A beam shot from the three-eyed being's vertical eye between his brows, shaped like a divine sword, splitting the vacuum with overwhelming might.
Daoling's mind tensed. Sensing danger, he dodged swiftly, but the beam's aura was fearsome. A wisp grazed his neck, drawing blood. It had been a close call—slower reflexes would have cost him his head. Just the outer edge of the vertical eye's energy had wounded his terrifyingly tough flesh.
"Beware his vertical eye—don't clash directly with its attacks," Qian Yao urged, struggling against the starry net. She had learned the hard way from the three-eyed being. The vertical eye was a Three-Eyed Clan divine ability, so formidable that few dared provoke them.
Daoling nodded. His body surged with rolling blood energy, thunder drum sounds resonating within. He shot up, his golden form pressing forward.
"Get lost!" the three-eyed being snarled, punching out. BOOM! Fists collided, unleashing a shockwave that sent boulders flying and shattering them mid-air. The three-eyed being was startled—Daoling's physical strength matched his. Where had this prodigy emerged, with such淬炼 (tempered) flesh?
Daoling roared, aura blazing. His hair fluttered as he attacked, fists raining down. The three-eyed being's radiance intensified, combat power surging. His vertical eye opened and closed, slowing Daoling's movements in his vision. A fist slammed toward Daoling's waist.
The strike was blindingly fast, but Qian Yao's warning had him on guard. He blocked with his elbow, both bodies trembling.
"Kill!" Daoling's eyes glinted. Golden light surged as he threw another punch. Heavenly radiance blinded the scene, their shadows clashing, rocks cracking, divine lights dancing, and booms echoing.
The Cold Flood Dragon scowled. A human prodigy had intervened, matching the three-eyed being physically. If they couldn't subdue Daoling, trouble would follow—Qian Yao was no weakling, having fought three beings and slain one.
Daoling grew stronger, but the vertical eye wounded him. His speed paled before it; a punch to his shoulder sent blood flying. Unflinching, Daoling thundered forward, his fist slamming into the three-eyed being's chest, making him shudder. Life energy swirled around Daoling, healing his shoulder rapidly.
The three-eyed being, drenched in sweat, found his vertical eye dimming. Injured and unable to keep up with energy loss, the seventh floor's pressure would eventually destroy him.
"Die!" he howled, unleashing stored vertical eye energy—stronger than before, piercing the vacuum for Daoling's brow.
"Hmph, I've been waiting!" Daoling barked. Thunderous sounds erupted from his throat as a purple-glowing pagoda flew from his sleeve, wrapped in dazzling purple light, meeting the beam. BOOM! The vacuum shattered. The pagoda dispersed the energy, hovering briefly before Daoling recalled it. His stamina was drained—the pressure was relentless.
"Dammit!" The three-eyed being raged. Unable to unleash full power, he knew he couldn't best Daoling. Staying longer would mean severe injury.
"Break!" Qian Yao chanted. An obsidian sword appeared in her hand, slashing the starry net back.
"What?" The three-eyed being fled—offending the Great Qian Dynasty was suicidal.
"Stay!" Daoling roared, golden energy rippling out. The three-eyed being spat out a treasure seal, dispersing the attack. Weakened, he escaped with a teleportation talisman, ignoring Daoling's demand to leave his treasures.
"Greedy wretch," Qian Yao muttered, wiping sweat. She watched Daoling chase after the three-eyed being, then drank from a jade gourd and followed.
They found Daoling瘫 (paralyzed) on the ground, panting. "This damned space—insane pressure," he grumbled. The three-eyed being had escaped with another talisman.
"Killing them isn't easy; they always have escape treasures," Qian Yao said, offering the gourd. "This spiritual spring restores energy—drink up."
Daoling gulped it down. Qian Yao gaped—she had drunk from it too, and now he'd… "What's wrong?" he asked, eyeing her. "I helped you. A little spiritual spring isn't too much, is it? So stingy."
"You're the stingy one!" she retorted, flushing. She couldn't admit the real reason.
Revitalized by the spiritual spring, Daoling said, "You promised a reward. That obsidian sword looks good—I'll take it."
Qian Yao's eye twitched. She, always the center of attention, was being demanded of! "No way—it's a gift from an elder. Choose something else."
"True blood of a divine beast?" Daoling asked, guessing her status.
Qian Yao frowned. "I can't get that. Pick another."
"Then you're cheating!" Daoling scoffed.
Grumbling, she said, "No divine beast blood, but I have true blood of an ancient ferocious beast." She pointed to a silver flood dragon split in two—she had slain it.
"Perfect!" Daoling thrilled. Cold flood dragons had true dragon blood, more potent than Leopard unicorn Beast's. He collected three drops of silver blood, valuable enough to fetch a high price.
"Joining Star Academy?" Qian Yao asked, eyes gleaming.
"Yep,考核 (exams) should be soon." He looked at her. "You too?"
"Sort of. You haven't broken through to Soul Convergence yet?" she wondered.
"Soon." He recalled Cripple Father's words: reach the ninth floor. Difficult, but not impossible.
"Here—take this human elixir for helping me," Qian Yao said, palm opening to reveal a golden pill. "And I'm not stingy!"
Watching Daoling fight, she knew this elixir could help him reach the eighth floor.
"What's a human elixir?" he asked, amazed by its aura.
"It lets you break into the eighth floor." Qian Yao pouted. How did he not know such a famous pill? Though low-grade, it was the ultimate elixir for Body Forging.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps approached—two in silver battle suits with golden runes, emanating mysterious waves. The lead elder's eyes burned like golden lamps, radiating terror.