In the current Elemental City, the most conspicuous figures were naturally the Son of Buddha and Lu Yuan, followed closely by Zhan Bai of the Night Civilization, Lei Qi of the Thunder Civilization, and Ling Qingyun of the Confucian Civilization. As for the others, their fame was not nearly as great. The Elemental Tower had not yet opened.

While wandering around the tower grounds, Lu Yuan discovered that the Elemental City actually housed various shops, such as those selling all sorts of resources. Lu Yuan, having nothing better to do, browsed them all, only to realize there wasn't a single tavern. Not many cultivators enjoyed drinking, and with the Elemental Tower opening imminent, few cared to waste time drinking—few people were like Lu Yuan.

Frustrating. No liquor shop. Lu Yuan was suddenly afflicted with a craving for alcohol.

He usually kept a good stock of wine, but alas, following the Sword Gate’s battle against the Copper Faction, then the Sword-Forgetting Monument, and finally spending over a month on the Earth Dragon Star—this combination meant he hadn't stocked up in ages, depleting his old reserves. Tragic! As Lu Yuan sighed over his fate, he noticed a figure appear before him.

It was a young man emanating an aura of pure righteousness. This youth had a square-cut face, resembling a scholar steeped in virtue. Lu Yuan halted his steps.

"My name is Ling Qingyun," said the square-faced scholar. "I am the strongest among the younger generation of the Confucian Civilization and am also ranked among the top one hundred geniuses of the Central Heavenly Dynasty. I have heard of you, Lu Yuan.

Many say a young man wielding the Righteous Sword has emerged—indeed, many even suggest you are more akin to a successor of the Confucian Civilization. I must see for myself." "At this Elemental Tower trial, let us compete," Ling Qingyun declared, then strode away with great purpose. Lu Yuan shrugged.

What frustration. To be challenged so abruptly and then have the challenger leave just as suddenly; he truly had no desire to accept such a contest. Just then, Ji Qianyu descended.

"Lu Yuan, hurry! The Elemental Tower is about to open." What? The Elemental Tower was opening now?

Since the tower was opening, he naturally had to hurry. Lu Yuan had no time to dwell on finding wine. He followed Ji Qianyu, flying straight toward the center of Elemental City.

By the tower, nearly a thousand individuals, all at the World Realm Third Heaven from the Central Heavenly Dynasty, were already assembled. The area controlled by the Central Heavenly Dynasty was vast, containing an immense number of cultivators at the World Realm Third Heaven. "I shall preside over the opening of the Elemental Tower this time," announced the white-robed figure, radiating an almost ethereal aura that seemed to cast the area into a celestial realm.

This person was from the Ancient Immortal Civilization, known as the Old Immortal of the Western Extreme. He possessed a kind and benevolent face and stood beside a white crane. The hosting duties for the Elemental Tower rotated among the Five Great Ancient Civilizations, and this turn belonged to the Old Immortal of the Western Extreme.

"I trust everyone knows the rules of the Elemental Tower. There are one hundred and twenty floors in total. Once inside, one may remain on any given floor for a maximum of one hundred shichen (hours).

If mastery of that floor's element is not achieved within that time, one will be expelled from the tower." "Furthermore, a reminder: one may enter the Elemental Tower only once in a lifetime, never a second time. If you are unprepared and wish to withdraw now, there is still time. Once you step inside the tower, there will be no turning back," the Old Immortal of the Western Extreme explained the regulations.

"Now, you may enter the Elemental Tower." The great doors of the Elemental Tower boomed open, and everyone poured into the first floor. All individuals found themselves on the first floor. The Old Immortal of the Western Extreme counted them: there were nine hundred and ninety-nine people in total.

Once these nine hundred and ninety-nine entered the first floor, they discovered the space was vast. Within it, they did not appear crowded at all; rather, the expanse felt surprisingly huge, with everyone spaced far apart. Lu Yuan, Ji Qianyu, Zhu Yan, and Qiu Qingshan were all some distance from one another.

Boom! The door leading from the first floor of the Elemental Tower slammed shut. Upon entering the first floor, Lu Yuan perceived that the atmosphere within was incredibly light.

Yes, light to the extreme. It seemed as though countless extremely light elements rotated around him, tending to him. Was this the element of the first floor?

It possessed such a weightless sensation. This element was referred to in the Central Heavenly Dynasty as the First Element, also known as the Hydrogen Element. Lu Yuan had done some preparatory study while traveling here on the ice ship and knew its name.

But how was one to master this element? Lu Yuan began to meditate. Hydrogen Element.

Lu Yuan extended his consciousness outward, allowing it to merge into the hydrogen element. Lu Yuan’s consciousness had always been massive, several times that of others at the same level, but now he realized that consciousness required not just bulk, but also finesse. For instance, his previous control over his consciousness had lacked a certain delicacy.

And this hydrogen element demanded an exceptionally refined consciousness to penetrate it. Lu Yuan immediately began training, focusing on refining his awareness to achieve the necessary subtlety to enter the hydrogen element. As Lu Yuan tirelessly honed his consciousness, he noticed with a shock that someone had already mastered the hydrogen element.

With a resonant clang, the door leading to the second floor of the Elemental Tower swung open for that person. Who could that be? Mastering the hydrogen element so quickly?

Lu Yuan felt a strange stir within him. He looked over and saw the figure—a monk with red lips and white teeth: the Son of Buddha. A remarkable Son of Buddha, mastering the hydrogen element so rapidly, and they had only just entered the tower!

Since the Son of Buddha had already ascended to the second floor, everyone’s attention naturally shifted to Lu Yuan. The most famous figures here were the Son of Buddha and Lu Yuan. Many had debated who was stronger, and now they eagerly awaited seeing how fast Lu Yuan could reach the second floor.

However, these observers were disappointed, as Lu Yuan hadn't even begun the process of mastering the hydrogen element; instead, he was painstakingly refining his consciousness, making it more delicate. In truth, Lu Yuan was not a generalist but an extreme specialist. His talent with the sword was astonishingly high, but his aptitude in other areas was not considered exceptional.

Thus, even with serious effort, he could not match the speed of the Son of Buddha. In terms of element mastery talent, he was far behind the Son of Buddha, one of the Seven Sons of Destiny. On the first floor of the Elemental Tower, people vanished one by one, ascending to the second floor.

The remaining cultivators grew fewer and fewer. Undoubtedly, Lu Yuan remained among those left behind. Finally, his consciousness was polished until it was exquisitely fine.

After achieving this incredible refinement, Lu Yuan began to send his consciousness into the hydrogen element. Upon probing the hydrogen element, Lu Yuan discovered something astonishing: its internal structure strangely resembled that of stars. A single hydrogen element was minuscule and infinitely small, while stars were colossal, yet the vastness of the stars shared a bizarre similarity with the infinitesimal nature of the hydrogen element.

What was the reason for this? What profound secret was hidden between heaven and earth? Lu Yuan felt a secret curiosity rising within him.

The hydrogen element on the first floor was not considered overwhelmingly difficult to comprehend. After honing his consciousness and spending a considerable amount of time, Lu Yuan finally mastered the hydrogen element. Checking the time, he was aghast: he had used eighty-eight shichen, making him the very last one.

Only he remained on the first floor of the Elemental Tower; the time spent polishing his consciousness had consumed the majority of it. Now, it was time to enter the second floor. With a resounding crash, the great gate opened, and Lu Yuan stepped into the second floor.

Upon entering, he found no trace of the Son of Buddha. Moreover, there were clearly fewer people here than before; it was highly probable that many had already moved on to higher levels. As Lu Yuan entered, many regarded him with strange looks.

It was truly baffling; Lu Yuan was extremely famous, so why was he the last to break through to the second floor? Lu Yuan ignored their gazes and began to comprehend the element of the second floor. The element here was called Helium, an element that appeared remarkably inert.

Lu Yuan paid it no mind and began to permeate it with his consciousness, commencing his study. Outside the Elemental Tower, two figures stood with their hands clasped behind their backs. One was the Old Immortal of the Western Extreme, riding the white crane.

The other bore a similar appearance but was mounted on a white tiger; this man was named the Old Immortal of the Eastern Extreme. The two of them were jointly hosting the Elemental Tower activities this time. They were currently engaged in a game of chess.

The Old Immortal of the Western Extreme held the white pieces, and the Old Immortal of the Eastern Extreme held the black. Their skill was evenly matched, leading to a tense and complex battle. "Oh, the first floor of the Elemental Tower is empty.

All nine hundred and ninety-nine have entered the second floor," the Old Immortal of the Western Extreme remarked. "Hm!" As he checked the results, he seemed to discover something odd, letting out an 'Hm' of surprise. The Old Immortal of the Eastern Extreme looked slightly astonished.

"What are you muttering about?" The Old Immortal of the Western Extreme replied, "Do you know who was the fastest to clear the first floor of the Elemental Tower this time? How long did they take?" The Old Immortal of the Eastern Extreme answered, "It must be one of Lu Yuan or the Son of Buddha. As for the exact time, I couldn't guess." "The first to break through to the second floor was the Son of Buddha, taking two shichen," said the Old Immortal of the Western Extreme.

"Mastering the hydrogen element in just two shichen—remarkable," the Old Immortal of the Eastern Extreme inhaled sharply. Even the most famous geniuses of the past required four shichen. The Son of Buddha used only two.

It was truly astonishing. "The Seven Sons of Destiny live up to their name; still, since the Son of Buddha is one of them, such a result isn't overly shocking, is it?" The Old Immortal of the Western Extreme shook his head. "Do you know who was the last to leave the first floor?" "How would I know that?

There were nine hundred and ninety-nine people," the Old Immortal of the Eastern Extreme replied, shaking his head. "Lu Yuan. Eighty-eight shichen," the Old Immortal of the Western Extreme stated.

"What! That's impossible. Lu Yuan is a renowned figure; how could he have taken eighty-eight shichen?" the Old Immortal of the Eastern Extreme was bewildered.

"That is precisely why I was surprised," the Old Immortal of the Western Extreme shrugged. "Perhaps Lu Yuan had some other reason. That man, Lu Yuan, should not be underestimated," the Old Immortal of the Eastern Extreme said, trying to find an explanation for Lu Yuan, who had created numerous miracles in the past.

(Second update.)

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