48: Chapter 48 This place is not safe to stay.

The sixth day.

Outside the Nine Heavens Tower, the crowd had not dispersed.

Since the news of the Nine Heavens Tower appearing in the Purple Bamboo Forest spread, more and more Cultivators had rushed over from all directions.

The open space in front of the tower was already overcrowded; later arrivals could only squeeze into the bamboo forest, standing on tiptoe to gaze at the light screen.

Some successfully cleared the tower and walked out with high spirits; some failed and retreated looking dejected; others remained in the tower forever, never to emerge again.

Life and death are fated, wealth and honor are determined by Heaven.

The path of cultivation has always been this way.

The Cultivators outside the tower were long accustomed to this; what they cared about more was the name at the very top of that light screen.

From the fifth day, that name had firmly occupied the top spot, keeping a host of ancient Prodigies and elites from various regions firmly suppressed beneath it.

It was currently noon, and the sunlight fell through the purple spiritual mist, making that line of text on the light screen exceptionally eye-catching.

Lu Jinghan, Early Nascent Soul Stage, Seventh Floor, duration six days.

"Seventh Floor!"

A Loose Cultivator was the first to see the newly added line on the light screen and exclaimed, his voice trembling slightly.

Before the words had even faded, the open space in front of the tower instantly erupted into an uproar.

"He really reached the Seventh Floor! An Early Nascent Soul Stage reaching the Seventh Floor! How is this possible?"

Discussions rose and fell; some were amazed, while others simply wanted to watch the spectacle.

Those Cultivators from the other four regions who did not understand Lu Jinghan had to re-evaluate this name at this moment.

Several Disciples from the Central Plains Xiao Family stood at the front of the crowd. The leader wore a green shirt with a cold expression, his gaze fixed on that line of text on the light screen, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Early Nascent Soul Stage, Seventh Floor," he muttered to himself, his tone carrying a hint of grave scrutiny.

"Senior Brother Chu, this Lu Jinghan..." A youth in yellow robes beside him leaned in.

"He is not simple." Xiao Chu interrupted him, his gaze still fixed on the light screen.

"To be able to reach the Seventh Floor at this cultivation level, he either has a Heaven-Defying Opportunity or possesses exceptional talent himself."

He paused, his voice dropping a few degrees: "Regardless of which it is, he is worth our attention. Remember this name; if you encounter him in the future, do not provoke him lightly."

The youth in yellow robes nodded quickly, firmly engraving the name "Lu Jinghan" in his heart.

The Disciples of the East Sea's Penglai Pavilion sat in a circle. The leader was a woman in white, with a beautiful appearance and an ethereal temperament.

A jade-green flute hung at her waist, and she was currently closing her eyes to regulate her breath.

Hearing the discussions around her, she opened her eyes, her gaze falling on the light screen. She watched for a moment, then retracted it.

"Interesting." The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, her tone indifferent.

"The Southern Wilderness, to think it could produce such a person."

A youth in blue robes beside her leaned in and whispered: "Senior Sister, should we..."

"No." The woman in white interrupted him, her tone calm but unquestionable.

"Our trip here is only for the Opportunity of the Purple Bamboo Forest; there is no need to complicate matters. Moreover—"

She paused, her gaze falling on the light screen: "Someone who can reach the Seventh Floor is not someone we can easily provoke."

The youth in blue robes shrank his neck, not daring to say anything more.

On the other side of the open space in front of the tower, several Disciples of the Nanli Dynasty gathered together, their expressions looking rather unpleasant.

The leader was none other than the youth in dark golden robes—the Seventh Prince of the Nanli Dynasty, Second Prince Yang Yan.

He had been defeated after reaching the Fourth Floor. He had thought his results were quite good, but he hadn't expected that Lu Jinghan of the Zhouwu Dynasty would actually reach the Seventh Floor.

Second Prince Yang Yan's gaze fell heavily on the light screen. He was silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

"This person truly has some ability." His voice was low, and no emotion could be discerned.

"However, the Opportunities in the Purple Bamboo Forest are not limited to the Nine Heavens Tower."

He paused, turned to look at the people behind him: "Are you rested? If you are, let's set off. We must seize the time to find other Opportunities."

"Yes!" Several people quickly stood up, followed behind Second Prince Yang Yan, passed through the crowd, and walked toward the depths of the bamboo sea.

After walking a few steps, Second Prince Yang Yan suddenly stopped, turned his head to look at that line of text on the light screen, and a complex look flashed in his eyes.

"Lu Jinghan." He whispered the name once, then turned and disappeared into the bamboo sea.

The discussions in the open space in front of the tower continued; everyone was guessing whether Lu Jinghan could ascend to the Eighth Floor.

"What do you say, can he reach the Eighth Floor?"

"Hard to say. The gap between the Seventh Floor and the Eighth Floor is not something the previous floors can compare to."

"I think it's doubtful. Those ancient Prodigies at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage on the light screen all stopped at the Eighth Floor, and he is only at the Early Nascent Soul Stage."

"But hasn't he already reached the Seventh Floor? What if we give him a few more days..."

"Giving him a few more days is useless. The Eighth Floor cannot be worn down by time."

The debate continued endlessly, with no one able to convince the other.

Just at this moment, the gate of the Nine Heavens Tower suddenly lit up.

Amidst the flashing white light, a figure walked out from within the gate; it was none other than Lu Jinghan.

His face was slightly pale, his robes were stained with a little dust, and his aura was somewhat chaotic; clearly, he had expended a great deal in the trial of the Seventh Floor.

But his footsteps remained steady, and his back remained straight.

"Senior Brother!"

Qin Muchuan rushed up first, followed closely by Su Fuguang, and Zhou Tianchen also stepped forward quickly.

The three of them stood still in front of Lu Jinghan, their eyes full of concern.

"Senior Brother, how are you?" Qin Muchuan asked anxiously.

Lu Jinghan shook his head and did not speak.

Su Fuguang frowned, looked at the tower gate behind Lu Jinghan, and then at the line of text on the light screen: "Senior Brother, did you pass the Seventh Floor?"

Lu Jinghan nodded slightly, then shook his head.

The three looked at each other, not understanding what he meant by this.

Zhou Tianchen pondered for a moment and asked: "Senior Brother, did you enter the Eighth Floor?"

Lu Jinghan was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, his voice somewhat hoarse: "I entered."

"You entered?" Qin Muchuan's eyes lit up, "Then the Eighth Floor!"

Lu Jinghan raised his hand to interrupt him, signaling not to say more.

Qin Muchuan was stunned, and the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back.

Su Fuguang was also slightly taken aback, then nodded, not asking further.

Zhou Tianchen looked at Lu Jinghan's complexion and suddenly asked: "Senior Brother, are you injured?"

Lu Jinghan shook his head: "No, just too much spiritual power consumption."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three: "This place is not suitable for staying; let's leave first."

The three looked at each other and nodded simultaneously.

Lu Jinghan turned around and took one last look at the Nine Heavens Tower.

The tall tower stood upright, pitch black throughout; the runes on the tower body flickered in the spiritual light, emitting a cold and heavy aura.

He stood in front of the tower, his gaze slowly moving up from the bottom of the tower, passing over the flying eaves, wind chimes, and dense runes, finally landing on the spire at the top of the tower that pierced the sky.

A feeling that could not be described or named welled up in his heart.

Lu Jinghan took a deep breath, suppressing the distracting thoughts in his heart.

He turned around, his gaze falling on the light screen above the stone tablet.

On the pale golden light screen, hundreds of names were densely arranged.

The name at the very top was his own—Lu Jinghan, Seventh Floor.

Looking down, there were the names of Zhou Tianchen and other Prodigies from various regions.

His gaze continued to move down, scanning the list aimlessly.

Suddenly, his gaze stopped.