Chapter 47: Experience Gain

The inner architecture of the Soulbeast Tower was unlike anything Wei Yi had encountered.

Its space was not singular, nor fixed.

In truth, each individual who stepped into the tower entered a wholly separate and self-contained realm, impervious to outside interference.

Though Wei Yi had entered mere moments after Han Wenshu, upon crossing the threshold, Han's presence had vanished without a trace.

What greeted Wei Yi instead was a vast, desolate hall—dilapidated and grim.

Above the entrance hung a large, timeworn plaque bearing three bold characters:

First Floor.

Lurking in the shadowed corners of the hall were several vicious and grotesque beast spirits.

The instant Wei Yi stepped into the space, those monsters stirred to life. One by one, they opened their bloodshot eyes, lifting their savage heads. Their gazes were saturated with bloodlust and carnivorous frenzy, burning with the mad hunger of predators catching the scent of prey.

To them, Wei Yi might as well have been the fabled monk Xuanzang—his flesh promising immortality.

He was temptation incarnate.

A guttural roar shattered the silence.

A colossal rhino-like fiend charged straight toward him, its hooves pounding like thunder.

The other beasts were not far behind, leaping with terrifying swiftness. Shadows lashed across the air, forming a storm of death as they descended upon him in unison.

A wave of nauseating stench assaulted him.

Even Wei Yi's expression tightened momentarily.

He had to admit—this tower was extraordinary. The illusion of battle here was nearly indistinguishable from fighting true beasts in the wild.

But Wei Yi was no ordinary martial artist. These first-tier spirit beasts posed no real threat to him.

"Die."

His eyes were cold as frost. With a thought, the Hero Sword sprang free of its sheath.

A dazzling arc of silvery brilliance sliced through the gloom.

This was the first time the treasured blade, newly acquired, had been wielded in earnest—and its might did not disappoint.

Swish—swish—swish—!

Sword-light tore through the air.

Blood erupted in fine sprays.

Wei Yi did not so much as shift his footing. He stood unmoved, rooted in place.

And yet, without exception, every charging fiend fell mid-stride. Not a single one had come within an arm's length of him.

Beneath the Hero Sword, none were spared.

A moment later, with a crisp crack, the defeated spirits vanished into nothingness.

Ding—Player Wei Yi has slain a Tier One beast soul. Cultivation level unchanged; no EXP gained. Deathsong Thirteen Strikes: +35 EXP.

Ding—Player Wei Yi has slain a Tier One beast soul. Cultivation level unchanged; no EXP gained. Deathsong Thirteen Strikes: +42 EXP.

Ding—Player Wei Yi has slain a Tier One beast soul. Cultivation level unchanged; no EXP gained. Deathsong Thirteen Strikes: +30 EXP.

...

A cascade of notifications echoed in his mind.

Wei Yi glanced at his system panel. Upon seeing the updated information, a rare flicker of surprise flashed across his face, soon replaced by unrestrained delight.

He had not expected the tower's beast spirits to grant combat technique experience upon defeat.

Though the yield per kill was modest—

It was far more efficient, and infinitely safer, than hunting beasts in the wilderness, where danger lurked behind every shadow and exhaustion was a constant companion.

In the Soulbeast Tower, the kills came swiftly and without end.

It was, for a cultivator of his level, a veritable paradise for experience grinding.

"At this rate," he murmured with a grin, "I'll be making frequent visits here."

"What I thought would take ages—maxing out Deathsong Thirteen Strikes to level 20—suddenly doesn't feel so impossible."

"Tyrant Sect truly lives up to its name. I made the right choice joining."

A rare smile curved his lips.

Just then, the world around him shimmered.

The space distorted—and he was pulled into the second floor of the tower.

Another vast, vacant hall greeted him. Though similar in structure, this one brimmed with greater menace. The beasts within were both stronger and more numerous.

"So the challenge scales upward floor by floor," Wei Yi mused aloud, tightening his grip on the Hero Sword.

A chorus of bestial roars answered him.

Just as before, the monsters stirred and lunged the moment they awakened—relentless, unthinking, feral.

Wei Yi's sword flashed once more.

The slaughter resumed.

...

While Wei Yi and Han Wenshu advanced deeper into the tower, the projection outside displayed their real-time progress.

Han Wenshu lived up to his reputation as a seasoned veteran. With refined technique and practiced calm, he carved through the floors at a blistering pace.

By the time Wei Yi reached the second floor, Han had already broken through to the fifth.

The gap between them widened visibly.

Han's followers burst into arrogant, self-satisfied laughter.

"Hah! That's a massive difference already. At this rate, by the time Senior Brother Han hits the thirtieth floor, that brat might still be fumbling on the tenth."

"Or maybe he'll crash out on the ninth—wouldn't surprise me."

"A rookie challenging Senior Brother Han? Delusional. These newcomers really don't know their place."

"Exactly. One lucky win and he thinks he's a prodigy? He's about to be humiliated."

Their jeering rang out unabated.

Zhu Ling'er and her companions seethed with anger.

Even several nearby newcomers looked uncomfortable—after all, the insults had swept them up as well.

The older disciples merely watched with amused indifference, treating the whole affair as idle entertainment.

"These jerks are insufferable," Liu Huan muttered furiously.

"Let them gloat," Pei Qinghe hissed through clenched teeth. "They're in for a nasty surprise."

"Wei-ge will win," Zhu Ling'er whispered with conviction, palms pressed together in silent prayer.

"Wait… something's happening—look!" Liu Huan suddenly cried, pointing toward the light screen. His eyes went wide with disbelief.

"What is it?" Zhu Ling'er asked.

"The numbers. Look at the numbers!"

They turned—and their jaws dropped.

Third Floor.

Fourth Floor.

Fifth Floor.

Shua, shua, shua—

The digits began to flip in rapid succession.

No longer crawling forward, they surged like a rising tide.

The gap between Wei Yi and Han Wenshu began to shrink—fast.

A hush fell over the crowd as everyone stared, stunned by the meteoric ascent.

They had all seen disciples challenge the tower before—

But never at this speed.

Astonishment painted every face.

"It changed."

"It changed again!"

"Holy—he passed Han Wenshu!"

"My god… this newcomer is incredible!"

Even the older disciples were swept up in the frenzy, shouting in disbelief.

More and more onlookers gathered.