Ye Mo casually walked the stairs all the way to the second floor.
The second floor was as large as the first one, but it had ten fewer doors, and the students here gave off a much fiercer aura.
He looked around at people fighting and others waiting expectantly in a corner and found out, compared to the first floor, there were very few 6th layer cultivators.
Most experts were at the 7th layer here, with several 8th layer Qi Gathering Realm cultivators mixed in the crowd.
"On the first floor, the strongest cultivators were at the 8th layer, while here they are at the peak of the 8th layer." From his sighting, Ye Mo could infer the power level of each floor.
"The third floor should have experts at the 9th layer and the fourth floor must have cultivators of the peak of the Qi Gathering realm!"
On the first floor, Ye Mo only saw two 8th layer cultivators among the students present, and he didn't have to fight against them to reach his door.
These cultivators were the strongest in the base of the pagoda, so you would rarely see or need to fight them because they were all cultivating inside rooms in the first place.
With their high cultivation they didn't have much trouble battling and reaching a stone door at this level so the rooms that were closed mostly contained these students, the two that Ye Mo spotted likely had other reasons to wait, probably trying to meet someone.
However, it also meant they were the weakest 8th layer cultivators of the pagoda as despite their cultivation, they were still reduced to cultivating in the first floor and could not climb higher.
On the second floor it was the same. Although the strongest students have a cultivation of the peak 8th layer, most of them were inside a room cultivating, so there was no need to fight them.
The 7th and 8th layer cultivators were the true opponents!
Near an open room was a group of dozens of students fighting, the sound of punches, kicks, and battle skills flying around in a loud banter.
It was one of the largest groups currently battling on the second floor and overall, it was very chaotic.
Everyone was attacking the nearest student without rhyme nor reason, sometimes switching opponents without realizing.
Ye Mo used the first phase of Shadow Walk to mix with the crowd, feigning attacks at times or taking some in turns as he slowly progressed towards the stone door.
Because his presence was concealed, barely anyone noticed him in this brawl, much less target him. Sometimes, attacks would randomly go in his direction, but it wasn't something he couldn't block or dodge, particularly when he wasn't the one aimed at in the first place.
This way, he advanced until he reached the end of the crowd where two 8th layer cultivators faced each other near the room.
"Now that im here, don't even think about taking a step inside."
"This room is mine, I was the first to arrive here. Leave right away or I won't have any pity even if I have to break every single bone of your body!"
"Do you think this is some kind of race where the first to reach the door get to use the room? It's all about strength, if you can't defeat me, you have no right to go in."
Both cultivators were in a heated argument as they fought for a place inside the room.
One had a bulky body and abnormally large hands and feet as he threw very heavy strikes, while the other had a thin stature and was very swift and nimble, evading every blow without batting an eye.
None of them could defeat the other as one couldn't touch the thin cultivator while the other couldn't deal enough damage to the bulky one; hence, it became a battle to see who would lose all his qi or abandon first.
While they battled each other, Ye Mo lurked their way unnoticed until, in no time, he was by the side of the large cultivator and threw a punch, the qi in his body circulating quickly.
These two stood right between him and the stone door, he couldn't bypass them without being seen, so he attacked first!
The cultivator with large hands and feet didn't realize Ye Mo was this close when he was hit by a Stone Breaking Punch.
The large cultivator retreated multiple steps before he fell on his knees, releasing a mouthful of blood on the ground.
His organs just took a heavy blow, and his bones were broken.
"He must have been cultivating with techniques that modified his body. I didn't hold back much this time, but to think he's still conscious and supporting himself." Before he closed on them, Ye Mo was already analyzing these two's abilities.
The thin cultivator was fast and agile but not very strong, he could dodge, but he was of no danger to Ye Mo. The second one dealt powerful strikes and had good defenses, he quickly became Ye Mo's target.
Usually, Ye Mo would always hold back his strikes in the pagoda, minding the regulations in place and avoiding killing someone accidentally. But witnessing the large cultivator's prowess, he unhesitatingly used most of his strength in this one blow, incapacitating him from the start.
After this first strike, he activated Wind Flow and rushed forward.
He quickly followed before the cultivator could recover and kicked him in the face, breaking his nose in two places while his eyes rolled back as he fainted.
"Thanks for the help, you can go join him now for all I care!" The thin cultivator used this opportunity to attack Ye Mo.
He moved with impressive speed as he appeared behind him and sent a palm strike.
However, sneak attacks were Ye Mo's specialty, how could he let himself get a taste of his own medicine when he was already aware of this person's presence?
While turning back, he raised his arms and used his forearms to block the palm.
Taking the full brunt of the attack, Ye Mo retreated two steps before he regained his stability.
"For an 8th layer cultivator, this attack was only average at best. This guy focused heavily on movements and neglected the rest." Ye Mo observed as he blocked the strikes.
However, although he realized it, this didn't help him deal with the situation.
The cultivator's speed far surpassed his, and he had no way to touch him, all he could do was passively endure the opponent's attacks.
"Another one with a powerful body, such luck I have today!" The cultivator scowled as he stormed Ye Mo with strikes, both attacking and retreating in turns while the latter slowly pulled back.
Every time he was close enough for Ye Mo to catch him, he would escape his grasp and pull some distance before returning with another series of blows.
Being fast and evasive was the battle style of his foe!
It went with the principle, "If you can't touch me, you can't defeat me."
Ye Mo kept retreating while his opponent threw himself at him, raising a palm once again.
At this moment, Ye Mo's shoulder bumped against another student who was fighting near the door, among the crowd of contestants.
For an instant, the student paused and looked at him confused, but Ye Mo grabbed his leg without any hesitation and raised him upside down, using his body to block the palm strike.
"Bastard!" The thin cultivator shouted as he ceased his palm, trying urgently to halt his momentum.
Since the start, he has been attacking with all his strength, trying to deal some damage. Ye Mo, being a body refining cultivator, was not easy to bring down.
However, the student he caught was an ordinary 7th layer cultivator, if he took the palm strike at full force with his body, there was a chance he could die.
If he broke the rules, the thin cultivator could be subjected to a severe punishment before being expelled. This was something no member of the Tiger Martial Institute would want to face.
Exerting himself to the best of his abilities, he was able to stop his charge right before Ye Mo and avoid hitting the person in his grasp, but Ye Mo smiled deviously as he used the student in his hand like a weapon and swiped the space before him.
His opponent's movement abilities were formidable, as even in this situation he was able to jump back and retreat while just an instant ago he was charging forward like a fury.
If Ye Mo were barehanded, he still wouldn't have been able to touch him despite the sudden halt, but with the body of the student in his hand, his reach increased tremendously, and the head of the man swept the thin cultivator's legs midair, making him lose balance and fall on the ground.
Seeing his whip succeed, Ye Mo released his grasp on the student, who continued his course and went flying until he crashed against several other cultivators fighting a few meters away.
Immediately, he used Wind Flow and charged!
His opponent only had the time to raise his head when a foot suddenly fell on his tibia, crushing the muscles and shattering the bones.
"AAAAH!!!" The cultivator gave a bloodcurdling screech, his face turning pale as he looked at his leg.
Between his knee and the ankle, it was nothing more than a flat mess of flesh.
Surrounded by wind currents, Ye Mo quickly closed the distance with the stone door and inserted 900 gold coins in the small hole in one go.
Immediately, the interior lit up while the door rumbled and started to close itself.
"Wait!"
"Stop him!"
"Sneaky bastard!"
The scene attracted the attention of many students who tried to prevent him from going inside.
One of them threw three needles from the distance, which closed the gap in an instant.
They were so fast Ye Mo didn't even have the time to dodge, so he raised his hand to block them as the needles penetrated his palm and his blood sprayed on the ground.
Another rushed towards him while opening his mouth, his tongue extending like a whip as it coiled around his wrist.
With a movement of the arm, Ye Mo pulled the tongue expert towards him from the distance, then with a powerful kick, he was sent back crashing on the other side of the floor.
After this, he slipped in the room through the remaining gap of the closing door and used it to take cover against the multiple attacks that flew in his direction.
The door didn't even budge before it completely closed itself, Ye Mo was safe for the next three months.
Unbeknownst to him, a few minutes later, a team of Li clan members with their young master at their head stepped on the second floor.