054 : The Trial of the First Floor.

The moment Lin Tian stepped through the Tower's entrance, the world changed.

The bustling city outside vanished, replaced by an endless void of shifting mist. The ground beneath him was neither stone nor earth—it was something unnatural, something that felt both real and unreal at the same time.

Then, a voice—soft, yet absolute—spoke from the darkness.

[Trial of the First Floor: Conquer Your Past.]

Lin Tian's golden eyes narrowed. So this was how the Tower judged its climbers. Not through raw strength, not through physical endurance, but through something deeper. A trial crafted specifically for him.

The mist swirled violently, and suddenly—he was not alone.

A figure emerged, stepping forward with slow, deliberate movements.

Lin Tian's breath stilled.

It was… himself.

But not the man he was now.

It was Lin Tian from his past life.

The cultivator. The devourer of Qi. The immortal warrior who had once stood above all others.

Dressed in flowing robes of black and gold, with eyes that burned like twin suns, his past self radiated a presence that shattered mountains and split the skies. He was power incarnate, a god among men—everything Lin Tian had once been.

And now, he stood before him as his first trial.

The past confronting the present.

Lin Tian smirked. "So that's how it is?"

The past version of himself tilted his head. Then, in a voice identical to Lin Tian's, he spoke.

"You have become weak."

Lin Tian's golden eyes gleamed, his smirk widening. "Is that so?"

His past self's expression remained unreadable. "You have abandoned strength. You have embraced emotions, weakness, mortality. Have you forgotten who you were? Who we were?"

The air around them trembled. Lin Tian could feel it—the sheer presence of his former self pressing against him, suffocating, crushing. This wasn't just a fight.

This was a judgment.

Lin Tian chuckled. "No. I haven't forgotten."

His past self's gaze sharpened. "Then prove it."

Without warning—he attacked.

The ground beneath them shattered as the past Lin Tian moved faster than the eye could follow. A single palm strike, infused with enough power to obliterate entire mountains, came crashing toward Lin Tian's chest.

Lin Tian reacted on instinct.

He twisted his body, dodging by mere inches, the force of the blow sending shockwaves through the void. His feet barely touched the ground before his past self was on him again—ruthless, relentless, unstoppable.

Each attack was precise, powerful, merciless.

It was like fighting an unbreakable force, a being of pure power.

Because that was exactly what he was.

Lin Tian knew this opponent better than anyone.

Because he had once been him.

Lin Tian exhaled, dodging another devastating strike. His past self fought with flawless technique, absolute control, the perfection of a warrior who had never known defeat. It was a battle between two versions of himself—one who had walked the path of destruction, and one who had chosen to embrace something more.

"You were once a god," his past self said, his voice cold. "Now, you are nothing."

Lin Tian chuckled, blocking an incoming fist with his forearm, the impact sending tremors through his bones. "Is that what you think?"

His past self narrowed his eyes. "You have allowed yourself to care. To feel. That is weakness."

Lin Tian smirked. "No. That is strength."

And then—he attacked.

For the first time in the battle, Lin Tian moved forward.

He didn't use Qi. He didn't use divine techniques. He didn't rely on the overwhelming power he had once wielded. Instead—he fought as the man he had become.

His movements were sharp, precise, efficient. His strikes were calculated, not fueled by brute force, but by instinct, intelligence, and experience. His past self fought like a god.

But Lin Tian?

He fought like a survivor.

And that made all the difference.

Within seconds, the battle shifted. His past self, for the first time, hesitated.

Lin Tian saw the opening—and he took it.

His fist collided with his past self's chest, sending him flying backward, crashing into the mist. The world trembled, the void itself shattering like glass.

And then—silence.

Lin Tian stood over his fallen past self, watching as cracks began to form along his figure, golden light spilling out. His past self looked up at him, expression unreadable.

"You are not the same man you once were," he murmured.

Lin Tian exhaled. "No. I'm not."

His past self closed his eyes. "Then perhaps… it is time for me to fade."

And with that—he disappeared.

The mist around Lin Tian began to dissolve. The void shattered completely, and in its place—stood the First Floor of the Tower.

A massive stone chamber, its walls lined with glowing runes. At the center of the room, a single door appeared, leading upward.

And then, the System spoke.

[Trial of the First Floor: Completed.]

[You have conquered your past. You may now proceed.]

Lin Tian exhaled, rolling his shoulders. His smirk returned.

"One floor down. Ninety-nine to go."

Without hesitation, he stepped forward—toward the next challenge.

The moment Lin Tian stepped through the gateway leading to the Second Floor of the Tower, everything changed. Unlike the endless mist of the First Floor, the Second Floor was alive—a massive coliseum-like structure filled with towering statues, shifting platforms, and a sky that shimmered like liquid gold. The energy in the air was different, heavier, almost as if it were watching him.

Then—the System spoke.

[Congratulations, Lin Tian. You have ascended to the Second Floor.]

[As a reward, you have awakened your Second System.]

Lin Tian's golden eyes narrowed. Second System? He had never heard of such a thing. The Tower was already beyond the laws of the worlds he had known, but to grant climbers more than one system? That was unheard of.

Then, a new notification appeared before his eyes.

[Second System Activated: The Roulette of Fate.]

[Your rewards shall be decided by chance.]

Before Lin Tian could react, a massive roulette wheel materialized before him, floating in midair. The wheel was engraved with countless symbols and words, each section glowing with an ethereal light. It was a randomized reward system, where fate itself would decide his prize.

Lin Tian exhaled slowly. Of course, the Tower would throw something like this at him.

He reached forward, pressing his hand against the wheel—and spun it.

The symbols blurred together as the wheel spun faster and faster, the golden light reflecting in Lin Tian's sharp gaze. Then, after a long moment—it slowed.

Click.

Click.

Click.

The wheel came to a stop.

A voice, soft and familiar, echoed from the system.

"Congratulations, Lin Tian! You have received—"

Lin Tian's entire body froze.

That voice.

It was… Su Yun.

His heart, which had remained steady through countless battles, stopped for a single breath.

"Lin Tian? You… can hear me?"

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