Chapter 114: Brewing
In the live broadcast room, Le Jingchen was explaining the rules and procedures of the Sky Pillar event to the audience.
“The specific process for the Sky Pillar event is… in the first round, each contestant will submit their target weight and then take turns ascending the platform to lift the Sky Pillar.”
“This will be repeated for a total of three rounds, and each contestant’s final score will be based on their best performance out of the three.”
“It’s important to note that… during the process of submitting target weights for each round, contestants will not know the weights submitted by others.”
“This means that before stepping onto the stage each round, aside from the weight they themselves have to lift, they won’t know what weight other contestants are attempting—whether it’s higher or lower than their own—until the contestants go up one by one during that round.”
Beside him, Gang Shan asked, “So it seems a crucial aspect of this event is judging one’s own physical limits.”
Gang Shan continued slowly, “If you misjudge your limit and aim too low, your score will be low. But if you misjudge and aim too high, you might fail to lift it at all, wasting an attempt and possibly even injuring yourself.”
Le Jingchen nodded in agreement. “That’s right. By my estimation, all the contestants will report a relatively easy weight in the first round to acclimate, warm up, and conserve energy while gauging the maximum weight they can lift.”
“In the second round, they’ll aim for a weight close to their personal limit to secure a baseline score.”
“Only in the third round will they go all out and push for their absolute limit.”
…
In the Songyang High School rest area.
Wang Hai, He Dayou, and the others were watching Gang Shan’s live broadcast while also keeping an eye on the live event.
The reason they were watching Gang Shan’s broadcast was due to Wang Hai’s recommendation.
Wang Hai had said: If you’re going to watch a body tempering streamer, watch Gang Shan. He has a wealth of experience, and he doesn’t sell supplements or cultivation techniques. He’s one of the few honest streamers out there.
After watching, they found that Gang Shan and Le Jingchen’s commentary on the athletics meet was excellent, and so they had continued to watch until now.
Qian Shen, listening from the side, nodded. “I see. So even though this event is a competition, it’s really a challenge against oneself.”
He Dayou asked, “Teacher Wang, what weight do you think Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen can lift?”
Wang Hai replied calmly, “At least six or seven thousand kilograms should be no problem. Any higher than that… I can’t say for sure.”
Wang Hai looked at Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, who were in line to submit their target weights, then glanced up at the Sky Pillar. Besides the exertion of strength, the most important thing in this final event is the insight and judgment of one’s own physical limits.
A truly skilled body temperer not only possesses immense strength and speed but also has a deep understanding and awareness of their own physical condition.
There are only three chances. Will you choose a result close to your limit, or will you attempt to challenge a result that surpasses it?
What will you choose?
The others gasped upon hearing the figure of six to seven thousand kilograms, exclaiming in amazement.
Zhao Tianxing remained silent, feeling that if he, the weakest person present, were to exclaim or even show surprise, he would look like a clown.
Alas, when a person is weak and poor, their every word and action appears ridiculous in the eyes of the strong.
And weakness and poverty are both relative.
He glanced at Qian Shen and He Dayou beside him and thought, Even someone as wealthy as Qian Shen or as strong as He Dayou… appears weak and poor in comparison to the contestants in this arena.
And no matter how arrogant they were in the past or how much they stood out at school, their actions now seem comical, like those of a clown, when contrasted with the powerful individuals on the stage.
This was a law Zhao Tianxing had summarized through extensive self-observation… he called it the weak-poor-clown theory.
When a strong or wealthy person comes before a group of even stronger and wealthier people, they become the poor one or the weak one, then they become comical, and finally, they become the clown.
Zhao Tianxing lamented internally, There’s no helping it. This is an era where scores are king, the Immortal Dao reigns supreme, and money can achieve divine consultation.
…
As all the contestants finished submitting their target weights for the first round, the competition officially began.
The contestants would ascend the stage one by one in order of their target weights, from lowest to highest.
The first to take the stage was a student from Purple Cloud.
His body glowing with a faint purple light, he walked slowly onto the platform as the number “2000 kg” appeared on the Sky Pillar.
Looking up at the slowly descending pillar, the Purple Cloud student let out a sharp cry, thrust his palms skyward, and slammed them against the base of the Sky Pillar.
With a loud bang, the slowly descending pillar was brought to an abrupt halt.
After five seconds had passed, the “2000 kg” display vanished, and the pillar slowly ascended back into place.
The Purple Cloud student on the stage breathed a small sigh of relief and walked down.
One by one, contestants took the stage, each lifting their declared weight.
The numbers displayed on the Sky Pillar climbed higher and higher, from 2000 kilograms, to 2500, then to 3000…
By the time Chu Qiuhe took the stage, he was lifting a 3500-kilogram Sky Pillar.
With a shout, he easily stopped the 3500-kilogram pillar, then pushed up slightly, feeling the pressure it exerted.
He estimated silently, With my strength, I should be able to lift 6500 kilograms at most, right? Should I push it a little higher? Challenge my limit…
…
Meanwhile, in the broadcast room, Gang Shan and Le Jingchen watched as the students took the stage.
Gang Shan laughed. “As expected, everyone is just warming up in the first round, getting a feel for the Sky Pillar’s force.”
Le Jingchen said, “How much physical strength can be exerted, and ultimately how much weight can be lifted, is inextricably linked to a person’s physical limits and their condition on the day of the competition.”
“But for contestants with a strong awareness of their own bodies, this round is enough for them to accurately judge their limits and know how much weight they can lift.”
As the two of them commented on the competition, the numbers on the Sky Pillar continued to change, but they generally ranged from two or three thousand kilograms to three or four thousand.
It was clear that no one was using their full strength in this round; all the contestants were adapting to the pillar, conserving their energy, and silently judging how much their bodies could lift.
But even a three or four-thousand-kilogram Sky Pillar was enough to astound many of the students present.
…
Zhang Yu walked onto the high platform and slowly positioned himself directly beneath the Sky Pillar.
He hadn’t felt it from below, but now, standing at the center beneath the pillar and looking up… he felt as if the entire sky was being blotted out.
Especially as the Sky Pillar slowly descended, it was as if the whole sky was caving in, creating an immense sense of oppression for the person below.
Zhang Yu reached out and touched the bottom of the Sky Pillar, feeling its weight pressing down from above. So this is what a 3600-kilogram Sky Pillar feels like?
By sensing the pillar’s weight and observing his own body’s condition, the support from every single muscle… Zhang Yu gradually formed an estimate of how much weight he could lift.
As Zhang Yu walked off the stage, he nodded at Bai Zhenzhen, who was preparing to go up.
When Bai Zhenzhen stood beneath the Sky Pillar, feeling the force pressing down from above, she couldn’t help but think, Watching from below and actually lifting it on stage are completely different experiences…
…
In the broadcast room, Gang Shan said, “Jingchen, who do you think will win this Sky Pillar event?”
Le Jingchen replied, “Demon-kin students have far more muscle mass than other contestants, so even with similar physical strength, their power output is often greater.”
“This greater strength from more muscle mass, which was a burden in the first two rounds of agility and speed due to the extra volume and weight, has now become an advantage in this round.”
“And among the demon-kin students, Xiong Wenwu has the highest body weight and the greatest physical strength.”
“But if Xiong Wenwu represents the pinnacle of raw power, then Yu Xinghan represents the fusion of strength and skill, able to tap deeper into his body’s power and unleash greater force with less muscle mass.”
“The ultimate champion of this Sky Pillar event will likely be decided between Xiong Wenwu and Yu Xinghan.”
…
While Le Jingchen and Gang Shan were talking, the second round of the Sky Pillar event had already begun.
And just as they had predicted, the contestants all chose a weight close to their limit, aiming to secure a baseline score in this round.
As contestant after contestant took the stage, the numbers on the Sky Pillar rose steadily, with every student demonstrating a weight far higher than in the previous round.
Shortly after Lian Tianji successfully lifted a 6000-kilogram Sky Pillar.
Chu Qiuhe failed in his attempt to challenge a 6800-kilogram pillar.
He let out a fierce roar, his palms pressed firmly against the bottom of the pillar, but his body trembled under the 6800-kilogram pressure, unable to stop its descent in the slightest. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and retreat from the stage.
In the broadcast room, Gang Shan said, “Alas, that’s what happens when you overestimate your own abilities.”
Le Jingchen commented, “A drawback of demonic muscle is that it can reduce one’s control over their body, leading to inaccurate judgments. For ordinary people looking to gain immense physical strength, the best method is still to use alchemical enhancers…”
“As for the demon-kin’s naturally superior muscle mass and Yu Xinghan’s level of physical prowess and control, those require the careful guidance of a Golden Core True Person and are not conditions accessible to the average person…”
It was clear that in this Sky Pillar event, Le Jingchen intended to label the championship contenders, Xiong Wenwu and Yu Xinghan, as demon-kin and a Golden Core disciple, respectively, to highlight the greater accessibility and importance of alchemical enhancers and super-metabolism surgery for ordinary people.
Just as Le Jingchen began another promotion for Purple Cloud Supplements’ new technology.
It was finally Bai Zhenzhen’s turn to take the stage for the second time.
With a burst of strength from her body, she lifted the 7000-kilogram Sky Pillar.
Feeling the state of her body, especially the throbbing of her scars, Bai Zhenzhen thought, I’ll try for 8000 kilograms next round. That should be pretty close to my limit.
After Bai Zhenzhen finished, it was Zhang Yu’s turn.
He lifted the 7000-kilogram Sky Pillar and then walked off the stage with a neutral expression.
Seeing Zhang Yu’s 7000-kilogram performance, Le Jingchen thought, Oh? Based on the level he’s shown before, he should be able to lift a much heavier pillar… Did Zhou Chechen’s warning work?
Or has his body not yet recovered from the potent drugs he took during the last event?
In the Songyang High School rest area, watching Zhang Yu’s performance, Wang Hai sighed inwardly. Did he really injure his body in the last round? Alas, that’s not how you use enhancers. This kid… why didn’t he ask me before taking them?
After Zhang Yu finished, Le Mulan lifted a 7500-kilogram pillar, Song Hailong succeeded at 8300 kilograms, Hu Yuntao managed 8800 kilograms, and Yu Xinghan broke the 9000-kilogram mark.
But Zhang Yu, by the side of the arena, paid no mind to anyone’s thoughts, nor did he even watch the other contestants take the stage.
At this moment, his focus was solely on himself, on his own flesh and blood.
He was completely concentrated on his own being, all to unleash his ultimate power in the next round.
Because from the very first time he lifted the Sky Pillar, Zhang Yu, with his deep understanding and mastery of his own body, already knew exactly where his limit was.
With his level of skill, he could even sense how much weight this body could lift after an overloaded burst of power.
So he chose not to waste energy in the second round chasing some baseline score, nor did he go all out early to alert and provoke his competitors.
He simply lifted a 7000-kilogram pillar, neither attracting attention nor expending much effort, and then wholeheartedly focused his mind and conserved his strength, determined to reveal his peak moment on the final stage.