The Nine-Story Tower

"This is the Black Dragon Ranking List. Each screen displays the trainees' rankings by points. Your points determine your standing at the Elite Training Camp, so Xu Xin and Luo Feng, you'll both need to work hard."

Yang Hui smiled as he explained the Black Dragon Ranking List, then led them into the Elite Training Camp.

Though it was called a training camp, it was actually a complex of Chinese-style palaces, complete with pavilions, towers, bridges, and flowing streams. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and the designer had clearly put a great deal of effort into it.

"Look over there."

Yang Hui pointed toward a very tall tower in the distance. It looked to have only nine floors, but it was at least as tall as an ordinary twenty-story building.

"This tower is the core building of the training camp. The entire camp was built around it. It's called the Nine-Story Tower."

"The Nine-Story Tower..."

Xu Ai took out her phone and snapped a picture.

Yang Hui couldn't help coughing a few times.

"Ahem, Xu Ai, you can take pictures, but remember not to share them."

As the world's foremost institution for training Martial Artists, the Elite Training Camp needed to preserve some of its mystery.

"Okay, I'll just keep it for myself."

Xu Ai agreed right away. In fact, with Hong's artificial intelligence keeping watch, if he didn't allow her to share it, there was no way anyone could.

Yang Hui nodded, then continued leading Xu Ai and the others toward the Nine-Story Tower.

"The first floor of the Nine-Story Tower is like any other clubhouse. The main entrance opens into a bar-like entertainment area where trainees can relax and chat, though most of them spend their time on the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors."

There weren't many people on the first floor. After entering, Xu Ai saw only a few trainees, while most of the people there were staff.

"Are there training facilities on the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors?"

Luo Feng asked. His purpose in coming to the Elite Training Camp was clear: to become stronger.

Knowing that most trainees spent their time on the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors, Luo Feng was naturally curious.

"I'll show you around in a bit. Then you'll see for yourselves."

Yang Hui didn't answer Luo Feng's question directly. Instead, he continued showing Xu Ai and the others around the first floor.

"Behind the bar is a large cafeteria with all kinds of delicious food. You can also ask the chefs to prepare whatever you like. They offer room service, too. Just give them a call."

Yang Hui led them to the cafeteria, which was spacious, clean, and well maintained.

It was nearly noon, but there were still very few people there. Clearly, most trainees had their meals brought to them by the staff.

"It's normal for there to be so few people. The trainees are busy training or earning points, so they don't have time to come here. You'll be the same way before long."

"There are also several large private rooms along the side of the cafeteria. If you want to celebrate something, you can book one. They're free."

Yang Hui pointed to the side of the cafeteria, where there was a doorway every so often. Xu Ai estimated the remaining space and realized that even divided into several rooms, each one would still be enormous.

"Next, let's go to the second floor. That's where things get interesting."

"Oh? What's so interesting up there?"

"You'll see when we get there."

There were plenty of elevators in the Nine-Story Tower—five lined up side by side.

One elevator had just stopped on the first floor. Xu Ai and the others stepped inside and went up to the second floor.

"The second floor is also for entertainment. It has things like karaoke rooms and Emotional Venting Rooms, where trainees can let off steam. By the way, the walls of the Emotional Venting Rooms are made of the highest-grade materials. Even a God of War would have a hard time breaking through them."

"I didn't know they had places like that."

Xu Ai laughed in disbelief. She'd heard of Emotional Venting Rooms in her previous life—places where people could vent by wildly punching and smashing things. She hadn't expected them to exist in Swallowed Star, too.

"After all, the training camp also competes for points and rankings, which puts a lot of pressure on the trainees. It's only natural that they need to blow off steam. I have to say, after venting, many trainees make noticeably faster progress in their training."

Yang Hui pointed toward the front desk.

"If you want to try one, just let the staff know."

"I'll pass. I'm not interested..."

Xu Xin waved her hand, and Luo Feng said he didn't need one either.

Xu Ai needed no explanation.

"Fine, then let's keep looking around."

There weren't many trainees on the second floor, either. Unless they were at their wits' end, most people didn't come to vent.

After looking around, Xu Ai and the others returned to the elevator and went up to the third floor.

The third floor was the Martial Arts Hall, also known as the Martial Arts Plaza.

"Not everyone likes training alone. Some would rather practice or discuss things with friends, so the Martial Arts Hall is necessary."

Yang Hui led Xu Ai onto the third floor. There were quite a few people here, both trainees and instructors. Some practiced in their own areas, while others sat on sofas in the corners, discussing their weaknesses with friends.

"If you find training at home too quiet and don't like it, you can come here instead."

"No, I don't need to. I prefer being alone, or practicing with Xiao Ai."

Xu Xin waved her hand. She didn't like practicing in front of a crowd. Xu Ai and Hen Ren were already the limit.

Luo Feng felt the same. Unless he had to, he preferred keeping his abilities to himself, just as he'd initially kept his identity as a Spirit Reader secret.

Yang Hui showed them around the Martial Arts Plaza, then led them up to the fourth floor.

"The fourth floor has many private Martial Arts Halls. They're used for one-on-one instruction. Once you've been assigned an instructor, you'll usually come here for lessons together."

"We don't need one. I'm my sister's instructor, so I can teach her at home."

Xu Ai put an arm around Xu Xin's slender waist.

"All right..."

Yang Hui showed them the equipment in the Martial Arts Hall, then led them to the fifth floor.

The fifth floor was lined with sparring rings. They were clearly meant for trainees to fight each other, but few people came here. Whenever the Challenge Room was available, they went there instead.

The sixth floor had private Duel Rooms. Some trainees wanted to spar but preferred to hold back and didn't like showing their abilities in front of others, so the private Duel Rooms were created for them.

After all, the sparring rings on the fifth floor were visible to everyone, and not everyone was willing to accept that.

Next came the seventh floor.

"The seventh and eighth floors are the same. They're filled with Gravity Chambers!"

"Gravity Chambers?"

Xu Xin asked in surprise. Hen Ren had a Gravity Chamber at home, after all!

"Yes. Xu Xin and Xu Ai, since you're pupils of Ruthless Councilor, you should know about them."

Yang Hui smiled.

"These Gravity Chambers were built by our scientists. They can increase gravity by only one to three times—not as much as the Ancient Civilization Gravity Chamber. But training in them is still much more effective than training under normal conditions."

"Only three times?"

Xu Xin looked at Xu Ai in confusion. Xu Ai explained:

"Big sis, the one at Master's place was excavated from an Ancient Civilization Ruins. With today's technology, it's naturally impossible to fully replicate an Ancient Civilization Gravity Chamber. Getting a replica up to three times normal gravity is already quite impressive."

"I see..."

"You just said that your master has an Ancient Civilization Gravity Chamber?"

Yang Hui asked, stunned.

"Yeah. Xiao Ai makes me train in it every day."

Xu Xin sighed. With a Gravity Chamber at home, she had no chance to slack off. Once the gravity pressed down on her, she'd have to stay completely still to avoid the strain. The moment she moved, she had to bear even more pressure. It was exhausting...

So if you have an Ancient Civilization Gravity Chamber at home, what are you doing here?

Yang Hui was speechless. What was the most important resource at the Elite Training Camp? Of course it was access to the Ancient Civilization Gravity Chamber! Wasn't that what the points and rankings were all about?

Forget about rewards like Black God suits, Dragon Blood, and secret manuals for reaching a certain Combat Power Amplitude. And forget about achievements like coming in first place several times. Those were unrealistic—hardly any trainees had managed them over the years.

Only access to the Ancient Civilization Gravity Chamber was real!

You could've stayed home and taken it easy, yet you came here to compete with everyone else for resources...

"Teacher, what exactly does the Gravity Chamber do?"

Luo Feng asked, puzzled. Yang Hui hadn't explained what it was for. All he knew was that it helped with training.

Yang Hui replied:

"Just as people eat more when they exercise more, our cells absorb more Genetic Origin Energy after we work out. But with ordinary training, it's impossible to get every cell in the body involved."

"Right."

Luo Feng nodded, then immediately understood what the Gravity Chamber was for.

"So the gravity in a Gravity Chamber can make every cell participate in the training!?"

"Exactly. The gravity in a Gravity Chamber acts on every tiny part of your body—your bones, muscles, blood vessels, and internal organs. It reaches down to your cells, even your molecules and atoms!

"As long as you're under a level of gravity your body can withstand, every part of you is still bearing that weight even if you don't move at all. You'll absorb more Genetic Origin Energy while training than you would under normal conditions!"

After explaining, Yang Hui checked the time. It was already past noon.

"Come on. Let's go to the ninth floor! It's the most important floor of the Nine-Story Tower!"