Chapter 181 - 180: The Legendary Ninth Layer of Fighting Spirit

「Two days later.」

Luo Tian finally returned to the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion.

The news spread like wildfire throughout Sunrise Peak, sending students from every circle into an uproar.

The Sunshine Students were moved, and even the upper echelon of the Holy Mansion took notice.

At present, Luo Tian was number one on the Azure Cloud Kingdom’s Human List, eclipsing countless geniuses of his generation.

His fame had spread through the Human List’s publications, reaching every corner of the Azure Cloud Kingdom’s vast lands, from the Noble Families and Royal Family to the common streets and alleyways.

In fact, even the neighboring kingdoms had heard whispers of his name.

It could be said that Luo Tian had already become a legend, a representative figure for the current generation of geniuses in the Azure Cloud Kingdom.

Therefore, when Luo Tian returned to his residence in the Golden Area, he was met with an endless stream of visitors paying their respects.

Acquaintances like Nangong Yu, Li Yunxiu, Chen Haofei, and Cao Yang all came to congratulate him.

The Golden Lords of the Golden Area, Xie Lin, Yue Jing, and others, also made their appearances.

"Brother Luo! I can’t believe the rumors... that the renowned Luo Tian, number one on the Human List, is actually my friend!"

Chen Haofei couldn’t help but sigh, feeling as if he were in a dream.

Luo Tian and Chen Haofei had passed the Wu Mansion’s assessment together and entered the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion together.

At first, Chen Haofei had thought it would be extremely difficult for Luo Tian to even pass the Holy Mansion’s trials.

Now, less than half a year later, Luo Tian had soared to the heavens with unstoppable momentum, becoming number one on the Human List.

"You’re not doing badly yourself. You’re already a Silver Student."

Luo Tian smiled faintly.

After consuming the heart’s blood of the Jade Spirit Python, Chen Haofei’s foundation had greatly improved, making his cultivation path much smoother.

"Senior Jin!"

A series of gasps came from the crowd.

A Sunshine Student, Senior Jin, had personally arrived at Luo Tian’s residence.

Sunshine Students were the highest-ranking students in the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion, their status transcendent.

"Brother Luo, congratulations on reaching number one on the Human List. I owe you my thanks for your help during the trip to the Royal Secret Garden."

While congratulating him, Senior Jin also expressed his gratitude.

Without Luo Tian, he would have likely perished in the Royal Secret Garden, let alone found any further opportunities.

Once these words were spoken, the students present were all shaken.

Someone as strong as a Sunshine Student actually needed Luo Tian’s protection in the Royal Secret Garden.

In their view, the handsome youth wore a faint smile, unfazed by honor or disgrace. His pale black Dark Night Cloak fluttered in the wind, adding to his mystique.

"Brother Luo, staying in the Golden Area no longer suits your status."

Senior Jin teased before leaving.

Currently, Luo Tian was still a Golden Student.

"That’s right! Senior Luo needs to become a Sunshine Student as soon as possible."

Everyone present chimed in, agreeing.

No one doubted that Luo Tian could become a Sunshine Student.

"Mm, I’ll be challenging the Spirit Fighting Tower tomorrow."

Luo Tian nodded.

His current standing had already surpassed that of a Sunshine Student.

He wanted to challenge the Spirit Fighting Tower for two reasons.

First, Sunshine Students enjoyed the highest level of resources and cultivation support from the Holy Mansion and the Royal Family.

Second, Luo Tian planned to break through to the Spirit Sea Realm and wanted to use the Spirit Fighting Tower to temper his Essence, Qi, and Spirit and solidify his Realm.

Challenging the Spirit Fighting Tower was a preparatory step to polish himself before advancing to the Spirit Sea Realm.

「That night.」

Luo Tian sat cross-legged in cultivation. The surging True Qi from his nine Qi Veins flowed into his Dantian Qi Sea.

He currently possessed a Half-step Spirit Sea Cultivation.

Only by forming a Qi Sea Spiritual Vortex within his Qi Sea would he truly be in the Spirit Sea Realm.

After a night of refinement, the True Qi in Luo Tian’s Qi Sea grew vaster, purer, and flowed more smoothly.

...

「The next morning.」

Luo Tian headed straight for one of the Holy Mansion’s most important locations: the Spirit Fighting Tower.

"Hm?"

He couldn’t help but let out a soft sound of surprise.

A large crowd of students had gathered before the ten-story ancient tower.

Students from every circle—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—had come.

Even the only two remaining Sunshine Students, the Seventh Prince, Li Yao, and Senior Jin, had arrived.

"Senior Luo is here!"

In front of the Spirit Fighting Tower, the crowd cheered, the atmosphere electric.

At that moment, the countless gazes of fanatic admiration made Luo Tian a little uncomfortable.

"Brother Luo, everyone wants to witness you become a Sunshine Student."

The Golden Lord Xie Lin explained with a smile.

"I see."

Luo Tian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’So much fame has its downsides.’

At the same time, Luo Tian’s sharp senses detected Holy Mansion Mentors and high-level officials watching secretly from a distance.

「On a nearby cliff.」

Several of the Holy Mansion’s Elders and Mentors were gathered.

"Elder Lin, your student might just be able to pass the legendary Ninth-Layer."

Nangong Elder stroked his beard.

"It’s hard to say."

Lin Dongfeng didn’t dare to be certain.

The Spirit Fighting Tower had ten layers in total.

Passing the Fourth-Layer made one a Silver Student.

Passing the Sixth-Layer made one a Golden Student.

Passing the Eighth-Layer was a prerequisite to becoming a Sunshine Student.

As for the Ninth and tenth layers, they existed only in legends.

In the last hundred years, no student had managed to pass the Ninth-Layer.

As for the tenth layer, no one had passed it since the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion was founded.

"Luo Tian is about to challenge the tower!"

A wave of gasps and anticipation rippled through the crowd before the Spirit Fighting Tower.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Luo Tian strode toward the Spirit Fighting Tower.

At the same time, a handsome, slender youth also walked toward the Spirit Fighting Tower.

"Nangong Yu?"

The students looked on in astonishment.

’Is Nangong Yu trying to compete with Luo Tian?’

"I just want to understand how big the gap is between us."

Nangong Yu murmured, a trace of fighting spirit in his eyes.

"This Prince will also join the fun."

The Seventh Prince, Li Yao, smiled arrogantly and walked toward the Spirit Fighting Tower.

The students in attendance erupted, their expressions excited and filled with anticipation.

Li Yao was a veteran Sunshine Student, a genius in the top ten of the Human List.

Nangong Yu had already advanced to the Spirit Sea Realm and was conservatively estimated to have the combat strength of someone in the top fifteen of the Human List.

And then there was Luo Tian, number one on the Human List.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

The three of them entered the Spirit Fighting Tower at almost the same time.

BUZZ!

On the first layer of the Spirit Fighting Tower, three Array Light Rings lit up.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

In almost an instant, the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening Fighting Spirits before the three great geniuses were killed in a single blow and disintegrated.

Then, the first layer of the Spirit Fighting Tower dimmed, and the Second-Layer suddenly lit up.

Three more Array Light Rings appeared.

Luo Tian, Nangong Yu, and Li Yao faced Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer Fighting Spirits in their respective rings.

The result was the same—another instant kill.

VWOOM! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The layers of the Spirit Fighting Tower lit up at an astonishing speed, with almost no pause.

The first layer, Second-Layer, Third-Layer... Sixth-Layer.

In a matter of moments, the Spirit Fighting Tower lit up all the way to the Sixth-Layer.

On every layer, the opponents before the three were instantly killed.

"So fast!"

The many students outside were stunned.

Reaching the Sixth-Layer was enough to become a Golden Student, a dream for many.

But for Luo Tian and the other two, they passed with instant kills.

Not until the Seventh-Layer did the speed of the three challengers slow down, and a difference in their pace became apparent.

Seventh-Layer of the Spirit Fighting Tower.

Facing an armless young Martial Artist, a Half-step Spirit Sea Fighting Spirit whose strength was nearly at the Spirit Sea Realm.

"Heh, it’s been a while."

Luo Tian chuckled softly.

The last time he challenged the Spirit Fighting Tower, he had been stopped at the Seventh-Layer.

Back then, with only a Seventh Layer of Meridian Opening cultivation, he couldn’t defeat this Armless Fighting Spirit even with an eruption of his Divine Vein.

"Feel my terror!"

The armless youth’s voice was hoarse as he slashed out a chilling, gray blade edge, stabbing toward Luo Tian with a bizarre and astonishing speed.

"Break!"

Luo Tian sent out a simple palm strike, causing the Half-step Spirit Sea Armless Fighting Spirit to collapse.

An instant kill with a single palm strike!

Compared to last time, Luo Tian’s strength had increased by an unknown number of times.

WHOOSH!

A massive surge of Fighting Spirit Qi poured into Luo Tian’s body, refining the True Qi in his Qi Veins and Qi Sea.

The cool, sharp aura baptized even Luo Tian’s spirit.

On the other side, Nangong Yu and Li Yao quickly dealt with their Armless Fighting Spirits.

Nangong Yu was also cleansed by the Fighting Spirit Qi.

Li Yao had passed the Seventh-Layer before, so no Fighting Spirit Qi descended upon him.

He glanced at Luo Tian and Nangong Yu before being the first to step into the Eighth-Layer.

Before long, Luo Tian and Nangong Yu finished their baptism by the Fighting Spirit Qi and also entered the Eighth-Layer.

Eighth-Layer.

A grim man holding two swords appeared before them, clearly possessing a Spirit Sea Cultivation.

"Another overconfident junior has arrived."

The grim man’s twin swords swung out, creating a wave of crimson sword light more powerful than that of an ordinary Spirit Sea Realm First Layer cultivator.

Li Yao was currently locked in a fierce battle with another twin-sworded man.

Although he had entered first, he hadn’t finished the fight, which showed the difficulty of this layer.

Guiyuan Palm!

A cyan-jade luster flickered across Luo Tian’s body as he struck out with a palm containing tyrannical, immense force.

CLANG! CRACK!

The grim man couldn’t even block with his twin swords. He was sent flying by the palm strike, one of his arms breaking.

’What?’

Nangong Yu and Li Yao, who were in the middle of their own fights, were terrified.

The Fighting Spirit on the Eighth-Layer had strength comparable to the top fifteen on the Human List, and its survivability and Defense were on par with the top ten.

With their strength, they would need a fierce battle to win.

And yet, Luo Tian had crippled the grim man with a single, casual palm strike.

"Break!"

Luo Tian struck with a second palm. No matter how the grim man tried to dodge or block, he was crushed by the tyrannical Palm Force.

BOOM!

The Spirit Sea Realm grim man’s body shattered, turning into a vast amount of Fighting Spirit Qi that merged with Luo Tian.

Luo Tian closed his eyes, accepting the baptism of the Fighting Spirit Qi.

The True Qi in his Qi Sea was refined and polished, becoming more pure and well-rounded.

’Not bad.’

Luo Tian’s state was approaching Perfection.

He estimated that after passing one more layer, he would be in the perfect condition to break through to the Spirit Sea Realm.

Once the baptism was complete, Luo Tian took the lead and stepped into the Ninth-Layer of the Spirit Fighting Tower.

At this time, Nangong Yu and Li Yao’s battles were only just nearing their end, having heavily injured the grim man.

’Is this the gap between us?’

The expressions of Nangong Yu and Li Yao were grave.

Luo Tian had passed the Eighth-Layer as easily as lifting a hand or taking a step.

"Someone has reached the Ninth-Layer!"

Outside the Spirit Fighting Tower, the students cried out in alarm.

At the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion, the Ninth-Layer was considered legendary.

"I hope this layer won’t disappoint me."

Luo Tian stepped into the Array Light Ring of the Ninth-Layer.

The first eight layers had posed no challenge to his strength.

"Hee hee! An interesting little fellow has arrived!"

Inside the light ring, a dignified and beautiful woman in a palace gown appeared.

The woman’s eyes were like autumn waters, rippling with a clear, enchanting charm. Invisible, colorful light patterns swept toward Luo Tian.

’Hm?’

Luo Tian’s vision blurred, and a pure, icy young girl in a snow-white dress appeared before his eyes.

The icy girl had the exact appearance of Xia Bingyue.

The "Xia Bingyue" in his vision began to peel off her snowy clothes one by one, revealing a perfect, immortal body of icy muscle and jade bone, exuding limitless allure and temptation.

"Hmph!"

Luo Tian’s Spiritual Power was strong, and he was not bewitched. He struck out with a powerful and tyrannical palm.

PUFF!

The bewitching, fairy-like girl was blasted apart by the palm strike and vanished.

Then, a vast tide of Fighting Spirit Qi surged forward.

’Was it that simple?’

Luo Tian was greatly surprised, but he also felt that something was wrong.

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine and the hairs on his body stood on end.

"Hee hee, you’re so cruel..."

A slender, jade-like hand almost touched the back of Luo Tian’s neck.

The woman in the palace gown had appeared behind him in a bizarre fashion.