Chapter 518.
Death would come easily at this depth. They could only descend slowly, allowing their bodies time to adapt to the crushing environment.
"This is also a form of extreme training, I wonder how much additional pressure they must endure with each meter of descent," Wang Feng mused silently.
These assessments were indeed perilous beyond measure. No wonder the mortality rate for black-level assessments remained so devastatingly high.
Under normal circumstances, a distance of several hundred meters would take the three companions mere seconds to traverse. Now, even hundreds of thousands of seconds might prove insufficient.
Wang Feng observed the three as they managed to sink a modest distance, deciding to allow them to attempt the challenge independently for a while, letting them descend at their own pace.
Meanwhile, Wang Feng explored the circumference of Sea God Mountain extensively. After confirming the layout, he searched for three chains measuring at least 5,000 meters in length.
However, each of these massive chains weighed no less than 35,000 kilograms and possessed considerable thickness. The greater the chain's girth, the more overwhelming its weight became.
In reality, the effective weight bearing down on Wang Feng's body amounted to perhaps 10,000 to 20,000 kilograms. Clearly, these chains possessed special enchantments that concentrated their weight upon whoever bore them.
"The weight itself isn't too burdensome, the real challenge lies in the overwhelming pressure bearing down on any soul master," Wang Feng observed.
He secured three chains to himself, facing the combined pressure from the seawater, the three chains, and Sea God Mountain itself.
Under this triple burden of force, Wang Feng experienced the sensation of true physical strain after a long time in ages.
Given Wang Feng's current physical conditioning—with his Black Thorn Armor weighing nearly 25,000 kilograms—he typically felt no burden even without channeling soul power. Now, however, he sensed a distinct pressure building.
Though modest, this sensation filled Wang Feng with genuine excitement. His body had indeed grown remarkably powerful.
The blessings of soul bones, the enhancements from soul rings, the tempering effects of Meteoric Tears, and the power of Red Lotus karmic Fire refining had transformed his physical form into something terrifyingly formidable.
Wang Feng began his rapid descent.
The deeper he sank, the heavier the chains seemed to become, and the more intense the seawater's pressure grew. Yet Sea God Mountain's base remained invisible in the murky depths.
Sea God Mountain extended only a few kilometer above sea level. But beneath these waters, its true depth remained a mystery...
The three companions—Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan—descended as quickly as they dared. Since Wang Feng had begun his descent earlier, within half a day he had already reached the 100-meter mark.
Upon entering the realm one hundred meters beneath the surface, the pressure became an overwhelming assault upon their senses!
The seawater's crushing force proved terrifying enough, but combined with Sea God Mountain's oppressive aura, the pressure in this section of ocean far exceeded that of the open sea outside!
Add the chains' relentless weight, and the three companions found themselves with flushed faces and straining bodies.
Their soul power surged to its absolute limits.
"I feel as though my entire body might split apart," Xie Yue managed to transmit through his soul power, his voice strained with effort.
Hu Liena and Yan remained grimly silent.
Xie Yue faced a particular disadvantage as a weapon soul master—he couldn't employ soul possession –to enhance his physical strength and resist these overwhelming pressures.
Fortunately, Xie Yue possessed two soul bones, and these could provide bodily enhancement to any soul master. However, compared to Hu Liena and Yan's capabilities, his resistance remained inferior.
After entering the hundred-meter depth, they discovered that each additional meter of descent required careful control of their soul power, precise management of their chains, and total mastery over their body's energy.
"I can endure this for a while longer," Yan declared with a muffled grunt, allowing his Flame Lord martial soul to possess his body completely. The pressure immediately felt more manageable, –though his soul power consumption accelerated dramatically.
Hu Liena's mutant Heavenly Fox martial soul also took possession of her form.
The three descended together, sinking meter by painstaking meter as they gradually approached their individual limits.
Blue blood vessels emerged prominently across their foreheads and necks, mapping their struggle in stark relief.
When they reached the 130-meter mark, the trio came to a complete halt.
Though the sky remained invisible at this depth, they sensed that darkness had fallen and most of the day had passed.
"I'm at my... absolute... limit..." Xie Yue's voice came in broken fragments.
"I feel that descending even one more meter would cause my body to fail completely... Fortunately, the White Pontiff provided us with weighted training during our journey here. Otherwise, I doubt I could have persisted even to the 100-meter mark."
Hu Liena and Yan maintained their silence, but both understood the truth of his words. The weight-bearing training the White Pontiff had imposed throughout their travels now proved invaluable for this assessment.
Yet all three had nearly reached their breaking points.
Hu Liena might manage another twenty or thirty meters, blessed as she was with three soul bones. Yan's martial soul provided substantial strength boost, but his soul power reserves couldn't sustain the demand much longer.
"Where is Lord White Pontiff?" they wondered collectively.
The three wanted desperately to halt their descent, but even remaining stationary offered no relief—the omnipresent pressure continued crushing their bodies relentlessly.
The situation had become unbearable.
At that moment, a sight that left all three breathless appeared above them:
A lone figure descended at tremendous speed, three massive chains trailing behind him like dragon-stone pillars!
The descent was visible to the naked eye—with each blink, the figure dropped several meters!
"It's teacher!" Hu Liena exclaimed, her mind completely captivated by the spectacle. For a moment, she forgot the crushing pressure entirely.
Wang Feng required only a short time to catch up with the three struggling companions.
After entering the 100-meter range, Wang Feng finally felt his body register relatively obvious pressure. Upon reaching the trio's position, he paused briefly and asked, "Can't endure anymore?"
The three managed reluctant nods.
"We plan to ascend partway first," Hu Liena explained, "to relieve some pressure, rest briefly, and restore our soul power. Although this place proves extremely dangerous, it also serves as invaluable training for us. The seawater here contains extraordinarily rich energy. Cultivating in this environment should benefit us greatly."
Wang Feng nodded approvingly—all three had clearly given this situation considerable thought.
"After we grow stronger through cultivation, we'll continue sinking and break through our current limits," Hu Liena whispered. "The assessment allows one full year. We have twelve months to reach our required depths. I believe this timeframe is actually a special advantage for us! We have complete confidence in our ability to succeed!"
Wang Feng regarded Hu Liena with genuine appreciation. Understanding this principle was excellent progress.
One year seemed –like abundant time, but in reality, the latter stages—especially when approaching the target depth—would make each meter of descent a monumental trial.
Pressure increased exponentially with depth.
Therefore, the correct approach to this assessment obviously involved allowing them to grow stronger within this environment, breaking through their limits incrementally.
Danger was inevitable, and a single moment of carelessness could result in being consumed by this boundless pressure.
"One year is far too slow," Wang Feng stated firmly. "You must complete this first test within five months. Xie Yue faces at least four total assessments, and subsequent tests will require longer periods, not shorter ones."
Spending one full year per test would make completing the remaining assessments within three years impossible.
Their current progress was unacceptably slow.
Although these three represented the Soul Hall, Wang Feng had other arrangements in mind for their development.
When the three heard this declaration, shock rippled through their ranks.
Five months? How could they possibly complete the assessment in such a brief timeframe?
"Teacher... do you intend to help us?" Hu Liena asked suddenly, then added with concern, "However, if someone else assists during this assessment wouldn't that cause problems?"
Wang Feng regarded Hu Liena with mild surprise at her perceptiveness.
"Yes, teacher," Yan interjected thoughtfully. "Sea God is a god—he must possess complete knowledge of all our assessments. I believe that since he can establish different objectives for each of us individually, then in Sea God's perspective, we already possess the potential to accomplish our evaluations. The question is simply whether we can realize that potential within ourselves."
Wang Feng reflected silently that these three were far from foolish—they could still think at this sophisticated level even under such extreme pressure.
This perspective demonstrated reverse logical thinking at its finest.
Indeed, Sea God remained a First Rank God above all else. –In designing these assessments, he could tailor different challenges according to each individual's unique talents, which indicated his ability to perceive the absolute limits of everyone's potential.
But were such potential limits truly so easy to reach?
Obviously impossible. It resembled an examination paper—theoretically, perfect scores remained achievable, but how many people could actually accomplish such a feat?
Such success must be extraordinarily rare, explaining why the failure rate for black-level assessments remained so devastatingly high.
The fact that Hu Liena's trio could grasp this concept indicated they had engaged in serious mental deliberation. Wang Feng suspected all three possessed the capability to unlock their potential and successfully pass their assessments.
This reasoning was absolutely correct.
"I didn't expect you to perceive this, Yan. Quite impressive!" Wang Feng nodded approvingly.
Yan responded with some embarrassment: "It's entirely due to studying under your guidance, teacher. I feel that my thinking capability has grows deeper and more comprehensive with each lesson..."
Observing Yan's somewhat earnest expression, Wang Feng nodded. That particular piece of flattery had been expertly delivered.
"Your reasoning is absolutely correct," Wang Feng confirmed. However, after a brief pause, he continued calmly, "But one year remains far too lengthy a timeframe. I genuinely wish to assist you."
The three companions exchanged uncertain glances.
"With the teacher's help, we would certainly complete the assessment rapidly... but such assistance would hold little meaningful value for us," Hu Liena said cautiously. "If we don't grow stronger through our own practice and eventually sink to our destinations through personal effort... well, although the assessment doesn't explicitly forbid cheating or outside help, I don't believe such methods would be appropriate, would they?"
Xie Yue and Yan also regarded Wang Feng with cautious expressions, wondering why Lord White Pontiff would suggest such an approach.
"You misunderstand my intentions," Wang Feng said, shaking his head. "My assistance won't involve helping you pass the assessment quickly, nor will I simply carry you down to your target depths. What I mean by 'help' is accelerating the process of unlocking your individual potential—even enabling you to surpass your current potential limits!"
Naturally, he had no intention of literally transporting the three down to their examination positions—such an approach would be absurdly simple.
Wang Feng estimated his personal limit should exceed 4,000 meters. Relieving their burden and taking them down would prove extraordinarily easy. The simplest method would involve using his Blue Flag martial soul of the Innate Treasured Five Flags to neutralize the sea's pressure, dramatically reducing the force bearing down on all three and allowing them to reach their positions rapidly.
But such an approach constituted blatant cheating, and Wang Feng would never help them in such a manner.
The three regarded Wang Feng with puzzled expressions, still uncertain of his true meaning.
"Control your soul power and continue your descent," Wang Feng commanded directly, rather than offering further explanation.
The three considered his words briefly. Hu Liena was the first to resume sinking, demonstrating her unconditional trust in Wang Feng.
Xie Yue and Yan followed her example without hesitation.
Soon, after descending perhaps only ten additional meters, Xie Yue's condition began deteriorating rapidly.
His eyes started losing their color, his face flushed deep crimson, and the soul power fluctuations throughout his body began weakening dramatically.
The protective black light surrounding his form gradually faded, and his skin began developing numerous hairline cracks that wept blood.
His body had reached its absolute limit.
If he continued descending, Xie Yue would surely perish! His soul power teetered on the very edge of complete collapse!
Hu Liena and Yan could barely maintain their own positions. –Though their minds felt somewhat dizzy, they remained conscious enough to watch Xie Yue with growing anxiety.
Observing this critical situation, Wang Feng raised his hand, and the Cyan Flag materialized instantly.
Cyan light immediately enveloped Xie Yue in its protective embrace.
In the next moment, under the cyan light's influence, Xie Yue's consciousness gradually returned. The blood streaks across his body began healing, and abundant energy surrounded all three companions.
The trio stared in amazement.
Although they could still sense the crushing pressure, their previously drowsy spirits experienced unexpected clarity, and the fatigue weighing down their bodies began steadily recovering!
Hu Liena and Yan gazed at the banner in Wang Feng's hand with shock and recognition.
They had witnessed this banner before in the Star Dou Great Forest, where it had proven capable of neutralizing a hundred-thousand-year soul beast's domain.
But it possessed such powerful restorative abilities as well?
The Cyan Flag's capabilities extended beyond domain removal—it also provided calming and soothing effects. Additionally, after absorbing the Star Five-Headed Dragon, it had gained enhanced healing properties!
Although its recovery abilities couldn't compare to the Golden Lotus, this represented a wide-area effect that could benefit multiple people simultaneously.
While it couldn't reduce the pressure from seawater and chains, it could relax the three companions' spirits, restore their exhausted bodies, and heal their accumulated injuries.
Subsequently, Wang Feng retracted the Cyan Flag and summoned the Blue Flag, which formed a water barrier resembling a protective bubble that enclosed all three companions.
Suddenly, the pressure bearing down on their bodies decreased dramatically, though the chains' weight remained largely unaffected.
The pressure diminished proportionally to the bubble's protective strength.
Yet abundant energy seeped through the water barrier's walls, permeating their enclosed space.
"Cultivate," Wang Feng commanded with just two words.
Indeed, he had employed the Cyan Flag to provide immediate relief to the three companions in their moment of absolute crisis.
Most importantly, mental recovery proved crucial. Under such intense pressure, spiritual energy consumption far exceeded physical demands.
The three suppressed their excitement and, feeling their minds achieving unprecedented clarity, immediately removed their chains and began meditating on the spot!
At this moment, the benefits of their extreme training became magnificently apparent.
The instant they unlocked their chains, all pressure vanished completely. The sensation of relief was so overwhelming that the three nearly cried out in pure euphoria.
The experience paralleled Wang Feng's first extreme training session with the Meteoric Tears.
Their cultivation speed increased dramatically following such massive energy expenditure.
The key factor was the extraordinarily concentrated energy surrounding them.
Under the Blue Flag's influence, the three companions rapidly advanced their cultivation practices more than one hundred meters beneath the sea's surface.
Wang Feng discovered that the bubble formed by the Blue Flag not only reduced seawater pressure but also allowed the ocean's energy to penetrate and be absorbed by the cultivators. This created a filtering and purifying effect that increased energy concentration and effectively accelerated the three companions' practice speed.
Using this method, the first assessment's completion time would definitely improve dramatically, with even greater benefits beyond mere speed!
Since they no longer needed extended recovery periods, they could save considerable time and push themselves to absolute limits without life-threatening danger. This approach would enable them to surpass their current potential while simultaneously accelerating their cultivation progress and descent rate.
The actual assessment time could be reduced by at least half—possibly even more.
Wang Feng felt no urgency, as using the Blue Flag also constituted a form of cultivation for himself.
Moreover, Wang Feng's cultivation speed would prove even faster and could enhance the three companions' training as well.
After observing the trio begin their practice, Wang Feng didn't remain idle—he settled into meditation and began his own cultivation.
As Wang Feng entered deep meditation, the energy within the seawater rushed toward his body with such intensity that it created visible currents in the surrounding water.
Hu Liena, positioned closest to Wang Feng, could most clearly sense this terrifying cultivation speed...
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