Chapter 588 - 356: Yanxin Semi-Saint, the Solitary Ladder

Chapter 588: Chapter 356: Yanxin Semi-Saint, the Solitary Ladder

The Staging Area, Central Square.

The waves of clamor inevitably crashed into the building.

The divine senses of tens of thousands of Immortal masters intertwined, creating a delicate atmosphere.

Most of the Immortals, based on their absolute trust in the Source Net, didn’t believe cheating was possible.

But Li Wen’s "0%" progress was simply too bizarre, and the Alka Empire’s historically poor performance lacked any persuasive power.

A few Immortals connected to the Alka Empire or its rivals even had an imperceptible flash of schadenfreude in their eyes.

"Brother Chen," an Immortal from another empire asked, his tone half-joking and half-serious,

"This young friend of yours, Li Wen... he’s been on the 7th Layer for a year without moving an inch. He’s certainly... steady as a rock, wouldn’t you say?

Could it be, as the juniors are saying, that there’s some... ’trick’ to it that we can’t see through?"

Though he didn’t state it outright, his doubt was perfectly clear.

Chen’s expression instantly darkened, and an invisible aura of fury coiled around him.

His gaze swept over the Immortal who had spoken as he said in a heavy voice, "Nonsense! Li Wen relies on his own comprehension and tenacity. There was absolutely no trickery involved!

He’s not even forty years of bone age, yet he has already broken through to the eighth layer of the Heaven-Reaching Tower! How can you dare to disparage such talent?"

"Heh," sneered another Immortal who had always been at odds with Alka, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Reaching the eighth layer of the Heaven-Reaching Tower at forty? In your Alka Empire, that’s considered pretty good, I suppose. But across the entire human universe, it’s nothing special.

Among this year’s contestants alone, there are at least eight thousand, if not ten thousand, who have achieved the same feat!

And you expect that to explain how he reached the 7th Layer of the Enlightenment Tower? Chen, I doubt that explanation will convince anyone, do you?"

Chen was at a loss for words.

He knew that what the other Immortal said was partly true. Reaching the eighth layer of the Heaven-Reaching Tower was legendary in Alka.

But on a cosmic scale, it certainly wasn’t exceptionally rare.

Though he firmly believed in Li Wen’s innocence, he struggled, lacking any direct evidence to refute these accusations.

The scene fell into a stalemate. The gazes of tens of thousands of Immortals—some probing, some suspicious, some coldly observing—all focused on Chen.

Just as the tension reached a breaking point and the voices of doubt swelled to a crescendo—

BOOM!

A terrifying pressure, impossible to describe with words, descended without any warning.

It was as if the will of the entire vast universe had instantly condensed in this very spot, freezing billions of stars in their tracks.

Within the Staging Area, whether it was the ten million talented contestants or the tens of thousands of Immortal masters in the central building,

at that moment, all sound came to an abrupt halt.

It was like a billion ducks being strangled at once.

The torrential discussions, the furious arguments, the sneers of schadenfreude... all the clamor was forcibly erased by this supreme, unparalleled will.

Everyone felt an irresistible sense of awe and submission welling up from the depths of their souls.

Those with weaker cultivation realms turned deathly pale, nearly forced to their knees.

At the very center of the Staging Area, in a patch of void that had been completely empty, a figure silently appeared.

It was a middle-aged man dressed in a moon-white long robe.

He was tall and slender, with a gentle face as smooth as jade. His eyes were clear and profound, as if they contained a river of stars brimming with wisdom.

Most eye-catching of all was the simple, elegant jade-boned folding fan he toyed with in his hand.

The bones of the fan were smooth and lustrous, radiating a faint halo of wisdom.

It blended perfectly with the scholarly, peaceful, yet utterly supreme aura that surrounded him.

He stood there quietly, as if he were the center of the entire universe.

Space stabilized for him, and the Laws submitted to him.

"A Semi-Saint!"

"It’s... it’s Yanxin Semi-Saint!"

"Heavens, for such a being to appear in person!"

"Yanxin Semi-Saint oversees the monitoring of some of the Source Net’s core rules. He values fairness above all else..."

Inside the central building, a few of the most senior Immortals had cried out the middle-aged man’s identity and title the instant he appeared.

Their voices were filled with a heartfelt reverence.

The tens of thousands of Immortal masters, regardless of their previous stances,

all rose solemnly to their feet and bowed, their posture one of utmost respect.

Yanxin Semi-Saint’s gaze swept calmly over the central building.

That gaze seemed to pierce through all illusion, making every Immortal’s spirit tremble. None dared to meet it.

He paid no mind to the bowing Immortals. His gaze passed through the building and landed directly on the source of the clamor outside—

on Kane, who was looking smug as he fanned the flames.

A peaceful yet unquestionable voice resounded in the depths of every living being’s soul, dispelling all other noise:

"Beneath the Source Net, the rules are supreme, and justice is eternal. Contestant Li Wen has earned everything he has gained in the Enlightenment Tower through his own comprehension. He has not used external aids, nor has he violated any rules. His choice is one of great wisdom and courage, born of a clear heart and true nature."

The voice paused slightly, as if delivering a verdict:

"Contestant Kane, as a participant, you have failed to focus on your own progress. You have made baseless accusations, incited conflict, and disturbed the order of the competition.

In accordance with Article Seven of the Source Net Genius Tournament rules, your eligibility to compete is hereby revoked. You are to be expelled immediately."

"No—! Lord Semi-Saint! I was wrong! I spoke carelessly! I beg you..."

The smug look on Kane’s face instantly turned to boundless fear and despair. He dropped to his knees with a THUD, begging wildly as tears and snot streamed down his face.

However, Yanxin Semi-Saint merely gave him an indifferent glance.

Just a single glance!

Kane’s pleas were cut off as if by an invisible force. He opened his mouth wide in terror but could no longer make a sound.

Immediately after, a gentle yet irresistible white light enveloped him.

SWISH!

The white light faded, and Kane’s figure had vanished completely from the Staging Area, leaving no trace.

At the same time, on the massive master ranking board, his name, which had been ranked 832nd, vanished in an instant, as if it had been wiped away by an eraser.