The Holy Stele

From the very beginning of the battle, Bei Chuang of the Golden Horn Clan had displayed a clear advantage. Even in the moments before the fight concluded, Bei Chuang, brimming with confidence, unleashed his most powerful ultimate technique, the 'Shocking Sky Sword Art,' utilizing his Sword World Crystal Greatsword, intending to decisively defeat Luo Feng!

But the situation suddenly reversed!

The human genius erupted, overwhelmingly defeating Bei Chuang.

“How could this happen?”

“How did he lose? Just a moment ago…”

The countless Golden Horn Clan members found it impossible to accept this outcome.

The majestic voice presiding over the battle resounded once more: “In this battle, human genius Luo Feng is victorious!”

…

Upon hearing the final result, Luo Feng didn't spare a glance for the heavily injured Bei Chuang, who was slowly picking himself up. Instead, he swiftly flew into the corridor.

“Congratulations, Your Highness,” Dylan said with a smile.

“Prince Luo Feng, your strength is indeed extraordinary. To defeat our clan's genius Bei Chuang so soon after reaching Domain Lord Ninth Tier is truly remarkable,” Sifanqi Elder congratulated, though his tone betrayed a lack of genuine happiness.

“We must leave quickly.”

Luo Feng clearly heard the clamor, discussions, and shouts of over a billion Golden Horn Clan members from the Martial Arena, along with various challenges. Many young Golden Horn Clan members were howling, “Human Luo Feng, I challenge you!” “Human Luo Feng, accept my challenge!” “Accept my challenge, Baswa!”

The challenges, angry curses, and various other sounds merged into a wave that seemed capable of tearing the sky apart.

“Yes, we need to go immediately,” Dylan nodded repeatedly.

“They're too enthusiastic,” Luo Feng said, shaking his head with a chuckle.

“The ordinary populace of the clan yearns for a victory. Bei Chuang's defeat will indeed provoke anger and resentment among many clan members,” Sifanqi Elder sighed, shaking his head. “However, they are merely ordinary folk with narrow perspectives. They fundamentally fail to grasp the greatest distinction between our Golden Horn Clan and humanity. A mere victory in a genius battle, in truth, holds no real utility for the entire clan. Yet… to foster greater unity within the clan, even knowing how pointless it is, we must still support such events.”

Luo Feng nodded.

“Prince Luo Feng, we'll take the back exit,” Sifanqi Elder said.

“Understood.”

…

Luo Feng, Sifanqi Elder, Kashina, Dylan, and five Sector Lord guards quietly departed the Martial Arena through a hidden passage. However, just as they stepped outside, they were intercepted by a group of young individuals.

“Human Luo Feng, please accept my challenge!”

“Human genius, I, Chinuo, formally issue a challenge to you!”

The young Golden Horn Clan members were incredibly agitated.

“Let's go, quickly,” Luo Feng frowned.

“Yes,” Dylan nodded.

“Don't worry, it's fine,” Sifanqi Elder said, using his Immortal power to directly suppress the harassment from the group of young clan members.

Whoosh!

Luo Feng and his group swiftly soared into the sky, flying towards the Holy City.

…

The Holy City was vast, and within it lay a city-within-a-city—the Holy Land.

The Holy Land was the most dazzling and sacred place in the entire Lasiao world. It contained secluded residences, specifically prepared for some powerful Golden Horn Clan experts, and two towers: one called the 'Secret Tome Tower' and the other, the 'Holy Stele Tower.' In terms of importance, the Holy Stele Tower naturally held greater significance.

“Look!” Sifanqi Elder pointed to a white tower, over a hundred kilometers tall, in the distance. “That's the Secret Tome Tower. It holds 'trial versions' of countless secret tomes from generations of our Golden Horn Clan's experts.”

“Trial versions?” Luo Feng was taken aback.

“Correct,” Sifanqi Elder nodded. “Our clan possesses countless secret tomes. To help future generations better choose their secret techniques, a trial version has been created for each. These trial versions contain only a very small, initial portion of the secret technique's content. Their sole purpose is to allow the observer to understand what the secret tome is about. As for detailed cultivation methods, there are none.”

Luo Feng nodded slightly.

“Only after you've decided which one to choose and submitted an application will you be granted the true secret tome,” Sifanqi Elder explained with a smile. “After all, the secret tomes accumulated by our Golden Horn Clan over countless years are invaluable. If all full versions were made available, they would likely be quickly plundered by many powerful races. But with only trial versions, none containing actual cultivation methods, it's very safe.”

Luo Feng understood the reason behind this approach.

“The other tower, the Holy Stele Tower, is where the Holy Stele is kept,” Sifanqi Elder said, pointing to another golden high-rise tower. “Prince Luo Feng, you have the opportunity to comprehend the Holy Stele alone for one month. You will enter that Holy Stele Tower then.”

“Look,” he continued.

“The entire Holy Land is a city within a city.” Sifanqi Elder gestured around them. There were quiet, ancient, and simple residences, devoid of any lavish decoration. Everything appeared old and unadorned. At a glance… a large number of residences exuded a unique, ancient charm.

On the streets, unkempt Golden Horn Clan cultivators could be seen coming and going, each lost in thought.

There were no dining or entertainment facilities within the Holy Land.

This was an atmosphere purely for cultivation!

“To possess a residence in the Holy Land for peaceful, secluded cultivation, one must either be a truly respected expert by countless clan members, a peerless genius admired by all, or an individual highly valued by the elders,” Sifanqi Elder lamented. “Those who cultivate in this Holy Land are the future hope of our Golden Horn Clan.”

“Your Highness, our Golden Horn Clan has also prepared a place for you to stay,” Sifanqi Elder said with a smile. “Please follow me.”

A moment later.

An ancient cultivation residence, spanning about ten mu, appeared in their view. Luo Feng and his group stood before it, and Sifanqi pointed to the dwelling. “This is considered a very large cultivation residence within the Holy Land. Your Highness, you can arrange for your guards to stay here. After your month of comprehension in the Holy Stele Tower, you can also reside here to thoroughly absorb the mysteries of the Holy Stele.”

Outside the cultivation residence, a black-armored Golden Horn Clan member respectfully saluted Luo Feng. “This residence, from today forward, is yours, Your Highness. You may stay as long as you wish.”

Luo Feng smiled and nodded.

“You five, rest here first,” Luo Feng instructed his five Sector Lord guards.

“Yes, Your Highness,” the five bowed respectfully.

“Dylan, accompany me to see the Holy Stele Tower,” Luo Feng said with a smile.

Taking Dylan, Sifanqi Elder, and Kashina, they traveled several hundred kilometers in a short while, arriving at the base of the majestic and brilliant Holy Stele Tower.

…

Luo Feng looked up at the Holy Stele Tower, which was entirely golden and over a hundred kilometers tall.

“Human Luo Feng,” a deep voice echoed in Luo Feng's mind. “I am the Holy Stele Tower Guardian. You have the opportunity to comprehend the Holy Stele alone for one month. Do you wish to begin now?”

“Now will be fine,” Luo Feng nodded.

“Very well.”

The Holy Stele Tower Guardian directly interrupted the Golden Horn Clan members who were currently comprehending the Holy Stele and expelled them from the tower. Perhaps these Golden Horn Clan members hadn't used up their comprehension time… but because of the human, they would have to wait another month before they could resume their comprehension.

“A human genius?”

“Look, that's him.”

“I was comprehending so well, and I was interrupted. I had three more days of comprehension time, but now I have to wait a month to come back for those three days.”

“Honestly.”

“What can you do? He's human.”

Dozens of Golden Horn Clan members emerged from the Holy Stele Tower, glanced at Luo Feng and his group, and then began to communicate telepathically, discussing amongst themselves. However, they dared not cause trouble, merely discussing it before departing.

“Dylan, you all head back first. I'll be in the Holy Stele Tower for a month,” Luo Feng said, then walked directly towards the entrance of the Holy Stele Tower.

…

As soon as he entered the Holy Stele Tower, he felt a biting cold. Even a slight breath felt like ultra-low temperatures permeating his body.

“Human Luo Feng, I am the Holy Stele Tower Guardian. You may call me Guardian.” A figure completely enveloped in magnificent black combat armor, with only a pair of purple eyes visible, and through the helmet, one could vaguely see that the Guardian's skin was dark red. His entire being exuded an incredibly terrifying and sharp aura.

Beside him, a giant blade, approximately three meters tall, was plunged into the ground.

The invisible pressure it exerted on Luo Feng…

Was no less than that of Zhenyan King.

“Guardian,” Luo Feng bowed slightly.

“Enter,” the Holy Stele Tower Guardian said in a low voice.

Luo Feng nodded.

He walked directly down the dark passage, eventually entering an immensely vast hall. Looking up, he could even see the rock ceiling of the hundred-kilometer-tall Holy Stele Tower, indicating that the entire tower consisted of just this one massive floor. In the center of this expansive hall stood a majestic crystal!

The Crystal Holy Stele!

The entire stele was approximately 300 meters tall, 100 meters wide, and about 50 meters thick, composed entirely of a pale green crystal. A breathtaking aura emanated from this Crystal Holy Stele, and at its very center, there was a hole.

The hole had a diameter of about 30 centimeters and was approximately one meter deep.

It was a conical hole.

“It's different from our human 52 Chaos Stele; first, the material is different, and the feeling is also different,” Luo Feng stood directly in front of the Holy Stele, and immediately saw that this 300-meter-tall pale green Crystal Holy Stele depicted a very bizarre image of a roaring demon—a humanoid demon roaring.

“Roaring Demon Image?”

“The entire Crystal Holy Stele is just this one image, and there's even a conical hole in its center?” Luo Feng muttered to himself, then stopped thinking and began to observe the Holy Stele carefully.

As soon as he focused his gaze,

His consciousness was involuntarily drawn into the Roaring Demon Image.

“Rumble~~~” His consciousness was absorbed by one of the wings of the 'humanoid demon' in the Roaring Demon Image. It was as if he saw infinite starry space, the evolution of cosmic stars.

“Hmm?”

Just as Luo Feng had an epiphany, his 'Inner World,' which had been stuck at the peak of Domain Lord level for some time, seemed to be affected by this glimmer of insight and suddenly began to vibrate.

“Ah,” Luo Feng exclaimed in surprise, immediately disengaging from his state of comprehending the Holy Stele. He instantly understood what was happening: “My Inner World is about to evolve; I'm about to step into the Sector Lord level.”