"Once you reach the sixth floor of the Heaven-reaching Tower, if you don't have a guide, you can come to me. By the way, who introduced you to the tower?" The Night Empress's voice, soft and sweet, suddenly inquired about a mystery that had long puzzled Eddie.
"I don't know them…" Eddie had entered the Heaven-reaching Tower under the guidance of a haughty beauty whom he had never seen again. He had only met her once at the Valiant-Advocating Camp and never encountered her again.
Despite inquiring discreetly at the camp, which was usually managed by an elder named Lu, no one seemed to know or dare speak of the haughty beauty, as if she were some terrifying entity.
Eddie remembered a middle-aged man at the tower's entrance who had reacted with fear upon hearing her name. It was strange for a warrior capable of guarding the entrance to be so fearful. Could it be that the haughty beauty was even more terrifying than a demon lord?
Doubtful of Eddie's account, the Night Empress pressed for more information. Eddie described the beauty's appearance casually, feigning nonchalance. "I really don't know the person who introduced me to the tower. I heard it's usually Elder Lu at the Valiant-Advocating Camp, but my experience was an exception."
Hearing this, the Night Empress fell silent for a long time. Just as Eddie began to wonder if he had said something wrong, she suddenly huffed jealously.
"I knew it was her! With her unique talent, she can easily find you... "
"I can't stand her, always one step ahead of me! What did she give you? A crystal card? She's too generous… "
"What conditions did she set? A wisdom orb every year? "
"That's too simple! She's clearly poaching disciples! It's unfair and violates the agreements among the strong. You fool, how could you agree to have her as your guide? You're at a loss!"
"It's fine, as the elders say, 'losses bring blessings,'" Eddie added fuel to the fire.
"Bless your head!" The Night Empress was visibly upset and fell silent for a while.
"Wait, I have a task for you. If you complete it, I might consider guiding you, you silly boy who knows nothing. It's a simple task. Deep in the center of the Despair Abyss, thousands of meters underground, there is a Black Tortoise Pool. There, you'll find an injured Dragon Turtle. Heal it and get the Black Tortoise Pearl from it, then come back to me," said the Night Empress casually, as if it were no more difficult than eating beans. Eddie realized this task might be ten times more difficult than delivering a wisdom fruit each year to the unknown beauty.
Who had ever ventured to the heart of the Despair Abyss?
No one!
Only someone of the Night Empress's caliber, a national guardian war god, could imagine reaching such a realm. Eddie pondered the feasibility of healing the Dragon Turtle and obtaining the Black Tortoise Pearl.
Recalling his perilous encounter with the Purple Gold Marquis in the ant hole, Eddie realized that if he met someone even more formidable in the heart of the Despair Abyss, his life would be in grave danger.
"And what level is this Dragon Turtle?" Eddie inquired, considering the task's difficulty.
"A Platinum Six-Level, originally Platinum Ten-Level, but it was injured," replied the Night Empress, nearly causing Eddie to drown in shock.
"Injured at Platinum Ten-Level?" Eddie couldn't fathom the strength required to do so.
"You'll be able to do it too, eventually," the Night Empress chuckled.
"And what's this Black Tortoise Pearl?" Eddie asked, curious about its significance.
"The Black Tortoise Pearl, along with the Azure Dragon Pearl, White Tiger Pearl, and Vermilion Bird Pearl, are essentials for recognition as a true warrior.
Only when you collect all four can you be acknowledged as a strong warrior in the higher realms of the Heaven-reaching Tower.
The world there is vast beyond description, with islands larger than the Dragon Ascension Continent or even the Demon Abyss.
We from Dragon Ascension, although fewer in number, are more united. Collecting the four pearls is our standard to join the ranks of the strong.
The Black Tortoise Pearl is the easiest to obtain now, as the Dragon Turtle is injured and confined to the Despair Abyss.
Once healed, it will regain its strength and return to the tower. You should complete this task before someone else does," the Night Empress advised, conveying a sense of urgency.
Eddie realized that the task to heal the Dragon Turtle and obtain the Black Tortoise Pearl was daunting, especially considering his lack of expertise in healing beasts.
The Night Empress gave no hints or assistance, leaving him to discover the secrets on his own.
A flash of insight crossed Eddie's mind as he asked, "What about the White Dragon Pearl? How does it relate to the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise Pearls? Is it of the same level or higher?"
"The White Dragon Pearl is a type of Dragon Pearl, necessary for a Seven-Level Tyrant to ascend to an Eight-Level Emperor. It's different from the four pearls. While it's valuable, we don't recognize an Eight-Level Emperor from Dragon Ascension Continent as a true strong warrior," the Night Empress's revelation shocked Eddie.
Not even an Eight-Level Emperor was considered strong? Then, what about Seven-Level Tyrants and Six-Level Grandmasters? No wonder those below Five-Level were deemed insignificant by Innates.
Swallowing hard, Eddie asked, "Then, what level is considered a true strong warrior?"
The Night Empress smiled softly before revealing, "It's no harm telling you now, as you, silly boy, have potential. In Dragon Ascension Continent, we call true warriors 'Innates'. "
"A Seven-Level Tyrant begins to touch Innate, and an Eight-Level Emperor formally trains in it. However, we don't recognize them as true Innates. "
"Only those above Nine-Level Sages are considered Innate warriors. There are nine levels in Innate, with early-stage Sages being Innate One, mid-stage Innate Two, and high-stage Innate Three..."
Eddie felt overwhelmed, realizing he was just at the beginning of his journey. Although he had reached the Innate realm, his strength was far from sufficient.
He could barely compete with a high-level Six-Level Grandmaster and, with great effort and strategy, defeat a mid-level Six-Level Master.
As for early-stage Six-Level Masters, he could easily triumph over them.
Defeating the Purple Gold Marquis was a stroke of luck, compounded by the Marquis's underestimation and exhaustion from battling Mrs. Chi.
Eddie knew if the Purple Gold Marquis had been at his peak and aware of Eddie's true strength, the battle would have been much more challenging.
Eddie, now in control of fire energy and aspiring to master water and ice energies, felt confident. He anticipated the Purple Gold Marquis's return from the Demon Abyss in a year, by which time Eddie hoped to have progressed further and be ready to decisively defeat him.
Eddie, still in the mysterious Sea Mirage Pavilion, estimated that it would take no more than three months to break through to the fourth level of Innate Sword Qi, which involved no physical form.
This breakthrough could potentially unlock the Holy Grimoire, a prospect that filled him with anticipation.
If successful, he could easily defeat the Purple Gold Marquis, turning him into fertilizer for flowers.
The Night Empress, seemingly fond of Eddie, was willing to guide him, but was bound by the agreement among the strong not to interfere as someone else had already claimed him.
She set a task for him: obtain the Black Tortoise Pearl and then seek her out for further guidance. When Eddie mentioned he had ventured into the Despair Abyss to collect Starlight Azure Grass for Mrs. Chi, the Night Empress's respectful tone toward Mrs. Chi heightened Eddie's reverence for her, signifying her status as a peak warrior.
The Night Empress suggested that Eddie collaborate with Falling Blossom, who excelled in collecting herbs like Starlight Azure Grass, and resided in the Sky Garden of Falling Blossom City on the fourth level of the Tower of Eternity.
Eddie joyfully shared his acquaintance with Falling Blossom and their past collaboration in defeating a Demon General and gathering Demonic Enchantress' Scented Flowers.
The Night Empress, amused and slightly proud upon hearing about Eddie's connection with Falling Blossom, advised him to first complete Mrs. Chi's task with Falling Blossom's assistance and then pursue the Black Tortoise Pearl together.
She granted him half a year to accomplish this, promising to share more secrets upon his success.
As their conversation neared its end, the Night Empress decided to gift Eddie something before sending him away. In an instant, two items appeared in Eddie's hands, leaving him curious about their significance and purpose.
Eddie found himself holding two items: a map leading to the center of the Despair Abyss and a jade-like bottle, warm to the touch and emitting a subtle fragrance. Curious about its contents, Eddie questioned the Night Empress, who revealed it to be Water of Immortality.
This liquid could rejuvenate ordinary people and significantly boost a warrior's spiritual energy.
The Night Empress explained its necessity in crafting a War God Pill, a more potent version of the War Spirit Pill, which increases a person's potential rather than merely stimulating it.
Before Eddie could process this information, he was whisked away by an irresistible force, finding himself standing before a grand imperial city.
Without delay, he returned to Ivy League College, securely storing the Water of Immortality and the map in his ring.
At the college entrance, old Fox and others, including Eddie's sister, Sophia, and Ivy Nan, were waiting. Upon seeing Eddie, Sophia rushed into his arms, while Ivy Nan hesitated, shyly stopping herself. Eddie comforted them, assuring that the warriors from the Tianluo Kingdom, sent earlier, would ensure the safety of General Old Ma and his men.
Old Fox affirmed his protection over the group, drawing a smirk from Hessian, who found a common trait between the vice principal and himself—thick-skinned boasting. Eddie, amused, prepared to return to the battlefield near Hope Town, wondering about the ongoing situation there.
With two War Gods in action, the Demonic Hall of Tianmo might show some restraint, right? This time, as Eddie teleported, he secretly hoped for a fierce battle between the two sides. He wanted to see if he could benefit from the chaos, even if it meant scavenging the corpses of the Demonic Hall's warriors slain by the War Gods. After all, those remains would be excellent fertilizer for his plants.
"Time for some fertilizer hunting!" Eddie thought eagerly as he dashed towards the teleportation gate.