White Jade Capital in the sky, twelve towers and five cities.
Once again, standing beneath the White Pagoda, Wang Xian still felt that the Sword Tower before him was nowhere near as imposing as the golden hall called the Twelve Towers in the Kunlun Sword Sect.
The journey here had taken some time.
By the time he arrived at the tower, it was past midmorning, and noon was fast approaching.
The White Pagoda had no door, but an old white-bearded man was lounging in a reclining chair nearby, lazily basking in the sun.
Wang Xian stepped forward and asked bluntly, "Senior, what's the story with this White Pagoda?"
The old man froze, then opened his eyes and glanced at Wang Xian.
A faint smile appeared on his face. "You don't know?"
Wang Xian shook his head.
The old man sighed. "The Sword Tower has seven levels. The seventh is Plucking the Stars, followed by Opening Heaven, Splitting Earth, Suppressing Hell, Subduing Demons, Exterminating Monsters, and Heart-Piercing..."
"Entering the tower costs five hundred Spirit Stones. Pass five levels, and you get your Spirit Stones back. Clear the sixth, and you'll be sent straight to the Demon-Subduing Battlefield. If you're lucky enough to pass the seventh, you'll receive an unexpected reward."
Wang Xian froze and blurted out, "What if I don't make it through?"
"Don't make it through?"
The old man lifted his head and chuckled. "You might die and have your cultivation scattered. You might get kicked a thousand miles away. Or you might be teleported back out..."
"You're so young. Surely you haven't lost your mind and come here to die?"
Even so, the old man held out his hand.
Wang Xian said no more. He took out the Spirit Stones he had prepared and placed them in the old