Chapter 506: The Perilous Ancient Tower of the Forbidden Land

At the edge of Tianji Shengyu, inside the council hall of Lihu City, the figures of Heifeng and Huang Daxian appeared before everyone.

They had just escaped the turmoil of Taiyin Shengdi, bringing a shocking news: in the Netherworld Abyss, a mysterious ancient tower slowly rose under a rare sun-and-moon conjunction, emanating a terrifying power.

Tiger King, Peng King, Demon Master Longling and other senior officials of Lihu City gathered, their eyes fixed on Heifeng and Huang Daxian, sensing that the two were deeply wary of the mysterious ancient tower.

"Everyone, that ancient tower is no ordinary thing." Heifeng's voice was low, his eyes showing a hint of solemnity: "Its power can easily tear apart our defenses; any cultivator who approaches it meets misfortune."

Huang Daxian nodded and added: "I have personally witnessed the terror of the ancient tower's spirits. That dreadful existence seems born for slaughter and destruction; before it, cultivators are as insignificant as ants."

The atmosphere in the hall became unusually heavy, and everyone could feel the weight of Heifeng and Huang Daxian's words.

Tiger King furrowed his brows, looking solemnly at Demon Master Longling, "Please advise, Demon Master, whether we should organize personnel to explore the ancient tower."

"Opportunities are certainly important, but we cannot risk the lives of Earth cultivators for adventure."

"The ancient tower is perilous; Earth cultivators hardly have any strong ones at the Sky Spirit level—they are the elite of Earth. If anything goes wrong, the loss would be heavy." Upon hearing this, Peng King shook his head and immediately retorted.

Demon Master Longling stood by the window, watching the goose-feather snow fall in Tianji Shengyu, feeling a bad premonition.

He turned his body, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: "The interior of the ancient tower is definitely not as simple as a tower."

"I suspect that other spirits may be hidden inside, with perhaps even greater terror."

Everyone's faces grew even grimmer; they were veterans who had weathered countless storms, yet the appearance of the ancient tower left them with lingering fear.

"Demon Master, do you mean the ancient tower might be a trap?" asked the Black Dragon Clan Chief, his voice trembling slightly.

Demon Master Longling nodded, a glint flashing in his eyes: "I cannot rule out this possibility; the tower's sudden appearance and immense power suggest a great conspiracy behind it."

The hall fell into silence; everyone pondered the tower's secrets and possible consequences. The decision to explore the ancient tower concerned everyone's fortunes, and even more the future of Earth cultivators in Lihu City.

"No matter what is hidden within the ancient tower, we cannot sit and wait for doom."

"We must take action; otherwise, once the tower's secret is seized by other forces, the Earth faction will be in extreme passivity." Huang Daxian stood up, speaking with firm and powerful eyes.

Tiger King also rose, his voice carrying a hint of resolve: "I agree with Huang Daxian's view; the tower's secret must be grasped in our hands, even if we must pay a price, it is worth it."

Tiger King and Peng King exchanged a glance, knowing this decision would affect countless cultivators' lives, yet they also understood that if they did not act, Lihu City would forever lose this opportunity.

"Then it's decided." Tiger King said firmly: "I will immediately organize an elite team to investigate the ancient tower, and at the same time let all participants volunteer."

Peng King nodded and added: "We must ensure the safety of every Earth cultivator; if necessary, we can let some subdued Huanyu cultivators take their place."

Demon Master Longling's gaze turned once more to the window, where goose-feather snow swirled, seemingly foretelling the coming storm. His voice low and powerful: "The tower's secret must be revealed; we must make thorough preparations."

With the decision made, the cultivators of Lihu City began to act.

Only by facing challenges can one gain true growth.

In the following days, the council hall of Lihu City was brightly lit as cultivators day and night gathered information about the ancient tower in Tianji Shengyu, analyzing the power of its spirits and possible weaknesses.

In Lihu City, Tiger King also began selecting elite cultivators from among the city's Earth cultivators—those who had endured countless battles, possessing rich experience and great strength.

They were informed of the tower's danger, yet each person accepted the task without hesitation, for the future development of Earth cultivators throughout Tianji Shengyu.

"Ong-long-long..."

？？？？？

At the center of Lihu City, enormous mysterious runes were inlaid upon hard stone slabs.

This teleportation array has endured countless ages, witnessing the comings and goings of countless heroes.

With the activation of the teleportation array, the entire Lihu City could feel a subtle fluctuation of spiritual power.

Around the teleportation array, the spiritual power in the air began to stir, as if summoned by some mysterious force, converging upon the array.

At the center of the teleportation array, a complex diagram began to emit a faint light, which gradually brightened, eventually forming a vortex of light.

Within the vortex, multicolored lights intertwined, as if forming a gateway to another world.

As the light intensified, the teleportation array began to emit a low humming sound, reminiscent of an ancient incantation or the resonance of distant stars.

The ground began to tremble slightly, as if the whole city were preparing for the impending teleportation.

Suddenly, a blinding light burst from the teleportation array, shooting straight to the heavens and bathing the entire Lihu City in daylight.

This light was so intense that people had to shield their eyes with their hands to avoid being burned by the holy radiance.

Within this light, the array's diagram began to spin, accelerating until it became a light ring impossible to catch with the naked eye.

At the center of this light ring, a stable spatial gateway slowly opened.

With the spatial gateway fully opened, the activation of the teleportation array reached its climax.

An intangible force surged from the gateway, carrying an ancient and mysterious aura that inspired reverence; it is the bridge linking two spatial nodes.

The cultivators of Lihu City gathered in the square, as Demon Master Longling stood on a platform and issued orders.

In the cultivators' eyes flashed a determined light; they raised their weapons and let out a earth-shaking shout.

Arduous battle is also their duty and mission.

When the first ray of sunlight pierced the clouds and illuminated Lihu City's square, the cultivators who had signed up to explore the ancient tower stepped into the teleportation array one after another.

They wore neat battle armor, held sharp weapons, and their bodies surged with boundless chill and menace.

Demon Master Longling, Tiger King, Peng King, Heifeng, and Huang Daxian stood at the front of the troop, gazing toward the distant ancient tower, their hearts filled with anticipation and tension.

As the cultivator troop set out on their journey, their silhouettes gradually faded into the wind and snow.

As the cultivators of Lihu City emerged from the void hollow, the outline of the ancient tower gradually became clear.

It stood at the center of the Netherworld Abyss, its body flowing with eerie runes, emanating a power that made hearts tremble.

The air around the ancient tower was thick with a suffocating aura, as if countless pairs of eyes lurked in the darkness, watching them.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble, and an icy-cold aura surged from the ancient tower, causing the cultivators' faces to change. Under the leadership of Huang Daxian and Heifeng, they swiftly laid out defensive formations, preparing for any possible change.

Boom—

The ancient tower's gate slowly opened, a powerful aura pouring from within, accompanied by low, deep roars.

Soon after, that huge figure reappeared in everyone's sight, its form blurred, yet its heavens‑shaking bloodthirsty aura filled all beings with deep fear.

With a casual swing of the ancient tower spirit's frost‑giant axe, a massive frost storm surged toward the cultivators.

Wherever the storm passed, everything was frozen, even the air seeming to solidify.

The cultivators immediately launched a counterattack, their spells and magical artifacts raining down like droplets on the ancient tower's spirit, but all their attacks sank like a stone in the sea, utterly unable to inflict any harm.

Huang Daxian's face grew grave; the ancient tower's spirit's power seemed boundless, each of its attacks making the cultivators feel immense pressure.

Just then, Huang Daxian suddenly noticed an abnormality in the ancient tower's spirit: whenever it attacked, a certain rune on its body would flash with different light.

Huang Daxian immediately reported this discovery to the Demon Master Longling.

The Demon Master Longling's eyes lit up; he at once commanded the cultivators to concentrate fire and strike that rune.

The cultivators quickly changed tactics, their attacks pouring down like a violent rain upon that rune.

"Boom—"

Finally, after wave after wave of violent, fierce attacks, the rune emitted a crisp sound and then shattered.

The ancient tower's spirit let out a painful roar, its body beginning to destabilize, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Seeing this, the Demon Master Longling immediately ordered the cultivators to intensify their attack; upon seeing it, the cultivators' spirits were lifted, and their attacks grew even more fierce.

Under the cultivators' continuous assault, the runes on the ancient tower's spirit shattered one after another, and its power began to rapidly wane.

Finally, in a earth‑shaking roar, the ancient tower's spirit collapsed completely, turning into countless ice crystals that scattered in the air.

The cultivators present cheered, their faces filled with joy and excitement.

Longling, Huang Daxian, and the others breathed a sigh of relief, smiles appearing on their faces.

With the ancient tower's spirit gone, the tower's great doors closed once more, and that icy aura gradually faded away.

However, no one noticed that, at the same moment, the powerful ones of all major forces had already broken through the forbidden land's formations and perilous obstacles, arriving near the ancient tower.

The cultivators of the Heaven Slaughter Sect wore black armor, seeming like emissaries from hell, their bodies exuding a suffocating killing aura.

Their eyes held no emotion, only endless coldness and bloodlust; the Sect Leader was a tall, stern‑looking middle‑aged man, wielding a huge black scythe, marching at the front of the ranks, his gaze locked on the ancient tower as if to devour it.

After the Heaven Slaughter Sect's powerhouses arrived, heavenly words rained down, rainbows filled the sky, and the female cultivators of the Nebulous Void Palace donned plain white robes, resembling fairies descending from heaven.

Yet in their hands they gripped sharp blades, their eyes flashing with determined light.

The Palace Master of the Nebulous Void Palace was a young woman of transcendent grace and peerless beauty, holding a long sword that emitted a faint glow, her eyes extremely cold.

"How could the Blood Shadows be missing!"

Just as the Spiritual Ruins Palace appeared, a booming voice echoed through space; the cultivators of the Blood Shadow Gate wore blood‑red battle robes, their faces hideous masks, seeming like demons walked out of hell.

Their bodies gave off a strong smell of blood, as if they had just stepped out of a slaughter.

A gaunt old man with sinister eyes, holding a blood‑red long blade, his gaze sweeping back and forth over the ancient tower, was precisely the Gate Master of the Blood Shadow Gate.

Thereafter, cultivators from all major forces arrived one after another, the atmosphere of the forbidden land grew ever more tense and oppressive, the already gloomy forbidden land becoming even more terrifying.

Their gazes all focused on the ancient tower, their eyes flashing with greed and vigilance.

Within the ancient tower must lie tremendous fortune, yet at the same time it is full of the unknown and peril.

The space around the ancient tower seemed compressed, becoming unusually heavy; auras collided in the air, forming powerful currents that blew away the surrounding wind and snow.

These cultivators' blood and qi surged throughout their bodies; obviously, they had endured terrifying great battles to reach this place.

The mighty ones gazed upon the ancient tower before them, emanating a mysterious aura, their eyes flashing with greed and vigilance.

The ancient tower's great doors stood shut, as if hiding endless secrets and treasures, awaiting the opening by those fated.

Finally, someone stepped forward, his voice booming: "Friends, since we have already come here, we cannot retreat any further.

"Inside the ancient tower must lie tremendous fortune. We should join forces to open the tower; what lies within, each according to ability, shall be seized!"

No sooner were these words spoken than they met with universal assent; these powerhouses were the elites of their respective forces, each possessing great strength and ambition, naturally unwilling to let this opportunity slip.

"Good, that's settled!" a faction leader declared loudly, "Let us join hands to break the tower's seal and seize its treasures!"

With everyone's agreement, an unprecedented assault began.

Countless spells and magical artifacts were unleashed, pouring down like a violent rain upon the ancient tower.

The entire forbidden land trembled under this assault, the earth quaking, the sky changing hue.

Under such fierce assault, the ancient tower at last showed signs of loosening; the runes on its body began to flash, emitting dazzling beams of light, as if resisting the outside invasion.

Yet the powerhouses' attack did not cease; instead it grew ever more fierce, their strikes like waves, one after another, incessantly pounding the tower's defenses.

Finally, in a earth‑shaking roar, the ancient tower's great doors slowly opened, a mighty aura pouring out from within.

Thereafter, countless figures emerged from the ancient tower, clad in ancient armor, wielding weapons mottled with rust, their eyes flashing with an eerie green light.

These are the Yin Soldiers of the ancient tower, their very existence seemingly for battle and slaughter, making the whole scene even grander and terrifying.

The Yin Soldiers were countless, surging forth like a tide from the ancient tower, engaging the powerhouses in fierce combat.

The Yin Soldiers' strength should not be underestimated; their movements swift and savage, each attack bearing a cold breath of death.

The powerhouses were caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the Yin Soldiers, forced to temporarily halt their assault on the tower and instead confront these terrifying foes.

For a time, the entire forbidden land became a vast battlefield, the light of spells and the clang of weapons echoing to the heavens.

Longling, Huang Daxian, and the others also joined the battle, their great strength enabling each blow to repel several Yin Soldiers.

Yet the Yin Soldiers were simply too many, like an endless tide, imposing tremendous pressure on the powerhouses.

As the battle wore on, the powerhouses began to feel fatigue; though their spells and artifacts were mighty, under the Yin Soldiers' relentless onslaught they too began to show signs of depletion.

"Boom—"

Just then, another anomaly arose within the ancient tower: a yet stronger aura surged forth from within, followed by a more terrifying figure slowly stepping out.

This was a towering Yin Soldier Commander, his frame more massive than ordinary Yin Soldiers, his eyes flashing with crimson light.

The appearance of the Yin Soldier Commander made the battlefield's atmosphere even more tense; his power far surpassed that of ordinary Yin Soldiers, each blow easily rending the powerhouses' defenses, filling them with an unprecedented threat.

The cultivators of all major forces could not sit still either, their faces growing grave; the situation on the battlefield was extremely unfavorable to them.

"We must join forces to deal with this Yin Soldier Commander!" a sect chief shouted loudly, "Only by defeating him can we hope to overcome these Yin Soldiers!"

Hearing this, everyone immediately responded, consciously closing in on the Yin Soldier Commander, surrounding him in the middle; various spells and artifacts were unleashed, forming a powerful net of attack that trapped the Yin Soldier Commander within.

The Yin Soldier Commander let out a roar, his body suddenly erupting with mighty force, bouncing off all the surrounding attacks.

Thereafter, he brandished his huge sword and launched a fierce counterattack against the powerhouses.

However, the strong ones did not retreat; the battle continued for a long time, both sides paid a heavy price, and although the Yin Soldier Commander was powerful, under the combined attack of the strong ones, their body also began to show signs of damage.

Finally, after a fierce attack, the Yin Soldier Commander's body was completely shattered, turning into countless Yin Qi that dissipated in the air.

As the Yin Soldier Commander fell, the Yin soldiers' offensive also began to weaken, and was finally suppressed successfully by the strong ones.

As the Yin soldiers retreated, that chilling aura also gradually dissipated……

Seeing this, the strong ones of the major forces all seized the opportunity and surged into the interior of the ancient pagoda like a tide.

Their eyes gleamed with greed and vigilance, each hoping to obtain a precious opportunity within the ancient pagoda.

However, the calm inside the ancient pagoda was only temporary; soon, fierce fighting sounds erupted again inside.

The interior of the ancient pagoda was filled with various mechanisms and traps, which not only tested the intruders' combat skills but also their wisdom and reaction speed.

Some cultivators, while exploring, inadvertently triggered a mechanism, causing a chain reaction that resulted in considerable chaos and injury.

Moreover, the Yin soldiers were not completely eliminated; they regrouped in the depths of the ancient pagoda and launched a counterattack against the intruders, these Yin soldiers seemingly empowered by the ancient pagoda's power, becoming stronger and more ferocious.

Besides the danger inherent in the ancient pagoda itself, the struggles among the major forces also made the situation more complex; some forces tried to monopolize the treasures within the ancient pagoda, leading to conflicts with other forces, and driven by interests, former allies turned against each other.

「Rumble—」

The mysterious power within the ancient pagoda also seemed to be awakened; some cultivators felt that the aura inside the ancient pagoda had become more violent and unstable, as if some powerful existence were about to awaken.