Swallowing the Stars: Only in my later years did I come to the life-spending panel.

The next morning.

In the square in front of the main building, more than three thousand candidates stood in neat rows, completely silent. After yesterday's second assessment, everyone knew that today was the day that would determine their fate.

A temporary platform was erected in front of the crowd.

"I heard the head instructor personally took action today..."

"A domain... Is this a power that surpasses even the God of War?"

"Most experts who surpass the God of War level haven't comprehended a domain. According to my family elders, there are only two people in the world who have comprehended a domain: the head instructor and Hong, the world's strongest expert!"

Amidst the whispers, a bolt of deep purple lightning descended from the sky and landed on the high platform.

As the lightning dissipated, Zhou Mu's figure appeared, still dressed in a black outfit.

"The third test is the test of willpower." Zhou Mu's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "The rules for this test are simple: in my field, persevere as long as possible."

"I will start by increasing the pressure of the domain from the lowest level and gradually increase it. When you can no longer withstand it, you can give up. The longer you persist, the higher your score will be."

"Did you understand everything?"

All the candidates responded in unison, "Understood!"

"The assessment begins!"

Zhou Mu nodded and raised his right hand.

The next instant, a deep purple light burst forth from him!

The light surged in all directions like a tide, instantly enveloping the entire square.

All the candidates felt a sudden heaviness in their bodies, as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on their shoulders, making it difficult to breathe.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Those usually arrogant and proud martial arts geniuses were now pale-faced, gritting their teeth as they resisted the terrifying pressure.

"This is just the beginning," Zhou Mu said calmly.

As soon as he finished speaking, the pressure from the domain suddenly intensified.

"ah--!"

Screams rose and fell, and within a few breaths, dozens of people's legs went weak and they collapsed to the ground. They tried desperately to stand up, but found that their limbs were completely unresponsive.

"I...I give up..."

A purple light flashed, and the person was instantly moved out of the area. The waiting medical team rushed forward and took him away for treatment.

This is just the beginning.

One minute...

Two minutes...

Three minutes...

More and more examinees fell, and more and more martial artists chose to give up under the suppression of their domains.

Those geniuses who ranked high in the second assessment were now all flushed, with veins bulging on their foreheads, struggling to hold on.

Fourth minute.

More than two thousand people have already chosen to give up, and only six or seven hundred are still persisting.

Zhou Lie gritted his teeth, his legs trembled, and his back bent, but he never chose to give up.

We cannot give up.

He's come this far, how can he just collapse here?

He wants to become a strongman like the head of the family, eliminate monsters, and avenge his parents!

At four minutes and thirty seconds, Zhou Lie's body was pressed down by the pressure of the domain, causing him to stagger. He knelt on one knee and used all his strength to support himself.

He struggled to lift his head, glanced at the dark figure on the high platform, and finally could not hold on any longer, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

A flash of purple light moved Zhou Lie out of the domain.

......

With 80 players remaining on the field in the fifth minute.

In the sixth minute, only 40 people remained.

Seventh minute, 23 people.

Each of these people is a top genius who ranks in the top thirty in the second assessment.

At this moment, their faces were pale, they were sweating profusely, and their eyes were burning with an unyielding flame.

Among these twenty-three people, one figure stood out in particular.

With black hair, a slender figure, and a scar at the corner of his eye, he was not particularly outstanding among these geniuses.

But he stood there, like a javelin, firmly rooted to the ground, unmoving.

His face was also pale, and his body was also trembling, but his eyes were terrifyingly calm, as if the oppressive force that made everyone breathless was just a gentle breeze to him.

In the eighth minute, some of the last twenty-three people also reached their limit and began to give up. One by one, they were removed from Zhou Mu's domain.

At eight minutes and thirty seconds, only ten people remained.

At eight minutes and fifty seconds, only five people remained.

......

At the ninth minute and fifteen seconds, only two players remained on the court.

Renates Bridge, a genius dancer from the HR Alliance, ranked first in the second assessment. At this moment, he gritted his teeth, his muscles bulged, his whole body was trembling violently, and his eyes were beginning to glaze over. His will and body had reached their limits.

But he persisted; he had to be number one and couldn't lose to a kid who was only a mid-level warrior.

In the tenth minute, Bridge finally couldn't hold on any longer. He spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsed to the ground, and was removed from the area.

He was lifted onto a stretcher by the waiting medical team, his head held high, his eyes filled with resentment as he looked at the figure standing straight in the center of the field.

In the square, everyone's eyes were focused in the same direction.

Luo Feng remained standing, his back ramrod straight.

At this moment, he was the only one left in the area.

His body was trembling, and blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth. Although his vision was blurred, he stood there, motionless.

The oppressive force, intensified several times, had become almost tangible, transforming into countless steel needles that pierced every inch of his skin, every bone, and every cell.

His consciousness was fading, his body was collapsing, but only one thought remained in his mind:

persist in......

Just hold on for one more second...

He didn't know what he was holding on to, he only knew he couldn't give up.

He recalled the rat swarm in County 0231, the warriors who died in the monsters' mouths, Lu Gang's solitary leap from the fighter jet, and Zhou Mutian's godlike arrival, nailing the rat king to death with a single shot.

He wants to become stronger.

He is willing to give everything for this goal.

Twelfth minute.

Zhou Mu withdrew his domain, and the deep purple light symbolizing the domain receded like a tide, restoring calm to the square.

Luo Feng felt the pressure that had been suffocating him suddenly disappear. His body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

He raised his head and looked at the platform.

Zhou Mu looked at him with gentle eyes, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

"That's enough." Zhou Mu's voice entered his ears through the Force, gentle and clear. "If you continue, you'll get hurt, and it won't be worth it."

Luo Feng opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat too dry to make a sound, so he could only nod heavily.

......

On the high platform, Zhou Mu stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping across the entire arena.

In the square, more than 3,000 examinees were already slumped over, having reached their physical and mental limits.

"The third assessment is complete."

Zhou Mu's voice rang out, and he raised his hand and waved, causing the huge holographic screen to slowly light up.

The names, rankings, and total scores of all participants in the three assessments are displayed on the screen in that order.

The top-ranked player remains Renates Bridge, with a total score of 389.

But everyone's attention was focused on another name.

9th place: Luo Feng, total score 356 points.