"You will now enter the Heavenly Dao Tower. There are no rules inside. You may fight each other or help one another. As long as you reach the fifth floor, you pass the first trial," the white-haired elder at the front shouted. "If you climb higher, your score will increase exponentially with each floor."
"We understand!" over a hundred people responded in unison.
The next moment, the elder waved his hand, and the first-floor gate of the Heavenly Dao Tower slowly opened.
A hundred people marched into the tower.
As soon as they stepped in, they were hit with an intense pressure and rebound force.
Some people were caught off guard and were immediately thrown out by the rebound force.
"One thousand times gravity," Xu Zimo calmly remarked, feeling the effect on his body.
This gravity was calibrated based on each person’s cultivation level. No matter how strong you were, you couldn’t escape its pull.
Everyone felt as if their legs were filled with lead, exceptionally heavy.
"I suggest no one fight for now," said a man in a green robe who stepped forward. "Let’s work together to reach the fifth floor first. My name is Zhang Chou, Holy Son of the Seven Emotions Sacred Ground."
"Ah, the Saint of Emotion," someone murmured in admiration. "I’ve never met him before, but his deeds are well known. It’s said his tune 'Parting Sorrow' makes all beings weep. I recommend he lead us, for now, let’s just make it to the fifth floor."
People began to express agreement.
Zhang Chou smiled and said, "I’ve studied the Heavenly Dao Tower a bit. If you’re willing, I’ll do my part."
His suggestion was accepted by part of the group. But some were too proud to follow anyone.
"This tower’s difficulty increases drastically with each floor. It’s as hard as reaching the heavens," Zhang Chou explained. "The first floor is thousand-fold gravity, you all feel it. The second floor is the True Solar Fire."
The crowd, half-skeptical, trudged their way up under the crushing weight.
Xu Zimo didn’t find it too difficult. He glanced at the gray-robed youth who had entered with them, the youth also climbed effortlessly, completely unaffected by the gravity.
The moment they passed through the spatial gate into the second floor, a wave of searing heat surged toward them.
And this was not ordinary heat, it burned directly into the soul.
Looking around, the entire second floor was engulfed in blazing solar flames. Just the sight made people’s scalps tingle.
To pass this floor, they had to walk directly into the True Solar Fire. If they failed, they would be reduced to ashes in an instant.
"Legend says the Flame Ancestor of Heavenly Dao Academy once cultivated the Great Sun Mantra and summoned this True Solar Fire. It remains here in the tower, unique in the world," Zhang Chou said. "Everyone, know your limits. If you’re not confident, don’t go in, you’ll die."
As he finished speaking, the gray-robed youth calmly walked straight into the flames.
No aura surrounded him, he looked completely ordinary. The flames roared around him, but he ignored them and walked in silently.
"This guy…" Monk Great Wisdom muttered beside Xu Zimo.
"What do you think?" Xu Zimo asked.
"It’s hard and not hard," Xu Zimo smiled and stepped in right after him.
Seeing Xu Zimo come out unharmed, some others cautiously tried to follow.
But one of them turned to ash before he could even scream.
"A living person… just vanished," someone said in shock.
"This fire isn’t physical," Xu Zimo said to Monk Great Wisdom. "It burns the soul. If your heart is fearless and filled with heroism, you can charge through it unharmed. But if you feel even a sliver of fear, your soul will burn to nothing."
"This man speaks truth," Zhang Chou chimed in. "If you can’t charge forward without hesitation, you’ll need other methods."
He pulled out a small pill from his storage ring.
It was a deep blue, about the size of a dragon’s eye, releasing a chill from its surface.
"This is a Soul-Clearing Pill I bought for a high price. It purifies the soul, shielding it from the Solar Fire."
Zhang Chou smiled.
"The tower’s tests may be harsh, but they follow certain patterns. Be careful."
He swallowed the pill, and a blue aura surrounded him, wrapping around his body. He then stepped into the flames under everyone’s watch.
"Brother Zhang, do you have more of those pills? I’ll pay a high price!" someone asked.
"I’ve got ten more. I’ll sell them to the highest bidder. Or we can trade, if you prefer," Zhang Chou grinned.
Xu Zimo watched from the side with amusement, this guy clearly came prepared and was using the test to make a fortune.
Many people immediately rushed to buy the pills.
But others remained calm. Some sat cross-legged to steady their minds before advancing.
Soon, many began walking into the fire.
Some passed.
Some vanished without a trace.
Out of the 100 who entered the tower, after just two floors, nearly half were gone.
And these weren’t average cultivators, they were the cream of the crop. Even so, many fell.
When the remaining group reached the third floor, they found themselves surrounded by chaos.
Gray mist filled the air.
At the front stood three ancient statues.
In the middle was a golden statue of a Buddha, holding one hand in a Buddhist gesture. He had a joyful, chubby face, large earlobes, and a big belly, forever smiling.
On either side were two Arhats with gold-red cloaks over their shoulders.
"What’s the third floor about?" someone asked Zhang Chou quickly.
"Ghost and Buddha, two faces, see your true self," Zhang Chou said solemnly. "This test is to see if you understand your own heart. Whether you’re destined to be a Grand Emperor or just a cultivator, you must know the path you’re walking."
"That’s it? Sounds easy," someone muttered.
But everyone here wanted to become a Grand Emperor, otherwise they wouldn’t have come.
"You’ll understand once you try," Zhang Chou smiled mysteriously.
If only the tests at Heavenly Dao Academy were really that simple.
Before anyone could say more, the gray-robed youth stepped forward again, once more the first to go ahead.