Bang!

Max's fist crashed against the surface of the black cube with an earth-shattering impact. The instant the blow landed, the entire area convulsed as though the world itself had been struck. The violet ground beneath his feet cracked apart violently, enormous fissures racing outward in every direction. Chunks of shattered earth were blasted into the air, scattering like broken glass.

A thunderous shockwave erupted from the point of contact, sweeping across the wasteland in a devastating wave. The air split open with a deafening roar as the shockwave flattened everything in its path. Dust and stone were hurled into the sky, forming a swirling storm that blotted out the distant volcano's glow.

The golden phantom of the dragon twisted violently in the air, roaring with fury, while the elephant's massive shadow stomped down with enough force to make the very atmosphere quiver. Both spirits poured their destructive will into Max's strike, creating a scene so overwhelming that even the giant dwarves stationed nearby instinctively braced themselves against the impact.

Yet despite the terror of the attack, the black cube remained motionless. It did not tilt, it did not sink, it did not even vibrate. The cube absorbed the full brunt of Max's blow without yielding the slightest sign of weakness.

The silence that followed was more suffocating than the explosion itself. The ground was left in ruin, a crater formed beneath Max's feet, the earth fractured for hundreds of meters around, and the air reeked of raw destruction. But at the very center of all this devastation, the black cube stood untouched, its surface cold and unmarked, as if Max's world-annihilating strike had never even touched it.

Max's chest heaved as he slowly lowered his fist, golden scales gleaming faintly in the haze of dust and smoke. His expression tightened as he stared at the unmoving cube, his mind grappling with the sheer impossibility of what had just occurred.

"A fist technique combined with the terrifying strength of my one thousand Draconic Essences in Dragon Scales Transformation is still not enough to move the cube," Max muttered under his breath, his expression grim. The realization sank heavily into him. This black cube was no ordinary object.

Chief Igris stood with his arms folded, his massive frame casting a shadow across the fractured ground. A faint smile curved his lips, not mocking but carrying a trace of approval. "This is your first test," he said slowly, his voice deep like rumbling stone. "I have taught countless geniuses who sought to walk the path of body cultivation. Each one of them faced these black cubes before they could even begin the true journey. And every one of them was eventually able to move the cube, though not easily, before they were ready to attempt the opening of the Seven Divine Veins."

His eyes gleamed with a mix of memory and gravity as he continued. "The opening of the Seven Divine Veins is not a simple feat. It is an act that defies the very laws of the world, as though you were forcing the heavens to bend and carve a new order within your flesh. For a normal human being, the task is almost impossible. Even among the geniuses I personally guided, most could open only two or three veins before they reached their limit. Beyond that, they were trapped forever on the path, unable to advance, unable to break through the barrier that stood before them."

He stepped closer to the cube and ran his enormous hand across its smooth, dark surface. The black stone swallowed even his touch like it swallowed everything else, standing silent and defiant. "That is why these cubes are your trial. To move them is to prove that your body has reached the level of raw strength necessary to even attempt the first Divine Vein. If you cannot move it, then the path will not open for you. It will reject you as surely as the heavens reject the unworthy."

Chief Igris turned his piercing gaze back to Max. "If you can move this cube, even by an inch, it means your body holds enough power to begin. Only then will you be ready to force the first Divine Vein to open. But if you cannot… then you are not yet qualified, no matter how many techniques you possess or how great your flames and lightning may be."

The weight of his words pressed down on the silence that followed. The black cube loomed between them, immovable and cold, a wall that separated potential from true strength.

"How do I increase my physical strength here?" Max asked, his brows furrowing in thought. "Is it the meats you giants cook?"

Chief Igris gave a low laugh, the sound like stone grinding against stone, and his stern features softened into a faint smile. "The meat is indeed important. It comes from the giant centipedes that roam the lands you passed through on your way here. Their flesh is dense with energy, and when consumed, it refines the body, increasing physical strength with each portion. For most cultivators, this alone would be more than enough." His expression then shifted, his smile fading into gravity as his eyes locked onto Max. "But your case is different."

Max raised his brows, a flicker of curiosity in his gaze as he waited for the explanation.

"You see," Chief Igris said slowly, his tone carrying a weight that demanded attention, "I can sense it within you. There is a terrifying surge of raw, untamed strength raging in your body. It is wild and unrefined, like a storm trapped inside a fragile vessel. But your body—your human vessel—remains too weak to properly harness this strength. What lies within you is immense, but the foundation that must carry it is unstable."

Max tilted his head slightly, his voice calm yet edged with disbelief. "How can that be? My body is already unbelievably strong. Even without my scales, I can endure and withstand. With my Dragon Scales Transformation active, I can block attacks from those at the peak of the Mythic Rank. How can a body like that be considered weak?"

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