Time flew by, and three days passed.
"Master."
Zhao Heita glanced at Jiang Hao but said nothing.
Anything he said now would only put pressure on Jiang Hao.
Better to say nothing.
He merely nodded, then left the residence and headed toward the Desolate Heaven Tower.
Jiang Hao also mounted Big Tiger and silently followed his master.
Big Tiger had originally been very lively.
But at this moment, he seemed to keenly sense that something was wrong with the atmosphere, and he too lowered his head and walked silently.
After walking for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Zhao Heita stopped.
Jiang Hao raised his head and looked ahead as well.
There stood a towering pagoda that pierced the clouds.
Mist coiled around it, making the pagoda seem incomparably mysterious.
Jiang Hao did not need to ask to roughly guess.
This pagoda was most likely the Desolate Heaven Tower.
Zhao Heita took a deep breath. With a trace of solemnity in his voice, he slowly said, "We're here at the Desolate Heaven Tower!"
"This Desolate Heaven Tower has an ancient history, even older than Huangtian Sect itself. It is said that the founding ancestor of Huangtian Sect personally built the Desolate Heaven Tower with supreme means before establishing Huangtian Sect."
"Control of the Desolate Heaven Tower has always rested in the hands of each generation's Sect Master. No one else may interfere."
"Go into the Desolate Heaven Tower without worry. Even if you fail, your life will not be in any danger. The Desolate Heaven Tower will ensure your safety."
Jiang Hao nodded.
Failing the Desolate Heaven Tower challenge would not cost him his life.
But he would lose the Inner Gate Recommendation Slot.
Sometimes, that single Inner Gate Recommendation Slot was far more important than one's life.
Jiang Hao continued forward, drawing ever closer to the Desolate Heaven Tower.
At last, the two arrived outside the first floor of the Desolate Heaven Tower.
At this moment, the area around the Desolate Heaven Tower was a sea of people.
Countless disciples, deacons, elders, and others had gathered around the Desolate Heaven Tower.
All to see Jiang Hao with their own eyes.
"So he's Jiang Hao? He really is young. They say he isn't even ten yet."
"Coming to Huangtian Sect to challenge the Desolate Heaven Tower at ten years old? That has to be a record, right? The youngest person to challenge it before was already in their teens..."
"Being young means having great potential. But being young does not necessarily mean being strong. Challenging the Desolate Heaven Tower requires strength! Potential alone won't get you through it."
"That tiger pet Jiang Hao subdued should be a Heterogeneous Species too. Being able to subdue such a Heterogeneous Species means Jiang Hao's strength cannot be poor."
"Such a little child is challenging the Desolate Heaven Tower?"
Seeing Jiang Hao, many people discussed him.
There were all kinds of opinions.
Jiang Hao was also observing the crowd.
His spiritual power was strong, and his Comprehension was high as well. He could be said to never forget anything he had seen.
Thus, with just one glance, Jiang Hao spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.
It was Xia Hong, dressed in red.
"Sister Hong..."
Jiang Hao grinned at Xia Hong in greeting.
Naturally, Xia Hong in the crowd saw Jiang Hao as well.
Beside Xia Hong stood a chubby young girl.
She kept chattering, "Senior Sister Xia, how could such a little child possibly get through the Desolate Heaven Tower? Who knows where he got the nerve to challenge it..."
Yet no matter how the chubby girl rambled on, Xia Hong gave no response, as if she had not heard a thing.
"Hm?"
"Senior Sister Xia, do you know Jiang Hao?"
The chubby girl had also noticed Jiang Hao's gaze.
Xia Hong did not deny it. She nodded. "I know him."
"His name is Jiang Hao. He is the son of a merchant from Cang City and has practiced martial arts for only three years."
"Ah? Senior Sister Xia, you know so much about him?"
The chubby girl was even more astonished.
"I gave him a token. I originally wanted him to enter the Outer Gate, but who could have expected that he would obtain an Inner Gate Recommendation Slot and want to rise directly into the Inner Gate."
"If he succeeds, the entirety of Huangtian Sect will be shaken!"
A trace of anticipation could faintly be heard in Xia Hong's voice.
"Buzz."
Suddenly, the Desolate Heaven Tower emitted a gentle white light.
Then, a majestic voice echoed through the air.
"Open the Desolate Heaven Tower. Let Jiang Hao enter!"
This was the voice of Huangtian Sect's Sect Master, Yuan Wentian.
Amid violent tremors from the Desolate Heaven Tower, its gates opened.
"Jiang Hao, go."
Zhao Heita stared at the gates of the Desolate Heaven Tower and patted Jiang Hao on the shoulder.
"Big Tiger, stay here and listen to Master. Don't run around. Wait for me to come back!"
Jiang Hao jumped down from Big Tiger's back and walked step by step toward the Desolate Heaven Tower.
At last, Jiang Hao arrived outside its gates.
He looked inside.
Though he stood right outside the gates, all he could sense within was utter darkness. He could see nothing.
Jiang Hao did not hesitate and walked straight through the gates.
Bang.
The gates of the Desolate Heaven Tower closed.
No one could see what was happening inside the Desolate Heaven Tower.
However, the Desolate Heaven Tower was pitch-black, and whenever someone ascended a floor, that floor would light up.
Therefore, everyone could tell exactly which floor Jiang Hao had reached.
At present, Jiang Hao had only just stepped onto the first floor of the Desolate Heaven Tower.
From outside, the interior of the Desolate Heaven Tower was pitch-black.
Yet Jiang Hao, who had already entered its first floor, felt his vision brighten as his surroundings suddenly opened up.
He seemed to be standing within a mountain forest.
"Hm?"
"An illusion? Or does the Desolate Heaven Tower contain a world of its own?"
Jiang Hao was uncertain.
A world of its own within the Desolate Heaven Tower?
That had already surpassed a martial artist's understanding.
Could it be the power of the Dao?
Jiang Hao had heard his master mention that Entering Dao experts wielded the power of the Dao, an extraordinarily wondrous power.
It could accomplish all manner of inconceivable things.
Yet Jiang Hao had no direct understanding of what that power truly was.
After all, he had never even seen an Entering Dao expert.
"This is not an illusion, but neither is it a real world. This place is filled with the power of the Dao. More precisely, it is a Dao Domain."
At that moment, a barefoot, chubby Big-headed Doll appeared out of thin air before Jiang Hao.
This Big-headed Doll was actually floating in midair, constantly sizing Jiang Hao up.
"Who are you?"
Jiang Hao's heart jolted, and he blurted out the question.
"Don't be nervous. I am the Tower Spirit of the Desolate Heaven Tower."
"You are a Ming Jin Martial Artist. So long as you can pass the Ninth Floor, you will receive the corresponding reward."
Jiang Hao froze slightly.
"The Tower Spirit?"
"And there are rewards for passing the Ninth Floor?"
Jiang Hao felt that the Desolate Heaven Tower was becoming increasingly mysterious.
"On the first floor of the Desolate Heaven Tower is one Spirit Devouring Worm Heterogeneous Species. Kill it, or remain undefeated for the time it takes one incense stick to burn, and you will pass the first floor."
After the Tower Spirit spoke, faint streaks of green light appeared in the distance.
It was a fist-sized insect.
Its entire body was covered in patterns, and it looked incomparably vicious. One look told him it was not to be trifled with.
Jiang Hao also knew what a Heterogeneous Species was.
It had to possess a Demon Bloodline, and that Demon Bloodline had to be exceptionally dense.
For example, Big Tiger could barely be considered a Heterogeneous Species now.
However, compared with this Spirit Devouring Worm, Big Tiger was nothing.
Whoosh.
The Spirit Devouring Worm shot forward like an arrow released from the bow. It was incredibly fast, charging at Jiang Hao in an instant.
"So fast?"
Jiang Hao had truly been caught off guard.
He wanted to dodge, but he did not even possess a Movement Technique. How could he dodge?
Besides, against a Spirit Devouring Worm this fast, even having a Movement Technique would be useless.
Jiang Hao had underestimated this situation.
That was perfectly normal.
Jiang Hao had always been training force or practicing Visualization.
He simply had no time for actual combat.
At most, he had hunted some wild beasts on Flying Eagle Mountain. How much combat experience could that give him?
Lacking combat experience was entirely normal.
Faced with this situation, Jiang Hao could not even be bothered to dodge.
Since he lacked combat experience, he would make up for it with strength.
He would confront it head-on!
No techniques, no flashy tricks, just a head-on clash!
"Tiger Roar."
Jiang Hao fixed his eyes on the Spirit Devouring Worm and threw a punch.
Faintly, the phantom of a fierce tiger seemed to emerge, roaring toward the heavens.
That was the Tiger Demon Form!
The Fierce Tiger Fist at Major Accomplishment increased his power by forty percent.
Combined with force that could double his strength.
Even without Seven Forces Unification, its power was terrifying.
However, seeing Jiang Hao actually confront the Spirit Devouring Worm head-on, the Tower Spirit shook his head slightly.
As the Tower Spirit, he knew only too well how terrifying the Spirit Devouring Worm was.
"Do not be fooled by the Spirit Devouring Worm's small size or the fact that it is an insect. In truth, the Spirit Devouring Worm is extremely terrifying. Its entire body is incomparably tough, and it can withstand tremendous blows. Its overall combat power reaches an astonishing 600."
"Among Huangtian Sect's Outer Gate disciples, fewer than ten at the Manifest Force Level have combat power above 600."
"It seems Huangtian Sect is becoming more and more hopeless. These so-called geniuses sent here over the years have been worse than the last."
The Tower Spirit was deeply disappointed in the current Huangtian Sect.
At last, Jiang Hao's punch collided with the Spirit Devouring Worm.
Then...
Bang!
The Spirit Devouring Worm exploded.
The body it had been so proud of was blown apart by Jiang Hao in a single exchange.
"What?"
"The Spirit Devouring Worm was blown apart?"
The Tower Spirit was greatly shocked.
He immediately calculated the power behind Jiang Hao's punch.
"That punch just now exceeded 800 in power, which is why it could blow apart the Spirit Devouring Worm."
The Tower Spirit was astonished.
"Congratulations. You have passed the first floor of the Desolate Heaven Tower."
"I never expected that, at such a young age, and without a particularly burly build, you would actually follow such a fierce and forceful path?"
This time, the Tower Spirit had clearly misjudged Jiang Hao.
Jiang Hao was stronger than it had estimated!
But that was a good thing.
Its purpose in existing was to select true geniuses for the Desolate Heaven Tower.
"So, I've passed the first floor already?"
To be honest, Jiang Hao had not enjoyed that battle to the fullest.
For the current Jiang Hao, it had been a little too easy.
"What, do you think the Spirit Devouring Worm was weak?"
"With that Spirit Devouring Worm, if you replaced yourself with the top Ming Jin disciples of your Huangtian Sect's Outer Gate, fewer than ten would be able to pass. Do you still think the Spirit Devouring Worm was weak?"
The Tower Spirit seemed very familiar with the Huangtian Sect's Outer Gate.
Jiang Hao fell silent.
Fewer than ten people?
And this was merely the first floor of the Desolate Heaven Tower!
Perhaps it was not that the first floor of the Desolate Heaven Tower was too weak, but that he was too strong!
"Alright. Since you have cleared the first floor, accept your reward."
"Hmm? There's a reward for clearing just the first floor?"
Jiang Hao was somewhat surprised.
"You receive a reward for clearing every floor of the Desolate Heaven Tower. That is the rule my master set."
"What is the reward?"
Jiang Hao asked.
"A drop of Blood of Origin. It can awaken your body's potential. Generally, those with powerful Bloodlines or special constitutions can awaken greater potential, and the effect will be better."
"The reason the Huangtian Sect was able to keep the Desolate Heaven Tower within the sect was because it coveted the rewards within it. This was also a rule I agreed upon with your Huangtian Sect's founding patriarch."
Jiang Hao's eyes suddenly narrowed.
A rule agreed upon with the Huangtian Sect's founding patriarch?
"Your master wasn't the Huangtian Sect's founding patriarch?"
"Was the Huangtian Sect's founding patriarch worthy of becoming my master?"
From the Tower Spirit's tone, it seemed that the Desolate Heaven Tower had not been forged by the Huangtian Sect's founding patriarch.
It might not even have had much to do with the Huangtian Sect's founding patriarch.
The Desolate Heaven Tower had quite the extraordinary origin!
Before you continue