157: Chapter 157 Earth Immortal Puppet

Stepping into the sixty-first floor, Lin Wan was slightly taken aback by the scene before him.

No longer the desolate, dangerous, and murderous environment of the previous sixty floors, it was an ancient, solemn, and spacious hall. In the center of the hall stood a three-zhang-tall Puppet, forged entirely from dark gold metal, with cold, hard lines and a powerful presence.

This Puppet, humanoid in shape, held a black greatsword as tall as itself and stood there quietly, as if it had been there since time immemorial. It had no aura of life, but the pressure radiating from its body made Lin Wan's pupils contract slightly.

Early Stage Earth Immortal!

This metal Puppet actually possessed the aura fluctuations of an Early Stage Earth Immortal! Although it was just a Puppet and not a true living being, its combat power was likely stronger, rather than weaker, than that of an ordinary Early Stage Earth Immortal Cultivator!

“Sixty-first floor: defeat the Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppet to pass. Time limit: one incense stick. If not defeated within the time limit, or if you forfeit, you will be teleported out of the tower, and your points will be retained. The evaluation will be comprehensively assessed based on the time taken to defeat it and your own level of damage.”

A prompt message came from the jade token.

“Defeating an Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppet... As expected, from the sixty-first floor onwards, the difficulty skyrockets!” Lin Wan's gaze was solemn, but he felt no fear. Instead, a strong Battle Intent surged within him.

“I'll use you to test my current limits!”

“Boom—!”

The Early Stage Earth Immortal metal Puppet seemed to sense Lin Wan's Battle Intent, and two crimson flames suddenly lit up in its originally hollow eye sockets. A violent, fierce, and destructive pressure rolled toward Lin Wan like a collapsing mountain and a tsunami!

At the same time, it moved!

“Buzz—!”

The black greatsword was swung with one hand, without any fancy moves—just a simple vertical slash! However, with this slash, the air in the entire hall seemed to be sucked dry. An extremely condensed black sword beam, which seemed capable of splitting mountains, carried destructive power as it slashed down toward Lin Wan's head!

Even before the sword beam reached him, the terrifying sword pressure had already caused the ground beneath Lin Wan's feet to crack inch by inch, and the air let out an unbearable, explosive roar.

“Come on!”

Lin Wan let out a long roar, advancing instead of retreating. The immortal essence in his body surged out like a volcanic eruption, and a hazy gray Chaos Qi diffused from his body, faintly condensing into a blurry projection of a world behind him—the projection of the 'Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom'!

“Chaos Return to Void Fist!”

Lin Wan punched out, Chaos Qi swirling around his fist as if carrying the weight of a newly created world, violently smashing against that black sword beam.

“Rumble—!!!”

The fist beam and the sword beam collided fiercely, erupting in an earth-shattering roar! The violent shockwave of energy rippled outward, causing the walls around the hall to hum and crack.

Thud, thud, thud!

Lin Wan was forced back three steps, each step leaving a deep footprint on the hard ground. Meanwhile, the metal Puppet only shook slightly before stabilizing itself.

“What powerful strength!” Lin Wan shook his slightly numb fist, his gaze becoming even sharper. The Puppet's strength had indeed reached the Early Stage Earth Immortal level, and because of its metal body, its power was more concentrated and violent.

“Roar!”

The metal Puppet let out a non-human roar and swung its greatsword again. This time, it was a horizontal sweep! The black sword beam turned into a half-moon arc, tearing through the air and slashing toward Lin Wan's waist at lightning speed!

Lin Wan retreated rapidly while forming hand seals with both hands, shouting in a low voice, “Wall of Chaos!”

“Buzz!”

A hazy gray wall, seemingly condensed from Chaos Qi, instantly took shape in front of him, radiating a heavy, ancient aura that could assimilate all things.

“Screech—!”

The black sword beam slashed onto the Wall of Chaos, producing a harsh grating sound. The Wall of Chaos shook violently, and cracks appeared on its surface, but it ultimately was not broken, assimilating and neutralizing most of the sword beam's power.

“Sure enough, Chaos Qi can assimilate and neutralize all techniques!” Lin Wan rejoiced. This 'Wall of Chaos' was a defensive Divine Ability he had developed himself by combining the characteristics of the 'Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom' with some Formation knowledge from his previous life, and it seemed to work well.

“However, blind defense is not my style. Time to counterattack!”

A cold light flashed in Lin Wan's eyes, and his figure vanished from the spot like a ghost. The next instant, he appeared beside the metal Puppet.

“Samsara Tribulation Finger!”

He pointed a finger, gray light swirling around his fingertip as a Reincarnation vortex faintly emerged. A bizarre power capable of eroding life force, corroding the Divine Soul, and reversing time was directed at the joint connections of the metal Puppet.

“Clang!”

The fingertip collided with the joint of the metal Puppet, producing a crisp metallic clang. A strange grayish-white color instantly appeared on the metal Puppet's joint, as if it had undergone countless years of erosion, becoming extremely fragile. The Puppet's movements also showed a hint of sluggishness.

“It works!” Lin Wan's eyes lit up. The dao rhyme of 'Reincarnation' indeed had an erosive and wearing effect even on such lifeless Puppets! Although the effect was not as significant as it would be on a living being, as long as it could affect its movements, that was enough!

“Take another punch from me! Chaos Collapse!”

Seizing the moment when the Puppet's movement was sluggish, Lin Wan's immortal essence surged wildly, and Chaos Qi condensed on his right fist. On his fist, a terrifying scene of a world being born, destroyed, and returning to Chaos faintly emerged. Carrying the will to collapse everything and return to nothingness, he smashed it hard against the Puppet's chest!

“Thud—!!!”

An extremely muffled boom sounded, as if a heavenly drum had been beaten! The metal Puppet's indestructible chest was actually smashed into a large indentation by Lin Wan's punch! The entire Puppet was sent flying as if hit by an immemorial divine mountain, crashing heavily into the hall's wall and smashing a large crater into it, sending stone fragments flying.

“Roar!”

The metal Puppet let out an angry roar, struggling to break free from the wall, the deep fist print on its chest shocking to behold. The crimson flames in its eyes grew even more intense, as if it were completely enraged, and an aura even more violent than before rose from its body.

“Still able to move? Truly thick-skinned!” Lin Wan panted slightly. That strike of 'Chaos Collapse' just now had consumed nearly thirty percent of his immortal essence, and its power was indeed terrifying, but it still failed to completely destroy this Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppet. The difference between an Earth Immortal and a Human Immortal was indeed a qualitative gap; even with his robust Foundation, fighting across realms was no easy task.

“It seems I have to use some of my real strength.”

Lin Wan took a deep breath, his gaze becoming incredibly sharp. He no longer held back, fully operating the 'Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom' within him. Inside his Dantian, that hazy gray divine kingdom seed, which seemed to contain a newly opened world, suddenly shook, and an even more vast, ancient, and supreme aura spread from his body.

“Chaos Reincarnation—Heaven Splitting!”

Lin Wan shouted in a low voice, his hands making a gripping motion as if holding a divine axe that split the heavens and earth, and slowly slashed toward the metal Puppet rushing at him again!

There was no earth-shattering momentum, nor any dazzling brilliance. Only a tiny, hazy gray light, which seemed capable of dividing Chaos and opening up a world, flew out from between his hands, lightly slashing toward the metal Puppet.

This hazy gray light seemed slow, but was actually extremely fast, as if transcending the shackles of time and space and ignoring the distance of space. At the very instant the metal Puppet raised its greatsword to attack again, the light landed on its body.

“Sizzle...”

A soft sound, like a red-hot iron placed in ice water.

The incredibly hard and defensively formidable Early Stage Earth Immortal metal Puppet's movements suddenly froze. Then, starting from the center of its forehead, a straight, smooth crack silently emerged and rapidly spread downward.

Crack... Crack...

Cracks instantly covered the Puppet's entire body. The next moment, this three-zhang-tall, terrifyingly powerful Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppet collapsed like a sand sculpture, turning into countless metal fragments scattered all over the ground. On the fragments, there was no longer any spiritual fluctuation, as if its core had been completely annihilated by some higher-level power.

One strike, instant-killing the Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppet!

Lin Wan's face turned slightly pale, having consumed nearly seventy percent of the immortal essence in his body. That strike of 'Chaos Reincarnation—Heaven Splitting' just now was based on the 'Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom', combining the two supreme dao rhymes of 'Chaos' and 'Reincarnation' to simulate splitting the heavens and earth, re-establishing earth, water, wind, and fire, ending the old, and creating the new. Its power was peerless, but its consumption was also immense. With his current cultivation, he could at most perform it three times before his immortal essence would be completely depleted.

“However, the effect is good. Even an Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppet can be instant-killed in one strike. The power of this blow has probably reached the threshold of the Middle Stage Earth Immortal.” Looking at the metal fragments scattered all over the ground, Lin Wan had a clearer understanding of his current strength.

“With a Peak Human Immortal cultivation, combined with the 'Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom', I can fight a Middle Stage Earth Immortal at full power! If I use 'the end' dao rhyme, perhaps... I could threaten a Late Stage Earth Immortal!”

This judgment filled Lin Wan's heart with excitement. He had ascended to the Immortal Realm for only a few months, yet he already possessed the strength to fight a Middle Stage Earth Immortal. If such a rate of progress were to spread, it would be enough to shock the entire Immortal Realm.

“Sixty-first floor, passed. Time taken: thirty breaths. Evaluation: Perfect. Points obtained: 10,000. Extra reward: 100% point bonus. Final points obtained: 20,000.”

“Current total points: 100,000. Current ranking: 5th!”

The jade token sent a prompt. Lin Wan's points surged by twenty thousand, his total points breaking through one hundred thousand. His ranking also jumped from ninth to fifth, suppressing both Su Muyun and Little Thunder God, second only to the trio of Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, and Xiao Zhan!

“Fifth place...” A smile appeared at the corner of Lin Wan's mouth. The further one went in the Ascension Tower, the harder it was to obtain points, but the rewards for passing each floor also became more generous. Especially with a Perfect evaluation, there was an extra bonus. He had just instant-killed the Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppet in an extremely short time without a single scratch, so obtaining a Perfect evaluation and a 100% bonus was only reasonable.

“Next is the sixty-second floor. According to the pattern, the difficulty of each floor will increase. On the sixty-second floor, there will likely be a Peak Early Stage Earth Immortal, or two Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppets... or even a more bizarre test.”

Lin Wan did not head to the sixty-second floor immediately. Instead, he sat cross-legged, took out a 'Yuan-Recovery Pill' and swallowed it, beginning to recover his consumed immortal essence. That strike just now had consumed too much, and he had to adjust his state to its best to face the upcoming challenge.

Just as Lin Wan was killing in all directions inside the Ascension Tower and his ranking was skyrocketing, the outside world had already erupted into a frenzy.

On the golden leaderboard, the name 'Lin Wan' shot up from ninth place like a rocket, instantly reaching fifth. Moreover, his points surged by twenty thousand, far exceeding the sixth-place Su Muyun and the seventh-place Little Thunder God, closely pursuing the top three: Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, and Xiao Zhan!

“Heavens! Lin Wan has rushed to fifth place!”

“One hundred thousand points! He passed the sixty-first floor! Time taken... thirty breaths? Perfect evaluation? Oh my god, what did he do? That was an Early Stage Earth Immortal gatekeeper!”

“Thirty breaths to instant-kill an Early Stage Earth Immortal gatekeeper? This... how is this possible? Is he still a Human Immortal?”

“A monster! An absolute monster! Where on earth did this Lin Wan, who ascended from the Lower Realm, come from? How can he be so terrifying?”

“Could he have hidden his cultivation? Is he actually an Earth Immortal?”

“Impossible! The Ascension Tower has Restrictions to detect bone age and cultivation; it cannot be faked! He is absolutely at the Peak Human Immortal stage!”

“A Peak Human Immortal instant-killing an Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppet in thirty breaths... Isn't this combat power too Heaven-Defying? Can Qin Wushuang and the others do that?”

“Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, and Xiao Zhan only passed the sixty-first floor not long ago. The times taken... Qin Wushuang was fifty breaths, Saintess Ye Qingxue was fifty-five breaths, and Xiao Zhan was fifty-eight breaths. Although they all received Perfect evaluations, their times were longer than Lin Wan's!”

“*Hiss*... So, doesn't that mean Lin Wan's combat power is even stronger than Qin Wushuang and the others?”

“Not necessarily. Perhaps he used some clever trick, or the Puppet happened to be countered by him. However, being able to rush to fifth place is already enough to prove his strength. This assembly is truly going to be something to watch!”

In the square, countless Cultivators discussed spiritedly, their gazes toward the name 'Lin Wan' filled with shock, curiosity, admiration, jealousy... all kinds of emotions.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Above the high platform, those Heavenly Immortal experts also revealed looks of astonishment at this moment.

"Thirty breaths, passing the sixty-first level with a perfect rating... This young man's battle prowess is truly astonishing."

The Elder of the Donghua Immortal Sect had a glint in his eyes, seemingly even more interested in Lin Wan.

"The move he used seems to contain the rudiments of some supreme dao rhyme... Is it 'Chaos'? Or 'Reincarnation'? Or... does it have both?"

The Fairy of the Yaochi Immortal Palace had a flash of brilliance in her beautiful eyes as she muttered to herself.

"Hmph, it is merely relying on strange Divine Abilities. The trials of the Ascension Tower are not just about battle prowess. The later levels are when comprehensive ability is truly tested. How far he can go remains to be seen."

The Sword Cultivator from the Divine Weapon Pavilion was still stubborn, but his gaze was fixed tightly on the name "Lin Wan" on the leaderboard, clearly his heart was not calm.

Immortal Lord Tianhua remained as calm and composed as ever, but when he looked at the name "Lin Wan," that trace of inexplicable light in his eyes deepened a little.

"Chaos, Reincarnation... and a trace of the aura of 'existence' and 'the end'... Several supreme Dao rudiments actually coexist within him, and they seem to have formed a perfect balance... This young man might truly be the 'variable' for the future of our Donghua Immortal Domain, or even the entire Immortal Realm..."

Just as the outside world was in an uproar over Lin Wan's sudden rise, inside the Ascension Tower, Lin Wan had already recovered some of his Immortal Yuan and stood up to step into the sixty-second level.

The sixty-second level was not the Peak Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppet or the two Early Stage Earth Immortal Puppets Lin Wan had expected, but rather... a starry sky.

Yes, a vast, boundless starry sky dotted with stars. Lin Wan stood on a floating meteorite, surrounded by deep darkness and distant, twinkling stars. There was no gravity here, no air, only the cold Void Realm of the Universe.

"Sixty-second level, survival trial. In this starry sky environment, survive for one hour. During this time, you will encounter random space storms, meteorite showers, and Void Beast attacks. The longer you survive, the higher the rating. You may voluntarily withdraw, but your points will be halved."

"Survival trial?" Lin Wan raised an eyebrow. This was a new trick. Surviving in a harsh starry sky environment tests a Cultivator's adaptability, survival skills, and ability to respond to crises.

"One hour... it shouldn't be difficult."

Just as Lin Wan thought this, a sudden, invisible sense of crisis surged into his heart.

"Hum—!"

The Void Realm not far away twisted and tore without warning, and a pitch-black, hundred-zhang-long space crack suddenly opened like the maw of a giant beast! A terrifying space storm surged out from the crack, carrying space fragments capable of tearing apart an Earth Immortal's Physical Body, sweeping toward Lin Wan!

At the same time, from another direction, a dense, varied-sized meteorite shower, like a flood, dragged long tails of flame and crashed toward Lin Wan! Every meteorite had a speed comparable to a full-force strike from a Peak Stage Human Immortal, and there were thousands of them, impossible to avoid!

"Damn! It's this intense right from the start?" Lin Wan's expression changed slightly. He dared not delay, his figure flickered, and he used "Void Shift" to instantly appear a thousand zhang away, narrowly avoiding the direct impact of the space storm and the meteorite shower.

However, before he could breathe a sigh of relief, the meteorite beneath his feet suddenly exploded. A completely transparent Void Beast, seemingly condensed from the power of space, shaped like an octopus with eight tentacles, crawled out from the shattered meteorite. One tentacle, like lightning, wrapped around Lin Wan's ankle!

The aura of this Void Beast had actually reached the Early Stage Earth Immortal level! Moreover, in this starry sky environment, it was like a fish in water, and its speed was astonishingly fast!

"There's an ambush?" Lin Wan's eyes turned cold. He stomped his foot, and Chaos Qi erupted, shaking off the tentacle. At the same time, he punched out, slamming toward the transparent body of the Void Beast.

"Bang!"

The punch hit the Void Beast, but it was like hitting water; most of the force was deflected. The Void Beast's body merely rippled before returning to its original state. Instead, it swung its eight tentacles even more fiercely, wrapping and whipping toward Lin Wan, each strike containing the power to tear the Void Realm!

"Physical attacks are ineffective? This Void Beast can immunize against most physical attacks?" Lin Wan's heart tightened, his figure retreated violently again, and at the same time, he formed seals with his hands.

"Reincarnation Tribulation Finger!"

He pointed a finger, and the power of Reincarnation permeated, striking toward the Void Beast. However, the Void Beast's body seemed to be composed of pure space power. The power of Reincarnation landed on it, and although it made its body slightly dim, it did not cause substantial damage; instead, it stirred up its ferocity, making its attacks even more violent.

"A lifeform composed of space power, and the power of Reincarnation has limited effect..." Lin Wan frowned deeply. In this starry sky environment, this Void Beast was practically an immortal existence. Physical attacks and the power of Reincarnation had little effect. Did he have to use "Chaos Returning to Ruins" or "Heaven Opening"?

No, those two moves consume too much. In this crisis-ridden starry sky environment, he must conserve his strength.

"Right, space power... My 'Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom' also contains space dao rhyme, just not as powerful as 'Chaos' or 'Reincarnation,' but perhaps..."

Lin Wan's mind stirred. He no longer fought the Void Beast head-on, but instead used "Void Shift," constantly flickering in the starry sky, dodging the Void Beast's attacks while also avoiding the space storms and meteorite showers that appeared from time to time.

While dodging, he used his Divine Sense to sense the Void Beast's body structure and the flow of space power in the surroundings.

"So that's it... This Void Beast is not completely immune to physical attacks, but rather it can transmit the force of the attack into the surrounding space through the special vibration of its body structure, thereby neutralizing it. My attacks were not ineffective; they were transferred by it."

"To deal with it, either use absolute power to instantly destroy its body structure completely so it cannot transfer the force, or... disrupt the surrounding space and cut off its connection with the power of space!"

A flash of realization crossed Lin Wan's eyes. He no longer dodged blindly, but suddenly stopped, quickly formed hand seals, and whispered:

"Chaos—Space Imprisonment!"

"Hum!"

With Lin Wan as the center, the space within a hundred-zhang radius suddenly became viscous and stagnant, as if it had turned into a quagmire. The movements of the Void Beast instantly became sluggish, as if it had fallen into an invisible restraint.

"Roar!"

The Void Beast let out an angry roar, its eight tentacles dancing wildly, trying to break free from the Space Imprisonment. But the Space Imprisonment that Lin Wan simulated with "Chaos" dao rhyme, although rudimentary, greatly restricted its actions.

"Now is the time! Chaos Returning to Ruins Fist!"

Lin Wan seized the opportunity, his figure flashed, and he appeared above the Void Beast. He punched out, Chaos Qi swirling, carrying the will to destroy everything and return to nothingness, slamming fiercely into the center of the Void Beast's transparent body!

"Bang—!"

This time, the Void Beast could not transfer the force again. With the space imprisoned and its own movements restricted, its body, composed of space power, took the full force of Lin Wan's punch, which was sufficient to destroy an Early Stage Earth Immortal.

The Void Beast's body shattered inch by inch like a mirror, turning into countless space fragments and dissipating into the starry sky. A "Void Crystal" the size of a fist, emitting a soft silver light, fell out from the shattered body.

Lin Wan reached out and caught the Void Crystal. Feeling the pure space power within it, his heart rejoiced. This was a good thing; whether used for cultivating space Divine Abilities, Artifact Refining, or setting up Formations, it was a rare material.

"Having dealt with the Void Beast, next, as long as I endure the space storms and meteorite showers, one hour shouldn't be difficult." Lin Wan put away the Void Crystal and continued to wander in the starry sky, dodging the various crises that kept coming.

With the previous experience, he handled things more calmly. He used "Void Shift" to dodge space storms and "Wall of Chaos" to withstand the meteorites he occasionally couldn't avoid, while constantly comprehending the space power in this starry sky environment. His application of "Void Shift" and "Space Imprisonment" became increasingly proficient.

One hour passed quickly.

"Sixty-second level, passed. Survival time: one hour. Crises encountered: three space storms, five meteorite showers, one Void Beast. Rating: Superior. Points obtained: 12,000 points."

"Current total points: 112,000 points. Current ranking: Fourth place!"

The ranking rose again, from fifth to fourth, pushing Xiao Zhan down! Only behind Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, and Xiao Zhan.

The outside world was in an uproar again.

"Fourth place! Lin Wan has rushed to fourth place!"

"My God, he even pushed Xiao Zhan down!"

"Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, Xiao Zhan, Lin Wan... These four people, their points are biting very tight! Who will win or lose is really hard to say!"

"Look! Qin Wushuang has passed the sixty-third level! His points have risen again!"

"Saintess Ye Qingxue has also passed! Her points are in hot pursuit!"

"Is Lin Wan still on the sixty-second level? Has he passed? It should be soon, right?"

"Eh? Lin Wan's points have also moved! He has passed! Fourth place, secured!"

Above the high platform, the gazes of several Heavenly Immortal experts were all focused on the names in the top four of the leaderboard.

Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, Xiao Zhan, Lin Wan. The point gap between these four was extremely small, chasing each other, and the competition was exceptionally fierce.

"Interesting, truly interesting." The Elder of the Donghua Immortal Sect stroked his beard and smiled, "It seems this assembly will be much more exciting than previous ones. These four little ones are not simple."

"That Lin Wan, able to survive for one hour in the starry sky environment with Peak Stage Human Immortal cultivation, and even kill an Early Stage Earth Immortal Void Beast, his adaptability and comprehension of space power are also extraordinary." The Fairy of the Yaochi Immortal Palace evaluated.

"Hmph, it's just good luck. The real trial is still ahead." The Sword Cultivator from the Divine Weapon Pavilion was still somewhat unconvinced by Lin Wan, but his tone was no longer as tough as before.

Immortal Lord Tianhua swept his gaze over the leaderboard and landed on another name, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes.

"This 'Ye Wuyou' is quite deeply hidden. Quietly, he has also rushed to tenth place. It seems this assembly is full of hidden talents."

...

Inside the Ascension Tower, Lin Wan did not stop. After a brief recovery, he stepped into the sixty-third level.

The sixty-third level was a sea of fire. Endless flames burned everything, the temperature was terrifyingly high, and even the space was burned until it twisted. The flames here were not ordinary fire, but "Earth Lung Poison Fire," which could not only burn the Physical Body but also erode the Divine Soul, making it extremely vicious. The content of the trial was to find and obtain three "Fire Spirit Orbs" within the sea of fire.

Lin Wan used his "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom" to protect his body; Chaos Qi can assimilate all laws and also has strong resistance to fire. Withstanding the burning of the Earth Lung Poison Fire, he traveled through the sea of fire, and relying on his sensing of Fire-type Spiritual Qi, he quickly found the three Fire Spirit Orbs and passed the level successfully. The rating was "Superior," he obtained 14,000 points, and his ranking remained stable at fourth.

The sixty-fourth level was a Thunder Swamp. Thunderbolts were like rain, each one comparable to a full-force strike from a Peak Stage Human Immortal. The trial was to persist in the Thunder Swamp for half an hour and use the lightning to temper his body, enhancing his Physical Body's strength. Lin Wan's Physical Body was already powerful, and with the protection of Chaos Qi, using the lightning to temper his body only made his Physical Body even stronger. He passed successfully, the rating was "Superior," he obtained 16,000 points, and his ranking was still fourth, with the point gap between him and the third-place Xiao Zhan further narrowing.

The sixty-fifth level was an Illusion Maze. It tested Heart-Nature and Divine Soul strength. Lin Wan's "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom" could stabilize his Divine Soul and was immune to all laws, so he easily saw through the illusion and walked out of the maze. The rating was "Perfect," he obtained 18,000 points, his points skyrocketed, and his ranking surpassed Xiao Zhan in one go, rising to third place!

The outside world was in an uproar again. Lin Wan, this previously obscure Cultivator who ascended from the Lower Realm, had actually made a comeback all the way to the top three! Tied with Qin Wushuang and Saintess Ye Qingxue!

The sixty-sixth level tested Alchemy. It required refining a Grade 3 Immortal Pill called "Cleansing Heart Pill." Although Lin Wan did not specialize in Alchemy, the "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom" encompassed all things, and his understanding of medicinal properties and control of heat were far superior to those of the same rank. On his first attempt, he successfully refined a High Grade "Cleansing Heart Pill." The rating was "Superior," he obtained 20,000 points, his ranking remained third, and the point gap with the second-place Saintess Ye Qingxue had become negligible.

The 67th floor tested Artifact Refining. One needed to repair a damaged Low Grade Immortal Sword.

Lin Wan did not primarily focus on Artifact Refining, but his understanding of Materials, Formation, and Restriction was equally profound.

Using Chaos Qi to simulate the true fire of Artifact Refining and the "existence" dao rhyme to stabilize the sword body, he successfully repaired the Immortal Sword.

He received an "Excellent" rating and gained 22,000 points. His points skyrocketed once more, unexpectedly surpassing Saintess Ye Qingxue in one go and rushing to second place! Only behind Qin Wushuang!

"Second place! Lin Wan has rushed to second place!"

"My heavens! He knows both Alchemy and Artifact Refining? And his attainments are not low? Is he even human?"

"A monster! An absolute monster! This Lin Wan, which Lower Realm did he Ascend from? How does he know everything?"

"Qin Wushuang's points have also increased! He has passed the 68th floor! He is still first!"

"Saintess Ye Qingxue has also passed the 68th floor! Her points are biting close! Third place!"

"It's too intense! The top three are biting too close! Anyone could potentially claim the first spot!"

The outside world was already boiling. Lin Wan's sudden emergence was like a massive rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up monstrous waves.

Countless Cultivators were speculating and discussing: just how far could this dark horse that suddenly appeared go? Could he challenge Qin Wushuang's dominant position?

Inside the Ascension Tower, Lin Wan did not know how much of a sensation he had caused. At this moment, he had just stepped into the 68th floor.

The 68th floor was no longer a concrete environment, but a void, a vast expanse of white. In the center of the space floated a huge, mirror-smooth stone tablet.

"68th floor, Dao Questioning Tablet. Sit quietly before the tablet, and it will reflect the 'Question of the Dao Heart' from the deepest part of your heart. Answer the 'Question of the Dao Heart', or persist for the duration of an incense stick without being affected, to pass. The rating is determined by the perfection of the answer or the time persisted. Warning: This level tests the Dao Heart. If the Dao Heart is not firm, the consequence will be damage to the mind at best, or the collapse of the Dao Heart and becoming a cripple at worst. Be cautious."

"Question of the Dao Heart?" Lin Wan's eyes narrowed.

This level looked harmless, but it was actually more dangerous than all the previous tests! It interrogated the inner heart and forced one to face their true self; a slight carelessness could lead to total destruction.

He took a deep breath, walked to the stone tablet, sat cross-legged, calmed his mind, and cast his gaze toward the mirror-smooth tablet.

At first, the tablet reflected his own image. But gradually, that image began to distort and change...

He saw his past life, on that Blue Star with developed technology and rampant materialism, living a mediocre life, rushing about for a living, and finally dying in an accident...

He saw himself Transmigrate to the cultivation world, from a naive youth, experiencing hardships, Cultivating step by step, and finally breaking through the realm with power and Ascending to the Immortal Realm...

He saw the birth of the "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom", saw the shadow of "the end", and saw the fragments of the "samsara mirror"...

Scene after scene of the past flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern. There was joy, sorrow, despair, hope, confusion, and determination...

Finally, all the images condensed into a single question, a question from the deepest part of his heart, originating from the source of his Soul, exploding in his mind like a great bell:

"What is your Dao? You seek longevity, but why seek longevity? You seek Reincarnation, but why seek Reincarnation? You resist the end, but why resist? What is the meaning of your existence?"

The Question of the Dao Heart! It pointed directly to the true heart, interrogating the root of the Great Dao!

Lin Wan's body shook, and his face instantly turned pale.

This question was like the sharpest blade, slicing open all his disguises and pointing straight to the deepest part of his heart—the root he himself had never carefully considered.

Why did he Cultivate? For longevity? Power? Protection? Or... just to live?

He searched for the fragments of the "samsara mirror", was it to resurrect his loved ones? Or to control Reincarnation?

He resisted "the end", was it to save the world? Or for... himself?

What was the meaning of his existence?

Question after question surged like a tide, impacting his mind and shaking his Dao Heart. He seemed to see the hidden fear, confusion, selfishness, and weakness deep within his Dao Heart...

"No! That's not right!"

Just as Lin Wan's mind was about to lose its defense, he bit his tongue hard, the sharp pain instantly waking him up. A light burst from his eyes, unprecedented, as if two balls of Chaos fire were burning.

"My Dao is Chaos, is Reincarnation, is existence, and is also the end! Chaos encompasses everything, Reincarnation rotates without end, existence is the truth, and the end is also a new beginning!"

"I seek longevity, not for immortality, but to control my own destiny, to protect what I cherish, to explore the end of the Great Dao, and to witness the wonder of this vast world!"

"I seek Reincarnation, not to reverse life and death, but to understand the true meaning of Reincarnation, to make up for the regrets in my heart, to let the dead rest in peace, and to let the living move forward!"

"I resist the end, not to be a savior, but to protect what I love, to defend my Dao, and in this fate destined to end, to fight for a glimmer of life and bloom for a fleeting moment!"

"What is the meaning of my existence? My existence itself is the meaning! I walk on the Dao, I witness all things, I create, I destroy, I experience, I perceive, I... am the Dao!"

"My Dao needs no explanation to anyone! My existence needs no meaning bestowed upon it! I am who I am, I am Lin Wan, a seeker walking on the path of pursuing the Great Dao!"

"My heart is like iron, unbreakable! My will is like a blade, cutting through delusions! My Dao is like the heavens, supreme and above all!"

"Boom—!"

Following those shouts in Lin Wan's heart, that self-interrogation like a thunderclap, he seemed to hear something break within his body, and something else, in the breaking, was reborn and grew stronger!

That was the baptism of the Dao Heart! The sublimation of will! The Awakening of the true self!

Around him, gray Chaos Qi erupted, and the blurry shadow of the "Chaos Reincarnation Divine Kingdom" behind him suddenly became a bit clearer. Within it, the sun, moon, and stars vaguely appeared, mountains and rivers evolved, and phantoms of living beings were born and underwent Reincarnation...

An aura more vast, more ancient, and more supreme spread from Lin Wan. His cultivation did not break through, but his Dao Heart, like divine iron tempered a thousand times, became purer, firmer, and more brilliant!

"Hum—!"

The mirror-smooth stone tablet suddenly shone brightly, and a line of ancient characters appeared on it:

"The Dao Heart is clear, the true self is one. Interrogating the true heart, achieving the vision of the true self. Rating: Perfect. Time taken: Ten breaths. Points gained: 30,000 points. Extra reward: One baptism of the Dao Heart."

A cool force containing the true meaning of the Great Dao poured out from the stone tablet and into Lin Wan's forehead.

Lin Wan felt his mind become clear and bright; the subtle cracks and Heart Demons that had been produced by the Question of the Dao Heart were instantly smoothed out and purified.

His Dao Heart became more perfect and flawless, and his comprehension of the Great Daos of "Chaos", "Reincarnation", "existence", and "the end" also deepened slightly.

"Baptism of the Dao Heart... Good stuff!" Lin Wan felt joy in his heart.

The improvement of the Dao Heart was even rarer than the improvement of cultivation. This test of the "Dao Questioning Tablet", although dangerous, had yielded huge gains.

"68th floor, passed. Rating: Perfect. Points gained: 30,000 points. Extra reward: 100% point bonus. Final points gained: 60,000 points."

"Current total points: 200,000 points. Current ranking: First place!"

When Lin Wan passed the Question of the Dao Heart perfectly, gaining 30,000 points, and because of the perfect rating, received a 100% bonus, finally obtaining 60,000 points, his total points reached a staggering 200,000, surpassing Qin Wushuang in one go and reaching the first place!

Outside, on the golden leaderboard, the name "Lin Wan" rose like the scorching sun, overpowering Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, and Xiao Zhan to hold the top spot!

The entire square instantly fell into a death-like silence.

Everyone stared dumbfounded at the golden name on the leaderboard—Lin Wan, and the dazzling number behind it—200,000 points.

First place, Lin Wan!

A Cultivator who had Ascended from the Lower Realm and was previously unknown had actually launched a counterattack all the way through the Ascension Tower tests, surpassing the three top Prodigies who were already famous in the Donghua Immortal Domain—Qin Wushuang, Saintess Ye Qingxue, and Xiao Zhan—to reach the first place!

This... this was simply like a fantasy!

After a brief silence, there was an uproar like a tsunami!

"Fi... First place?! Lin Wan has rushed to first place?!"

"200,000 points! My heavens, what on earth did he do? The 68th floor, how could he suddenly get 60,000 points?"

"It's the 'Dao Questioning Tablet'! He passed the test of the 'Dao Questioning Tablet', and it was a perfect rating, gaining the baptism of the Dao Heart and double points!"

"Passed the 'Dao Questioning Tablet' with a perfect rating? This... how is this possible? The 'Dao Questioning Tablet' interrogates the Dao Heart; it is said that those who can pass it perfectly are one in ten thousand! Even Qin Wushuang only obtained an 'Excellent' rating back then!"

"Monster! Prodigy! Who on earth is this Lin Wan?"

"This assembly really has a dark horse! Qin Wushuang's dominant position is about to be shaken!"

"Look! Qin Wushuang's points have also moved! He has passed the 69th floor! His points have increased! Now it's 210,000 points! He has overtaken him again!"

"Saintess Ye Qingxue has also passed! 205,000 points! Second place! Lin Wan has fallen to third!"

"Xiao Zhan has also passed! 198,000 points! Fourth place!"

"Oh my god! It's too intense! The top three are biting too close! The point gap is minimal! It could change hands again at any time!"

On the high platform, those Heavenly Immortal experts were no longer calm at this moment.

"The Dao Heart is clear, the true self is one... This child was actually able to obtain a perfect rating on the 'Dao Questioning Tablet'..." The Elder of the Donghua Immortal Sect had a sharp glint in his eyes, and his breathing quickened slightly.

Passing the "Dao Questioning Tablet" perfectly meant that the firmness of this child's Dao Heart, the strength of his will, and the clarity of his understanding of his true heart had all reached a terrifying degree! This kind of Heart-Nature was even rarer than talent!

"This child, my Yaochi Immortal Palace, must have him!" The Fairy of the Yaochi Immortal Palace said decisively, her beautiful eyes shimmering with brilliance, her gaze toward the name "Lin Wan" filled with determination to obtain him.

"Hmph, it's just a temporary lead. The Ascension Tower tests comprehensive strength. The later levels are when the real gap will widen. Who will have the last laugh is yet to be known." The Sword Cultivator of the Divine Weapon Pavilion was still stubborn, but his gaze toward "Lin Wan" already carried deep wariness.

Immortal Lord Tianhua said nothing, only watching the names on the leaderboard chasing each other, a trace of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

"Lin Wan... Qin Wushuang... Saintess Ye Qingxue... Xiao Zhan... and that hidden 'Ye Wuyou'... This year's Ascension Conference is much more interesting than previous ones. I wonder what the final 'Ten Thousand Races Battlefield' will be like..."

Inside the Ascension Tower, Lin Wan did not know that he had reached first place, only to be overtaken by Qin Wushuang and Saintess Ye Qingxue. At this moment, he was standing at the entrance of the 69th floor, adjusting his state.

The test of the "Dao Questioning Tablet" just now, although it improved his Dao Heart and yielded huge gains, had also consumed a lot of his mind. He needed to recover a little.

"The 69th floor... There are 30 floors left. The further back, the greater the difficulty. However, my goal is to clear the levels! To reach the top!"

A trace of determination flashed in Lin Wan's eyes; without any hesitation, he stepped into the entrance of the 69th floor.