“Heh, for me, this fourth stage shouldn’t be too dangerous. As long as I skirt around the Ten Thousand Thunder Abyss, even a Heaven-Human Realm beast can be taken out using the abyss itself!”
After resting for a moment, Ling Xiao stood up, smiling broadly, “This fourth stage is the final part of the tower-climbing ceremony. It’s much harder than the third, shrouded in grey mist like a fog of war, impossible to see through or understand. But if I’m careful, it’s not impossible to explore every bit of it.”
He noticed that the map of his Mountain River Martial Soul, once activated, wouldn’t disappear. This meant that any area he passed through would remain mapped, eliminating the chance of getting lost. Compared to other disciples, this gave him a significant advantage.
The first step, then, was to start with the Ten Thousand Thunder Abyss!
The abyss was so terrifying that it could blast even Heaven-Human Realm experts to ashes, but Ling Xiao wasn’t afraid.
If he could discern the patterns and rules of the Ten Thousand Thunder Abyss, entering it wouldn’t be impossible.
With this in mind, Ling Xiao sat cross-legged, his pupils turning deep and vast like the cosmos, with inscriptions and numbers flickering within.
The Ten Thousand Thunder Abyss was a naturally formed array, not man-made, but it still followed specific rules.
He now aimed to use the analytical power of his Mountain River Martial Soul to uncover those rules!
With his pursuers already dealt with, he could focus on unravelling the secrets of the abyss.
Among all the disciples in the tower-climbing ceremony, he was likely the only one with such peace of mind.
Others, including Dai Yuling and those who entered the fourth stage with him, had encountered trouble, though, having just entered, their issues weren’t as severe as those in the third stage.
At this moment, in the third stage, some were already on the brink of collapse.
The most frustrated among them was probably Liu Lie.
He had the weakest cultivation among those remaining and no longer had Tantai Lingzi’s help, leaving him in a dire situation.
In the fourth stage, Shangguan Lei also faced a serious crisis, teetering on the edge of elimination.
Almost simultaneously, Liu Lie and Shangguan Lei were eliminated.
But their fates were worlds apart.
Liu Lie was hunted to death by a beast with the strength of a half-step Celestial Venerable, utterly exhausted with no strength left to flee.
His cultivation had improved significantly, but his gains paled compared to Bai Feifei’s.
Shangguan Lei, on the other hand, was eliminated by choice after careful consideration.
In the fourth stage, he stumbled upon a great opportunity, obtaining an immortal-grade treasure, a top-tier gold-grade martial art, and a spiritual fruit that could elevate his cultivation to the invincible seventh level of the Mortal Realm.
He was eliminated precisely to secure these three items.
So, his “death” was worthwhile.
Being pragmatic, he felt that continuing might bring greater dangers without such good opportunities.
After careful thought, he made his decision.
Liu Lie’s death was无奈的 (helpless).
Shangguan Lei’s elimination was satisfying.
“Reaching the fourth stage is already a miracle for me, no need to be too greedy…”
In the moment of his “death,” Shangguan Lei thought of Ling Xiao.
His outstanding performance in the Moonlight Treasure Tower’s ceremony was entirely due to Ling Xiao’s help.
With his own strength, he likely wouldn’t have passed the second stage.
His current achievements surpassed even those of Sect Leader Chang Yueying and Demon Flame Celestial Venerable, ranking among the best in ten thousand years.
All of this was thanks to one person’s help.
“I wonder how Brother Ling is doing. Everything I’ve achieved today is because of him. I must never forget this debt!”
Whoosh!
He felt his body enveloped in white light, then carried out of the Moonlight Treasure Tower. On the ground, a corpse identical to him remained.
“You must take first place, Brother Ling!”
…
Outside the Moonlight Treasure Tower, on the inner sect plaza.
The Moonlight Sect’s elders had been waiting there for days.
The tower flashed with two beams of light, and Liu Lie and Shangguan Lei were ejected.
“My dear disciple!”
As a standout in the inner sect, Liu Lie naturally had a master, Elder Mu from the Law Enforcement Hall.
Shangguan Lei also had a master, but his was only a half-step Celestial Venerable, not even among the sect’s upper echelons, which was why he and two others had initially allied with Demon Flame Celestial Venerable.
“Master, I’m back!” Shangguan Lei said.
In the past, he had looked down on his master, but after spending time with Ling Xiao, his mindset had gradually changed.
Perhaps it’s true that those near cinnabar turn red, and those near ink turn black.
“Well done!” Shangguan Lei’s master was moved to tears.
It was the first time since taking him as a disciple that Shangguan Lei had called him “Master.” A rare moment.
Both Liu Lie and Shangguan Lei had lasted seven days in the tower, with little difference in time, but their Moonlight Points varied vastly.
Liu Lie emerged first, so his points were tallied first: 220 points, slightly less than Bai Feifei’s.
“Hahaha, my dear disciple, you did well! Though not as good as your Senior Sister Bai, this is a miracle for you!” Elder Mu had thought his disciple wouldn’t even pass the second stage, so to have points close to Bai Feifei’s thrilled him.
“Master, my cultivation has also broken through to the fifth level of the Mortal Realm!” Liu Lie said, also pleased. Though being killed by a beast was frustrating, his achievement was something to be proud of.
“Well done, well done!” Elder Mu praised.
“But Master, since I focused on cultivation, I didn’t get many treasures, just a high-grade gold martial art. Not bad, right?” Liu Lie said modestly, though inwardly smug.
“Well, well, not bad at all! You’ve broken through so much in cultivation and got such a martial art. In that sense, you’re no less than your Senior Sister Bai,” Elder Mu said, noting that Bai Feifei’s cultivation hadn’t advanced and had even regressed.
No one paid attention to Shangguan Lei.
Even when he had allied with Demon Flame Celestial Venerable, the latter had treated him like a dog.
It was Elder Jin’s words that finally drew attention to Shangguan Lei.
Elder Jin asked, “Have either of you seen Ling Xiao? Where is he now, and what has he done?”
“Elder Jin, that Ling Xiao is an absolute scoundrel. He threatened us multiple times, otherwise I could’ve gotten more treasures,” Liu Lie blurted out.
