C82 Unbelievable!

Inside the Heavenly Pass Altar, Fann Tong was locked in combat with a massive mutated beast. This very creature was the giant bear that Yu Kun had effortlessly slain earlier.

Yet, Fann Tong was struggling to keep up.

"The Roaring War Bear is a formidable charge beast, bred by the Demon World. It's incredibly strong. Luckily, my own power has grown, which means I should be able to execute that technique now!" Fann Tong thought to himself.

Channeling his Astral Energy and empowering his Martial Soul, he unleashed a devastating martial arts strike. This powerful move finally vanquished the Roaring War Bear.

Exhausted, Fann Tong collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

"I've finally defeated the Roaring War Bear. By the rules, I should now advance in the Inner Sect rankings, breaking into the top 450! Yu Kun is surely no match for me!"

Brimming with pride, Fann Tong slowly made his way out of the Heavenly Pass Altar. Drained of the strength to fight any longer, he had no choice but to end his challenge there.

Yet, as soon as he stepped out and the world outside greeted him, Fann Tong's strength miraculously returned.

It was clear that the energy spent within the Heavenly Pass Altar wasn't his true strength.

Back outside, Fann Tong wasted no time heading to the stone tablet. Ignoring the astonished looks from those around him, he eagerly checked the rankings.

"I'm the one ranked four hundred and forty-ninth!"

Seeing his name, Fann Tong burst into triumphant laughter. "I've finally made it into the top 450!"

However, as he reveled in his achievement, he sensed that something was off. Turning to the other Inner Sect disciples, he asked, "Is it so inconceivable that I'd make it into the top 450? My rank is clearly listed right here on the stone tablet!"

Next to him, an Inner Sect disciple with a ranking beyond five hundred spoke up cautiously, "Senior Brother Fann, you might want to look further up."

Fann Tong's brow furrowed as he scanned higher up the tablet. Despite a thorough look, he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

The disciple prompted him again, "Senior Brother Fann, please, look."

With a deep frown, Fann Tong said, "Let me have a look."

Rubbing his eyes, Fann Tong struggled to accept the reality unfolding before him.

Despite his disbelief, Fann Tong had to accept that the impossible seemed to be happening. A name was steadily climbing the rankings on the stone tablet, showing no signs of stopping.

That name was the last one Fann Tong wanted to see—Yu Kun.

Fann Tong clenched his jaw in frustration, struggling to accept the reality before him. "How can he possess such strength? Against the Roaring War Bear, without the power of his Martial Soul, victory should have been impossible! He can't even condense his Martial Soul; he's merely a Qi Refining Stage warrior. How on earth could he have defeated the Roaring War Bear?" he nearly roared the question.

But there was no answer for him.

The Inner Sect disciples present were just as clueless. Having all faced the Heavenly Barrier Trial, they were well aware of the Roaring War Bear's might. Even many who had condensed their Martial Souls had found themselves outmatched by the beast. Fann Tong's victory over the Roaring War Bear had already demonstrated considerable strength.

Yet now, it appeared that the Roaring War Bear was no match for Yu Kun, whose rank continued to soar, reaching around the 380th position.

Unable to contain his impatience any longer, Fann Tong approached the Heavenly Pass Altar once more. "Elder! I request to enter the Heavenly Pass Altar again."

"No," the Elder on the left replied coolly. "The Heavenly Pass Altar is about to close. Today, no one is permitted to enter again."

Fann Tong was left speechless.

Unaware of his new rank within the Inner Sect, Yu Kun was preoccupied with the challenge before him. The mutated beast he now faced was a formidable adversary, blurring the lines between mutated and demonic beasts with its incredible speed.

The gap between a mutated beast and a demonic beast was as vast as that between a Stage Four Martial Disciple and a Stage Four Martial Artist. Yet, spanning four realms, an Intent Refining Stage practitioner could easily dispatch a Power Refining Stage warrior.

The strength of creatures that lie between mutated beasts and demonic beasts naturally varies!

Yu Kun had previously slain a mutated beast that existed in the liminal space between the two. However, that particular beast, a giant python, wasn't especially formidable; Yu Kun had forcefully vanquished it using the Vajra Subduing Devil technique.

Yet now, Yu Kun could distinctly sense the viciousness of the mutated beast before him.

It resembled a cheetah, another being straddling the line between mutated and demonic beast, but this one was significantly more savage than the python he had faced before!

What's more, Yu Kun had already tested its mettle. This cheetah outmatched the Roaring War Bear in ferocity! The Vajra Worshipping Moon technique was effortlessly evaded by the beast!

"Though I can now harness the power of my Martial Soul, it seems wasteful to deploy the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul against it! I'll take this opportunity to test the might of the Divine Palace and the Divine Rune Art!"

With a glint in his eye, Yu Kun immediately summoned his Divine Telekinesis, unleashing the power of the Decelerating Divine Rune. As the Divine Rune Art activated, his mind emptied, as if something had been drained from him.

"I was merely employing the Divine Rune Art."

Confusion flickered through Yu Kun, but he quickly regained clarity.

"Wait, I'm still in battle. This cheetah's speed is formidable, and my Martial Arts aren't enough to land a hit easily. But with the Decelerating Divine Rune in play, perhaps it'll make a difference!"

Regaining his focus, Yu Kun observed the cheetah once more, noting its significantly reduced speed.

A wild laugh echoed in his heart.

With the beast's speed diminished, Yu Kun found himself with the upper hand.

Still, even with its pace greatly reduced, the cheetah remained swift, a blur to Yu Kun's eyes.

After unleashing three successive strikes of Vajra Subduing Dragon, Yu Kun finally brought down the cheetah mutated beast.

Having vanquished the creature, Yu Kun exhaled a sigh of relief, yet a twinge of regret lingered.

"The Great Vajra Palm is indeed powerful, but it's too slow. Even channeling Astral Energy through the Leviathan-roc System, my speed is insufficient. Facing a beast like this cheetah, I'm forced to expend far too much Astral Energy! It's clear I need to broaden my repertoire of Martial Arts."

Yu Kun had come to realize that mastering a single form of Martial Arts simply wasn't sufficient. In the heat of battle, one could expect to face a myriad of unpredictable scenarios. Relying solely on one Martial Arts technique would surely put him at a disadvantage.

"Having ascended to the rank of an Inner Sect disciple, I've acquired a Grade Three Martial Arts. Once I step away from the Heavenly Barrier Altar, I'll start my cultivation. Even though I can't currently absorb Spirit Stones to elevate my realm, devouring Martial Arts should still be within my reach!"

With this in mind, Yu Kun effortlessly dispatched the remaining mutated beast and advanced to the subsequent level of the Heavenly Barrier Trial.