Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Trial Pagoda on the West Mountain in Beiluo.

Ni Yu, Nie Shuang, and Jing Yue stared at Nie Changqing in shock.

Nie Changqing was sitting on the pouf, legs crossed. The number above his head was an amazing ten!

It meant that Nie Changqing had already reached the tenth level of the Trial Pagoda!

Ni Yu, Nie Shuang, and Jing Yue exchanged a look. They all recognized the astonishment in one another’s eyes.

Jing Yue had tempered all of the internal organs and developed his own elemental sword spirit. Yet he was merely at the seventh level of the Trial Pagoda.

Jing Yue had tried the eighth level. Unless he moved up to the Heavenly Lock Realm…

Otherwise, he didn’t think he had any chance of passing it.

As for the tenth level, he wouldn’t even dream about it.

“The Young Master once said that the test for the tenth level would be different. I’m super curious,” Jing Yue said.

Lu Fan had indeed told them that the type of trial would change every ten levels. From the first level to the tenth one, the Trial Pagoda created mysterious creatures that imitated the challenger’s specialty and style intending to make the challenger realize and address his weaknesses during the fight.

They didn’t know what was going on at the tenth level.

Nie Changqing advanced to the tenth level of the Trial Pagoda at this moment.

There was no mysterious creature this time. Nie Changqing felt like the world was different as soon as he walked in.

Nie Changqing could hardly move a finger under the fivefold Spirit Pressure Lu Fan unleashed.

Nie Changqing didn’t expect that he would still be restrained by Spirit Pressure when he was already in the Heavenly Lock Realm!

However, this might be a unique way of cultivating at the tenth level.

Nie Changqing controlled his spine and released his strength. He straightened up to resist the terrifying Spirit Pressure pressing down on him.

He realized that the process of tempering his spine to move up to the third level of the Heavenly Lock Realm accelerated as he was trying to hold out against the Spirit Pressure.

Nie Changqing was pleasantly surprised.

Not only that…

But also a thunderous sound reverberated in the virgin forest at the tenth level.

Ten strange-looking beasts hurtled out of the forest. Each of them was as massive as a small hill. The earth shook as they came, trampling down trees and kicking up the mud.

Facing the Spirit Pressure, Nie Changqing raised the Dragon Slaying Knife.

He wanted to keep his distance from the bizarre, giant beasts rushing toward him.

Nonetheless, the Spirit Pressure was so strong that it slowed him down significantly.

He couldn’t dodge the ten giant beasts.

Nie Changqing bellowed. He swung the knife quickly while unleashing the knife spirit of metal.

He slashed one giant beast in half, yet the rest were still coming for him, fast.

Nie Changqing didn’t pull back. He waved the Dragon Slaying Knife again with the knife spirit of metal.

He must kill each giant beast with one blow. The giant beasts would certainly swallow him if he didn’t muster enough strength to kill all of them on the first attempt.

He had to slaughter giant beasts under the Spirit Pressure.

It required Nie Changqing to have a remarkable ability to control elements.

Although Nie Changqing advanced to the second level of the Heavenly Lock Realm, he still couldn’t perfectly control his power.

However, Nie Changqing was making significant progress by practicing at this level.

Finally, Nie Changqing killed all the giant beasts, and the Spirit Pressure disappeared as well.

Drenched in sweat, he collapsed on the ground from exhaustion.

Even so, Nie Changqing didn’t quit.

A brilliant white light shone through the forest and turned into a strange staircase. Nie Changqing entered into the eleventh level.

The Spirit Pressure in the eleventh level increased tenfold. There were also a hundred giant beasts now.

Nie Changqing killed a handful before being trampled by the stampeding giant beasts.

Inside the Trial Pagoda.

Nie Changqing opened his eyes and gasped for breath.

The higher he reached in the Trial Pagoda, the more difficult the challenges were.

He had to unleash enough force with his knife to kill the giant beasts when he could only move slowly under the tenfold Spirit Pressure. It demanded an incredible ability to control his power.

Although Nie Changqing failed…

He gained a great deal from this trial.

Nie Changqing’s strength improved dramatically because of this adventure in the Trial Pagoda.

Nie Changqing wouldn’t be in a sorry plight if he had another encounter with Yang Kun, who was in the fourth level of the Golden Elixir Realm.

He might have a chance of winning even if he didn’t rely on sheer luck.

Nie Shuang, Ni Yu, and the other cultivators all looked at Nie Changqing curiously.

They asked him about the tenth level.

Nie Changqing told them frankly about what he faced at the tenth level.

Jing Yue’s face was solemn after learning that Nie Changqing slaughtered ten giant beasts under fivefold Spirit Pressure. It required the full strength of a peak Internal Organs cultivator to kill each one of those savage beasts. Jing Yue would be stamped to death immediately.

However, it was still good news.

The tenth level was not a boring fight against oneself anymore.

Jing Yue felt like he was beating himself every time he faced those mysterious creatures.

It was exciting in the beginning. However, he didn’t find it interesting anymore after a while.

“How many days have I been in the Trial Pagoda?” Nie Changqing asked out of curiosity.

“Almost five days.”

Ni Yu took out a sugar-coated Gathering Qi Elixir and put it in the mouth.

Five days…

Nie Changqing raised his eyebrows. He was absorbed in trying out the new levels in the Trial Pagoda and lost track of time.

He stood up and left the Trial Pagoda.

Ni Yu, Nie Shuang, and the other cultivators also followed him.

They went to Beiluo Lake Island.

On the island.

Sitting in the wheelchair, Lu Fan strolled around Beiluo Lake Island with Ning Zhao.

Ning Zhao’s white dress billowed in the breeze.

Only a step away from moving up to the Heavenly Lock Realm, she had faced a bottleneck. Surprisingly, Ning Zhao became calmer and more relaxed as she was reaching the breakthrough.

Ni Yu bought a lot of medicinal materials. She carried a giant bag and walked onto Beiluo Lake Island from the boat.

“Young Master!” Ni Yu shouted cheerfully as soon as she saw Lu Fan.

She was in the Trial Pagoda for a while and hadn’t seen Lu Fan for so long.

Lu Fan glanced at Ni Yu and nodded slightly. The girl seemed to have made quite some progress when she was away. It looked like even Ni Yu was more studious than the lazy dragon standing on his shoulder.

The little Responsive Dragon sensed Lu Fan’s disapproving eyes. He uttered a snort, turned his head away, and continued to spray water for fun.

“Little Ni, are you going to make Body Tempering Elixir?” Lu Fan asked as he looked at Ni Yu.

Ni Yu should have enough power to make Body Tempering Elixirs by now.

The Body Tempering Elixir was one grade higher than the Gathering Qi Elixir. In addition, it needed more medicinal materials with spirituality.

“Yes, Young Master!”

Ni Yu’s eyes brightened up. Not only was she very confident, but also she was ready to change things up for a bit.

She was tired of eating the Gathering Qi Elixirs.

Lu Fan nodded silently. Ni Yu carried the bag and left. She found a place on the island, took out the cauldron, and started the fire.

Nie Changqing also went on the island. He finally saw Lu Fan again and had complicated feelings.

Nie Changqing asked Lu Fan some questions. The two chatted for some time.

It was mostly about the Immortal Slaying Plan. Nie Changqing thought it was too dangerous.

“Young Master, you need to be careful that it might be a trap they had set up. One should never forget to guard against harm,” Nie Changqing said.

Lu Fan smiled.

Nie Changqing talked about something else before saying goodbye to Lu Fan. He wanted to enter the forbidden area again.

He could only find enough pressure in the forbidden area.

While staring at Nie Changqing’s receding figure…

Ning Zhao’s long eyelashes fluttered.

Lu Fan took a brief look at Ning Zhao and asked, “Do you want to go to the forbidden area as well?”

Ning Zhao nodded.

Lu Fan said with a smile, “Wait until you reach the Heavenly Lock Realm. You should focus on achieving the breakthrough for now.”

Ning Zhao understood the reasons behind Lu Fan’s advice. She knew that Lu Fan would never impose limits on them as long as they could get stronger.

“You need to comprehend it with your heart. Even though you have already reached the bottleneck, the Heavenly Lock Realm is still quite a dangerous target for you. You can actually choose to develop the Golden Elixir,” Lu Fan said.

“No, Young Master. My goal is the Heavenly Lock Realm,” Ning Zhao answered solemnly with resolution. She would never settle for anything less than the best since she already chose to be a cultivator.

Lu Fan nodded quietly.

“You should pay a visit to the Book House and see if you can learn something there.”

“Cultivation is largely dependent on yourself. I can point out a path for you, but it will be beset by difficulties. You need to tread down the brambles and pave the way for yourself.”

Lu Fan spoke earnestly.

Ning Zhao was immersed in thought.

She bowed to Lu Fan and leaped forward. Nimbly and elegantly, she glided across the lake toward the Book House.

Lu Fan started vacantly at Ning Zhao, who went into the Book House, and the calm surface of the lake.

He remembered Yi Yue.

Because of her natural talent, Yi Yue was destined to have a much more difficult journey of cultivation than everyone else.

On the island.

Ni Yu concentrated on making elixirs.

Making the Body Tempering Elixir was a challenge for Ni Yu. She would gain a better consciousness, and even make a breakthrough if she succeeded.

Gongshu Yu and Lu Changkong arrived together.

Gongshu Yu was enlightened in the Book House. After painting and drawing for several days in his room, he finally came out today.

“Young Master…”

Gongshu Yu might be short, yet he could unleash terrifying power from his small body.

He gave Lu Fan the picture book in his hand.

“Young Master, this is the newest Guidebook of Hidden Weapons in the World. I compiled this after modifying and improving what we already have from the books in the Book House. Take a look, Young Master, to see if we can make these hidden weapons,” Gongshu Yu said.

Lu Fan didn’t turn it down. He took the picture book Gongshu Yu handed to him.

He opened the picture book.

The cover read, “Guidebook of Hidden Weapons in the World.”

Lu Fan glanced at it and raised his eyebrows. He was intrigued.

“The Pear Blossom in the Storm ranks tenth in the Guidebook of Hidden Weapons?”

Lu Fan took a quick look at Gongshu Yu. Gongshu Yu spent a lifetime to design the Pear Blossom in the Storm, yet it only ranked tenth in the guidebook.

Lu Fan was curious to see what kinds of hidden weapons were better than the Pear Blossom in the Storm.

“Phoenix Feather (conception), the seventh in the Guidebook of Hidden Weapons. It is built with 90,000 venomous needles and will transform into a fire phoenix on the wing when it blows up. The venom in the needles can travel deep into the person’s heart as the Spirit Qi moves inside the body. The person will die as the heart explodes due to the venom.”

Lu Fan’s eyebrows arched. It was a venomous hidden weapon.

“A venom that can move around along with the Spirit Qi?”

Lu Fan was eager to know.

“Young Master, City Master Lu extracted this type of venom from the Morning Chrysanthemum,” Gongshu Yu seriously answered.

“City Master Lu is an agriculturalist who excels at herbalism.”

Lu Fan was surprised. He darted a glance at Lu Changkong, who was standing next to Gongshu Yu.

His own father…had the ability to extract venom from the Morning Chrysanthemum?

Lu Fan never knew about his father. It was also news to him that the Morning Chrysanthemum was venomous.

No wonder Lu Changkong grew so many plants in the garden.

An agriculturalist?

Lu Fan smiled.

The old Hundred Schools of Philosophy still played a part in the age of cultivators.

Lu Fan continued to read the Guidebook of Hidden Weapons.

For example, the Lotus of Heaven and Earth, the Tear of Bodhi, and the Book of Life and Death, among others…these hidden weapons were all Gongshu Yu’s conceptions. Lu Fan believed many of them were feasible even though they might sound fanciful and impractical.

After all, cultivation was about making impossible things possible.

He looked at Gongshu Yu. Maybe Gongshu Yu could figure out a way to create a new Jiguan School for hidden weapons if he could actually make these.

Lu Fan closed the Guidebook of Hidden Weapons.

“Not bad.”

Gongshu Yu was thrilled.

Lu Fan was a tool refining master in Gongshu Yu’s eyes.

Gongshu Yu was exhilarated to get Lu Fan’s approval.

“These plans seem feasible. The hidden weapons will definitely be a tremendous help if you can actually make them. Maybe you can gain more insights during the process and take a big leap in cultivation. This is a path that belongs to you.”

Lu Fan smiled.

Gongshu Yu took back the Guidebook of Hidden Weapons and left, his heart full of enthusiasm.

He would start to build these hidden weapons now that he gained approval from Lu Fan.

He spent the first half of his life making the Pear Blossom in the Storm.

He would work wholeheartedly on building the hidden weapons in the guidebook for the rest of his life.

Lu Changkong and Lu Fan walked for a while along the lake.

The father and the son talked for quite some time.

Lu Fan learned that Lu Changkong decided to return to study the herbs since the world was stable for now.

The surge of the Spirit Qi changed the herbs in the world. Many plants started to have different characteristics and properties now.

Lu Changkong wanted to study and compile the Compendium of Herbs.

Of course, Lu Fan respected Lu Changkong’s choice.

Lu Changkong smiled and patted Lu Fan on his shoulder, eyes inscrutable. He didn’t say anything more.

He turned around and left. The canoe disappeared into the thick fog on the lake.

Lu Fan stared at Lu Changkong and Gongshu Yu leaving.

Ni Yu was trying hard to make elixirs on the island.

Many cultivators were reading and studying avidly.

The breeze rustled Lu Fan’s robe.

He suddenly started to laugh.

People cultivated in various ways and contended with each other.

The Contention of the Hundred Schools of Thought might not be so far away.

******

Nie Changqing went through the forbidden area in South County through the Dragon Gate.

Holding a banner for fortune-telling, Mo Tianyu came to him and smiled. “How can you go to the forbidden area without me?”

“You need my advice if you want to challenge the disciples of Wudi City… My trigrams are super accurate.”

Mo Tianyu smiled.

Nie Changqing didn’t know how to respond. Nevertheless, he couldn’t stop Mo Tianyu if he wanted to enter the forbidden area once more.

As for Mo Tianyu’s fortune-telling ability, Nie Changqing was becoming familiar with it.

The two chatted and walked toward the forbidden area.

The South Manor Army guarding the forbidden area was filled with awe at Nie Changqing and Mo Tianyu. They were courageous enough to revisit the forbidden area that was full of unknown.

The wall of air vibrated.

Mo Tianyu and Nie Changqing walked out together and stepped in the bodhisattva temple.

The snowstorm was still roaring outside of the bodhisattva temple.

However…

The moment the two showed up.

Outside of the bodhisattva temple.

A terrifying burst of energy appeared.

The energy as powerful as the scorching sun surged from outside and almost crushed the run-down walls of the bodhisattva temple.

Snow fell from the roof of the bodhisattva temple as it vibrated.

Outside of the bodhisattva temple.

Wearing a black robe, Du Longyang walked toward the temple, step by step. The snow melted immediately as he passed by.

Nie Changqing and Mo Tianyu could only feel a formidable force that pressed on their chests and left them breathless.