After three years of relentless cultivation on the 1498th step, Han Jue finally achieved a breakthrough in the Second Hell of the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body, reaching an 18-times body amplitude, a physique comparable to a peak World Master!
"Finally!"
Han Jue's eyes snapped open, gleaming with suppressed excitement. Without hesitation, he surged forward, ascending the staircase with newfound confidence.
1500th level.
1600th level.
1700th level...
1800th level!
With the Second Hell completed, the 1800th level felt almost trivial compared to his previous struggles. The surrounding cold energy, deadly enough to threaten World Masters at the sixth and seventh levels, could barely touch him now. Only the frigid power capable of freezing an Immortal to death could truly harm his current physique.
1801st level!
With an 1801-times power amplitude, Han Jue, still only at the Universe Level, now possessed the raw physical capability to battle World Masters head-on, and that was without even deploying his Holy Flames or the Star-Eating Grass.
He continued his ascent.
By this point, each step required approximately a day of practice and adaptation, but this minor inconvenience couldn't slow his momentum.
As he climbed, Han Jue's mind constantly worked through the problem of cultivating the Third Hell of the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body.
He understood his limitations intimately. With the physical strength provided by the Second Hell, reaching approximately the 2500th level represented his absolute ceiling without further breakthroughs!
Ordinary Immortals typically peaked around the 2800th level, while exceptionally talented Immortal Army Lords could push to the 3000th level.
Generally, only Immortal Marquises possessed the capability to claim the Preliminary Award at the 3333rd step.
To achieve this seemingly impossible goal, Han Jue needed to cultivate the Third Hell. However, that required absorbing cold energy massive enough to freeze an Immortal Army Lord to death, or at least threaten an Immortal Marquis's divine body.
Cold energy of such intensity only existed beyond the 3000th level!
Han Jue's gaze suddenly fixed on the eight primordial flames swirling around his dantian, orbiting the Water-Sky Holy Flame at the center like planets around a star.
His current physical fitness could easily withstand the power unleashed by a single Holy Flame without sustaining damage.
In other words, Han Jue's true combat capability already matched that of a peak World Master, one who had been recognized by the Origin Law of Water, no less!
However, the Holy Flames possessed a critical weakness: limited duration. Maintaining them for extended periods remained nearly impossible, making them unsuitable for sustained combat. Han Jue could only deploy them in short bursts as a life-saving trump card.
Now, Han Jue was considering an alternative application for the Holy Flames: body refinement!
Just like the tiny Holy Flame sparks from the Holy Pillar Trial at the Seven Flames Palace, they possessed inherent body-refining properties.
If one Holy Flame spark proved insufficient, then two. If two weren't enough, then three.
Combining multiple flames would exponentially multiply the physical strain.
When he departed from the Seven Flames Palace, Han Jue had taken with him hundreds of billions of Fire Seed Crystals, the entire treasury accumulated during City Lord Dulan Lian's reign.
These Fire Seed Crystals could endlessly generate Holy Flame sparks for body refinement!
Han Jue took a deep breath, steeling his resolve.
Eight distinct Holy Flame sparks manifested within his body simultaneously.
"Boom!"
The power of all eight Holy Flames erupted at once!
Eight flames of different colors blazed across Han Jue's form. The might of ten fundamental Origin Laws surged through his body simultaneously. His power climbed higher and higher, soon reaching the ultimate 256-times amplitude of a World Master.
This power level already surpassed that possessed by many weaker Immortal Army Lords!
Such tremendous power, however, placed catastrophic strain on his physical form.
Enduring the excruciating agony tearing through every fiber of his being, Han Jue felt certain that his willpower now rivaled that of an Immortal King, perhaps even a Universe Venerable.
He attempted to activate the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body technique while maintaining all eight Holy Flames.
It worked!
Han Jue then tried absorbing the Holy Flames burning across his body back into his internal structure, using their destructive power as the catalyst for the Third Hell's cultivation.
"Cough!"
A massive torrent of blood erupted from his mouth.
Han Jue's body instantly aged by decades. His entire form withered like a mummified corpse. His previously fair, smooth skin transformed into something resembling dried, cracked bark, and his breath weakened to barely perceptible levels.
"Hah... hah..."
Han Jue gasped desperately, having nearly killed himself in that single attempt.
Despite the catastrophic damage, a spark of triumph gleamed in his eyes.
It worked!
Though the strain on his body was immense, as Han Jue dispersed the Holy Flames, he could sense that his physical strength had increased beyond the peak World Master level, though still falling far short of the Immortal threshold.
If represented as a progress bar, Han Jue had just advanced approximately [1%] toward completing the Third Hell.
As long as the method worked, that was all that mattered!
Han Jue immediately consumed a vast quantity of recovery treasures, rapidly restoring his damaged form.
All he needed to do now was repeat this brutal process over and over again!
Han Jue realized with grim satisfaction that, sooner or later, his willpower would be tempered to a level comparable to Luo Feng's in his later years.
The cycle was straightforward: Use Fire Seed Crystals to generate Holy Flames, ignite the Holy Flames to refine his body, stop just before death, consume recovery treasures, repeat with Fire Seed Crystals...
Three more years passed in the blink of an eye.
By this time, Han Jue had spent nearly a full decade at Demon Mountain.
If Venerable Lianyi hadn't known he was receiving the Cold Ice God General's inheritance, she would have assumed he'd perished in the trial.
"The Third Hell!"
Han Jue's triumphant shout echoed through the empty staircase.
Over the past three years, he had grown nearly numb to the sensation of his body crumbling at the edge of death.
As an unexpected benefit, his exploration of the Sea of Illusions had also progressed significantly. Reaching fifteen or sixteen islands consecutively was now well within his capabilities.
Even more encouraging, Han Jue's Absolute Mind secret technique had naturally evolved to perfection during this grueling training, allowing him to withstand illusions and soul attacks from even the most powerful Immortal Army Lords.
Finally, after three years of unimaginable suffering, Han Jue had successfully cultivated the Third Hell of the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body!
27-times body amplitude!
The physical qualities of an Immortal Army Lord!
Looking upward, the palace awaiting him at the stairs' summit no longer seemed impossibly distant.
Han Jue surged forward, ascending the steps with growing confidence. He paused for only a few seconds at each level before continuing upward!
Soon, after passing the 2700th level, his pace began to slow once more.
Each subsequent level now required approximately a full day to adapt and overcome.
3333rd level.
Han Jue gritted his teeth, forcing his body through one final push.
The surrounding cold energy had reached a level that would make even ordinary Immortal Army Lords struggle to persist!
Only the cold resistance provided by the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body allowed Han Jue to barely endure such extreme conditions.
Suddenly, Han Jue's expression brightened with joy.
The secret technique inscribed on the final step of the 3333rd level, the first stage, had successfully integrated into his consciousness!
The next step would lead him into the palace where the Preliminary Candidate rewards awaited!
Before Han Jue stood a majestic palace approximately one kilometer in height, its outer walls adorned with intricate carvings depicting ancient battles and cosmic phenomena. The palace featured two enormous golden doors, each at least three hundred meters tall.
The doors stood open, as if welcoming him.
Taking a decisive step forward, Han Jue entered the summit palace.
The hall interior was filled with swirling mist. Above the ethereal fog hovered a massive stone tablet. Mysterious characters automatically materialized on the tablet's surface, coalescing after a brief moment into a complete message. The ancient script read:
"You are the 93,271st inheritor to arrive here. You are qualified to obtain the title of 'Preliminary Candidate' and receive the Preliminary Candidate's Rewards."
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