Early the next morning, Ming Qi, led by Meng Junyi, headed for the Heavenly Official Tower.
The Heavenly Official Tower was located behind the Tianqi Hall. Soon, the two of them stood before the massive tower.
Only then did Ming Qi take a closer look at the tower. He discovered that this miraculous twenty-eight-story pagoda was not even as tall as the Tianqi Hall of Tianqi Academy, yet it occupied an unusually large area. It looked as if a massive force had descended from its top, flattening the tower.
He wasn't surprised, however, as Meng Junyi had already told him that the tower was enchanted by a magical array that allowed the space to change, preventing outsiders from observing. After all, the Heavenly Official Tower was the treasure of Tianqi Academy, and with Tianqi Academy currently coveted by countless others, the possibility of someone resorting to extraordinary means and risking universal condemnation was a real possibility.
Since only one person can enter the Tianguan Tower at a time for training, Ming Qi came this time for training. As for Yue Qinglong, he would wait until Ming Qi's training was complete before entering.
"Junior Brother Ming, this Tianguan Tower is filled with dangers. If you feel you've reached your limit, exit immediately. There are safe exits on every floor. Don't force yourself."
Meng Junyi spoke, clasping a jade talisman in his hands and continuously chanting strange incantations. Rays of light emanated from the talisman and landed at the Tianguan Tower entrance.
After a short while, the seal on the Tianguan Tower entrance was lifted, revealing a dark passage.
"Alright, Junior Brother Ming, the entrance is now open. I have to go back and deal with the provocations of the other disciples, so I won't be here with you. Be careful."
Meng Junyi turned and hurried away without stopping.
Ming Qi wasted no time and immediately entered the first floor of the Tianguan Tower.
Upon entering the Tianguan Tower, Ming Qi discovered that its interior was indeed immense, vast and dark, like the boundless night sky. Within this boundless space, hideous monsters roamed everywhere.
At the same time, an immense pressure weighed upon him, equally vast and boundless, as if emanating from the outer space.
"This Tianguan Tower is truly marvelous!"
Ming Qi was stunned. Just as he was about to see what these monsters were, he felt the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map deep within his mind tremble violently again. Unlike the previous time, this time the vibrations were exceptionally violent, accompanied by the pull of the surrounding aura, as if something was about to tear itself from the mysterious scroll.
At that moment, the roaring monsters in the distance noticed the commotion and rushed over.
A chilling wind blew, howling through the air. Ming Qi instantly saw the charging monsters, and his hair stood on end.
These monsters came in all shapes and sizes, some resembling pillars of heaven, some like divine gates, some like spirit soldiers and generals, and some simply wandering wisps of spiritual energy. But without exception, these unheard-of monsters possessed a pair of incredibly creepy eyes, like will-o'-the-wisps wandering through the wilderness.
Even Ming Qi, skilled and courageous, couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. What the hell were these creatures?
In the blink of an eye, this horde of bizarre monsters, completely defying human perception, had rushed towards Ming Qi with ferocious fury. Then, suddenly, a serpentine creature with enormous horns leaped out from the midst of the horde.
Ming Qi's mind shuddered, as if a thought suddenly struck him. Combined with the rapidly trembling Supreme Mountain and Sea Map, a flood of information flooded his mind.
"Horns, tripods, divine generals, Heavenly Gate... Could it be!"
Putting these bizarre monsters together, Ming Qi was instantly shocked.
He stepped back, maintaining a distance from these menacing creatures, his mind rapidly connecting all the information.
"Giant horns, serpentine shape, could it be!"
As he pondered, the ground behind the group of monsters suddenly rumbled. A monstrous, jagged, serpentine-shrouded mountain rose from the ground, its rocks sharp as knives, and a boundless, primordial aura filled the air.
And atop this breathtaking mountain, two ancient, time-honored characters were prominently written in seal script: "Da Yan."
"Da Yan! The Classic of Mountains and Seas states, 'Beyond the East China Sea, in the vast wilderness, there is a mountain called Dayan, where the sun and moon rise.' According to later astrologers, this Dayan Mountain corresponds to Jiao, the leader of the seven eastern constellations of the twenty-eight constellations."
Reflecting on this, Ming Qi immediately understood a great deal.
He had previously been puzzled as to why the Heavenly Official Tower had twenty-eight floors, but now he seemed to have fully grasped it.
The Twenty-Eight Constellations Celestial Officials govern the starry heavens. The twenty-eight floors of the Heavenly Official Tower must have implicitly aligned with the mysteries of the twenty-eight constellations. The Supreme Mountain and Sea Map within his body vibrated because the ancient map contained twenty-eight sacred mountains corresponding to the Twenty-Eight Constellations Celestial Officials.
This paralleled his understanding of the mysteries of the Wolf Fist. The Supreme Mountain and Sea Map encompasses everything, encompassing all eternity, and naturally contained no shortage of the mysteries of the stars.
From this, Ming Qi understood that the stars appearing within the first level of the Celestial Official Tower must be those beneath the star Diagonal, the leader of the Seven Eastern Constellations.
"This Celestial Official Tower trial has resonated with the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map. I wonder what secrets lie within. I must break through!"
Whoa!
Having figured out the underlying connection, Ming Qi no longer hesitated and immediately struck with his fists.
"Tianmen Star God, die!"
A sharp gleam flashed from Ming Qi's eyes. He unleashed the profound power of his Wolf Fist, his body undulating and swaying. His fists, like hammers, smashed into the nearest portal, emitting a dim glow.
This Tianmen Star God is also known as the Gate of the Zodiac.
As Ming Qi's fists landed, the conjured Tianmen Star God let out a sharp whistle, instantly transforming into a wisp of smoke and rising into the air. At a rapid speed, it merged with the distant Dayan Divine Mountain.
Faintly visible, a faint portal appeared within Dayan's body, traversing the jagged stone walls.
After scattering the illusory Tianmen Star God with a single punch, Ming Qi, without a word, charged into the crowd of illusory Star Gods, dashing left and right, sweeping through them.
The Star God that appeared during the Tianguan Tower trial was, of course, not a true Star God. It was merely an image conjured through the power of the stars, its combat power barely a billionth that of a true Star God.
Even Ming Qi, at only the Postnatal Realm, was unstoppable in his attacks.
The trial seemed easy enough, but Ming Qi knew the secrets of the Tianguan Tower were far from simple. To be able to conjure a Star God through the power of the stars was no ordinary being.
In the blink of an eye, Ming Qi had shattered over twenty illusory Star God phantoms, but just then, he noticed that the shattered Tianmen Star God phantom had reappeared from Dayan's Divine Mountain!
"It seems that to pass the first level of the trial, I must shatter all these phantoms in the shortest possible time!"
Bang, bang, bang!
Developing speed, strength, and understanding!
This trial in the Heavenly Official Tower is about more than just physical prowess.
These Star God phantoms are not without offensive power. Ming Qi receives dozens of heavy blows for every Star God phantom he shatters.
However, he can easily withstand this level of blows!
"This is only the first level of the Heavenly Official Tower. No time to waste!"
Swish!
Ming Qi unsheathed his scarlet spear and launched into a frenzied, desperate attack.
In reality, these Star God phantoms are unkillable; the only solution is to shatter them and merge them into the Divine Mountain.
"Bloodthirsty greed! Arrogant fate!"
At this moment, Ming Qi had unknowingly integrated the profound essence of the Wolf Fist into his spearmanship, and each shot carried a swift, murderous intent.
"Horned Star God, die!"
After two solid hours of fighting, Ming Qi was drenched in sweat.
On the first floor of the Heavenly Official Tower, only a single Star God phantom remained: the giant, serpent-like Horned Star God.
"Hiss..."
The Horned Star God's horns were as sharp as knives, and sparks flew when they collided with Ming Qi's spear.
But Ming Qi remained undaunted. After hours of training, he knew he only needed to shatter this final Star God phantom to unlock the entrance to the second floor and enter.
Puff!
The spear clashed back and forth, and finally, with Ming Qi's explosive burst, one shot pierced the Horned Star God's massive head, completely shattering it!
Boom!
The Horned Star God transformed into a stream of light and merged into Dayan Divine Mountain. Simultaneously, a passage opened before Ming Qi.
The second floor of the Heavenly Official Tower is open!
Ming Qi hurried toward the entrance. Though breathless with exhaustion, he showed no intention of stopping. He knew this was the only way to fully train himself.
As he reached the passageway's entrance, the ever-awakening Supreme Mountain and Sea Map quietly emerged. Simultaneously, a majestic, mysterious aura emanated from the distant Dayan Divine Mountain. This aura condensed into a sword-shaped phantom, which instantly disappeared into the Mountain and Sea Map.
A gray mist shrouded the Mountain and Sea Map, as if something was constantly brewing.
Ming Qi didn't bother to investigate further, but proceeded directly to the second level.
"The second of the Seven Eastern Constellations, Kang Su!"
Ming Qi glanced quickly. On the second level of the Tianguan Tower, the bizarre Kang Su wandered forward, surrounded by six phantoms of star gods. Simultaneously, the ground rumbled, and the corresponding Hexu Divine Mountain broke through the earth.
"Arcturus God, Yangmen Star God, Zhewei Star God—yes, it's Kang Jinlong, the Second Star of the Eastern Constellation!"
Ming Qi rushed forward without a word. With his previous experience, the second level of the test was much quicker, completing it in just an hour.
Just like last time, when the passage to the third level opened, the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map reappeared, also condensing a mysterious sword energy.
However, Ming Qi still didn't know the purpose of this mysterious sword energy, but he wasn't in a hurry. Since it was condensed into the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map, he would eventually find out.
For now, his goal was to overcome the test, give it his all, and push his limits!