C124 The Second Stage!
Was Chu Yi wealthy? Far from it.
Even with the backing of the Chu family, who were willing to spare no expense to aid Chu Yi in his advancement, he remained penniless.
The reason was quite straightforward: the Chu family's influence extended only to Earth!
Indeed, this was a crucial point.
On Earth, the Chu family might be exceedingly wealthy, perhaps one of the richest families aside from the government. But what about when considering the entire galaxy?
It's important to recognize that the Terran Federation is merely a Quasi-Second Level civilization!
Above it are civilizations of the Third, Fourth, and even Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Levels!
In comparison to such entities, the Chu family might as well be poorer than the inhabitants of a remote mountain village.
The Chu family could provide assistance to Chu Yi now, but what about in the future?
Chu Yi was acutely aware of his path. His Primordial Spirit was extraordinary, and he was confident that, despite his average innate talent, he was destined to become a supreme being.
Naturally, this was contingent on his ability to grow and thrive.
Should any misfortune befall him along the way, his remarkable Primordial Spirit would be rendered utterly useless.
Chu Yi was well-versed in the perils of this world.
Even before departing Earth, he had faced innumerable threats. Continuing on this trajectory, the dangers awaiting him beyond Earth would only multiply.
Thus, growing stronger was no small feat.
Chu Yi, however, was not without strategies. He could enhance his abilities at a rate beyond anyone's imagination, but this hinged on one critical factor: ample resources.
While on Earth, the Chu family's resources should more than meet his needs. But once he left Earth?
It was certain—
Without a doubt, relying solely on himself, Chu Yi would be unable to access the necessary resources for rapid improvement.
Yet, the situation here was different.
Though the specifics of the Stellar Tower's first stage reward were unknown to him, Chu Yi was certain it was a prize beyond the Chu family's capacity to provide.
Driven by both curiosity and the needs of his journey, Chu Yi was resolved to press forward.
The being of light grasped Chu Yi's intent instantly. With no hesitation, it waved its arm, and a portal of radiant light materialized before Chu Yi.
"Step inside, and you'll enter the Second Level."
"The challenger is looking forward to seeing you at the end of the Second Level."
"Good luck to you, my human prodigy..."
With those words, the being of light vanished completely.
Without any hesitation, Chu Yi stepped through the portal of light.
It was merely the first and second levels; Chu Yi harbored no concerns.
Should he encounter any real danger, he was ready to unleash his full might.
While Chu Yi had initially intended to rely on his physical prowess to overcome the challenges and enhance his combat form, the lure of the rewards had shifted his strategy.
Now, with such enticing rewards within reach, Chu Yi had abandoned any notion of restraint.
In a crucial moment, he would not hesitate to reveal his deepest reserves of strength!
The portal shimmered, and in an instant, Chu Yi found himself in a frigid landscape blanketed in snow.
Much like the first trial, all was eerily quiet.
This time, however, Chu Yi proceeded with caution.
Drawing from his first trial experience, he surmised that this test might differ from the others—it was not just a measure of ability but a trial of survival.
As with the worms in the first level, inattention could lead to the downfall of even the most exceptional talents. Superior strength did not guarantee victory over the worms.
The Second Level appeared to be no less challenging.
Chu Yi attentively surveyed his surroundings, his senses wrapping around him. Although this narrowed the scope of his perception, safety was paramount.
At last, Chu Yi sensed it!
Despite the unchanging icy landscape, he detected a subtle difference.
The snowflakes around him seemed to have altered their course.
Yes, it was an unnatural shift!
Others might overlook it, but not Chu Yi.
His Divine Sense, a manifestation of his primordial spirit, was an unparalleled advantage, enveloping everything in its reach. No one else could match this ability—not even the most exalted beings of this world could compare with Chu Yi in this regard.
It was a matter of quality, not quantity!
For instance, at this moment, while the snowflakes appeared unchanged to the naked eye, Chu Yi's heightened perception revealed a slight alteration in their movement.
Previously, the descent was completely random, but this time...
It was evident that they were moving in a specific pattern.
This was...
An array!
A dazzling light sparked in Chu Yi's eyes!
In the Immortal Demon World, array masters could use anything as a foundation to set up astonishing arrays.
Chu Yi had not expected to encounter a similar situation in this world.
As he delved deeper, the surrounding snowflakes, though slow-moving, gradually took shape.
A Killing Array!
Chu Yi recognized it at a glance.
At the critical moment when the array was nearly complete, Chu Yi acted.
He threw a simple punch, devoid of any significant power, into the void.
The next instant, the snowflakes trembled.
That was the array's focal point. Once the array was fully formed, this focal point would be shielded by numerous forces, making it exceedingly difficult to disrupt. But now...
Before it was fully formed, the focal point was at its most vulnerable.
Even an ordinary punch, if accurately placed, could shatter it.
And now was the perfect opportunity.
Thunderous rumbling...
The snowflakes in the sky began to whirl wildly. Once the array was disrupted, their previously gentle dance turned violent.
Countless snowflakes transformed into ice crystal swords, furiously hurtling towards Chu Yi.
A mocking smile played at the corner of Chu Yi's mouth.
The entity orchestrating this was beyond Chu Yi's sensory range. If the adversary persisted in using such underhanded tactics, Chu Yi had few options other than to keep dismantling them.
But now...
The violent reaction of the snowflakes wasn't something that could be achieved in an instant. If his opponent truly possessed such formidable power, Chu Yi would have no reason to fight.
To wield such power, the adversary needed control, which in turn required a conduit for power transmission!
Clearly, this conduit shone like a beacon in the night to Chu Yi, impossible to miss.
"There it is!"
As the barrage of ice crystal swords approached, Chu Yi didn't spare them a glance.
He pushed his speed to the limit, his movements fluid and precise.
In his heightened awareness, the swords' velocity seemed to slow by several fold. They posed no threat to Chu Yi before, and now they were utterly incapable of reaching him.
Dragon Steps!
This wasn't a formidable immortal art, but rather a basic martial arts technique from the Immortal Demon World.
Yet, when Chu Yi executed it at his current level, the results were far superior to those of the immortal arts.
In a blink, Chu Yi had traversed hundreds of meters.
Countless ice crystal swords shattered all around him, but not a single one could inflict the slightest harm.
The potency of these ice crystal swords was significant. A direct hit could easily result in a pierced chest—a best-case scenario.
Of course, that was under the most favorable conditions. Should any additional forces be at play, one might find themselves chillingly pierced through the chest.
Chu Yi's speed was formidable, but his acute perception was even more so.
Aside from evading the ice crystal swords, Chu Yi made no superfluous moves. Within moments, he had reached the epicenter of the power!
It was empty.
Chu Yi was momentarily taken aback, as there appeared to be nothing before him.
But then, the power of his primordial spirit surged, and clarity dawned on him.
The place wasn't truly empty; rather, his adversary in this challenge was invisible!
Not truly invisible, though—the opponent's body was almost completely transparent, virtually undetectable to the naked eye unless scrutinized with utmost care.
Damn.
Chu Yi couldn't help but commend the master of the Stellar Tower.
His adversary was incredibly cunning.
The worm in the first stage, the nearly transparent creature in the second—both were masters of ambush!
And this was no ordinary ambush; you could be fully aware of their presence and form, yet still be utterly defenseless.
That was taking things a bit too far...
Without a moment's hesitation, Chu Yi's fist shot forward.
It had to be said, the transparent entity was truly fearsome, not just in its elusiveness, but in its lethality and speed as well.
Had the earlier killing formation been completed, Chu Yi suspected he would've needed to unleash his battle form to stand a chance. As it was, facing such an array in his current state would have been a harrowing ordeal.
The subsequent ice crystal swords further attested to the strange lifeform's formidable attack prowess.
Chu Yi had just experienced yet another trait of this peculiar creature: its incredible speed!
Whether the adversary was ready or not, it remained stationary until the moment Chu Yi threw his punch.
But as his fist made contact, the creature had already glided to Chu Yi's side, narrowly evading the blow.
This was the essence of Chu Yi, an adversary capable of overcoming any challenge. Had it been anyone else, particularly those prodigies known for their brute strength, they would have surely met their match unless they possessed overwhelming power.
"However..."
The creature's speed, though swift, was insignificant to Chu Yi!
Thus—
He spun and delivered another punch, faster than the previous one.
The creature dodged once more, but this time it seemed to struggle, appearing rather disheveled.
"Hiss hiss hiss—"
A raspy sound echoed in Chu Yi's ears, likely the creature's own form of a howl.
"Is your anger of any use now?!"
Chu Yi's fist came down again without a moment's delay.
If once wasn't enough, he'd strike twice, and if twice failed, then thrice!
Chu Yi was convinced that the creature couldn't possibly evade his attacks forever!
Indeed, after several rapid punches, the creature finally showed a vulnerability.
Hiss!
The sound wasn't like a punch to flesh, nor the clear ring of striking something solid.
It was as if a sheet of paper had been torn apart by his punch.
The noise ceased, and the strange life vanished completely. With its demise, tranquility once again enveloped the world.
Aside from the pervasive chill, the air was clear of any drifting snowflakes.
Chu Yi exhaled softly.
In terms of raw strength, this adversary was significantly more formidable than the worm from the first challenge.
But stripping away all the tricks, the creature was truly feeble.
