Chapter 780: Consecutive Ascents to the Tower

# The Mortal Realm

The Mortal Realm

The killing intent was pure and extreme.

The ancient cultivators had, by some unknown method, sealed this sword intent within the ancient hall.

Qin Sang was deeply affected by the sword intent, gazing at the ancient hall with a mind full of speculation.

The Seven Kills Hall and Ziwei Palace shared intricate connections, but Qin Sang had never imagined that such a potent sword intent, so closely linked to the 'Soul Cultivation Sword Art,' would be sealed within the Heavenly Pagoda.

Could the 'Soul Cultivation Sword Art' have been a cultivation technique created by the ancient cultivators of the Seven Kills Hall?

The first five levels of the technique had found their way to Ziwei Palace.

In that case, might a complete version of the technique be hidden within the Seven Kills Hall?

The creator of the 'Soul Cultivation Sword Art' must have been an ancient cultivator of immensely high cultivation. This technique surely wouldn't have halted at the Golden Core stage; there must be further developments.

Ancient teleportation formations, cultivation techniques...

In this moment, Qin Sang gained another objective.

The two killing talismans left by Senior Qingzhu could only sustain him until the late Core Formation stage. If he could find the complete technique, he wouldn't have to pin all his hopes on the senior.

Moreover, Senior Qingzhu had remained uncontactable, his whereabouts completely unknown.

For years, Qin Sang had not only conducted his own inquiries but also sought help from Elder Zou and others, yet he hadn't even received the slightest hint of information.

Given Senior Qingzhu's talent and cultivation, it was impossible for him to leave no trace while traveling. Qin Sang suspected that he might have met with an accident.

The world of immortal cultivation is unpredictable; anything is possible.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, what are you observing?"

The old woman looked at Qin Sang with a strange expression, "Have you perhaps discovered something unusual?"

Qin Sang returned to his senses, shaking his head. "Nothing," he replied. "I was simply intrigued by the unique restrictions of the great teleportation hall. Unfortunately, these ancient restrictions are too profound for someone of my limited abilities to comprehend."

"Fellow Daoist Qin, there's no need to be disheartened. If these restrictions were so easily deciphered, the mysteries of the Heavenly Pagoda would have been solved long ago. I've heard that even Nascent Soul ancestors can only ascend layer by layer, adhering to the rules here. Since there's nothing out of the ordinary, let's quickly enter the great teleportation hall. After all, we've waited outside for quite some time; it would be best to advance as soon as possible..."

The old woman reminded him.

Qin Sang nodded, dismissing his thoughts, and the five of them leapt onto the stone steps leading to the great teleportation hall.

As they approached the hall, a chilling sensation immediately washed over them. An aura of desolation and decay enveloped them. The great teleportation hall's doors were tightly shut, and silence reigned within.

The cultivators who had entered before them had already proceeded into the hall and been teleported to higher levels.

They paused briefly, then swiftly ascended.

The great teleportation hall featured eight entrances, positioned in each of the hall's cardinal directions. It was rumored that while every entrance led to a teleportation array, the puppets behind each door would vary.

On the first level, such vigilance was unnecessary.

They simply pushed open the door before them and entered.

"Thud!"

The heavy door automatically sealed shut, letting out a muffled thud.

Before them lay a long, wide passageway, stretching straight ahead. Its walls were constructed from green bricks, completely devoid of any patterns.

The group exchanged glances and stepped inside.

Along the way, flashes of green light frequently emanated from the walls. Puppets of bizarre and diverse forms burst forth, a truly astonishing sight.

The deeper they ventured into the passageway, the more puppets assailed them.

Unfortunately, these puppets were too weak to even impede their progress. The group moved swiftly through the passageway, leaving a trail of shattered puppets that dissolved into the green stone.

Further ahead, intersecting paths emerged.

The area resembled a labyrinth.

Locating the ancient teleportation array wasn't difficult, but for those with insufficient cultivation, it was hard to say how long they could endure under the onslaught of so many puppets. Furthermore, this labyrinth constantly shifted, appearing differently with each entry, rendering any memorized route useless.

They agreed upon a signal, then split up to search the labyrinth, quickly pinpointing the location of the teleportation array.

Before long, their progress halted. Ahead, a stone platform, three *zhang* in height, came into view. The teleportation array rested upon it, emitting a faint white glow.

"Let's proceed."

The man surnamed Di stepped onto it first, with the others closely following. A flash of light enveloped them, and they were instantly teleported away.

In the final moments, Qin Sang's gaze was profound as he stared back at the passageway.

Earlier, after encountering a fork in the path and splitting up, he had searched everywhere. He even summoned his Ebony Sword and vibrated the killing talismans on his spirit sword, but he detected nothing.

"Could the secret of the cultivation art still lie on a higher level?"

Harboring these doubts, Qin Sang entered the second level.

The scenery of the second level was largely similar to the first.

Working closely together, the group operated with high efficiency, successively ascending to the third level and locating the teleportation array within its great teleportation hall.

They pressed on with their journey, and even when they encountered ancient halls or secret chambers along the way, they did not open them to search for treasures.

Upon teleporting to the fourth level, the puppets were indeed significantly stronger. Even cultivators in the early Core Formation stage, if besieged here, would have no choice but to fight and retreat.

They positioned themselves in formation, collaborating with a clear division of labor.

The group of five flew through the darkness.

A bronze mirror floated above their heads, and a small silver shield, belonging to the male cultivator surnamed Wu, orbited them. These two magical artifacts served as their defense.

However, for the time being, the old woman alone was capable of managing the situation.

The female cultivator surnamed Yin was protected at the center, responsible for detecting the puppets' movements and weaknesses.

Qin Sang activated his Ebony Sword, and not long after entering the fourth level, he had already destroyed over a dozen puppets.

No one noticed that Qin Sang's gaze was peculiar, sometimes fixed on his spirit sword, other times glancing towards the distant green light.

Previously, he could effortlessly dispatch puppets, rendering the search for their weaknesses unnecessary. Now, however, it was different; the puppets here possessed extremely hardened bodies that could not be easily destroyed.

As a result, Qin Sang gradually noticed something unusual.

He realized that the puppets' weaknesses were not randomly assigned. Through engaging them, resisting their attacks, and then countering after identifying their weak points, the entire process proved to be an excellent way to hone sword skills and aid in comprehending the realms of sword *dao*!

Qin Sang had already independently comprehended the Sword Qi Thunder Sound, and he was certain this feeling was not an illusion.

Because it was a joint effort among five individuals, his perception wasn't as pronounced.

Presumably, if he were to attempt the challenge alone, his sensations during entanglement with the puppets would undoubtedly be far more intense.

This place was not merely a trial ground but also a treasure trove for sword cultivators. If he could consistently train within the Heavenly Pagoda, his swordsmanship would undoubtedly advance by leaps and bounds, making the comprehension of Sword Light Division imminent.

Regrettably, the Seven Kills Hall remained open for too brief a period. Within such a short timeframe, it would be impossible to gain substantial benefits, and no one would waste their precious time here.

Qin Sang sighed softly to himself.

Unaware of Qin Sang's thoughts, the others focused on their journey, searching for the great teleportation hall.

Not long after, they successfully located the great teleportation hall.

The great teleportation hall on the fourth level was noticeably more dilapidated; two of its doors were destroyed. This wasn't even the most extreme case; it was rumored that on the sixth level, the great teleportation hall itself had vanished, leaving only a solitary teleportation array floating in the void.

This was good news for them, as it meant they wouldn't have to face a siege of puppets.