18: Chapter 18: Conquering the Trial Tower Again

In front of the Trial Tower, the crowd was still bustling with noise.

As soon as Xiao Ran appeared, it immediately caused a stir.

“Look! It's the Ninth Demon Son!”

“I heard he went to the Heifeng Mountains for a mission recently and suppressed the Dao Palace Saint all by himself?”

“More than that! I also heard he single-handedly wiped out a Yao Race stronghold and saved dozens of Loose Cultivators...”

“...”

Rumors spread faster than a Flying Sword.

Xiao Ran remained unfazed and walked straight toward the tower gates.

On the stone tablet, his name still sat at the eleventh floor—a record he had set during his Qi Refining stage.

Today, he was going to refresh that record.

“Uncle Xiao.”

“Are you going to challenge the tower?”

A Deacon Disciple responsible for maintaining the Trial Tower immediately came forward to greet him upon seeing him.

The treatment was completely different compared to when he was in the Qi Refining stage.

“Yes.”

Xiao Ran handed over his identity token.

“This way, Junior Martial Uncle.”

The Disciple respectfully stepped aside.

Xiao Ran stepped through the tower gates.

The familiar shifting of light and shadow occurred.

First floor: ten level one Qi Refining Phantom Demons.

Xiao Ran didn't even lift a finger; the Myriad Dao Guixu Body automatically manifested behind him, instantly sucking the ten Phantom Demons into dust.

Second floor: twenty level two Qi Refining phantoms.

Devoured.

Third floor: thirty level three Qi Refining phantoms.

Devoured.

...

Xiao Ran swept through the floors.

From the first floor to the twentieth, he didn't even pause his steps. Any Phantom Demon that came within thirty feet of him was automatically swallowed by the Guixu Vortex.

Outside the tower, Xiao Ran’s name on the stone tablet began to jump rapidly.

“The second floor!”

“The fifth floor... the tenth floor!”

“My god, how many breaths has it been?”

More and more Disciples gathered to watch.

When Xiao Ran's name jumped to the twenty-first floor, someone exclaimed, “The twenty-first floor! That corresponds to the difficulty of the Early Stage Golden Core!”

“Uncle Xiao’s Realm is only at the Foundation Establishment Peak, right? He dares to challenge the Golden Core Floors?”

“Don't forget, he cleared the Foundation Establishment floors back when he was in the Qi Refining stage...”

Before the sentence was finished, the name on the stone tablet jumped another notch.

The twenty-second floor.

...

The twenty-fifth floor.

A deathly silence fell outside the tower.

Foundation Establishment Peak, reaching the twenty-fifth floor—corresponding to the difficulty of the Middle Stage Golden Core.

This was no longer just challenging someone of a higher level; this was jumping across entire stages!

And jumping two stages at that!

“A monster...”

Someone muttered.

It was common knowledge that while only one Realm seemingly separated Golden Core and Foundation Establishment, they were actually worlds apart.

In the mortal world, those at the Foundation Establishment Stage were called experts, while those at the Golden Core Stage were called Old Ancestors.

The difference in title represented an insurmountable chasm.

“The Myriad Dao Guixu Body is truly terrifying...”

Inside the tower, on the twenty-fifth floor.

Xiao Ran finally came to a halt.

The guardian of this floor was a phantom of a Middle Stage Golden Core demon general.

Standing twenty feet tall and wielding a giant axe, it was shrouded in towering devilish flames.

“A mere Foundation Establishment junior dares to come here?”

The Demon General Phantom's voice boomed like thunder.

Xiao Ran didn't speak; he simply raised his right hand.

In his palm, a black vortex slowly rotated.

“Playing tricks!”

The Demon General Phantom swung its axe!

The blade tore through the air, carrying a terrifying pressure.

A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Ran's eyes.

“Just right. I'll use you to test my new move.”

His figure blurred as he dodged the axe strike. He spread the five fingers of his right hand and made a grasping motion toward the Demon General Phantom from a distance!

“Three-Part Return to Origin Finger!”

This was a High Grade Profound Rank Martial Skill rewarded by the System. He had tested its power personally, and it was indeed quite impressive.

Three black finger-blasts pierced through the air: one aimed for the forehead, one shot toward the chest, and one locked onto the Dantian.

The Demon General Phantom was startled and hurriedly swung its axe to block.

Clang, clang, clang!

Three crisp sounds rang out as the finger-blasts were deflected.

But Xiao Ran had already taken the Opportunity to close in, pressing the vortex in his right hand against the Demon General Phantom's chest.

“Devour!”

A terrifying suction force erupted!

The Demon General Phantom roared and tried to break free, but the hidden energy left by the Three-Part Return to Origin Finger exploded at that moment, causing its movements to stall.

That one stall cost it its life.

The Devilish Qi on the Demon General Phantom's body was frantically drained away. Within three breaths, it completely dissipated.

“Twenty-fifth floor, cleared.”

“Reward: Low Grade Earth Rank Cultivation Technique, remnant volume of the ‘Demon Shadow Clone Technique’.”

“Oh ho, did I hit the pity?”

Xiao Ran quickly stowed the Jade Slip. The rewards for clearing floors along the way had all been basic resources; he hadn't expected an Earth Rank technique to drop this time.

Thus, he looked toward the stairs ahead.

The twenty-sixth floor.

From here on, the intensity already corresponded to the Peak of the Middle Stage Golden Core.

“Let's give it a try.”

Xiao Ran stepped up.

On the twenty-sixth floor, the guardians became three Middle Stage Golden Core demon generals.

Xiao Ran took a deep breath and fully activated his Guixu Body.

Half an hour later, he walked out of the tower covered in blood.

The twenty-sixth floor was cleared.

But the price was not small... his Devilish Qi was exhausted, and he had over a dozen wounds on his body.

But it was worth it.

Foundation Establishment Peak, clearing the twenty-sixth floor... which corresponded to the difficulty of the Peak of the Middle Stage Golden Core.

This result was enough to shake the entire Eternal Night Demon Sect.

Outside the tower, over a thousand people had gathered.

As soon as Xiao Ran appeared, everyone's eyes focused on him.

Awe, jealousy, worship, fear... all sorts of emotions were intertwined.

On the stone tablet, behind his name, were the four large characters: Twenty-Sixth Floor.

The number one person of the Foundation Establishment Stage.

It might even be the highest record for a Foundation Establishment Disciple in the history of the Eternal Night Demon Sect.

“Junior Martial Uncle, are you alright?”

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing pushed through the crowd and rushed over, holding healing Medicinal Pills, her face filled with worry.

“I'm fine.”

“Let's go back.”

Xiao Ran took the pills and swallowed them, then prepared to turn and leave.

As he turned to leave, the crowd automatically parted to form a path.

No one dared to block him.

No one dared to say anything either.

Strength was the best pass.

...

After returning to the Eternal Night Palace, Xiao Ran began secluded cultivation to heal his injuries.

Three days later, his injuries were fully healed.

Not only was he healed, but his cultivation had also improved by a notch.

He was now only a thin layer of paper away from the Golden Core Realm.

[Ding!]

[Detected that the host's cultivation has reached a critical point]

[Triggered Mission: Road to Golden Core]

[Content: Successfully form a core within one month and advance to the Golden Core Stage]

[Reward: Heaven Rank remnant volume ‘Guixu Demon Scripture · Golden Core Chapter’, 5000 System Points]

[Failure Penalty: None]

[Do you accept?]

“Accept.”

Xiao Ran did not hesitate.

A Heaven Rank remnant volume!

Even if it was just a remnant, that was a technique on the same level as the Eternal Night Demon Codex, and it was specifically matched to the Myriad Dao Guixu Body.

He had to get it.

But to form a core within a month, bitter cultivation alone wouldn't cut it.

He needed an Opportunity.

Xiao Ran thought of the Demon Blood Pool and said while stroking his chin,

“The first place in the new Disciple competition can enter the Demon Blood Pool for three days...”

“It seems I must take first place in this competition.”

[Ding!]

[Triggered Side Mission: Winning the Competition]

[Content: Obtain first place in the Sect's new Disciple competition]

[Reward: Special item barrier breaking pill (can increase the success rate of Core Formation by thirty percent), 2000 System Points]

[Failure Penalty: None]

[Do you accept?]

“Accept.”

Double missions, double rewards.

Perfect.