On the path leading into the Gravity Tower, Xia Shao and Li Hu were about to enter when Ye Chen's sudden appearance blocked their way.
It was a situation that could have been resolved with a simple mutual step aside, but Xia Shao and Li Hu were unwilling. As elite students of the Heaven-tier Academy, they considered themselves superior and would never yield the way to a student from another academy. They immediately berated Ye Chen, telling him to get out of the way and not block their path.
Li Hu was tall and burly, standing a head taller than the average person. He looked down on Ye Chen from his height. Although he didn't deliberately release the terrifying aura of the Xiantian realm, an invisible, intimidating pressure radiated from him, enough to make one's heart tremble.
This was the arrogance of an elite student from the Heaven-tier Academy. Each one was at least a powerful figure in the Xiantian realm, possessing the capital to look down on students from the other three major academies.
Facing Li Hu's berating, Ye Chen furrowed his sword-like brows slightly, a trace of coldness flickering in his eyes as he gave Li Hu an icy, bone-chilling glance.
He had just emerged from his arduous cultivation in the ninefold gravity chamber. From entry to exit, a full three days had passed. He was drenched in sweat, his clothes completely soaked and clinging to his back.
During the three days of cultivation under ninefold gravity, Ye Chen's gravity training had achieved quite remarkable results, even exceeding his own expectations.
He had guessed correctly. Under ninefold gravity, the cultivation progress of the Tyrant Heaven Refining Saint Art was significantly faster than usual. Moreover, the stimulation to his physical body was much greater, constantly stimulating and strengthening the advancement of his musculature.
Originally, after achieving minor mastery in the Human Yuan Body Art, his physical body had become sufficiently formidable, comparable to the physique of a Xiantian-level demonic beast. Generally speaking, while the first eleven diagrams still had some effect on him, it was minimal, almost negligible.
However, under ninefold gravity, the astonishing effects of the eleven diagrams manifested once again. During cultivation, every inch of flesh and blood in his muscles and bones was continuously tempered, becoming increasingly robust and solid, his blood vitality more vigorous.
He could clearly feel the surging, abundant blood vitality filling his body, rumbling like crashing waves, strong and powerful as it circulated through his limbs and bones.
Ye Chen had now even progressed to cultivating the thirteenth diagram. This achievement was truly commendable.
It must be known that when he first entered, Ye Chen had only just begun cultivating the twelfth diagram. Now, after only three days, he had already started on the thirteenth, sufficient proof of his tremendous progress.
The thirty-six cultivation diagrams of the Tyrant Heaven Refining Saint Art recorded on the stone gate of the Human Sovereign Pagoda's first level were the supreme body refining method left behind by the ancient, peerless mighty figure, the Tyrant Heaven Venerable One, containing profound and incredibly abstruse principles.
Each additional diagram cultivated brought a noticeable strengthening to the body, whether to the flesh, muscles, or the entire skeletal structure.
Even though Ye Chen's body, after achieving minor mastery in the Human Yuan Body Art, was already comparable to a Xiantian demonic beast, cultivating one or two more diagrams of the Tyrant Heaven Refining Saint Art wouldn't bring massive improvement, there was still a clear breakthrough.
Ye Chen's strength had once again increased. Every movement now possessed greater power than before, making him even more formidable.
However, the same cultivation brought a problem: three days under ninefold gravity, even Ye Chen felt somewhat fatigued. Naturally, this fatigue referred to physical exhaustion, not mental will.
His will was unshakably firm, fearless. He wouldn't even furrow a brow if he had to remain under ninefold gravity forever. But his body was not yet truly invincible. Prolonged cultivation under such intense gravity would be counterproductive, doing more harm than good.
Ye Chen understood this principle deeply. Hence, after three days, he chose to exit seclusion, to relax his body and mind, allowing his physical state to recover to its peak before resuming gravity cultivation.
He just hadn't expected to encounter bullies causing trouble the moment he emerged, telling him to get lost, which put him in a rather displeased mood.
Because it was approaching noon, many students had gradually arrived at the Gravity Tower for cultivation. Seeing this scene, they couldn't help but look at Ye Chen with pitying gazes.
Offending these two rarely led to a good outcome.
Although Xia Shao and Li Hu's attitudes were truly despicable, inciting hatred and dissatisfaction, the identity badge of the Heaven-tier Academy made everyone dare to be angry but not speak out.
Within Xia Feng Academy, a gathering place for geniuses, it resembled more a strictly hierarchical cultivation institution. Elite students from the higher-tier academies often enjoyed considerable privileges, seemingly intentionally arranged by the academy's higher-ups to stimulate the cultivation desires of the many students.
When the registration clerk at the counter saw this scene, he was greatly startled, his scalp tingling. He hurried out, wanting to mediate.
Because he deeply understood that whether it was Ye Chen, Li Hu, or Xia Shao, they were all extraordinary individuals with significant backgrounds not to be provoked.
Xia Shao and Li Hu needed no explanation; their clothes and badges represented their superior status. Throughout the entire Xia Feng Academy, they were absolutely the type who could act without restraint.
Moreover, regarding the rumors that had been spreading like wildfire over the past few days, he had also heard a bit. He had a rough idea, almost certain, about the identity of that mysterious super expert from the Yellow-tier Academy.
To be able to fight the Thirteenth Prince to a standstill, to earn such respect from the Thirteenth Prince, and to be a student of the Yellow-tier Academy—it was likely none other than this Ye Chen, who, despite being from the Yellow-tier Academy, dared to cultivate in the ninefold gravity chamber for a full three days.
Not to mention Ye Chen's own formidable strength, the fact that even the Thirteenth Prince treated him with courtesy indicated the importance of Ye Chen's status. He absolutely must not be harmed.
The only one who clearly understood this, the registration clerk, rushed out to stop them, wanting to prevent the conflict from escalating.
"Esteemed sirs, could you listen to this humble one's word? This one here is the Thirteenth—" the registration clerk pleaded earnestly, wanting to say that Ye Chen was the Thirteenth Prince's honored guest.
But Li Hu glared angrily and, not allowing him to finish, slapped out. A terrifying gust of wind blew out, sending the registration clerk flying. Li Hu coldly snorted, "Thirteenth what? This lord is teaching him a lesson. How dare you chatter nonsense beside me? Tired of living, are you? Get lost, don't get in my way!"
Ye Chen struck out with a soft force, slowing the registration clerk's momentum. Looking at Li Hu, he couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment. "Is this the so-called quality of an elite student from the Heaven-tier Academy? Truly low enough, not even comparable to a beggar on the street."
Although many present scorned and were angered by Li Hu's attitude, these words still caused many to suck in a cold breath, looking at Ye Chen in shock.
Had this guy eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard? He actually dared to speak to two elite students of the Heaven-tier Academy like that. Wasn't he afraid they'd beat him up?
Li Hu's face stiffened, and Xia Shao's expression darkened on the spot. They never expected this kid to dare insult them. Did he not know they were elite students of the Heaven-tier Academy? How could a mere student from the three lower academies afford to insult them?
Although the two didn't know Ye Chen's identity, they didn't need to. In Xia Feng Academy, there were only the four major academies: Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow. The elite students of their Heaven-tier Academy were few, a small, countable group they had all met, and Ye Chen wasn't among them.
Naturally, they could exclude him from the Heaven-tier Academy. As for students from the Earth, Mystic, and Yellow-tier academies, to be honest, they didn't even put them in their eyes.
Boom—
"Kid, since you're looking for death, don't blame this lord! Hmph!" Li Hu slapped out. Even without using the power of Xiantian True Yuan, his large, fan-like palm strike was still shocking to behold. The gust of wind it raised was enough to send boulders weighing thousands of jin flying.
Ye Chen coldly snorted and similarly slapped out.
With a thunderous boom, the air seemed to explode. Yet both sides were shaken. The entire scene was stunned. Ye Chen had actually blocked that slap, causing everyone to gape in astonishment.
Although this was just Li Hu's casual strike, it was still terrifying enough. Not everyone could block it.
Just who was this youth?
In that moment, the crowd hadn't yet connected him to the rumored super expert from the Yellow-tier Academy who could rival the Thirteenth Prince.
Li Hu coldly snorted, not putting his opponent in his eyes at all, and was about to attack again. But at that moment, a low shout suddenly rang out: "Li Hu, that's enough!"
A powerful True Yuan force condensed into a ribbon-like stream and swept over, directly blasting Li Hu away. He crashed into the wall with a deafening boom.
It turned out that before the Gravity Tower, a heroic, imposing young man with sword-like brows and starry eyes had suddenly appeared, noble and majestic. With a mere raise of his hand, he had sent Li Hu flying. He coldly snorted, "Is a friend of this prince someone you can bully?"
Xia Shao's face changed dramatically: "Thirteenth Prince!?"