Chapter 127: Elder Di Is Not Very Composed

For ten years, the Eternal Practice Tower has held a single, untouchable record. A decade ago, nearly every cultivator aspiring to become an elite disciple would suppress their cultivation level, honing their skills repeatedly, all for the sake of breaking it—a record set by a young man. But since that youth emerged ten years ago, everyone else has only been able to look up at that new record with a sense of hopelessness; the desire to compete has simply vanished.

Consequently, suppressing one’s cultivation realm is no longer in vogue. Many cultivators, upon reaching the rank of elite disciple, now desperately rush to advance their realms. The reason is simple: that record is truly monstrous. To clear nine levels of the tower in one go while at the Seven-God Realm—that was the feat achieved by that young man.

Su Yizhao, naturally, was unaware of this. After he vanished from the teleportation array, he entered a room.

"Please select your cultivation level for the challenge!"

A voice echoed, startling Su Yizhao. How advanced! He tentatively replied, "Peak Seven-God Realm!"

"Challenge at the peak of the Seven-God Realm. After clearing one level, you may choose to stop or continue. The array is activating; the challenge begins!"

Su Yizhao felt the environment shift, and in an instant, he vanished from his original position.

He found himself in the deep sea. Su Yizhao’s eyes widened. Although he knew this was a simulation created by the array, it felt incredibly real. All around him were reefs and seaweed. Having experienced the deep sea firsthand, he knew this was exactly how it looked.

Suddenly, he looked ahead. A cultivator was walking slowly toward him. Golden eyes shot out a piercing gaze. "The Golden Dragon Clan!" Su Yizhao whispered to himself.

Peak Seven-God Realm! Su Yizhao flashed forward and threw a punch. Where his fist passed, the seawater dissipated.

"Boom!"

His fist struck the cultivator squarely in the forehead. The figure and the head vanished into nothingness.

"Continue the challenge!"

Before the words had faded, Su Yizhao felt the deep water transform, and as he focused his vision, he was already in a wild, desolate land. A weathered middle-aged cultivator sat cross-legged on the ground. The man was bare-chested, with a python coiled around his waist. The serpent flicked its tongue, its eyes sizing him up.

Su Yizhao felt a wave of danger wash over him. Eight-Void Realm! He unleashed his flying sword, and ten thousand beams of sword light shot out instantly.

"Swish..."

Before the middle-aged cultivator could look up, the sword light had already engulfed him and the python.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

The ten thousand beams of light converged into nine flying swords and returned to Su Yizhao’s side. Ahead, the spot where the middle-aged cultivator had been was now empty.

"Continue the challenge!"

The scene shifted once more. Su Yizhao stood calmly, hands behind his back. Suddenly, it grew dark before his eyes. He peered into the gloom and couldn't help but feel astonished.

Is this hell? The concept of hell was mentioned in some ancient texts, though Su Yizhao had been skeptical at the time. Now that he was suddenly thrust into this place, he began to believe.

The surroundings were dim, filled with chilling, ghostly winds. Transparent figures drifted by. Looking closely, their features were pale and their eyes dull. Souls? Su Yizhao’s heart tightened.

Legend had it that if a person's soul was strong enough upon death, it would linger in the world. Since very few mortals possessed strong souls, their spirits usually dissipated. Only cultivators and mortals with powerful souls would maintain their human form after death, being drawn into hell to undergo eighteen kinds of trials. If they survived without dissipating, they would be reincarnated. Of course, after the ordeals of the eighteen layers of hell, memories of past lives were long since ground away, which is why few people remembered their previous existences after reincarnation.

Su Yizhao surveyed his surroundings. This was an incredibly vast world. Countless unconscious souls drifted toward the center, as if something there were drawing them in. A thought crossed his mind: Was there some celestial treasure at the center? Anything capable of attracting souls must be a treasure beneficial to the spirit. If...

Just as he was thinking, a gust of chill wind brushed his back, making his hair stand on end. He spun around abruptly!

Ten yards away, three transparent figures were drifting slowly toward him. Their faces were deathly pale, their eyes vacant. Just as he prepared to strike, the three figures drifted right up to him.

In his Purple Mansion, his two-zhang-tall soul avatar sat cross-legged with a grave expression, the three arrows condensed on its right hand held back. To attack a soul, only a soul-based attack was effective. He was confident that with his peak Divine Soul Realm avatar and his perfected soul-attack techniques, he could instantly annihilate them. But he did not move, as the three transparent figures passed straight through his body and continued drifting forward.

He shuddered. This was impossible to guard against! As if sensing his thoughts, all the transparent figures within a ten-mile radius changed direction and surged toward him. Ghostly shadows swarmed him. The first three were the very ones that had just passed through his body. Their once-dull expressions were now twisted into hideous grins!

Su Yizhao’s spirit tightened. Inside his Purple Mansion, the long-prepared attack was unleashed instantly.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Soul arrows shot out of the Purple Mansion and vanished into the void.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Three soft sounds echoed, and the foreheads of the three souls shattered instantly. Each figure turned into a wisp of green smoke and dissipated into the air. But more shadows were lunging at him with savage grins...

Inside the Profound Array Hall, the room was packed with cultivators. Every eye was fixed on the wall. On the wall was a depiction of a towering pagoda. At that moment, a light suddenly emanated from the ninth level.

"He tied it!"

"He tied the record!"

Exclamations erupted throughout the hall. Every cultivator simultaneously sent out transmission talismans. Instantly, the air was filled with streaks of light flying in all directions. An old man stared at the wall with a grave expression.

"Peak Seven-God Realm, first time in the tower, clearing nine levels in one breath. Can he pass that final trial?"

"Regardless of whether he passes, this person is at least in the top three of the sect!"

More and more cultivators crowded into the Profound Array Hall. At first, it was only elite disciples, but soon, even elders were stirred and rushed over. Di Shitain was among them. He stared at the ninth level of the tower and smiled. His smile stunned every elder and disciple present! Elder Di, actually smiling? Though, it was a rather ugly smile.

Di Shitain, of course, did not care. It was fortunate he hadn't given up on him—how wise that had been! Such talent, such strength, was rare in this world. As long as he remained steady and continued to advance step by step, he would absolutely be another monster-level talent for the entire continent. And this continent was not just the Central Plains, but this entire world, including the Northwest Continent, the Eastern Forests, and the vast seas!

Suddenly, a figure flashed by and stood in front of him, blocking his view. He felt a flicker of annoyance. Just as he was about to push the person aside, he realized who it was. But recognition didn't mean he could just block his view!

He immediately spoke up: "Brother Wuji, this isn't very gentlemanly of you, blocking my view the moment you arrive!"

The man was Xuan Wuji. He turned his head and asked, "Do you think he can break the record?"

Di Shitain felt stifled. Whether he could break it or not, what did that have to do with him? He wasn't the one who brought him in; was he trying to curry favor?

Xuan Wuji saw through his thoughts and said mysteriously, "This Su Yizhao is my disciple!"

"Ah!"

Di Shitain’s eternal aura of dignity instantly crumbled. This was too ridiculous! His face showed shock, his eyes full of suspicion. The cultivators in the hall were drawn by his exclamation and stared at him. Seeing his reaction, they couldn't help but gasp. What had happened to the ever-composed Elder Di?

Just then, someone shouted, "He passed!"

Everyone turned at once. On the wall, the light on the ninth level extinguished, and the tenth level instantly lit up!