Floor After Floor . . .
The radiant moonlight pierced Cha Eun Xiao's feet and flowed into the foundational structure of the tower. Slowly, his feet and shoes materialized once more, a peculiar sight since the rest of his body consisted solely of a mesh of intricate purple lines. It was an eerie spectacle.
Simultaneously, the Tower of Talent, representing his potential, rapidly ascended, revealing the first floor. Observing this, an elderly man remarked, "The young man possesses greater potential than the average cultivator."
As the words left his lips, another beam of moonlight emerged, passing through Cha Eun Xiao's knees. His knees reappeared, along with his clothing, and the tower added another floor. A different elder expressed his approval, "Slightly above the average. Well done."
The bright beams continued to shoot forth, this time piercing Cha Eun Xiao's dantian. The tower's growth was astounding, ascending with each ray of moonlight. It shot up floor after floor, leaving everyone in awe.
The observers were bewildered by this unprecedented display. "Is this normal?" they wondered. Three floors materialized from a scan of Cha Eun Xiao's dantian.
One of the elderly men exclaimed, "Natural Body! Talented! Brilliant condition!" The moonlight's revelations were nothing short of miraculous.
Zhan Yunfei, however, maintained an air of indifference, confident that more surprises lay ahead. He refrained from revealing too much too soon.
Subsequently, another beam of moonlight passed through the upper part of Cha Eun Xiao's dantian. One additional floor was added to the tower. The onlookers were spellbound, their hushed amazement echoing through the hall.
The tower now boasted six floors, an impressive indicator that Cha Chongxiao had, at the very least, a Natural Body. But the Moonlight Trial was not yet complete.
Suddenly, another beam of moonlight passed through Cha Eun Xiao's chest. His lower body, including his clothing, was already visible. However, this time, the moonlight did not immediately enter the tower; it circled around him and re-entered his chest from the other side. Then, it finally entered the tower.
The tower flickered briefly but showed no change. This perplexed the old men, as they had not encountered such an outcome in previous Moonlight Trials. The moonlight was shining even more brightly, contrary to their expectations. Their confusion grew. Was it over? Had Cha Eun Xiao reached his limit?
However, their bewilderment was short-lived. The tower suddenly surged upward, emitting a rapid series of sounds. Three more floors appeared, bringing the total to nine floors.
The elders were astonished, their exclamations of amazement filling the hall. This unexpected turn of events left them in awe, prompting them to question the inexplicable phenomenon that had just unfolded before their eyes.
"What in the heavens!" A white-bearded old man was driven to grab his own beard and let out an astonished cry. The rest of the elderly men were equally wide-eyed, fixated on Cha Eun Xiao.
Their eyes gleamed with avarice, driven by a covetous desire they could hardly contain. Until now, from the very founding of Cold Moon Palace, the most gifted disciple had only reached a maximum of eight floors on that towering structure.
This individual had been deemed a monstrous talent. Yet here stood Cha Chongxiao, who had surpassed them all, reaching nine floors! And it appeared that the revelation was far from over.
The crowd erupted into chaos, each elder proclaiming their claim to him with fervor.
"He's mine!"
"I want him!"
"He belongs to me!"
As they clamored and vied for his attention, the three senior elders who had entered the main hall shouted in anger, "Silence, all of you! Worthless imbeciles! You dare to covet such an extraordinary disciple? I am speaking to you! What do you think you're doing? Look at yourselves, desiring to pit against your fellow brethren within the sect? Grow up! You should be cultivating for several more decades before you are fit to take on disciples of your own!"
The chastised elders hung their heads, their spirits deflated.
The trio of senior elders exchanged knowing glances and harrumphed before once again directing their gaze at Cha Eun Xiao.
A new beam of moonlight emerged, and the crowd once more erupted into exclamations.
"This can't be the end; there's more!"
As they beheld the radiant moonlight, they understood that the trial was not yet complete. While nine floors was already a record-breaking achievement, the impending outcome baffled their comprehension.
The moonlight pierced Cha Eun Xiao's neck and flowed into the tower. As expected, the tower ascended another floor, now boasting ten stories.
Silent disbelief prevailed. A profound sense of wonder and incredulity settled upon them. This was beyond any precedent. They had expected it to cease at ten floors.
However, the moonlight did not stop. It shone with dazzling brilliance, making it difficult for them to open their eyes. Yet they strained to watch. They knew that this was the culmination.
In the Moonlight Trial, three beams of moonlight simultaneously burst forth, darting into Cha Eun Xiao's head.
"Three! How is that possible?" An old man's exclamation mirrored their collective astonishment.
Yue Changtian, who had striven to maintain an air of calmness, could no longer contain his shock. He was so taken aback that he accidentally plucked one strand of his own beard.
The three beams of moonlight penetrated Cha Eun Xiao's head, leaving everyone dumbfounded. The tower expanded floor by floor, reaching unimaginable heights.
Nine floors!
Ten floors!
Eleven!
Twelve!
Thirteen!
Fourteen!
The consecutive additions left them all stunned, struggling to fathom the incredible sight before them.