Chapter Seventy-Nine: Alone on the Tower (Second Update)

With the internal energy of the Sixth Layer of the North Ko Nine Yang Divine Art, killing Black Qin was no longer impossible. His protective true energy, now as thick as two feet, was enough to withstand Black Qin’s sharp metallic aura. If he combined his physical strength with his current Nine Yang Divine Art energy and suddenly unleashed the Ninefold Thunder Strike, a single blow would possess the power of two thousand men! Such a strike, bearing the strength of two thousand, could easily cleave Black Qin’s metallic body in half.

Whenever he thought of Black Qin, a cold light flickered in Ko Bei’s eyes. The first time they met, he had merely asked for directions, yet Black Qin had tried to kill him with brute force. Even at the Jiujang Base’s Genius Training Camp, Black Qin still sought his life. Were it not for Black Qin, Han Lingyue would never have killed her master, nor would she have been sealed away. Every misfortune traced back to Black Qin, who, infuriatingly, faced no punishment from the Jiujang Base. This left Ko Bei deeply unsettled.

Now that Ko Bei possessed enough power, his first thought was, naturally, to kill Black Qin!

After a while, when a second person achieved recognition and stepped onto the second floor of the Tower of Heaven’s Awakening, Ko Bei managed to cast aside his chaotic thoughts for the moment and shifted his attention to the entrance.

“I wonder if Luo Ling can pass the recognition test?” he mused, his brows slightly furrowed as he watched the entrance, quietly waiting. Luo Ling’s strength was somewhat lacking, but it seemed that passing this so-called recognition test had little to do with power.

People were eliminated by confusion, others advanced for inexplicable reasons; Ko Bei still had no clue what the Tower’s criteria were, so all he could do was silently hope that Luo Ling would be lucky.

He did not know what recognition by the Tower of Heaven’s Awakening meant for others, but surely, being recognized was better than not. Perhaps it was Ko Bei’s prayer, or perhaps Luo Ling’s luck, but after ten minutes, six more people reached the second floor—and among them was the graceful figure of Luo Ling!

Out of the thirty powerhouses on the Azure Dragon List from Jiujang Base’s Genius Training Camp, plus Luo Ling, only seven ultimately passed and entered the second floor.

The second floor of the Tower remained vast and empty, its walls and floor emitting a dim glow. Unlike the first floor, however, there now stood seven pitch-black stone pillars.

Each pillar, about a meter wide, was carved with ancient patterns, their meaning obscure, but each exuded a faintly oppressive aura.

All seven who passed the recognition test were geniuses from Jiujang Base, and could tell these pillars were unusual. Apart from Ko Bei and Luo Ling, the other five walked up to the pillars, frowning as they studied them intently.

Ko Bei did not rush over, for he had spotted a golden beam of light like that on the first floor and was considering whether to ascend further.

The task was already complete, and the system had not prompted the third task yet. Whether he could reach the third floor mattered little to Ko Bei. For some reason, though, the golden staircase leading upward beckoned him far more than the seven black pillars did, stirring an inexplicable impulse within him.

He could not say why, but he simply wanted to take a look above.

“Ko Bei, I want to go see that pillar.”

Ko Bei had not moved, nor had Luo Ling, who stood beside him. Yet her clear, beautiful eyes seemed deeply drawn to one of the seven pillars. If Ko Bei were not there, she likely would have run over already.

“Go ahead. I want to see what’s on the third floor.” Ko Bei smiled and nodded at her, his gaze fixed on the golden entrance above.

“The third floor?” Luo Ling paused, the strange calling from the pillars momentarily suppressed by her confusion. She looked up at Ko Bei. Luo Han had told her that last time, not a single person from any base—Jiujang, Moonlit, or Old Tang—had set foot on the third floor.

So many had failed. Could Ko Bei succeed? If he failed, would he be hurt, or saddened?

Luo Ling’s brows knitted with worry. She parted her soft lips as if to speak, but in the end, chose to support Ko Bei.

“All right, go ahead. I’ll wait for you to return before I go see the black pillar.”

She smiled gently at Ko Bei as she spoke.

“Wait for me.” Ko Bei, eyes on the golden column, strode forward.

As Luo Ling watched his retreating figure, her little fists clenched tightly.

“I should believe in you. Even if no one else can succeed, you certainly can!”

Silently, Ko Bei passed through the golden light. Before him appeared the same golden staircase as on the first floor.

“Let’s give it a try. The mission’s complete anyway—if I can’t get up, it doesn’t matter.”

Facing the familiar steps, Ko Bei found himself much more at ease this time, without pressure or anxiety.

One step, two steps, three steps… Ko Bei climbed the golden staircase. Nothing strange happened; it was as if he were climbing any ordinary stone stair. Soon, he reached the top, arriving on the third floor.

“So easy?” he thought, a hint of delight in his heart. To think the third floor would be so simple to reach.

He glanced around casually, raising an eyebrow. The third floor was nearly identical to the second, save that there was only a single black pillar.

Ko Bei lingered for a moment, then, thinking of Luo Ling waiting below, shifted his gaze to the entrance to the fourth floor, shrouded in golden light.

“Keep going!”

A steely resolve flashed in his eyes. The Tower of Heaven’s Awakening was a colossal, jet-black structure, seemingly held aloft by some mysterious power, quietly suspended above Moonwatch Lake.

Such a wondrous tower surely harbored secrets. Yet, now that Ko Bei had reached the third floor, apart from the dim glow and the golden light at each passage, he had found nothing exceptional.

For a tower like this to hold no mysteries would be strange indeed. Ko Bei was certain there was some secret within. Though he did not know what it was, he wanted to explore and find out.

With curiosity in his heart, Ko Bei stepped once more into the golden light, facing the faintly glowing stairs without hesitation, and began to climb.

The fourth floor, the fifth, the sixth… Ko Bei climbed easily all the way to the ninth floor.

The moment he set foot on the ninth floor, Ko Bei’s face changed dramatically, his eyes widening in shock.

ps: I never expected so many brothers to show their support at once—seven929, Clear Water Bearing Leaves, Huang Xiaowen, gfsfgl, Hao Tian—the ever-progressing, Fire Sweeps the Plains 111, Supreme Final Strike, 123 Happy Nut, Shui Shui—thank you all for your rewards, haha… It’s not about the money. I don’t even know why, but seeing your support just makes me inexplicably happy. Perhaps it’s that feeling of being recognized.

Ahem~~ The humble scribe is quite excited. Recommendation votes, please! The scribe holds a little bowl, gazing pitifully at you all—if you have money, throw some in, and if not, at least leave a recommendation!