Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 Chapter 1434 Difficulty of the Second Trial!
Previously on Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100...
Trailing in their wake came the second wave of disciples.
Though this batch didn't charge ahead with the same ferocity, they held considerable strength. By the five hundred mile point, the fiery oppression intensified markedly. The golden trail in this area ceased its gentle shimmer. Instead, it throbbed with scorching intensity that bore down like an actual burden.
Max progressed steadily amid this second wave, flanked closely by Carl and Laura. A light sheen of sweat dotted Laura's brow, but her stride stayed resolute. Carl's breaths came deeper now, though he clenched his jaw and pressed on.
Max kept a composed face, yet internally, he meticulously managed his Divine Essence. The unlocked divine vein inside him drew in some of the blazing force, refining it gently before channeling it throughout his frame. In contrast to most around him, he avoided any flashy aura release. He preserved his power, favoring endurance over showmanship.
The fires in this zone delved further, challenging the endurance of bloodlines and bodies alike. From time to time, minor flame creatures formed from the ambient blaze, pouncing on those whose guards weakened. Several in the second wave already clashed with these apparitions, their moves flickering momentarily to scatter the beasts into embers.
Max eliminated one such flame creature with a precise, measured blow, dissolving it seamlessly without disrupting his pace.
The second wave kept moving forward, albeit at a clearly reduced speed compared to the frontrunners. The separation between the waves stayed apparent on the hovering displays overhead, where elders and watchers observed in silent attention.
Further back lay the third wave.
This last gathering included the most sluggish pupils from the Thirty Six Halls. A good number of them already faltered in the opening hundreds of miles. While the flame intensity here felt less severe than in the inner regions, even this starting level overwhelmed those with frail bases.
Certain ones had dropped to tentative footfalls, halting often to steady their breaths. Some triggered incomplete dragon shifts just to withstand the persistent blaze. A handful tripped as flame creatures appeared, forcing frantic surges of power for protection.
The divide among the three waves widened gradually.
Up ahead, the leading wave started entering the second pillar, where the fires turned to a fiercer scarlet and the atmosphere wavered with dense draconic intent.
In the middle, Max and his nearby companions pushed on toward the first pillar's edge, their advance consistent but growing more demanding.
At the back, the frailest pupils fought merely to stay on their feet.
The Path to Eternal Flames was just starting to unveil its challenges, but it already etched sharp differences among the entrants.
And this stood as only the initial pillar out of thirty six.
"The Path to Eternal Flames…" Max pondered silently while striding over the golden expanse. "This test feels truly odd."
The blazes here lacked uniformity. They brimmed with purpose in layers. As he advanced, he distinctly felt various ideas blended into the searing force. Certain flames roared wildly, embodying the essence of furious blazes that aimed to crush with raw might.
Some bore a cutting sharpness, focused and piercing, as if crafted to incinerate barriers with accuracy instead of brute power. Even threads of more serene fire essence drifted evenly, akin to glowing coals maintaining a perpetual burn devoid of turmoil.
This diversity stirred him thoughtfully. It went beyond a basic elemental ordeal. The space overflowed with scattered flame principles.
He squinted a bit while evaluating the scene.
This marked merely the opening pillar, the initial stratum of thirty six. Even in this early segment, he detected flame principles from basic forms to advanced ones nearing the fifth degree of insight. That suggested the path's designer had deliberately woven a range of insights into the fires.
With such intricacy in the first stratum, what horrors lurked at the fifth pillar, the bare minimum for outer disciple approval? And further, what lay at the tenth, twentieth, or ultimate thirty sixth pillar?
The mere idea held gravity.
Still, for now, Max sensed no overload. The constant push of heat assailed him, but it failed to hinder his respiration or unsettle his Divine Essence. The active divine vein in his core operated fluidly, taking in and reallocating bits of the burning power.
He looked to either side.
Carl and Laura moved ahead reliably too, but unlike Max, they had unleashed their flame principles externally. Carl's presence flared with keen ferocity, employing his grasp of ruinous fires to repel the encroaching force.
Laura's fires streamed more smoothly, her insight tilting toward even and enduring blaze, enabling her to persist without direct confrontation.
Unlike them, Max displayed no outward flame principle whatsoever. He depended purely on Divine Essence flow and his body's firmness. To onlookers, it appeared he saved his reserves. Actually, he studied and adjusted.
"Should we pick up the speed?" Max inquired evenly as they approached the final stretch of the first pillar.
Carl breathed out deliberately before giving a nod. "Let's move."
Laura's face showed gravity, but resolve. "We mustn't lag too much behind the frontrunners."
With their consensus, the three altered their tempo. Their footfalls quickened, remaining measured. They avoided wild dashes. Rather, they boosted precision, cutting pauses between steps and streamlining their inner energy currents.
The golden trail hazed faintly underfoot as they covered hundreds of miles in quick order. Flame creatures popped up sporadically, but they vanquished them rapidly while holding their lineup.
Soon enough, the haze in the forward air thickened. The first pillar's limit appeared, signaled by a faint color change. The golden light darkened, merging into a richer crimson that throbbed with greater purpose.
Upon hitting the divide, the force spiked sharply.
"This spot's force hits way harder," Carl noted, calming his breaths as the warmth squeezed his torso.
Laura drew in a full breath, adjusting her fire streams to anchor herself. Perspiration gleamed at her temples, yet she held her stance straight.