My cultivation today was built entirely on my own desperate battles.

The Power of Lightning and Fire seized the chance to invade, ceaselessly destroying his muscle tissue, shredding his internal organs, and erasing every trace of life within him.

A moment later.

Chu Jiang's Boundless Sea of Blood dissipated after his true essence was exhausted. He panted heavily, nearly collapsing into unconsciousness from exhaustion. The Dragon Snake Earth Demon's aura had also grown feeble under the Boundless Sea of Blood's assault.

"Human brat, to fight me to this extent, you are quite impressive."

The Dragon Snake Earth Demon spoke each word slowly and heavily.

"It's still not dead!"

Chu Jiang's expression changed. This Dragon Snake Earth Demon's defense was truly astonishing. He had already gone all out, yet he had only managed to wound it heavily.

The combat strength of a successfully fused demon was anything but ordinary. No wonder Earth Fiend Hall had been capturing people everywhere for live experiments, not even sparing Gui Yue, who had been dead for hundreds of years.

I'll risk it all!

Things had already reached this point. If he did not kill it, would all his previous efforts not go down the drain?

Chu Jiang's flesh began to boil and churn, his qi and blood evaporating at a rapid pace.

He was clearly burning the essence blood within his body, intending to forcibly maintain Boundless Sea of Blood.

As his essence blood burned, Chu Jiang's aura surged once more. Yet his skin began to split apart as well, exposing the flesh and bones beneath. His body stood at the brink of collapse.

Eighth Form of the Blood Saber Divine Manual—Seven Absolute Blood Fiends!

"Slash!"

With an angry roar, Chu Jiang unleashed a fatal strike. Seven Absolute Blood Fiends carried a thread of saber intent, as though it could slaughter everything beneath heaven.

Pfft... Pfft...

The blood mist condensed without end, while Saber Qi relentlessly shredded everything.

The Dragon Snake Earth Demon's aura fell to rock bottom, its entire body a bloody blur of mangled flesh.

At the final moment of its life, it flicked the sharp tailbone at its rear. It actually broke free and shot toward Chu Jiang at terrifying speed.

Bang!

Chu Jiang was already in dreadful condition, and the blow sent him flying over a hundred meters.

"This Main Body's final battle was so exhilarating. It was worth it!"

"Hahaha!"

The Dragon Snake Earth Demon laughed wildly, revealing a trace of relief. Then its body turned illusory until it vanished completely.

[Dragon Snake Earth Demon, Fiend Tier mutated demon, guarded the sixth floor for one hundred and twenty years. You are the first person to kill it. Obtained thirty strands of Demon Remnant Soul.]

Chu Jiang lay on the floor of the sixth level, his body covered in cracks. His qi and blood had been burned dry, and his face was pale as paper. He looked utterly miserable.

His mind grew hazy and his vision gradually blurred. He actually fainted.

Outside the Demon Suppressing Tower.

Demon Suppressing Guards emerged from the Demon Suppressing Tower one after another. Some sighed in disappointment, some beamed with ruddy faces, and some remained calm and unruffled. All sorts of emotions filled the faces of the Demon Suppressing Guards.

Several commanders were conversing with one another. More D-rank Geniuses had been selected this time than in previous years—twelve in total. It could be considered a gratifying result.

Yet not a single C-rank Genius had appeared.

Even Situ Lei, whom Commander Sun had held in such high regard, had only passed the third floor before losing on the fourth, missing his chance to become a C-rank Genius.

Still, it was not all bad news.

At that moment, the fifth floor of the Demon Suppressing Tower was glowing white. This meant someone had passed the fifth floor and was charging toward the sixth.

At the very least, a C-rank Genius. Most likely, a B-rank Genius.

"Commander Shen, you have taken in a fine seedling this time. That B-rank Genius title is practically guaranteed." Commander Sun's face had turned slightly green. The person he had favored had failed even to secure C-rank Genius status, leaving him rather embarrassed.

"You flatter me, Commander Sun. Whether she can pass the sixth floor remains uncertain. It will not be too late to celebrate once the sixth floor lights up," Commander Shen said.

If Fu Yunxuan passed the sixth floor and was rated a B-rank Genius, then at the very least, the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Bureau would avoid criticism this time.

It would also let them hold their heads high among the Demon Suppression Divisions of the surrounding provinces.

Demon Suppressing Tower, sixth floor.

After an unknown amount of time, Chu Jiang awoke once more and struggled to his feet.

He discovered that his previously dried-up qi and blood had recovered by ten or twenty percent. His body was still continuously absorbing the energy of heaven and earth, steadily producing more blood.

Much of his split skin had already begun to heal.

This was the monstrous aspect of having cultivated the Wind-Thunder Vajra Body to the realm of transformation. So long as he was not dead, given enough time, he could recover completely.

This was also the capital that let him dare to gamble with his life.

Chu Jiang sat down to regulate his breathing. He had no idea where the Demon Suppressing Tower obtained its energy of heaven and earth, but its concentration was actually far greater than outside.

It could not be wasted.

An hour later, Chu Jiang opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

His body had already recovered for the most part.

He looked toward the seventh floor and walked straight up.

No matter what was on the seventh floor—whether a Fiend Tier great demon or something else—he had to see it for himself.

If the seventh floor still held a Fiend Tier great demon, he would immediately withdraw.

With his current strength, he had to risk his life merely to barely kill one Fiend Tier great demon. If the seventh floor still contained one, it would definitely be stronger than the one on the sixth floor.

Even if he recovered to his peak, it would be of no use.

Seventh floor.

There were no demons here. The walls were covered in densely packed writing, with enormous fist imprints left beside the words.

"Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist!"

At that moment, the Demon Suppressing Tower issued a resounding voice.

"Within three hours, cultivate this fist technique to the beginner level to pass the trial. Only this fist technique can open the gate to the next floor."

After hearing this, Chu Jiang looked at the large words on the wall.

It seemed this trial tested comprehension. That was more reasonable. If every floor still contained demons, escalating level by level, would the final floor not require one to battle a Great Grandmaster of martial arts? Just thinking about it was impossible.

Ten minutes later, Chu Jiang had completely imprinted the fist technique in his mind.

As for cultivating it himself, that was impossible.

He would directly use the panel to deduce it. If he relied on his own comprehension to cultivate it, let alone one hour, he feared he would not even reach the beginner level in a year.

[Demon Lifespan: 265 years]

[Own Lifespan: 90 years]

"Fifty-five strands of Demon Remnant Soul detected. Convert them into Demon Lifespan?"

Chu Jiang clicked agree without hesitation.

The fifty-five strands of Demon Remnant Soul were instantly absorbed by the panel. The panel churned, and his Demon Lifespan balance soared rapidly.

[Demon Lifespan: 815 years]

Seeing his Demon Lifespan increase so greatly, Chu Jiang was in an excellent mood. This trip had not been in vain.

My cultivation today was built entirely on my own desperate battles.

"Panel, begin martial arts deduction!"

[First year: You begin cultivating the Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist. Because you previously cultivated the similar Great Vajra Palm, the two techniques share the same marvelous principle through different paths. Your cultivation progresses at lightning speed.]

[Second year: Your Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist reaches the beginner level.]

[Third year: Your Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist reaches minor mastery.]

[Fifth year: Your Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist reaches major mastery.]

[Ninth year: Your Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist reaches perfection.]

[Fifteenth year: Your Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist reaches the realm of transformation.]

Chu Jiang opened his eyes. He had completely mastered every variation of the Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist. Even someone who had devoted decades to painstaking research likely would not be as proficient in this martial art as he was.

This Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist was somewhat similar to the Demon Suppressing Saber Technique, but its power was far greater. It was a top-tier innate fist technique.

"What should I do? There is still some time before the three hours are up."

Chu Jiang pondered inwardly. He wanted to display his strength, but if he far exceeded the standards of normal people, who knew what consequences it might bring?

Not even one A-rank Genius had appeared in the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Bureau in a hundred years. That showed just how difficult the seventh and eighth floors were. Even reaching the beginner level within three hours—

—would already make one a one-in-ten-thousand genius.

Yet he had brought it to the realm of transformation in less than a moment.

Someone more talented than a genius was called a monster and would receive focused cultivation. Someone even more monstrous than a monster was no longer human and would most likely be captured for research.

Chu Jiang decided it would be safer to wait until nearly three hours had passed before opening the gate. To ensure that he received sufficient attention without being treated as some freak—

—he would use only major mastery.

Cultivating the Great Vajra Demon Suppressing Fist to major mastery in three hours should make him a Peerless Genius, one in a hundred thousand, right?