Chapter 7 True Martial Attic

At the top of one of the imposing black towers of the Chilong Building, an elder with white hair and a long beard sat casually at a coffee table, sipping tea while reading a newly received report. "What? That person has been assassinated by an enemy?" the elder muttered, shaking his head. "What a lack of caution. With his skills, a few more years of cultivation, and he could have passed the first level of the Draconic Tower. Such a pity." The Chilong Building gathers talents from across the empire but does not interfere in their development. This means that regardless of what dangers these talents face, even if it is known they are about to be assassinated, the Chilong Building does not intervene. The person that the elder mentioned was a genius who had previously passed the tenth floor of the True Martial Attic while in the True Martial Realm. The Chilong Building had been monitoring his growth, but unfortunately, he was assassinated before reaching his full potential. Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached, and a steward dressed in black appeared before the elder. "Master, the person currently challenging the True Martial Attic has just passed the eighth floor," the steward reported. "Is that so?" The elder frowned, thinking there was no need to report such a matter. The steward, who had served him for years, knew his temperament. "Master, the inspector overseeing the True Martial Attic mentioned that this person has a significant chance of passing the twelfth floor," the steward added. "What did you say?" The elder was taken aback. Passing the tenth floor already marked someone as a first-class talent, eligible for the Chilong Building's Amber Badge. Passing the twelfth floor signified an extraordinary talent, one of the highest in the Skyblaze Empire, a rarity even across entire provinces. No one in Severmere Province had passed the twelfth floor in recent times. Given the inspector's reputation and judgment, if he believed this person could pass the twelfth floor, it was likely true. "Let's go see," the elder said, rising immediately. At the base of the True Martial Attic, many True Martial Realm practitioners had gathered. "That person also passed the eighth floor?" Pace, among the crowd, looked up at the eight lit tower lights. Each floor of the True Martial Attic had a light that illuminated when someone passed it. "However, it took them longer to pass the eighth floor than it did for me. The ninth floor is probably beyond their reach," Pace thought. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the top of another tower, hovering in the air and overlooking the True Martial Attic. "He's walking in the air! A Void Breaking Realm expert!" "It's Lord Hogan of the Chilong Building." "What could have happened in the True Martial Attic to warrant Lord Hogan's attention?" The crowd buzzed with excitement. "What's going on?" Pace also frowned in curiosity. In the Skyblaze Empire, the Chilong Building's chief in a province held a status comparable to a provincial governor, making them one of the most important figures in Severmere Province. Such individuals rarely made public appearances, even when someone passed the tenth floor of the True Martial Attic. Yet here was Lord Hogan, seemingly because of someone currently challenging the attic. "Could it be because of that person? But they haven't even passed the ninth floor yet," Pace thought, puzzled. In the air, Hogan, the white-haired elder, observed the scene below, including everything happening inside the attic. He saw a young man in black, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, battling ten battle puppets wielding silver spears on the ninth floor. The True Martial Attic's challenge involved facing these battle puppets, which numbered ten on each floor. As challengers advanced, the puppets' skills and coordination improved, while their strength always matched the challenger's. By the ninth floor, the puppets' spear skills were formidable, often overwhelming even Misthaven Realm experts. Yet, the young man, Owen, moved like a ghost across the battlefield, his sword strikes precise and sharp, effortlessly countering the puppets' deadly attacks. "He's too relaxed!" Hogan exclaimed, shocked by the ease with which Owen handled the puppets. Owen's seamless movement and swordsmanship left no openings, making the puppets seem almost childlike in comparison. Hogan was stunned by Owen's mastery, realizing why the inspector had such confidence in him. "This young man isn't just skilled; he's toying with the puppets," Hogan thought, amazed. Indeed, Owen had been playing with the puppets since the sixth floor, defeating them effortlessly without using his full strength. He soon passed the ninth floor and continued to the tenth and eleventh floors, where the puppets' skills were even more refined. However, Owen's movements remained fluid, his strikes precise, and his understanding of swordsmanship profound, effortlessly passing these floors as well. "He's showing remarkable understanding of swordsmanship," Hogan continued to marvel. On the twelfth floor, Owen finally began to use more advanced techniques, showcasing a breathtaking blend of defense and offense. The battle puppets, with skills nearly equal to peak Misthaven Realm experts, were no match for him. "Is he a member of the Su family?" Hogan wondered, noticing Owen's use of the "Vitality Mixing Secret," known for its defensive prowess. However, Hogan quickly dismissed the thought, realizing that Owen's swordsmanship transcended mere defense, displaying an overwhelming force that crushed the puppets. Owen passed the twelfth floor, proceeding to the thirteenth, where the puppets' skills were even more advanced, pushing him to his limits. Here, Owen unleashed his full potential, blending speed, precision, and unpredictability in his swordsmanship, defeating the puppets with a display of raw power and finesse. Hogan watched in awe, realizing that Owen's understanding of swordsmanship was unparalleled, even surpassing many experts in the Void Breaking Realm. As Owen approached the fifteenth and final floor, Hogan's anticipation grew. However, after a brief skirmish with the puppets, Owen withdrew. "The fifteenth floor's difficulty far exceeds the fourteenth. If I used my strongest technique, I might pass, but that would reveal my identity. True Martial Realm warriors passing the fifteenth floor would cause a sensation across the empire, which I'm not ready for," Owen thought, choosing to stop. Owen exited the True Martial Attic, having passed the fourteenth floor but stopping short of the fifteenth, leaving the gathered crowd and Hogan in awe of his abilities.