The tunnel was long and dark, leading upward.
Dongfang Zhen couldn’t stop praising the strength Lin Ye had just displayed.
He was surprisingly unguarded, speaking candidly about his identity and family background.
His personality was unexpectedly straightforward, with a childlike purity about him.
For the first ti in a long while, Lin Ye felt the urge to make a friend.
Soon, light appeared at the end of the tunnel.
The two of them stepped out, and the world opened up before them.
A vast, boundless mountain basin unfolded before their eyes. The concentration of energy in the air was several tis richer than on the landing pad below.
With a single deep breath, pure energy surged through every inch of their bodies, leaving them feeling utterly refreshed.
In the distance, mountain ranges rolled on endlessly, wreathed in clouds and mist.
Closer by, pavilions and towers were nestled harmoniously among the trees. The ancient architecture, with its traditional upturned eaves, blended with modern structures, creating a peculiar yet stunning tableau.
"What do you think, Mr. Lin? The perfect place for training, wouldn’t you say?"
"The entire basin is covered by a massive Energy Conversion Array. See? That’s the core of the array over there."
He pointed toward two of the most magnificent buildings on the mountainside.
"That’s the Lecture Hall, the place with the highest energy concentration in the entire training camp. Our Cultivation Technique class will probably be held there later."
"Next to it is the Sparring Hall. It’s for sparring and combat practice."
Next, he pointed to an elegant courtyard at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by a verdant bamboo forest.
"That’s the ditation Hall. They burn a special incense inside year-round that helps you focus your mind and spirit. It’s the perfect place to practice the Spirit Observation Skill."
His gaze shifted to another building, constructed entirely of black rock. A faint dicinal aroma mixed with a strange, coppery scent drifted from its entrance.
"That’s the Bone Marrow Cleansing Hall. To put it simply, it’s a bathhouse. But the baths are filled with all sorts of top-grade dicinal herbs and, most importantly, mixed with the blood of a special type of Celestial Abyss Race."
"I’ll take you to try it soti."
Finally, Dongfang Zhen’s gaze fell upon a dod structure built entirely from a silvery-white alloy, giving it a futuristic, sci-fi feel.
"That’s the Spirit Core Hall, the biggest money pit in the entire training camp!"
"There’s a special device inside. Only three of them exist in all of Ninghai, and one is right here."
"The device can test for and stimulate a Martial Artist’s Original Martial Dao Spirituality. Even if it can’t awaken it directly, it can significantly strengthen our existing Martial Arts Spirituality."
"The construction cost for that thing is terrifying. Maintenance alone probably runs into the millions every day."
Hearing this, Lin Ye felt a stir of anticipation.
Martial Arts Spirituality.
’Will I awaken my first Martial Arts Spirituality here?’
"Except for the Lecture Hall and the Sparring Hall, you need to pay credits to enter any of the other facilities. As for how to earn credits, you’ll have to ask the instructors. The rules change with every new class."
The two of them started up the bluestone path, heading toward the Lecture Hall on the mountainside.
Along the way, Lin Ye’s gaze was drawn to a solitary stone tower standing in the distance.
It was a nine-story, ancient stone tower. Its surface was weather-beaten, and it exuded a desolate, ancient aura.
"That’s the Nirvana Tower." Dongfang Zhen’s expression grew serious as he followed his gaze.
"I only know what my elders told . Extrely powerful mbers of the Celestial Abyss Race are imprisoned in that tower. In the fifty-plus years since this training camp was founded, they say no one has ever managed to clear the ninth floor."
Lin Ye withdrew his gaze, figuring he would have to challenge the tower himself eventually.
Before long, the two of them arrived at the Lecture Hall on the mountainside.
The great doors stood open, revealing a massive space inside, large enough to accommodate several hundred people.
The floor was paved with a smooth, lustrous jade, and scrolls of powerful, flowing calligraphy hung on the walls, giving the entire hall a dignified and tiless atmosphere.
Sowhat to their surprise, two people had already arrived in the spacious Lecture Hall.
One of them was none other than the cold, aloof woman in the purple dress, Wei Shuying.
She sat alone in a corner with her eyes shut, seemingly in a deep ditative state, giving no reaction to the arrival of Lin Ye and Dongfang Zhen.
The other person, however, made Dongfang Zhen’s eyes light up.
He was a young man in a faded, well-worn blue Daoist robe, his hair tied in a neat topknot. An iron sword in its scabbard was strapped to his back.
He had a handso face and a serene disposition. He nodded with a smile as the two entered.
"Daoxuan! Long ti no see!" Dongfang Zhen strode over to greet him.
"How’d you get here so fast? I didn’t see you down below. When did you get through?"
The young man nad Daoxuan had eyes as clear and still as an ancient well.
"After you," he replied succinctly.
"I saw your thod was viable, so I followed your lead. I was lucky enough to pass another instructor’s assessnt."
"I’m just a bit faster on my feet, so I arrived first."
"Hahaha, I knew it!"
"Daoxuan, I feel like your sword intent has sharpened considerably since the last ti we t! When are you up for another friendly match?"
The corner of Zhang Daoxuan’s mouth curled into the faintest of smiles, and a flicker of fire ignited in his calm eyes.
"Anyti."
After speaking, his gaze fell on Lin Ye, who was standing behind Dongfang Zhen.
"And this is...?"
"Oh, right! I forgot to introduce you two!"
Dongfang Zhen enthusiastically pulled Lin Ye forward and began to describe, with so embellishnt, the "glorious deed" of how Lin Ye had single-handedly suppressed Lu Jiuxiao earlier.
After listening to Dongfang Zhen’s description, a flicker of surprise appeared in Zhang Daoxuan’s otherwise placid, well-like eyes.
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