Chapter 196 – Ghost Mountain City's Revelry!

The battle continued, and the examinees of Ghost Mountain City completely relaxed. At this moment, they truly understood what it meant to enjoy the shade under a great tree.

The citizens of Ghost Mountain City also relaxed.

Many could finally get a good night’s sleep. During this period, the plight of Ghost Mountain City’s examinees had been so distressing that some who already suffered from insomnia had been unable to sleep night after night.

Now, with a High-Tier Giant standing guard, they only needed to wait for the ten days of the second round to end and enter the third round.

Many who had stayed up late for days on end fell asleep as soon as they lay down, enjoying the most restful sleep of their lives.

In teahouses across the city, the atmosphere was light and cheerful!

Business in the teahouses also returned to its former popularity.

Some who had chosen not to watch due to Ghost Mountain City’s initial humiliation now returned to the teahouses, sipping tea and watching the competition with others.

In the bars, the young people resumed their revelry.

Colorful strobe lights spun wildly, and alcohol was consumed as if it were free, much to the delight of the bar owners. Business had not only recovered but had increased by a full fifty percent!

Amid the festivities, a young man rushed onto the DJ stage, grabbed the microphone, and shouted, “Tonight… all drinks are on Young Master Zheng!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire venue erupted in cheers.

On a sofa, a young man dressed in branded clothing was surrounded by young women. He raised his glass to the crowd and said, “A toast to Ye Sheng! A toast to Giant Ye!”

“To Giant Ye!”

The young people in the bar roared in unison, raising their glasses and downing their drinks in one go. Some even sprayed beer wildly into the air.

The entire bar was a scene of boiling excitement.

These scenes… Ye Sheng’s appearance had undoubtedly given the entire Ghost Mountain City new hope.

Only in the Lu family was Lu Shushan unable to eat or drink all day, nearly sinking into depression!

…

In the southeastern battlefield, Ye Sheng sat cross-legged, the area within dozens of miles around him extremely quiet.

With his eyes closed, a strand of his consciousness had long since entered the Nightmare Ghost Realm.

During these ten days of the second round, he had not slacked off in the slightest. Apart from spending a little time dealing with matters related to Ghost Mountain City’s examinees, he had devoted a strand of his consciousness to increasing his Skill Levels in the Nightmare Ghost Realm.

Not only had he raised the Heaven-Suppressing Divine Bell to Level 4, but his highly anticipated ‘Heavenly Manifestation’ had also progressed rapidly, soaring toward Level 3!

Currently, its Proficiency had reached an encouraging 96%!

Boom!

In the dimly lit Nightmare Ghost Realm, spatial storms raged as a thirty-meter-tall Primal Skyfire Divine General brandished its Magma Greatsword, effortlessly shattering a mountain.

Along with it, the ‘Fire-Red Longbow Woman’ and the ‘Burly Figure’ were also obliterated.

These two had been defeated by Ye Sheng thousands of times, to the point where even when he held back, they were instantly annihilated.

Whoosh!

After destroying the two once more, the Proficiency increased by 1%, raising it from 96% to 97%. Then, the thirty-meter-tall Dharma Idol of the Primal Skyfire Divine General dissipated.

“Another twelve hours before I can use it again…” Ye Sheng shook his head.

Increasing the Proficiency of Heavenly Manifestation was quite troublesome, as it was restricted by a cooldown period. Even if Ye Sheng wanted to improve it, he couldn’t do so quickly.

Fortunately, each time it was activated, the Dharma Idol could be maintained for a considerable duration.

As long as the Dharma Idol remained, Proficiency could be increased by controlling it in battle during that time.

Additionally, after Heavenly Manifestation was promoted to Level 2, its cooldown time was shortened from the original 24 hours to 12 hours.

This undoubtedly gave Ye Sheng more opportunities to grind the Proficiency of Heavenly Manifestation.

This was also one of the reasons for his subsequent rapid progress.

…

In the Void, Ye Sheng sat cross-legged, his eyes filled with contemplation.

After Heavenly Manifestation was upgraded to Level 2, the increase in the Dharma Idol’s attack power was unexpectedly terrifying!

Yes, terrifying!

It increased by a full three times!

From the original +31,000%, it skyrocketed to +91,000%!

This was even more exaggerated than the increase from the Diamond Demon-Subduing Sword at Level 3.

“Heavenly Manifestation at just Level 2 has already surpassed the Diamond Demon-Subduing Sword at Level 3…”

Ye Sheng murmured to himself. He had a premonition that if Heavenly Manifestation were raised to Level 3, its power would likely exceed that of the Diamond Demon-Subduing Sword at Level 4!

The Diamond Demon-Subduing Sword at Level 4 had already granted him the Combat Power of a High-Tier Giant. If it went even higher… that would only leave stepping into the ‘Peak Tier’!

“Peak Tier!?” Ye Sheng was momentarily stunned. This level was extremely mysterious, and those who could step into it were truly few and far between. Across the entire Federation, they were an extreme minority!

Ye Sheng reined in his thoughts, shook his head, and stopped dwelling on it.

Whether Heavenly Manifestation could help him step into the Peak Tier after its next Level Up would be known in 12 hours.

Currently, the Proficiency of Heavenly Manifestation had already reached 97%. Once 12 hours passed, the next time he used it, increasing the Proficiency by 3% would be effortless.

At that time, he would be able to raise Heavenly Manifestation to Level 3.

And he would also know whether he could step into the Peak Tier.

“Enough thinking. I should focus on improving my other Skills first!” Ye Sheng said.

The Levels of his other Skills were still quite low. For example, the area-of-effect Skill ‘Nine Heavens Divine Thunder’ was only at Level 3, and its Combat Power Amplification was too weak. Using it now wouldn’t even match the power of a Beginner-Tier Giant.

There were also many other Skills that needed improvement!

It was worth mentioning that the Proficiency of the spatial Skill ‘Nightmare Ghost Realm’ was also slowly increasing.

Although the increase was small, it grew steadily every day.

What puzzled Ye Sheng was that he hadn’t done anything, yet the Nightmare Ghost Realm was still improving.

He didn’t know the specific reason, and he didn’t have time to investigate it now. In any case, being able to improve was a good thing.

“Perhaps the Nightmare Ghost Realm can reach Level 2 before the major exam ends…” Ye Sheng smiled, closed his eyes, and paid it no further mind.

…

In the following period, the fierce battles in the Southeast District continued unabated, but none of this affected Ye Sheng, as no one dared to provoke him.

Twelve hours passed in the blink of an eye.

In the Nightmare Ghost Realm, Ye Sheng could once again use ‘Heavenly Manifestation’.

A Primal Skyfire Divine General over thirty meters tall stood upright, its entire body ablaze with flames, wielding a Magma Greatsword as massive as a mountain peak. The powerful energy fluctuations radiated out, causing the entire Nightmare Ghost Realm to tremble.

Boom!

The two unfortunate sparring partners, the ‘Fire-Red Longbow woman’ and the ‘burly figure,’ were projected once again. Under Ye Sheng’s mental command, they burned their potential and launched suicidal assaults against the Primal Skyfire Divine General.

Ye Sheng then piloted the Primal Skyfire Divine General into battle, filling in the final 3% of Proficiency.

Time passed minute by minute.

The Primal Skyfire Divine General could be maintained for over an hour before dissipating.

Ye Sheng was patient, steadily increasing the remaining 3% Proficiency.

Boom!

Just as the Dharma Idol of the Primal Skyfire Divine General was about to fade, the final 3% Proficiency was finally filled.

In the next moment, the Skill Level of Heavenly Manifestation smoothly rose to LV3.

Ye Sheng dispersed the Dharma Idol, took a deep breath, and sat cross-legged in the Void as he opened the Skill Stat Panel.