Stepping Onto the Ninth Floor of the Tower of Heaven! The Foremost Heavenly Saint in All History!

Outside the Tower of Heaven, an uproar erupted the moment the eighth floor lit up. The shockwaves of this development were immense. That was the eighth floor of the Tower of Heaven! In the entire history of the tower, had anyone ever reached the eighth floor? In truth, yes. Yet they could be counted on one hand. Throughout history, a mere seven martial artists had ever managed to reach the eighth floor. With Lu Changsheng added to their ranks, that made eight. Only eight people had ever reached the eighth floor. That number was pitifully small. After all, how long had the Tower of Heaven existed? Its history stretched back into unfathomable antiquity. Across such vast epochs, only seven had ever reached the eighth floor. And now, someone had finally reached it once more. "To think that on an utterly ordinary day, I would witness history!" "Even now, we still don't know who this person is! To be so terrifying as to reach the eighth floor—could he actually reach the ninth? Could he even clear the ninth floor and conquer the Tower of Heaven entirely?" "It is said that whoever clears the ninth floor will obtain a monumental opportunity left behind by the supreme Martial Ancestor of Gufu Sacred Ground. Could this person actually pull it off?" "Hard to say. Others reached the eighth floor in history, but without exception, every single one of them failed in the end." "Indeed. Of the seven peerless figures who reached the eighth floor, six eventually became Martial Dao Sovereigns, while one vanished for reasons unknown. With talent of that caliber, becoming a Martial Dao Sovereign was effortless, but clearing the eighth floor? Difficult! Harder than ascending the heavens!" "Quite right. No one has ever cleared the eighth floor, to say nothing of the ninth." "I even suspect that at the Heavenly Saint realm, nobody can possibly clear the ninth floor..." Many Heavenly Saints engaged in spirited debate. Inwardly, every one of them was shaken to the core. Who could have imagined that someone would reach the eighth floor today? Moreover, the challenger's identity was completely shrouded in secrecy, without a shred of news leaking out. Yet no matter who it was, they had now become the absolute center of attention. Countless Heavenly Saints even rushed over to the Tower of Heaven specifically to witness this historic spectacle. Inside the Tower-Viewing Pavilion, however, Heavenly Saint Jialan Hua and Heavenly Saint Mo Kong were even more thrilled. The pair was overjoyed. Their delight reached its peak the moment they saw the Concentric Fruit appear. "I truly never expected Junior Brother Lu to actually obtain the Concentric Fruit!" "It is simply unbelievable! To be honest, I only suggested he give it a try just in case. After all, across history, only seven people had ever cleared the seventh floor, yet Junior Brother Lu really pulled it off." "Now, regardless of how many floors Junior Brother Lu ultimately reaches, he is already a legend!" Both Mo Kong and Jialan Hua were lavish in their praise of Lu Changsheng. As for Yuan Chen? He had fallen silent. He truly had no idea what to say. Was he shocked? Of course Yuan Chen was shocked. Yet beneath the shock, he even felt a faint sense of anticipation. Just how far could Lu Changsheng go? The ninth floor? Could he even clear the ninth floor? Even if he failed to clear the ninth floor, merely clearing the eighth floor would undeniably make Lu Changsheng the greatest Heavenly Saint in history! Still, could Lu Changsheng clear the eighth floor? All three pairs of eyes remained glued to the projection. While countless onlookers outside watched the tower with bated breath, Lu Changsheng himself remained exceptionally calm and composed. On the seventh floor, he had encountered Tian Wuchi of the Giant Spirit race. By now, Lu Changsheng understood. From the seventh floor onward, the tower spirits were likely living entities from the Boundary Sea. Each more terrifying than the last. As for how far he could go? Lu Changsheng had not dwelled on it. However, the seventh floor had essentially demanded everything he had. Reaching the eighth floor, let alone advancing further, would be an immense strain. *On the seventh floor, I gave it my all.* *Under normal circumstances, I probably wouldn't be able to clear the eighth floor.* *Yet if the tower spirits possess trump cards, don't I have my own?* *Under normal conditions, I certainly couldn't clear the eighth floor—unless...* Thought after thought flashed through Lu Changsheng's mind. *Swish!* A brilliant azure light swept through the entire space of the eighth floor. Immediately afterward, the eighth-floor tower spirit materialized. Amidst the pervasive azure radiance, a bizarre, colossal beast emerged. It resembled a bull or cow, yet it possessed no horns, and beneath its body stood only a single leg. "I am the eighth-floor tower spirit, a creature of the Boundary Sea—the Kui Cow!" "The fact that you cleared the seventh floor means that big oaf down there must be dead." "Back then, your Immortal Martial World's Martial Ancestor captured me and locked me away for who knows how many tens of thousands of years. I've been stuck in this pitch-black Tower of Heaven ever since." "Before you, a total of seven people reached the eighth floor, and every one of them was defeated by me. You are the eighth!" "Your Martial Ancestor once said that as long as I defeat ten challengers, he will grant me my freedom." "Once I beat you, there will only be two left..." The oppressive presence radiating from this Kui Cow was terrifying. Yet it seemed to be quite the chatterbox. Or perhaps it had gone without speaking to anyone for so long that once it started, the words flowed like an unbroken torrent. The Kui Cow's disposition appeared completely different from Tian Wuchi of the Giant Spirit race. Although it clamored about "freedom," Lu Changsheng failed to detect much yearning in its eyes. "Is the Kui Cow... an entire race?" Lu Changsheng asked suddenly. The Kui Cow paused briefly, then shook its head. "I was born of the Boundary Sea. The Boundary Sea nurtured me. In the entire Boundary Sea, there is only one Kui Cow. I have no clan." "I neither age nor die; I can live on forever. Sadly, I crossed paths with your Martial Ancestor, who caught me and hauled me back here..." Realization dawned on Lu Changsheng. So that was how it was. The Kui Cow was not a species. There was only one in existence. A solitary, unique creature. Yet the Martial Ancestor had captured it and tossed it into the Tower of Heaven. Of course, the Martial Ancestor had undoubtedly studied it thoroughly before throwing it inside. It likely did not possess immense value. Otherwise, it would not have been relegated to serving as a tower spirit. It was merely somewhat unique. "Alright, kid. You've chatted with me for quite a while, and I'm quite satisfied," the Kui Cow said, finally turning to business. "Still, if you want to clear the eighth floor, it all comes down to your strength! I won't give you the slightest opening." Lu Changsheng nodded. The next instant, he unleashed his Dao body without hesitation. Merging his flesh and blood with his Dao body, he instantly assumed the Phenomenal Image of Heaven and Earth. Lu Changsheng's form ballooned rapidly. He actually grew larger than the Kui Cow. From a distance, the Kui Cow looked downright diminutive before Lu Changsheng's Phenomenal Image of Heaven and Earth. "Heh, you're pretty much like that big oaf. What good is being huge?" "Lightning Strike!" The Kui Cow let out a low bellow. Sparks of lightning immediately flared across the void of the eighth floor. From out of nowhere, an arm-thick bolt of lightning crashed down, striking Lu Changsheng square on the body. *Crack!* Lu Changsheng felt a violent jolt wrack his entire frame. For a moment, his Phenomenal Image of Heaven and Earth was paralyzed, frozen in place by the terrifying power of the lightning. "What?" Lu Changsheng was astonished. From just a single bolt of lightning, his Phenomenal Image of Heaven and Earth had nearly buckled. He had even been numbed to the point of immobility. Of course, it lasted only an instant. The ten thousand martial daos within him were not for show. His martial dao force surged, rapidly suppressing the bolt of lightning. Even so, that single strike had worn down his Phenomenal Image of Heaven and Earth noticeably. It had depleted at least one percent of its strength. One percent was not to be underestimated. Could the opponent possibly possess only one bolt of lightning? Sure enough, Lu Changsheng raised his head. What met his eyes? Before the Kui Cow hovered countless bolts of lightning, weaving together into a vast, surging web. Yes—a web of lightning. A dense, interlocking grid of lightning. How many bolts were there? A hundred? A thousand? Or perhaps ten thousand? Clearly, this Kui Cow commanded lightning. Moreover, this was no ordinary lightning; its destructive power was catastrophic. Against an ordinary Heavenly Saint— or even a peak Heavenly Saint— a single bolt from the Kui Cow would be enough to grievously wound or outright obliterate them. As for an entire web of lightning? It was likely that no one at the Heavenly Saint realm could withstand it! No wonder the Kui Cow was so confident. The previous seven Heavenly Saints who had reached the eighth floor had all met defeat. Not a single person had ever cleared the eighth floor. The root cause was the Kui Cow. This lightning web was simply insurmountable. There was no way around it. "Kid, I already gave you a chance. You felt the power of my lightning just now, so you know how terrifying it is, right?" "Seeing as you were willing to chat and keep me company for a bit, I won't subject you to the full fury of my lightning. Leave the Tower of Heaven on your own so I can go back to sleep sooner..." It turned out the Kui Cow spent most of its time asleep. During all those countless years in the Boundary Sea, it had slept away the eras anyway. It was rarely awake. Since it was ageless and immortal, it mattered little how long it slumbered. Even after being brought to the Immortal Martial World and locked inside the Tower of Heaven, the Kui Cow held no real resentment. After all, the fact that the Martial Ancestor hadn't killed it was already the greatest stroke of fortune. Lu Changsheng could sense the goodwill emanating from the creature. The Kui Cow truly had no desire to kill him. Of course, it couldn't kill him anyway. The Tower of Heaven would protect Lu Changsheng. Even so, the absence of malice was genuine. Yet Lu Changsheng was not someone to give up easily. "Senior Kui Cow, I possess one more secret technique," Lu Changsheng said suddenly. "If you can withstand it, I will leave the Tower of Heaven at once!" "Hmm?" "You have another secret technique?" "Very well, show me what you've got." "However, I must warn you: I won't hold back. Once I unleash this lightning web, even with the Tower of Heaven protecting you, you're going to suffer some real pain," the Kui Cow stated solemnly. "I understand. My thanks to Senior Kui Cow," Lu Changsheng replied with considerable respect. After all, the Kui Cow was nothing like Tian Wuchi. It harbored no killing intent toward Lu Changsheng. Naturally, Lu Changsheng would not treat it the way he had treated Tian Wuchi. "Go, Lightning Web!" Without hesitation, the Kui Cow unleashed the web of lightning. Lu Changsheng did not hesitate either. He had indeed exerted his full strength earlier. The Phenomenal Image of Heaven and Earth represented the limit of his regular power. However, inside the Tower of Heaven, Lu Changsheng had acquired another secret technique. Dao shattering! Yes, the secret technique Lu Changsheng referred to was none other than Dao shattering! Relying on his advantage as a Master of Ten Thousand Daos, he could unleash Dao shattering to his heart's content. For Lu Changsheng, doing so caused no lasting harm whatsoever. *Crack!* The next instant, the ten thousand martial daos within Lu Changsheng began to fracture. Of course, each shattered by a mere one percent. One percent across ten thousand martial daos was the equivalent of shattering one hundred whole daos. One hundred martial daos fully shattered. At that moment, a terrifying power erupted, surging like a cataclysmic volcanic eruption from within his body. Moreover, this was added power. In other words, it piled the force of one hundred shattered martial daos directly on top of his existing strength. *Boom!* Ten thousand martial daos manifested above Lu Changsheng's head. Now, every single one of them fractured. Even if each was only damaged by one percent, the collective spectacle was breathtaking. "You crazy kid, you actually learned Dao shattering..." The Kui Cow seemed to recognize Lu Changsheng's technique. It knew of Dao shattering, and it knew its severe drawbacks. To think that Lu Changsheng, having reached the eighth floor with limitless potential, would dare resort to Dao shattering! Was he not afraid of crippling his martial daos and ruining his foundation? Yet the moment Lu Changsheng shattered his daos, the entire dynamic reversed. The Kui Cow was strong. The lightning web was stronger still. However, Lu Changsheng's ten thousand martial daos combined with his Dao body were already formidable to begin with. Now, bolstered by the power of one hundred shattered daos, a tempestuous, apocalyptic might surged forth. Lu Changsheng's Dao body expanded once again, swelling to a truly terrifying scale. *Boom!* Charging straight at the colossal web of lightning, Lu Changsheng threw a devastating punch. The strike shook heaven and earth. It seemed as though even the void within the Tower of Heaven shattered under the blow. Events proved that Lu Changsheng had still underestimated Dao shattering. Its destructive might was simply too immense. The fist crashed directly into the lightning web. *Rip!* A massive hole was torn clean through the vast web of lightning. Terrifying bolts of lightning surged into Lu Changsheng's Dao body in retaliation, tearing through him with reckless abandon. Under normal circumstances, his Dao body would have collapsed. Now, however, things were different. Every single one of his ten thousand martial daos was actively sacrificing one percent of its essence. The berserk energy this generated forcefully expelled and suppressed the invading lightning. As a result, Lu Changsheng's Dao body did not crumble. Instead, his fist force acted like water extinguishing fire. Wherever his punch swept, the lightning disintegrated. *Thump!* Finally, Lu Changsheng's fist landed squarely on the Kui Cow's body, producing a sound like a heaven-shaking war drum. A drumbeat! A resonant drumbeat echoed from within the Kui Cow, ringing out again and again across the space of the eighth floor. Lu Changsheng was unsure of what was happening. Yet he could see that although his punch had been exceptionally powerful, the Kui Cow's physical body seemed even sturdier. His blow had merely rattled the creature's frame. Suddenly, the Kui Cow blinked. A half-smile appeared on its face. "Uh..." Lu Changsheng seemed to catch the creature's drift. Was the Kui Cow... pulling its punches? If someone claimed the other tower spirits wouldn't throw a match, Lu Changsheng would believe them without question. Tian Wuchi of the Giant Spirit race on the seventh floor, for instance, had fought with his life on the line; there was no way he would have held back. But the Kui Cow was different. This exotic beast born of the Boundary Sea seemed to lack any competitive drive whatsoever. Moreover, it had taken a liking to Lu Changsheng and had no desire to fight to the death. Even if it lost, the Martial Ancestor wouldn't punish it. With that, the Kui Cow let out an exaggerated wail of agony. Immediately afterward, a brilliant burst of lightning erupted from its massive frame. Its body actually cracked open. While it didn't disintegrate into dust, fissures ran across its form, making it look utterly battered. Yet Lu Changsheng could clearly sense the vigorous life force coursing through it. How did this look anything like a dying beast? It was blatantly putting on an act. "Kid, you're strong!" "I'm no match for you, so you win this one." "Alright, I'm going back to sleep. If you can beat that old dragon on the ninth floor... never mind, I doubt you can beat that old dragon." "If you become a Martial Ancestor in the future, don't forget to get me out of here. It really is dreadfully boring inside this tower..." With those parting words, the Kui Cow vanished without a trace. Immediately afterward, the flight of stairs leading to the ninth floor appeared. This signaled that Lu Changsheng had cleared the eighth floor. "I cleared the eighth floor just like that?" The corner of Lu Changsheng's mouth twitched slightly. He truly did not know whether to laugh or cry. In truth, he hadn't defeated the Kui Cow in any real sense. His full-strength strike backed by Dao shattering had merely broken through the creature's lightning web. The Kui Cow was terrifyingly powerful! To truly defeat it in a life-and-death struggle, one would have to kill it. Could Lu Changsheng actually kill the Kui Cow? Even he wasn't certain. An exotic beast born directly of the Boundary Sea was blessed by fortune, possessing all manner of unfathomable abilities. Killing it would be extraordinarily difficult. Regardless, he had passed. A treasure now materialized before Lu Changsheng. Just a single treasure. "Is this... Kui Cow hide? It looks like shed skin." "Even if it's shed skin, it is still an invaluable treasure infused with terrifying lightning power. This is lightning born of the Boundary Sea; even a tiny sliver of it would yield extraordinary results for physical tempering." "Furthermore, this Kui Cow hide seems capable of ceaselessly absorbing lightning from heaven and earth. If refined into a garment and worn, it would temper the physical body with lightning at all times." "What a marvelous treasure!" Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. Although there was only one reward, it was extraordinarily precious and remarkably effective for tempering the body. After all, items of this caliber were true treasures of the Boundary Sea, things that could only be stumbled upon by sheer luck. "Right, the Kui Cow mentioned that the ninth floor holds an old dragon?" "A dragon... that must be another creature of the Boundary Sea." "Just how strong is a dragon from the Boundary Sea?" Lu Changsheng was filled with curiosity. Still, he was well aware of the reality. How could any entity serving as the guardian of the ninth floor be ordinary? If Lu Changsheng truly wanted to conquer the ninth floor, he would have to go all out— perhaps even pay a steep price! In that moment, Lu Changsheng made up his mind. This was the final floor anyway. Even if he had to pay a price, it would be well worth it! *Whoosh!* With a flash of movement, Lu Changsheng stepped directly onto the ninth floor. *** When the ninth floor of the Tower of Heaven blazed with blinding light, the countless Heavenly Saints gathered outside fell utterly silent. The ninth floor! Someone had actually reached the ninth floor! This person was, without question, the greatest Heavenly Saint in all of history! For the eighth floor, there had at least been seven predecessors who had reached it in the past. But the ninth floor? Until today, not a single person had ever set foot upon it. Only now, with the ninth floor alight, had the very first Heavenly Saint in history achieved this feat. "Incredible... simply incredible! Someone actually made it to the ninth floor?" "The ninth floor of the Tower of Heaven! The foremost person in history! Rumor has it that whoever clears the ninth floor will receive a monumental opportunity left by the Martial Ancestor. I wonder if it's true?" "It must be true. The Martial Ancestor placed the Tower of Heaven here with a purpose: to filter out the absolute finest Heavenly Saints, not just from Gufu Sacred Ground, but across the entire Immortal Martial World!" "I just wonder if anyone will ever actually claim that monumental opportunity left by the Martial Ancestor." "That depends on whether this person can clear the ninth floor!" Envy shone in the eyes of countless Heavenly Saints. The ninth floor—who wouldn't be envious? There was even a sliver of hope that this person might claim the ultimate opportunity left by the Martial Ancestor! Right now, everyone's burning question was: who on earth was the martial artist currently on the ninth floor? "Even now, does no one know who is on the ninth floor?" "It's been so long. Most of the cultivators who entered earlier should have come out by now, right?" "Yes, they've all come out. Besides, because this person cleared the sixth and seventh floors in such rapid succession, everyone has been transfixed by this historic spectacle, so no one else has entered the tower." "In that case, isn't there a way to figure it out? For example, check who has already emerged from the tower, cross-reference that with everyone who was seen entering, and see who hasn't come out yet. Wouldn't that person be the one on the ninth floor?" "Right! That's a great idea!" Many Heavenly Saints' eyes lit up. They immediately began taking count. In truth, many Heavenly Saints possessed photographic memory. A single glance was enough never to forget a face. Thus, by cross-referencing who had entered and who had exited, they could quickly deduce the truth. After cross-referencing for a brief moment, they arrived at a definitive conclusion. "Currently, there are only three people still inside the Tower of Heaven." "Two are true disciples of Wanfa Sacred Ground." "The third arrived alongside Heavenly Saint Mo Kong and Heavenly Saint Jialan Hua of Jidao Sacred Ground. He should also be a true disciple of Jidao Sacred Ground, though we don't know his exact name." "Just those three." The crowd narrowed it down to three candidates. Just as they were speculating on which of the three had reached the ninth floor— *Swish!* A Heavenly Saint from Wanfa Sacred Ground emerged from the Tower of Heaven. That eliminated one. *Swish!* A second figure emerged. It was the other Heavenly Saint from Wanfa Sacred Ground. At once, the crowd erupted into a clamor. "It's confirmed! The only person left inside the Tower of Heaven is that true disciple from Jidao Sacred Ground. It has to be him on the ninth floor!" "Indeed, he is the only one left. We seemed to have no prior impression of him at all, as though we'd never seen him before. For a renowned Heavenly Saint, how could none of us recognize him? Yet it is precisely those who emerge out of nowhere that are most likely to take the world by storm!" "We truly don't recognize him. Why not ask the people from Jidao Sacred Ground?" Several Heavenly Saints immediately contacted acquaintances from Jidao Sacred Ground. These Heavenly Saints possessed intricate webs of connections and numerous friends. Digging up a bit of news was child's play. Before long, they managed to uncover some information. "There has indeed been a development in Jidao Sacred Ground. Word has it that they recently recruited a new true disciple named Lu Changsheng." "I heard the same thing. This Lu Changsheng is no ordinary figure; he is said to be a Master of Ten Thousand Daos who emerged during their recruitment! Jidao Sacred Ground went to great lengths to recruit him." "What? A Master of Ten Thousand Daos?" "Yes, I heard from Wanfa Sacred Ground as well that the Dao Transformation Battlefield recently produced a Master of Ten Thousand Daos, only for Jidao Sacred Ground to snatch him up. Could he be the one who reached the ninth floor?" "How is that possible? A cultivator who only recently advanced to Heavenly Saint reached the ninth floor, standing as the foremost Heavenly Saint in all history?" "Reality often proves that the more unbelievable something seems, the closer it is to the truth..." "Jidao Sacred Ground's Lu Changsheng... Well, let's wait a little longer. Regardless of whether it's Lu Changsheng or whether he clears the ninth floor, he will have to come out soon. When he does, his identity won't stay hidden." Many nodded in agreement, gazing quietly toward the Tower of Heaven. If it truly was Lu Changsheng, many had already mentally crowned him the greatest Heavenly Saint of all time. Virtually no one could dispute it. All that remained was to see whether it really was him. *** While the crowd outside continued guessing the challenger's identity, Mo Kong, Jialan Hua, and Yuan Chen inside the Tower-Viewing Pavilion had fallen completely silent. They knew Lu Changsheng's identity all too well. Yet the clearer they were, the more astounded they felt. The shock in their hearts was beyond words. The ninth floor! Lu Changsheng had actually reached the unprecedented ninth floor! It was simply too incredible. After all, they knew full well that this was Lu Changsheng's very first time challenging the Tower of Heaven. Moreover, he had only recently broken through to Heavenly Saint. Even for a Master of Ten Thousand Daos, wasn't this absurdly exaggerated? Yet the truth lay right before their eyes. Lu Changsheng had already set foot upon the ninth floor of the Tower of Heaven! "Incredible... Fellow Daoist Lu is truly incredible! Fellow Daoist Mo, your Jidao Sacred Ground has produced a truly extraordinary Heavenly Saint!" Yuan Chen couldn't help but sigh in admiration. The Kui Cow on the eighth floor was a living creature born of the Boundary Sea. How formidable had it been? Across history, eight people—including Lu Changsheng—had faced it, and seven had been defeated, forced to halt their advance at the eighth floor. Yet Lu Changsheng had defeated the Kui Cow and successfully stepped onto the ninth floor. He had even obtained the Kui Cow hide, another exotic treasure of the Boundary Sea. By now, Lu Changsheng had acquired the Giant Spirit Ring, the Immortal Blood, and the Kui Cow hide. With such singular treasures of the Boundary Sea in hand, why would Lu Changsheng ever need to worry about failing to shatter the shackles of his physical body, or failing to become a Martial Dao Sovereign? It was no exaggeration to say that Lu Changsheng already had half a foot planted in the realm of Martial Dao Sovereign. *Roar...* Within the projection, an unimaginably terrifying head faintly appeared. The head alone spanned nearly ten thousand zhang. Just how colossal must its full body be? *Snap!* The next instant, the projection abruptly cut off. "Our sincerest apologies, esteemed guests," an attendant from the Tower-Viewing Pavilion rushed over to apologize. "The Tower of Heaven has severed its connection with our pavilion." "For any inconvenience this has caused, our Tower-Viewing Pavilion deeply apologizes, and we will issue a full refund to our three esteemed guests..." Mo Kong and the others stared in slight bewilderment. They weren't allowed to watch anymore? Moreover, the Tower of Heaven had actively severed the link. Did the ninth floor involve some deep secret? Or was there another reason? Whatever the case, Mo Kong and the others could no longer see what was happening on the ninth floor. "Lu Changsheng... I hope you can clear the ninth floor..." Mo Kong and his companions could now only wait in silence.