Chapter 1939 - 1525: Eerily Silent Star Innate Tower

At the instant she heard Zhou Mu say that, Gu Changsheng’s eyes flew wide in shock, and the very next moment, the light in them dimmed.

She knew she had lost.

Ever since her own evildoer had said that line—"even if it’s just to put him at ease"...

Playing the emotional card is the worst; Gu Changsheng admitted she had absolutely no resistance to it.

Finally, when Yuan Bao finished decocting the medicinal soup, Gu Changsheng, following the principle of "the sooner you die, the sooner you reincarnate," pinched her nose and downed it in one go.

Zhou Mu was thoroughly satisfied—Gu Changsheng had suffered Inner Strength injuries!

The taste of the soup spread in her mouth, so bitter it was unbearable; every bit of it reminded Gu Changsheng just how far she had fallen.

Gu Changsheng looked up at the Star Innate Tower, the stars no longer shining, the light inside dim to the extreme; her Phoenix Eyes narrowed slightly.

She’d never imagined she would suffer such grievous wounds inside the Star Innate Tower.

She’d already forgotten how long she’d been sailing with the wind at her back; this first time suffering injuries like this forced Gu Changsheng to put away her lofty, condescending arrogance and face the road ahead head-on...

She, Gu Changsheng, in the end had still failed to become a lone invincible.

In this world, there are still people stronger than her; there are still things that surpass her expectations.

"Pack up, we’re going to keep climbing the tower. If what Shi Wujue said is right, then Ta You must have run into trouble. Wasting time on recuperation now is way too luxurious." Gu Changsheng thought for a moment and still proposed this to Zhou Mu.

For some reason, after the Sixth Layer of the Star Innate Tower, Shi Wujue had become unusually silent; only Zhou Mu still cared about her as before, while he himself sank into speechless quiet, as if weighed down by some secret worry.

Gu Changsheng originally wanted to show some concern, but then remembered that even Shi Wujue had the right to keep his own little secrets, so she stifled that impulse.

With the starlight gone from the top of the tower, the light inside the Sixth Layer of the Star Innate Tower was greatly reduced. After taking her medicine and eating a bit of food, the group of some hundred people once more set foot on the path of climbing the tower.

This time, Gu Changsheng no longer laid a hand on the Luminous Pearls lining the spiral staircase. It wasn’t out of a sudden attack of conscience or a desire not to plunge the Star Innate Tower into complete darkness; rather, vaguely, Gu Changsheng felt that in this tower, hoarding wealth had stopped mattering. What she urgently wanted was to meet Ta You.

But where exactly that feeling came from, even Gu Changsheng herself couldn’t say for sure.

Because Gu Changsheng was injured and they were still in the Star Innate Tower; a Divine Soul Injury is different from a physical wound. Even Gu Changsheng, as a Doctor, was helpless—she could only wait until they left the tower to think of a way to treat it.

With no need to pry out the Luminous Pearls from the spiral stairs, the group didn’t lose much time. Zhou Mu carefully cradled Gu Changsheng in his arms, and the hundred-strong party once more set out on the road climbing the tower.

The Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower!

This was the first time that so many people had reached the front of the Seventh Layer’s gate.

More precisely, in the fifteen years since the Star Innate Tower was completed, aside from Ta You, even the chief of the Tashi Tribe had not been able to step in here.

This was Ta You’s Forbidden Land, a place no outsider had ever set foot in.

And now, Gu Changsheng and her party were openly standing right here.

"Put me down, you go clear the way." Gu Changsheng glanced at the listless Shi Wujue to the side and spoke to Zhou Mu, who was holding her.

Gu Changsheng knew what Zhou Mu was capable of. Even though the Star Innate Tower was bizarre and unpredictable, he still had the power to protect himself.

Of course, that was only because Gu Changsheng had already forgotten what they’d encountered on the Sixth Layer.

Hearing this, Zhou Mu did not delay. After a moment’s consideration, he set Gu Changsheng down beside Yuan Bao, then shot Yuan Bao a cold, heavy look, signaling that no matter what, he had to protect her. Then he walked toward the gate of the Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower...

Gu Changsheng was gravely injured; Zhou Mu’s heart felt like it was being cut by knives. As for the reason for Shi Wujue’s listless demeanor, Zhou Mu understood that perfectly as well. Only the two of them had chosen to keep the memories of the Ancient Wilderness Times; that meant only the two of them had chosen to face all the threats, to confront the fear and confusion buried deep in their hearts.

But who was Zhou Mu?

The Undefeated War God of the Great Zhou, a man who, aside from protecting Gu Changsheng, held no other thoughts in his heart.

He believed in himself more than he feared the unknown of those Ancient Wilderness Times.

His resolve to protect Gu Changsheng, his determination to stay by her side no matter what, was rock-solid, unshakable.

"Creak..."

The massive tower gate slowly opened under Zhou Mu’s hands; a cloud of dust drifted out, riding the grinding sound of the turning door.

By instinct, Zhou Mu braced the door with both hands, shielding the people behind him beneath his wings...

His Inner Strength had already recovered.

Looking over the Star Innate Tower, even Shi Wujue might not be his match.

He was already the only man capable of protecting the people behind him.

More precisely, the only one he had ever wanted to protect, from beginning to end, was just that one little woman he’d rather die than lose.

In the depths of his eyes, as dark as a Cold Pond, a slick gleam flashed by. A faint, almost imperceptible strand of black aura slowly seeped out from Zhou Mu’s body, probing toward the Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower...

This time, he had his full power at his disposal, no longer shackled by the Star Innate Tower!

Yet very soon, Zhou Mu’s brows furrowed tightly. His hands still remained braced across the tower gate, never loosening. Zhou Mu glanced at the gloomy Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower, then couldn’t help turning his head to look at the still languid Shi Wujue, and spoke in a deep voice, "Shi Wujue, what exactly has happened to Ta You in the end?"

"Hm?" Shi Wujue came back to himself at these words. He lifted that face of world‑shocking beauty, looked at Zhou Mu, his expression full of bewilderment and doubt.

"Inside the Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower, there’s no danger that this king can sense!" Zhou Mu gazed at Shi Wujue, pondered for a moment, then still opened his mouth.

He had unleashed his Inner Strength, yet within the Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower he couldn’t feel any hint of danger. No—more accurately, he couldn’t feel the slightest trace of life. The entire Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower seemed to have fallen into a deathly silence, utterly bereft of vitality!

"I don’t know. I only feel that the Star Innate Light of the Star Innate Tower is gone, as if the tower has lost its lifeforce. Ta You, who is fused as one with the Star Innate Tower, should logically have suffered heavy injuries and no longer be able to sustain the Star Innate Light! As for what problem he ran into, I don’t know either!" Shi Wujue thought for a moment, then still spoke. After that he strode forward a few steps to Zhou Mu’s side. The two of them stood together before the tower gate, trading a glance...

Within that single glance was a caution and wariness that only the two of them understood...

"We go in." They exchanged that look, and spoke almost in unison.

"Creak..."

The sound of the Star Innate Tower’s gate turning came again.

The Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower, its gate swung wide, everything laid bare before their eyes!

There were no Formations like those on the previous layers, and no attacks from savage beasts...

The Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower was eerily quiet...

The star at the tower’s summit was gone; the light was dim. As Gu Changsheng and the rest slowly stepped into the Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower, the glow of the Luminous Pearls gradually lit up this layer of the tower...

"This is way too ridiculous, isn’t it? How come there’s nothing at all on this layer of the Star Innate Tower?"

Gu Changsheng, who had been under Yuan Bao’s protection, had already been taken over by Zhou Mu. She was leaning sideways in the arms of her own evildoer. Gu Changsheng’s face was still pale as snow, her spirit somewhat depleted, yet she still blinked her large eyes, cautiously sweeping her gaze around...

The Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower was far too quiet...

They hadn’t encountered anything at all; only the spiraling staircase in the Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower, inlaid with Luminous Pearls, stood quietly at the very center...

No Formations, and no attacks from beasts...

The silence of this Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower made everyone’s hearts clench tight...

Gu Changsheng’s brows furrowed as well!

Having undergone the baptism of the first six layers of the Star Innate Tower, Gu Changsheng certainly wasn’t naïve enough to think that Ta You would kindly revoke the trials of the last three layers of the Star Innate Tower, just handing them over for free and letting them pass in peace!

Yet the reality was right before their eyes: in the Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower there truly wasn’t the slightest attack present. Everything was so quietly bizarre, as if it had lost all drive and vitality!

"This makes no sense. Don’t tell me that bastard Ta You suddenly grew a conscience?" Gu Changsheng could be said to grit her teeth at the mention of Ta You. Leaving aside how many lives his Star Innate Tower trials had bloodlessly claimed, just her own injuries alone were enough for Gu Changsheng to hold a grudge against Ta You for seven or eight hundred years!

Yes, Gu Changsheng was a very petty, very vindictive woman!

If someone hurt her one point, she would repay them tenfold!

Of course, after learning how formidable Ta You was, Gu Changsheng’s desire for revenge did shrink just a little. But that still didn’t stop Gu Changsheng from talking big behind Ta You’s back!

Shi Wujue heard Gu Changsheng’s words and turned to glance at her. In the narrow length of his Phoenix Eyes, a hint of thoughtful meaning flickered...

He remembered everything!

He remembered everything that had happened in the Sixth Layer of the Star Innate Tower!

What was it that made Ta You give up on blocking their path of ascending the tower?

It shouldn’t be possible!

After setting up all the earlier trials, how could Ta You, when they were close to the tower summit, suddenly open a convenient path for them?

"Ta You really has met with trouble." This time, Shi Wujue’s tone was utterly certain.

But then, what trouble could Ta You possibly run into?

He was such a powerful existence. Although his Phantom looked so frail and slight whenever it appeared, his status and his strength were far too impossible to ignore!

"Look down at your feet." Just as everyone stood in the Seventh Layer of the Star Innate Tower, tiptoeing with such caution that they didn’t dare take a single step lightly, Zhou Mu’s low voice sounded by their ears.

Leaning against Zhou Mu’s chest, the instant Gu Changsheng heard these words she lowered her head and looked toward her own feet...

Just one glance!

With just that one glance, Gu Changsheng was scared by the scene before her eyes...