Chapter 177
Chapter 177: Welcome to Ascending Towers Island!
Shi Zi Chu pulled her cloak tightly around her as the biting cold wind struck her face. She recoiled, shivering, looking as if she couldn’t bear the cold.
Jiang Wan Sheng subtly shielded her from most of the chilling gusts, offering her some comfort.
The fierce storm didn’t last long.
As the clouds parted and the sun broke through, a rainbow appeared in the sky, and a palace hall, like a mirage, materialized above the clouds.
“Is that a relic?” someone whispered.
“Heavens!”
“Truly, it’s a relic of the demi-god rank magic artifact! It’s magnificent!”
The excitement was palpable, and the surrounding cultivators became increasingly noisy, caught in a frenzy of anticipation.
Chu Zhi Rou tilted her head back, gazing up at the slowly revealing palace hall. Her heart pounded fiercely, a mix of nervousness and a thrilling sense of inevitable triumph flooding her.
The heroine system had told her—the demi-god rank magic artifact was born because of her!
Once she acquired it, she was certain that Master would restore her status as his personal disciple!
With that thought, Chu Zhi Rou cast a glance over at the overly delicate Shi Zi Chu. Just wait. She would reclaim her title as a personal disciple and strive to become Master’s most cherished one!
Shi Zi Chu sniffed, and the briny smell of water, carried by the wind, assaulted her senses. It wasn’t pleasant.
Amidst the clamor, rainbow-colored light descended from the clouds, gradually forming a teleportation gate.
In an instant, the crowd erupted into chaos!
Various spiritual powers ignited in the air, and before even entering the relic, casualties began to mount.
The Three Sects, Five Schools, and Seven Clans remained unaffected by the turmoil. They organized their disciples, leading them in with order and discipline.
Meng Xi Yu’s cold voice came from ahead, “Shi Zi Chu, keep up.”
“Master, Sheng Sheng and I will proceed separately,” Shi Zi Chu raised her voice slightly.
Meng Xi Yu glanced back briefly, said nothing, and continued guiding his disciples into the teleportation gate.
Inside the Relic.
The first to enter, naturally, were the Three Sects, Five Schools, and Seven Clans. They stood at the entrance, carefully observing, none daring to act recklessly.
Ahead of them lay a lush green field, where several herbivorous spirit beasts grazed calmly. To their left, a large stone stood, inscribed with the words ‘Ascending Towers Island.’
As for the palace hall they had seen earlier, it stood beyond the field, its pure white doors slightly ajar, as though silently inviting them in.
The environment was serene and beautiful, but it only heightened their sense of caution.
Shi Zi Chu lowered her gaze to her palm.
This relic had a cultivation suppression rule. Her cultivation had been reduced to the peak Golden Core stage.
“This relic has cultivation suppression?” someone asked.
“Relics with demi-god rank magic artifacts are dangerous. Now they’ve suppressed cultivation to the Golden Core stage. This…”
The murmurs of the crowd grew louder as more cultivators arrived. The buzz was almost maddening.
Shi Zi Chu looked around and finally focused her gaze on Guan Zhuang.
After observing the surroundings, Guan Zhuang met her eyes and folded his hands in a gentle bow, his voice calm, “Daoist Shi, do you have something you wish to say?”
Shi Zi Chu nodded slightly.
The two of them speaking so openly in front of everyone drew attention. Many eyes turned toward them—some curious, some wary, and others filled with suspicion.
Guan Zhuang was an astute Buddhist cultivator. He didn’t need Shi Zi Chu to elaborate. He knew exactly what she was asking.
After a brief pause, he spoke with a kind smile, “Please wait.”
He then took out a mother-of-pearl octagonal palace lantern.
Before he could infuse spiritual power, the beautiful glazed lampshade began spinning rapidly, and the Sanskrit characters on it flickered in afterimages.
Others couldn’t see the Sanskrit clearly, but they recognized that it was an Immortal rank magic artifact, and a rare prophetic one at that!
“Very ominous,” Guan Zhuang said, raising his gaze to Shi Zi Chu. His face was troubled, and he asked gently, “Daoist Shi, would you like to hear what this humble monk has to say?”
Shi Zi Chu nodded.
“Leave,” Guan Zhuang’s voice grew serious.
Shi Zi Chu smiled, her eyes gentle. “Am I to die in here?”
Guan Zhuang pressed his palms together. “I ask you to consider this carefully, Daoist Shi.”
Shi Zi Chu nodded again, her tone sincere as she spoke, “Then I shall leave—”
“Welcome to Ascending Towers Island!”
A young, cheerful voice suddenly interrupted her.
The voice echoed through the relic, and the previously noisy crowd fell silent in an instant.
The voice continued, “I am the soul born within Ascending Towers Island. I will now guide you to find the demi-god rank magic artifact.”
“There are a few things you must know. First: Ascending Towers Island has entrances, but no exits. If you wish to leave, you must work together to find the exit.”
“Second: You will be randomly divided into two factions, but there is also a hidden third faction. Only one faction will be allowed to reach the final destination.”
“Third: Every word I speak is the truth.”
“Fourth: Not everything I say next will be the truth~”
The last words carried a playful, mischievous tone.
The soul finished speaking, and the slightly ajar doors opened fully.
The group at the entrance exchanged glances, none daring to make a move.
After a moment of hesitation, Yu Wen Cheng, the young lord of the Yu Wen Clan, called out, “Soul, may we ask questions?”
“Of course~,” the cheerful voice responded.
Questions?
Yu Wen Cheng asked cautiously, “Will there be a cost for asking questions?”
“None~”
With that, a wave of voices erupted from the crowd as they began asking questions.
“If we can’t find the exit, what will happen?”
“How many exits are there?”
“What are the factions?”
“How can we distinguish between cultivators from different factions?”
…
“So many questions,” the soul’s voice sounded slightly frustrated.
The tone shifted, as though sensing danger, and the previous flurry of inquiries quieted.
Chu Zhi Rou suddenly spoke up, “There is no cost for asking questions, but what if we need you to answer?”
“Then, of course, there is a cost~” The soul’s voice grew playful, like it was teasing.
The words hung in the air, and the previously murmuring crowd fell into complete silence.
The cultivators who had been asking questions now looked at the pure-faced Chu Zhi Rou, their eyes filled with gratitude.
Chu Zhi Rou’s expression was serious. “What is the cost?”
“It’s a secret~”
Chu Zhi Rou fell silent, her face calm, her stillness drawing even more attention.
Yan Zhou Bai’s calm voice rang out, “How can we distinguish the different factions?”
“Once the factions are assigned, each of you will have distinct patterns on your arms to identify your faction,” the soul explained.
Yan Zhou Bai nodded, bowing toward the doors in gratitude.
Pei Qing You raised his voice, “How many exits are there on Ascending Towers Island?”
“Three,” came the reply.
Pei Qing You bowed in thanks.
Ye He Qi, his voice warm and refined, asked, “How many members are there in the hidden third faction?”
“One.”
The soul’s words were followed by a stunned silence.
There was only one member in the hidden third faction?
The soul had already said that only one faction would be allowed to enter the final destination, the place where the demi-god rank artifact lay!
The hidden faction’s single member meant they could infiltrate any faction!
If that person reached the final destination first, everyone else would lose their chance!
“Question time is over!”
The soul’s playful voice sounded once more, and in the next moment, everyone vanished from the scene.
The Mirror Room.
Dizziness faded, and Shi Zi Chu found her hands bound, hanging above her head.
She glanced at herself in the mirror, narrowing her eyes.
Her disciple robes, once carefully tailored, had transformed into a light cyan veil.
The translucent fabric revealed the form-fitting undergarment beneath, her flawless snow-white skin visible in delicate detail, her graceful, slender figure fully exposed.
She now looked like someone ripe for the picking.
When it came to disgust, this secret realm truly knew how to deliver.