Immortal Ascension Tower

Her hair was in even more disarray than ever, with blue and purple strands scrambled in a chaotic mess, like twigs making up the nest of a bird. Around her eyes was a pair of deep, dark circles that utterly ruined her otherwise perfect complexion. In the middle of that blackness, her eyes were aflame and bright red, and although Xiao Wu had her cultivation base silently rotate in her consciousness to ease the tiredness, her Inferior Stage spiritual energy could not do much other than dispel the drowsiness. For the rest of the symptoms, she made sure to ingest an energy pill from a set of more than fifty that she had bought with her earnings: just a single one helped relieve muscle fatigue and revitalized her tired brain.

Immediately, she couldn"t help lamenting that had the aftereffects of the pill been even just a millionth as inconveniencing as it tasted awful, she would never have dared to pick it up. Nevertheless, the purple-haired girl still couldn"t help but admire its effectiveness as all the aching in her body was washed away.

According to the water clock, the fifth bell of the morning was about to ring, so she could wait a bit more before running to the tower.

And according to her, who had been keeping count all along…

"It"s the eight day already!"

Indeed: it was already day eight since Cheng Hao first entered closed-door cultivation.

Xiao Wu sighed and brushed her hair. She then tied it up in a bun with a pin she had bought; one shaped like a lotus, to match that of her shut-in companion. Afterwards, she checked her dark circles in the mirror, bitterly musing that the efficiency of medicine could only depend on how disgusting it tasted, else it wouldn"t be "fun".

After fixing herself up somewhat, seeing how she still had some time, Xiao Wu checked the door to the small room Cheng Hao had been quietly residing in for more than a week now.

It was still closed from the inside and, as she felt some spiritual energy fluctuations, it could only mean Cheng Hao was still meditating. Although she couldn"t shake off the feeling that something might have happened for someone like that monster to be taking so long to breakthrough, she could do nothing as the room was sealed by a golden, fluctuating seal in the shape of a five-clawed, horned dragon; that protection had been none other than Blindlight"s most glaring contribution to Cheng Hao"s cultivating session.

That symbol had not been there the first night, so she could only guess that it was meant to keep people from going in, or maybe something from going out, as things progressed.

"Good morning brother… I know everything will be alright, but be sure to come out soon!" Xiao Wu caressed the door with a longing smile.

Then she turned to the sleeping Fuyin: over the past few days they had spent together they had gotten closer. Be it because Cheng Hao acted older than he looked and Fuyin seemed much closer to her age, or that they had technically spent more time together overall, their friendship had rapidly developed. They had even begun practicing in tandem against Spirit Beasts, or even sparring with and against w.a.n.g Protectors, and that had worked out relatively well.

"Morning, Bro." She murmured with a satisfied smile, her emerald eyes lit up with the excitement of a child seeing their partner amidst many mischiefs and adventures.

Although she called both Cheng Hao and Fuyin "Brother", only the former was more like the older, knowledgeable, caring brother that also teased her from time to time. On the other hand, the latter was someone she felt connected and comfortable staying with: although her inexperience in this matter was quite glaring as she had lacked actual friends from a young age, she at least knew that those with this kind of connection would be the famed "childhood friends" of legend!

The purple-haired girl nodded in satisfaction once more before leaving for the tower in order to absorb the first virgin rays of sunlight, necessary to cultivate the I See A Purple Moonlit Scripture. Once there, she sat down in a meditative state and focused her gaze onto the faraway horizon to the east.

Suddenly, the sky lit up and faint purple glimmers shot over. After Xiao Wu had finished absorbing those, she circulated the Purple Qi in the rays of sunlight that she had absorbed and added it to her own reserve of Purple Moon Qi in her Pseudo-Core.

She stood up, her long, blue and purple strands of hair fluttering in the wind. She enjoyed the view of the world coming to life for a while longer as the breeze battered her clothes. Afterwards she headed back home, jumping from rooftop to rooftop while bathing in the warm sunlight.

Just as she arrived at the hut, her cheerful expression turned into a frown as she clicked her tongue: in her tired state, she had actually forgotten to apply make-up.

Right now she looked like her true self, the little girl so beautiful that Xiao Wu should be printed next to beauty as a synonym on every dictionary.

As for why she was worrying about that now of all times…

Well, it was because, in front of her little, dear hut number 742 there were more than twenty figures standing menacingly, wrapped in pitch-black cloaks that didn"t even show a single inch of skin.

…

Hidden amidst the treetops just far away enough to eavesdrop in without being caught, Xiao Wu frowned: most of those men had higher cultivation than any of the opponents she had fought so far!

One had just walked out from the house and was speaking with another figure that very much acted like the leader, pointing around and leading the small team orderly. He was also the only one who wasn"t hiding their appearance beneath the dark robes: he was a middle-aged man, with a head full of white hair despite only being in his early forties, his gray-ash eyes slightly dull as hints of indescribable grief and pain could be seen deep within.

"Sir Zi Luo, it is of no use! Even I cannot break the barrier and if we use any more power, some Elder might actually notice us... We have tried to break in from other walls, but they are all protected by that mysterious golden light. Instead of causing it any damage, the strange seal is actually absorbing what we are throwing at it to replenish its own Spiritual Energy! If we keep going like this it is likely we would just end up helping out the person inside..."

The middle-aged man had a hand on his chin and was calmly twirling the hairs of his beard around his fingers. Occasionally however, his forearm and fingers would twitch uncontrollably, pulling out a hair or two while at it. Initially, he had sported a beautiful mustache and an exquisite goatee, which were both now ruined. However, he didn"t appear to notice the pain as he remained expressionless, not showing even an ounce of emotion on his aged face.

As he followed his subordinates to the rear wall of the house, he witnessed first hand a golden, fluctuating film glowing silently beyond a broken section of the wall.

"To dare to cut off my bloodline, yet not come out when I knock on your door, I see you are both decisive and wise… If only that foolish son of mine had been even a millionth as bold, shrewd and shameless, he might still be alive." Zi Luo casually streaked his right foot across the ground, leaving a deep trench below it. Before him, the golden layer undulated without the middle-aged man even having to touch it.

"However, this time around, wits cannot save you. I lost my only remaining relative… and you will lose your life." With a sigh, the white-haired expert couldn"t help but shake his head. "Fate sure did play the both of us when you met my son in that beast forest… As fellow victims of destiny, won"t you do me a favor and come out before I break in myself? I promise I shall leave your loved ones alone if they cripple their own cultivation, after all I do believe in a philosophy of equivalent exchange; a life for a life, nothing more. Give yourself up, and you have my word I shall let them work as servants in my mansion and free them at the time of my death…"

"These guys... Are they the ones looking for Cheng Hao!?!" Anger appeared on Xiao Wu"s face as she immediately leaped from the roof she was standing on and streaked across the air. Under the dumbfounded gaze of the white-haired middle-aged man, she landed in between the house and the black clothed men. Hissing like a furious snake she spat out, "Who are you, and what business do you have with big brother Cheng Hao?"

The twenty figures in black were shocked to find such a young child in a Sect for cultivators.

Zi Luo, on the other hand, rapidly recovered.

"A leap that shouldn"t be possible without having the cultivation of the Advanced stage or higher… Yet, you achieved it at a mere Low Level Inferior Stage." He muttered musingly, very intrigued at the queer situation before him, "For two such odd children to appear, plus this strange seal… it looks like you and your "brother" have quite the background."

At a motion of their leader, the black robed men advanced and entered fighting stances as they did their best to position themselves around their master: they had already lost the young scion of their family, they couldn"t afford to have the head harmed in any way!

Still, they couldn"t help but be shocked at the girl"s beautiful features while unwittingly lowering their guard slightly.

"I will repeat myself. Who are you? What business do you have with my big brother?" Xiao Wu also took out both the Black Dragon Blade and the Black Dragon"s seven Talons. The Purple Moon appeared hovering behind her and her pupils constricted as purple veins appeared in her green eyes. The fully activated Martial Ways gave out a strong pressure on their surroundings, making the air as viscous as gelatin.

"Who is this girl and why is she here?" The head at the far back asked to his subordinates.

"Sir, throughout our investigations we have found out that the target, Cheng Hao, doesn"t live here alone and instead lives together with a young boy who has bluish-purple hair and green eyes, and another older youth around fifteen years of age. Seeing how she fits the description in all but gender… it seems this girl might be the first companion of the target. It could be that she is wearing a disguise now, or that she had been wearing a disguise all along."

Another one of the robed cultivators added, "Judging by her leap earlier, she has exceptional talent. It is highly likely that she is the masked Night Challenger from the rumors!"

After some pondering, Zi Luo"s expression softened and he spoke gently "Little girl, I have no intention to harm you. You are a genius as well as a little beauty. Nowadays, the whole sixth ring of the Mysterious Light Shadow"s Vacant Sect doesn"t stop talking about you. I will gladly let you go... Do you by any chance know how to get past that barrier? If you tell us, I might even consider talking things through with your brother… I give you my word."

Hearing this, Xiao Wu"s eyes narrowed, "And why should I believe that? The words of a cultivator are worth less than a drunkard"s blabbering, let alone if they are the ones of a deranged geezer that just lost a dear one!"

"Indeed… That"s a rather harsh way to put it though, isn"t it?" The middle-aged man sighed, "You have a bright future ahead… just like my son did before he made a mistake and was punished. Your martial brother also made a mistake, I"m sure you realize that he needs to be punished himself? Or do you perhaps truly believe that he is so great justice is beyond him?"

At those words, Xiao Wu fell silent. Then, she sneered, "Speaking of justice in this world? Where has your pride as a cultivator gone? Just bare your executioner"s blade now and stop justifying your words with the logic of mortals!"

This time, Zi Luo truly was speechless. He eventually furrowed his brows and muttered, "That"s why children should be guided in their formation and books should be handed over only after careful examinations have been carried out… To think that even this long after his death, the works of the Evil Saint would still be able to derange and poison the innocent! It is only right that it will be me, the Head of the esteemed and righteous Zi Clan, who shall guide lost souls onto the correct path! Come to me willingly, child, and I might consider taking you under my wing."

"Eh, why don"t you show me that wing of yours, so I can pluck out some of your rotting feathers?" Xiao Wu spat out hatefully, as some past experiences bubbled up in her mind, turning her mood even more sour… "Or even better, I will cut them off completely!"

Seeing how the girl had pushed aside his kind intentions and hearing her words the middle aged man frowned. His amiable expression then went back to a cold and calculative one, as if all that had transpired had been but an act and he had merely taken off a mask. He muttered expressionlessly, his gaze brushing past her and onto the golden film, "Capture her alive. We will use her as an hostage to get the rat out of his hole and to fix the mess my son has created."

Hearing the order, twenty people leaped towards Xiao Wu. As members of a clan that cultivated the physique, their fists in particular were ones that had experienced the harshest body-strengthening methods. In a moment"s notice, the muscles tensed up, turning the hands into b.e.s.t.i.a.l claws with fingers as durable as iron and fingertips as sharp as knives…

"Huuup…" Xiao Wu breathed in and walked forward with firm steps.

She breathed out as she jumped, the multicolored pellet in her consciousness revolving faster and faster, displaying a Pseudo-Advanced Stage battle strength!

Pushing the Pseudo-Core to its limits, Xiao Wu stepped onto thin air and propelled herself forward, faster than anyone could react!

Her slender yet experienced fingers grabbed onto the body of the opponent closest to her and twisted it around to block the second and third men. Everything had happened so fast and suddenly that they didn"t manage to stop their blows in time, and two intersecting fountains of blood dyed the surroundings red.

And as if that weren"t enough…

Stab!

With two scars crisscrossing on his torso and the tip of a pitch-black blade poking into is back and out from his upper-left chest, the man in Xiao Wu"s grip went limps in her arms; after being doused in the blood of hundreds of beasts, Xiao Wu"s Black Dragon Blade had finally feasted upon its very first human heart!

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