The stronger their companions became now, the more chances they'd have to survive if they later ventured to the Dragon Ruins Realm!
"Let's go. We'll try going up one more floor!" Nie Li said after a moment's thought. The others who had been here earlier had probably already headed for higher floors of the Black Flame Tower, so they might as well go up and see.
Ye Ziyun and Xiao Ning'er were still quite comfortable when they reached the third floor of the Black Flame Tower. Only Lu Piao and Xiao Xue felt some pressure, though both could still hold on and probably manage another floor.
Together, the group continued ascending the stairs.
Meanwhile, at the ninth level of the Ninefold Deathlands.
When they saw Nie Li subdue the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast, forcing it to merge with Du Ze's body and become Du Ze's Demon Spirit, the Netherworld Controller, Ling Yun, and numerous other powerhouses all showed expressions of shock.
"The Netherworld Controller truly has a sharp eye. The Runic Pattern he used seems to be some kind of secret soul imprint, something only available in the Dragon Ruins Realm—even at our level, we can't access it. I wonder where he obtained it?" Ling Yun's eyes gleamed with curiosity, wondering just how many secrets this kid Nie Li was hiding.
The other powerful figures also muttered among themselves. While Nie Li's talent might not match that white-robed young man's, the methods he displayed were truly astonishing.
"I must still congratulate you, Brother Tian Hun," the Netherworld Controller said with a smile to a middle-aged man in gray robes nearby. "That young man has fused with the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast. The Heavenly Qilin will gradually transform his bloodline, turning him into an extraordinary genius!"
The powerhouse called Tian Hun was naturally overjoyed. Although the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast in the Black Flame Tower was still immature and couldn't form a core, fusing it with Du Ze's body would undoubtedly make him a peerless genius. He hadn't been particularly optimistic about Du Ze before, but now, the boy's standing in his mind had shifted somewhat.
"Ha ha, thank you for the kind words!" Tian Hun cupped his fists and laughed heartily.
In the Dragon Ruins Realm, master and disciple were considered a single unit. If anyone betrayed their master or defected, they would be branded traitors by the various divine sects and hunted down relentlessly. Once a master-disciple relationship was established, it was very stable. If the disciple later rose to prominence, the master would also benefit, gaining a high position within their own divine sect.
That was why these super-powerhouses competed fiercely for disciples. While they were supreme beings in the Small Illusionary World, their status within the divine sects of the Dragon Ruins Realm was not particularly prestigious.
"I wonder what other surprises this young man can bring me?" The Netherworld Controller gazed at Nie Li's silhouette reflected in the pool ahead, a faint smile touching his lips.
Fourth Floor of the Black Flame Tower.
Only a dozen or so people had made it to this floor so far. The trio of Cang Ming, Mu Ye, and Hua Huo, who had fought intensely earlier, were all present. However, that pale-faced white-robed young man was nowhere to be seen.
Could it be that the white-robed young man had already gone on to the fifth floor?
When Nie Li and the others arrived, Cang Ming had just lowered his gaze from the spiraling staircase leading upward. A deep sense of unwillingness still lingered in his eyes. He had come for the Netherworld Controller's selection intending to take first place, but he had watched someone else ascend to the fifth floor. He had tried to go up countless times, only to retreat each time under the scorching black flames.
This meant his soul resilience was far inferior to that person's!
Just as he resigned himself to giving up, Nie Li and his group happened to come up. He furrowed his brow. If he couldn't reach the fifth floor, then the more people who arrived here on the fourth, the more ordinary he would seem!
Hua Huo and Mu Ye opened their eyes, glanced at Nie Li and the others, then looked away. They couldn't enter the fifth floor either. Everyone on this fourth floor of the Black Flame Tower was a competitor on the same level, and the fact that so many people had arrived at once was somewhat shocking.
Who exactly were these people? Why had they never seen them before?
Upon reaching the fourth floor, Lu Piao, Xiao Xue, and Wei Nan were already struggling to hold on. Du Ze, Ye Ziyun, and Xiao Ning'er seemed to have a little strength left but were also incapable of going higher. Only Nie Li, Yu Yan, and Duan Jian still appeared relatively relaxed.
The entire fourth floor of the Black Flame Tower was filled with blazing black flames that made Lu Piao and the others feel as though their bodies were about to boil and ignite.
"You all stay on this floor for now. I'll go with Sister Yu Yan to check out the fifth floor," Nie Li said to Du Ze and the others, then glanced at Duan Jian. "Duan Jian, you stay here on the fourth floor and protect them!"
"Yes," Duan Jian responded respectfully.
Nie Li looked up at the spiraling staircase leading higher. Was there something else hidden on the fifth floor of the Black Flame Tower or even further up?
"Nie Li, be careful!" everyone said with concern.
"I understand." Nie Li nodded and headed toward the fifth floor.
Seeing Nie Li's actions, the distant Cang Ming snorted. "The fifth floor of the Black Flame Tower isn't that easy to reach!" When he had tried climbing the spiral staircase earlier, he felt the power of the black flames growing stronger with every step. By the sixth step, he had been forced to retreat.
The others had also tried, but none had surpassed Cang Ming.
Nie Li stepped onto the first step and immediately felt a wave of scorching heat wash over him. He looked up. It seemed the fifth floor of the Black Flame Tower was not going to be easy to reach!