Back at the Jade Chamber, it was already 9:00 PM. As Su Han landed, he saw Beidou waiting for him, looking uncharacteristically serious.
"Yo... how did the cleanup at Jueyun Karst go?"
"Not bad," Su Han replied. "With Ruo-Ruo's help, the foundation is laid. I've embedded the Spirit Vein, and the Maples are already flourishing. Why aren't you training? Did something happen?"
Usually, Beidou would be halfway through a bottle of wine and knee-deep in sword practice by this hour. She had recently obtained a top-tier flying sword at Immortal Trace Mountain, second only to the legendary Thunder-Flame blades.
"You've been too busy," Beidou teased, nudging his shoulder. "Did you forget? The chat group launched a new event for Tier 3 members. I've been waiting all day to ask your opinion before jumping in."
Keqing chimed in, "The Spiral Tower of Heavens, right? 30,000 points per entry, once a month."
"Exactly," Beidou sighed. "Ningguang said I should wait for you. 30,000 points is a steep price; I didn't want to waste the attempt without a plan."
Su Han handed a sleepy Ruo-Ruo over to Baiven and nodded. "Let's head inside. I'll take a look at what this Tower is hiding."
[The Roster of Villains]
Inside the meeting room, Su Han opened the Spiral Tower interface.
[Spiral Tower of Heavens]
Restriction: Tier 3 Members
Fee: 30,000 Points
Description: Infinite enemies. Every 10th floor features an Elite Boss from across the dimensions.
Rewards: Points, Treasures, Pills, Martial Arts.
Note: Deaths inside are not permanent; gear is restored upon exit. Leaving counts as a forfeit.
"The Tower is a great testing ground," Su Han analyzed, scrolling through the list of current floor bosses. "But for those without a solid foundation, it's a point-sink. Let's see who's guarding the first fifty floors."
Floor 10: Kokushibo (Michikatsu Tsugikuni)Floor 20: King (The Wildfire)Floor 30: DeidaraFloor 40: Black Water Mystic SnakeFloor 50: Lord Xuanwu (Moon-Worshipping Sect Leader)
Su Han pointed at the screen. "Beidou, the first two are easy for you. The third, Deidara, uses explosive clay. Your lightning naturally counters his earth-based explosives, but be careful—he's a fanatic. If you don't finish him quickly, he'll trigger a self-detonation that can one-shot anyone in range."
"The Mystic Snake at forty is a massive magical beast. Use your Observation Haki to navigate the darkness, and you'll be fine."
He paused at floor fifty. "The real wall is the Moon-Worshipping Sect Leader. On his own, he's manageable. But if he summons the Water Spiritual Beast, you're in trouble. It's an immortal monster that regenerates instantly in water. Unless you have powerful sealing arts... let's just say his era comes fifty years after Jing Tian's."
Beidou's eyes lit up with battle intent. "If he's that strong, the rewards must be incredible. Maybe I'll even snag a Water Spiritual Pearl! I'm going in."
[The First Challenge]
As Beidou entered the Tower, the chat group automatically started a live stream. Members who were about to sleep suddenly grabbed snacks and tuned in.
Paimon: "Whoa! Late-night entertainment! Lumine, wake up! It's time to learn some moves!"
Lumine: "I'm watching, I'm watching..."
Inside the Tower, Beidou stood on a magnificent platform.
[Objective: Defeat 1,000 enemies to advance.]
Waves of armored knights surged forward. To Beidou, the first nine floors were a mere warm-up. By floor five, she had already earned fifty Spirit Stones.
Then, she reached Floor 10.
Kokushibo appeared, his six eyes glowing with a cold, demonic light. He didn't hesitate, unleashing his Moon Breathing—massive, crescent-shaped blades of chaotic energy tore through the air.
"Too slow!" Beidou roared. "Crashing Wave: Single Slash!"
With a crack of purple lightning and her new flying sword, she cleaved through the demonic swordsman in a single pass.
[Floor 10 Clear! Reward: 1,000 Azure Sky Stones (Rare forging material with Anemo properties).]
[The Path of the Warrior]
Beidou's momentum was unstoppable. On Floor 20, King the Wildfire fell just as quickly. With her Spirit-Sword Kinesis and weeks of high-density cultivation, Beidou's current strength could easily crush the likes of Kaido.
Her speed was a blur; her sword qi, a razor of absolute destruction.
Kujou Sara: "...Is everyone in this group a monster? I feel so insignificant after joining."
Raiden Shogun: "It is natural. Beidou's sword intent and soul-core have surpassed yours. She has already condensed her internal nucleus."
Ganyu: "Don't be discouraged, Sara. Beidou's growth has been astronomical because of her talent and effort. You will get there too."
Su Han: "Exactly. Keep training, Sara. You have the potential to reach this height."
The Tengu General took a deep breath, her eyes following Beidou's movements on the screen. As a warrior, if she couldn't aid her master in battle, it was a dereliction of duty. She vowed to make use of every resource the Sovereign provided to bridge the gap.