Clearing the Level
The serpent's colossal form collapsed, the final thrashing ceasing as the simulated life force of the ninth-floor guardian dissipated into motes of crimson and purple light. Silence descended upon the fiery landscape, broken only by the crackle of distant magma and Yao Xuan's own heavy breathing.
He stood amidst the fading glow, the Ancestral Dragon Transformation receding. The magnificent scales withdrew into his skin, the claws retracted, leaving behind the familiar shape of his hands, now trembling slightly from exertion and adrenaline depletion. A deep, bone-weary ache settled into his muscles. The consecutive use of Ancestral Dragon Chaos Aura and Sky-Splitting Strike had pushed his current limits.
A warm, revitalizing current flowed from his core, not instantly erasing the fatigue, but strengthening his foundational recovery. It was a subtle, profound upgrade—the kind that spoke of deepening synergy with his bloodline.
Outside the tower, the spectral screen shimmered.
"He… actually did it." Tianfeng Douluo breathed out, a rare look of pure astonishment on his weathered face. "A Great Soul Master, clearing the ninth floor which demands the combat power of a Soul Emperor. And with such calculated patience. Not just brute force, but strategy—shattering the core, weathering the counterattack, striking at the precise moment of weakness." He shook his head, a grudging respect in his eyes. "This boy isn't just a monster of talent; he's a monster of intellect."
His gaze then shifted to the silver-haired girl beside him. Gu Yue's posture was perfectly still, her hands clasped loosely in front of her. Her violet eyes were fixed on the screen where Yao Xuan now stood, head bowed as he caught his breath. The usual analytical sharpness in her gaze was present, dissecting every move he had made, filing away data on his power expenditure and resilience.
But beneath that calculated layer, something else flickered. Her knuckles were whiter than usual where her fingers interlaced. The rigid line of her shoulders held a tension that wasn't born of cold observation. When Yao Xuan had taken the serpent's final, desperate fire-cloud head-on behind his chaotic shield, her breath had hitched, a minuscule sound lost in the hall. Now, seeing him safe, victorious, yet visibly drained, a faint, almost imperceptible relaxation softened her stance.
'The Ancestral Dragon's power… it answers him more willingly with each trial,' her thoughts raced, the Silver Dragon King's essence within her humming in recognition of its counterpart's growth. 'His control is still rough, but the foundation is immovable. And his mind… he fights like a veteran, not a student. This confirms the compatibility. This confirms…' The logical thread was interrupted by a more visceral, simpler image: the memory of a younger boy, bloodied but steadfast, protecting a silver-haired little girl in a dusty alley in Aolai City. The unwavering resolve in his eyes then was the same as now.
A complex warmth, both ancient and new, stirred within her chest.
Inside the tower, Yao Xuan finally straightened. He took a deep, centering breath, the enhanced Dragon God's Breath cycling through him, soothing the aches. He looked around at the dissolving simulation. The ninth floor was cleared. Halfway point.
'Eighteen floors. This is only the beginning. The challenges will only get more absurd from here.' A fierce light kindled in his eyes, not of arrogance, but of determined anticipation. He thought of Gu Yue, watching. He thought of the path ahead, and the partner who walked it with him in spirit, even if separated by the tower's walls.
He did not celebrate aloud. Instead, he gave a small, determined nod to the empty air, as if acknowledging the trial and the witness beyond it. Then, he turned towards the shimmering portal that materialized at the chamber's end—the gateway to the tenth floor.
As he stepped towards it, his movements regained their steady certainty. The fatigue was still there, but it was a badge of honor, a fuel for the next climb. The bond with Gu Yuena—forged in the past, tested in the present, and stretching towards a shared future—thrummed in his soul, a silent source of strength more potent than any system reward.
The light of the portal enveloped him, and the ninth-floor conquest was complete. The next trial awaited.