"What's happening? He's actually on the eighteenth floor, could he really be heading for the last one?"
"No way, is he that powerful? He looks even younger than me."
"Right, doesn't he have some kind of magic treasure that's helping him cheat?"
Despite Star Sect being in a state of battle readiness, many disciples had noticed that Lin Mo had already stepped into the eighteenth floor, revealing expressions of shock.
"This guy must be a monster, even Elder Cheng only made it to the tenth floor, yet he might actually reach the last one," Wang Chengpeng said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Xiao Haiyang clenched his fists and took a deep breath, "Stop looking at him. We don't know when the Puppet Corpse Sect might attack; it's better to focus on our cultivation."
"I think he must have used some magic treasure, definitely given to him by the Sect Leader; otherwise, how could he possibly reach the eighteenth floor?" Wang Chengpeng scoffed, then followed Xiao Haiyang towards the back mountain.
After spending three entire days, Lin Mo, standing within the tower of the eighteenth floor, finally had the strength to lift his arm and perform a Fist Skill, though his speed and movements were similar to those of a child just learning Martial Arts.
But no one knew the immense pressure that was contained within, even a tank placed there would be crushed into scrap metal by the invisible, formidable oppressive force.
One couldn't tell by looking at Lin Mo in his current state, but his bones had cracked countless times, his muscles had ripped apart numerous times, and he had bled profusely to be able to stand on this eighteenth floor. Even if someone had the same Divine Skill to heal their body, the excruciating pain of bones cracking and muscles tearing was beyond what an ordinary person could endure.
Yet, this further tempered Lin Mo's body and will, making his heart, questioning the Dao, as steadfast as rock.
After all, the pain and hardship Lin Mo had suffered three years ago were many times more severe than this.
After completing a set of Fist Skill, Lin Mo wiped the sweat from his forehead, setting his gaze on the passage leading to the nineteenth floor, knowing the pressure there would be even greater than on the eighteenth.
After taking a deep breath, Lin Mo concentrated all his power into his right leg and then fiercely stomped his foot, quickly running towards the passageway to the nineteenth floor.
After passing through an invisible barrier, with just a ripple of water, Lin Mo finally reached the nineteenth floor, which appeared no different from the eighteenth, but the endless pressure felt like an ocean that could drown an ordinary person.
"Crack!"
Lin Mo's right thigh was instantly crushed by the invisible pressure, followed by a series of crackling sounds from the bones in his body. The pressure coming from all directions knocked him to the ground, his bones cracking piece by piece, muscles tearing, and blood flowing.
With determination in his eyes and blood on his lips curved into a slight smile, Lin Mo muttered, "It seems the pressure on the nineteenth floor is even stronger than I imagined."
The pain from his injuries caused Lin Mo's True Yuan to struggle violently. The Vast Universe Technique and Yang Wood Divine Skill began to operate continuously, trying to resist the endless oppressive force of the nineteenth-floor tower.
However, with his current strength, he was utterly unable to resist an Array set by Nascent Soul Great Powers or Golden Cores, but Lin Mo did not regret his decision. Instead, he felt a trace of excitement; not because he enjoyed suffering, but because such intense pressure and torment could thoroughly unleash his potential.
Although the pain wracked Lin Mo's body, green Life Energy continuously emerged within him, incessantly healing his damaged bones, muscles, skin, meridians, and internal organs.
Although the Yang Wood Divine Skill was endowed with an extremely powerful healing capacity, it did nothing to lessen the suffering Lin Mo endured. He lay prone on the ground, unable to muster the strength to lift even a single finger; he was constantly tormented by the pain of growth and destruction, caught in a relentless cycle.
However, if one observed closely, it was apparent that the damaged bones and muscles, once repaired by the Life Essence Qi, showed significantly less damage than before. His bones, body, and meridians underwent repeated quenching, much like forging steel—impurities were removed, and the steel was made even harder.
Even someone as strong as Lin Mo was showing signs of mental breakdown at this point. He stared blankly ahead, his vision blurring; he knew that once he fell asleep, he would never awaken.
This wasn't merely a tempering of his body but also seemed like someone hammering relentlessly at his willpower.
Right before his eyes, amid the blurry images, there appeared an elegant figure, standing gracefully before him, tall—with a hint of simplicity.
"Meng Die."
Lin Mo opened his mouth, a faint smile forming at the corners.
The figure gradually became clearer—it was precisely Xia Mengdie's appearance. She looked at him calmly with her clear eyes, which held deep emotions. Slowly, the figure began to fade and eventually disappeared.
Lin Mo gathered all his strength, attempting to stand, but he couldn't lift his legs; all he could do was clench his fists tightly.
"I still have people I need to protect. How can I give up, fall…"
Although his body was undergoing endless pain, his Dao Heart had become even more stable.
Time passed, and eventually, Lin Mo slowly rose from the ground; his bones no longer shattered, though his muscles still tore open. His body, as if bearing tens of thousands of pounds, required enormous physical strength and spiritual power to take even a step.
…
Night, Star Sect.
The night converged like a large piece of black cloth, covering the entire world, with the trees in the forest swaying, producing a rustling sound.
Dozens of dark shadows moved swiftly through the night, soon reaching the entrance of the Star Sect.
"Elder, we've arrived at the Star Sect's entrance. Do we go straight in, or…" a disciple dressed in black asked, bowing to a skeletal old man beside him.
The elder spoke, "The ancestor will come out of seclusion tomorrow, but we'll strike first. This time, we must take over Star Sect and make it a base for the Puppet Corpse Sect."
With that, the elder shook the bell in his hand, and three strange figures slowly emerged from behind him, each step they took making the ground seem to tremble, as if they were heavier than a car.
The three approached the front, suddenly smashing their fists into the void. The sounds of 'bang, bang, bang' echoed as if striking metal.