All Eyes On Him, Jiang Hao Storms the Desolate Heaven Tower!

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

"Master."

Zhao Heita glanced at Jiang Hao but said nothing.

Anything he said at this moment would only add pressure to Jiang Hao.

Better to say nothing.

He simply nodded, then left the dwelling and walked toward the Desolate Heaven Tower.

Jiang Hao mounted Big Tiger and silently followed his master.

Big Tiger was usually lively.

But even he seemed to keenly sense the tense atmosphere, lowering his head as he walked in silence.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhao Heita stopped.

Jiang Hao also looked up ahead.

There stood a towering pagoda that pierced the clouds.

Mists swirled around it, lending the tower an air of profound mystery.

Jiang Hao didn't need to ask; he could guess.

This tower was most likely the Desolate Heaven Tower.

Zhao Heita took a deep breath, his tone carrying a hint of gravity as he slowly spoke: "The Desolate Heaven Tower is here!"

"This tower has a long history, even longer than the Huangtian Sect itself. It is said that the founder of the Huangtian Sect used supreme means to personally build the Desolate Heaven Tower, and only then established the sect."

"Control of the Desolate Heaven Tower has always been in the hands of successive Sect Masters; no one else may interfere."

"Go into the Desolate Heaven Tower with peace of mind. Even if you fail, you won't be in any mortal danger—the tower will ensure your safety."

Jiang Hao nodded.

Failing to conquer the Desolate Heaven Tower wouldn't cost him his life.

But it would cost him the Inner Gate Recommendation Slot.

Sometimes, that single recommendation slot was far more important than life itself.

Jiang Hao continued forward, drawing closer and closer to the Desolate Heaven Tower.

Finally, the two arrived outside the first floor of the tower.

At this moment, the area around the Desolate Heaven Tower was packed with people.

A vast number of disciples, stewards, elders, and others surrounded the tower.

All of them had come to see Jiang Hao with their own eyes.

"So that's Jiang Hao? He really is young—rumor has it he's not even ten yet."

"Ten years old and challenging the Desolate Heaven Tower at the Huangtian Sect—that's got to be a record, right? The youngest before this was already in his teens..."

"Young age means great potential. But young age doesn't necessarily mean great strength. Conquering the Desolate Heaven Tower requires real power! Potential alone won't get you through."

"That tiger pet he tamed must be a Heterogeneous Species too. Being able to tame such a beast means Jiang Hao's strength is nothing to scoff at."

"A kid like this, challenging the Desolate Heaven Tower?"

Seeing Jiang Hao, many people murmured.

Opinions varied widely.

Jiang Hao was also observing the crowd.

With his powerful mental strength and high comprehension, he had a near-photographic memory.

Thus, with just one glance, Jiang Hao spotted a familiar figure among the crowd.

It was Xia Hong, dressed in red.

"Sister Hong..."

Jiang Hao grinned at Xia Hong, greeting her.

Xia Hong, standing in the crowd, naturally saw Jiang Hao too.

Beside Xia Hong was a plump young girl.

She was chattering away: "Senior Sister Xia, a kid like this, wanting to conquer the Desolate Heaven Tower? How is that possible? I wonder what gives him the nerve to try..."

But no matter how much the plump girl rambled, Xia Hong gave no response, acting as if she hadn't heard.

"Hm?"

"Senior Sister Xia, do you know Jiang Hao?"

The plump girl also noticed Jiang Hao's gaze.

Xia Hong didn't deny it; she nodded. "I do."

"His name is Jiang Hao. He's the son of a merchant from Cang City, and he's only been practicing martial arts for three years."

"Ah? Senior Sister Xia, you know this so clearly?"

The chubby girl was even more astonished.

"I gave him a token, originally intending for him to join the Outer Gate. But who could have guessed he'd obtain an Inner Gate Recommendation Slot, aiming to skip straight to the Inner Gate?"

"If he succeeds, the entire Huangtian Sect will be shaken!"

Xia Hong's voice also carried a faint hint of anticipation.

"Hum."

Suddenly, the Desolate Heaven Tower emitted a soft white light.

Then a majestic voice echoed through the void.

"Open the Desolate Heaven Tower. Jiang Hao, enter!"

This was the voice of Yuan Wentian, the Huangtian Sect's Sect Master.

Amid the violent tremors of the Desolate Heaven Tower, its great doors swung open.

"Jiang Hao, go."

Zhao Heita's gaze fixed on the Desolate Heaven Tower's entrance as he patted Jiang Hao on the shoulder.

"Big Tiger, stay here and listen to Master. Don't run off. Wait for my return!"

Jiang Hao leaped down from Big Tiger's back and walked step by step toward the Desolate Heaven Tower.

Finally, Jiang Hao arrived outside the Desolate Heaven Tower's great doors.

He peered inside.

Even though he stood right at the entrance, he still felt that the interior was pitch black, seeing nothing at all.

Jiang Hao didn't hesitate. He strode directly through the doors.

"Bang."

The Desolate Heaven Tower's doors closed.

No one could see the specific situation inside the Desolate Heaven Tower.

However, the tower was completely dark. Whenever someone ascended a floor, that floor would flash with light.

Thus, everyone could still tell which floor Jiang Hao had reached.

So far, Jiang Hao had only just stepped into the Desolate Heaven Tower's first floor.

From the outside, the tower's interior was shrouded in darkness.

But Jiang Hao, now inside the first floor, felt his vision brighten as the surroundings opened up before him.

He seemed to be standing in a mountain forest.

"Hm?"

"An illusion? Or does the Desolate Heaven Tower contain its own world?"

Jiang Hao was uncertain and wary.

A self-contained world within the Desolate Heaven Tower?

This surpassed a martial artist's understanding.

Could it be the power of "Dao"?

Jiang Hao had heard his master mention that "Entering Dao" experts wielded the power of Dao—a profoundly mysterious force.

It could accomplish all sorts of inconceivable feats.

But what that power truly was, Jiang Hao had no direct grasp of.

After all, he had never even seen an "Entering Dao" expert.

"This is not an illusion, nor is it a real world. It is filled with the power of Dao—more precisely, a 'Dao Domain'."

At that moment, a barefoot, chubby Big-headed Doll appeared out of thin air before Jiang Hao.

This Big-headed Doll floated in midair, scrutinizing Jiang Hao.

"Who are you?"

Startled, Jiang Hao blurted out the question.

"Don't be nervous. I am the Tower Spirit of the Desolate Heaven Tower."

"You are a Mingjin martial artist. If you can pass the Ninth Floor, you will receive a corresponding reward."

Jiang Hao was taken aback.

"Tower Spirit?"

"And clearing the Ninth Floor comes with a reward?"

Jiang Hao felt the Desolate Heaven Tower growing more mysterious by the moment.

"Desolate Heaven Tower, First Floor: one Heterogeneous Species Spirit Devouring Worm. Kill it, or hold out for the duration of one incense stick without being defeated, and you pass the first floor."

The Tower Spirit finished speaking, and faint blue lights began to emerge in the distance.

It was a bug the size of a fist.

Its entire body was covered in patterns, its appearance ferocious—clearly not something to be trifled with.

Jiang Hao also knew what a Heterogeneous Species was.

It had to possess the bloodline of a demon, and that bloodline had to be exceptionally rich.

For instance, Big Tiger could barely be considered a Heterogeneous Species right now.

But compared to this Spirit Devouring Worm, Big Tiger was nothing.

"Swish."

The Spirit Devouring Worm shot forward like an arrow from a bow, incredibly fast, charging straight at Jiang Hao.

"So fast?"

Jiang Hao was genuinely caught off guard.

He wanted to dodge, but he didn't even have a Movement Technique—how could he evade?

Besides, against such a swift Spirit Devouring Worm, even a Movement Technique would be useless.

Jiang Hao had underestimated this situation.

That was only natural.

He had been spending all his time training his strength or visualizing.

He simply had no time for actual combat.

At most, he had hunted some wild beasts on Flying Eagle Mountain—how much real combat experience could that give him?

A lack of practical fighting experience was only to be expected.

Faced with this, Jiang Hao couldn't be bothered to dodge anymore.

Since his combat experience was lacking, he would make up for it with raw power.

He would just go head-on!

No technique, no frills—just a direct clash!

"Tiger Roar."

Jiang Hao locked onto the Spirit Devouring Worm and threw a punch.

Vaguely, it seemed as if a phantom of a fierce tiger appeared, roaring up to the sky.

That was the Tiger Demon Form!

The Fierce Tiger Fist at Major Accomplishment granted a forty percent boost.

Combined with a strength boost of double.

Even without merging all seven forces, the power was terrifying.

But when the Tower Spirit saw Jiang Hao going head-on against the Spirit Devouring Worm, it shook its head slightly.

As the Tower Spirit, it knew exactly how terrifying the Spirit Devouring Worm was.

"Don't let its small size and insect nature fool you—the Spirit Devouring Worm is actually extremely fearsome. Its body is incredibly tough and resistant to damage. Its overall combat power reaches a staggering 600."

"Among the Outer Gate disciples of the Huangtian Sect, fewer than ten have a combat power above 600 at the Manifest Force Level."

"It seems the Huangtian Sect is getting worse and worse. The so-called geniuses they've sent in recent years are more disappointing than the last."

The Tower Spirit was deeply disappointed with the current Huangtian Sect.

Finally, Jiang Hao's fist collided with the Spirit Devouring Worm.

And then...

"Bang."

The Spirit Devouring Worm exploded.

Its proud body was blown apart in a single exchange.

"What?"

"The Spirit Devouring Worm was blown apart?"

The Tower Spirit was astonished.

It immediately calculated the power of Jiang Hao's punch.

"That punch just now had a power exceeding 800, which is why it could destroy the Spirit Devouring Worm."

The Tower Spirit was amazed.

"Congratulations, you have cleared the first floor of the Desolate Heaven Tower."

"I didn't expect that at your young age, with such an unremarkable build, you would walk the path of brute force?"

The Tower Spirit had clearly misjudged this time.

Jiang Hao was stronger than it had estimated!

However, that was also a good thing.

Its purpose for existence was precisely to screen out true geniuses for the Desolate Heaven Tower.

"That's it for passing the first layer?"

To be honest, Jiang Hao hadn't fully enjoyed that fight just now.

For Jiang Hao as he was now, it was a bit too easy.

"What, do you think the Spirit Devouring Worm is weak?"

"Just this one Spirit Devouring Worm—if you swapped in the top Bright Force disciples from your Huangtian Sect's Outer Gate, no more than ten could get through it. Do you still think the Spirit Devouring Worm is weak?"

The Tower Spirit seemed very familiar with the Outer Gate situation of the Huangtian Sect.

Jiang Hao fell silent.

No more than ten people?

And this was only the first layer of the Desolate Heaven Tower!

Perhaps it wasn't that the first layer of the Desolate Heaven Tower was too weak, but that he was too strong!

"Alright, since you've broken through the first layer, accept your reward."

"Hm? There's a reward just for passing the first layer?"

Jiang Hao was somewhat surprised.

"You get a reward for every layer of the Desolate Heaven Tower you break through. That is a rule set by my master."

"What is the reward?"

Jiang Hao asked.

"A drop of Blood of Origin. It can unlock the potential of your body. Generally, those with powerful bloodlines or special constitutions unlock greater potential and achieve better results."

"The reason the Huangtian Sect was allowed to keep the Desolate Heaven Tower within the sect was precisely because they coveted the rewards inside the tower. This was also the rule I agreed upon with your Huangtian Sect's founder back then."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Hao's eyes sharply narrowed.

A rule agreed upon with the Huangtian Sect's founder?

"Isn't your master the founder of the Huangtian Sect?"

"The founder of the Huangtian Sect is worthy of being my master?"

Judging by the Tower Spirit's tone, this Desolate Heaven Tower didn't seem to have been forged by the Huangtian Sect's founder.

It didn't even have much connection to the founder.

This Desolate Heaven Tower had a significant origin!