"As expected, the spirit pressure here can nourish the Spirit Fruit seeds much faster. It seems there's hope to save Eggie." Chu Feng sat cross-legged on the sixth level, gazing at the Spirit Fruit seeds in his palm that were undergoing a transformation, his heart brimming with joy.
Because the seeds, compared to when he first started, were now vastly different. Chu Feng could sense the immense spiritual energy contained within them, and it was still increasing at a dramatic rate.
Seeing hope gave Chu Feng direction, but he knew nurturing these three Spirit Fruit seeds into mature Spirit Fruits would still require a considerable amount of time.
Inside the Asura Ghost Tower, while the level one reached determined their mental strength and talent, the duration of their stay was also a metric of evaluation.
On the night of the examination, many people couldn't hold on and fled out from the first level, the Spirit Fruit seeds in their hands showing not a single change.
After the first day, almost everyone from the first and second levels had left. The majority of their Spirit Fruit seeds had sprouted; some even had leaves growing. Such seeds had greatly increased in value, and more importantly, they proved their owners' capabilities.
By the second day, even the people from the third level had all come down. And as soon as the Spirit World Guild members from the third level exited, they were immediately summoned into the palace.
This was because both the Jie Clan members and the Spirit World Guild elders were eager to discover the identity of the third person who had ascended to the fourth level.
"You're saying the third person to reach the fourth level is neither from our Spirit World Guild nor the Jie Clan? He's an outsider?" Elder Li of the Spirit World Guild was shocked upon hearing this answer.
"Do you know where this boy comes from, and what is his name?" Elder Li continued to ask.
"His name is Chu Feng. Though I don't know where he's from, he was very protective of our Spirit World Guild members."
"On the third level, the Jie Clan members activated the invisible formation, trying to suppress us and prevent us from climbing higher. If Chu Feng hadn't helped, we might not have made it out alive," a young girl answered sharply, glancing viciously at the three Jie Clan elders as she spoke.
"Nonsense! The ones gravely injured are our Jie Clan members! How dare you slander them!" Before Elder Li could respond, a Jie Clan elder erupted in fury.
"The truth will be investigated by the Spirit World Guild once the examination concludes. However, right now, I'm more concerned with how long the three still inside the tower can last. Will any of them manage to bring down a mature Spirit Fruit?" Elder Li said, turning his gaze toward the Asura Ghost Tower.
"Hmph." The Jie Clan elders snorted coldly but said nothing more. After all, what concerned them most at this moment was how long the three inside could endure, who exactly was on the fourth level, who was on the fifth, and who was at the very top.
On the third day, the blue light on the fourth level began to move. Shortly after, the entrance to the Asura Ghost Tower, which had been calm for an entire day, finally rippled.
At this moment, all eyes focused there. Everyone believed that the person who had stayed on the fourth level for three full days was likely that Chu Feng.
Although this person was neither from the Spirit World Guild nor the Jie Clan, people were still eager to see Chu Feng's true face. After all, anyone who could reach the fourth level could be considered a genius.
"Buzz." However, when the barrier rippled and a figure stepped out, everyone was stunned, especially the three Jie Clan elders, who stood with mouths agape, faces full of shock.
Because the person standing outside the Asura Ghost Tower at that moment was not Chu Feng, nor Gu Bo. It was Jie Bufan, whom the Jie Clan had been confident would reach the very top.
"How can this be? It's Young Master Jie Bufan of our clan! With the Thorn Armor on him, how could he only climb to the fourth level?" The Jie Clan members looked ashen, unable to accept this reality.
Jie Bufan's face was also grim. Without a word, he turned and strode away quickly. He obviously couldn't tell everyone that he had been threatened by Chu Feng into staying only on the fourth level. Such a thing, if spoken aloud, would not only lose him face but also disgrace the entire Jie Clan.
"Three elders, it seems your clan's treasure didn't quite do the trick, haha." The Spirit World Guild elders were in excellent spirits.
"You..." The Jie Clan elders were flushed with rage, their faces turning blue. They wanted to retort but ultimately couldn't form the words. After all, they had boasted too confidently before, and now they had no way to avoid this slap in the face.
Currently, in contrast to the Jie Clan's dejection, the Spirit World Guild members were jubilant. Since Jie Bufan was out, they all felt that the one at the top was likely their own Gu Bo.
However, on the afternoon of the third day, the blue dot on the fifth level moved and vanished. When it finally emerged from the Asura Ghost Tower, the expressions on the Spirit World Guild members' faces turned complicated, and even the Jie Clan was greatly surprised.
Because Gu Bo's appearance revealed the answer to everyone: the person who had reached the summit was neither from the Jie Clan nor the Spirit World Guild, but a youth named Chu Feng.
"He really succeeded!"
Gu Bo stood at the base of the tower, looking up at the blue light on the sixth level, his heart churning with emotion. Though he had witnessed Chu Feng's extraordinary abilities, seeing him actually reach the top still filled him with indescribable excitement.
"Gu Bo." Suddenly, a voice called from behind. Gu Bo turned and was startled to see Elder Li, a top powerhouse of the Spirit World Guild.
"Elder Li, why have you come down?" Gu Bo asked in surprise.
"Heh, you've seen this Chu Feng?" Elder Li asked with a smile.
"He is indeed remarkable. At the fifth level, he was unaffected by the spirit pressure. I just didn't expect him to truly reach the top," Gu Bo replied.
"Mm, he is remarkable. I fear he's another formidable figure!" Elder Li nodded, then looked meaningfully toward the sixth level.
"Elder Li, it's just that Chu Feng has a conflict with the Jie Clan..."
"No need to say more. No matter what, our Spirit World Guild will protect this Chu Feng. Such a talent must be won over to our side." Elder Li waved his hand dismissively and began walking toward the palace. A look of relief finally surfaced on Gu Bo's face.
Meanwhile, Chu Feng, on the sixth level, had already risen to his feet. Looking at the three dark green Spirit Fruits in his palm, he felt an excitement beyond words. He could sense the incredibly potent spiritual energy they contained. If this energy was effective, it would surely be enough to save Eggie.
"This feeling..." But suddenly, Chu Feng's expression changed drastically. He sensed something amiss.
He hurriedly stood up, took out the Spirit Realm Compass, and poured his mental power into it. All the needles on the compass instantly pointed upward.
After observing carefully with his mental power, Chu Feng's eyes lit up. He exclaimed in shock, "Could it be... there's a seventh level?"