novelraw Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Chapter 96
The prodigies’ mouths twitched.
That beast matched an Eighth Peak Embrace‑Origin Realm monster, yet it couldn’t withstand even one of Gu Yang’s punches.
Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
Although they had just watched Gu Yang defeat the Fist Demon, seeing such a powerful beast killed by a single blow struck a deeper chord. The visual shock left them unsettled for a long time. Their gazes brimmed with awe and reverence as they looked at Gu Yang.
After he easily killed the Cold‑Spirit Jiao, Gu Yang plucked the cold‑jade snow lotus as if lifting it from a jade box and tossed it into his storage ring. With the prize secured, he saw no reason to linger and turned to leave. The prodigies watched his retreating figure with complicated expressions. It looked like the balance of power in Chu was about to change.
In the woods, Gu Yang walked north at an unhurried pace. He found medicinal herbs along the way; his luck held. Of course, those herbs offered little benefit to him now…he could sell them later for spirit stones.
“No big finds,” Gu Yang muttered as he walked. In truth, since entering the Purple Moon Secret Realm his gains had already been substantial. Only a few hours had passed…less than a day…and he had obtained a body‑refining herb, a mid‑grade spirit sword, and the supreme cold‑jade snow lotus. He did not rush to use the snow lotus; time remained. He planned to keep searching for opportunities and consume the lotus after he returned.
The sky was growing dim. Gu Yang glanced upward. The light had faded considerably. Then an anomaly erupted.
A pillar of purple qi shot into the sky, dyeing the heavens violet. A suffocating pressure swept across the secret realm. Everyone looked up in astonishment.
“What is that!?” a newcomer to the realm cried.
“An omen appears…there must be a great treasure!” someone shouted.
“Look… that looks like a phantom!” another pointed.
High above, the purple qi rose to the heavens, and within its density a phantom slowly took shape. The phantom resolved into a pitch‑black towering silhouette…a colossal tower. The tower’s apparition radiated an overwhelming pressure. Birds and beasts fled; countless monsters wailed and scattered.
Rumble! The ground trembled violently. To everyone’s horror, the tower’s phantom condensed into substance. It truly appeared in the sky and then crashed down to earth. The tower soared into the clouds, its peak lost to sight.
At once, all the prodigies in the Purple Moon Secret Realm surged toward the tower. A crowd gathered at its base.
“What is this?” someone asked. “A giant tower…what treasures lie inside?”
Those entering the Purple Moon Secret Realm for the first time murmured questions and wonder. Veterans who had experienced the realm explained.
“This is the Purple Moon Trial Tower!” one said.
“The Purple Moon Trial Tower?” everyone turned to him for details. He spoke excitedly: “Legend says the Trial Tower has existed since the Purple Moon Secret Realm first appeared. Some claim the tower preserves the legacy of a Life‑and‑Death Realm master. Over ten thousand years, countless prodigies have entered the tower to test themselves and leave their extraordinary records. Climbing the tower is extremely difficult…even the strongest prodigies may not surpass their predecessors to leave a lasting mark.”
“The Purple Moon Trial Tower has ninety‑nine floors,” he continued. “Rumor holds that anyone who breaks through all ninety‑nine floors and reaches the top will receive all the inheritances left by that Life‑and‑Death Realm master.”
A hush fell over the crowd. A Life‑and‑Death Realm master’s legacy? Eyes lit up. Above the Embrace‑Origin Realm lay the Yuan‑Sea Realm, and above that the Dan‑Void Realm. The Life‑and‑Death Realm ranked even higher…such masters were nearly nonexistent in Chu, perhaps not present at all. Now, a Life‑and‑Death Realm legacy might lie within the Purple Moon Secret Realm. How could their hearts not tremble?
The veteran smiled and added, “Of course, this is only a rumor. In ten thousand years, no one has ever reached the tower’s summit. The highest record so far is only eighty‑one floors.”
The crowd grew even more stunned. So many prodigies across the ages had never produced a single tower‑top victor? The Purple Moon Trial Tower truly intimidated them.
“The tower adjusts opponents on each floor to match your cultivation,” the veteran explained. “The higher your cultivation, the stronger the enemies you face. Conversely, weaker cultivators meet weaker foes. In practice, the difficulty balances out. What determines how far you go is your innate talent.”
The assembled prodigies nodded. They had all made the talent list and trusted their own aptitude.
As they discussed the tower, powerful auras approached from behind. Those standing before the tower turned and stepped back in shock to make room.
“Talent list third, Kong Yu…” someone whispered. “And second, He Wei! Fourth, Mo Chang’an is here too. Hiss…Bai Tianhong!” murmurs spread. The strongest prodigies of Chu had gathered. Eyes brimmed with reverence and expectation.
They glanced up at the Purple Moon Trial Tower. At that moment, He Wei…the second on the talent list…suddenly strode toward Bai Tianhong.
“Bai Tianhong! I, He Wei, challenge you!” He Wei declared, brandishing a long spear of dark cyan that pulsed with spirit energy. It was clearly a spirit weapon.
His challenge caused an uproar. Everyone watched Bai Tianhong with anticipation. Would the first and second on the talent list clash?
Kong Yu and Mo Chang’an stepped back with interest, ready to watch the spectacle.
Bai Tianhong crossed his arms and glanced at He Wei coolly. “You are no match for me,” he said, his tone flat as if stating an obvious fact.
“Heh! How will you know if we don’t fight?” He Wei snapped. “Do you think you’re invincible!?” He refused to accept Bai Tianhong’s dismissal. He believed his talent equaled Bai Tianhong’s, yet the ranking placed him below. That rank rankled. Before entering the Trial Tower, he seized the chance to challenge Bai Tianhong.
“I told you…you were no match for me.”
Bai Tianhong remained composed, not even glancing at him.
“You’re too arrogant, Bai Tianhong!?” He Wei’s eyes flashed with anger. He fell silent, then decided not to wait for consent…he would act.
With a swift motion, He Wei drew the dark‑cyan spear from his back. Thick, resonant true essence erupted from him…Fifth Level of the Embrace‑Origin Realm. At only twenty‑six, he had already reached such a realm; his talent was extraordinary. If not for the even more abnormal Bai Tianhong above him, He Wei would have surely held the top spot on the talent list.
From the density of his true essence, it was clear he cultivated an earth‑grade supreme technique…only such a technique could produce such pure, heavy true essence.
The spear immediately radiated intense spear intent…the perfected spear intent, seventy percent!
Rumble!
He Wei raised the spear; its sharp tip pointed into the air. Shing! silver sparks flickered. “Spear soul… Dragon’s Roam!” He Wei roared and thrust.
Rumble! The spear trembled. True essence condensed and coiled, forming the shape of a white dragon that wrapped the spear and roared toward Bai Tianhong.
Everyone around watched in stunned awe. “What terrifying spear technique!” “Is this He Wei’s true strength?” “No wonder he ranks second…he’s insane!”
Kong Yu, ranked third, stared at the dragon‑like spear and paled. “I can’t stop that spear!” he admitted; he knew his limits. He Wei had unleashed his strongest move immediately.
Bai Tianhong watched the approaching white dragon and nodded slowly. “That spear is impressive…your spear intent reached perfection. No wonder you dared to challenge me. But… that’s all.” He spoke calmly.
He Wei’s face flushed with anger. “You’re arrogant! This spear will defeat you!” he shouted. That spear was his trump card…yet Bai Tianhong treated it as nothing more than ordinary.
Bai Tianhong only smiled faintly and did not reply. He drew the sword at his waist. A dense spirit aura burst forth…it was a mid‑grade spirit sword. At the same time, terrifying true essence erupted from him: an earth‑grade supreme technique, Seventh Level of the Embrace‑Origin Realm. Bai Tianhong was only twenty‑five…one year younger than He Wei…yet his cultivation stood two minor realms higher.
He looked up at the white dragon, then lightly swung his sword. The instant the blade moved, a clear sword cry rang through the field. Everyone focused. Seventy percent sword intent exploded outward.
Shing! The sword fell. The fierce white dragon split cleanly in two. True essence shattered, revealing the dark‑cyan spear. Clang! Sword qi surged and actually forced the spear backward.
He Wei’s face drained of color as he staggered back, unable to maintain his stance. He flew backward hundreds of meters, crashing through trees and rocks before he finally stopped.
One casual sword stroke…He Wei lost. He lost utterly, without any chance to resist; the sword had simply overwhelmed him.
When the fight ended, everyone felt stunned and unsatisfied at once…because it had happened so fast. Though it seemed long, the duel had lasted less than half a minute. The fierce battle they expected never materialized. No one had imagined the clash between the first and second on the talent list would end so quickly. The prodigies gaped.
“So this is… Bai Tianhong’s strength?”
“He defeated second place without using full power…terrifying!”
“No wonder he’s a once‑in‑a‑millennium prodigy of Chu!”
“Chu’s top prodigy…well deserved!”
“Maybe this time… Bai Tianhong can reach the tower’s summit!”
It was clear Bai Tianhong had not used his full strength. If he had, the result would have been even more decisive.
Among the shattered stones, He Wei spat a trace of blood and crawled out, coughing twice, his face full of shock. “I… lost,” he said, crestfallen. He had been defeated…and he felt the terrifying gap between himself and Bai Tianhong, a gap he could not bridge. He bowed his head in dejection.
Bai Tianhong sheathed his sword calmly and said nothing, his gaze drifting to the Purple Moon Trial Tower.
As everyone remained stunned, a faint purple light appeared. A strange voice echoed across the sky: “Trial Tower opened. Trials permitted.”
At that sound, prodigies surged forward without hesitation and rushed into the Trial Tower to begin climbing. With the first climber, others followed in quick succession. Bai Tianhong’s eyes flickered; he entered the tower without a word. He Wei, Kong Yu, and Mo Chang’an followed closely.
In less than a minute, figures began to fly out of the tower in disarray. Some spat blood; some looked battered; some were nearly killed. “This Trial Tower’s difficulty is insane!” they cried. “I’m only First Level Embrace‑Origin, yet my opponent was Third Level and stronger in every way…how can I win?” “No wonder no one has ever reached the top in ten thousand years…this isn’t a challenge for ordinary people!”
Many defeated prodigies stared at the Purple Moon Trial Tower with complex, horrified expressions. They had hoped to reach dozens of floors with their talent, but many couldn’t even pass the tenth.
Beside the tower stood a miniature replica showing all ninety‑nine floors. Tiny white dots climbed it; the fastest dot had already reached the thirtieth floor and continued ascending at a terrifying speed.
At that moment Gu Yang finally arrived at the Purple Moon Trial Tower. His appearance immediately drew the attention of the defeated prodigies.