Published: February 24, 2025
"The top of the pagoda is right in front of me, how could I give up!"
Tan Yun roared fiercely.
With a resounding "thud," he took his second step!
As Tan Yun stepped onto the second platform, his legs were shredded, and blood gushed forth!
The sound of cracking bones echoed clearly.
Amid the clear sound of cracking bones, Tan Yun's gaze was resolute as he slowly straightened his back, enduring the excruciating pain as if he were being sliced a thousand times, and began to ascend the tower!
With each step he took, it felt as if all his strength was being drained, leaving a trail of blood beneath his feet.
In the subsequent half-hour, Tan Yun, who had long since become unrecognizable, was only 18 steps away from the 108th level!
"Roar!" With a deep growl, at the moment Tan Yun reached the 71st step, his bloodied features were grotesquely twisted, and his legs were almost reduced to mere tendons and bones!
"Whimper... Senior Brother Tan..."
The disciples of Spirit Mountain Herb Garden cried sadly.
Shen Subing's beautiful eyes were filled with tears; Tan Yun's every move tugged at her heartstrings, and she was ready to rush to his aid at any moment.
Her tears were not due to any other reason but sheer emotion, overwhelmed by having such a tenacious disciple.
"You foolish child!" Shen Qingfeng cried, tears streaming down his face, "Tan Yun, is it really worth it? Is this really necessary?"
"Why must you challenge the 108th level now? You could wait three months to try again!"
"You could also advance to the eighth layer of the fetal soul realm before trying to ascend the tower! The Supreme Mustard Seed Time-Space Pagoda is right here; it's not going anywhere. Why the rush?"
Shen Qingfeng cried out in confusion.
At that moment, others felt the same; they simply couldn't understand!
Nor could they comprehend!
Tan Yun was deaf to their words; he had no energy left to speak, wanting to conserve his strength to push towards the tower’s peak!
Tan Yun fixed his gaze on the tightly shut tower door of the 108th level, too many thoughts racing through his mind!
He thought of his only wife who had died before the eternal cycle of reincarnation...
He thought of all the enemies he had before the eternal cycle of reincarnation...
He thought of the gods, divine dragons, and demonic dragons who had died because of him in the Battlefield of the Gods, the eternal land, and Fallen God Canyon...
He also thought of today's enemies: Elder Twelve of the Danmai, Lu Wu; Inner Sect Law Enforcement Elder, Qiu Yongming; Elder Two of the Beast Spirit Lineage, Murong Hong; and the chief of the Sacred Lineage, Linghu Changcanghe!
"All the grievances from the eternal cycle of reincarnation, all my enemies now, require me to strive to become stronger to eradicate them and take revenge! I cannot waste any more time!" Tan Yun gritted his teeth, as if a devil resided within him, roaring in anger, "As long as I obtain the true phoenix fire and spend fifty-four months within the tower, my strength will surely increase! Only then can I contend with my enemies!"
Hatred and anger transformed into Tan Yun's unwavering belief!
An unshakeable will supported Tan Yun's increasingly bent back, and he took another step!
He trembled, blood oozing beneath his feet, having sealed off his mind, he could no longer hear Shen Qingfeng or the others' cries!
Within his vision, there was nothing but the tightly shut tower door of the 108th level!
It was as if he could not feel the excruciating pain of his body; his body felt like that of someone else. He only raised his nearly skeletal feet, filled with fighting spirit, and continued to climb the steps, shaking with effort!
When Tan Yun was only ten steps away from the 108th level, under the 339-fold gravity, it was clear that his face, enveloped in spiritual power, had almost no flesh left!
Especially his legs, which were now just bones soaked in blood!
From a distance, he resembled a humanoid skeleton trembling mechanistically beneath the starry sky!
The crowd silently watched this scene, unable to fathom the torment Tan Yun endured!