“This ancient tower’s likely a self-contained special space, the whole thing’s like a spatial artifact,” Lin Yun murmured to himself.
The spiritual energy inside was several times richer than outside—a prime training spot, especially for ordinary cultivators without strong clan backing.
Fire Cloud Empire built it for them.
But Lin Yun noticed the energy differed from typical heaven-and-earth spiritual qi, laced with a unique force that pressed on the body, though it barely fazed him.
“This pressure’s nothing to me, but for low-realm cultivators, it’s hefty, Spirit Transformation realm would struggle here,” Lin Yun murmured to himself.
They’d need full inner strength to resist.
“The tower has no entry minimum, but Spirit Transformation and up usually dare enter, below that, even this first floor’s pressure is too much, Void Cave realm can’t linger either—half a day’s training and they’re out, it’s mainly for mid-tier cultivators, not the bottom rung,” Zhu Xu explained.
Lin Yun thought it made sense—mid-tier cultivators were worth the empire’s investment.
“This is the first floor, higher floors mean denser spiritual qi and stronger pressure, let’s hunt here first!”
Zhu Xu finished speaking, then led the group through the floor.
The cultivating cultivators scattered, intimidated by the Zhu Clan’s aggressive Mahayana realm crew.
“Good heavens, so many Mahayana realm cultivators, all Zhu Clan? What’s their game?”
“Right, earlier their eldest young master got mauled here by Mo Yangrong and his Mahayana realm posse, they’re here for payback!”
“Mo Yangrong beat him then headed to the second floor.”
…
Zhu Xu’s sweep of the first floor turned up nothing, hearing Mo Yangrong went up, they charged to the second.
While searching, Lin Yun spotted a massive statue.
Many cultivators sat around it.
He asked Zhu Xu about it—why the crowd?
Zhu Xu said it held cultivation manuals, obtainable with luck, though only high-grade ones here.
The empire placed them for cultivators without family or backing to gain basic manuals.
For well-off clans, they were worthless.
Each floor had a statue, higher floors offered better manuals, but big clans ignored them.
It wouldn’t birth great clans, but for mid-to-low tier cultivators, it was gold—Lin Yun was impressed by Fire Cloud’s effort.
Their strength, beyond the Emperor’s might, tied to such moves, maybe more he didn’t know.
“Zhu Xu’s leading them to the second floor, looks like a show’s brewing!”
“Let’s follow!”
Some cultivators rushed up for the spectacle.
Elsewhere.
Mo Clan estate.
Clan Leader Mo sipped tea in the courtyard.
A steward hurried in.
“Clan Leader, Zhu’s taken a Mahayana realm crew into the tower!” he reported.
Mo lifted his cup, sipped, and smirked, “Knew they wouldn’t swallow it, they think we just wanted to cripple their eldest young master for the Martial Exam, but that’s just step one, the real play’s next—Zhu’s in for a gut punch!”
“Also, Clan Leader, Zhu brought that chap from the Treasure Contest who nabbed the Origin Water Lotus,” the steward added.
“Oh? Perfect, he’s been holed up in an inn, I’ve had no shot at him, now he’s waltzed into the tower with Zhu—two birds, one stone!” Mo’s grin widened.
…
In the tower.
Zhu Xu’s crew hit the second floor.
Stepping in, Lin Yun felt the spiritual qi spike, pressure too, but it still didn’t touch him.
The first floor teemed with tens of thousands, this one held barely a thousand.
They scoured it—no dice.
“To the third floor, I’ll avenge my brother today!” Zhu Xu fumed.
“Brother Zhu Xu, something feels off, could be a trap, best not rush in,” Lin Yun cautioned.
His gut screamed trouble.
“Brother Lin Yun, I’ve thought it over, the tower caps at Mahayana realm, Mo’s tricks are limited, even if they bring all their Mahayana realm cultivators—twenty-odd—we’ve got our full force, they’ve got nothing,” Zhu Xu said.
“Even so, my hunch says hold back, this stinks of a problem!” Lin Yun grew stern.
“Who are you, kid? Stop stirring panic!” a Zhu Mahayana realm cultivator snapped.
The Zhu Mahayana realm cultivators, clan protectors and high-ranking, were livid over their eldest’s beating, itching to settle it.
Lin Yun’s caution irked them.
Zhu Xu frowned slightly.
“Hero Lin Yun, I thought you were tough, if you don’t want to push on, leave the tower, I’m avenging my brother today!” Zhu Xu declared.
“Fine, I’ll hit the third floor with you,” Lin Yun shook his head.
If Zhu Xu insisted, he’d join—his strength gave him confidence.
“Right, let’s move!”
Zhu Xu led them to the third floor.
The spiritual qi thickened again, pressure surging—likely only Body Integration realm could handle it.
They’d barely started searching when figures caught Lin Yun’s eye.
“Second Young Master, it’s Mo Yangrong! Over there!” a Zhu Mahayana realm cultivator shouted.
