Tales of Demons & Gods

Chapter 243 - Black Infernal Refining

The Black Infernal Tower is located in the wilderness where the raging flames have scorched the surrounding rocks a fiery red color.

Cang Ming, Mu Ye, and Hua Huo observed the tower and looked at each other. They all had an unyielding expression on their faces. Since they were the direct disciples of their respective families, they had all heard of the anatta mental state before. Thus, they decided that there wouldn’t be too much risk in attempting this trial.

*Woosh!* *Woosh!* *Woosh!*

Three figures separated themselves from the rest of the crowd and flew towards the Black Infernal Tower.

Following in their steps, the experts from the other various families also flew towards the tower.

The closer they got to the tower, the hotter it became, until the heat was simply unbearable. The energy from the Black Flames directly penetrated their soul realms and negated their cultivations. Those with weaker souls, even if they are Demigod rank, were unable to withstand it.

Some realised that the black flames weren’t something they could withstand and quickly fell back.

However, there were those who forcefully endured and charged into the black flames. These people instantly issued miserable shrieks as their bodies instantly bursted into dark flames.

Nie Li couldn’t help but sigh as he watched. These experts’ souls just weren’t tough enough. Forcing their way into the Black Infernal Tower would only damages their souls and leaves them permanently crippled.

“Let’s go.” Nie Li said with a glance over his party.

Nie Li and his group began moving towards the Black Infernal Tower.

Cang Ming, Mu Ye, and Hua Huo were the first to enter the Black Infernal Tower, with the rest following closely behind. There were roughly five to six hundred people who couldn’t withstand the black flames and retreated.

As Nie Li’s party approached the Black Infernal Tower, they felt a searing wind blowing towards them. This breeze directly impacted their soul realms.

Even Nie Li felt his soul burning. He turned to his friends and asked, “How are you guys doing?”

Ye Ziyun shook her head and answered, “I’m fine!”

Xiao Ning’er, who was next to her, replied, “Me too!”

The rest responded the same.

Although the black flames burned strongly, Nie Li and company have been practising extremely advanced cultivation techniques. Therefore, in terms of soul strength, each of them were one in ten thousand talents. Therefore, despite the fact that they were surrounded by the intimidating black flames, they were still able to endure, unlike those who had previously set their soul realms ablaze.

The party gradually drew nearer to the towering Black Infernal Tower. This structure was divided into a total of seven floors. The higher the floor, the darker the flames would become. The flames on the first floor still carried highlights of vivid scarlet, but the flames of the top floor would be pitch black, like ink.

The purity of the flames at the highest floor shocked even Nie Li. He didn’t know who had left those black flames behind in this Black Infernal Tower; however, he or she was definitely very powerful.

In the face of the brewing heatwaves, the group entered the Black Infernal Tower.

On the first floor of the Black Infernal Tower, there were many experts from various races sitting crossed-legged. These experts had entered the first floor and felt that their soul realms were on the verge of igniting; therefore, they didn’t dare to proceed any further and immediately sat down on the floor to cultivate.

However, there were also people who had continued on to the second floor.

Suddenly, Duan Jian’s body burst into black flames.

“Duan Jian! What’s going on?!” Everyone was shocked as they shouted in concern and fear. They thought that Duan Jian was experiencing the same process like those who’d had their soul realms ignited!

As they watched Duan Jian’s body burn with dark flames, the experts sitting in the main hall pitied him with their eyes. Another person was about to be crippled.

Unexpectedly, however, Duan Jian didn’t have a pained expression; on the contrary, he had a look of joy on his face.

When they saw this, Lu Piao and the rest were dumbfounded. The others had been burned and tortured because their soul realms had been ignited. So why did Duan Jian look so happy?

“Duan Jian, you haven’t gone insane, right…?” questioned Lu Piao.

Duan Jian glared at Lu Piao before turning his head to Nie Li and excitedly explained, “Master, I have no idea why, but these black flames seem to have a positive effect on my soul realm. Since we entered this place, I have been absorbing the black flames at an increasing rate, speeding up the strength of my soul realm!”

Nie Li nodded. Duan Jian inherited the Black Dragon’s bloodline. Since Black Dragons were the masters of black flames, the fact that the flames here would benefit Duan Jian’s growth was expected.

Duan Jian’s entire body was shrouded in black flames. However, not only was he not issuing miserable screams like the others had done, he was leaping about in a bright mood. He looked so happy that the experts who were cultivating on the floor were shocked. Just who was that guy whose body was shrouded in black flames?

Standing on the first floor of the Black Infernal Tower, the members of Nie Li’s party didn’t feel any pressure at all. They discussed briefly before they decided to head for the tower’s second floor.

They mounted the spiral stairs and circled upwards.

Nie Li, who was walking in front, felt the black flames growing stronger. With every step he took, the black flames would burn even more intensely, until they were so strong that even Nie Li had to take care and defend his soul realm.

Among the group members, only Duan Jian was looking very relaxed. In fact, he was so relaxed that he even quickened his steps. The purer the black flames, the more it would benefit his cultivation.

They continued to follow the spiral stairs upwards.

The moment Nie Li and his group stepped onto the second floor of the Black Infernal Tower, the experts of various races who were already there instantly turned their attention towards them.

Those who are able to enter the second floor amounted to only two or three hundred people.

These two to three hundred people can be said to be the elites of Nether City. They, more or less, know each other. However, they were unfamiliar with Nie Li’s group.

After a brief moment, the majority of them retracted their gazes. The black flames on the second floor exerted heavy pressure on these people; therefore, they didn’t have the heart to waste on investigating the newcomers.

Even Cang Ming, Mu Ye, and Hua Huo didn’t dare continue upwards. They each quickly found a place on the second floor, sat down, and quietly began their cultivation.

Nie Li and his group also found a place where they could sit together and cultivated their soul realms.

Nie Li sensed something and turned his attention towards a spot some distance away, where he saw a demonic youth sitting. The youth had a ghastly pale face that made him appear as if he had been struck by some sort of illness and bloodshot eyes. Nie Li felt a powerful energy emanating from this demonic youth.

That degree of this energy had already surpassed the people from Nie Li’s group.

The youth also sensed Nie Li’s gaze and turned in Nie Li’s direction.

After the two exchanged glances, the youth closed his eyes again and returned to his cultivation.

Starting a fight in the Black Infernal Tower was an unwise action. Because the black flames are constantly exhausting their energy, if a fight were to break out, someone could instantly end up devoured by the black flames.

Nie Li narrowed his eyes. He didn’t know why, but he felt enmity radiating from that youth and, therefore, raised his guard.

“Master, all of you can cultivate at ease.” Duan Jian said to their party. Inside the Black Infernal Tower, he didn’t have to sit down like the others to enhance his cultivation. The black flames themselves had already greatly refine his physical and soul realm.

Indeed, with Duan Jian guarding, everyone was much more assured!

Nie Li nodded, closed his eyes, and begin training.

Following him, everyone else concentrated on their training.

Nie Li could sense the scorching aura from the surrounding black flames. From his previous life, he already knew what the anatta mental state was. However, in this life, he has yet to begin that sort of cultivation. However, stimulated by the black flames, it was indeed easier to cultivate this time around.

He allowed his entire body to be saturated by the dark flames and, bit by bit, constantly refining his body.

Nie Li’s physical body was continuously strengthened. Stimulated by the black flames, the three types of Law Energies in his soul realm also surged violently.

Although they were three different types of Law Energy within his body, they were all under Nie Li’s control; thus, they didn’t clash with each other as they condensed in the cultivation process.

Gradually, Nie Li entered into the anatta mental state: a tranquil and calm state. The burning sensation from the black flames have also lightened up.

His cultivation that had consolidated at 5-star Black Gold rank slowly began to head towards Legend rank. The jump from 5-star Black Gold to Legend rank was one of the harder ones during primary cultivation. However, after practicing the [Heavenly God] cultivation technique, using the Emperor Kong Ming’s statement of truth, and controlling three types of Law Energy, Nie was aiming for a breakthrough. Very soon, signs of fracturing appeared in the wall to Legend rank.

Nie Li would soon reach Legend rank. Once he stepped into it, his cultivation level would undergo a huge change.

Aside from Duan Jian, everyone on the second floor of the Black Infernal Tower was quietly seated, cultivating their soul realms.

In the sky outside the Black Infernal Tower, the golden armour wearing servant was quietly observing.

“Among these people, there are some who aren’t as simple as they look!” The servant could see everything that happened in the Black Infernal Tower. His gaze swept past Duan Jian and the others, finally stopping on the youth with the ghastly pale skin. “His talent should be the strongest among this batch! However, there are still a few who are quite close to him.”

His eyes swept past Nie Li, but didn’t stop. From his point of view, Nie Li’s talent was rather dull compared to Ye Ziyun and the others who sat beside him.

As Nie Li sat and cultivated, he sensed the soul realms of his friends connecting, rapidly forming a Soul Array. It was like a vortex, constantly sucking in the black flame’s energy, increasing everyone’s strength at a rapid rate.

Inside the Black Infernal Tower, the flames would incite their cultivation and allow them to step into a whole new level!

This was the realm that countless people in Glory City have yearned for!

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