Chapter 594

Chapter 594: Loss

What does it feel like to die?

Wang Chen’s experience was akin to his soul soaring beyond the heavens, utterly unmoored, drifting helplessly in an endless expanse of darkness with no exit or end in sight.

Until a beam of light abruptly pierced the darkness, illuminating him, and in an instant, his consciousness was yanked back to reality.

Upon regaining his senses, Wang Chen found himself once again standing before the Tower of Heaven.

It felt as though he had just awakened from a dream.

Yet, the numerous spoils stored within his Xumi Ring, including three exceedingly precious Reverse Spirit Tongtong Fruits, served as a stark reminder that his ordeal in the Tower of Heaven was all too real!

He had been vanquished in a mere instant.

Recalling the earlier battle, Wang Chen instinctively touched his brow, a bitter smile creeping onto his face.

His Immortal Body, at the Golden Core level, had been unable to withstand a single strike from his adversary.

The guardian of the seventh level was indeed a force to be reckoned with!

To put it bluntly, that single sword strike not only expelled Wang Chen from the Tower of Heaven but also shattered the pride nestled deep within his heart.

Since his transmigration, Wang Chen’s cultivation journey had been fraught with trials and tribulations. Yet, leveraging the Cultivation Panel, he had ascended rapidly, his progress rivaling that of the prodigious talents within the grand sects.

Throughout this journey, Wang Chen had triumphed over numerous strong enemies.

Some of his foes had even surpassed him in cultivation level, yet they had still fallen before him.

These victories, coupled with his swift ascent in cultivation level, had gradually eroded the caution he had exercised upon first arriving in this world.

He had ceased to be so "reserved."

To possess strength yet remain restrained would, over time, inevitably transform one into a timid turtle!

However, the strike from the white-robed cultivator did not break Wang Chen’s spirit; instead, it obliterated his arrogance and impatience.

It made him acutely aware of how far he still had to go!

Wang Chen drew a deep breath, and his turbulent heart gradually settled.

A question arose: Since Wang Chen had failed to conquer the seventh level, as the Ancient Stone Tablet had foretold, he had not forfeited his life.

He wasn’t even injured; there wasn’t so much as a mark where the sword had struck his brow.

So, what price had he paid?

As Wang Chen pondered this, a sudden realization dawned on him, and his expression shifted dramatically.

【Soul Points -1】

This message had just materialized in his field of vision!

Wang Chen hastily summoned the Cultivation Panel.

【Soul: 25】

What the hell!

He nearly exclaimed aloud.

Wang Chen had never anticipated that the cost of failing the Tower of Heaven’s challenge would be the loss of soul attributes.

Although it was only 1 point, Wang Chen realized that to make up for it now, he would need an investment of 10,000 points of Heavenly Merit!

How many cultivators would he have to kill to gather that amount?

The thought alone made him feel suffocated!

Forget it.

Wang Chen could only console himself with disappointment—compared to losing his life, a loss of 1 point of soul attributes really wasn’t much.

He also understood that even though he possessed the Ancient Stone Tablet and was qualified to re-enter the Tower of Heaven, without reaching a higher cultivation level, he couldn’t challenge that terrifying sword cultivator again.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be worth the loss!

Boom~

Just as Wang Chen was consoling himself, the ground suddenly shook violently.

The giant tower in front of him started rumbling as it sank into the earth, and it felt as if the whole world was about to collapse.

In the next moment, a tremendous invisible force suddenly descended.

It “bounced” Wang Chen away.

After a moment of dizziness, Wang Chen was astonished to find himself in a dense forest.

Was it over?

Anyone who entered the Biluotian secret realm could only stay inside for a maximum of three days.

After three days, unless a person died inside, they would be forcibly teleported out, and the entire secret realm would completely disappear until it appeared again.

But Wang Chen had spent less than half an hour going from the first layer of the Tower of Heaven to the seventh level.

Had he been expelled from the secret realm ahead of time?

As this thought crossed Wang Chen’s mind, a flash of light caught his attention from a thicket a few dozen steps away, revealing a cultivator in green.

This cultivator appeared ragged and covered in wounds, looking quite disheveled, with a terrified expression on his face.

He had clearly experienced a rather unpleasant battle.

At first, the green-robed cultivator was taken aback, but then he quickly reacted and his gaze met Wang Chen’s.

His face changed dramatically!

"Freeze!"

In the next moment, the green-robed cultivator raised his hand and unleashed three talismans toward Wang Chen.

Three bursts of spiritual light erupted simultaneously, forming a powerful binding force that enveloped Wang Chen!

Wang Chen immediately felt the space around him begin to solidify, and he was subjected to an invisible pressure.

“Die!”

The green-robed cultivator swiftly executed a sword technique, summoning a flying sword that aimed directly for Wang Chen’s throat!

This cultivator was undoubtedly skilled in the art of battle, acting decisively and viciously, wanting to kill Wang Chen without saying a word, as if there was a great enmity between them.

In reality, Wang Chen didn’t even know the man.

However, after facing the white-robed sword cultivator, Wang Chen found the sudden attack from the green-robed cultivator rather laughable.

Did he think he could kill him with such little skill?

As the flying sword came slicing through the air, Wang Chen opened his mouth and unleashed a beam of sword light.

The Longyuan Sword, which had been nurtured in his energy field, shot out rapidly, revealing its true form, and collided heavily with the incoming flying sword.

Clang!

With a bright, clear sound, the two swords broke apart, falling to the ground.

The green-robed cultivator shook, disbelief flashing in his eyes, and blood poured from his mouth and nose.

The flying sword he had just used to attack Wang Chen was a top-tier spirit sword, approaching the level of a quasi-magic treasure, cultivated with immense effort, and had already been refined to the point of being as precise as an extension of his limbs.

He never expected that with one strike, Wang Chen’s flying sword would sever it.

The backlash to his soul and magical power inflicted considerable injury on the green-robed cultivator.

He immediately realized he had targeted the wrong opponent, essentially kicking against a copper wall.

Regret was too late; with his battle intent completely lost, the green-robed cultivator turned and fled as swiftly as an arrow into the dense foliage.

He attempted to escape!

However, just as he had darted a dozen steps, the Longyuan Sword, crackling with thunderous sound, chased after him, piercing through his protective armor effortlessly.

A sword through the heart!

Pfft!

Warm blood sprayed from the wound in his chest, and the green-robed cultivator staggered, his gaze turning utterly blank.

He raised his hand to cover his chest, but he couldn’t even complete such a simple action, collapsing to the ground.

【Heavenly Merit +400】

Wang Chen reached to take the storage bag hanging at the waist of the corpse, flicking his fingers to unleash two talismans for the deceased’s release.

At that moment, he suddenly looked up at the sky.

In the next instant, Wang Chen leaped into the air.

He quickly spotted the bright fireworks rising above the treetops nearby, the distress signal from a disciple of the West Sea Sect.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Wang Chen surged forth in a flash of sword light in that direction.