198: Chapter 198 is not simple!

On the wasteland of the first floor of the Sacred Tower, the moment the giant beast's corpse dissipated into Spiritual Qi, the figures of Shen Chong and the other two were enveloped by a gentle force and transported to the second floor.

The space on the second floor was completely different from the first.

This was a dense primeval forest, with ancient trees towering into the sky, blocking out the sun, and the air was filled with a damp, decaying scent.

From within the forest, the faint roars of beasts could be heard, causing the leaves to rustle.

"This place... is a bit eerie." Shen Quan shriveled his neck and scanned his surroundings vigilantly.

Sun Buer crouched down, rubbed the soil on the ground with his fingers, and frowned slightly: "The concentration of Spiritual Qi is at least twice as dense as on the first floor."

Shen Chong gripped his longsword, fully expanding the sensory perception of his Azure Wood Precious Body, taking in every movement within a hundred-zhang radius.

"There are combat fluctuations in the northeast direction."

The three exchanged glances and quietly made their way in that direction.

Passing through a dense thicket, the view suddenly opened up.

In a clearing, five Cultivators were locked in battle with a pitch-black giant python.

The giant python was fully twenty zhang long, its bucket-thick body coiled into a ball, its scales shimmering with a faint blue luster in the dim light.

Dharma Image Realm Second Layer!

The cultivation levels of the five Cultivators were uneven; the weakest was only at the Huahong Realm Fifth Layer, and the strongest was no more than the Huahong Realm Ninth Layer. They were simply no match for the giant python.

"Ah—" With a miserable scream, one Cultivator was struck by the python's tail, sent flying backward, and slammed heavily into an ancient tree. The trunk snapped upon impact, and the person collapsed in the rubble, spitting blood, their aura withered.

"Senior Brother!" Another Cultivator's expression changed drastically, wanting to rush over, but was forced back by the giant python's blood-red maw.

"Run! This beast is too strong!"

"We cannot run! Its speed is too fast!"

Several Cultivators roared in despair, their eyes filled with fear.

Shen Chong did not hesitate and took a step forward.

His figure moved like lightning, and a cyan sword light cut an arc through the dense forest, striking directly at the giant python's seven-inch mark!

Sensing the threat, the giant python suddenly turned its head, its blood-red vertical pupils staring fixedly at Shen Chong, and opened its mouth to spray a cloud of pitch-black poisonous mist!

Wherever the poisonous mist passed, the vegetation withered instantly, and even the ground was corroded into pits!

Shen Chong's expression remained unchanged, his footwork nimble. His figure, like willow catkins in the wind, drifted lightly to the side, avoiding the poisonous mist.

At the same time, he swept his longsword out!

Green Lotus Sword Art: First Form - Lotus Bloom!

At the tip of the sword, a cyan lotus bloomed quietly, plunging into the giant python's seven-inch mark!

"Pfft!"

Scales shattered, and blood sprayed wildly!

The giant python let out a shrill hiss, its massive body twisting frantically. Its tail swept across, snapping the surrounding ancient trees at the waist, sending wood chips flying and dust billowing!

Shen Chong retreated violently, avoiding the strike.

Injured, a flash of brutality crossed the giant python's vertical pupils. It hissed and then raised its tail, sweeping it toward Shen Chong.

Seeing this, Shen Quan and Sun Buer, who were nearby, immediately moved to meet it.

With the two of them joining in, the giant python was soon covered in wounds. After struggling for a moment, it finally collapsed with a boom, creating a huge crater and kicking up a sky full of dust.

The Dharma Image Realm Second Layer giant python was dead!

The five Cultivators lay paralyzed on the ground, their faces deathly pale, their eyes filled with the relief of surviving a disaster and disbelief.

"Th-thank you, Fellow Daoist, for saving our lives..." The leading Cultivator struggled to stand up, cupped his hands in a salute to Shen Chong, his voice trembling.

Shen Chong waved his hand and said nothing.

The giant python's corpse began to dissipate slowly, turning into specks of Spiritual Qi, which condensed into a pale golden token in front of Shen Chong.

On the front of the token was engraved an archaic character for "Three".

"The pass token for the third floor." Sun Buer's eyes lit up, and he walked over quickly. "It seems the strength of the guardian beast on each floor is different. The first floor was Dharma Image Realm First Layer, the second floor was Dharma Image Realm Second Layer, so the third floor should be Dharma Image Realm Third Layer."

Shen Quan grinned: "What are you afraid of? With the three of us working together, even if it is a Dharma Image Realm Sixth Layer, we can give it a fight!"

Shen Chong shook his head, his expression grave: "By that calculation, by the ninth floor, we will have to face a Dharma Image Realm Ninth Layer! That is not something we can handle."

Sun Buer nodded, took a Jade Slip from his bosom, and probed it with his Divine Thought. After a moment, he said: "I just used my Divine Thought to investigate; there are quite a few Cultivators on this floor fighting guardian beasts, but those who can actually obtain the pass token are few and far between."

"Most people have been transported out?" Shen Quan asked.

"Yes." Sun Buer put away the Jade Slip. "The rules of the Sacred Tower should be like this—defeat the guardian beast to obtain the pass token in order to enter the next floor. Being defeated by the guardian beast or voluntarily admitting defeat will result in being transported out."

Shen Chong nodded thoughtfully: "Then let us speed up."

The three flashed and disappeared into the dense forest.

...

Outside the Sacred Tower, on the plain.

More and more Cultivators were being transported out of the Sacred Tower, each one disheveled and in a sorry state.

"It is too perverted! The guardian beast on the first floor was Dharma Image Realm First Layer! Those of us in the Huahong Realm could not even take a single move when we went in!"

"You guys still have it good. The giant python we encountered on the second floor was Dharma Image Realm Second Layer! It slapped our team's strongest Senior Brother flying with one swipe!"

"I heard some people have already reached the fourth floor!"

"The fourth floor? Who is so fierce?"

"Lieyangzi from Burning Flame Ancient Land! It is said he has already obtained the fourth-floor pass token and is currently pushing for the fifth floor!"

"Hiss—Dharma Image Realm Seventh Layer is just different!"

Whispers rose and fell one after another.

At the edge of the crowd, a white-haired old man stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze deep, looking at the Sacred Tower that towered into the clouds, his brows tightly locked.

He was an Elder of Burning Flame Ancient Land, a powerhouse at the Asking Dao Realm Fifth Layer, who had led the team to Yuyang City this time to be responsible for protecting the Disciples of his sect.

"Elder, what is wrong?" A Disciple beside him asked in a low voice.

The white-haired old man did not answer, but stared fixedly at the Sacred Tower, a flash of brilliance crossing his turbid old eyes.

"This tower... is not simple."

The Disciple was taken aback: "Not simple? Is this not a Saint-Grade ruin?"

"Great Saint?" The white-haired old man shook his head. "How could a Great Saint-level ruin have nine independent spaces? Even for an existence at the Saint King level, it would be extremely difficult to create nine independent spaces."

He paused, then said word by word: "This tower was left behind by at least a Quasi-Emperor level existence!"

Once these words were spoken, the surrounding Burning Flame Ancient Land Disciples all changed color.

Quasi-Emperor!

That is an existence standing at the very Peak of the world!

In the entire Cangxuan Great World, Quasi-Emperor level powerhouses can be counted on one's fingers; each one is an old monster who has lived for tens of thousands of years!

"Elder, is it really a Quasi-Emperor level treasure?" A Disciple swallowed hard, his voice trembling.

The white-haired old man did not answer, but looked up toward the top of the Sacred Tower.

There, a golden light was faintly flickering, appearing and disappearing.

"Regardless of whether it is or not, the situation here must be reported to the Old Ancestor as soon as possible!"

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