"Cultivating inside the Ancestral Forbidden Land can't be easy, right?" Chu Feng asked.
"We're not entirely sure about that either, but judging by the intensity of those lightning strikes, it definitely wouldn't be easy," Ling Yunhao said.
Truthfully, Chu Feng didn't need Ling Yunhao to tell him that. He had guessed as much already — he'd only asked to confirm.
At the moment, Chu Feng couldn't help but worry about his mother.
But then he reconsidered. So many people within the Seven Worlds Holy Land already knew that Chu Feng's mother was cultivating in the Ancestral Forbidden Land.
Which meant the truth might not be that at all.
Perhaps it was nothing more than a smokescreen. Chu Feng's mother might not even be in the Ancestral Forbidden Land.
But wherever she was, Chu Feng hoped she was being treated well.
If not, he would absolutely not spare the Master of the Seven Worlds Holy Land — even if… he was his grandfather.
While Chu Feng and the others talked, their feet never stopped moving.
Along the way, they could see towering pagodas, palaces, stone forests, lakes, and all manner of other structures.
But none of these were mere decoration. Every one of them contained a certain power — all of them were places for cultivation.
Eventually, Chu Feng and his group entered a stone forest.
The stones here came in all shapes and sizes, but nearly every single one harbored the power of a formation.
Finally, they came to a stop before a massive boulder.
It was circular in shape, roughly a thousand meters in diameter, and less than a hundred meters tall — like an enormous game piece that had been placed on the ground.
Standing beside the boulder was a stone stele, upon which were inscribed the five characters: Spiritual Tempering Stone.
"Brother Chu Feng, this is our Seven Worlds Holy Land's Stone Ground of Seven Worlds."
"Many of the stones here can be used for cultivation, but this Spiritual Tempering Stone offers the best effect."
"You've just arrived, so you might need some time to adjust. But don't worry — don't panic. With your talent, a few hours should be enough to get used to it."
As Ling Xinian spoke, she leapt into the air and landed upon the Spiritual Tempering Stone.
The moment she touched down, Chu Feng could feel an invisible force erupt from within the stone and engulf her.
For an instant, Ling Xinian's brows furrowed slightly, but she recovered quickly and flashed Chu Feng another radiant smile.
Following that, Ling Yunhao and the others jumped onto the Spiritual Tempering Stone one after another. The moment each of them landed, they were all enveloped by that same invisible force.
Those less affected, like Ling Xinian, merely furrowed their brows. Others grimaced and bared their teeth in pain.
"Brother Chu Feng, don't be afraid. Just come on up," Ling Yunhao said with a slight smile — though his grin held a hint of mischief.
"I'm coming." As Chu Feng spoke, he too leapt onto the Spiritual Tempering Stone.
The instant Chu Feng landed, every person present locked their gaze upon him, their eyes filled with anticipation.
They all wanted to see how Chu Feng would react.
But when Chu Feng touched down, his expression didn't change at all.
He had felt that force surge into his body, and it did bring pain.
But to Chu Feng, this kind of pain was barely a tickle.
This left Ling Xinian and the others thoroughly surprised.
Some even looked him over repeatedly, suspecting he had used some treasure to shield himself.
In the end, though, they found that Chu Feng was enduring the power of the Spiritual Tempering Stone just as they were — through nothing but his own body.
"Brother Chu Feng, do you… not feel pain?" Ling Yunhao asked.
"I do, but I'd say this is manageable," Chu Feng replied.
"Manageable?" Ling Yunhao and the others exchanged glances.
They still remembered what it had been like when they first landed on the Spiritual Tempering Stone — the agony they had endured.
Almost no one had come away unscathed. Some had even fled outright.