Life-Transforming Rune Array

At the entrance to the seventh floor, Lin Yiqing finally felt the resistance of the mental barrier. But it lasted only an instant before his powerful physique forced its way through.

"Wow, someone's reached the seventh floor!"

"Who is it? Zhou Qian? Or one of those two from Wuling City?"

The instant Lin Yiqing entered the seventh floor, an uproar swept across the plaza outside the tower.

The Talisman Masters from both the Yan City Talisman Master Association and Wuling City broke into cries of astonishment. After all, the final victor in past years had usually only reached the sixth floor.

No one had expected four people to reach the sixth floor this year, let alone someone to enter the seventh!

"I think it must be Zhou Qian!"

Many Talisman Masters from Yan City speculated, while the Wuling City Talisman Masters nearby voiced their own guesses. For a time, the Tower Duel became a sensation.

"Could it be him?"

Master Yan stared at the light that had reached the seventh floor, his pupils narrowing. Lin Yiqing came to mind at once. If anyone had the best chance of reaching the seventh floor, it was surely that mysterious young man.

He had already noticed at their first meeting that Lin Yiqing had reached the Two-Seal Symbol Master level. More astonishing still, the life rune he had condensed was a Life Spirit Rune, one in ten thousand!

Across the entire Tiandu Prefecture, there were hardly any people capable of condensing a Life Spirit Rune!

The Seal Condensation Method for a Life Spirit Rune was exceedingly rare. But for that very reason, once condensed, its power far exceeded that of an ordinary rune. The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.

That was why Master Yan had spared no expense to invite Lin Yiqing to take part in this Tower Duel. He wanted a safeguard.

If things went badly during the Tower Duel, he hoped Lin Yiqing could turn the tide and secure their victory.

As for Zhou Qian, though Master Yan had high hopes for his student, he also understood the limits of Zhou Qian's cultivation. All he could do was hope Zhou Qian would give it his all.

"Hey, look! A light on the sixth floor just went out!"

"Ah... This..."

"Hiss, this is bad!"

After years of Tower Duels, both sides knew what it meant when a light went out. The Wuling City president's face grew grave, while Master Yan could not hide his worry.

When a light went out, it meant death—the end of the path. They just didn't know which side had lost a junior!

"Whoa, the mental power fluctuations in here are so dense!"

As soon as Lin Yiqing entered the seventh floor, he noticed that aside from the smaller space, the most striking thing was the dense mental power.

It was viscous, like an invisible liquid, and the mental pressure it contained had multiplied several times over.

Seeing this, Lin Yiqing stirred his mental power within his Mud Pill Palace. Streams of mental power spread over his body, helping him withstand the pressure.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly felt a cool sensation above his head. It slowly seeped into his Mud Pill Palace, and as it nourished him, he found that his mental power seemed to grow purer.

"So this is the Symbol Master Tower's cleansing effect!"

The answer flashed through Lin Yiqing's mind. He gazed eagerly at the entrance to the eighth floor. This was only the seventh floor, yet it already had such a wondrous effect. What kind of marvels awaited him on the eighth?

Thud. Thud.

Bracing himself against the immense mental pressure, Lin Yiqing dragged his heavy steps toward the eighth floor, one step at a time.

This mental pressure tested a person's resilience to the utmost. The slightest lapse in concentration could send someone flying out.

Before long, Lin Yiqing realized his forehead was slick with sweat. With every step he took, the mental pressure radiating through the tower grew stronger.

"Heh, I barely made it up here. How are you still walking forward, little brother Yiqing? You're a monster!"

A hoarse laugh came from behind him. Lin Yiqing swept the area with his mental power and found Zhou Qian. He had forced his way through the mental barrier and climbed onto the seventh floor.

But he was in a terrible state. His eyes were bloodshot, blood stained the corner of his mouth, and his clothes were a rumpled mess.

"Brother Zhou, I admire your determination," Lin Yiqing said quietly.

Zhou Qian had earned a second look from him. If he could keep up that grit and perseverance, he might achieve great things in the future.

Then Lin Yiqing pushed against the pressure and moved several more steps forward. Zhou Qian couldn't help calling him a monster again.

Under such crushing pressure, the two Life Spirit Runes in Lin Yiqing's Mud Pill Palace seemed to be stimulated. They twisted and transformed into two tiny mental power vortexes.

In an instant, the mental pressure around Lin Yiqing eased considerably. Seizing the opportunity, he forced his way through the mental barrier at the entrance and stepped onto the eighth floor!

The sight shook Zhou Qian, who had only just reached the seventh floor. Eyes wide, he stared blankly and murmured, "He actually made it in!"

Compared to the floors below, the eighth floor was clearly narrower. But the mental power it contained was as vast as an ocean.

As soon as Lin Yiqing entered the eighth floor, his eyes lit up. A towering stone stele stood in the center, impossible to miss.

"Qi-Grade Mental Secret Technique—Life-Transforming Rune Array!"

Lin Yiqing sought the Life-Transforming Rune Array not only for the power of the Qi-Grade Mental Secret Technique itself, but also for another very important reason. Its final stage was said to be the Myriad Transformation Flame, a powerful Mental Power Flame.

If he could obtain the Myriad Transformation Flame, it would greatly improve his abilities in both alchemy and artifact forging!

The mental pressure on the eighth floor was immense, but the vortexes formed by his two Life Spirit Runes were like black holes, constantly drawing in and refining the surrounding mental power.

And within that ocean of mental power were flecks of green light. Each time one landed on him, it produced a faint cleansing effect.

As these small gains accumulated, Lin Yiqing could clearly feel wisps of pure mental power being absorbed, slowly boosting his mental power cultivation.

"What a wonderful place!"

Under the enormous mental pressure, Lin Yiqing's legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead. He slowly made his way toward the stone stele, intending to cultivate here for a few days!

Meanwhile, an eerie silence fell over the plaza outside the tower. Then, all at once, cries of astonishment erupted.

"The eighth floor! Someone actually made it to the eighth floor!"

"Who is it?"

Having seen the light reach the eighth floor with their own eyes, Master Yan and the Wuling City president both understood that the Tower Duel was over.

No one in the nearby cities had reached the eighth floor in many years. The rules of the Tower Duel counted only how high each contestant climbed; whoever reached the highest floor won.

Judging by what they knew of their respective disciples, it clearly couldn't have been one of their own.

"Hmph!"

The Wuling City president flung his sleeve and left at once, his face dark with displeasure. He didn't need to wait for the result to know that Wuling City had lost.

"Truly remarkable! Hahaha!"

Master Yan stroked his long beard. Watching the Wuling City president slink away, he finally burst into hearty laughter.