Stepping into the fourth floor, Ace realised that this was probably the treasured ground which would benefit any sword master that made it this far. What he was seeing right now are countless treasures protected by a bubble shield.
Treasures were floating in the air, each of them temptingly attractive to Ace. In the outside world, any of these treasures would cause a storm which would rage on for days until a certain cultivator or a cultivation force secures it for themselves.
There were rare artefacts, divine weapons, godly martial skills and cultivation techniques. Historical records of the past, enriched seeds that should have been lost to the passage of time. This was a grove of treasures and as for the test, it was one's capabilities as both a cultivator and sword master.
The test was simple, one was supposed to obtain a treasure on this floor in order to progress to the fifth floor, but if they failed to obtain the treasure, their journey in the Sword Tower would end here. Right now, only four days have passed in the outside world.
Ace and the others were breaking the records for the fastest completion time of the Sword Tower which was three months and twenty seven days and not only that, they were going to set an unbreakable record.
Ace walked around, deciding on what would benefit him the most. If it's a sword martial skill, there was no need for it, his current laws would suffice for now. If it's some seeds that take countless years to grow, he would have to forgo it as well, he didn't have the time to wait for it to grow while protecting it.
The only choice he had left was to find a suitable artefact. An artefact that possessed defensive attributes in order to compensate for the weakness every sword master has, defense.
Sword masters are terrifying because of their immense attack power and speed, but in the case in which their opponents are able to contest against them equally, sword masters are at the disadvantage usually for this one reason, the lack of defensive strength.
The first artefact that caught Ace's attention was a spherical ring forged from precious resources with a beautiful gem ornamented onto it. To the side of the ring was a tablet, written on it was modern language.
This ring is known as the Ring Of Rebirths, it possesses both offensive and defensive properties. It's also able to increase the cultivation speed of the user tied to it, the stronger the affinity the user has with flames and the phoenix race, the stronger the effect of this ring.
Ace had suspicions that he was partially related to the phoenix race ever since that feather called out to him, but a suspicion wasn't enough for him to make a precise judgment yet without any concrete evidence, especially when there are other treasures to obtain here.
Walking further down, Ace saw a weapon rack, but even the sharpest of the swords weren't able to meet his expectations. It wasn't because the swords were of a low quality, but because the mysterious sword he obtained just excelled the other swords by a margin too large to be compared.
It was unfair to the other swords, but just like in the cultivation world, nothing is fair and justice will never prevail.
Right at this moment, something else caught Ace's attention. Ace could sense a concentrated amount of spirit energy contained within a box which was sealed tightly.
The box had an exquisite design, it wasn't locked and Ace was sure that he could open it without much difficulty.
Resisting the temptation of greed to open the box immediately, Ace was being wary of any possible traps or mistakes that he might make. Noticing that there was an ancient tablet to the right of the treasured box with an explanation written on it, Ace read the words on it.
Within this box is a seed that contains heavenly essence. After the seed has grown into a sprout and finally a tree in fifty years time, it will bear one fruit every ten years. The nourishing heavenly essence contained within the fruit can help a cultivator to regain consciousness and even increase their cultivation talent. Furthermore, each cultivator is only able to consume one of this fruit in their lifetime or dire consequences will follow.
Ace hesitated now, he would be able to save Arith one day with this seed, but the ring which he saw previously would benefit him and help him cut down the amount of time needed for future accomplishments.
As the sect master, being one of the strongest in the sect was a must. But as a sect master, it was also a must to take care of those in his sect.
There were many instances which made Ace question himself, why can't I be like other sect masters in the cultivation world that are heartless to the members of their sect?
Ace wasn't able to find an answer every single time, but this time, the answer surfaced into his mind. Wham. An answer he can never reject. As a sect master, it was his obligation to take care of his sect members. He needed their help. Taking care of them, was the minimum criteria he had to meet.
"Young fella, I sense a strong affinity for the flames within you, please tell me why you are hesitating over this seed. With your talent, stepping into the Saint realm would only be a matter of time, why are you so fixated over a seed which holds you no benefit?"
The guardian asked without showing itself, its majestic voice resounding on the fourth floor. A barrier surrounded Ace which prevented their meeting from being known to the other sword masters.
"Guardian, I need the ring in order to grow stronger, but the fruits that the seed will bear when fully grown, is of paramount importance to me. I need it to save the life of an elder in my sect." Ace answered honestly without hunching his back or raising his chest.
He was treating the guardian as an equal, without any fear or arrogance, he was just being himself.
The guardian remained silent for a few moments. To think that I would be touched by the words of a young boy. The guardian thought to himself with a heartwarming smile, how long has it been since he last saw someone this determined to save another person. Not only that, it was in the face of countless treasures which can never be found in the outside world.
"Take the Phoenix Ring, as for the fruit that you're planning to wait sixty years for, it's in the box that I have placed beside the Phoenix Ring. If you manage to break through the barrier, you can leave this place with both treasures."
The guardian told Ace before leaving, removing the barrier it had just put up.
As for the barrier the guardian had placed, it was a complex array with only a single effect, to see the true purpose behind someone doing a certain action.
The guardian may be scheming, but it was only fulfilling his duty by putting each and every single sword master through this test.
If Ace was lying, then he would be blocked off by the barrier and his journey in the Sword Tower would end here regardless of how talented he is. That was the unbroken rule which will stay eternal as long as the Sword Tower exists.
Ace didn't know why, but compared to the initial barrier, the current one seemed to pose him no trouble. Walking past the barrier, he put the ring on while keeping the box which contained the fruit needed to save Arith.
Ace felt energy surging into his body, the flames he once comprehended seemingly trying to evolve. It wasn't just the fire law anymore, it was the law of Nascent flames. That was the name Ace gave it.
It not only possessed destructive power comparable to the inferno law, it also possessed control which can take on any form, the speed to be created in an instant. It was ranked above the fire law, even one rank above the inferno law which already ranks at the top of the laws pertaining to fire.
Calming his urge down to comprehend this newfound strength immediately, Ace knew that his current task is to continue venturing further into the Sword Tower by ascending the floors.
Turning around, Ace said towards the air with a bow, "I may not be able to see you, but you're my benefactor this time around, if you do require my assistance one day, I'll help you to the best of my abilities. Without going against my moral values."
With that, Ace left towards the fifth floor. Leaving behind a guardian who was laughing contentedly.
"How long has it been since such an interesting youth entered the Sword Tower?"