44: Chapter 44 The Former Prodigy

The list on the light screen continued to scroll downward, with name after name flashing before everyone's eyes.

A ripple of discussion rose from the crowd.

"Lin Hao, Ye Jue, Xiao Xuan... These names, I feel like I have seen them somewhere before."

A Loose Cultivator scratched his head, struggling to recall.

A middle-aged Cultivator beside him spoke up: "Lin Hao! That is the Prodigy from the ancient era, Lin Hao!"

"Legend has it that he achieved Foundation Establishment at age six, Golden Core at age ten, and entered the Soul Transformation stage by age twenty. He was hailed as one of the Cultivators with the highest hopes of Ascension in that era!"

He paused, his tone filled with a touch of emotion.

"Historical records state that Lin Hao later successfully completed his Undergoing Tribulation and Ascended to the Upper Realm, becoming a legend. So, he had also been here and climbed to the eighth level!"

"What about Ye Jue? And Xiao Xuan?" someone couldn't help but ask.

"Ye Jue was an unparalleled Genius from the Ye Family in the Southern Wasteland hundreds of thousands of years ago. It is said that his Sword Dao reached the divine realm, and he had no rivals among those of the same cultivation level."

"Later, he advanced rapidly all the way, eventually becoming a Sword Immortal and Ascending to the Upper Realm!"

The middle-aged Cultivator continued, his voice tinged with reminiscence.

"Although the Ye Family is no longer as prosperous as it was back then, the clan's records still document the magnificent scene of Ye Jue's Ascension."

"It is said that on that day, the Nine Heavens divine thunder paved the way for him, ten thousand swords rang out in unison, and the entire Southern Wasteland could feel that heaven-piercing Sword Intent."

The crowd listened with fascination. A Sword Immortal who Ascended—what kind of demeanor was that?

"Xiao Xuan, the Old Ancestor of the Central Plains Xiao Family. You people from the Xiao Family should know him, right?"

The middle-aged Cultivator turned his gaze toward the few Disciples in the crowd with the character 'Xiao' embroidered on their robes.

Those few looked at each other. One slightly older youth pondered for a moment and slowly nodded: "Xiao Xuan is indeed one of the Old Ancestors of our Xiao Family."

"The Xiao Family's ancient records state that our ancestor Xiao Xuan traveled through the Xuanhuang World. Although he never Ascended, he eventually reached the Peak of Undergoing Tribulation."

"He became one of the most outstanding experts in the Xiao Family's history, guarding the Family for tens of thousands of years and ensuring the Xiao Family's enduring prosperity."

"So, our ancestor had also been here and climbed to the eighth level."

The crowd's gaze returned to the massive black tower, and a bit more awe grew in their hearts.

"Wait a moment."

Someone in the crowd spoke up, their tone filled with confusion.

"Look, at the last few names on the list."

Following his direction, everyone's gaze shifted to the very bottom of the light screen.

Qing Yangzi, Nascent Soul Mid Stage, seventh level, time taken: thirty days.

Xuanqing, Early Nascent Soul Stage, sixth level, time taken: twenty days.

"Qing Yangzi? Xuanqing?" someone frowned. "These names sound familiar."

"Isn't Qing Yangzi the founding Ancestral Master of the Qingyang Sect?" a Disciple from the Piaomiao Sect exclaimed.

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire field was shocked.

The Qingyang Sect is one of the Three Great Sects of the Southern Wasteland, with a deep foundation and a Legacy spanning tens of thousands of years.

Its founding Ancestral Master had actually entered the Nine Heavens Tower?

And only climbed to the seventh level?

In the crowd, those few Disciples from the Qingyang Sect had their expressions turn extremely ugly.

If even the founding Ancestral Master could only climb to the seventh level, then how many levels could they, as juniors, climb?

"Interesting." A low voice sounded from the crowd.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice. It was the young man in the dark gold robe from the Nanli Dynasty.

He stood by the stone stele with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the light screen.

"Even someone at the Peak of Nascent Soul from tens of thousands of years ago could only reach the eighth level. This tower is indeed quite interesting."

He paused, turned around, and swept his gaze over everyone present. "However, the more this is the case, the more I want to know what exactly is on the ninth level."

After speaking, he said nothing more and strode toward the tower gate.

The few Disciples from the Nanli Dynasty behind him hurriedly followed.

In the crowd, many looked at each other; some hesitated, some watched, and a few bold ones gritted their teeth and followed.

Lu Jinghan stood in place, his gaze resting on that string of names on the light screen, his brows furrowed slightly.

Even someone at the Peak of Nascent Soul from tens of thousands of years ago could only reach the eighth level.

This tower is likely not that simple.

In his past life, he had no impression of this Nine Heavens Tower whatsoever.

In the Purple Bamboo Forest, this tower did not exist at all.

The Alchemy Hall had vanished, replaced by a completely unfamiliar massive black tower.

Could there be some connection in all of this?

"Senior Brother?" Qin Muchuan spoke in a low voice, interrupting Lu Jinghan's train of thought.

"Are we going in too?"

Lu Jinghan withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhou Tianchen, Qin Muchuan, and Su Fuguang beside him.

There was no fear in the eyes of the three; only a Battle Intent eager to be tested.

"Let's go in." Lu Jinghan nodded.

He turned and strode toward the tower gate.

The gate of the Nine Heavens Tower was a massive black stone door, about three zhang high and two zhang wide, covered in profound runes.

The stone door was half-open, revealing a deep, pitch-black passageway; it was impossible to see what was inside.

The young man in the dark gold robe from the Nanli Dynasty had already reached the stone door. He raised his hand to push the door, and the stone door let out a low rumble as it slowly opened to both sides.

A breath of ancient and decaying air surged out from within the door, rushing toward them.

The young man in the dark gold robe frowned slightly, but his footsteps did not falter as he led the few people behind him into it.

Their figures soon disappeared into the darkness.

Lu Jinghan and the other three followed closely behind. The moment they stepped into the tower gate, the scene before them changed abruptly.

There was no darkness, no decaying air.

All that existed was a vast, empty hall.

The hall was circular, with a diameter of about one hundred zhang.

The dome hung high, embedded with countless fist-sized night-luminescent pearls that emitted a soft white light, illuminating the entire hall as brightly as day.

The floor was paved with massive blue-gray stone slabs, fitted together so tightly that almost no gaps could be seen.

The hall was empty, with nothing inside.

Only in the very center of the hall stood a massive stone stele.

The stone stele was about three zhang high, entirely blue-black, with a surface smooth as a mirror, and faint spiritual light flowing across it.

Several lines of large characters were carved onto the stele; the strokes were vigorous and powerful, identical to those on the stele outside the tower.

"Nine Heavens Tower, first level, trial test."

"Those who pass will receive one Profound Rank treasure and may enter the second level."

"Those who fail must bear the consequences of life and death themselves."

The characters were not large, but they seemed to possess an invisible power that made everyone who saw them feel an indescribable sense of oppression.

The young man in the dark gold robe from the Nanli Dynasty stood before the stone stele, his gaze fixed on those words, remaining silent.

The few Disciples from the Nanli Dynasty behind him looked around, curiously examining the hall.

Not long after, more footsteps came from behind.

One after another, thirty or forty people all entered the first-level hall.

Everyone saw the stone stele and the words carved upon it.

For a moment, the hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

"Trial test." Someone spoke in a low voice, their tone tinged with nervousness. "What kind of trial? Why didn't it explain clearly?"

Before the voice had faded, the hall suddenly began to shake.