As the number of stairways gradually increased, Ao Cangsheng’s trials also grew stronger and more difficult.

On the Eighth Layer, Ao Cangsheng encountered despair.

Here, he witnessed the betrayal of friends, the death of loved ones, the crippling of limbs, the betrayal of his nation, and the pursuit of honor.

Every experience had a tremendous impact on Ao Cangsheng’s soul.

When these shocks came together, an unprecedented sense of despair slowly took root in Ao Cangsheng’s heart.

This feeling was something Ao Kangsheng had never experienced before.

So now, I suddenly didn’t know what to do.

However, at this moment, his journey continued, unaffected by the despair within.

Who knows how long ago Ao Cangsheng went through five joys and five sorrows.

In these five cycles, almost every bad thing in the world came to him.

Every wound left a scar on Ao Kangsheng’s heart.

After countless times, Ao Cangsheng’s heart began to be riddled with scars.

With the accumulation of despair, Ao Kangsheng’s heart also grew weary.

Finally, following yet another accumulation of despair, Ao Cangsheng finally rested the sword upon his neck.

How many times in despair did he not want to go on like this? At this moment, he was nearly completely broken.

The sword was cold, hanging from his neck.

The sharp blade, accompanied by Ao Cangsheng’s slow movements, began to cut into his skin and muscle.

In his ears, there was a voice that kept repeating: Look down, everything will be over soon. Only when you die, everything will be free.

The voice was like a magic spell, causing Ao Cangsheng’s eyes to loosen, his whole being starting to be dazed.

The longer the sword pressed, the tighter it became. It was already embedded in Ao Cangsheng’s neck.

A red streak of blood began to spread from Ao Cangsheng’s neck, seeping into his collar, staining his clothes, and dyed the land beneath his feet.

Watching the cut of the longsword, Ao Cangsheng’s throat was about to be severed.

Suddenly, that magical voice strangely vanished.

Then, Ao Cangsheng’s body started to heat up, burn, and his blood began to rush as if it were boiling.

In the river of blood, a blurry figure suddenly appeared before him.

This figure had long hair hanging down from the face, obscuring half of it.

From the appearance to the disappearance of the blurry figure was only a moment’s work.

In that moment of kung fu, Ao Cangsheng saw the person at first glance, as if laughing at him.

Then he heard that person say, "If you can’t endure this test, then it’s not necessary to become my disciple!"

When this sentence ended, the blurry figure was surging, even if it disappeared.

Upon hearing this voice, Ao Cangsheng felt like he was struck by lightning.

"Ding-ling—"

With a sound of gold and iron, Ao Cangsheng’s hand suddenly loosened, and the sword fell to the ground.

Immediately after, Ao Cangsheng seemed to wake from a nightmare, standing where he was, gasping for breath.

At this point, he forgot that his neck was still bleeding, his heart was still trembling, and his despair had been swallowed up.

At this very moment, there was only one blurry figure in his mind. He had once seen this figure on the Dragon Tower of Silver Buddha Rope, and that was his true mentor.

After a long time, Ao Cangsheng gradually calmed down.

He knew that the master had called him back in time.

Otherwise, that sword might have already cut through his neck. His landing would also have ended.

But Ao Cangsheng did not know.

There were no mountains on the wasteland, no trees, no birds, no animals, not even insects or ants.

All the wasteland held was gray sand.

Even the sky overhead, like the sand beneath his feet, was gray.

However, on such a silent wasteland, Ao Cangsheng felt oppressed from the beginning.

Additionally, the greatest difference between the Ninth Layer and the other eight layers was that the Ninth Layer had day and night.

This was peculiar. With no sun or moon, there were day and night, which made Ao Cangsheng feel strange.

On this silent wasteland, Ao Cangsheng waited for three days. He wanted to know what the test of the Ninth Layer was?

However, after three days, he had nothing to think about, nor did he encounter any crisis.

Yet Ao Cangsheng acted both passively and actively, starting to search the wasteland.

A month later, Ao Cangsheng appeared exhausted and returned to the place where he initially appeared.

This month, he had trekked thousands of miles. He had almost searched in all four directions of the Northwest, but still hadn’t found anything.

However, this month’s journey had not reached the wasteland’s end.

As if this wasteland had no end, the more Cangsheng stepped forward, the more bewildered he felt.

Exhausted, Ao Kangsheng, returned to the beginning and began to ponder.

He had to think: What was the test of the Ninth Level? How could he pass the examination?

At the same time, on the Sixth Layer, Zi Yunfei, Shui Dushu, and others were also struggling in agony.

Like Ao Kangsheng, they encountered a group of killers here.

These killers were their friends, teachers, Yidak people, or relatives.

Facing the swords and knives of these people, everyone on the Sixth Layer was filled with struggle and anguish.

Who knows how long this struggle and anguish lasted. Until all three of Shui Shuiwei collapsed, they ended the nightmare.

The last one to return to the hall was Zi Yunfei. Like the other two, when he opened his eyes, his pupils were also slack.

Although his body had left the illusion, his spirit seemed still trapped in struggle.

It took a long time for Zi Yunfei’s heart to gradually calm down.

At this time, Shui Dushu also opened his eyes.

Compared with the other three, Shui Roushu was much less affected because she had ultimately passed the test, gaining eligibility to enter the Seventh Level.

"Will you go up?"

Shortly after Shui Roushu came out, Wu Feiyan suddenly resonated in her ears.

This was the first time the two had conversed from Qitian Hall.

Although the water was soft and comfortable, Wu Feiyan’s voice was still icy.

"Yes, I want to go up!"

Shui Roushu glanced at Wu Feiyan and quietly nodded.

"Oh!" Wu Feiyan replied without further conversation.

Shui Roushu didn’t say why she wanted to continue climbing, as this involved her **.

According to her guess, Ao Kangsheng had basically reached the Seventh Level.

After enduring the Sixth Level’s test, The Dancing Heart was already able to imagine how terrifying the Seventh Level must be.

Although she was optimistic about Ao Cangsheng’s abilities, she still worried that Ao Cangsheng might get lost in the Qitian Tower filled with unknown trials and dangers.

The higher the Seven Days Tower, the greater the influence on the Dao Heart.

This impact was not obvious in the first three layers.

During the first three stages, even if you can’t pass the test, as long as you die in the illusion, you automatically wake up.

But if there are three layers, the outcome differs a lot.

The higher the layer, once the test fails, participating monks will suffer damage.

If these damages are not severe, they might be alleviated after healing.

But if the damage is too serious, it will affect the monk’s future achievements.

By the Third Floor of Qitian Tower, this heart disease often becomes extremely severe.

Once the Dao Heart is destroyed, even if one is light, it’s hard to improve achievements. If heavy, one’s achievements will vanish.

Moreover, if the subject insists strongly, they might directly lose sanity, ultimately losing their life in the illusion.

This death is not just of the illusion but of the body itself.

Because of this, any disciple who can climb the Seven Days Tower would not easily try again.

Even if we strive, we can’t stop it. We won’t risk fighting with illusions.

This is what Shui Dushu worries about. She fears Ao Cangsheng, after entering the Seventh Level, will forcibly fight the Illusion Technique, ultimately losing sanity.

Hence, she wants to go up to see. This way, she’ll have a chance to prevent the worst-case scenario.

"If you want to go down, first exit Qitian Hall with them!"

"The Black Dragon Association and Red Blood Alliance are against the Barbarians. I’m afraid they won’t.