Shane himself had endured a third-grade Master Realm tribtion. Moreover, he had spent many years honing his strength in the Master Realm, reaching the middle stage. Even if Nathan had that strange coffin, it wouldn''t be enough to bridge the gap!


    However, as half a day passed...


    Shane''s face turned ashen.


    "BOOM!"


    The thunder roared once more. This time, the Master Realm thunder tribtion was even more intense, the dark clouds swirling with greater fury.


    Torrential rain poured from the darkened sky.


    At the heart of the maelstrom, upon the ancient Ghostly Gates, intricate runes began to appear, etching themselves onto the surface. A frame emerged, encasing the imposing doors.


    The three-headed King Kong, the embodiment of the third-grade tribtion, transformed, sprouting an additional pair of arms.


    "Fourth-level... a fourth-level thunder tribtion?!"


    Beside Shane, Mike was ecstatic. He recognized the aura of this tribtion. He had witnessed Nathan breaking through the third-grade tribtion and knew that with Nathan''s talent, he shouldn''t be limited to the fourth level.


    However, he also understood the ckwoods'' predicament, the reason why Nathan had to settle for the third. Yet now, for some inexplicable reason, Nathan dared to challenge the fourth-level tribtion!


    But Mike''s joy was tinged with worry. Nathan''s foundation wasn''t stable enough for the fourth-level tribtion. Those Dead Souls hadn''t even reached the Adept Realm. How could they possibly withstand the might of a fourth-level tribtion?


    As if to confirm his fears, within half an hour, the four-armed King Kong''s relentless assault on the Ghostly Gates had left them on the verge of copse, riddled with cracks.


    "Hahaha!"


    Shane burst intoughter, but his amusement was abruptly cut short.


    The four-armed King Kong in the sky transformed once more, now boasting eight powerful arms!


    "This... This is insane! Mr. Nathan, have you gone mad?!"


    Mike roared towards Nathan at the heart of the tribtion, his fists clenched tight. The fourth-level tribtion had been a near-death experience, with Nathan''s Astral Form, the Ghostly Gates, almost shattered. And now...


    He had actually provoked a fifth-grade tribtion!


    The eight-armed King Kong exuded an overwhelming pressure that made the air crackle. Bolts of lightning rained down from the sky like pirs of celestial wrath.


    It wasn''t just Mike.


    Even Shane stared in disbelief at the fifth-grade tribtion. Nathan''s Ghostly Gates were already damaged. Even if they were intact, they wouldn''tst ten seconds against the eight-armed King Kong.


    "This doesn''t make sense. Why would he choose to break through to the fifth grade? Challenging the fourth-grade tribtion was already a gamble, but the fifth..."


    Shane felt his wrinkled hand trembling within his sleeve.


    He couldn''t see Nathan''s expression within the tribtion, but he knew that someone who could push the Druids to their limits, endure years of humiliation within their ranks, and then disappear into the Druids'' Ancient Battlefield for a century was no suicidal fool!


    A chilling realization dawned upon him. His greatest fear wasing true.


    "No, I don''t believe it... Is it... Is it that coffin?"


    The tribtion raged on, but Shane felt a surge of danger. Without hesitation, he activated his domain, enveloping Mike within its protective embrace.


    "Shane?!"


    Mike reacted instantly, but before he could question Shane''s sudden attack, he activated his own domain, summoning three thousand bolts of lightning to shield himself from the onught of psychic constructs within Shane''s domain.


    But as he prepared to counterattack, he froze.


    Shane had vanished. His aura, now miles away, was rapidly receding.


    Yet, even this shocking turn of events paled inparison to the awe-inspiring spectacle of Nathan summoning a fifth-grade tribtion!


    Everyone, mirroring Mike''s initial astonishment, stared in disbelief at the eight-armed King Kong wreaking havoc within the tribtion.


    "He''s lost it! He probably realized he couldn''t survive the fourth-grade tribtion and decided to die a spectacr death!"


    "s, his ambition exceeded his grasp. We thought Azure Cloud would have another Master Realm expert, but he let his arrogance lead to his downfall."


    "Let''s go, everyone. It''s a shame. He could have easily ovee the third-grade tribtion. Why risk it all?"


    The Azure Cloud psychics sighed. If it had been a fourth-grade tribtion, they might have held some hope, seeing the Ghostly Gates crumbling but still holding on. But a fifth-grade tribtion...


    They turned away, unable to bear witness to the inevitable tragedy. They felt a pang of regret for the fallen expert and vowed to learn from his mistake, to never court such reckless risks. Sometimes, what seemed like an opportunity was nothing more than a path to destruction.


    Grant''s face darkened. He had been prepared to fight the Druids, to earn the favor of a Master Realm expert, but it had all been for naught.


    He turned and headed back towards Azure Cloud with the other disheartened psychics.


    They had traveled for about sixty miles when...


    Old Ralph, his brow still furrowed in thought, muttered, "That familiar ghostly energy... and the Gates of the Underworld from our Ghost Eye Demonic Gate. I thought it was Mr. Nathan breaking through to the Master Realm within the Druids. Now it seems... I just hope it isn''t him..."


    He nced back, his gaze widening in disbelief as a wave of shock washed over him. He froze mid-air, unable toprehend what he was seeing.


    "Bro Ralph..."


    An Adept Realm psychic, who had been approaching Old Ralph to discuss something, followed his gaze and gasped, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Everyone, look! That... That... Senior... Holy shit!"


    His exmation drew everyone''s attention.


    Above the roaring thunder tribtion, above the floating Ghostly Gates, a silver coffin had appeared!


    "Creak—"


    The Ghostly Gates slowly swung open, the sound of ancient hinges grating against time itself, yet strangely ethereal, like an echo from an era long gone.


    From within the gates, countless grotesque, skeletal hands, resembling a macabre blooming chrysanthemum, shot out, grasping the eight-armed King Kong''s descending fist in a vice-like grip!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Mr. Nathan?!"


    Old Ralph cried out. The moment he saw the Death Coffin, he knew. Nathan was back!


    And...


    He was actually confident enough to withstand a fifth-grade thunder tribtion!


    Nearby, Grant stared at the unfolding spectacle: the transforming tribtion, the ck-wreathed skeletal hands grappling with the eight-armed King Kong''s lightning, the overjoyed Old Ralph, and the silver coffin hovering above the Ghostly Gates.


    The stories he had heard countless times during his years in Azure Cloud, the tales that had be almost mythical in his mind, came flooding back.


    "Gulp."


    Grant swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.