Chapter 579 - 352: One Year Later

Chapter 579: Chapter 352: One Year Later

Inside the central building.

Beside Chen’s seat.

"Old Ghost Chen, what’s going on with that little guy from your Alka District, Li Wen?" an acquainted Immortal asked, confused.

"That kid Barton is already in the top three thousand, so why is he still dawdling on the first layer? Isn’t he famous for his enlightenment, reaching the eighth layer of the Heaven-Reaching Tower at just forty?"

Another Immortal chimed in, "Yeah, this pace is way too slow."

"We could understand if he were slow on the Stairs of Solitude, but not in the Enlightenment Tower! Could it be that the pressure is too much and he’s choking?"

The skin on Chen’s face twitched imperceptibly.

Confusion was also sprouting in his heart.

As the team leader, he had the authority to view the live assessment of the contestants from his district.

He immediately pulled up the projected feed for Li Wen.

In an independent Starry Sky Illusion Realm, Li Wen was seen floating cross-legged in the void, his eyes slightly closed.

His posture was serene and his breathing was long and steady, like an old monk in deep meditation, undergoing a profound period of secluded cultivation.

Meanwhile, the shard of a basic elemental Law, which floated in the center of the space and represented the key to clearing the layer, was being completely ignored by him.

On the light screen, the analysis progress for that Law shard was still stuck at 99%.

"This guy... what in the world is he doing? Why isn’t he comprehending the remaining 1%?" Chen’s brows furrowed, his voice thick with bewilderment.

The few Immortals beside him also leaned in to look, a hint of astonishment appearing in their eyes as well.

"Something’s not right," a perceptive Immortal’s eyes flashed as he stared intently at Li Wen.

"Is he... comprehending the Time Law?"

"Borrowing the chicken to lay an egg?!" The Immortal who had spoken first came to a sudden realization, his tone tinged with amazement.

"Using the time acceleration and active Laws inherent in the assessment space to cultivate?

Each layer gives you a year, so seven layers means seven years of accelerated time... This kid really has some nerve."

Chen stared at the image of Li Wen immersed in his cultivation, and his furrowed brow gradually relaxed. "So that’s how it is..."

His gaze swept over the rapidly climbing names on the leaderboard and Li Wen’s motionless ranking, the worry in his heart not entirely dispelled.

’Is there really enough time? And how much of the external pressure can he withstand?’

As for Li Wen, he was completely oblivious to the outside world’s clamor, the leaderboard’s fluctuations, and the Immortals’ discussions.

His entire mind was immersed in the long river of time.

Inside the Enlightenment Tower’s space, time was as if being stretched and accelerated by an invisible hand.

While Li Wen was engrossed in his cultivation, the others had already charged up one layer after another.

During this time, a dazzling chase was playing out on the light-screen leaderboard in the Central Square.

The most dazzling of all was undoubtedly Ling Xuzi, from the Celestial Vault Divine Country, widely recognized as this year’s number one seed.

His performance was worthy of his reputation as "the best of this generation."

The first layer, a mere two minutes and seventeen seconds. A pillar of light descended, and his name leaped to the second layer, triggering the first wave of gasps and astonishment.

The Law shard of the second layer only managed to last for just over twenty minutes before it too succumbed.

After stepping onto the 3rd Layer, his pace slowed slightly, but he still cleared it in just over three hours.

When his figure vanished into the pillar of light on the 3rd Layer and reappeared on the 4th Layer, his total time was less than four hours.

"The 4th Layer! Ling Xuzi has entered the 4th Layer!"

"Heavens, that speed... it’s an absolute steamroll!"

"A little over two minutes for the first layer, over twenty minutes for the second, over three hours for the third... All in under four hours? Is he even human?"

"A prodigy from a Divine Country is truly on another level. That comprehension... it’s simply bottomless!"

...

「In the Central Square, within the ancient, dark-gold building floating in the sky.」

The Immortal beings from various powers across human territory were gathered here.

At this moment, their gazes were also locked firmly onto Ling Xuzi’s constantly rising name and layer number.

"This child... is extraordinary." An Immortal surrounded by crystalline stardust murmured, his tone filled with unconcealable admiration.

"His affinity for the Space Law is so high, and his efficiency in analyzing the origin of the Law is the fastest I have ever seen in my life. The Celestial Vault Divine Country has truly found a treasure this time."

"Terrifying indeed." Another Immortal, clad in a robe with flame patterns, chimed in, his gaze sweeping over Ling Xuzi’s distant lead on the light screen.

"Look at the fluidity with which he analyzes the Law shards. That kind of intuitive ability to see through to the essence is more frightening than mere comprehension."

"It seems the top spot in this year’s Enlightenment Tower belongs to him. No one can catch up." Another Immortal sighed. "For the geniuses of his era, it is both a blessing and a tragedy to be his contemporary."

Chen, dressed in a black robe, also nodded slightly.

His gaze held a scrutinizing and subtly complex look.

Ling Xuzi’s performance had undoubtedly brought great honor to the Celestial Vault Divine Country.

Chen’s gaze subconsciously swept over the list for the Alka District.

It paused for a moment on Li Wen’s unmoving name before moving on.

...

「Outside, the countless spectators watching this cosmic event through the Virtual Cosmos were in an absolute uproar.」

The "Celestial Vault Divine Country" channel, which Ling Xuzi belonged to, exploded in popularity.

His name instantly shot to the top of the trending lists in every major Star Domain, even overshadowing the finals themselves.

Hashtags like "Ling Xuzi’s monstrous comprehension," "4th Layer in four hours," and "Number one of the generation, well-deserved" were spammed frantically across screens.

Countless people marveled at his talent, viewing him as a future superstar destined to shine throughout the cosmos.

Meanwhile, the reactions of the other contestants inside the arena were far more complex.

Top-tier contenders like Time Shadow from the Sanctuary of Time and Light and Illusory from the Mimeng Dynasty wore extremely solemn expressions when Ling Xuzi stepped onto the 4th Layer.