The little fox wriggled out of Feng Zikang’s embrace, looking around with wide-eyed curiosity. This expanse of snow and ice, draped in white, and the imposing, majestic tower emanating an aura of solemnity, filled it with novelty.

“Junior Sister, since we are here, how do we get inside?”

The tower was sealed on all four sides; no entrance was visible.

Luo Lianxin seemed equally stunned by the giant structure, remaining silent for a long while until Feng Zikang broke the quiet with his query. Only then did she nod, pointing toward the very top. “My Master said the entrance is at the summit.”

“Oh?”

Truly an immortal’s pagoda; while others entered from the bottom up, this tower operated from the top down.

Feng Zikang nodded once. “Then let’s not delay. We ascend!”

“Agreed!”

Luo Lianxin assented, and the two of them summoned their sword-light, shooting upward at tremendous speed.

This colossal tower soared into the clouds.

Legends claimed it reached ten thousand ren in height.

Others had indeed explored this farthest northern monolith, but without notable results. The sparse records that existed focused only on the biting cold and the massive vortex of wind.

The higher they flew, the fiercer the gale became.

The pair swayed precariously within the hurricane, and only by straining to maintain their forms were they saved from being swept away to unknown destinations.

“What a fierce wind,”

Feng Zikang murmured, glancing toward Luo Lianxin amidst his awe. Several cuts marred her clothing—injuries inflicted by shards of ice carried in the wind. After all, her physique had not been tempered like Feng Zikang’s Demonic Body; despite her profound cultivation, injury was unavoidable.

Even for Feng Zikang, the ice stones whipping past his face brought a sharp, aching sting.

“No wonder one must reach the Nascent Soul stage to attempt this. Aside from my Demonic Body and Luo Lianxin whose bodies were reformed by two Heavenly-tier missions, cultivators without the quasi-immortal body of the Nascent Soul stage might not even survive this gauntlet of gales,”

Feng Zikang mused internally, his curiosity about the tower’s interior deepening.

“When you reach the apex, there is a massive vortex. The wind speed within it is a hundred times greater than this. Senior Brother, you must be extremely careful!”

Luo Lianxin also appeared significantly shaken, her expression growing solemn. Though her voice was low, it carried clear concern.

“Worry not!”

Feng Zikang smiled proudly. “If Junior Sister does not fear it, you need not worry for me either!”

His Demonic Body was overwhelmingly powerful; he certainly would not fare worse than those with quasi-immortal bodies. If Luo Lianxin already had a plan to deal with the hurricane vortex, he had nothing to fear either.

“Good!” Luo Lianxin nodded, accelerating her ascent.

Feng Zikang could perceive that she was pushing her limits; ascending steadily and calmly like him was no longer an option. She needed to commit all her power in one surge to break through the clouds!

He let out a soft chuckle and charged upward alongside Luo Lianxin!

“Be careful, the summit is nearly upon us!”

It was impossible to tell how long they flew, but the massive tower walls around them began to narrow. Without Luo Lianxin’s warning, Feng Zikang knew the top was imminent. Looking up, he saw a seven-colored vortex, its brilliance too dazzling to gaze upon directly!

“Charge!”

Luo Lianxin wasted no words, plunging directly into the vortex. Feng Zikang, unwilling to be outdone, followed close behind.

Such wind!

If the hurricane outside could scour away everything in time, the wind inside this vortex could utterly dismantle everything!

Feng Zikang nearly felt his body beginning to splinter, certain he would be ground into dust by the gale!

He inwardly gasped, hastily steadying his mind. His body, tempered by the Demonic cultivation, could not be shattered so easily. But if his spirit faltered, he feared he would sink into this hurricane, beyond any chance of reprieve.

“How powerful!”

Only once he had stabilized himself did he have time to wipe the cold sweat from his brow, inwardly praising the phenomenon.

Luo Lianxin had vanished beside him. Since she knew the danger here beforehand, she must have her own countermeasures. Feng Zikang wasn’t overly concerned; the immediate problem was how to proceed next.

The surrounding winds howled in chaos, a blinding white blur. Only faintly could he make out a speck of light ahead.

Unsure where to go, Feng Zikang could only move slowly forward, resisting the vicious hurricane, though even he felt the effort was Herculean.

He let out a cold snort and unleashed several protective divine abilities. Though their effect was limited, they pulled him back from the brink of suffocation.

This hurricane—was it a force of nature, or man-made? Judging by the tower’s structure, it seemed deliberate. If so, the capabilities of the creator were truly terrifying.

Feng Zikang once again felt like a frog at the bottom of a well.

The more one cultivated, the more one realized the infinity above. Countless powerful beings existed; this path was truly endless.

Grinding forward inch by painstaking inch, he finally reached the central point of light. Immediately, he felt a tremendous pull, and he plummeted downward involuntarily!

CRASH!

The heavy thud of impact on a floor echoed. Feng Zikang was wracked with pain, but his senses remained sharp. He immediately scrambled up and took in his surroundings.

It was a cramped space, permeated by a soft white luminescence. The walls were made of gleaming, translucent jade, and the room was utterly empty save for a heavily injured, unconscious woman lying on the floor.

“Junior Sister Luo!”

The woman was indeed Luo Lianxin. Feng Zikang was inwardly startled. He rushed to her side, reaching out to check her pulse points.

“It’s alright; mostly just superficial wounds!”

Though the cause was unclear, Luo Lianxin had evidently fainted from overexertion while navigating the vortex. Her other injuries were not severe. Feng Zikang fed her a Huasheng Pill. Seated here, he presumed they had entered the Trial Tower itself, and if his memory served, this was the highest level. The secrets hidden within this tower must therefore lie on the levels below.

A staircase leading down from this chamber confirmed they were indeed inside the structure.

Though tempted to explore the floor below immediately, Feng Zikang knew the interior was mysterious and unpredictable; he knew too little. It was safer to wait for Luo Lianxin to awaken before acting together.

He was in no hurry. After recovering slightly, seeing Luo Lianxin still asleep, he merely smiled faintly and seized the time to refine his Golden Core with True Fire, pushing himself toward the break into Nascent Soul.

If the intelligence was correct, everyone here was at least at the Nascent Soul stage. His mere Core Condensation cultivation would be useless; a breakthrough was paramount.

Perhaps due to a special resonance within the tower, his cultivation seemed exceptionally effective. His Golden Core, which had been unmoving for ages, suddenly shifted, emitting faint cracking sounds, like an eggshell about to break.

Feng Zikang was overjoyed. He knew this was not a sign of instability, but the precursor to breaking the Core and forming a Soul. He had meditated for a long time in the Profound Realm without achieving this breakthrough sensation. To gain such progress here with just one cycle of work meant this trip had been absolutely worthwhile.

However, haste was ill-advised. Breaking the Core into a Soul was a continuous process; forcing it would damage the essence of the nascent soul. Feng Zikang slowly withdrew his True Fire, regulating his breath to a steady rhythm. Just then, he heard Luo Lianxin murmur, “Ying-ning,” as she slowly awoke.

“Junior Sister, you’re awake!”

Luo Lianxin opened her eyes and saw Feng Zikang seated beside her. She looked around, her gaze falling upon the crystalline jade walls, and a look of immense relief washed over her face.

“We’re in! We’ve finally entered the Trial Tower!”

Luo Lianxin, rarely showing such excitement, ignored the minor scratches on her body and sat up, gently touching the surrounding walls with a strange expression.

After a long moment, she stilled her hand.

“I apologize, Senior Brother. I don't know why, but after entering this Trial Tower, I feel as if I’ve come home. It’s an incredibly strange sensation. Please forgive my strangeness…”

“Oh?”

Feng Zikang certainly wasn't amused, but he did feel a vague sense of strangeness himself.

Luo Lianxin’s connection to this Trial Tower was clearly not simple. Why Xiao Zhu chose her, why she possessed those miraculous treasures, and her astonishing cultivation talent—all were points of suspicion.

“Since that’s the case, shouldn’t we descend quickly and uncover the truth of this Trial Tower?”

Feng Zikang proposed with a smile. Luo Lianxin straightened up, cast a meaningful glance back at Feng Zikang, and nodded. “Senior Brother’s generosity is appreciated; Junior Sister is grateful. If we uncover the truth of the Trial Tower, I will never forget your help.”

Feng Zikang had his own reasons for coming, but in Luo Lianxin’s eyes, her Senior Brother was undoubtedly there to assist her, and her gratitude was unspoken but clear.

The two followed the staircase, descending slowly. A brilliant light flared, and when they opened their eyes again, the scenery before them had transformed!

Feng Zikang’s expression shifted drastically; he clicked his tongue in amazement!

“Unbelievable! Every floor in this Trial Tower is a miniature Profound Realm!”

Though they had only descended one floor, Feng Zikang could clearly discern that this level was a small Profound Realm.

By extension, every floor below must be a Profound Realm. Given the tower’s height, how vast must the ultimate Profound Realm at the very bottom be?

“I never imagined such ingenious construction existed in this world!” Controlling one Profound Realm was easy; controlling a few small ones was not difficult. But to establish a towering complex of interconnected Profound Realms, from large to small—that required astonishing magic!

How profound must the cultivation of the tower’s creator have been?

The mere thought sent a chill down Feng Zikang’s spine. Under such power, comparable to the might of heaven and earth, the Divine Transformation experts he once thought supremely powerful were utterly insignificant.

As for himself, he was less than an ant.

This realization made him profoundly uncomfortable, but channeling shame into courage, he clenched his fists and made a solemn vow for his future cultivation.

“Senior Brother, this Trial Tower could not have been built by anyone in our realm. I fear it is like the Flying Cloud Mirrored Pavilion—a divine craft from the Upper Realm.”

“It must be so.”

Feng Zikang nodded. The miracle of the Flying Cloud Mirrored Pavilion was also something beyond the understanding of this world. It seemed the mythical, ethereal Upper Realm did exist and was actively interfering with their world.

But based on the concept of Profound Realms—that the Great Desolation was the entirety of the Universe Thunder, and this place was the Main Profound Realm after its shattering—what was the so-called Upper Realm? Was it a part of the Great Desolation, or external to it?

These questions offered no immediate answers, so Feng Zikang shook his head, choosing not to dwell on them.

“Let’s set these aside for now. Our immediate task is to find the exit to the next floor... Where is the staircase leading down on this level?”

This was a small Profound Realm.

The mountains were clear and the waters beautiful, occasionally broken by the chirping of passing birds. Snow lay deep on the silent peaks, yet there were no signs of human passage.

The scenery was stunning, but their minds were elsewhere; they didn't know how to proceed.

“Senior Brother, look!”

Luo Lianxin seemed to spot something, pointing towards a snow-capped mountain on the horizon where a youth was laboriously climbing upward. From this distance, he was merely a tiny black speck.

“Ah? Here…”

Feng Zikang nodded. “In that case, let’s fly over and speak with that youth to ascertain the situation. Wandering blindly is pointless; speaking with the locals here is certainly a viable path.”

The two took to their swords and quickly reached the base of the snowy mountain. The youth had just crested a treacherous slope and was lying on the ground, panting heavily.

The boy was stocky, with calluses on his hands and a darkened complexion, suggesting a life of hardship.

As he rested, he suddenly saw two streaks of sword-light approaching, making him jump to his feet and bow immediately. “Immortals! Greetings to the two Immortals!”

The arrivals were naturally Feng Zikang and Luo Lianxin. Feng Zikang found the boy’s fearful demeanor amusing. He landed his sword-light and said calmly, “We are not Immortals. Young man, do you know where this place is, and what you are doing here?”

The youth refused to believe them, repeatedly kowtowing and begging the Immortals to perform a miracle and save his grandmother.

Though his pleas were disjointed, through repeated questioning, they finally gleaned some details.

This mountain was called Great Azure Mountain, and the boy, named Xiao Hei, lived in a small village at its foot. He knew nothing of the world beyond the mountain.

He was struggling up the snowy peak because he heard that a Thousand-Year Snow Lotus on the summit could cure his grandmother’s illness.

Feng Zikang frowned slightly upon hearing this. He naturally understood that within this tiny Profound Realm, the area beyond the mountain's vicinity likely encompassed the entire world—the village at the base was probably the only populated area.

“I think the method to reach the next floor might rest on this boy’s shoulders…”

Luo Lianxin whispered quietly to him, and Feng Zikang nodded. This place was bizarre; if the answer wasn’t with the boy, they wouldn't know where else to search.

Hearing Xiao Hei still pleading desperately for them to save his grandmother, Feng Zikang nodded, agreeing to help. He thought the boy climbed too slowly, so he tucked the youth under his arm and flew down swiftly.

Xiao Hei naturally screamed and wept in fright, but as he slowly grew accustomed to the speed, he began to cheer excitedly.

In a moment, they landed in the village. When the villagers saw two luminous sword-lights descend, they gathered and kowtowed, certain that Immortals had arrived. Upon seeing that the pair were bringing Xiao Hei down with them, they marveled all the more.

“Xiao Hei’s filial piety has moved the heavens! The Immortals truly descended to help him save his grandmother—truly remarkable!”

“What a good child! This is extraordinary!”

Amidst the villagers' excited chatter, Xiao Hei led Feng Zikang and Luo Lianxin to his home. He and his grandmother lived together, the only two in the household. Last year, his grandmother fell gravely ill and seemed near death. The village doctor was helpless, and they only heard that a Thousand-Year Snow Lotus on the peak of Great Azure Mountain could cure all ills. Thus, Xiao Hei had relentlessly climbed the mountain, never giving up despite multiple failures.

Feng Zikang examined the grandmother lying in bed; her complexion was dark, indicating terminal illness. However, this was merely a common mortal ailment, which should not trouble him. He casually produced several pills, gave them to the old woman to ingest, and waited for her to awaken.

A short time later, the old woman did indeed regain consciousness, her spirit noticeably stronger. Xiao Hei was overcome with gratitude, but Feng Zikang and Luo Lianxin remained tight-lipped, their brows deeply furrowed.

They could both see that although the old woman felt slightly better, the root of the illness remained. The immortal medicine Feng Zikang carried proved entirely ineffective.

“How is that possible!”

While Xiao Hei bustled happily to prepare a meal to treat his immortal guests, Luo Lianxin spoke quietly to Feng Zikang.

“For a mortal illness, our immortal medicine should work instantly. Even for someone clinging to their last breath, if death wasn't destined, my Military Dao pills could grant three more years of life... Why?”

Luo Lianxin found this deeply strange.

Feng Zikang shook his head slightly. “Junior Sister, I suspect there is something strange about this Profound Realm…”

He himself controlled Profound Realms and knew that they contained many specific laws, set by the Realm Master. While they couldn't overturn the fundamental Yin and Yang of existence, they could certainly influence certain outcomes.

If the rule of this Profound Realm dictated that this woman’s illness could only be cured by the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus from the mountain summit, then even the most potent spiritual elixirs, even a Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir, could not cure her.

“It can be like that?”

Luo Lianxin found this incomprehensible. Though her cultivation was high, her knowledge of Profound Realms was limited. Hearing Feng Zikang’s explanation, she clicked her tongue in amazement.

“It seems the goal of the Realm Master is to compel those who enter to help this boy obtain the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus from the peak. This might be one form of trial.”

Such trials were often arranged when cultivators took on disciples, though never with the stringent limitations found in this Profound Realm.

However, considering this trial was intended for Nascent Soul masters, without such restrictions, they could easily cure the old woman’s illness, rendering the entire endeavor pointless.

“But for us, obtaining the snow lotus on the mountain is as simple as taking something from our pocket...” Especially for those in the Nascent Soul stage. Why would the Realm Master, or the Tower Master, arrange things this way?

Luo Lianxin was perplexed. While the great snow mountain might be an immense challenge for mortals, for them, a round trip by sword would take less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. The Thousand-Year Snow Lotus was theirs for the taking. Where was the difficulty?

“Junior Sister thinks the snow lotus will be so easily acquired?”

Feng Zikang pondered, smiling faintly, then turned his gaze toward the mountain peak, shaking his head.

“I fear, not necessarily!”