Unconvinced, Tang Yan took a deep breath, activated his Phantom Step, and decided to test his skills on one of the bronze statues.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!* He closed in swiftly, unleashing the fifth strike of his Thousand Mountains Fist toward the bronze figure with full force.

*Thud! Thud!* Two dull thumps echoed as the bronze statue staggered back two steps, but it showed no signs of real damage.

The remaining seven bronze figures reacted instantly, swinging their copper staffs at Tang Yan in unison.

Sensing the overwhelming momentum, Tang Yan’s heart jolted. He retreated quickly, but the bronze statues were relentless and coordinated. Despite his best efforts to evade, a staff grazed his clothing, tearing off a piece of fabric from the corner.

Tang Yan’s brows knitted tightly.

The bronze statues’ strength hovered around Mysterious Rank, Grade One—slightly weaker than his own. But one critical factor couldn’t be ignored: they felt no pain!

No matter what techniques he used, they wouldn’t flinch or retreat—just kept attacking. Eight bronze statues, working in perfect harmony, formed a seamless unit.

United in purpose, a well-coordinated team’s power far exceeded the sum of its parts.

Tang Yan’s gaze sharpened, darting across the eight figures. Their bodies seemed indestructible. Trading blows head-on would only wear him down to exhaustion.

Suddenly, an idea sparked within him.

Nothing is perfect—not gold, not people. He had strengths and weaknesses, and so must these bronze statues!

His next move was clear: identify their weak points and dismantlement them one by one.

Resolve hardened, Tang Yan faced the approaching statues without fear. With Phantom Step, his body turned to a wisp of smoke as he lunged forward, landing a punch on one statue’s left eye.

*Bang!* The strike connected, but Tang Yan didn’t linger. With a deft sidestep, he vacated his position.

The struck statue’s head jerked back slightly, yet its staff swung down without hesitation toward where Tang Yan had just stood.

The left eye wasn’t a weak point!

Fortunately, these weren’t living beings. Though their movements and attacks were swift, their instinctive reactions lagged, giving Tang Yan ample time to experiment.

He darted to another statue, striking its right eye before it could react.

*Bang!* The statue’s head tilted back, but it remained largely unaffected. The other seven responded, fourteen staffs swinging toward him.

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This time, Tang Yan was wiser. He conserved energy with each punch, flowing seamlessly into Phantom Step to dodge the barrage from a tricky angle.

The right eye wasn’t a weak point either.

As a seasoned alchemist, Tang Yan’s greatest asset was patience.

After evading the seven statues’ assault, he charged again, aiming a fist at a statue’s nose.

*Bang!* The statue paused briefly, but no real impact.

Nose—not a weak point.

Mouth—not a weak point.

Throat—not a weak point.

Chest—not a weak point…

Methodically, Tang Yan tested every spot, undeterred by repeated failures. Each attempt carried the same calm precision as the first.

Abdomen, left ribs, armpits, navel, leg bones—he probed the statues from head to toe. Yet, as they continued charging at him with unrelenting ferocity, a flicker of doubt crept into his eyes.

Could these things really have no weaknesses?

He’d struck them from top to bottom, and they still acted as if nothing had happened. Were they truly invincible?

Wait—top to bottom? Tang Yan’s gaze sharpened, settling on their heads and feet.

He’d covered their bodies thoroughly, but those two spots remained untested. Could that be it?

And yet, those were the hardest places to reach.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Yan resolved to try.

His body flashed like lightning, dipping low to strike a statue’s knee.

Instead of fleeing as before, he paused briefly after the hit.

As the other seven statues swung their staffs toward him, Tang Yan sprang into action.

Leaping high, he drew his right arm back and drove an elbow down onto the statue’s head.

*Crack!*

A strange sound rang out. From the corner of his eye, Tang Yan saw the red glow in the statue’s eyes dim and extinguish. It froze in place, motionless.

Success!

A spark of joy flared in Tang Yan’s eyes!

Confidence surging, he repeated the tactic—feinting one way, striking another. Within moments, three more statues fell.

*Bang!* As the final statue’s red glow faded, Tang Yan let out a heavy breath.

Though the battle had lasted only the time it takes an incense stick to burn, every second had demanded peak intensity.

After regulating his breathing, Tang Yan stepped toward the fifth floor.

Upon seeing its layout, a grin spread across his face.

The fifth floor’s challenge, for him, seemed almost easier than the fourth.

A straight bronze path stretched from one end to the other, about a meter wide, flanked by water on both sides.

Lining the path were two rows of bronze statues.

Each wielded a different weapon—swords, spears, hammers, and more.

Obstacles, large and small, dotted the middle of the path.

If Tang Yan guessed right, this stage tested combat prowess—demanding razor-sharp reflexes and impeccable fighting skills.

Few could likely pass such a gauntlet. No wonder Su Wei had been knocked out in a single encounter.

With a deep breath, Tang Yan stepped onto the bronze path.

*Swish! Swish! Swish!* The statues on both sides sprang to life. Three swords attacked with thrusts, slashes, and chops, converging on him rapidly.

Tang Yan remained unfazed, his combat instincts kicking in.

The three swords were fierce and imposing, but to Tang Yan, their movements were riddled with openings.

His fist smashed into the blade of the statue on his right, knocking it off course. Without lingering, he slipped through the gap.

*Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!* A hammer, a sword, and a heavy saber came at him from three directions, cutting off his upper, left, and right escape routes.

A sneakier strike followed—a spear thrusting abruptly from the path itself.

But to Tang Yan, it was still too easy. He sidestepped in an S-shaped glide, dodging effortlessly.

*Whoosh!*

Near a stone obstacle, a shadow lunged.

A slender bronze statue, hidden behind the rock, ambushed him. As Tang Yan appeared, a dagger sliced toward his waist.

Tang Yan’s aura erupted, his vortex dantian spinning within. Majestic true qi surged into his arm, and he smashed a fist into the statue’s right arm.

Under his overpowering strike, the statue’s arm twisted. Ignoring it further, Tang Yan pressed forward…

With his mastery of combat instincts, Tang Yan navigated the perilous web of attacks like a fish in water.

Reaching the end, not a single thread of his clothing had been touched.