This overwhelming surge of memories was completely beyond his control. He could only jolt his mind awake to suppress it.
Yet even suppression triggered another surge, as if it could drive a person mad, scrambling the brain into chaos.
Fortunately, Lin Xiao’s spiritual power was immense, having reached the mid-seventh-grade level equivalent to Martial Saint combat strength.
Both his mental resilience and willpower far exceeded those of ordinary people.
In the end, he avoided being overwhelmed by that sensation of having his heart laid bare, memories and thoughts flooding uncontrollably. He stayed calm and forced the chaos back.
After plunging downward for more than six hundred li, Lin Xiao finally located the base of the Tianji Demon-Suppressing Tower and the entrance to the fifth level.
Fortunately, the entrances aligned with one another. Otherwise, he would not have known how long it might take to find it, or whether he could find it at all.
Once his divine sense detected the entrance, he was already within a thousand zhang.
Lin Xiao, together with the battle skeleton, flew upward for several dozen li.
Then both struck at once. The Yaoguang Broken Sword unleashed dazzling sword light, spiritual power formed a thunder dragon, and the battle skeleton blasted an evil fist beam.
Boom!
A thunderous roar erupted. The three forces slammed into the fifth-level entrance. Most of the power poured into the tower gate as though absorbed by it.
The excess energy struck the surrounding area, exploding into rolling waves that surged in all directions and shook the ground.
Now Lin Xiao could clearly see the fourth level’s floor. It resembled a blurred mirror, pitted and uneven, reflecting nothing, yet made of a glassy material.
It was also extremely durable.
This was the base of the fourth level.
Each level appeared different.
Yet the fifth-level tower gate remained unmoved. Their combined attack left not the slightest mark.
“The fifth level cannot be forced open. I will have to blast it with the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit-Gathering Finger.”
After weighing his options, Lin Xiao made his decision. Vast primordial spiritual power surged within him, fused spiritual energy pouring continuously into his finger.
His finger became like a black hole, endlessly drawing in power and energy until it was fully charged, then compressing and condensing it.
Lin Xiao and the battle skeleton retreated upward once more, ascending hundreds of li.
Even Lin Xiao himself did not know how powerful this fully charged strike would be.
Chi!
As he pointed, a tiny speck of light shot from his fingertip. Though small, it seemed capable of shattering the entire space. Even Lin Xiao felt a chill of alarm.
At the same moment, he retreated upward as fast as he could.
Boom!
A sphere of light brighter than ten suns bloomed, illuminating the vast darkness yet still failing to reach its edges.
A deafening explosion erupted. Terrifying energy detonated instantly, surging outward and upward in all directions, shaking the depths.
Yet the blast was somewhat less devastating than Lin Xiao had anticipated.
Presumably, most of the power had been channelled directly into the fifth-level entrance.
“It should have opened the entrance now, shouldn’t it?”
Lin Xiao wondered.
If even the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit-Gathering Finger could not open it, then neither he nor the battle skeleton would have the strength to break through.
As the energy gradually dissipated, Lin Xiao descended.
Through the fading glow, he finally saw that the fifth-level entrance had opened.
Dry, scorching gas poured out, rolling upward in white, steam-like clouds carrying a foul, nauseating odour that made the body feel unwell.
Shoo!
Immediately afterwards, a figure shot out from the entrance at blinding speed. Lin Xiao barely glimpsed it before he was struck and sent flying.
Both he and the battle skeleton were hurled sideways in opposite directions.
“I…” Lin Xiao was stunned and frustrated.
What kind of prisoner had been held on the fifth level? The instant the entrance opened, someone charged out.
And their strength was so immense, their speed so great, that they could knock him aside without effort.
They probably disdained to attack him directly.
Or perhaps they had sensed the tower’s tremors, lain in wait at the entrance, and rushed out the moment it opened, desperate to escape upward without seeing what lay above.
That seemed more likely.
After all, the villains imprisoned on the fifth level had been confined for who knew how many years.
Freedom was all they craved.
Fighting here would only delay their escape. They would hardly bother killing anyone who had entered the fourth level.
Or rather, they feared the person who opened the entrance might strike them down, so they fled at maximum speed the instant they could.
Shoo!
Shoo!
More figures followed, one after another.
Each was shrouded in heat, as if emerging from a steamer.
Some auras were weak, others still powerful. A few radiated Martial Saint pressure that made Lin Xiao wary.
“This is bad.”
Lin Xiao’s heart sank. These escapees from the fifth level were far more dangerous than the lone prisoner who had fled the first.
The first who collided with him was already far stronger than he was.
Among those who followed, several were also Martial Saints.
If these villains escaped, serious trouble would follow.
Worst of all, he still needed to enter. He had no idea what conditions awaited inside.
The fifth level of the Tianji Demon-Suppressing Tower might itself be extremely hostile.
With Martial Saint experts present, if any turned on him, he could be in real danger.
Moreover, the fourth level was over 100,000 zhang high, more than six hundred li. If each successive level increased tenfold in height, the fifth would be a million zhang, over six thousand li.
Escaping from there might prove impossible.
Yet his mother was imprisoned on the sixth level. If he could open the entrance to the sixth, she would be free of the tower.
He could not bring himself to give up.
After roughly ten people had rushed upward from the fifth-level entrance, no more emerged.
“The dean is also on the fifth level. I wonder if he was among those who escaped?”
Lin Xiao thought.
“No matter. First, break open the sixth-level entrance.”
Deciding swiftly, Lin Xiao ordered the battle skeleton to stay close and prepared to dive downward.
Yet at that very moment, a voice boomed down from above: “Lin Xiao, retreat at once!”
