A ripple surged through Tang Yan's spiritual sea. In the heart of the void, the System's interface unfolded like a majestic scroll. Golden letters ignited into view as reality faded away.
"Next Authority Level Unlocked — Soul-Body Attribute Mapping. Initializing Trial Protocols…"
A ring of radiant gates materialized around him, each pulsing with immense power, daring to crush him before he stepped through.
System: "Welcome to the Attribute Forge, Host. Three trials await—one for strength, one for speed, one for wisdom. Each will test your control, resistance, and reflexes. Good luck, and… try not to die."
Tianmeng Bug: "I'm preparing a memorial tablet just in case."
With a determined crack of his neck, Tang Yan strode confidently toward the first gate.
**Trial One: Strength & Physique – The Dome of Pressure**
He landed hard on a circular black platform beneath a sunless sky. The weight of gravity felt crushing.
"Begin."
Five iron golems emerged, each swinging hammers of spiritual force that struck like thunder, resonating through his bones.
Tang Yan grit his teeth and retaliated. But every blow he landed sent ripples of gravitational pressure against him.
By the third minute, his joints screamed, veins pumped fiercely, and his breath ignited with intensity.
System: "Muscle strain approaching 87%. Should I prepare emergency recall?"
Tang Yan: "No. I will forge through."
His trident burst forth in a blaze of golden light. Tapping into his Killing attribute, he generated a pulsefield that disrupted the gravity just long enough to regain his stance.
He channeled Life attribute energy to strengthen his frame. For a moment, both forces aligned seamlessly.
BOOM!
The final strike shattered the golems, and Tang Yan dropped to one knee, drenched in sweat, but he wasn't finished yet.
**Trial One—Complete.**
**Trial Two: Agility & Reflex – Corridor of Chaos**
He found himself in a new realm of floating platforms, wind tunnels, and perilous blades of soul energy all around him.
"Begin."
As he leapt, the ground below vanished. Tang Yan twisted midair, pulse-enhancing the Xu Void beneath his feet, catching himself deftly on the edge of a rotating platform. He barely dodged a sweeping blade.
With each step forward, the terrain shifted.
His heart raced, but his focus was unyielding. One slip—just one—and he'd plummet into oblivion.
Tianmeng Bug: "Host is now officially playing soul master parkour. Impressive."
System: "Success rate: 38%. No pressure."
But Tang Yan's breathing steadied. Each movement flowed with the void pulse, mirroring the tides as he adapted. The blades sped up, but so did he.
In a burst of motion, an aerial flip, and—
He landed on the final platform. His knees wobbled, his mind surged with adrenaline.
**Trial Two—Complete.**
**Trial Three: Intelligence & Soul Control – The Formation Grid**
Now, a chamber of floating nodes and intricate rune matrices awaited his presence.
One wrong thread could spell disaster. At the center, a sealed beast spirit pulsed ominously.
"Disarm the formation, release the energy into a stable spiral."
Tang Yan narrowed his gaze, sweat beading at his temples.
This was a test of patience, not brute force.
Three hours ticked by.
He aligned spirit threads, tuned frequency glyphs, and directed soul power through ten crucial points with precision. It was a complex task, fraught with danger.
One rune faltered, and the system blared red.
System: "Stability: 52%."
Another two hours passed.
Drawing from his Level 2 Formation Master Inheritance, he mixed Xu Void energy as the stabilizer.
When the final link settled—
FLASH!
Light erupted. A perfect spiral of soul energy danced around him.
**Trial Three—Complete.**
**Ascension Spark: Attribute Resonance**
The three completed trials surged into his core. Suddenly, Tang Yan's soul, body, and spirit aligned perfectly.
His very breath drew from whatever stat he needed most. His footwork, reflexes, and burst speed adapted in real-time.
System: "Congratulations. Attribute Resonance achieved. Combat mode upgraded."
Tianmeng Bug: "I am both terrified and impressed. Mostly terrified."
**The Brother's Question**
Back in the real world, Tang Yan returned to the training field. That evening, after an intense sparring session, Tang San sat beside him and inquired quietly:
"You've changed. Your soul, body, and technique… they're one now. How?"
Tang Yan paused, taking a moment to gaze up at the stars before smiling.
"You want this?"
Tang San nodded earnestly.
"Then delve deeper into the Xu Void Ascension Sutra. I'll set you up with a rigorous training schedule. Follow it through, complete the stages, and you'll rise to my level."
Tang San: "So there's no shortcut?"
Tang Yan: "No shortcuts worth having."
The brothers sat in contemplative silence, the stars shimmering in their eyes, a testament to the journey ahead.A ripple echoed through Tang Yan's spiritual sea.
In the center of the void, the System's interface unfolded like a living scroll. Golden letters burned into view as reality fell away.
"Next Authority Level Unlocked — Soul-Body Attribute Mapping. Initializing Trial Protocols…"
A ring of radiant gates formed around him. Each pulsed with raw power, threatening to crush him before he even entered.
System:"Welcome to the Attribute Forge, Host. Three trials await—one for strength, one for speed, one for wisdom. Each will challenge your control, resistance, and reflexes. Good luck, and… try not to die."
Tianmeng Bug:"I'm preparing a memorial tablet just in case."
Tang Yan cracked his neck and stepped toward the first gate.
Trial One: Strength & Physique – The Dome of Pressure
He was slammed onto a circular black platform beneath a sunless sky. Gravity pressed down like a mountain.
Tang Yan could barely stand.
"Begin."
Iron golems appeared—five of them—each wielding hammers of spiritual force. Every swing landed like a war drum, reverberating through his bones.
Tang Yan gritted his teeth and counterattacked. But every blow he delivered magnified the gravitational field pressing down on him.
By the third minute, his joints cracked. Veins bulged. His breath came in fire.
System:"Muscle strain approaching 87%. Should I prepare emergency recall?"
Tang Yan:"No. I… forge through."
His trident emerged in golden light. Drawing from his Killing attribute, he created a pulsefield, disrupting the gravity field just long enough to regain posture.
He channeled Life attribute to reinforce his frame. For a moment, both forces aligned.
BOOM!
The final strike shattered the golems. Tang Yan dropped to one knee, soaked in sweat, body shaking.
Trial One—Complete.
Trial Two: Agility & Reflex – Corridor of Chaos
A new space. Floating platforms. Wind tunnels. Scything blades of soul energy on all sides.
"Begin."
He leapt—and the ground beneath disappeared.
Tang Yan twisted midair, pulse-enhancing the Xu Void beneath his feet, catching himself on the edge of a rotating platform. He dodged a sweeping blade by sheer inches.
For every meter forward, the terrain destabilized.
His heart pounded, soul power thinned. One mistake—just one—and he'd fall into oblivion.
Tianmeng Bug:"Host is now officially playing soul master parkour. Impressive."
System:"Success rate: 38%. No pressure."
But Tang Yan's breathing was steady now. Each movement matched a void pulse, like waves adjusting to the tides. The blades grew faster—but so did he.
A burst forward, an aerial flip, and—
He landed at the final platform. Knees buckled. Mind throbbing.
Trial Two—Complete.
Trial Three: Intelligence & Soul Control – The Formation Grid
This time, a chamber of floating nodes and rune matrices awaited.
A single incorrect thread would collapse the structure. A sealed beast spirit pulsed at the center.
"Disarm the formation, release the energy into a stable spiral."
Tang Yan squinted, sweat trailing from his temples.
This wasn't strength or speed. This was patience.
Three hours passed.
He aligned spirit threads, tuned frequency glyphs, and manipulated soul power through ten interlinked points.
It was delicate. Dangerous.
One rune collapsed, and the system pulsed red.
System:"Stability: 52%."
Another two hours.
He leaned on everything from his Level 2 Formation Master Inheritance, mixing Xu Void energy as the base stabilizer.
When the final link settled—
FLASH!
Light erupted. A perfect spiral of soul energy rotated around his head.
Trial Three—Complete.
Ascension Spark: Attribute Resonance
The three completed trials surged into his core. Suddenly, Tang Yan's soul, body, and spirit aligned.
His very breath drew from whichever stat he needed most. His footwork, his reaction, his burst speed—adapted in real time.
System:"Congratulations. Attribute Resonance achieved. Combat mode upgraded."
Tianmeng Bug:"I am terrified and impressed. Mostly terrified."
The Brother's Question
Back in the real world, Tang Yan returned to the training field.
That evening, after a sparring session, Tang San sat beside him and said quietly:
"You've changed. Your soul, body, and technique… they're one now. How?"
Tang Yan didn't answer immediately. He looked up at the stars, then smiled.
"You want this?"
Tang San nodded.
"Then practice the Xu Void Ascension Sutra deeper. I'll give you a training schedule. Follow it. Complete the stages. Then… you'll become like me."
Tang San: "So it's not a shortcut."
Tang Yan: "No shortcuts worth having."
The brothers sat in silence, the stars reflecting in their eyes.
End of Chapter 70