Chapter 103: The More You Don’t Want Me To Go Up, The More I Want To.
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
"Chhh!"
At this time, outside the Tower of Souls...
Rays of light started to whiz in the skies and landed on the ground in a flash.
It was the Sky Incense Valley disciple who left previously. He called for the Elder who was in charge of the Test Area.
The Elder’s presence surprised everyone outside of the tower.
After all, actually seeing an Infant Transformation Stager was rare for these Cultivators.There were even Cultivators who had never seen one before despite having trained for their entire lives.
"What a strong presence. Standing in front of him, I feel like kneeling down."
"So this is the aura of an Infant Transformation Stager. How frightening!"
"If I succeed in joining the Sky Incense Valley and go under the guidance of a strong Infant Transformation Stager, it would really be beneficial for me!"
Everybody discussed among themselves quietly and focused their attentions on the Elder.
"The Seventh Elder has arrived!"
Upon the Elder’s arrival, all the Sky Incense Valley Disciples at the scene started to kneel and paid their respects!
However, the Elder suddenly held his nose and frowned, "What’s this smell?"
One of the disciple quickly replied, "Reporting to Elder. This was a delicacy a black robed young man cooked. Its name is the Smelly Tofu. I got a piece, but did not manage to try it yet."
Finishing, he opened his palm and presented a piece of very dark-colored Smelly Tofu.
"This is regarded as a delicacy?" The Seventh Elder pouted his lips.
On his way here, he had already heard about the situation from a few of his disciples. However, after personally looking at this piece of Smelly Tofu and smelling that choking stench, he still felt that this was unbelievable.
"I initially didn’t believe it myself… Although it smells really bad, it tastes wonderful. It even increased one’s soul strength!" The Sky Incense disciple respectably replied.
"Increase soul strength?" The Seventh Elder was surprised. He waved his hand and the piece of dark-coloured Smelly Tofu floated into his palm.
Everybody’s eyes followed the Smelly Tofu. They inevitably let out envious looks and some of them unknowingly licked their lips.
The Seventh Elder stared at that piece of Smelly Tofu suspiciously and yet could not find anything unusual with it.
Perhaps it was the countless passionate and burning eyes which were staring upon this piece of Smelly Tofu, but after a few moments, he popped the Smelly Tofu into his mouth.
At the next moment, his muddy eyes widened, and was filled with astonishment!
"It is indeed very delicious, and… there is a mysterious force coming from it. It’s as if the force is starting to affect my soul.No, that’s not right, this… this magical food is nourishment for the soul!" The Seventh Elder was shocked.
The Sky Incense Valley was renowned for its expertise in refining medicine. However, for medicine which could nourish the soul, they had only one type. Furthermore, that medicine had a very low chance of being refined into a pill. Even after refining, it would be kept in the Sect as a treasure and cannot be taken out easily for use.
But now, a mere piece of Smelly tofu, a weird looking food, had the effect of nourishing one’s soul strength. This fact shocked him deeply.
"Little friend Hua!" The Seventh Elder immediately lifted his head and called for Xu Que who was looking around his surroundings at the fourth level.
Xu Que was pondering if there was really somebody upstairs. When The Seventh Elder called out, he gave Xu Que a shock. He stared and chided, "Hua your sister! Do you need to be so loud?"
"Screw that!"
Everybody was stunned as they took a deep breath and stared at Xu Que in shock. They wondered to themselves when did this lad get to the fourth level? And was he tired of living? How dare he talk this way to the Elder of the Sky Incense Valley?
"Ding! Congratulations to host ‘Xu Que’ for successfully acting tough. The reward is 50 act tough points!"
Xu Que apparently had acted tough unintentionally and it was to great success.
However, the Seventh Elder did not get angry. He even bore an apologetic tone and laughed embarrassedly, "Small friend Hua, do not get angry. It was indeed I who was being rude. May I know if you are free to come down? This old man has got something to ask of you!"
"Not free. Can’t you see me being busy passing through the levels?" Xu Que rejected without hesitation.
The Seventh Elder panicked, "Friend Hua, this old man here is the Elder of the Sky Incense Valley and I am ranked the Seventh out of the Elders. Actually, you are already qualified to become one of our Elite Disciples. I’ll count you as having passed this stage. You don’t need to continue on already."
"Nope, I am a man with principles. If I want to move up, it means I will. I won’t give up until I reach the highest level!" Xu Que replied with resolution.
Everybody was stunned.
"The Elder did not flare up? And he apologized?"
"And… Did I hear wrongly? The Elder had already termed him as an Elite Disciple and yet he rejected?"
"What is this lad doing?"
"I really cannot read his mind!"
The Sky Incense Disciples were in shock too and stared upwards at Xu Que blankly.
At this time, Xu Que wanted to turn around and leave.
The Seventh Elder asked in panic, "Friend Hua, I’ll wait for you to get to the fifth level. Could we go to the stone house and have a chat later?"
"Fifth level? Are you kidding me? My plan is to reach the tenth level. Stop talking to me already. I need to pee urgently and I will relieve it at the top of the tower. All of you better hide properly later!" Xu Que finished, disappeared from the tower window and immediately rushed up to the fifth level.
The Seventh Elder and other Cultivators were all speechless.
Reach the tenth level? And to pee from the top of the tower? Why don’t you pee from the heavens?
Reaching the fifth level would be already considered as an amazing feat for normal Cultivators. After all, no matter how strong one’s soul was, there were limits.
Even for this Seventh Elder from the Sky Incense Valley, his best record was reaching the middle of the seventh level!
"The more one goes up, the higher and more terrifying the pressure will be on one’s soul. Nevermind. He’ll understand when he reaches the fifth level." The Seventh Elder shook his head and muttered to himself.
At the same time, the Sky Incense Valley Disciples quickly moved up the transparent tower windows as Xu Que’s image emerged on the fifth level.
He had already moved to the middle of the fifth level. It looked like the pressure was huge as if he was carrying something on his shoulder while walking. Although his movements were slow, he was still able to advance.
Everybody was dumbfounded at the sight!
"How… how could this be?"
"He is still able to advance on the fifth level?
"Is he really trying to reach the sixth level? Oh my god! How is this happening?" The Sky Incense Valley disciples exclaimed.
Even the Seventh Elder blanked out and became awestricken.
"Ding! Congratulations to host ‘Xu Que’ for successfully acting tough. The reward is 40 act tough points!"
"Ding! Congratulations to host ‘Xu Que’ for successfully acting tough. The reward is 60 act tough points!"
However, Xu Que still continued inching forward.
He was indeed feeling a considerable amount of pressure. It felt like he was walking through a swamp and every step felt heavy and difficult to take.
However, it was still bearable for him. Also, he could faintly feel that his soul strength was resisting the pressure and that it was slowly strengthening. Although small, it was big enough for him to realize the change.
Before long, he had reached the stairs to the sixth level. He looked up and hesitated a little.
"If I continue going up, I’ll have to purchase a Dark Jade Dew again. Should I buy it or not?"
"Friend Hua, who knew that you have such strong soul strength at such a young age? You have my respects. However, you shouldn’t move up to the sixth level. It’s not a place for young people." The Seventh Elder advised from below the tower.
Xu Que heard it and immediately became unhappy.
"Screw you rotten old man! You dare to provoke me? The more you don’t want me to go up, the more I want to!" He reprimanded in his head and immediately spent 500 act tough points to exchange for a drop of the Dark Jade Dew. He swallowed it straight and advanced towards the sixth level.
The Seventh Elder’s expression changed. He called out, "Friend Hua, don’t do it! I am really not kidding with you. The sixth level’s soul pressure is really powerful. If your soul strength is not strong enough, it will can be crushed by the pressure even before the Tower of Souls could send you out."
Xu Que suddenly stopped, turned and looked downwards through the tower windows. He faintly laughed, "So what?"
Everyone was astounded!
In the next moment, Xu Que’s expression became impassioned. He tilted his head slightly, looked up into the sky and exclaimed resoundly, "In this life, I have to be the best person who ever existed. Even when I die, I will be an heroic ghost. As I tread along this path, I cannot let this mere Tower of Souls stop me from my dreams!"
Finishing his speech, he turned his body resolutely and marched upwards!
What was left were shocked faces at the foot of the tower. The stupefied group of Cultivators were thrown into complete disarray!