Chapter 58

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Chapter 58: Creatures in the Tower

Night fell with unsettling suddenness, but the appearance of the ancient tower was even more shocking.

Standing tall with twelve levels, the tower glowed with an ominous red light that painted the surroundings in hues of blood.

“The red light we saw earlier… it came from this tower?” Yi Qianmo asked.

Beside him, Zhou Lanting’s expression grew tense, a mixture of awe and unease etched on his face. The blood curse energy within him stirred restlessly, and his masked eyes gleamed faintly red.

“This tower is… unnatural,” Zhou Lanting murmured, his voice low and wary.

Yi Qianmo, sensing his companion’s inner turmoil, smacked him lightly on the back. “Focus! Don’t let this overwhelm you.”

Zhou Lanting blinked and took a deep breath, his mind clearing. The fear in his gaze lingered, however, as he studied the structure again. “That red light… it’s affecting me. Why doesn’t it affect you?”

Yi Qianmo shrugged, masking his unease. “Maybe my willpower is stronger,” he quipped, quickly steering the conversation elsewhere. “What is this place? And what’s the deal with this tower?”

Zhou Lanting’s eyes darkened. “Perhaps the ancient legend is true.”

“What legend?”

“In ancient times,” Zhou Lanting began, “a Pill Furnace was said to have fallen from the heavens, landing here on Green Dragon Mountain. A great battle erupted among ancient cultivators over it. The battle left countless treasures scattered across the land, but the Pill Furnace itself vanished—along with many of the cultivators who fought for it.”

Yi Qianmo frowned, pointing at the structure before them. “But this isn’t a furnace. It’s a tower.”

Zhou Lanting nodded grimly. “Maybe the legend got it wrong. Perhaps it wasn’t a Pill Furnace that fell, but this tower—and it brought this secret realm with it.”

Suddenly, Yi Qianmo stiffened. “What’s that?”

In the eerie red glow, a shadow shifted near the base of the tower. It was dark and indistinct, yet its movements were unmistakably human-like.

The figure was tall and thin, crawling on all fours like an animal. As it approached the tower, it stopped abruptly, rose to its feet, and began moving its limbs in an unnervingly dance-like motion.

“There’s more,” Zhou Lanting whispered, pointing to the opposite side of the tower.

Yi Qianmo’s eyes followed. Two more figures emerged, crawling in the same grotesque manner. Soon, shadows began to multiply, emerging from the forest edges and converging on the tower.

Yi Qianmo and Zhou Lanting exchanged horrified glances.

“What are they?” Yi Qianmo whispered.

Before Zhou Lanting could answer, a rustling noise came from behind them. The pair froze, holding their breath as a shadow skittered past.

The creature’s long, skeletal body moved with unnatural agility, its human-like face twisted and lifeless. Skin stretched tightly over bones gave it a ghastly, skeletal appearance, and the stench of decay hung heavy in the air.

Though horrifying in form, it exuded a powerful aura that made the air around them heavy. Zhou Lanting’s grip on his knife trembled slightly.

Both men instinctively knew that discovery would mean certain death.

To their relief, the creature ignored them, continuing toward the tower. But their relief was short-lived.

More of these monsters followed, crawling toward the tower with terrifying purpose. Their guttural roars turned into a chilling chant, their voices low and hoarse as they formed a circle around the tower.

The chanting grew louder, and the red glow of the tower began to dim. Suddenly, blood-red rain poured down from the sky.

The creatures scrambled to catch every drop, devouring it greedily before it could touch the ground. As the rain seeped into their bodies, their forms began to change—coarse red fur sprouted from their flesh, their muscles bulging as they grew stronger.

Though they cheered and laughed, their eyes betrayed an overwhelming fear.

Without warning, the cheering stopped.

Every creature fell silent, trembling as though awaiting something terrible.

“Squeak—”

The heavy doors of the ancient tower creaked open. The atmosphere in the secret realm became suffocatingly still. Yi Qianmo could hear the pounding of Zhou Lanting’s heart beside him.

The tension was unbearable. What kind of creature could command such terror?

A shape rolled out of the tower.

It was small, white, and fluffy—resembling a cotton ball.

“…Cotton candy?” Yi Qianmo muttered incredulously.

The strange sight would have been laughable, were it not for the reactions of the monsters. The red-furred creatures quaked violently, bowing low to the ground in abject submission.

The fluffy creature began rolling across the grass. Wherever it went, the red-furred monsters scrambled out of its path. One creature, too slow to move, was instantly reduced to ash upon contact.

“What… is that?” Yi Qianmo whispered.

Zhou Lanting, equally pale, shook his head.

Before they could react further, one of the red-furred creatures turned its head toward them.

From the distance, its glowing green eyes locked onto theirs with terrifying precision.

Yi Qianmo’s body froze. An oppressive aura crushed down on him, rendering him utterly powerless. Even his spiritual energy refused to respond.

“…It’s coming,” Zhou Lanting croaked, his voice trembling.

The fluffy creature immediately changed direction, rolling toward them at an alarming speed.

Behind it, a horde of red-furred monsters charged forward as well.

Zhou Lanting’s face drained of color. “We’re done for!”

Desperation clawed at Yi Qianmo’s chest. He felt a faint flicker of Sword Intent stirring within him, a glimmer of hope as his Sword Pill tried to awaken.

But the seal on the Sword Pill remained unbroken. The faint energy wasn’t enough to save them.

As the fluffy creature and its monstrous followers closed in, a blinding white light suddenly erupted around Yi Qianmo, illuminating the night like a beacon.