156: Chapter 156 First Test of Skill

The Ascension Tower, located at the very center of Ascension City, was one of the landmark buildings of this ancient immortal city and a Holy Land that countless Cultivators dreamed of. Rumor had it that those who could reach the top of the tower would surely achieve the Immortal Dao in the future and attain longevity.

In the early morning, as the first rays of dawn fell upon Ascension City, the massive square where the Ascension Tower stood was already packed with a sea of people. Countless Cultivators gathered from all directions, shoulder to shoulder, their clamor shaking the heavens. There were spirited young prodigies from various major Sects and aristocratic families, their Auras soaring into the sky; there were also many Loose Cultivators, or Cultivators from the Lower Realm who had ascended after enduring countless hardships, their eyes shining with a burning desire for the future.

In the sky, tens of thousands of viewing platforms floated, specially prepared for major Sects, aristocratic families, and prestigious spectators. At this moment, they were already packed with people. Immortal light swirled and auspicious Aura rose as they looked down upon the participants below, who were as dense as ants.

At the very front of the square, high upon the platform, stood several experts whose Auras were as deep as the sea and whose immortal majesty was vast. They were the hosts and judges of this Ascension Conference. The leader, wearing a purple-gold dragon-patterned robe and a flat-topped crown, had a majestic countenance. He was the general manager stationed in Ascension City by the Donghua Immortal Court—Immortal Lord Tianhua. He was a genuine Heavenly Immortal Peak expert, only a single step away from the legendary Immortal King Realm.

Beside him stood several other experts with equally terrifying Auras. There was a sage-like Elder of the Donghua Immortal Sect, an ethereal Fairy of the Yaochi Immortal Palace, a Sword Cultivator of the Divine Weapon Pavilion brimming with Killing Intent, and representatives from other top forces. The one with the lowest cultivation was still at least an Early Stage Heavenly Immortal.

"Silence!"

A deep, majestic voice, like a heavenly decree, resounded, instantly drowning out the clamor of the millions of people in the square. The entire square fell dead silent in an instant. All the Cultivators felt an invisible pressure weigh down on their hearts, and they could not help but hold their breath.

The one who spoke was indeed Immortal Lord Tianhua.

His eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through all things, swept over the densely packed participants below. His voice, like a great bronze bell, resounded through heaven and earth:

"I, Tianhua, by order of the Immortal Court, host this session of the Ascension Conference."

"You all come from various parts of the Donghua Immortal Domain, and even from the Lower Realm. To be able to gather here, you are all outstanding talents with extraordinary Luck. However, the path of immortals is difficult, and the road to longevity is long. Only those with great perseverance, great wisdom, and great opportunities can catch a glimpse of its secrets."

"The rules of this Ascension Conference are the same as previous ones. The first round is the Ascension Tower! The Ascension Tower has ninety-nine floors in total, each with its own trial. The higher you climb, the more points you get, and the higher your ranking will be. The top ten thousand can enter the second round's arena battles. The top one thousand can enter the third round's Ten Thousand Races Battlefield."

"Inside the Ascension Tower, life and death are your own responsibility. If you deem yourself no match, you can activate your participant jade token to be teleported out of the tower, which will be considered a forfeiture. However, once you forfeit, your points will be cleared, and you will miss out on the subsequent matches."

"The Ascension Tower trial will last for three days. After three days, no matter which floor you are on, you will be teleported out of the tower. Now, I announce that the first round of the Ascension Conference—the Ascension Tower—begins!"

As his voice fell, Immortal Lord Tianhua waved his wide sleeve.

Rumble—!

Standing in the center of the square, the one hundred thousand feet tall Ascension Tower, which seemed entirely carved from white jade and was engraved with countless immortal birds and Auspicious Beasts as well as ancient runes, emitting an ancient, vast, and majestic Aura, trembled slightly. It began to radiate a soft, bright white light.

At the base of the tower, the tightly shut massive gate slowly and silently opened, revealing a dense, glowing screen of light within.

"The Ascension Tower has opened!"

"Charge!"

"Will there be an extra reward for being the first to rush in?"

"Get out of the way! Everyone, get out of my way!"

After a brief silence, the square instantly boiled over! Countless Cultivators, like a burst dam, frantically surged toward the gate of the Ascension Tower! The crowd surged, and immortal light flickered, making for an incredibly spectacular scene.

Lin Wan stood in the crowd, not in a hurry to rush forward. His eyes were calm as he observed the surrounding Cultivators, and he also spotted many familiar faces.

At the very front of the crowd, a young man wearing golden armor with a domineering Aura, looking like a young emperor, was the first to step into the light gate. He was indeed one of the favorites to win the championship—Qin Wushuang! As he stepped into the light gate, he cast a backward glance, his eyes full of disdain and invincible confidence.

Right after him was an exceedingly beautiful woman dressed in snow-white clothes, with a cold, icy temperament, looking as though she did not belong to the Mortal World. She was Saintess Ye Qingxue. Her steps were light, like treading on snow without leaving a trace, and with a flash of her figure, she disappeared into the light gate.

"Hahaha, get out of my way!"

A wild laugh rang out as a burly figure wrapped in purple lightning, like a human-shaped Vicious Beast, knocked aside the Cultivators blocking his path and rushed into the light gate with a wild laugh. It was indeed Xiao Zhan.

"Fellow Daoists, after you." A green-robed Young Master holding a jade flute and possessing a temperament as gentle as jade smiled and cupped his hands to the surroundings, stepping into the light gate with elegant poise. He was Su Muyun.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Countless sword lights pierced through the air, the most brilliant of which seemed capable of tearing the sky apart. Within that sword light was a cold-faced young man carrying a sword box on his back. He was indeed Little Thunder God.

Aside from these five, there were dozens or hundreds of other powerful figures. Either turning into rainbow lights or riding Magic Treasures, they rushed into the Ascension Tower one after another. Each had an extraordinary Aura, clearly all powerful geniuses.

"Experts are as common as clouds..." Lin Wan sighed in his heart. No longer hesitating, he tapped his foot and turned into a grey stream of light, blending into the crowd and stepping into the glowing light gate as well.

Buzz—!

The moment he stepped into the light gate, Lin Wan felt a gentle force wrap around his entire body. The light flashed before his eyes, and in the next moment, he appeared in an unfamiliar space.

This was a desolate Gobi desert. The sky was dark red, with no sun or moon, only a few blood-colored stars emitting a faint glow. A faint scent of blood and a solemn Aura filled the air. All around were endless gravel, debris, and some broken, massive skeletons of unknown races.

"Is this the first floor of the Ascension Tower?" Lin Wan looked around, while sensing the participant jade token in his hand grow slightly warm. A stream of information entered his mind:

"First Floor: Slaughter Space. Kill ten 'Sand Demons' with Early Stage Human Immortal strength to pass and obtain 10 basic points. For every additional one killed, gain 1 extra point. The shorter the kill time, the higher the extra point bonus. Forfeit or die, and you will be teleported out of the tower."

"So the first floor is a test of basic combat power, requiring the killing of ten Early Stage Human Immortal monsters." Lin Wan understood. To him, who was already at the Peak Human Immortal Realm, Early Stage Human Immortal monsters posed absolutely no threat.

"Roar—!"

"Awoo—!"

Before Lin Wan could think further, bursts of roaring suddenly came from the surrounding sands. One after another, "Sand Demons" over ten feet tall, entirely condensed from yellow sand, with hideous faces and blood-glowing eyes, crawled out of the sand and pounced toward Lin Wan with roars.

The Aura of each of these Sand Demons was comparable to an ordinary Early Stage Human Immortal Cultivator, and they were numerous. In just a brief moment, over twenty Sand Demons had surrounded Lin Wan from all directions.

"Just in time. I'll use you to warm up."

A cold light flashed in Lin Wan's eyes. Without dodging or avoiding, his figure shifted, and he actively rushed into the pack of Sand Demons.

He did not use any Divine Ability, nor did he use any Magic Treasure. Relying solely on the strength of his Physical Body, he threw a punch!

"Bang—!"

The chest of the foremost Sand Demon was struck by Lin Wan's punch. The violent force of the punch pierced through its body, and the Sand Demon's body, condensed from grains of sand, instantly exploded like a sandcastle hit by a giant boulder, turning into sky-covering yellow sand that rustled down.

One punch, an instant kill!

"Roar!"

The other Sand Demons seemed to be enraged, letting out even more violent roars as they waved their sharp claws condensed from sand and stone, madly pouncing toward Lin Wan.

Moving his feet slightly, Lin Wan's figure was like a specter weaving through the pack of Sand Demons. Every punch and kick contained terrifying power. These Sand Demons, comparable to the Early Stage Human Immortal Realm, were like paper mache before him, collapsing at the slightest touch and shattering upon contact.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"

Dull explosions rang out consecutively as one Sand Demon after another was shattered. Lin Wan's movements were concise and efficient, without the slightest flashiness. Every strike precisely hit the core of the Sand Demon—a dark-red crystal in its chest.

In just ten breaths of time, the last Sand Demon had its head shattered by a hand-blade strike from Lin Wan, turning into yellow sand.

Over twenty Sand Demons were completely wiped out.

The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, clean and efficient. Lin Wan's clothes were not even touched by a single Sand Demon.

"Basic kills: 20. Time taken: Ten breaths. Evaluation: Excellent. Extra reward: Basic points doubled. Points obtained: 40."

The participant jade token vibrated slightly, sending a piece of information.

"Only forty points? Killing ten Sand Demons gives ten basic points. I killed twenty-three, which is thirteen extra, making twenty-three in total. Doubled, that's forty-six, rounded to forty? These points are not easy to earn." Lin Wan thought to himself, though he did not care much. He mainly wanted to test his skills and familiarize himself with the combat style of this Slaughter Space.

"Passed. Teleporting to the second floor."

"With a flash of light, Lin Wan's figure vanished from the spot."

The second floor was a world of ice and snow. The trial was to kill ten "Ice Apes," which also had Early Stage Human Immortal strength but were more agile and faster than the Sand Demons. Lin Wan still resolved them easily, receiving an "Excellent" evaluation. His points were doubled again, earning him 50 points.

The third floor was a lightning swamp. The task was to kill ten "Thunder Crocodiles," which had Middle Stage Human Immortal strength, thick hides, and could release lightning attacks. Lin Wan still used only his Physical Body strength, combined with simple movement techniques, to kill the ten Thunder Crocodiles, receiving an "Excellent" evaluation and earning 60 points.

The fourth floor was a lava Hell. The task was to kill ten "Fire Lizards," which had Middle Stage Human Immortal strength and excelled at fire spitting. Lin Wan passed easily once again, receiving an "Excellent" evaluation and earning 70 points.

The fifth floor was a dark forest. The task was to kill ten "Shadow Wolves," which had Middle Stage Human Immortal strength and excelled at stealthy sneak attacks. With his powerful Divine Sense, Lin Wan easily locked onto their positions and killed them one by one, receiving an "Excellent" evaluation and earning 80 points.

...

Lin Wan was extremely fast, breaking through all obstacles along the way. From the first floor to the twentieth floor, he encountered almost no resistance. The strength of the monsters on each floor steadily increased, but at most, they only reached the Late Stage Human Immortal Realm. With Lin Wan's Peak Human Immortal cultivation, coupled with the mysteries of the "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom," killing these Middle and Late Stage Human Immortal monsters was as easy as chopping vegetables.

His clearance evaluations were also almost all "Excellent" or "First-Rate," and his speed of acquiring points was incredibly fast.

"Twentieth floor passed. Points obtained: 200."

"Current total points: 1,850. Current ranking: 98,763rd."

When he passed the twentieth floor and was teleported to the entrance of the twenty-first floor, Lin Wan's participant jade token displayed his current points and ranking.

"Nearly one hundred thousand?" Lin Wan raised his eyebrows slightly. He was already considered extremely fast, almost killing everything instantly along the way, yet his ranking was still outside of one hundred thousand. This meant there were many others who were even faster than him, or had killed more monsters, obtaining higher points.

"It seems I can't hold back too much. Furthermore, starting from the twenty-first floor, the strength of the monsters will probably increase further, perhaps even featuring Peak Human Immortal monsters. I must speed up."

Lin Wan no longer held back and began to exert a bit more of his power.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

The twenty-first level was a valley where a gale howled.

The monsters that appeared were ten "Wind Falcons," fast as lightning, with cultivation reaching the Late Stage of the Human Immortal Realm.

Lin Wan utilized the "Void Shift" movement technique, combined with the "Chaos Return to Void Fist," taking them out one punch at a time.

In just three breaths, he blasted all ten Wind Falcons to death, receiving an "Excellent" rating and gaining 220 points.

The twenty-second level was a swamp filled with toxic miasma.

The monsters were ten "Poison Toads" at the Late Stage of the Human Immortal Realm, whose spit could corrode Immortal Qi.

Lin Wan used the "Chaos" dao rhyme to easily assimilate the venom, then with a backhand punch, wiped out all the Poison Toads, receiving an "Excellent" rating and gaining 240 points.

The twenty-third level...

The twenty-fourth level...

...

Lin Wan was like a hot knife through butter, his points and ranking rising rapidly.

"Level thirty, cleared. Points gained: 500."

"Current total points: 5,000. Current ranking: 15,237th."

When he cleared the thirtieth level, Lin Wan's ranking finally entered the top 20,000.

However, this was only the beginning.

On the thirty-first level, monsters with the strength of the Peak Stage of the Human Immortal Realm began to appear, and their numbers were greater, their types more varied, and the combat environments more complex.

There were even levels that required breaking simple Formations or completing specific tasks to pass.

But for Lin Wan, these still posed no great threat.

Monsters at the Peak Stage of the Human Immortal Realm couldn't last more than three moves in front of him.

Simple Formations were like nothing before the "existence" dao rhyme of his "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom."

Specific tasks couldn't stump him either.

His clearing speed remained very fast.

"Level forty, cleared. Points gained: 1,000."

"Current total points: 15,000. Current ranking: 3,215th."

The fortieth level was an area with abnormal gravity; the gravity was a hundred times that of the outside world!

Furthermore, the monsters that appeared were ten "Rock-Armored Giant Rhinos," each the size of a small hill.

Although their cultivation was only at the Peak Stage of the Human Immortal Realm, their defense was astonishing and their strength terrifying.

Under a hundredfold gravity, ordinary Peak Stage Human Immortal Cultivators would struggle even to move, let alone fight.

But for Lin Wan, a hundredfold gravity only made him feel a slight pressure.

His "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom" had already been initially forged, and his Physical Body had been tempered by Chaos Qi, making it incomparably strong.

He charged directly into the herd of Rock-Armored Giant Rhinos, engaging in a head-on collision, with every punch landing squarely, and blasted all ten Rock-Armored Giant Rhinos to pieces!

He received an "Excellent" rating and gained 1,200 points.

"Level fifty, cleared. Points gained: 2,000."

"Current total points: 30,000. Current ranking: 658th."

When he cleared the fiftieth level, Lin Wan's ranking had already entered the top 1,000!

This was a huge leap!

Everyone who could reach the fiftieth level was a true elite Prodigy.

Outside, on the high platform, those Heavenly Immortal powerhouses and representatives of major forces were all watching the situation inside the Ascension Tower.

On the outer wall of the Ascension Tower, a huge golden leaderboard displayed the real-time points and rankings of all participants.

On the leaderboard, names flickered, and rankings changed constantly.

At this moment, at the very front of the leaderboard, a few names were particularly dazzling:

First place: Qin Wushuang, Points: 52,000, Level: 55th.

Second place: Saintess Ye Qingxue, Points: 51,500, Level: 55th.

Third place: Xiao Zhan, Points: 50,800, Level: 54th.

Fourth place: Su Muyun, Points: 50,200, Level: 54th.

Fifth place: Little Thunder God, Points: 49,800, Level: 53rd.

...

Twentieth place: Lin Wan, Points: 30,000, Level: 50th.

"Oh? This Lin Wan is quite interesting.

He surged all the way from outside the top 100,000 into the top twenty, and his speed in clearing levels is extremely fast; his ratings are basically all 'Excellent'."

An Elder from the Donghua Immortal Sect stroked his beard and smiled, his gaze falling on the name "Lin Wan."

"He is indeed a good seedling.

To be able to ascend by breaking the boundary with force, he is truly extraordinary.

Looking at his clearance record, it seems he hasn't even used his full strength, appearing to be handling it with ease."

Another Fairy from the Yaochi Immortal Palace also nodded slightly.

"Hmph, it's just that his tower-clearing speed is a bit fast.

The trials of the Ascension Tower are not as simple as just killing monsters.

The next fifty levels are when talent, Comprehension Ability, and Heart-Nature are truly tested.

It's not certain how many levels he can reach."

A Sword Cultivator from the Divine Weapon Pavilion snorted coldly, but a strange look flashed in his eyes.

Clearly, Lin Wan's performance had also caught his attention.

"Being able to reach the fiftieth level is already not easy.

Let's see how far he can go."

Immortal Lord Tianhua spoke indifferently, his gaze deep as he looked toward the higher levels of the Ascension Tower.

Inside the Ascension Tower, Lin Wan did not know that he had already attracted the attention of the powerhouses outside.

At this moment, he was facing the trial of the fifty-first level.

The fifty-first level was not a combat space, but a spacious stone room.

In the center of the stone room floated an ancient stone tablet, engraved with mysterious and unfathomable runes, with dao rhyme faintly circulating.

"Level fifty-one, Comprehension Ability trial.

Comprehend the first three forms of the 'Basic Sword Technique' on the stone tablet and successfully execute them to pass.

Time limit: one hour.

The rating will be determined based on the level of comprehension, proficiency of execution, and time taken."

"Basic Sword Technique?" Lin Wan was a bit surprised.

The trials of the Ascension Tower were indeed diverse; they not only tested combat strength but also tested comprehensive qualities like Comprehension Ability and Heart-Nature.

He walked to the stone tablet and gazed at it intently.

The runes on the stone tablet were not characters, but trajectories of Sword Intent, containing a basic yet direct Concept pointing to the essence of the Sword Dao.

"The sword is the king of all weapons.

The Basic Sword Technique is nothing more than the twelve forms: thrust, lift, hack, point, collapse, intercept, wipe, pierce, raise, twist, sweep, and press.

But the first three forms on this stone tablet seem to fuse three of them into one, simplifying the complex and pointing directly to the Origin of the Sword Dao..."

Although Lin Wan did not specialize in the Sword Dao, all methods share the same source.

His Realm was profound, and he had dabbled in supreme Daos such as "Chaos," "Reincarnation," "existence," and "the end."

Understanding this Basic Sword Technique was not difficult.

He just quietly looked at the stone tablet for three breaths and then closed his eyes.

In his Sea of Consciousness, the trajectories of Sword Intent on the stone tablet seemed to come alive, beginning to continuously evolve, disassemble, and reorganize.

With his understanding of the essence of the Dao, the Profound Truth of the first three forms of the Basic Sword Technique was instantly grasped by him.

"So that's it.

These three forms seem simple, but in reality, they contain the true meaning of the Sword Dao: 'fast, accurate, and ruthless,' as well as the technique of exerting force: 'concentrating power, controlling release at will, and the transformation between void and reality.'

This is not just a sword technique, but an ultimate interpretation of the application of power."

A moment later, Lin Wan opened his eyes, pointed his fingers like a sword, and waved them casually.

"Chih!"

An invisible Sword Qi shot out from his fingertips, leaving a smooth, flat sword mark an inch deep on the hard wall of the stone room.

The Sword Qi was condensed, its sharpness restrained, and he controlled its release at will; he had clearly attained the essence of the Sword Dao.

"Rating: Perfect.

Time taken: Ten breaths.

Points gained: 2,500.

Bonus reward: 50% points bonus.

Final points gained: 3,750."

The stone tablet flashed with light, and a line of text appeared.

"Perfect rating? 50% bonus? Not bad."

The corners of Lin Wan's mouth curled up, and his figure was teleported to the fifty-second level.

In the following few levels, there were trials of Formations, Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and Heart-Nature... they were diverse, but none could stump Lin Wan.

Relying on the all-encompassing nature of his "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom" and his profound understanding of the essence of the Dao, he cleared almost every level with a "Perfect" or "Excellent" rating, and his points and ranking soared rapidly, as if riding a rocket!

On the fifty-fifth level, he encountered an illusion trial, which was a "Mortal World Heart-Refining" illusion, requiring one to experience a hundred lifetimes of Reincarnation, experience the variety of human life, and see through the falsehoods to walk out.

This was a great test of Heart-Nature and willpower.

However, Lin Wan's "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom" already contained the "Reincarnation" dao rhyme, so this illusion was child's play to him.

He took less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to see through the illusion, walked out of the hundred lifetimes of Reincarnation, received a "Perfect" rating, and his points surged by 5,000!

"Level sixty, cleared. Points gained: 8,000."

"Current total points: 80,000. Current ranking: 9th!"

When he cleared the sixtieth level, Lin Wan's ranking had impressively rushed into the top ten!

He was only behind the absolute top few, such as Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, Xiao Zhan, Su Muyun, and Little Thunder God!

Outside, on the golden leaderboard, the name "Lin Wan" was like a dark horse, charging recklessly, fighting his way from outside the top few hundred into the top ten, causing a huge sensation!

"Ninth place! This Lin Wan actually rushed to ninth place!"

"My god! How did he do it?

From the fiftieth level to the sixtieth level, he only used less than half a day!

This speed is even faster than Qin Wushuang and the others!"

"A monster! Simply a monster!

Not only is his combat strength strong, but he is also proficient in everything: Comprehension Ability, Heart-Nature, Formations, and Alchemy...

Is he really a Cultivator who ascended from the Lower Realm?

Could he be some old monster in disguise?"

"Probably not.

The Ascension Tower has a Restriction that detects bone age; those with a bone age over five hundred years cannot enter.

This Lin Wan's bone age definitely does not exceed five hundred years!"

"A Peak Stage Human Immortal under five hundred years old?

With combat strength comparable to an Earth Immortal?

And such terrifying Comprehension Ability?

This... this is simply a Prodigy among Prodigies!"

"It seems that in this Assembly, a dark horse is really going to emerge!

Qin Wushuang and the others' positions are likely in jeopardy!"

On the high platform, the gazes of those Heavenly Immortal powerhouses toward the name "Lin Wan" became even more intense.

"This child is extraordinary!" The Elder of the Donghua Immortal Sect had a gleam in his eyes.

"His Comprehension Ability, Heart-Nature, and combat strength are all top-tier.

If he can be recruited into my Yaochi Immortal Palace and cultivated with care, he will surely be a pillar of our Immortal Palace in the future!" The Fairy of the Yaochi Immortal Palace also felt a desire to cherish talent.

"Hmph, it's too early to say these things.

The levels after the seventieth are the true watershed.

It remains to be seen whether he can pass them." The Sword Cultivator from the Divine Weapon Pavilion, although unconvinced verbally, could not hide the appreciation in his eyes.

Immortal Lord Tianhua had remained silent, but when he looked at the name "Lin Wan," a strange light flashed in his eyes.

"Chaos, Reincarnation, existence, the end... The embryonic forms of several supreme dao rhymes are actually concentrated in one person...

This child, perhaps, is that 'variable'..."

Inside the Ascension Tower, Lin Wan did not know how much of a sensation he had caused.

At this moment, he was standing at the entrance of the sixty-first level.

"Starting from the sixty-first level, it is said that the difficulty will increase significantly, and there might even be gatekeepers at the Early Stage of the Earth Immortal Realm..."

Lin Wan took a deep breath, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes, along with a hint of anticipation.

"Early Stage Earth Immortal, huh...

Exactly, I can test just what level my current strength has reached!"

He hesitated no longer and stepped into the entrance of the sixty-first level.