Eddie had assumed he could teleport directly to the Heaven-Reaching Tower, but upon arrival at his destination, he realized it wasn't the case.
All warriors heading to the Tower had to first stop at the Shangwu Camp for rest, identity registration, strength verification, and beast inspection.
The frail and the weak, along with demonic cult followers like those of the Infernal Fire, were strictly prohibited from entering the Tower.
This thorough vetting process was conducted at the camp, and Eddie was initially worried that his secret as an innate warrior might be exposed.
However, after observing the inspection process, his concerns quickly dissipated.
The check was far more advanced than any airport security on Earth. Simply standing in a circle of light would reveal any sickly, weak, or demonic followers. It was quick, efficient, and accurate.
"Little thief, what's your name?" asked the voluptuous woman in charge of the records, her attention only half-engaged.
"Titan," Eddie replied, swallowing hard as he glimpsed the seemingly endless cleavage.
The woman's ample bosom was a rare sight, especially as upright and defiant of gravity as hers seemed to be.
Did the gravity on the Dragon Ascend Continent have no effect on such treasures, allowing them to defy it with such pertness?
If only she wore something less form-fitting. Her tight, fiery corset and bare, smooth shoulders only accentuated her chest's magnificence, almost lethally distracting.
The woman, used to such reactions, seemed unfazed by Eddie's unashamed ogling.
"Titan? Why not Dragon or Behemoth? I think 'Braggart' suits you better!" she laughed, her laughter causing a mesmerizing ripple effect.
Unlike the clear-eyed thief, she seemed aware of the formidable nature of Titan giants.
"I do have a nickname, 'Brother Bull.' How did you know?" Eddie replied, his thick skin impervious to embarrassment.
"What brings a lone man to the Heaven-Reaching Tower?" she asked. Had it been anyone else, Eddie might have responded with a sharp retort, but her voice, soft and melodious with a delightful nasal twang, invited fantasies and wandering thoughts.
Eddie swallowed again, imagining the effect of her breathy moans and sighs.
"I'm a country boy, green as they come. I heard from the village chief's son that the Tower is full of beauties, so I saved up to find myself a bride," Eddie fibbed smoothly, as he rarely spoke the truth unless the sun rose from the west.
"A country boy with a Bronze Demon Wolf and no contract? How peculiar," she finally looked up, her lazy, seductive gaze falling on Eddie for the first time.
"This is my guard dog," Eddie said as he kicked Grey, the Iron Ridge Demon Wolf.
"Woof!" Grey tried to bark in response, but its attempt sounded more like a wolf's howl than a dog's bark, much to Eddie's dissatisfaction.
The curvaceous woman pulled out a small crystal wand and waved it gently in front of Grey. Eddie noticed three pale blue marks and a golden wolf emblem on the wand, but he didn't understand their meaning. The woman, however, nodded approvingly. "Bronze Level 3 is a bit low, but it has potential. Plus, it's tame and intelligent. If trained well, it could be decent. Let's give it six stars."
The warriors lined up behind Eddie were astonished to hear Grey evaluated at six stars. Many eyes sparkled with a mix of greed and desire, as if they had discovered a treasure.
Eddie, unfamiliar with the star rating system for beasts, asked curiously, "How are the star levels for beasts determined?"
"You really are a country boy, aren't you? Don't you even know this?" The woman laughed seductively, her laughter as mesmerizing as her appearance.
"The star rating reflects a beast's overall strength. Ordinary warriors focus on the type, level, and special skills of a beast, which are minor factors. The key areas are intelligence, potential, and human-like qualities. "
"To put it simply, one to three stars are considered trash; four and five are decent; six is passable. If you're just looking for luck in the Tower or finding a bride to take back to the countryside, six stars will do. "
"But if you want to stand out, you'll need at least a seven-star beast. And if you manage to get an eight-star, congratulations, kings will line up to offer you their daughters!"
"And what about nine or ten stars?" Eddie's heart raced at the thought.
He wondered how his own beasts, like the Golden Spikeflower, Little Wenli, and the Barbarian Bull Shadow, would rate.
Especially Little Wenli, with her strong combat abilities, intelligence, potential, and even a diamond grimoire, she surely must be at least eight stars.
And the Golden Spikeflower, once it evolved into the Spikeflower Witch, would undoubtedly become much stronger.
As for the Phantom, Eddie also saw immense potential.
With the Barbarian Bull Shadow already in his possession and the possibility of acquiring more powerful beings like a Demon Shadow, an Angel Shadow, or even a Dragon Shadow, he couldn't help but feel excited about the future prospects.
Seeing that even Grey, his weakest beast, could be rated six stars, Eddie felt optimistic about his future prospects. "With a beast like this, setting up a harem as the lady suggested might not be so far-fetched," he mused.
"Nine stars represent sacred beasts, and ten stars are divine beasts. "
"There are rumors of ultra-divine beasts, but none have been seen on the Dragon Ascend Continent for thousands of years, so they aren't included in the star rating system. "
"Of course, this system, devised by our continent's strongest, isn't perfect for a few exceptional beasts, but it's quite accurate for most," explained the voluptuous woman, casting another alluring glance at Eddie.
"Thank you. If I do find a good wife, I'll make sure to invite you to the wedding feast," Eddie replied, realizing it was unwise to let this intriguing woman see through his true capabilities.
"Such slick words from someone so young," she chided Eddie playfully. Her charming eye roll and adorable expression of mock annoyance captivated everyone in the room.
Eddie's heart raced.
She handed him a small, intricate crystal card.
"You naive country boy, without even a reference person, think you can venture into the Heaven-Reaching Tower? Fine, I'll be your sponsor. But you owe me at least one Wisdom Fruit every year, got it?"
The other warriors in the room gazed at the crystal card in Eddie's hand, utterly astonished. Eddie was unaware of its significance, but they knew.
That card was a pass to the Heaven-Reaching Tower, available in five tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Crystal, and Diamond.
The Bronze card was the basic entry for ordinary warriors. If a warrior completed a hundred tasks or passed ten trials in the Tower, reaching the second level, they could upgrade to a Silver card.
A Gold card, even harder to earn, required reaching the third level of the Tower and making significant contributions to the state.
And now, this woman had casually given Eddie a Crystal card, usually reserved for the nation's high-ranking officials, celebrities, master warriors, or supremely talented individuals. Was this young man some sort of hidden genius?
Eddie didn't give anyone the chance to speculate further. With a charismatic wave and a playful air kiss towards the buxom woman, he made his exit in style.
Watching his departing figure, the voluptuous woman smiled to herself. "That country boy, I can't see through his strength. Quite mysterious and interesting!"
A burly, muscle-bound brute approached her with a lewd smirk. "Hey, gorgeous, I want one of those Crystal cards too.
That pretty boy is all show and no go, but I've got what it takes to satisfy you!" He boasted crudely, mistaking her for someone who enjoyed such advances.
"Someone, take him out and beat him senseless, and if he dies, just feed him to the stray dogs!" she ordered.
A guardian angel with blood-red wings materialized behind her and struck the man with a powerful slap, sending him crashing through a wall and out onto the street.
Hearing the commotion, several golden-armored guards rushed in, laying into the man with a brutal flurry of blows.
The warriors around, who had once viewed the seemingly laid-back woman as just another pretty face, now trembled in fear, realizing the extent of her power and influence. Just who was she?