Chapter 290: The Sixth Floor! (Second Update)

Tuanzi nodded vigorously.

Chu Liuyue: "..."

This was already the fourth floor; only fourth-stage martial artists could ascend here.

She looked around; it was empty.

Within the entire academy, the number of students who had reached the strength of a fourth-stage martial artist would not exceed ten. And as for those who had reached the fifth stage...

There wasn't a single one!

Chu Ning was also a fifth-stage martial artist. A cultivator who could reach this level could basically be considered a powerhouse in the entire Yaochen Kingdom.

It was easy to guess that there would likely be no one above these five floors.

For the moment, it would also be difficult to figure out exactly how Tuanzi had passed through the floor barriers so easily.

What Chu Liuyue was most worried about now was actually something else.

—By ascending so silently like this, would they alert Elder Wei Yun, who guarded the Nine Serenity Tower?

The Nine Serenity Tower was extremely important to Tianlu Academy. If any commotion were actually caused and discovered, it would be difficult for her to explain herself.

Seeing Chu Liuyue standing there in deep thought, seemingly having no intention of continuing upward, Tuanzi grew impatient, turned around, and headed straight for the fifth floor!

Chu Liuyue’s brow furrowed slightly as she watched Tuanzi fly toward the barrier of the fifth floor.

Although there was still some distance, Chu Liuyue could clearly feel the pressure emanating from it, which was many times stronger than that of the fourth floor.

Perhaps the pressure of the fifth floor could stop Tuanzi?

If the Nine Serenity Tower were truly that easy to climb, it wouldn't make sense, would it?

Thinking of this, Chu Liuyue felt slightly more at ease and stood her ground, watching quietly.

But soon, her fantasy was shattered.

That powerful barrier provided no obstruction to Tuanzi whatsoever!

She passed through it effortlessly, as if entering an uninhabited realm!

Watching Tuanzi wagging her tail happily at her, Chu Liuyue fell silent for a long while.

It seemed she had still underestimated this blood mink she had picked up on a whim...

After hesitating for a long time, Chu Liuyue took a deep breath and finally decided to follow Tuanzi further up!

Since things had already come to this, she also wanted to see exactly what it was that had attracted Tuanzi upward!

In truth, she also wanted to clear up another matter.

—When she had first come to the Nine Serenity Tower and pushed open the doors, the ferocious beasts carved upon the gates had seemed to come to life!

And after she began cultivating here, she had heard those eerie sounds more than once.

Although she still didn't know exactly what kind of demonic beast was imprisoned beneath this Nine Serenity Tower, one thing Chu Liuyue was certain of—that demonic beast was specifically targeting her!

With this thought, her mind was made up, and she reached out her hand before the barrier.

Tuanzi immediately hugged her hand joyfully, leading her easily across the barrier!

Looking at the lively Tuanzi and her own unscathed body, Chu Liuyue pursed her lips and looked upward.

The stairs spiraled upward, leading straight to the very top.

However, the barriers present on each floor were like layers of mist, obscuring everything so that nothing could be seen clearly.

A question suddenly flashed through Chu Liuyue's mind

Since only fifth-stage martial artists could reach the fifth floor, did the topmost floors follow the same rules?

For example, could only seventh-stage martial artists reach the seventh floor?

But outside the Sky Curtain Realm, there were simply no cultivators capable of breaking through to that level!

If that were truly the case, then what was the purpose of the topmost floors of this Nine Serenity Tower?

One must know that in the entire Yaochen Kingdom, the strongest were only at the peak of the fifth stage! There weren't even any sixth-stage martial artists!

In other words, with the Nine Serenity Tower standing here, people could, at most, reach the fifth floor.

Who exactly had placed such a powerful Nine Serenity Tower here?

Chu Liuyue remembered that when she first arrived at the academy, Bai Chen had specifically introduced the Nine Serenity Tower.

But at that time, he had only mentioned that beneath the Nine Serenity Tower lay the Tianyuan Blessed Cave, so the concentration of Origin Power within the tower was much better than the outside world.

He hadn't said much more.

The reason Chu Liuyue had wanted to enroll in Tianlu Academy in the first place was largely because of this Nine Serenity Tower.

But only now did she feel that too many secrets seemed to be buried within the Nine Serenity Tower.

She looked at Tuanzi

"Continue?"

When Chu Liuyue entered the Nine Serenity Tower and broke through the fifth-floor barrier, Rong Xiu had just returned to Yifeng Courtyard from the Prince Li Mansion.

Yan Qing followed closely behind, quickly reporting the day's events to Rong Xiu.

Rong Xiu lay down on a rattan chair, his expression calm, showing neither joy nor anger.

"Has the time been set?"

Yan Qing bowed and said

"Not yet. Based on Vice General Mu's meaning, it seems he intends to stay here for a while longer. Furthermore, it seems he plans to conduct more assessments on Miss Liuyue; only after she passes everything will he take Miss Liuyue to the Tianling Empire."

The corners of Rong Xiu's mouth curled slightly in a half-smile.

"Of course he won't return immediately."

Mu Qing had other urgent matters to attend to by coming here.

"Tell me, did she take the initiative to claim she was from the Earth Meridian Original Vein?"

Rong Xiu asked indifferently.

Yan Qing lowered his head and said respectfully

"Yes."

Rong Xiu fell silent for a moment, his fingers interlaced, his gaze deepening.

"It seems she really does want to go."

Yan Qing sensed that his master's aura was somewhat off. After a moment of hesitation, he said

"For the people of the Yaochen Kingdom, being able to go to the Tianling Empire is a great opportunity. It is only natural that Miss Liuyue wants to go. Besides, Miss Liuyue is inherently exceptionally talented; it would be a true waste for her to remain here."

Rong Xiu gently closed his eyes.

He knew all of this, of course, but...

What he cared about in his heart was something else...

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and stood up, looking toward the direction of the Nine Serenity Tower!

Yan Qing was startled

"Master, what is it?"

Rong Xiu's sword-like brows furrowed slightly.

"Someone has broken into the sixth floor of the Nine Serenity Tower!"

Yan Qing was filled with shock!

The sixth floor of the Nine Serenity Tower—wasn't that only accessible to sixth-stage martial artists!?

Never mind this Tianlu Academy; even in the entire Imperial Capital, no one could achieve that, could they?!

"Master, could it be those—"

Before Yan Qing could finish his sentence, Rong Xiu raised his hand, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly.

"No."

That aura... he felt it was very familiar.

It was her!

His expression changed slightly, and he immediately headed toward the Nine Serenity Tower!

Why did she have to enter the Nine Serenity Tower at this exact moment!?

On the other side, Chu Liuyue looked back, still somewhat unable to believe that she had actually reached the sixth floor just like that!

With Tuanzi leading the way, she had faced almost no obstruction!

If she hadn't experienced it personally, Chu Liuyue would never have believed that she would ascend to these topmost floors of the Nine Serenity Tower in such a manner!

She looked around; as expected, it was empty.

The space here was much smaller than the first floor, but the concentration of Origin Power was stronger.

If one were to cultivate here, it would certainly yield twice the result with half the effort.

But similarly, the various impurities mixed within this abundant Origin Power would also make people hesitate.

Yet, she still found no trace of that demonic beast here.

Chu Liuyue took a deep breath and looked upward.

Could it be even higher up!?