"What a spiritual mountain! The name 'Peerless Peak' truly lives up to its reputation. The Heaven and Earth Vital Energy here is so rich, I can feel every pore in my body opening. It feels like I've stepped into a sacred paradise."
Lu Beiyue stepped forward and stood at the foot of the spiritual mountain. Even at the very base, an overwhelmingly dense aura of innate Heaven and Earth Vital Energy naturally enveloped him, surging into his flesh and blood through his pores without resistance.
It was like tasting ice cream on a scorching summer day—an indescribably refreshing sensation.
The richness of this innate energy was such that bathing in it felt like stepping out of a smog-choked city and into a primeval forest, breathing in air as pure as oxygen itself—blissful, almost euphoric.
He nearly sank entirely into that feeling.
Fortunately, Lu Beiyue was no ordinary man. He snapped back to awareness in the blink of an eye. Gazing up at the spiritual mountain, his eyes revealed envy and amazement. This was a true sacred land, a treasure among treasures—an ideal foundation for any faction's rise to eternal glory.
"If I could claim this place, my Wolfmen race would produce outstanding elites without end, powerhouses rising in waves. We would surely become one of the top clans among the myriad races."
The thought flashed through his mind instinctively.
But he also understood—seizing such a spiritual mountain was no trivial feat. One needed more than ambition; it required strength, heritage, and identity. Otherwise, even if acquired, it couldn't be kept.
"This Fruit Banquet—I, Lu Beiyue, was the first to arrive. The seats are first-come, first-served. Don't blame me for being rude. One of those nine thrones at the summit shall be mine."
He raised his eyes toward the mountain peak and barked his claim.
Even at the foot of the mountain, the innate energy was already so thick—how much more potent would it be at the very top? Of course, the higher one sat, the more honorable the position. Being the first to arrive, how could he—how would he—settle for a seat at the bottom? That was beneath him. He made his choice without hesitation: one of the nine thrones at the summit would be his.
Without another word, he strode toward the peak.
A Heavenly Staircase, or Cloud Ladder, rose in the center of the two rows of banquet seats, stretching all the way up to the summit. Ascending that path led directly to the top.
Lu Beiyue's face held unshakable pride as he walked step by step under the silver moonlight. His pace seemed leisurely, but each breath carried him several meters forward—as if strolling through moonbeams, his gaze locked on the nine thrones beneath the Stone Emperor. He was going to claim one.
All eyes across the Battlefield of Gods and Demons turned toward him.
"He's aiming for one of those thrones? On what basis? What makes him worthy? What makes the Wolfmen worthy? They're just one of many subraces of the Beastmen. Even the royal bloodlines among the Beastmen haven't made a move yet, and he dares make such a bold play? Reckless!"
"Absurd! We, the Behemoth Royal Clan, haven't even appeared yet, and this mutt dares to seize a throne? What is he trying to prove—does he think the Wolfmen are royalty now? Audacious!"
"This Fruit Banquet tests personal strength, not backing or race. The thrones are up there—whoever has the power can claim one. If you don't have what it takes, then sit below. That's the law of the wild. If Lu Beiyue can claim it and hold it, so be it."
Debates rose from every corner.
Some sneered with cold disdain. Others openly cursed his ambition, as if he meant to replace the Beastmen royalty. But many simply watched quietly—after all, those thrones weren't so easily claimed.
Even if you could sit on them—could you hold the seat? That was another matter. Your capabilities dictate your station—that's the eternal truth.
"Strategist, can that Wolfman truly sit on one of those nine thrones?" asked Cheng Yaojin.
"Unlikely," Jia Xu replied calmly. "Those nine thrones are almost equal to the Stone Emperor's own seat. If not for the fact that the banquet is being hosted by the Stone Emperor himself, he wouldn't have claimed the main throne. That means the other nine seats are equal in status to his own. With the Stone Emperor's pride, do you think he'd let just anyone sit next to him?"
Indeed, every top genius was watching Lu Beiyue.
He was the pathfinder, the test subject, the bold fool rushing into the unknown.
Yi Tianxing was watching from afar. So were countless other prodigies. Lu Beiyue was testing the waters for everyone else. He surely knew that too—but he didn't care. He chose to go first, because being first carried unmatched weight.
Who remembers the second?
Unless you're truly unmatched in power, no one will. The first, though—even if you fall in the end—shines brilliantly in that one moment.
"I will sit on that throne."
Lu Beiyue climbed step by step toward the mountain's peak.
The Stone Emperor sat motionless above, his expression unchanged. He watched Lu Beiyue like a god-king waiting for offerings. Here, he was the master, the ultimate genius.
He said nothing, made no move to stop him. He looked once—then closed his eyes again, either resting or simply waiting.
"The throne—I'm coming for it."
Lu Beiyue took a deep breath and, without hesitation, sat on one of the nine thrones beneath the Stone Emperor.
The moment he sat down, the silver moon above blazed with radiant light, bathing his body in divine brilliance—granting him a sense of infinite power.
Boom!!
But just then—
A surge of terrifying force erupted from the throne.
Chains of invisible shackles burst forth, binding his entire body. At the same time, a titanic force erupted like a volcano, converging with the shackles into a dual-pressure—a millstone from above and below.
Lu Beiyue was the bean caught between them. The force twisted, crushed, and tried to grind his body into powder.
"Not good!!"
He immediately sensed the crisis and tried to spring back. The lunar light around him surged wildly as he launched himself off the throne.
Blood spurted from his mouth.
In the eyes of the crowd, it looked as if Lu Beiyue had just sat down when he suddenly bounced up violently, like he had sat on a bed of needles.
He tumbled down the spiritual mountain, completely out of control. Only when he reached the midway point did he finally stabilize himself. Blood stained the corner of his lips, and a trace of crimson filled his eyes.
He looked up at the throne in disbelief.
"How… how could this be? Stone Emperor, this is your trick, isn't it?! If you didn't want people to sit on them, why place the thrones at all?!"
The Stone Emperor's gaze fell on him.
"These thrones are placed here for all to see. But whether you can sit on them—depends entirely on your strength. These thrones are not ordinary—they are forged from a divine material called the Stone of Heaven and Earth."
His voice was calm and detached.
"The Stone of Heaven and Earth"—this divine stone contains the power of Heaven and Earth, able to draw on the forces of the world.
"Once someone sits down, the throne activates its Heaven-Earth Force, with earth beneath and sky above. Only those with the strength to stand between heaven and earth—to hold up the world—may sit. Those who succeed will receive its body-tempering power, a subtle transformation with immense benefits. It is both a test and a qualification."
There was no need to guard the throne. The Stone of Heaven and Earth was itself a trial. If you couldn't endure it, you'd either be ejected in shame or crushed to death.
Only those who could endure the fusion of Heaven and Earth, who possessed the power to support the heavens and stand on the earth, were qualified to sit beside the Stone Emperor.
This throne was a place only for the strongest of geniuses—those worthy of becoming legends.