In his last life, after overcoming many dangerous obstacles, Ling Han finally entered the Black Light Ground Valley, whereupon he discovered a mysterious black tower. There was a golden script engraved on the walls of the tower, which was the Indestructible Heaven Scroll.
That had been Ling Han’s biggest opportunity, yet it was also the largest crisis in his last life. With a shake of the black tower, his physical body was directly shattered into ashes–for some reason, his soul had survived and passed through ten thousand years into the current time period.
Now looking upon this black tower, even with his strong mentality of a warrior of Heaven Tier, he still could not help but feel scared for a moment.
In his last life, this black tower had only shook a little, and he was shattered into ashes. Now that it had reappeared within his body, how could this not be terrifying?
However, Ling Han very quickly regained his composure.
If the black tower intended to kill him a second time, then it could have done so long ago–although he had only just discovered the existence of the black tower within his Dantian, this thing should have actually been there for a very long time.
And now that he thought about it carefully, this might clear away some of the confusion that he had.
For example, why was it that his soul had existed for about ten thousand years?
It must have been because of the black tower!
The reason for his sudden rebirth must also be related to the black tower using some kind of unknown method to allow him to be reborn. The black tower also conveniently followed him into this new life.
“Brother, should I thank you, or hate you? Huh?” Ling Han murmured.
Because of the black tower, his last life was ended prematurely, but to be honest, even if he had not been shattered to death by the black tower, with a short thousand years’ time, how would he be able to learn the Indestructible Heaven Scroll?
It was completely impossible.
Because even when he had neither eaten nor slept, spending all his time on his studies of the Indestructible Heaven Scroll, he still needed to spend ten thousand years’ time. If it was under normal conditions, how would he be able to accomplish that?
Now, he even had a feeling that the black tower had actually shattered him into ashes to help him and allow him to comprehend the Indestructible Heaven Scroll in soul form, thus he was reborn the moment he had finally grasped the Heaven Scroll’s first layer.
Otherwise, how could there be such a huge coincidence in this world?
The black tower, as it had been in the past, still possessed nine floors, and aside from the lowest floor having a tightly closed door, the other floors were all completely sealed, without a single window or any other entrance. Even with Ling Han’s sight, he still could not identify the material used to construct this black tower. All he could sense from it was an icy, weathered, ancient air.
Additionally, Ling Han had never heard that the Dantian could accommodate anything else other than Origin Power!
This black tower was definitely not of this world!
There was a ninety-nine percent chance that the black tower originated from the divine plane, and so did the Indestructible Heaven Scroll engraved on its walls–a cultivation technique that required ten thousand years to be comprehended naturally could not possibly belong to this mortal plane either.
Ling Han wanted to use his consciousness to enter the black tower, but discovered it was impossible. Even if consciousness was a power without form, and thus should be able to find its way anywhere, there was not even a small pinhole in this black tower through which his mental consciousness could enter.
He wanted to force his way through the door, but when he directed his mental consciousness to rush towards the door, it was immediately rebounded back.
Fine, this was a master.
In his last life, it erased his existence with a casual tremor, and now, its overbearing presence was occupying his Dantian while he not only couldn’t do anything to it, but also had completely no idea what kind of existence this black tower actually was.
He was unwilling to give up, and once again commanded his consciousness to attack the black tower. No matter what, he had to find something out.
After a few times of barraging his mental powers over and over against the tower, it seemed like the black tower had somewhat lost patience with him. It actually gave a slight tremor. There was finally a reaction, and a flash of consciousness was transmitted out by the black tower.
This exceeded the level of simple language, and allowed Ling Han to directly understand its meaning. The general idea transmitted by the black tower was “the current you is still too weak, and cannot possibly enter the black tower. You’d have to at least break through to the Gushing Spring Tier. But as the new master of the black tower, every time you progress to the next tier, you’ll be able to obtain a single blessing from the black tower to directly raise your power by one tier.”
For example, as per Ling Han’s current cultivation level of the early period of the first layer of Element Gathering Tier, with the blessing of the black tower, he’d be able to display the power of someone in the first layer of Gushing Spring Tier. However, it was only a one-time blessing. Even if he didn’t use it, it’d be wasted, and couldn’t be accumulated.
Master? He had actually become the master of the black tower?!
However, this black tower really was a master. After all, if he was its master, why was it that he could not make use of it at all? Moreover, for every tier he ascended to, he could only get a one-time blessing from the black tower. Looks like he’d have to break through to the Gushing Spring Tier to be able to find out more. [1]
Still, this could become his trump card–to instantly raise his power by one tier, this trump card was more than enough to let him turn the tables in a moment of danger!
But, he could only use this kind of trump card once every time he ascended to the next tier… the tower was really much too stingy!
Ling Han could not help exhaling a sigh before opening his eyes, looking very sullen.
Liu Yu Tong almost felt like crying at this. You managed to break through to the Element Gathering Tier in one day, and yet you still look so disappointed. How could this be endured by others?
“Come on, let’s go home!” Ling Han gave a snap of his fingers.
This was the first time he had experienced the warmth of a father’s love, and now that he has been away from home for close to a month, he felt a bit homesick.
The two of them then began their journey home. On the way, Ling Han went through the second layer of cultivation techniques of the Five Elements Heaven Grade Skill inside his head. With his high perception, naturally he experienced no trouble and fully grasped every little detail of the second layer.
There were nine layers in total in the Five Elements Heaven Grade Skill, corresponding with a martial artist’s cultivation level from Body Refining Tier all the way to Heaven Tier. Every breakthrough would mean that there should be a change to the corresponding cultivation technique suited to that cultivation level. [ED/N: As in, he has to cultivate in the next layer whenever he reaches the next tier]
Element Gathering Tier was indeed something else.
Origin Power gushed out from his Dantian. The amount was at least ten times that of the ninth layer of Body Refining Tier. Origin Power continuously flooded out from his Dantian as if there was no end to it.
When they had departed, they had spent about less than half a day’s time to arrive at their destination, but their return journey only lasted about an hour.
Very soon, Gray Cloud Town appeared in front of their eyes.
“Greetings, Young Master Han!”
“Greetings, Young Master Han!”
From the moment they stepped into the Ling Clan Residence, all servants and guards greeted Ling Han respectfully. Everyone now knew that Ling Han had defeated the Cheng brothers, and thus naturally would not dare to be disrespectful to this Young Master previously well-known as Trash anymore.
After asking around, Ling Han found out that his father was currently inside his study, and quickly ran there.
Ling Dong Xing had said before that as long as he managed to break through to the Element Gathering Tier, he would tell him what had happened to his mother.
He entered the yard, and soon arrived at the door to the study. The door was ajar, and he gave a soft cough before entering, and said, “Father, I’ve returned.”
“Haha, you returned just in time. Tonight, the Cheng Clan is hosting a banquet, and your name is also on the invitation,” Ling Dong Xing gave a hearty laugh, raising his head to look at Ling Han while holding out an invitation.
Ling Han took the invitation, scanned through it, then said with a smile, “The Cheng Clan can’t hold on any longer?”
Ling Dong Xing had long started his counterattack against the Cheng Clan.
When Ma Da Jun cut off the supply of alchemical medicine to the Cheng Clan, the Cheng Clan was like a normal human being who had lost a leg–their every step was a trial. Additionally, the Ling Clan was also attacking the other business ventures of the Cheng Clan–paying a high price to purchase the medicinal ingredients that were supposed to be sold to the Cheng Clan and selling them at low prices.
In this manner, the finances of the Cheng Clan were completely paralyzed, just as how the finances of the Ling Clan had been.
Twenty plus days of this, and the Cheng Clan was now trapped in a big dilemma.
At this time, the Cheng Clan actually sent them an invitation to a banquet they were hosting. This was most likely a plea for mercy.
“Later, the two of us will attend the banquet. But be careful, and don’t run around at the banquet. I’m worried that the Cheng Clan may be desperate enough to set up a trap,” Ling Dong Xing said. He would, of course, not brave the danger alone. The elite members of the clan would also be attending along him to act as a deterrence in case the Cheng Clan was thinking of committing violence.
Ling Dong Xing looked at Ling Han, slightly frowning. He felt as if something was not right, but exactly what that something was, he could not think of.
“Pa!”
After half a moment, he suddenly smacked the table, and jumped up from his seat, his whole face filled with excitement, and said, “Han’er, you… you’ve broken through to Element Gathering Tier!” He finally discovered what that weird feeling he had was.
Ling Han nodded, and said with a smile, “I have.”
“Good! Good! Good!” Ling Dong Xing looked very excited, his hands clenched into fists. Because he had exerted too much strength into it, the bones in his fingers made a grinding sound, and the veins on his hands were protruding.
“Father, I want to know about Mother!” Ling Han said deeply.
Ling Dong Xing was hesitant for a while, before nodding his head and saying, “The current you does have the right to know. I had originally thought that the matter about your mother would be hidden in my heart for the rest of my life. I’ve hidden it for too long, so long that my heart is also very bitter!”
Ling Han nodded lightly. All these years, Ling Dong Xing had borne the pain of losing his beloved wife alone. There was no one to comfort him, nor was there anyone to shoulder this pain with him, so he naturally suffered a lot.
Ling Han swore in his heart that no matter who it was that had forced his parents to separate, he would ensure that this culprit would pay the price for this crime!
[1] ED/N: The two words “master” used here are different. When it refers to the tower, it means a badass super uber powerful dude (MC said brother earlier so I assume male gender here), and when it refers to MC, it means master as in owner, lord etc. Making it clear just in case.
