Chapter 783: Seventh Layer

Rain pelted the bluestone.

"Snap!" "Thud! Thud!"

Three consecutive sounds later, the triple barriers shattered. Even the copper mirror, which was most adept at defense, wasn't spared. After the impact, a distinct crack appeared in its center, splitting it into two halves. It was unclear if it could ever be repaired.

Qin Sang's vision blurred, and his entire body was wracked with intense pain, as if he had been struck by a mountain. His vital essence surged wildly within him, and his protective spiritual light flickered, nearly extinguishing.

The fragments of golden light were sharp as knives, and the demonic energy carried a terrifying corrosive power.

Qin Sang was sent flying backward. The twin-headed Hòu and the old woman who had been beside him also vanished.

However, Qin Sang felt much calmer now. Their combined efforts had finally withstood the strongest wave of impact. Although injuries were inevitable, at least they wouldn't die here.

After a difficult struggle, the lingering aftershocks finally dissipated.

Qin Sang, his face pale, steadied himself in the void and saw the twin-headed Hòu and the old woman not far away.

The twin-headed Hòu's appearance was almost comical: patches of fur were missing here and there, and the fur on its tail was completely gone. Yet, it was still full of vigor. Noticing Qin Sang's gaze, the twin-headed Hòu let out a few angry roars at him before retreating into the Primordial Unity Conjoining Ring to heal its injuries.

The old woman stood blankly, holding the copper mirror that was now in two halves. Her eyes were dim, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.

Qin Sang looked around. Golden light and demonic energy permeated the void, rapidly dissipating. He searched for other people's figures; the female cultivator surnamed Yin was nowhere to be seen.

However, in another direction in the distance, a silver glow shimmered amidst the aftershocks, eventually revealing the figure of the man surnamed Di. He had actually survived, though he was also in a very sorry state.

Qin Sang noticed that the old woman stood blankly for a moment, then surprisingly turned and started walking back. Feeling puzzled, he spoke up and asked, "Fellow Daoist Su, where are you going?"

The old woman let out a bitter laugh and said with a choked voice, "I spent countless years and immense effort preparing two treasures for this journey, specifically to confront the dangers ahead. I had considerable hope, but they were all completely destroyed here. Even if I were to go in now, it would be futile, merely throwing my life away. Fortunately, my lifespan is still sufficient to wait until the next opening of the Seven Kills Hall. I shall take my leave now. I wish Fellow Daoist Qin achieves all his aspirations."

Qin Sang remained silent.

The treasures were right ahead, just a final step away. This kind of unexpected turn was something no one could have foreseen. If he had encountered such a drastic reversal of fortune, he wouldn't have known what to say either.

Just as the old woman was about to depart, the teleportation array suddenly lit up again.

The Grand Shaman and the Demonic Lord were fighting right next to the stone platform, seemingly unconcerned about destroying the teleportation array. In fact, when the aftershocks struck, a blue light shimmered on the stone platform, firmly blocking them. Even the combined might of two late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators fighting had failed to damage the platform in the slightest. The teleportation array was naturally unharmed as well.

Seeing the teleportation array light up again, Qin Sang and the others were greatly alarmed. Like startled birds, they instinctively retreated without a second thought. Then, more than a dozen figures emerged consecutively from within. The aura of these individuals was second only to the Grand Shaman and the Demonic Lord; they were all Nascent Soul grandmasters! Among them were members of both the Witch Clan and the Human Clan. After exiting the teleportation array, some immediately engaged in battle, while others conjured their escape light and gave chase.

After all these figures disappeared from sight, Qin Sang and the others slowly exhaled.

"I wonder what treasures the Nascent Souls of both clans found up there, causing them to openly contend for them," Qin Sang said. "Fellow Daoist Su, don't you want to go up and take a look? Perhaps there's an opportunity."

The old woman shook her head, bid farewell to Qin Sang, and resolutely departed.

Seeing that no other Nascent Soul grandmasters were appearing, Qin Sang alone conjured his escape light and flew towards the teleportation array. Just as he was about to step onto the teleportation array, he heard someone call out from behind. It was the man surnamed Di, inviting him to travel together. Qin Sang, having no desire to join forces, simply nodded at him, then stepped onto the teleportation array and was teleported away.

The man surnamed Di flashed to the edge of the stone platform, frowned at the now empty teleportation array, then shook his head and stepped onto it.

***

The Seventh Layer of the Heaven Tower.

This was the highest layer cultivators from Canglang Sea could reach. It was certain that a tower of the Heaven Tower's height wouldn't have only seven layers; there must be higher ones. However, for many years, countless Nascent Soul grandmasters had entered and extensively searched the seventh layer, yet none had found a passage or teleportation array leading to higher levels. This was precisely why the ancient corpse falling from the Heaven Tower's summit had caused such a sensation. Some believed that finding the ancient corpse would allow them to unravel the Heaven Tower's secrets, and possibly even obtain supreme treasures from ancient cultivators.

The first six layers could be considered trial grounds for Foundation Establishment and Core Formation cultivators. Logically, the seventh layer should have contained puppets capable of matching Nascent Soul grandmasters. However, this was not the case. The scenery of the seventh layer was completely different from the previous six.

Qin Sang emerged from the teleportation array and cautiously surveyed his surroundings. When he found no other Nascent Soul grandmasters fighting nearby, his expression relaxed, and he began to take in his surroundings.

The seventh layer was also a shattered space. However, this was not the remnants of the blue-brick ancient palaces. Instead, it was composed of mountain fragments, resembling small islands, quietly floating motionless in the void. They were clearly mountain fragments, as some pieces were parts of cliffs, others isolated patches of forest, and most had stone steps running through them, connecting top to bottom. The stone steps could be pieced together, indicating they were once a single, continuous entity. These fragments were not merely laid out flat; Qin Sang saw them above, below, to his left, and right, varying in size and number.

Ancient cultivators might have sealed a sky-reaching divine peak into the Heaven Tower! Qin Sang could hardly imagine what level of cultivation would be required to accomplish such a feat.

Most of the mountain fragments were merely solitary rocks and patches of forest, devoid of any mystical properties. Only a very few appeared to be out of the ordinary. Some areas shimmered with the strange light of restrictions, ancient palaces lay hidden within mountain forests, and broken cliffs revealed ancient cultivators' cave dwellings. Mystery permeated every corner, inspiring longing, but also concealing unknown dangers.

Qin Sang took out a geomancy map he had purchased long ago. It was the most detailed one he could find, and it had cost him a considerable sum. The spatial layout of the seventh layer remained constant, making the geomancy map effective.

Qin Sang located his position on the map, then his gaze swept to the top of the geomancy map, focusing on a fragment shaped like an independent valley. The annotations on the geomancy map were sparse, and their descriptions had little to do with treasures. Only a handful of cultivators dared to explore the Heaven Tower and managed to gain anything, so very few related secrets had leaked out. Qin Sang would have to explore it himself.

However, one place was marked very clearly: that valley. It was said that this valley was acknowledged by the Nascent Soul grandmasters as the most probable location for a teleportation array leading to higher layers of the Heaven Tower, but no one had ever entered to verify it. Not that they were unwilling, but rather unable.

That was Qin Sang's first chosen destination. The Grand Shaman and the others had already left, so he could confidently go and verify if the 'Soul-Nourishing Sword Chapter' would open an entrance for him, just as it had in the Ziwei Palace.

Qin Sang put away the geomancy map, and his figure sprang up.