Chapter 204

From the moment of stepping into the threshold, the pressure imposed by the high tower immediately appeared.

Different from the last time, when following the traditional process with an invitation, which was a form of ‘urging’, this time it is a double torment targeting the body and soul.

Li Zhuiyuan felt pain, but upon thinking that he still had to climb the floors next, and that this kind of repulsion would continue for a very long time, the pain feeling suddenly decreased a lot.

Anyway, he would have to adapt, so he might as well shorten this adaptation process.

After all, for Li Zhuiyuan, what he found most difficult to accept was the human skin being torn off. As for other things, they were all hard to reach that threshold.

The first floor was still the same first floor. The murals depicting the stories continued to be displayed, from the goddess soldier jie, the establishment of the academy, to the collective ascension. Before stepping onto the stairs, Li Zhuiyuan scanned them all again.

His gaze lingered for a while on one of the murals. It depicted a ‘destined person’ and a person from inside the tower with their figures overlapping, striking the ascension bell.

Li Zhuiyuan went up to the second floor.

The deceased who had been quietly sitting at the desks one by one were all shaking their bodies from side to side at this moment.

When passing between them, Li Zhuiyuan even noticed the resentment brewing on their foreheads.

Even in the high tower where the rules suppression was strongest, resentment had begun to breed. Then, in the first two stages, the emerald inside numerous black shadows would only be more severe.

Even though Li Zhuiyuan had already made advance predictions and reviewed this secret realm, this high tower, with a new perspective, this kind of close-distance eyewitness impact was still hard to avoid.

The true purpose of this wave also gradually surfaced in the young man’s heart, and along with it, the truth of this high tower.

…

Tan Wenbin drew a cigarette from his pocket and bit it in his mouth.

Zhao Yi reached out, took the cigarette, and bit it in his own mouth.

Tan Wenbin was not annoyed by this. He drew another one from the cigarette box and bit it, then conveniently used a waterproof lighter to light Zhao Yi’s cigarette first, and smilingly teased:

“Are you sure you still have the strength to blow smoke rings now?”

“Underestimating me, right? Who said this smoke must be spit out from the mouth?”

Zhao Yi inhaled deeply, swallowed the smoke, and then smoke rings overflowed one wisp after another from the small broken heart area on his chest.

“Hahaha!”

Tan Wenbin laughed out loud.

He had started learning to smoke in high school. At that time, students thought smoking was a very cool thing, and for this, they tossed and invented various strange ways of blowing smoke rings. But Zhao Yi’s method was the first of its kind, because it was impossible to imitate.

Zhao Yi used the hand holding the cigarette to point towards the tower door on the bottom floor, the position where Li Zhuiyuan had previously entered and disappeared:

“He still told me he has no relatives here. See that? This relative openly gave him a backdoor.”

Tan Wenbin: “Xiao Yuan brother just shook hands with the book…”

Zhao Yi shook his head: “Nothing more than the common practice of those with connections to deceive procedural justice. They perfunctorily issued a blank document, too lazy to even print a word.”

Young Master Zhao naturally knew clearly that Li Zhuiyuan could enter by relying on the connection of that blank book. But now, what he needed was not the truth, but the venting of the emotion of jealousy.

Tan Wenbin silently smoked, not attempting to explain again, because the one slandering you is clearer than you are that you are being slandered.

Although he felt sour in his heart, Zhao Yi still did not forget to observe the situation in front.

The matter of the person surnamed Li entering the tower would inevitably lead to a chain reaction in the battle situation ahead.

Without accident, at least his wish to command this team to fight a battle could be realized, which was also a small comfort.

If the person surnamed Li had previously truly nodded in agreement to cooperate with those two to come up, then his command of this team from beginning to end would have been condensed into just one sentence: “Everyone, pay attention and listen to my command.”

Zhen Shaoan and Xu Zhenrong continuously exchanged glances, their mutual calculations already clear in their hearts.

They were very realistic people and knew when they could fight internally and when they must unite against the outside.

There were two of them. Previously, the two had joined hands to deal with Yu Miaomiao without splitting their forces, because neither wanted the other to eat alone.

Now, the one who was eating alone had already gone in. For the two of them to continue to mutually pull and guard each other was meaningless.

Zhen Shaoan arranged a formation in front of his body, and Xu Zhenrong arranged puppets on both sides of her body.

After doing this, the two, as if racing, turned and retreated.

Even though they had mastered part of the rules’ permissions, melting the emerald barrier also required time. Yu Miaomiao would not allow it. But the hole opened by Yu Cangsheng when coming down previously was still there, which could lead to the upper layer and also had a tower door to enter.

Previously, the two had tried to detour upwards but were blocked by Yu Miaomiao with faster speed. This time, they decided to act separately.

Xu Zhenrong originally thought her speed would be faster than Zhen Shaoan’s, but the truth was that the formation master’s body always had wonderful places that were hard to predict.

Zhen Shaoan arrived at the hole position first and moved upwards.

Seeing this, Xu Zhenrong did not follow up together like last time, but stayed below.

Next, it just depended on Yu Miaomiao choosing between the two. This time, the one chosen would not deliberately let go but would provide delay cover.

Like this, the two each had a 50% probability of entering the tower. If they continued to stalemate and delay, that one who entered first might eat everything, leaving both of them with zero.

Yu Miaomiao chose to go upwards to chase Zhen Shaoan.

Zhen Shaoan sighed, bitterness in his heart, yet he could only arrange formations to intercept Yu Miaomiao.

This was not a matter of being unwilling to gamble and admit defeat. But if he broke the agreement now, there would be no tacit understanding next. Instead, if he could delay until Xu Zhenrong entered the tower, then Yu Miaomiao would likely turn to chase into the tower. Like that, he could still have the possibility of entering the tower.

Xu Zhenrong exhaled a breath of relief in her heart, no longer hesitating, and directly rushed towards the tower door on this layer.

Even if that young man had gone in, she was certain that the young man inside the tower would not have it easy, perhaps still painfully crawling on the first layer. She, who had mastered permission, could completely catch up later.

However, some things were absolutely impossible to go as she wished.

Just as she rushed to the tower door, once again, a figure fell down, blocking the door.

Only this time, the one responsible for blocking was not Yu Miaomiao, but Runsheng holding the Yellow River shovel.

Runsheng, with his air gate continuously opening, had air waves rolling around his body, creating a strong momentum.

Beneath Xu Zhenrong’s mask, that already destroyed face had flesh tangled together.

Being able to rush from the corner to here so quickly and successfully block her meant that the other side had already set off to position themselves just after she and Zhen Shaoan had determined their plan after retreating.

Possibly even earlier, when that young man had just entered the tower door, the other side had already made the blocking plan.

Xu Zhenrong manipulated her mask puppets to attack Runsheng. Runsheng swung the Yellow River shovel into afterimages, one shovel per mask person.

Puppet shadows conjured without corpse materials truly could not withstand Runsheng’s attacks.

Of course, this was not Xu Zhenrong’s current full strength. The means she was displaying now were weaker than before when joining hands with Zhen Shaoan to deal with Yu Miaomiao.

Because there were others, just standing far away. Although they were not making a move, they were already prepared to make a move.

Sometimes, not making a move is the best restraint.

The injured teacher who had left the classroom was still fearsome, yet not that fearsome.

Zhao Yi leaned on Lin Shiyou’s body, his head resting on A You’s shoulder.

The cigarette butt in his mouth flickered, and smoke rings continuously spit out from his heart.

Xu Zhenrong: “Zhao family boy, what are you doing?”

Zhao Yi: “I also don’t want to do this, but who called their boss went in? At this time, even if I don’t want to block the door, I can’t.”

Xu Zhenrong: “You think you can block me?”

Zhao Yi: “It doesn’t matter whether I can block you or not, I just want to drag you down with me. I’m really not scaring you, these guys are truly willing to die for their boss’s opportunity, oh.”

Saying this sentence, Zhao Yi himself envied tightly in his heart, and conveniently reached out, pointing towards Yin Meng standing diagonally in front.

Yin Meng was holding a string of poison cans in her hand, eighty percent of which were empty bluffs.

Because ever since coming to Lijiang, her stored poison had been consumed, and she hadn’t found an opportunity to replenish toxins.

However, Xu Zhenrong didn’t know this. She only knew that this girl’s poison was so complex that even she couldn’t deduce it.

Therefore, among these people, she most dreaded this girl, because the stuff in the other’s hand could truly poison and dissolve her current self.

But she was unwilling to give up this good opportunity. She spread her two arms open, her palms hollowed out, pus water flowing down. On both sides of her body, she poured out two puppets, one red and one black.

Zhao Yi opened his mouth and shouted: “Careful, she’s moving for real!”

Close combat martial artists are very straightforward. When injured and exhausted, it will intuitively show in their combat power. While those who walk other paths, even if injured, can still squeeze out some oil and reappear with strong combat power.

The boy surnamed Li was typical of this kind.

After the two puppets appeared, the red one rushed towards Runsheng.

Runsheng again slapped with the Yellow River shovel. One shovel smashed its head. This ease made Runsheng feel somewhat surprised, subconsciously thinking that such elaborately made puppets shouldn’t be this fragile.

The truth was indeed so. The smashed puppet did not dissipate but turned into something like mochi, stuck on the Yellow River shovel, and quickly crawled up along the shovel body, attaching itself to Runsheng’s hand.

This thing had no killing power. Its role was just to stick people, and with a strong force.

Runsheng pulled forcefully, continuously tearing it, while it continuously re-coagulated.

Zhao Yi’s chest gave a burst of dry cough, finally overflowing a wisp of thick black blood water, like coughing phlegm after smoking.

He pushed away Lin Shiyou who was supporting him, gave Tan Wenbin a greeting, and finally waved a hand at Yin Meng.

This woman was good at deduction and immediately discovered Runsheng’s weakness.

Tan Wenbin and Lin Shiyou, one left and one right, clamped down on Xu Zhenrong.

Both assumed the posture of going all out to fight. One’s ghost control technique was about to activate, and the other’s vertical pupil was about to open.

Leaving others aside for now, at least this momentum and style immediately lifted up.

Xu Zhenrong did not stay in place waiting to fight with the two. The black puppet by her side hit her body, swallowed her, and then with extremely fast speed pounced towards Runsheng.

Runsheng still had the red mochi on his body not yet cleaned, and a black mochi was added. Under his continuous pulling, lump after lump of mochi spread along his body towards his back.

A hand reached out and began to operate the permission to enter the high tower.

Zhao Yi: “Runsheng, run here!”

Runsheng dashed out, leaving the tower door position.

This action was intended to take away the mochi on his body, but the mochi that was originally stuck to him quickly fell off at this time.

But just as Xu Zhenrong’s body was about to come out from the mochi, and the permission to enter the tower door was about to be fully activated, they only heard the Zhao family boy shouting from behind:

“Runsheng, you didn’t eat your fill?”

Immediately, a strong pulling force came. Xu Zhenrong was only a few breaths away from entering the tower door, yet she was forcibly pulled back.

Looking back, she discovered that Runsheng was actually putting the remaining mochi on his body into his mouth and swallowing it with effort.

Xu Zhenrong did not expect that her binding puppet technique actually had this kind of cracking method.

Her gaze fell viciously towards Zhao Yi who was standing there.

Zhao Yi smiled slightly at the same time, his body still slightly shaking, thinking that next time he went out to walk the river, he must first order a crutch. Um, and conveniently make one for Old Tian head too.

The red and black mochi completely fell off from Runsheng and gathered into a lump again, from which Xu Zhenrong’s figure walked out.

She discovered that the previously very momentum Tan Wenbin and Lin Shiyou were now still only momentum.

Xu Zhenrong: “Bluffing!”

Zhao Yi: “Each other.”

Life and death battles and defense battles have different fighting methods. Zhao Yi was just helping the person surnamed Li block the door and had no life and death great enmity with this Xu Zhenrong. Naturally, he was as leisurely as could be.

Xu Zhenrong showed a smile, her hands quickly pinching seals and flipping.

Zhao Yi showed shock: “How dare you!”

Xu Zhenrong: “To get in, I dare anything!”

In the distance, the old Taoist priest’s corpse, which had originally been broken by Yu Miaomiao’s previous sword, had groups of black mist surfacing.

This was standard Nuo opera puppet technique. She planned to use this as raw material to pinch out a powerful puppet.

But this old Taoist priest’s body originally had many wonders, plus it was controlled by the one on the top floor of the high tower. After pinching him into a puppet and standing him up, it was hard to say who would control it exactly.

Xu Zhenrong, as she said, didn’t care.

The more time she was delayed outside, the more layers of stairs that young man inside could crawl, even if he was just crawling.

Might as well take a huge risk, first make a big one, and thoroughly stir the water here!

However, just as the old Taoist priest’s damaged corpse was covered by black gas, Yin Meng’s figure appeared by his side, holding a can in her hand. She pulled out the stopper and poured the liquid inside.

Tan Wenbin once greatly praised Yin Meng’s ‘skin refreshing water’.

He said it was an excellent companion for traveling and destroying corpses and traces, one use and no sound.

This was also currently the most stable toxin in terms of quality control that Yin Meng had mastered.

“Splash…”

After pouring the corpse dissolving water, it was like pouring water into a boiling oil pot. Black mist began to dissipate, the corpse began to twitch, emitting various colorful bubbles.

Anyway, this corpse material could not be used to pinch puppets again.

Zhao Yi rubbed his face with his hand, wiped away the shocked expression, and then顺势 pulled the corner of his mouth, putting on a gloating smile:

“Just now, when you were joining hands with that Zhen Shaoan to deal with Yu Miaomiao, I noticed you paying attention to this corpse several times.”

Purely playing mind games, besides that person surnamed Li, he, Zhao Yi, truly wouldn’t fear anyone else.

“Oh, right, aren’t you needing raw materials? There are still some nearby, do you want to try again?”

One layer upstairs still had material, which was Yu Miaomiao’s dismembered body.

Shredded corpse pieces had low material value, but they could be made do with. But inside that layer, Zhen Shaoan was entangled with Yu Miaomiao.

Xu Zhenrong knew clearly that once she tried to refine Yu Miaomiao’s previous body, according to that cat’s vengeful temper, she would likely abandon everything without hesitation and come down to fight her to the death.

Zhen Shaoan’s voice came from above:

“Xu Zhenrong, I didn’t break the agreement, it’s your turn!”

Under Xu Zhenrong’s mask, her skin wrinkled tighter.

She no longer hesitated and pinched her hands.

Upstairs, on Yu Miaomiao’s corpse, wisps of black mist began to appear.

The “Yu Miaomiao” who was originally playing with Zhen Shaoan seemed to notice something.

But before the current Yu Miaomiao first reacted, Zhao Yi also began to pinch seals, and the life and death gate seam between his eyebrows quickly wriggled.

He had also learned a bit of this Nuo opera puppet technique.

Sensing the interference from Zhao Yi, Xu Zhenrong emitted a disdainful sound: “You only learned a little fur!”

Zhao Yi didn’t mind: “The old man just copied books in the classroom, the one who truly learned that guy isn’t here.”

After perceiving that his technique countering had no effect, Zhao Yi immediately shouted: “Runsheng, interrupt her! Tan Wenbin, Lin Shiyou, block her!”

Runsheng rushed towards Xu Zhenrong holding the Yellow River shovel, but Xu Zhenrong’s black and red puppets on her side attacked again, sticking to Runsheng once more. Runsheng had no choice but to continue putting the mochi on his body into his mouth.

Tan Wenbin began to shout for his godson to make a move. Two yuan ying appeared on Tan Wenbin’s shoulders. They looked up and began to clap and sing nursery rhymes.

Thick ghost qi rushed up to intercept Xu Zhenrong’s spell casting process midway.

Lin Shiyou was possessed and rose. Although his body was still weak, the White Crane Child still very graciously descended gently.

And after descending, he still actively urged: “Quick, hurry and insert the needle!”

This body was frail, not suitable to exert this child’s strength.

Lin Shiyou did not insert the needle.

The child also immediately understood the current situation and did not fight initially.

Soon, the child raised the trident, spun in place, walked out the rhythm of the wandering god’s steps, and waves of yin god qi rippled, pulling and disrupting that invisible technique.

Upstairs, on Yu Miaomiao’s shredded corpse, black gas just emerged and disappeared, emerged again and disappeared again.

Even though Xu Zhenrong did not hold back, she still couldn’t successfully profane Yu Miaomiao’s corpse, let alone attract the current Yu Miaomiao’s anger to create an opportunity for Zhen Shaoan.

Inside the high tower.

Li Zhuiyuan’s climbing speed was faster than Xu Zhenrong imagined. He was after all not a fool like Yu Miaomiao who couldn’t endure pain.

The higher up, the fewer people there were on each layer, but the shock feeling became stronger and stronger.

This was not strange. The more powerful an existence was in life, the stronger their resistance force after the rules were weakened, naturally.

The young man arrived at the eleventh layer. Originally, there were three big bosses sitting on the eleventh layer, but now only one was left.

The crane-haired, child-faced scholar was still lying on the couch, still in that reading posture. Only, originally he was reading a blank book, now he was reading a non-existent book.

Now, a very realistic problem appeared.

How exactly did one go to the twelfth layer?

He had been here before, but there were no stairs continuing upward inside the eleventh layer.

Li Zhuiyuan, without Yu Cangsheng and their three’s permission, only had the excuse of returning the book.

Observing carefully, Li Zhuiyuan discovered cracks appearing on the bed couch, floor, and walls, etc. These cracks were still continuously enlarging.

The scholar was not shaking his body like the people below; he was shaking this entire eleventh layer.

The young man lifted his head and looked towards the ceiling. The originally exquisite carved wall surface also had cracks, and wisps of a weak yet completely different atmosphere from the eleventh layer below overflowed from there.

It seemed the passage to the top floor was here.

However, the destruction degree was not strong enough, the cracks were not big enough. He needed to make this shaking more violent.

Without a permission key, then he could only violently open the lock.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the scholar’s front and took the blank book to the side of his hand.

The young man pretended to stuff the blank book back into the scholar’s hand, yet stopped the action, took the book back to his own front, and casually flipped the pages with his fingertip, emitting a crisp sound.

“Originally thought that a book brought together and buried even after death would be something special, didn’t expect it to be such a simple book.

Couldn’t understand it in life, and still have to pretend to keep reading after death, sigh, how stupid.”

As soon as the words fell, the entire eleventh floor began to shake more violently!

Li Zhuiyuan’s figure also swayed left and right with the shaking, having to rely on his hand grabbing the couch edge to barely maintain balance.

Finally, only a ‘boom’ sound was heard, and a section of the ceiling collapsed.

The ladder to the twelfth layer fell down!

Li Zhuiyuan, holding the book, grabbed the ladder handrail, overcame this violent shaking, and went up step by step.

Midway, he turned back to look down and discovered that the resentment and baleful qi in the scholar’s eyebrows were so dense they were almost dripping water.

Arriving at the top floor was like arriving at a new pattern. The strong shock feeling from below suddenly disappeared.

Li Zhuiyuan saw that majestic ancient big bell, with dense, obscure symbols on it, only missing the last stroke to gain perfection.

The young man also saw the faceless person lying under the big bell.

He seemed already dead.

The young man, who had already made a new guess about the purpose of the high tower’s existence in his heart, looked at this faceless person and said a sentence expressionlessly.

As this sentence fell, the faceless person who had been lying motionless on the ground actually twitched, as if angered to jiang shi.

Only because the young man said:

“You are truly pitiful.”

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