Volume One: The Miscellaneous Duties of Changshui County Chapter 107: Just Lie Back and Relax

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The fists and feet of the nine eighth-rank martial arts puppet warriors relentlessly pounded on the big black dog.
The big black dog remained calm and soothed itself mentally: "It doesn't hurt that much, it's okay. Just hold on a bit longer; I refuse to believe these puppets have endless strength."
"It really doesn’t hurt… hmph… they haven’t even breached the defense of this divine beast. This divine beast fears nothing."
"I am a beast of fate and fortune; how could I be afraid of these puppets? I could let them beat me for a whole day and still be fine."
"…"
The big black dog had completely given up resistance.
It lay motionless on the ground, allowing the puppets to attack at will.
After an unknown length of time, the puppets finally ceased their assault.
The big black dog opened its eyes, feeling pain radiating throughout its body.
The defense wasn’t broken, but it still hurt!
Sometimes mental comfort isn’t enough; pain is pain. Fortunately, it was over.
"Ding, detected that the trial participant’s defense is very strong. Training plan adjusted to focus on enhancing defense."
A mechanical voice echoed inside the ancient tower.
What was going on?
The big black dog didn’t understand but had a bad feeling about it.
The next moment, the scene shifted, and the big black dog found itself at the twentieth level.
In the arena, there were only four puppets.
"Heh heh, could it be that it sensed my strength and the ancient tower gave up?" the big black dog was secretly delighted.
Lying flat really was useful.
I wonder how Lu Jiuzhang and Zhong Zhengming are doing?
They wouldn’t be foolishly fighting those masked puppets head-on, right?
Isn’t that exhausting?
Doesn’t it hurt to fight so intensely?
Are there not many scars on their bodies?
This divine beast is truly the strongest.
“Bang!”
One puppet stepped forward and threw a punch at the big black dog.
“Woof woof… it hurts like hell.”
The big black dog screamed in agony.
Flames suddenly burst forth from its body.
That masked puppet could actually wield fire—what kind of place is this?
It’s utterly unfair!
The big black dog was in unbearable pain!
“Hiss…”
Suddenly, the big black dog felt an icy chill coursing through its body. Another puppet charged forward, delivering a punch to its abdomen.
The big black dog felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar, shivering uncontrollably.

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Two more puppets rushed in, one wielding lightning power, while the other struck the big black dog as if cutting flesh with a blunt knife.
The big black dog writhed in agony, its features contorted in pain.
This is ridiculously tough; this ancient tower is truly merciless.
I thought with only four puppets, the difficulty would lessen, but it turned out to be even more brutal!
…
At the twelfth level, Zhong Zhengming was facing two puppets and was clearly running out of stamina.
These two were sixth-rank martial artists.
Even if they were just at the entry level of sixth rank, Zhong Zhengming found it very difficult to pass.
By now, Zhong Zhengming was covered in wounds, with one arm hanging limp and broken.
At this point, he was relying solely on sheer willpower to continue fighting.
He was fully aware that he couldn’t hold out much longer in this condition.
“Bang…”
Zhong Zhengming’s head took a heavy blow; it felt as if his entire skull exploded, pain tearing through him.
He fainted from the agony.
When he woke up again, Zhong Zhengming was back at the first level.
“Ding, challenge failed. The trial participant has three attempts remaining. Would you like to continue?”
The mechanical voice sounded.
Zhong Zhengming did not rush to answer but looked over his body and saw that all his previous injuries had vanished.
This ancient tower was quite strange; after such severe injuries, he was unharmed!
“Ding, would the trial participant like to continue?”
The mechanical voice sounded again.
“No!”
Zhong Zhengming decided to leave for now and check if Lu Jiuzhang had come out.
If Lu Jiuzhang and Director Xue had exited, they could discuss a strategy.
*Creak*
The gates of the ancient tower opened, and Zhong Zhengming stepped out.
“Kill!”
The moment Zhong Zhengming emerged, a murderous aura filled the surroundings.
Zhong Zhengming focused and saw Director Song and the great demons who had previously pursued him.
Bian Yuan was nowhere to be seen—he must have entered the ancient tower, leaving these people to ambush him.
Miss Feng Wanqing was gone, and not far off lay a corpse—that was Director Xue’s body!
“Die!”
Zhong Zhengming exploded in fury.
Director Xue was his servant, always by his side, sharing more time together than even family.
Zhong Zhengming held deep affection for Director Xue.
Otherwise, he would not have freed him from servitude to appoint him deputy director of the Demon Slaying Division!

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Zhong Zhengming unleashed all his power, and the space around the ancient tower was filled with the aura of blades.
Amid the chaotic blade energies, Director Song and the others were horrified.
Not only had Zhong Zhengming’s injuries healed, but his strength had grown far beyond before.
If previously he was merely a novice seventh-rank martial artist, now even among peers of that rank, he was unquestionably top-tier.
Even Director Bian from Anxi Prefecture was no match for him.
“Run!”
Sensing the tide turning, Director Song was the first to flee.
Why keep fighting?
At this stage, if they didn’t run, they’d all die here.
Who knew how Zhong Zhengming had gained such power in such a short time?
Director Song fled first, followed by two snake demons.
The outer elder of the Flame Gate sect also retreated swiftly.
The rest were slaughtered beneath Zhong Zhengming’s blade aura, without a chance to counterattack.
After fleeing over ten miles, Director Song finally stopped.
“Damn it, why is Zhong Zhengming so strong now?” Director Song cursed.
“The ancient tower!” the Flame Gate elder explained. “Anyone who enters and clears beyond the tenth level experiences a significant power boost.”
“I only ever reached the fifth level myself, so I never saw it, but when our sect leader was young, he reached the thirteenth level. Shortly after returning, he broke through to eighth-rank martial artist, becoming the strongest among the younger generation.”
“The Flame Gate records show the highest level cleared was the sixteenth. That predecessor was a ninth-rank martial artist and could battle six eighth-rank masked puppets.”
“That predecessor was hailed as the most gifted talent since the founding of Flame Gate. Later, his cultivation peaked at sixth-rank, but unfortunately, he never broke into fifth-rank!”
The outer elder spoke slowly.
The more he spoke, the more regretful Director Song became.
If only he had entered just now.
With those benefits inside, his strength might have increased greatly as well.
Unfortunately, Bian Yuan, that miser, had stopped him.
Now that Zhong Zhengming was near the ancient tower, Director Song dared not approach.
He was a madman!
Approaching now would mean certain death!
Better to wait until Director Bian emerged.
“By the way, the younger and lower-ranked your cultivation when entering the ancient tower, the more advantageous it is,” the Flame Gate outer elder added. “If you enter at ninth-rank cultivation, even when fighting above your level, you face only eighth-rank opponents.”
“The gap between eighth and ninth rank isn’t actually that big.”
“But as you climb higher, the differences between ranks become enormous chasms. It is said the gap between second-rank and first-rank martial artists is like an impassable abyss.”
“No matter how many second-rank martial artists there are, they’re likely no match for even one first-rank martial artist.”