C8 Earth Dragon's Blood

Chu Yun indeed faced some challenges on the eighth floor of the Skysplit Tower. The number of phantoms had increased, presenting him with two Ninth Grade Critical Stage adversaries. This effectively doubled the difficulty of the challenge.

The simultaneous attacks from the two phantoms significantly heightened the danger to Chu Yun. Moreover, they were not fighting independently; they were coordinating their efforts.

Despite being individually weaker than Chu Yun, the phantoms were able to hold their own against him for a short time. Chu Yun's strategy was straightforward: he focused his attacks on one phantom while enduring the onslaught from the other. With the protection of the Blazing Sun Heavenly Dragon and his golden silk armor, he could afford this tactic.

After a relentless assault, Chu Yun managed to defeat both phantoms, clearing the eighth floor of the tower.

Upon entering a sphere of light, Chu Yun ascended to the ninth and final level of the Skysplit Tower. Here, he was confronted by nine phantoms, each as formidable as the two he had just faced, all at the Ninth Grade of the Critical Stage. They stood arrayed before him in an imposing line.

Chu Yun was taken aback; he had anticipated facing three or four phantoms, not this sudden multitude. The challenge of one against nine was no longer a mere doubling of difficulty. He wondered how he could possibly emerge victorious.

Upon closer inspection, Chu Yun noticed that one of the phantoms differed in color from the rest. It was a distinctive white, and it was closely guarded in the center by the other eight black phantoms.

"Could it be," Chu Yun pondered, "that I don't need to eliminate all nine phantoms? If I can just defeat that white one, will I pass this level?"

With this hypothesis in mind and as the eight black phantoms charged at him, Chu Yun's conviction grew stronger. He didn't back down. Instead, he surged forward, targeting the white phantom directly.

Eight black phantoms relentlessly assailed him.

Chu Yun nimbly dodged each one, striving to evade their attacks to close in on the elusive white phantom.

Yet, the nearer he approached, the more the white phantom fled in the opposite direction. Its speed wasn't great, but with Chu Yun entwined in the grasp of the eight black phantoms, catching it seemed impossible.

Frustrated by his fruitless attempts, Chu Yun grew angry.

"Fine, I'll just save you for last!"

Chu Yun declared, seething with rage.

Like a tiger descending upon a flock of sheep, he boldly charged at the eight black phantoms surrounding him.

He was resolute in his decision to eliminate these eight nuisances first before confronting the white phantom.

It must be said, Chu Yun's approach was quite brash, but the havoc he wrought was equally formidable. If his Thousand Mountain Eight Forces struck true, a black phantom would be obliterated instantly.

Subsequently, the second and third phantoms met the same fate.

By the time Chu Yun shattered the fourth phantom, he had sustained injuries. Continuing at this rate, he'd only manage to slay two more phantoms before his fighting strength was depleted.

Yet Chu Yun remained unflustered. He produced a Nine Turns Revival Pill from his System Space and popped it into his mouth, swiftly assimilating its potent effects.

Instantly, Chu Yun's wounds began to heal at an accelerated pace. The physical and spiritual energy he had expended in the skirmishes were rapidly replenishing. Within moments, he was nearly back at his peak condition.

"I can pop pills. Can any of you come back to life?"

Chu Yun taunted.

Lacking intelligence, the black phantoms couldn't respond, but had they been able, they surely would have cursed him.

Before long, the fifth and then the sixth black phantom were vanquished.

Upon ingesting the second Nine Turns Revival Pill, Chu Yun had eradicated all eight black phantoms, leaving only the solitary and pitiable white phantom, quivering in the distance.

Chu Yun flashed a wicked smile and lunged at it with ferocity.

All nine phantoms vanished.

With the demise of the white phantom, a golden orb shimmering with light materialized before Chu Yun. Within the orb, a quaint jade bottle held a quantity of blood.

Chu Yun picked up the bottle and unscrewed the cap, taking in the scent of the blood—it was unmistakably dragon blood, specifically from the Ten Thousand Rock Dragon.

"I've heard rumors about a significant reward hidden on the ninth floor of the Skysplit Tower. This vial of essence is from the Myriad Rock Dragon, the Elemental River Sect's guardian spiritual beast. By consuming it, I can harness the power of dragon blood to forge my body into something stronger. What a rare and precious treasure indeed!" Chu Yun was elated; this was an incredible stroke of luck for him.

Without hesitation, Chu Yun downed the vial of dragon blood essence. He then sat down cross-legged, summoning his Martial Spirit, the Blazing Sun Heavenly Dragon, to aid in assimilating the dragon blood's power.

Dragons are known for their dominance, and the aura within their blood is typically wild and untamed. A martial artist with a weak foundation would risk immediate death by explosion upon consuming such blood. However, the earthdragon blood essence that flowed into Chu Yun's body was surprisingly gentle and yielded no hint of violence.

"Though the Myriad Rock Dragon is formidable, it's merely a sub-dragon, not a true dragon. My Blazing Sun Heavenly Dragon Martial Spirit, on the other hand, is a top-tier presence even among true dragons," Chu Yun remarked with a smug grin.

After the refinement process, Chu Yun's body had become more robust, his muscles more defined, and his strength had increased by at least thirty percent. Should he attempt the Skysplit Tower again, he would likely find it far simpler than before—perhaps he wouldn't even need to consume a Pill upon reaching the ninth floor.

Chu Yun exhaled deeply, rose to his feet, and stepped into the sphere of light.

"Congratulations, your mission is complete."

"Your mission reward—one Spiritual Bait and three Ordinary Grade Baits—has been deposited into your System Space. Please check to receive them."

Chu Yun vanished from his spot, teleported to the plaza outside the Skysplit Tower. Alongside him, dozens of other challengers who had failed were also teleported out.

Their unexpected arrival caused a stir among the crowd outside the Skysplit Tower. The teleportation was ahead of schedule, as it typically occurred once every hour.

"Could this be because someone has conquered the ninth level of the Skysplit Tower?"

Someone murmured under their breath.

As their words trailed off, a hush fell over the crowd, all of whom were steeped in profound astonishment. Just moments before, they had witnessed a light cease its flickering on the ninth floor of the Skysplit Tower, followed by a burst of golden radiance. Someone had successfully breached the ninth floor of the Skysplit Tower, accomplishing a feat that was without precedent in the history of the Elemental River Sect.

At that point, the disciples were so stunned they found themselves speechless.

Lee Yuanfeng was lost in silence.

When that individual had conquered the seventh level, he had felt unconvinced. Upon their victory at the eighth level, he was taken aback. But now, as they had pierced through the ninth level, he was overwhelmed.

Lee Yuanfeng was transported back to a time when his own talent was modest and his strength unremarkable. He could only look on as the prodigies effortlessly achieved what he could not.

That familiar sense of helplessness had resurfaced.

Even after claiming Chu Yun's Martial Spirit and emerging as a prodigy with a twin Martial Spirit, Lee Yuanfeng still felt powerless in the face of this enigmatic figure.

It was as though they were not even of the same species—the chasm between them so vast, it bred a sense of hopelessness.

He wasn't alone in his thoughts; the other disciples felt the same.

All they wanted now was to lay eyes on the individual who had penetrated the ninth level of the Skysplit Tower.

Had it not been for the Skysplit Tower's restrictions, which barred warriors of the Critical Stage and above from entry, they might have suspected an elder had stepped inside.

Yet, their search yielded nothing; they caught no glimpse of the person in question.

Due to the early emergence of this batch of trial participants, their sudden appearance in the plaza sparked an uproar. Chu Yun, cleverly disguised, took advantage of the chaos and slipped away from the throng.

But unbeknownst to Chu Yun, as he made his exit, a pair of perceptive eyes took notice of him.

Those eyes belonged to Zhao Lingling.