Chu Feng had already been swallowed by the crimson aura.
He now felt as though he had plunged into the depths of an ocean.
But what surged around him was not turbulent seawater — it was that terrifying crimson aura.
Up close, the crimson aura was not terrifying at all. On the contrary, it was stunningly beautiful. But Chu Feng knew just how fearsome this crimson aura truly was.
Chu Feng had long understood that the path of martial cultivation was one with a very long road ahead, and that he was still far too weak.
And now, this crimson aura made him feel his own weakness with far greater clarity.
Never mind reaching the end of the martial path — the gap between him and the owner of this crimson aura was beyond the bounds of sight.
The crimson aura continued to surge toward Chu Feng, yet his robes remained completely unscathed.
On the surface, he appeared uninjured, but his face was twisted in strain.
This crimson aura attacked the soul. More precisely, it was oppression.
"So this is the might of an Emperor?"
The power that assailed his soul initially left Chu Feng feeling dazed, his consciousness on the verge of collapsing.
But through sheer force of will, he quickly recovered his senses.
Chu Feng's endurance was extraordinary. Pain and suffering — so long as his body could take it, he could bear most of it. Rarely did his will crumble from agony alone.
His powerful will was the ace card that set him apart from others, forged through years of life-and-death trials.
Therefore, as long as he could maintain his clarity, and the Emperor's might did not intensify further, his soul could hold.
After a brief period of acclimation, Chu Feng pressed forward through the oppressive force at full speed.
Yet as time wore on, his steps grew heavier and heavier.
Though his willpower kept his mind clear, his body was beginning to give out.
His body grew more and more exhausted, which in turn made his footsteps ever more sluggish.
In this state, Chu Feng began to panic. If things continued like this, even if his soul held firm, his body would eventually collapse.
He did not know — if he could go no further, would he still be able to pass the trial?
"You have the qualification to advance further."
At that moment, the deep, resonant, and lofty female voice rang out once more — a voice as commanding as that of a deity, capable of echoing across the entire world.
The next instant, the crimson aura surrounding Chu Feng began to dissipate.
When the aura cleared, Chu Feng looked around in astonishment. He was no longer in that boundless spatial realm.
He was hovering in midair above the great hall.
"Thank you, Senior, for showing mercy."
Though the crimson aura had already vanished, Chu Feng still bowed toward the front with deep gratitude.
He knew that he could stand here only because the other party had shown him mercy.
The so-called Emperor's might he had just faced was nowhere near the other party's true strength. Otherwise, how could his cultivation possibly withstand it?
But Chu Feng's bow received no response whatsoever.
He did not say anything further. His gratitude was genuine, but he harbored no delusion that such a gesture would earn the other party's recognition.
He understood clearly that since this was a trial set by the other party, the only way to pass was through his own ability.
Without sufficient ability, no trick would work.
And based on the current situation, there were likely more trials ahead.
With that in mind, Chu Feng quickly descended and retrieved a medicinal pill, popping it into his mouth.
He was extremely weak at the moment and needed to recover as soon as possible.
Because from what he could observe, the trials ahead would only grow more difficult.
Rumble—
Suddenly, the great hall trembled, and dark doorways appeared on the sealed walls to the front and rear.
Both hidden doors opened simultaneously.
Beyond the rear door stood a barrier gate, upon which the word "Retreat" was inscribed once more.