knees, triggering their immediate disqualification.

Yet, compared to the others, Veyron didn’t feel nearly as much pressure as he had expected.

Meanwhile, the audience watching from the Azure Battle Grounds erupted into cheers as the participants began struggling forward, determined to reach the passing boundary.

Ignoring the commotion around him, Veyron calmly began moving forward. He crossed the twofold gravity zone with relative ease and soon approached the threefold gravity boundary.

"Look! Veyron is moving!"

"He’s walking as though he can’t feel the pressure at all!"

"Look, Max Strom is moving forward too!"

"Yeah! Naomi Keren is catching up to them!"

One after another, the stronger disciples began advancing toward the passing boundary, separating themselves from the struggling masses.

As Veyron entered the threefold gravity zone, however, he immediately felt the difference. His legs grew noticeably heavier, and the pressure bearing down on his body intensified.

Although the strain was considerable, it was still something he could endure.

He stopped briefly, regulating his Spirit Energy and calming his mind. Then, he focused his willpower, steeling his resolve and preparing his body to withstand the increasing pressure.

His willpower had always been one of his greatest strengths, and he had no intention of allowing this trial to break it.

After steadying himself, Veyron glanced behind him and noticed two more participants rapidly catching up.

They were none other than Max Strom of the Strom Clan and Naomi Keren of the Keren Clan.

Both were two years younger than Veyron, yet they had already reached Rank Five and Rank Four of the Spirit Adept Realm, respectively.

The Keren Clan was also renowned for its light affinity, being the only clan besides the Imperial Clan known for wielding it.

Veyron merely smiled at their arrival before turning forward and continuing his advance.

Seeing him move again, Max and Naomi felt their competitive spirits ignite. Neither wanted to fall behind, and both immediately increased their pace.

Meanwhile, back at the Azure Battle Grounds, Elder Rowan watched the projection with a thoughtful expression as he observed Veyron advancing through the threefold gravity zone.

"Looks like this young man has encountered some kind of fortune recently. Such a drastic change in such a short period is difficult to explain otherwise."

The other Elders heard his remark, and Elder Kenji nodded in agreement.

"I believe so too, Elder Rowan. Just look at him! He’s still smiling while others are struggling even to stand. He’s performing better than many Outer Court geniuses!"

"No, Brother. Look more closely," Elder Shin interjected, stroking his long white beard with a knowing smile. "Yes, he’s smiling, but that doesn’t mean he feels no pressure.

He’s concealing his pain and struggle behind that smile. That is what true resolve looks like—smiling even while enduring the challenges of the heavens!"

His words prompted the others to look more carefully at Veyron.

And Elder Shin was right.

Veyron wasn’t blessed with any special physique that allowed him to ignore the pressure. His current performance was the result of his cultivation, powerful willpower, and exceptional control over his Spirit Energy.

He was expending Spirit Energy just like the other participants, using it to reinforce his body and resist the crushing gravity. However, there was one crucial difference: his Spirit Energy replenished at an astonishing rate.

Thanks to his Celestial Spirit Core, his recovery was far faster than that of an ordinary cultivator.

Furthermore, his Spirit Veins possessed a greater capacity than those of his peers, allowing him to store and circulate substantially more Spirit Energy.

As a result, even when the pressure forced him to expend large amounts of energy, he could replenish what he had lost almost immediately.

This was the main reason Veyron could continue advancing faster than most of the other participants.

He wasn’t free from the pressure, nor was he immune to the strain it placed upon his body. He was enduring it just like everyone else.

The difference was that his exceptional recovery, greater Spirit Energy reserves, and unwavering willpower allowed him to keep moving forward even when others were forced to slow down.

Elder Selena watched Veyron for a moment before shifting her gaze toward her youngest brother, Max Strom.

Max was widely regarded as one of the greatest geniuses among the Outer Court disciples. Yet, despite his exceptional talent and impressive cultivation, he was falling behind Veyron Ignis.

The same Veyron Ignis who had been crippled not long ago!

Now, he was leaving the other participants behind, advancing through the trial under her watchful gaze.

By the time Veyron reached the fourfold gravity zone, Max and Naomi Keren had only just reached the threefold gravity zone. Both appeared visibly exhausted as they struggled against the increasing pressure.

Meanwhile, Veyron had stopped briefly to regulate his Spirit Energy and prepare himself for the next stretch.

Watching his performance, Selena couldn’t help feeling increasingly impressed by him. His sudden transformation was astonishing, and his composure under pressure only made him more intriguing.

Just as Veyron was regulating his Spirit Energy, a familiar notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.

[Potential Bonding target Selena Strom’s interest in the host is increasing!]

[Would you like to establish a bond with her?]

[Yes] [No]

Veyron was momentarily surprised.

He hadn’t expected something like this to happen so soon. However, as he recalled a certain fellow, an evil smile gradually spread across his face.

"Well... let’s start with the elder sister. Mother can come later," he muttered under his breath. With that, he selected Yes.

Ding!

[Fourth bond established.]

[Host may assign this bond to one of two slots: Harem or Random.]

Veyron glanced at the notification before casually dismissing it.

"I’ll decide that later."

[Sigh...]

"Hmm? What is it?" Veyron asked upon hearing the system sigh.

[Nothing. Just move forward already. They’re catching up to you!]

**

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