Started out getting scumbags, but then invested in the invincible Empress.

Chapter 281 Hidden Trial

"So hard..."

Li Wudao frowned, feeling troubled.

Even he struggled with the puppet's physical strength; no wonder Jiang Churan was defeated.

He increasingly felt that something was wrong with the Illusionary Demon Tower. Judging from all the signs, it was definitely not the power that a royal-level treasure should possess.

This tower probably holds another secret!

Li Wudao suppressed his distracting thoughts, his eyes gleaming.

His cultivation level is lower than Jiang Churan's, so if he wants to win as soon as possible, he must use unconventional methods.

Thinking of this, a thought struck him.

Cataclysmic Realm, open!

"Om-"

The next instant, space within a radius of ten zhang began to distort.

The rules became disordered, an aura of calamity spread out, and the surroundings were filled with a destructive energy.

The moment the puppet rushed into the domain, its movements became noticeably slower, and the light around it dimmed by three points.

Li Wudao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He was still a little worried that the Qiongqi Domain wouldn't work on "creatures" like puppets, but now those concerns have been dispelled.

With the domain's combat power suppressing him, he felt significantly more relaxed when he made his move.

"Come again!"

Li Wudao let out a low shout, transforming into a golden lightning bolt, his fists and fingers alternating as he launched a fierce attack on the puppet's various weak points.

dong dong! !

Every punch lands with a visceral impact, every finger strike breaks through defenses!

The crimson blood and dark gold qi collided and exploded wildly, turning the entire space upside down!

Thirty-seven breaths!

"Crack!"

The core rune at the joint of the puppet's right arm finally succumbed to the continuous attacks and shattered!

His entire right arm hung limply at his sides!

"good chance!"

Li Wudao's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he suddenly lunged forward to the puppet's chest.

He clenched his right fist, frantically gathering the power of his body's Qi and blood.

On the edge of his fist, crimson-gold light condensed to its extreme, as if he were holding a real sun!

Punch out.

The sonic boom was deafening, as if the space itself had been blasted apart!

The humanoid puppet crossed its arms to protect its chest, and a dark golden light shone brightly, condensing into a thick energy shield.

The crimson fist slammed heavily onto the shield.

"laugh--!"

The shield melts and disappears quickly when exposed to scorching sun and snow.

The fist pierced through the puppet's arms and slammed into its energy core in its chest!

"boom--!!!"

A charred hole, over a foot wide, exploded in the puppet's chest, completely melting away the internal runes and formations.

The light in those scarlet eyes dimmed rapidly, and his massive body swayed before he collapsed to his knees with a thud.

Won?

Li Wudao was panting heavily, just trying to relax.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted sharply.

"Buzz-"

Before them, the kneeling dark gold puppet twitched slightly a few times before violently trembling.

Wait, what's going on?

Hasn't he already defeated him?

Li Wudao was stunned, bewildered by the bizarre scene before him.

He could sense that the puppet, which he should have defeated, was inexplicably waking up with an aura far exceeding its previous strength!

Outside the tower.

There were exclamations.

"It has already exceeded the time that Senior Sister Jiang persisted for!"

"So strong!"

"Could it be that he can really get through this?"

Suddenly, the tower stopped shaking.

Dead silence.

There was a deathly silence for three full breaths.

"The knot... is over?"

Just when everyone thought the battle was over—

"Boom——!!!"

The entire Illusionary Demon Tower erupted with a tremor several times more intense than before!

On the surface of the tower, the patterns on the twenty-first floor changed from reddish gold to deep purple, with countless fine electric snakes leaping between the patterns!

"Crack-"

A burst of purple lightning erupted!

A violent, ferocious, and savage energy surge emanated from the tower!

"what happened?"

"This aura... it's a demonic beast!"

"Monsters?! Isn't this level supposed to be filled with humanoid puppets?!"

"Illusionary Demon Tower is malfunctioning?"

The whole place was in an uproar!

Seemingly sensing something, Jiang Churan's calm expression suddenly changed, her beautiful eyes fixed on the strange changes in the tower, and she murmured to herself:

"Such intense lightning power... This... This is the aura of the sixth-tier great demon 'Thunder Lion Lord'?!"

Her mind was in turmoil, and she couldn't calm down.

She clearly remembered that the guardian beast of this level was a humanoid puppet.

Why is the aura of a demonic beast erupting now, and even stronger than before?

The disciples looked at each other in bewilderment, while the elders whispered among themselves; the scene was chaotic.

In mid-air, Murong Yan and Nangong Cheng exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with shock.

"Could it be..."

Murong Yan seemed to realize something, his voice trembling slightly, "He triggered a hidden level?!"

Nangong Cheng nodded slowly, a rare solemnity appearing on his aged face. "It shouldn't be wrong."

"Roar--!!!"

Suddenly, a soul-shaking roar of a monstrous beast faintly echoed through the tower.

The roar was filled with brutality and slaughter, and the sound was extremely realistic.

"It really is a monster!"

"But this level is clearly a dark gold humanoid puppet! My third senior brother cleared it last year, and he said so himself!"

"Ancient texts also describe them as humanoid puppets!"

Questions, exclamations, and speculations arose one after another.

Many people who are familiar with this level are unable to remain calm.

"Wait... I remember now!"

Just then, a highly experienced elder who had been passing on his skills suddenly exclaimed:

"There's a vague record in the sect's secret manual... about the hidden trial on the twenty-first floor of the Illusionary Demon Tower!"

"A hidden trial?!"

All eyes are focused instantly!

The elder's voice trembled: "It's...it's a fragment of the Ancestral Master's notes! It says the humanoid puppet on the twenty-first level is merely a 'basic trial.'"

"If a challenger's talent is exceptionally outstanding, the tower spirit will automatically trigger a 'hidden trial,' revealing the true form of a great demon... What was that demon called again? I can't remember for a moment..."

He tapped his head, pondered for a long time, and then excitedly shouted:

"I remember now... 'Thunder Lion Lord'... a sixth-tier great demon!"

Everyone was shocked and filled with doubt.

"Wha...what?!"

"Is there such a thing?!"

"How come I've never heard of this before?!"

The elder who was transmitting the skills took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down: "It's normal that you don't know, because..."

He paused, staring intently at the tower, and said in a trembling voice, "For thousands of years, no one has ever triggered it! Except... except for the founding patriarch Chen Xuanfeng himself!"

boom--

These words were like a thunderclap!

"Only the patriarch has triggered this?!"

"Doesn't this mean that Junior Brother Li's talent... is comparable to the Grandmaster's?!"

Everyone was stunned.

Unbelievable! Shocking! Envy, jealousy, and hatred... all sorts of emotions exploded in the crowd!

Even the peak masters were not entirely clear about this matter, and they all cast questioning glances at Murong Yan.

Seeing this, Murong Yan finally spoke.

His expression betrayed his deep emotion, and he said uneasily, "Elder Diao is right, there is indeed a hidden trial on the twenty-first level of the Illusionary Demon Tower..."

A commotion arose in the crowd, and a clamor arose.

"However, three conditions need to be met to trigger it."

"First, the age must not exceed eighteen years old; second, the cultivation level must not exceed the peak of Martial King; third, defeat the humanoid puppet within a hundred breaths."

He paused, his eyes sweeping across the room:

"These three conditions are indispensable. For thousands of years, my Xuantian Sect has produced countless geniuses, but no one has ever met them all at the same time. Until today..."

The whole place was dead silent.

The disciples looked at each other in disbelief, all feeling utterly horrified.

"Wow, meeting all three conditions at the same time is too difficult..."

"Who can argue with that? Just the fact that one can cultivate to the peak of the Martial King realm at the age of eighteen is already a challenge that has stumped countless geniuses."

"That's too harsh. The ancient records of the sect contain many geniuses with incredibly fast cultivation speeds, but those who can fight beyond their level are extremely rare."

"That's outrageous. Even within the same realm, I wouldn't dare say that a winner could be decided within a hundred breaths."

"Don't you understand? These three conditions are not set for us ordinary disciples. They are obviously for selecting top geniuses who can fight beyond their level."

"Speaking of which, Junior Sister Jiang also has a good chance of triggering the hidden level. Her age and cultivation level are both suitable. If she can further improve her cultivation level, she may have a chance."

Amidst the heated discussion.

One disciple couldn't help but ask:

"Sect Master... what is the difference between the hidden trial and the regular trial?"