Chen Ping's Sword

In the "Trace Origin and Steal Fortune" involving the slaying of Tang Lin’er, Chen Ping discovered a profound secret.

This secret was personally recounted by Old Monk Shifang, who carefully instructed Tang Lin’er on exactly what to do upon entering the Celestial Star Ruins.

Chen Ping also learned that this secret was solemnly entrusted on his deathbed by Zen Master Yuangtong from the Dharma Aspect Sect, who had once entered the ruins and survived for over three months before passing away.

The fact proved that Tang Lin’er listened.

In the end, he indeed emerged alive from the ruins.

In the future inference of "Trace Origin and Steal Fortune," this person, after entering the ruins, emerged alive after just three days.

Later, not long after, he even broke into the Divine Martial Realm, achieving an incredible level of cultivation strength.

However, in the end, the tide-like demon beasts and magical beasts, it was unclear how they appeared.

Chen Ping vaguely felt it was likely related to the unknown giant spire that soared skyward from within the ruins.

Unfortunately, the scene was not clear enough to penetrate his deduction for fortune stealing naturally.

But in any case.

Just entering the Celestial Star Ruins, as long as one is not too greedy, shouldn’t pose too much danger.

"Xiaoyue, did you check how long the six or seven masters who came out last time were delayed in the ruins?"

"Three days, according to my mother, Ancestor Qingning at his last breath wasn’t sad but marveled at the miraculous treasure; it seemed like a year, yet it was only a day... the ancestor just regretted that although the universe is boundless and the starry sky vast, he could not witness even more splendid scenery."

Was it also three days?

Chen Ping looked in the direction of Xingqing Prefecture and breathed a sigh of relief.

This tactic, better to "go with the flow," three days is bearable, and presumably, Xingqing Prefecture can certainly hold out for three days.

Looking at the three Grandmasters he defeated in succession, reckoning with the 498 points of Tribulation Value that flashed through his mind, Chen Ping gritted his teeth and stepped into the blood-red vortex.

Opportunity arises, refusing the gift of Heaven brings calamity.

Some tribulations, one cannot escape.

A true warrior dares to face a bleak life.

Breaking through tribulations is just that.

Han Xiaoru glanced at Ji Mingyue, exchanged a smile, their brows full of composure, without a hint of hesitation, they both stepped into the blood-red vortex.

A blur before their eyes, the scenery changed.

The ground they stood upon was no longer the verdant mountains but a blood-colored wilderness.

On the plain, densely packed blood-red creatures roared in an unending surge.

Not far ahead, on Fang Qingzhu’s neck unmarred by clothes, was already a layer of fine goosebumps.

She took a deep breath, facing three or five blood-colored creatures, a halo flickered over her body.

"Stop, don’t use the Three Lights Divine Sword."

Seeing Fang Qingzhu’s starting posture, with a slight turn of the halo, Chen Ping immediately understood what this girl intended to do.

Anyone seeing the half-faced human, blood-drenched beasts, and grotesque corpses opposite would be tempted to unleash a powerful move to clear the area.

In fact, that’s the biggest trap.

The last group of masters who entered the ruins proved with their lives that reckless actions had dire consequences they couldn’t bear.

Because in the center of the blood-colored wilderness, there’s a Heaven-Reaching Tower that will project an identical image of oneself.

The First Level is manageable, defeating an identical self grants access to the Second Level.

However, according to Tang Liner’s deepest memories revealed, the Second and Third Levels are extremely difficult.

In the Second Level of the tower, two identical selves appear.

As the saying goes, conquering others is easy, conquering oneself is hard.

It’s already tough defeating one self.

Let alone two.

If in the blood-colored plain one’s best skills are used, they will be recorded by the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

Facing a self that can use the ultimate move is already a gamble of luck; facing two would mean awaiting death, and what follows is a miserable fate.

Chen Ping estimated that those talented martial artists, including Unity Realm Grandmasters who came in, were miserably trapped by these rule-like mechanisms.

Chen Ping took several quick steps, not even daring to employ the Seven Stars Step, rushing to Fang Qingzhu’s front, blocking three claws and two sharp teeth.

Shh...

A series of sharp sounds resonated, shaking the eardrums.

Small blood-colored wounds appeared on his body.

As soon as the wounds opened, they closed rapidly, but then were injured again, finally blood dripped down...

Fang Qingzhu was momentarily stunned, staring blankly at Chen Ping, "You came in too? Didn’t you know it’s dangerous here?"

Though she didn’t like thinking of complex things, she wasn’t actually stupid.

Seeing Chen Ping willing to get hurt but confronting with pure physical strength, slicing the blood-colored creatures to pieces, she understood how important it was not to use ultimate moves.

Hence, she imitated Chen Ping, wielding the sword ordinarily, employing the most basic sword form, assisting in slaying the creatures that slipped through.

"In short, I will spearhead, senior sister will cover the rear, Mingyue and Qingzhu will guard the flanks, avoid rash attacking.

Even if wounded, down to the last breath, ultimate moves mustn’t be used."

The strategy to break through was deduced by Zen Master Yuangtong of Dharma Aspect Sect with unparalleled enlightenment, and naturally made sense.

Chen Ping resolved that no matter how severe the injuries, as long as he wasn’t dead, he’d crawl to the Heaven-Reaching Tower if needed.

"Understood."

Combined efforts by the four, cooperating with assigned roles, speeded up their advance.

Along the way, many giant creatures over three zhang tall appeared, possessing enormous strength, almost breaking the group formation, nearly letting the monstrous horde overwhelm them; fortunately, Chen Ping’s resilience was formidable, though his whole body was pounded flat, he recovered.

His entire body’s bones and sinews broke countless times, yet amidst the wild barrage, they finally reached the front of a mysterious black Nine-Layered Pagoda.

Upon entering within ten zhang of the Heaven-Reaching Tower, the blood-colored monsters ceased pursuing, merely standing guard at a distance, not daring to approach.

All of them were panting heavily.

Collapsed on the ground, utterly exhausted.

Ji Mingyue and Fang Qingzhu were relatively okay, shielded in the middle, merely wielding swords defensively, with occasional slips guarded by Chen Ping and Han Xiaoru.

As for Chen Ping, despite bearing the brunt of the task, his True Gang Glazed Body was toughest, unbreakable, bearing about seventy to eighty percent of the attacks; though gravely injured, his foundation remained unscathed.

However, Han Xiaoru nearly barely made it; now, with internal injuries, countless broken bones, and deep wounds down to the bone all over.

Yet this bold woman was indifferent, cheerily saying: "Finally pulled through, these creatures are harder to deal with than the Beizhou Hu Cavalry."

She coughed up blood while consuming handfuls of medicine.

As Chen Ping watched, he frowned deeply, his palm lit with a gentle green glow, he rubbed her blood-stained smooth hair as the Cyan Wood Longevity True Qi surged into her body like a torrent.

"You..."

Han Xiaoru was surprised, "Didn’t we say no using powerful cultivation techniques?"

By now, they’d understood the challenge mechanism of the Heaven-Reaching Tower, realizing this path allows no retreat, and to seize the opportunity, passage through at least three passes unscathed was necessary.

Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.

At this moment, Chen Ping utilizing the Cyan Wood Longevity Skill would turn the opponent into a limitless healer, greatly escalating the challenge difficulty.

"No worries, I’m confident; we all must pass, none shall be left behind."

Chen Ping shook his head, smiling.

There was something he didn’t voice, which was considering their current exhausted state with depleted True Essence, without healing, they might not even clear the first level.

The girls looked at him, a myriad of emotions surging within; Fang Qingzhu drooped her head, tears glistening in her eyes.

...