118: The apprentices have all gone into seclusion, preparing for something big.

Kaoshan Sect, atop the main Peak.

An ancient pagoda, ninety-nine stories tall and forged entirely from an unknown divine metal, floated quietly amidst the sea of clouds.

The sun, moon, and stars revolved around the tower's body, while Dao runes flowed across it, emitting a terrifying aura that distorted time.

【time cultivation tower】.

A product of the System—it was bound to be of the highest quality.

It was also the "leveling cheat" that Li Daoxuan had specifically redeemed from the System Mall to allow his Disciples to develop rapidly.

At this moment.

Before the tower.

Li Daoxuan looked at the six Disciples before him (including Duan De) who had just finished drinking the "Divine Dragon Infused Wine." Their cheeks were flushed, and their eyes were hazy.

"Sober up, all of you."

"You've had your fill of food and drink; it's time to get down to business."

He pointed at the pagoda behind him, which was radiating a terrifying aura, his expression solemn.

"Although you gained much from destroying the Yaoguang Holy Land this time, you have also thoroughly offended the remaining old monsters in the Central State."

"While they don't dare to act openly for now, they will certainly resort to small tricks in the shadows."

"Therefore, to face the coming challenges, your strength... is still far from enough."

"From today onwards, all of you will enter the tower for your Revered Master and go into seclusion!"

"Seclusion?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Tian's face immediately fell into a pout.

"Revered Master, seclusion again?"

"Then... then what about my roasted meat?"

"Shut up!" Li Daoxuan glared at him. "All you think about is eating! Once you can blow up a star with a single punch, then you can talk to your Revered Master about eating!"

Seeing his Disciples' reluctant looks, he added some powerful incentive.

"During this seclusion, Revered Master will personally act as your Protector."

"The time flow within the tower has been adjusted to the maximum: one year inside is one day outside."

"The concentration of Spiritual Qi inside the tower is... ten thousand times that of the outside!"

"Not only that, you may freely use all the Heaven And Earth Treasures and Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals you've seized this time!"

"I have only one requirement."

Li Daoxuan paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"No one is allowed out until they have broken through to the next major Realm!"

Boom!

As soon as these words were spoken.

The laziness in the five Disciples' eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a raging Battle Intent!

One year inside, one day outside?

Ten thousand times the Spiritual Qi concentration?

Unlimited supply of resources?

Is this even seclusion?

This is clearly a cheat!

"Revered Master! This Disciple is willing to go!"

Xiao Chen was the first to cup his fists, the Sword Intent in his eyes piercing the sky.

"This Disciple will not fail Revered Master's high expectations. I will not leave until I have attained the Dao of the Sword Immortal!"

"I'm going too!" Ye Fan was also boiling with excitement. "I will never leave seclusion until I've brought my Sacred Body to Major Achievement!"

"Me too! Me too!" Shi Tian also perked up. "Revered Master, is there... food provided in the tower?"

Li Daoxuan: "...Get out!"

...Soon.

The five Disciples, plus the Wicked Taoist Duan De who had been forcibly dragged along as a "sparring partner," were all tossed into the time cultivation tower by Li Daoxuan in one go.

"Rumble..."

The heavy tower doors slowly closed.

Isolating the inside and outside into two completely different worlds.

Inside the tower.

The first floor.

Xiao Chen sat cross-legged.

The immortal slaying sword lay across his knees, its blade buzzing.

He was in no hurry to Cultivate; instead, he calmed his mind and repeatedly deduced the supreme sword Dao his Revered Master had taught him within his Sea of Consciousness.

Tempering his Sword Intent, sharpening his Sword Heart.

The second floor.

Leng Yanran likewise sat motionless.

She was undergoing Fusion.

Merging her memories and insights from her past life as the Demon Empress with her Dao Heart as a Disciple of the Kaoshan Sect in this life.

The demonic and the righteous reached an unprecedented balance within her.

The third floor.

Ye Fan's method was much more simple and crude.

He was bare-chested, his body radiating golden light, his blood and Qi surging like a Dragon.

"Ah—!!!"

He let out a long roar to the heavens, swinging his golden fists to repeatedly strike the spatial barriers within the tower!

He was impacting the next Secret Realm of the Archaic Sacred Body—the Four Extremities Realm!

Every strike made his Physical Body a fraction tougher.

The fourth floor... the fifth floor... and on the very top, the ninety-ninth floor.

Li Daoxuan sat alone, quietly cross-legged.

He did not Cultivate.

Because his cultivation had already reached the pinnacle of this world.

His gaze seemed to penetrate the barriers of the time tower, the Mountain-Protecting Formation of the Kaoshan Sect, and the vault of the Central State... landing upon that... deep and boundless... starry sky.

There.

He sensed a... faint... malice.

That malice came from a higher-dimensional world.

Cold, indifferent, and filled with the arrogance of looking down upon ants.

"Upper Realm..."

Li Daoxuan narrowed his eyes and murmured to himself.

"It seems that destroying a few Holy Lands has already caught your attention?"

"Fine."

"Once these Disciples of mine have developed, it will be my turn... to pay your world a proper 'visit'."

...Time flowed quietly.

In the outside world.

The Kaoshan Sect announced it was sealing its mountains and would not receive guests.

The entire Central State fell into an eerie calm.

But everyone knew this was merely the calm before the storm.

That "Devil King" who had appeared out of nowhere was accumulating power.

When he next emerged from the mountains, what kind of bloodbath would he stir up in the Central State?

Everyone was waiting to see.

One month later.

Kaoshan Sect, atop the main Peak.

The time cultivation tower, which had stood silently for a whole month, finally... showed movement.

"Buzz—"

An ancient and weathered hum echoed through the clouds.

Immediately following.

That heavy stone door, which had been closed for thirty years (tower time), amidst a series of "rumbling" booms.

Slowly.

Opened.

“Boom!”

“Boom!”

“Boom!”

“Boom!”

“Boom!”

Five... no, six!

Six terrifying auras, powerful enough to change the very color of the heavens and earth, soared into the sky from that dark tower gate like awakening primeval Vicious Beasts!

Sword Qi spanned thirty thousand miles!

Devilish Qi blackened half the sky!

Blood Qi pierced through the sun and moon!

...In that instant.

Every living being in the entire Central State felt this suffocating pressure.

Countless old monsters currently in seclusion opened their eyes in unison, looking toward the Kaoshan Sect in absolute horror.

"This... what is this aura?!"

"What terrifying Sword Intent! What overbearing blood Qi!"

"Could it be... that Heavenly Emperor Li is about to do something big again?!"

Under the watchful eyes of the masses.

Several slender figures slowly walked out from that brilliant light.

Leading them was Xiao Chen, dressed in white, handsome and elegant, with eyes that seemed to contain the birth and death of billions of sword lights.

The aura on his body had impressively reached... the Peak of Nascent Soul!

Just one step away from Soul Transformation!

And behind him, Shi Tian, Ye Fan, Leng Yanran, and Su Mo had all, without exception, stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm!

As for Disciple Hua Qingwu, she had directly soared to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage!

Thirty years of bitter cultivation!

Coupled with the accumulation of Undying Divine Medicine and countless Heaven And Earth Treasures!

These juniors, who were originally only at the Golden Core or Foundation Establishment Stage.

At this moment, they had truly grown into... peerless experts capable of standing on their own!

"Revered Master."

The five stood side by side and bowed in unison toward the top of the tower.

Their voices resounded through the clouds.

"The Disciples have emerged from seclusion!"