Chapter 615 - 254: Climbing the Tower
With that, Chen Qing headed for the second basement level.
Sure enough, the moment he stepped onto the second level, a tangible wave of Evil Qi—several times colder and more sinister than on the first—surged toward him. The air seemed to be filled with a viscous, black mist, and the sense of oppression intensified dramatically.
Chen Qing didn’t dare hesitate. He immediately channeled the *Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body* with all his might. The qi and blood throughout his body roared to life as a dark golden light flowed rapidly beneath his skin, emitting a low hum.
He could feel his qi and blood growing more refined and potent under the stimulation and tempering of the Evil Qi. His Cultivation progress was indeed much faster than on the first level.
He adapted to the environment while observing his surroundings.
The layout of the second level was similar to the first: a circular structure lined with cells sealed by heavy stone doors. There just seemed to be fewer of them here.
"Hm? A new bald-headed bastard from the Zen Sect?"
"His aura is off... Is he a disciple of that old bastard, Seven Sufferings?"
"His qi and blood aren’t weak, but his Realm is low. What’s he doing down here on the second level?"
Immediately, a variety of voices echoed from within several of the cells.
These beings, imprisoned here for who knows how many years, had terrifyingly sharp senses.
"Who are you people?"
Chen Qing glanced at the stone doors the voices had come from and asked in a deep voice.
He was genuinely curious about how the people imprisoned on the second level differed from those on the first.
"Hmph, why should I tell you?"
"Kid, that little trick of yours is ancient history! Trying to wheedle information out of us? Or maybe you’re hoping to squeeze a Cultivation Technique Secret Art out of us?"
"Want something from me? Open this stone door and let me out. If this old man is in a good mood, I might even give you a pointer or two."
"Piss off and don’t disturb my peace!"
From behind the stone doors came a succession of sneers, taunts, and cold replies.
Evidently, previous Defenders had entertained similar ideas, perhaps even trying a few tricks of their own. As a result, these prisoners were extremely wary and weren’t falling for his act.
Hearing this, Chen Qing paid no more mind to these guarded and malicious voices.
They were wary of him, and he of them.
Chen Qing found a spot at a moderate distance from the tunnel entrance and sat down cross-legged. He directly took out and consumed a Dragon Tiger Bone Tempering Pill, then immersed himself in his Cultivation.
As the Elixir’s power dissolved, it combined with the stimulation from the dense Evil Qi and the full circulation of his *Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body*. He could clearly feel his qi and blood surging with ever-greater power.
[Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body Third Layer (9152/10000)]
For the next few days, Chen Qing spent most of his time cultivating on the second level, using the Evil Qi. He would occasionally return to the first level to patrol, which helped alleviate some of Master of the Seven Sufferings’ burden.
Master of the Seven Sufferings spent most of his time deep in the prison’s depths, seemingly focused on dealing with the restless source of the Evil Qi. He was always in a hurry, and the weariness in his aura was palpable.
In the highly efficient Cultivation environment of the second level, Chen Qing’s *Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body* progressed at a divine speed, bringing him ever closer to the threshold of the Fourth Layer.
"Young friend!"
One day, as Chen Qing was focused on his Cultivation, a clear voice transmission suddenly echoed in his mind.
This voice transmission didn’t come from any of the noisy prisoners from before, but from behind a stone door that had remained utterly silent.
"Who’s there!?"
Chen Qing’s brow furrowed slightly. He immediately broke out of his Cultivation and looked warily in that direction.
The cell looked plain and unadorned, its stone door tightly shut, no different from any of the others.
Chen Qing didn’t approach rashly. He kept his Heart and Spirit on high alert, secretly gathering his True Astral.
"My name is Huang Chengzhi. How about we make a deal?"
The voice transmission continued, sounding quite gentle, even carrying a hint of sincerity.
Huang Chengzhi?
Chen Qing quickly searched his memory. He had never heard this name, neither in the Sect’s records nor in the rumors of the Jianghu.
But his vigilance didn’t lessen in the slightest. Anyone imprisoned here was by no means a simple character.
"What kind of deal?" Chen Qing responded impassively.
"You help me deliver a letter, and I can give you a treasure that will greatly increase your strength."
Huang Chengzhi’s voice was laced with temptation. "Back in the day, I used this very item to slay two True Essence Realm masters while I was only at the Perfect Astral Force Realm!"
Slaying two True Essence Realm masters!?
Chen Qing was inwardly shaken.
He had personally witnessed the power of a True Essence Realm master from the Huo Family and knew all too well the vast gulf between the True Essence Realm and the Astral Force Realm.
To slay someone in a higher Realm, a True Essence Realm expert no less, while only at Astral Force Perfection was already an earth-shattering feat. Let alone slaying two of them?
’If this person really has such a heaven-defying treasure...’
"Deliver a letter?"
Chen Qing mulled it over for a moment, his tone betraying no emotion. "What kind of letter? And where would I be sending it?"
"It’s just an ordinary letter to report that I’m safe and to reminisce with an old friend of mine who lives in seclusion. It poses absolutely no harm to your esteemed Sect or to you."
Huang Chengzhi hurriedly explained, his tone growing more earnest. "As long as you do me this favor and put my mind at ease, I will present the treasure to you immediately. I won’t go back on my word!"
"And why should I believe you?" Chen Qing retorted coldly.
"I... I can swear an oath! I’ll swear on my Heart Demon!" Huang Chengzhi said after taking a deep breath.
"I never believe in such things," Chen Qing said quietly.
’An oath is a shackle to those who honor their word, but to the faithless, it’s just a piece of scrap paper.’
’Who knew what kind of person this Huang Chengzhi was?’
"I am trapped in this prison now. Aside from this worldly possession, I have nothing else to offer."
Huang Chengzhi said after a moment of silence.
"Give me the reward first."
Chen Qing stated bluntly, "Let me see your sincerity, and let me test the quality of this treasure of yours."
The voice on the other end of the transmission went silent, seemingly not expecting Chen Qing to make such an outrageous demand.
After a long while, Huang Chengzhi slowly said, "This item is no small matter. It requires a special Technique just to wield it at a basic level. I need some time to prepare... Young friend, could you perhaps reconsider? For you, this is merely a trivial matter..."