This is a magnificent and colossal tower, soaring into the clouds.
Bai Zihe looked up, unable to see its summit, for it was already lost in the mist. It truly lived up to its name, "Tongtian" (Sky-Piercing).
Standing before the tower, Bai Zihe felt as if he were facing the primordial cosmos, the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth, and a profound sense of his own insignificance and smallness.
"Shu la!"
Bai Zihe shook his head and took a step forward, arriving before the bronze gate.
"Dong..."
Bai Zihe struck the gate, producing a muffled sound.
This sound...
Though faint, it echoed clearly throughout heaven and earth. It was as if the torrent of time had been awakened, as if the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth had been disturbed and sprung to life in an instant.
"Gā zī..."
Then, Bai Zihe pushed open the bronze gate and stepped inside.
"Bai Zihe, Human Race, Nascent Divinity realm, first entry into Tongtian Tower, currently cleared 0 layers."
A grand and imposing voice resonated within Bai Zihe's mind.
Instantly, a majestic figure materialized before Bai Zihe's eyes, standing tall and immense, radiating boundless power and unfathomable might. This must have been the owner of the voice.
Looking at him...
Bai Zihe's body trembled uncontrollably, his impulse being to prostrate himself in reverence. This was not due to tyranny or brute force, but a submission born of spiritual and cultivation level.
Bai Zihe couldn't help but be inwardly astonished.
What a terrifying existence!
However, the ethereal figure appeared as quickly as it vanished, disappearing like dissipating mist in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace, as if what he had seen was merely an illusion.
Bai Zihe shook his head and stepped into the first level.
Though called the first level, it was, in fact, a vast grassland, stretching so far that Bai Zihe could not see its end.
"Gā zī..."
The bronze gate closed automatically.
Bai Zihe's gaze narrowed slightly as he surveyed his surroundings with caution. According to the tower spirit, the Tongtian Tower contained adversaries, and one had to fight their way up, level by level, to reach the highest floor.
"Shu la!"
"Hua la..."
"Sha sha sha..."
Faint sounds suddenly emanated from all around.
Bai Zihe immediately became vigilant.
"Ang..."
"Ao wu..."
"Hou ah—"
In the next moment, the roars of beasts echoed from all directions. Each roar was soul-stirring, instilling primal fear and causing him to tremble uncontrollably.
Bai Zihe looked around, his brow furrowing instantly. It was a pack of wild beasts approaching from all sides. There were wolves, tigers, and some... Bai Zihe couldn't even name them, but they were all exceptionally ferocious, their exposed fangs like sharp swords, exuding a chilling aura. Their eyes, as numerous as stars in the grassland, were filled with a bloodthirsty and murderous intent that threatened to engulf Bai Zihe.
"Come on!"
They were merely wild beasts; Bai Zihe didn't take them too seriously. He let out a mighty roar towards them.
"Shu la!"
"Shu la shu la!"
"Shua shua shua!"
Provoked by Bai Zihe's challenge, the beasts' ferocity intensified, and they immediately charged towards him.
One hundred Zhang.
Fifty Zhang.
Thirty Zhang!
"Hua..."
The leading ferocious tiger leaped high into the air, tracing a perfect arc before descending directly towards Bai Zihe's head, intending to bite him in two.
"You court death!"
A cold glint flashed in Bai Zihe's eyes as he unleashed a palm strike. Now in the mid-Nascent Divinity realm, he was no ordinary cultivator. With a single palm strike...
Forget flesh and blood; even high-tech alloy would be pulverized into a pulp, leaving no room for doubt.
"Peng!"
In the next instant, Bai Zihe's palm struck the tiger's forehead.
"Ka cha..."
The tiger's skull cracked on impact. It let out a piercing howl, convulsed, and fell to the ground, dead.
However...
It did not leave behind any flesh or blood. Instead, it quickly turned into a wisp of green smoke, indicating that the tiger was an illusion.
Yet, Bai Zihe's expression grew serious.
That palm strike...
While it had cleanly dispatched the tiger, it felt abnormal. If it were an ordinary tiger, even the Nascent Soul realm tiger from the sect, it would have been reduced to a bloody pulp by his palm strike. But this one before him... Its aura was not as potent as that of a young tiger, yet its physique was astonishingly strong, defying comprehension.
Furthermore, Bai Zihe sensed a familiar aura from this tiger, though he couldn't quite place what it was.
"Shu la!"
"Shu la shu la!"
Before Bai Zihe could ponder further, the other tigers and wolves behind it lunged forward.
"Peng!"
"Hua!"
"Shu la!"
Bai Zihe didn't hesitate, dispatching them with a palm strike each. This was, after all, only the first trial of Tongtian Tower, not overly difficult for Bai Zihe. These beasts... posed no significant threat to him.
Ten minutes passed.
Hundreds of beasts were annihilated by Bai Zihe.
"Weng..."
As the last beast's body slowly dissipated, a wisp of clear Qi materialized in mid-air and flowed into Bai Zihe's body.
Bai Zihe trembled.
This wisp of clear Qi, upon entering, immediately coursed through his pores, into his meridians, and then flowed through his limbs and bones, finally settling in his Dantian to become a part of his true essence.
This was... the reward for clearing the first level?
Bai Zihe felt his body fill with a surge of power and couldn't help but rejoice. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before he broke through to the late Nascent Divinity realm.
"Weng..."
In the center of the battlefield, a gateway of light slowly appeared. Bai Zihe eagerly stepped into it.
"Hua la..."
As the world shifted, Bai Zihe found himself in a completely new environment. This time, it was a desert-like landscape. However, he had not yet encountered his opponents.
"Hua la..."
Suddenly, a pile of sand behind Bai Zihe erupted, and a black shadow shot out, aiming for the back of Bai Zihe's head.
"A petty trick, daring to show off in front of a master?"
A cold light flashed in Bai Zihe's eyes.
Immediately...
He spun around abruptly, and just as his assailant was about to touch him, he unleashed a powerful punch. This punch manifested the might of a dragon and elephant, its power boundless.
"Hong!"
Striking first despite being second, it sent the black shadow flying. It tumbled through the air countless times before crashing heavily to the ground, lifeless.
"Gone?"
Bai Zihe frowned slightly. This second trial felt even simpler than the first.
But that was not the case.
"Shu la!"
"Shu la shu la shu la!"
Just then, four figures, one from each direction – front, back, left, and right – charged towards Bai Zihe. Each of them radiated a terrifying killing intent. Each carried immense power! They seemed intent on slaying Bai Zihe on the spot.
"Hua la..."
The four black figures moved with extreme speed. In the blink of an eye, they reached Bai Zihe.