Dorian cast a calm glance at Hadrian. "No need to worry about my ranking. You should be more concerned about yourself. Soon enough, you'll just be a stepping stone for me."Hadrian burst into laughter. "Bold words!" His mirth vanished in an instant, replaced by a venomous glare. "Because of you, my cousin Warren missed the enrollment period for Stormcrest Martial Academy. If you're itching for a beating, don't blame me when —" He paused mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing as they flicked over Dorian's form. "Wait. Your cultivation level?!"His pupils contracted sharply."You've actually reached the peak of Three-Star cultivation?!"Hadrian stared at Dorian in utter disbelief, his voice barely above a whisper.Peak Three-Star!If his memory served him right, just a month ago, Dorian had barely reached the mid-stage of One-Star. Yet in this short span, the guy had leaped over two and a half cultivation levels!How was that even possible?!"Whoa —"As Hadrian's words sank in, every disciple

Immediately, countless eyes turned toward the upper section of the Ranking Stele.There, on the massive surface of the stele, in the second position of the sixth row, Dorian's name still shimmered brilliantly, as if it had just surged upward moments ago.Before his name, the ranking was clearly displayed — 30th place!"Whoa —"The entire scene erupted in an uproar! Everyone was utterly dumbfounded!"H-how is this possible? It hasn't even been four incense sticks' worth of time, and Dorian has already broken into the top 30!""Only the top ten elites could achieve such a slaughter speed. People called him arrogant, but his strength is absolutely nothing to scoff at!""Tch, Dorian's just rushing for quick results. Sure, the top ten can match his kill speed, but why do they wait until after five incense sticks? It's to give themselves recovery time, to earn more points by taking down more enemies."After the initial shock, some regained their composure and sneered dismissively. "Dorian's

Hadrian's eyes burned with defiance as he let out a furious roar, raising his sword in desperate resistance."Lament of the Falling Moon — Eighteen Strikes!"Swish! Swish! Swish!In an instant, dazzling arcs of sword light erupted from Hadrian's blade, surging upward like a deadly tide to meet the descending pillar.This was the ultimate killing technique from the high-tier martial skill, Lament of the Falling Moon.Combined with Hadrian's early Five-Star cultivation, its power surged to rival even peak-tier martial techniques!Yet — it was utterly futile.The colossal pillar crushed downward, shattering every last streak of sword light in an instant.BOOM!The residual force of the Primordial Staff's intent hammered into Hadrian from head to toe. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his knees buckled violently, slamming him onto the ground with a thunderous impact.The collision between his knees and the stone floor left two shallow craters behind. A web of cracks spiderwebbed outward fro

After 80 consecutive draws, his physical attributes had improved yet again, and his strength had surged to 24,000 pounds — equivalent to the combined might of two elephants and four horses!Moreover, thanks to his heightened comprehension, his grasp of the Great Wasteland Demon-Subduing Staff Technique had deepened, advancing from the initial stage of conceptual understanding to a more refined mastery.Every step forward in conceptual mastery doubled the power of the martial skill, further elevating Dorian's formidable combat prowess!As for his soul power, Dorian only knew for now that his perception had sharpened significantly, though the other benefits remained unclear."At my current level, there's no challenge left for me in the Outer Court. But the strict requirement for entering Stormcrest Inner Court is reaching the Five-Star Martial Warrior realm..."Dorian smacked his forehead in frustration. Had he known earlier, he would have allocated his enhancement points to boost his c

Those who lack the strength have to settle for wooden shacks like this. It's a method the Academy Head devised to motivate inner disciples, pushing them to strive harder and climb the ranks.""Oh, I see," Dorian replied, his brow arching slightly. His tone was calm as he asked, "How does one get on this Inner Elite Ranking? Direct challenges?""Exactly," Garek confirmed. "Inner disciples can challenge those on the Ranking anytime. Win, and you immediately take their residence. Rankings are updated monthly, with the names carved onto the stone stele.""So, if I challenge and win now, I can move into one of those refined cottages, correct?" Dorian said, his expression unreadable."Uh, yes," Garek nodded before hesitating. "Dorian, don't tell me you're thinking of —""Brother Garek," Dorian interrupted, pointing toward the nearest of the elegant cottages. "Who lives there?""That's the residence of Brogan Stone, ranked thirty-third on the Ranking. He's at the peak of Five-Star strength,