He had thought more people would appear, but after ten minutes, no new figures emerged.
This put him at ease.
He had worried that the number of participants would keep increasing, making the trial impossibly difficult.
Although no more people arrived, one of the ten individuals still unleashed a wide-range magical attack, a wave of ice and snow rushing towards him. Without defensive measures, he would have been defeated by now.
Zhou Yan finally employed "Dou Zhuan Xing Yi" (Shifting Stars), forming a tight defense around himself and redirecting all incoming attacks to the ground.
He anticipated that more area-of-effect spells would follow.
As expected, he soon encountered other types of widespread attacks.
A sea of fire, a tempest, or a realm of lightning – none of these could affect him. Relying on his powerful movement techniques and the potent "Dou Zhuan Xing Yi," he persevered.
Twenty minutes later.
The situation changed again.
The previous large-scale spells had only appeared sporadically, but now, the intervals between them shortened.
Almost every ten seconds, an area-of-effect spell would be cast. Da Feng Novel Network.
This was not overly difficult for Zhou Yan, but others might not fare as well.
Except for spatial magic, which was somewhat troublesome, he didn't fear other spells.
Spatial magic was a peculiar type; it couldn't be directly deflected. One could only teleport themselves to a safe location.
While it presented a minor inconvenience, it wasn't overly challenging for Zhou Yan.
However, as the trial progressed, the frequency of attacks increased, forcing him to constantly maintain "Dou Zhuan Xing Yi" to avoid being hit by the widespread assaults.
Their attacks were still insufficient to break through his defenses.
He soon endured until the very end.
As the ten individuals vanished, three books appeared before him.
This time, he saw three cultivation techniques, all of SSS quality.
The trials grew more difficult as they progressed, but the rewards for success were also greater.
The first book was titled "Bing Xue Ming Xiang Shu" (Ice and Snow Meditation Technique), clearly an ice-elemental cultivation method.
The second was "Huo Yan Jue" (Flame Art), a technique suitable for melee combatants.
The third was "Yu Feng Jing" (Wind Control Scripture), a wind-attribute cultivation method.
He chose the first book without hesitation. The mage class was popular, and this technique held significant value.
After making his selection, he was teleported before a colossal pagoda, its peak soaring into the clouds, its height unseeable.
[Ice and Snow Trial, Tenth Floor Ultimate Challenge: The "Myriad Demon Pagoda" has one hundred floors. A reward is granted for every ten floors cleared. Upon completing all one hundred floors, the participant may freely choose one top-tier item as a reward.]
"The final stage, is it? Then let's see what monsters await me inside."
He stepped into the "Myriad Demon Pagoda" and entered the first floor, encountering his first opponent: a level 20 Bronze boss.
He swiftly defeated the monster and proceeded to the second, third, and then tenth floor, where he faced a level 20 Dark Gold boss.
After defeating it, he chose a Silver-quality piece of equipment and departed.
The eleventh floor presented a level 30 Bronze boss.
The twelfth floor featured two level 30 Bronze bosses.
By the twentieth floor, with two level 30 Dark Gold bosses, these low-level bosses posed no threat to him.
He cut through them all and reached the fortieth floor, where he encountered a level 50 Platinum boss. Even such a formidable monster did not pose a significant threat.
The reward this time was also a piece of equipment, and he proceeded to the forty-first floor.
A level 55 Silver boss.
Subsequent monsters were all level 55, with their quality increasing from Silver to Dark Gold.
The fiftieth floor housed a level 60 Platinum boss, its strength noticeably increased, its realm approaching the fiftieth heaven.
After defeating this monster, the fifty-first floor revealed a level 65 Gold boss, its realm escalating to the fifty-first heaven.
From this point onward, with each ascending floor, the monsters' realms increased, and their quality progressed from Gold to Platinum.
Although Zhou Yan's current realm was only the fifty-first heaven, his combat prowess was immense. A single sword strike annihilated these creatures.
He continued his triumphant advance, finally reaching the sixtieth floor.
A level 70 Diamond boss appeared, its realm also reaching the sixtieth heaven.
"Youngster, you've shown considerable strength to reach this point," a voice spoke, and an Ice Snow Demonic Fox, transforming into human form, stood before him.
[Name: Ice Snow Demonic Fox]
[Quality: Diamond]
[Race: Demon]
[Level: 70]
[Realm: Sixtieth Heaven]
[Special: Illusions, Ice Element, Shapeshifting]
[Description: Imprisoned in the Myriad Demon Pagoda by a powerful individual for his indiscriminate slaughter of innocents.]
It turned out that not all the monsters here were illusions; some were actual demons imprisoned within.
The sixtieth heaven was nothing significant. Zhou Yan, wielding the Heavenly Soul Sword, approached the fox.
The Ice Snow Demonic Fox, upon seeing the weapon in Zhou Yan's hand, was startled. "What? A Sacred Artifact! How can you possess such a fearsome weapon!"
"Since you can speak, I'll allow you to say whatever you wish."
This was the first demon he had encountered during the trial that could converse. He was a man of his word and would permit the creature a few final words.
Ice Snow Demonic Fox: "I (╯>д<)╯⁽˙³˙⁾" Da Feng Novel.
"Brother, let's talk peacefully. I'm no match for you. Please, the passage is that way."
The Ice Snow Demonic Fox quickly pointed towards the passage. Fighting someone wielding a Sacred Artifact was incredibly unwise.
Intelligent demons knew when to concede.
Zhou Yan nodded and walked towards the passage. Then, halfway, he stopped. "Wait a minute. There's a reward on this floor. If I leave like this, won't I miss out on a reward?"
Zhou Yan turned back towards the Ice Snow Demonic Fox.
"You, you, you, what do you want? Don't come any closer..."
Ice Snow Demonic Fox: "╮(╯_╰）╭"
The Ice Snow Demonic Fox retreated repeatedly, finally pressed against the wall, then exclaimed in anger, "I curse you..."
"Puff!"
With a flash of sword light, a beast's head fell to the ground, then vanished into light.
Death here clearly wasn't permanent.
A treasure appeared before him.
A Platinum-quality piece of clothing, and it was for a female. It looked remarkably like it was made from the fur of the demon fox he had just defeated.