Sean halted, scanning the area. He saw a wide path, about five meters across, cutting through the dense bamboo forest. Along the path stood numerous lifelike stone lions, each about half a meter tall. Notrge individually, the sheer number was striking-two hundred in total. These two hundred stone lions stood back to back, resembling guardians of the bamboo forest, imposing and fierce.


    “This is it!” Hastiff pointed at the stone lions. “Mr. Great, these lions are the formation’s nodes and the sole measure of distance. When you step out a meter, the lions in front on both sides will rotate 180 degrees, from back to back to face to face. It continues like this. Once you reach your limit, the number of lion pairs turned toward you indicates the distance you’ve walked.”


    Sean realized. He then nced at a massive stone stele, about five to six meters high, on the right side of the entrance. It bore names and numbers.


    “Haha!” Hastiff continued, “This is the Hero Stele of the inwater Town Branch. Each generation of disciples takes pride in ascending this stele. However, as you can see, it’s challenging. Only those who walk over ny meters within the bamboo forest qualify to have their names engraved on the stele.”


    Ny meters! It wasn’t just a measure of a disciple’s hope to enter the realm of bright energy; it was also the limit for engraving names on the Hero Stele. Over time, only a few inwater Town disciples had achieved this. Exceptional individuals among elites deserved the title “Hero.”


    Seventeen in total! The probability was extremely low. Sean noticed Tommy’s name ranked third, having walked ny-three meters, while Hastiff stood at the second position with ny-four meters.


    As for the first ce… Romanov! He had walked an impressive ny-seven meters, just three meters shy ofpleting the entire course, making him the only person on the Hero Stele to surpass ny-five meters.


    Hastiff, noticing Sean’s gaze, proudly stated, “Romanov, a few years younger than me, was an exceptional figure of his generation, the top talent of the inwater Town Branch. He has been in the half-step bright energy realm for six years at the age of fifty. After only a few months in the branch, he was sent to the Capital Main Hall. Later, he caught the attention of the Emperor and became the Emperor’s apprentice!”


    “Moreover,” Hastiff continued, “After Romanov entered the half-step bright energy realm, the Emperor personally rmended him to join the Hall of Jade, where he gained Lord Steer’s favor.”


    “Word has it,” Hastiff added, “Romanov has been in seclusion for the past six months, striving to break through to the legendary realm. When he emerges, it will be his entry into bright energy!”


    Reaching half-step bright energy at forty-four and challenging bright energy at fifty, such speed and innate talent were indeed rare. Even among the descendants of the royal family, with abundant resources, it was difficult to find someoneparable.


    Sean couldn’t help but wonder. After all, his mother’s terrifying bloodline inheritance made him different from others. While others relied on their fathers, Sean relied on his mother. Tommy had walked ny-two meters, three individuals had walked ny meters, while five, including Hastiff, had walked ny-one meters. The remaining six had all walked exactly ny meters.


    “Where’s Chan?” Sean, not seeing Chan’s name, asked curiously, “How far did he walk?”


    “Eighty-nine,” Hastiff said somewhat awkwardly. “Just one meter shy of qualifying for the Hero Stele. Unfortunately, one meter makes all the difference. Rules are rules; there’s no room for deception.”


    Sean’s interest was piqued even more. In the inwater Town Branch, Chan, known as invincible at the same level, had surprisingly failed to qualify for the Hero Stele. This difficulty only heightened Sean’s curiosity.


    “Let’s begin,” Sean said, gesturing. “Mr. Hastiff is now a master of the half-step bright energy. He is just a step away from bright energy. Do you want to walk together and see how hopeful thest step is?”


    The Hero Stele will only record the first challenge of the hundred-meter bamboo forest. Hastiff, who entered the half-step bright energy realm at ny-one meters, must have used some top-grade elixirs to enhance his bloodline.


    “Haha,” Hastiffughed, “Mr. Great, don’t tease an old man. As the head of the inwater Town Branch, Ie to the hundred-meter bamboo forest almost every other year to test my limits.”


    “However,” he added, “It might not be appropriate for you to walk alone. I will personally guide you.”


    Hastiff then turned to Gloy Jefferson, smiling, and said, “Mr. Jefferson, after leaving the academy for so many years, your talent and bloodline must have improved. It’s rare for you to visit. Why not join us and let these younger ones experience the allure of the hundred-meter bamboo forest?”


    Gloy Jefferson hesitated. He had intended to refuse but, upon second thought, realized that apanying Sean would enable them to supervise him and prevent any tricks.


    “Alright,” Gloy Jefferson nodded. “I will apany Mr. Hastiff for a walk.”


    With that, Hastiff and Gloy Jefferson were the first to step into the bamboo forest, with Hastiff leading and Gloy Jefferson following, one meter apart. The reason was simple: if they walked side by side, the lions’ rotations would make it unclear whom they were turning for.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Rumbling sounds echoed. With their talents and strengths, the stone lions ahead posed no obstacle. Apanied by strange noises, the stone lions began rotating back. The scene was truly spectacr. Within less than a minute, the two had walked over ten meters.


    Sean followed as the third person to enter. The skilled individuals of the Jefferson family followed behind him, forming a line, stepping into the forest one by one. The stone lions on both sides kept turning, busy and active.


    “What’s going on?” Sean soon realized that something was amiss. ording to Hastiff and the academy disciples, although the resistance from the stone lions at the front was minimal, upon entering the hundred-meter bamboo forest, there would be resistance. As one progressed, the resistance would increase.


    However, Sean walked fifteen meters without feeling any resistance, unlike the usual experience of encountering obstruction from the stone lions.


    “What’s happening?” Sean pondered. “Could it be that my talent is so strong that this formation has no effect on me?”