I Really Am A Villain

Chapter 1569 - A Poisoned Pie

Hearing Xu Zimo’s words, Xiao An’an nodded slightly. She was afraid he and Deng Linyu would end up arguing, and she wouldn’t know how to handle being caught between them. But Xu Zimo clearly couldn’t be bothered to quarrel. Xiao An’an felt he simply wanted to observe the place. His intentions toward the True Martial Sacred Ground were kind.

The four of them soon arrived before the True Martial Tribulation Tower. Looking up, they finally saw this legendary structure.

The tower had no distinct floors. Ordinary towers had multiple levels, but this one rose straight upward, without any visible divisions. Its appearance was ancient, its peak disappearing faintly into the clouds. An old, primordial aura spread constantly from it.

“This is the True Martial Tribulation Tower?” Yan Pingfan said in amazement. The tower did not stand on the ground, it hovered in the air.

“The ancestor, the True Martial Saint Sovereign, refined this tower himself,” Xiao An’an said. “It judges your Dao Heart by displaying a color. Red, yellow, green, blue, white, and black. Six colors in total. Red is the lowest, black the highest. They say that if someone reaches black, they earn the right to claim the tower.”

Hearing this, Yan Pingfan smiled. “Miss Deng, may I try? I’ve always wanted to test my aptitude.”

Deng Linyu hesitated for a moment, then said, “I suppose it’s fine. Normally only disciples of the sect can enter the tower, but Young Master Yan is our savior. Making an exception once should be allowed.”

“Senior Sister, we need to speak with the tower guardian,” Xiao An’an reminded her.

“I know. We’ll tell him now,” Deng Linyu said, pulling Xiao An’an along as the group approached the base of the tower.

No one knew what material the True Martial Tribulation Tower was made of, but standing beneath it made one feel impossibly small, like a speck in the flow of time.

Beneath the tower lived an old guardian. Everyone in the sect knew of him. He spent his days asleep and seemed never to leave his post. His seniority was so high that even Sect Master Wang Hengzhi treated him with utmost respect.

“Grandpa Dao,” Deng Linyu said sweetly as she approached.

“What is it?” The old man slowly opened his eyes. He looked as if he were at the end of his years, his voice weak and unclear. He glanced at Deng Linyu, then at the unfamiliar faces behind her.

“So many new faces today.”

“I brought a friend. This is Young Master Yan Pingfan,” Deng Linyu said quickly. “Can he enter the True Martial Tribulation Tower?”

“No,” the old man replied with a shake of his head. “Anyone who is not a disciple of this sect cannot enter without my permission.”

“Grandpa Dao, let him go in,” Deng Linyu said, a little playfully. “He saved our sect. Rules are dead things, but people are alive. If we refuse him, what will outsiders think of us?”

“Fine, fine,” the old man waved her off. “Girl, you’ll shake my bones apart. Let him enter, just this once.”

“Thank you very much, sir,” Yan Pingfan bowed gratefully.

The old man looked him over for a long time before giving a faint nod. His attitude toward Yan Pingfan was indifferent.

With a casual motion of his hand, a black vortex appeared in front of the tower. There was no physical door, entry existed only when the old man willed it.

Yan Pingfan bowed to everyone, then stepped into the vortex and vanished.

Watching him disappear, Deng Linyu grinned. “What color do you think Young Master Yan will get?”

“He won’t reach black,” the old man said calmly.

“Nothing’s impossible,” Deng Linyu argued. “I think at least white. Maybe he’ll even hit black.”

“Black? You dare think so far.” The old man chuckled. “In the entire history of the True Martial Sacred Ground, fewer than three people have reached black.”

“So strict?” Even Deng Linyu was startled. “Does reaching black mean one could become a Saint Sovereign in the future, like our ancestor?”

“No. White corresponds to the Saint Sovereign realm. Black represents an Infinite Dao cultivator,” the old man corrected.

“Infinite Dao?” Deng Linyu grew uncertain. That realm was far too distant, so distant she could hardly imagine it.

“Look, the tower is lighting up!” Xiao An’an suddenly said.

The tower began to shine. First red, the lowest tier. Then it quickly shifted to yellow. After a short pause, it turned green.

“So fast,” Deng Linyu said. “Looks like Young Master Yan is truly gifted.”

After a brief pause, green shifted into blue. The moment it reached blue, the entire tower began to tremble violently.

“This… is it going to collapse?” Xiao An’an asked.

“No. This is normal,” the old man said with a wave of his hand.

After struggling for a long moment, the blue light finally jumped to white.

“Saint Sovereign aptitude! Young Master Yan has Saint Sovereign aptitude!” Deng Linyu said excitedly. She held her breath, eyes fixed on the tower. “Turn black… turn black…”

The white tower began releasing an increasingly dense immortal aura. The aura grew broader and heavier. The tower shook harder and harder.

Then, everything went dark.

The colors vanished entirely, leaving the tower in its original state.

“So… he failed?” Deng Linyu said. “But white is still amazing.”

“You should try,” Xu Zimo said to Xiao An’an. “Maybe you also have the aptitude of a Saint Sovereign.”

“I can’t,” Xiao An’an said quickly. “I tested before, my result was blue.”

Xu Zimo smiled. Now that her True Martial Sword Physique had been restored, her aptitude would definitely reach white.

“Does the young master want to try?” Xiao An’an asked curiously. “Maybe you’d reach black.”

“No maybe. If I go in, it will definitely be white,” Xu Zimo said with a grin.

“Ugh... You just like bragging to innocent girls like An’an,” Deng Linyu said, unable to tolerate it anymore. “If you went in, you probably wouldn’t even match Young Master Yan.”

“You should stay away from that Yan Pingfan,” Xu Zimo said flatly. “That’s my advice. Otherwise you may lose everything.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Deng Linyu frowned.

“Heaven doesn’t drop true destined princes into your lap. Sometimes what falls is a poisoned pie,” Xu Zimo said.