The flames danced endlessly around him, crackling and roaring like an untamed beast. Though Lin Xuan had already adjusted to this environment, every morning still felt surreal. The heat was strong enough to melt iron, yet his body no longer burned. His Supreme Bone absorbed the fire essence of the tower, protecting him while nourishing his cultivation.
It had been a full day since his last breakthrough. The world outside this place might have forgotten him already, but in here—within this red inferno—he was reborn every passing moment.
Lin Xuan exhaled softly, watching waves of heat ripple in the air. After a night of cultivation, he slowly opened his eyes.
"I haven't checked in today," he muttered. "Right… the system said once every day."
He closed his eyes again and spoke firmly in his mind. "System, check-in."
A second later, the now-familiar metallic chime echoed inside his head.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the Level 6 Fire Pill. This pill increases your affinity toward the fire element and slightly enhances overall cultivation."
Lin Xuan's lips curved up faintly. "Hmm. Fire Pill, huh… good."
Before him, a tiny red pill appeared, glowing subtly like a pebble extracted from lava. It floated softly toward his palm, the surrounding air shimmering with waves of heat. Like a miniature sun, he sensed the burning energy imprisoned inside.
He swallowed it whole without question.
Flames flared inside him the instant it touched his tongue.
Power surged through his body like liquid fire. His spiritual veins trembled violently under the sudden flood of heat. His heart raced; his skin turned red. A low groan escaped his mouth as pain stabbed through him.
"Ugh! It's hot!"
The temperature within his body soared. He could feel it—his blood was literally boiling, his meridians stretching. Pain pulsed every second, but within that pain… came change.
Minutes passed. Little by little, the pain subsided and was replaced by warmth—warmth that was empowering and gentle. Like a coal ignited from within, his body glowed with a faint red aura.
The energy eventually calmed down after hours of constant breathing. His body felt as light as air, and his once-scorched veins now pulsed with steady strength. Flames danced faintly on his breath as he exhaled, then vanished.
Lin Xuan clenched his fists in astonishment. The strength coursing through his body was incomparable to yesterday. His control over the surrounding heat had also improved dramatically.
He extended his hand toward the fiery ground, touching the surface of molten stone. It didn't even sting now. The flames that once could kill him… now felt like lukewarm water against his skin.
"It's like the fire is a part of me," he murmured. "Before, it burned me. Now, it listens."
As if in response, a wave of flame coiled up around his arm, wrapping it in a swirling dance before fading away.
He chuckled quietly. "Looks like that Supreme Bone really is supreme after all."
Curiosity of the Tower
After sitting silently for a while, Lin Xuan finally decided to ask the question that had been sitting in the back of his mind.
"System," he called calmly, "what exactly is this place? This Abyss Tower… what kind of structure am I inside?"
Immediately, a translucent screen appeared before his eyes, filled with detailed script glowing faint blue.
[Abyss Tower Information]
Name: Abyss Tower
Floors: 10
Description: A multidimensional trial zone created by ancients to test divine beings.
Every floor possesses its own elemental domain.
Founders: Unknown
Current Floor: 1 – Flame Domain
Then, below that, the list of all floors expanded one by one:
1st Floor – Fire Domain
2nd Floor – Ice Domain
3rd Floor – Earth Domain
4th Floor – Wind Domain
5th Floor – Lightning Domain
6th Floor – Poison Domain
7th Floor – Gravity Domain
8th Floor – Darkness Domain
9th Floor – Light Domain
10th Floor – Space Domain
Lin Xuan's eyes widened. "Ten floors, each one different… all made to test cultivators?" He was speechless for a long time, then let out a slow whistle. "Whoever built this tower… must've been a god."
The fire didn't just exist naturally—it flowed intentionally, swirled purposefully, carrying traces of formation energy beyond any array he had studied. It truly was a world made by someone beyond mortal comprehension.
"System," he asked finally, his curiosity peaking, "can I go to the second floor? The Ice Domain?"
There was silence.
He frowned. "System?"
Again, silence.
"Hey," he called louder, irritation creeping in. "System? Do you hear me?"
Still, not even a single chime answered.
Lin Xuan clenched his jaw. "Don't tell me the system's sleeping again."
He rose to his feet, wiping the soot from his robe, and gazed toward the impressive staircase set across the room. The stairs rose toward a bright doorway that shined with a soft blue light—the doorway to the second floor. It felt rather near… though somehow, too heavy.
He moved toward it slowly. As his hand reached out, the air around the gate started to hum. Strange runes glimmered from the doorframe. He put both hands on the door and pressed to push it open.
Nothing happened.
He pushed harder, veins bulging, pouring every ounce of energy into the effort.
Still nothing.
Sweat rolled down his neck though the air was boiling anyway. The door didn't even tremble. It was as if a mountain sat beyond it, immovable.
He finally stepped back, panting. His eyes narrowed. "So, my strength isn't enough…" He muttered the realization quietly.
If the first floor was fire, then the second likely required resistance to ice—something his current body had no relation to yet. He wasn't ready. Not yet.
A small, humorless smile touched his lips. "So be it. If my strength isn't enough, I'll just make it enough."
Determined Cultivation
Lin Xuan returned to his usual spot beside a large protruding rock glowing faintly red. He dropped into a cross-legged position, exhaled, and started drawing fire essence from the air.
He wasn't sure how long ago he had slept well; the days seemed to blend together here. But the fire in the tower did not wear him down - it energized him.
Hours melted into a single long meditation.
Days passed in silence, broken only by faint heartbeats and flowing Qi.
Every now and then, the system's daily check-in chime broke the monotony, rewarding him with spiritual treasures: minor elixirs, small breakthroughs, or rarely, a pill powerful enough to shake the flow of his cultivation.
It had been ten days since he first swallowed the Fire Pill.
Now, his aura pulsed far stronger than before. The violent heat waves of the tower swirled around him like gentle currents.
At first, Lin Xuan stayed within Qi Condensation realm—but the constant support of the Supreme Bone and the gifts from his system began pushing him past mortal limits.
He broke through Qi Condensation 8th, 9th, then reached the Foundation Realm, marking his rebirth as a true cultivator once more.
His cultivation advanced steadily, faster than any ordinary person's imagination. In the last ten days, he had consumed five additional Qi Condensation Breakthrough Pills the system granted him. His energy stabilized at Foundation Stage 3—still far from powerful, yet miles beyond a modern mortal.
Facing the Stubborn Gate
That morning, he opened his eyes. His aura blazed faintly red, the surrounding flames almost bending toward his presence.
"I've come far," he muttered. "Let's see if this is enough now."
Once again, he walked to the stairs at the far end of the first floor. The flames near the steps seemed to die a bit, abating either their intensity or his distance from them, as if recognizing his increasing power.
Once at the gate, he re-examinined it. It looked the same as then: gigantic, heavy, ordinary and permanent. But he didn't feel small anymore.
He put both of his palms against the light surface and again, the ancient runes glimmered, stirring softly, as if welcoming a bit of strength into his palms.
With a grunt, he pushed.
The air screamed under the pressure. Fire burst outward, swirling violently, but the gate itself did not move an inch.
His muscles tensed, spiritual veins bulged under strain. He poured out his full Foundation energy into his arms. The entire stairway rumbled faintly… but still—it didn't budge.
After several seconds, he let go, breathing heavily.
He sank to one knee, sweat trickling down his jaw. "Still not enough," he whispered bitterly. "So even at Foundation Third Stage, I'm barely scratching the surface."
He sat back down and stared at the sealed gate with burning frustration. The tower seemed to mock him silently, daring him to continue struggling.
Then, a calm smile returned to his face. His spirit, tempered in betrayal and flame, did not falter now.
"Fine. I'll cultivate more."
Lin Xuan once again shut his eyes and drew in the fire Qi faster and deeper than ever. He began to breathe in a rhythm, with each inhale pulling the fire Qi into his lungs, and each exhale further refining the fire Qi into pure essence.
The crimson glow around him intensified. Lines of energy formed invisible spirals that twisted upward into the tower's ceiling. The dull roar of the fire seemed to hum with recognition, as if the tower itself approved his determination.
Time slipped by once more. His heartbeat synchronized with the throbbing flames of the domain—two hearts, one of man and one of nature, beating as one.
A Spark of Determination
As he cultivated, Lin Xuan's mind drifted back to memories he thought he'd discarded—the sneers of his juniors, the cold eyes of his master, the laughter of the sect when he was thrown into this very tower.
Each memory burned, but that pain only fueled his resolve. His eyes opened, glowing amber-gold in the reflection of flame.
"Once, they called me useless." His voice was quiet, but heavy with determination. "Once, they stripped me of my Chaos Bone and my dignity. Now, I have something far beyond that."
He gazed at his right hand, small strands of fire dancing in his palm. "When I emerge from this tower, I will show them what true power is."
He gave a slight smirk as he looked back toward the gate. "But first... I'll open this door first.
With flames coiling softly around his shoulders like faithful companions, he forced himself to stand. Though the ascent was lengthy, he had already endured death and hopelessness to get here.
The Abyss Tower had thought to bury him within its walls. Instead, it had become his forge.
And soon, its fire will give birth to something the heavens themselves would come to fear.