Both Yan Kuangsheng and Meng Anwen involuntarily gasped.


    Bai Yiyuan’s face darkened with anger, “What is Jiang Yi thinking? Sending you to meet that guy—is he trying to get you killed?”


    Realizing his reaction had been excessive, Yan Kuangshengposed himself, coughing twice, “No, if it were us, we’d die. But not Moyu.”


    Bai Yiyuan and Meng Anwen exchanged puzzled nces. Lin Moyu quickly recounted his encounter in the Eartheart Dungeon. Only then did Bai Yiyuan’s expression soften.


    Meng Anwen spoke gravely, “If that’s the case, then you can indeed head to the core area—but there’s no need to rush. Let’s wait for the right time.”


    Bai Yiyuan nodded in agreement, “Exactly. Don’t go just yet. Focus on leveling up first. Jiang Yi has waited for years; a few more won’t make a difference.”


    Lin Moyu wasn’t nning to go immediately either. Though hisbat power had surged after the second ss awakening, and his undead army was significantly stronger, the thought of facing the Archaic Luanniao again still left him uncertain.


    The Archaic Luanniao’s ultimate skill, the ck ming meteor<em>,</em> wasn’t just devastating in power—it had an extensive range. Worse, it possessed the ability to undergo nirvanic rebirth, a skill it could potentially use multiple times. The thought alone was unnerving.


    And it wasn’t just the Luanniao; there could be even more powerful bosses lurking.“There’s no point rushing into danger.” Lin Moyu mused, “I got luckyst time, but what if my luck runs out?”


    Resolving to bide his time, Lin Moyu stored the box containing the bead away. As for the box containing the God’s finger, it was left sealed in the Shenxia Tower under Meng Anwen’s protection. He had meticulously sealed the space to prevent the item’s aura from leaking out.


    The God’s finger was an invaluable object of study for God-level powerhouses, with the potential to push their progress to new heights. Meng Anwen might even uncover the true nature of these so-called Gods.


    Yan Kuangsheng had originally nned to return to the Bloody Land, having only left because of Lin Moyu’s second ss awakening at Meng Anwen’s request. However, with the appearance of the God’s finger, his ns shifted. Yan Kuangsheng decided to stay a few more days to study the item.


    The White God Courtyard soon returned to its usual calm.


    Bai Yiyuan turned his attention to Lin Moyu, “Now, let’s go over the next stage.”


    Lin Moyu listened carefully. Having fully adapted to the power and skills following the second awakening, he was ready for the next challenge. Curiosity tinged his thoughts as he wondered what Bai Yiyuan had prepared for him.


    Clearing his throat, Bai Yiyuan began, “The next step is something I call mastery...”


    He exined the n in detail. Lin Moyu was to enter the illusionary space of the Shenxia Tower, where he would immerse himself in thebat techniques and skills of different sses—Mage, Assassin, Archer, Knight, Warrior, and support, among others. The goal was to analyze each ss’s strengths and weaknesses.


    Through this, Lin Moyu would distill their essence, discard what didn’t serve him, and integrate the insights into his own strategies. Bai Yiyuan called it the trial of mastery: mastering the understanding of other sses to better master oneself.


    After listening, Lin Moyu asked, “Teacher, is this really necessary?”


    Bai Yiyuan gave him a meaningful look, “He who knows himself and knows his enemy need not fear the result of a hundred battles. By understanding each ss’s characteristics, summarizing their strengths and weaknesses, and integrating what you learn, it is a crucial step to be a God-level powerhouse. Just ask Old Meng and Madman Yan how they approached it in their time.”


    Lin Moyu turned toward Yan Kuangsheng and Meng Anwen for confirmation, “Teacher Yan, Senior Meng, did you go through the same process?”


    Yan Kuangsheng replied, “I took a more direct approach—I fought hundreds of battles against people of other sses.”


    Meng Anwen nodded, “Old Bai is right. It’s absolutely necessary. Understanding others helps you refine yourself.”


    Lin Moyu suddenly recalled the scenes Meng Anwen had shown him of Ning Yiyi’s rigorous training before the second ss awakening, where he had meticulously exined the use of each of her skills.@@novelbin@@


    At the time, Lin Moyu hadn’t understood why Meng Anwen went to such lengths. Now it all made sense—it was to teach him the characteristics of her ss.


    It seemed Meng Anwen had anticipated this training all along and had prepared an example in advance.


    Bai Yiyuan smiled faintly, “At Xiajing Academy, earning the qualification to enter the Shenxia Tower is no small feat. As the imperial top scorer, you’ve secured the privilege to enter once. Each year, only 500 entry tickets are granted ess to the tower. Of those, 100 entry tickets are auctioned. Do you know how much they cost?”


    Lin Moyu shook his head. He had no idea.


    Bai Yiyuan chuckled, “At least 300,000 points.”


    Lin Moyu’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t help but inhale sharply.


    Points were the lifeblood of Xiajing Academy, required for everything from training resources to dormitories. For most students, expenditures far exceeded earnings. Few could amass arge amount of points, and someone like Lin Moyu, with hundreds of thousands of points, was a rarity.


    But hearing that an entry ticket to the Shenxia Tower cost 300,000 points was shocking. Who could possibly afford that?


    He suddenly remembered Ning Yiyi’s advice before he joined the academy—she had emphasized the importance of challenging the Shenxia Tower. Bai Yiyuan had also mentioned that the first visit offered the greatest benefits. Yet, neither had exined why entry was so essential or what rewards awaited within.


    Bai Yiyuan continued, “Don’t underestimate the great families of the empire. Many of their members attend Xiajing Academy. Since the academy doesn’t enforce graduation, the number of students from these families keeps growing. They pool their points to buy entry tickets for their most exceptional members. And for good reason—inside the Shenxia Tower, one can honebat skills, gain valuable rewards, and earn points by clearing levels. For some, spending 300,000 points on an entry ticket is an investment—they earn far more in return if they perform well. Back in the day, Madman Yan fought hundreds of battles in the Shenxia Tower.”


    At this, Yan Kuangsheng nodded, his expression thoughtful. The Shenxia Tower had been a crucial battleground for him, providing countless opportunities to test his strength against others of simr caliber.


    Meng Anwen then stepped in, “While the training methods we used in our time were effective, they weren’t without ws. After reflecting on our experiences, we devised an improved method tailored for you. This approach will give you a deeper understanding of each ss’s characteristics. However, you’ll need to be prepared for hardships and setbacks along the way.”


    Lin Moyu met Meng Anwen’s gaze resolutely, “I’m not afraid of hardship or setbacks.”


    His unwavering confidence earned a slight smile from Meng Anwen, “Good. In three days, the Shenxia Tower will officially open, and your trial will begin. Use this time wisely—study the characteristics of other sses. That knowledge will help you avoid being caught off guard.”


    Lin Moyu nodded and left, though a lingering sense of confusion stayed with him. Despite all their exnations, the specifics of the trial remained shrouded in mystery. It felt as though the three had deliberately agreed to keep him in the dark about the details.


    Determined to prepare himself, Lin Moyu headed to the archives. There, he gathered a stack of books detailing the various sses and began reading intently.


    The sheer variety of sses was staggering, refined over countless years into distinct systems. Researchers had categorized them into three primary branches: physical, elemental, and special.


    The physical branch boasted sses like Sacred Light Knight and Sacred Light Swordsman. The elemental branch included Holy Summoner and Sacred Light Mage. The special branch featured sses like Alchemist, Concocter, and Formation Master.


    Some sses blurred these boundaries. For instance, Shadow Knightbined physical prowess with summoning spells, while Elemental Archer fused archery skills with elemental magic.


    The possibilities seemed endless. Generations of cross-ss unions had given rise to unique hybrid sses, furtherplicating the system.


    Lin Moyu took his time, flipping through the pages slowly.


    He began by memorizing the knowledge, then internalized it through practical application. After his second ss awakening, his spirit attribute had surged, granting him an extraordinary memory that allowed him to retain everything he read with precision. Once he read something, it was etched in his mind.


    Over three days, he read nearly a hundred books, each offering detailed descriptions of a specific ss. By the end, he had memorized the attributes, characteristics, and skills of a hundred sses.