Chapter 7

Before Chen Xi entered the Fate Altering Tower, he heard Ding Mei loudly scolding the students who were mocking him. Although most of these students came from noble families, they did not dare to challenge the authority of the instructor. In Qingzhou, Xiaoman Tian Sect was still the top sect. The laughter gradually faded, but the eyes that watched him with a sense of schadenfreude fiercely fell on Chen Xi’s back.

The door of the Fate Altering Tower was open.

However, no one dared to enter without permission.

Since the Fate Altering Tower was consecrated to the divine spirit, many disciples who believed they had extraordinary talent tried to enter the tower to test their luck. The result was that all ten who entered were crippled. These people who secretly entered the Fate Altering Tower were carried out, their meridians completely severed, making it impossible for them to practice cultivation again. Even if they were still alive, they were nothing more than cripples.

Since then, Xiaoman Tian Sect explicitly prohibited students from entering the Fate Altering Tower without permission.

Chen Xi took a long breath and walked into the Fate Altering Tower with his pole. The moment he entered, a chorus of exclamations rose from behind him.

"My goodness! He actually went in!"

"This little servant is crazy!"

"Watch, in a moment he will be carried out half-dead!"

"According to the rumors, the strongest student from the outer sect’s six academies only managed to climb to the third floor of the tower, and that was under the escort of the sect’s elders. Someone who tried to climb to the fourth floor was crippled the moment their foot touched the step. No one knows what strange things are inside the tower, but it is indeed bizarre."

"Do you worry about that little servant? It’s unnecessary! An ordinary person trying to enter the Fate Altering Tower to change his fate is just asking for death! If he doesn’t come out in three minutes, I’ll slap myself twenty times!"

"Exactly, such a nobody, daring to challenge the sect’s rules."

These people whispered, but their excitement was hard to hide.

Ding Mei looked at them and suddenly felt a sense of sorrow. The reason these students were so excited was that Chen Xi did something they wanted to do but dared not. They were eagerly waiting for Chen Xi to be carried out from the Fate Altering Tower, bloodied and bruised.

But in fact, there was no one inside the Fate Altering Tower.

After Chen Xi entered, he did not notice anything unusual. He paused at the entrance for a few dozen seconds, organizing the information about the Fate Altering Tower in his mind. This information included what he remembered from his childhood and what he had gathered over the years. Of course, it also included the detailed information the loyal old servant told him before he died.

It was said that the Fate Altering Tower was built by the first patriarch of Xiaoman Tian Sect. The first patriarch ruled for 233 years, starting from nothing and founding the sect, bringing Xiaoman Tian Sect into the ranks of the top sects in the world. Later, he went to Kunlun to fetch the Nine-Colored Stone to build the Fate Altering Tower, using it to temper the sect’s disciples.

The Nine-Colored Stone was a divine object from Kunlun. It was said that even with the first patriarch’s cultivation, he was severely injured when he returned.

After the Fate Altering Tower was successfully built, Xiaoman Tian Sect’s reputation was unparalleled. No one could have predicted that with the Fate Altering Tower, Xiaoman Tian Sect would decline day by day, and within a few hundred years, it would fall to a second-rate sect. No one could explain the reason, but some speculated that although the first patriarch was exceptionally talented, he did not have the ability to control the divine object. The Nine-Colored Stone was a treasure of Kunlun, and only a place like Kunlun, with its dragon veins, could nourish it.

After the Nine-Colored Stone arrived at Qingliang Mountain, where Xiaoman Tian Sect was located, it疯狂地汲取了清量山的灵气，结果几百年后，清量山的灵秀已经被吸取得所剩无几。正因为如此，小满天宗才会这样缓缓地没落下来。这个推测中带着的玄奇色彩令人着迷，也不知道是否贴切真相。

但是陈羲比别人更清楚一件事……那就是小满天宗绝非表面上看起来那么简单。

进入过改运塔的资质绝境的弟子，都会被秘密送往内宗。一个传闻中存在的内宗，外宗弟子向往却一点都不清楚的内宗。这些被改运塔淬炼过的上佳弟子，再则其优秀者送进另一个更为神秘的地方。

其实，不是小满天宗因为清量山灵秀之气渐枯而衰落。而是因为，大量的最优秀的弟子都被秘密送走。

世人也不想想，一个没落了的小满天宗，凭什么这么多年依然拥有着改运塔？依然拥有着九色石？

那是因为，小满天宗背后，有一头庞然大物。

正因为陈羲知道这些，所以他才必须要进改运塔。他要得到改运塔的淬炼，然后才能有机会进入内宗。到了内宗他才能查出当年那件惨案的缘由，才能进入那个庞然大物之中寻找真凶。

他只知道自己的父母现在依然被困在九幽地府，却不知道九幽地府所在何处。

陈羲深吸一口气，让自己的思绪平静下来。

接下来，他必须全神贯注地应付这塔里未知的危险。

第一层塔很空旷，里面什么东西都没有。可以一眼看尽，甚至连一张桌子都没有摆放。但是一层塔四周一圈有十六道门户，这就显得极为怪异。从外面看，改运塔只有陈羲走进来的这一道门，其余的地方都是砖石垒造。

外面没有门，里面却一圈都是门，那么这门打开之后通向何处？

“第一层塔有十六个修炼门，走进任何一道门都是一个石室。这十六个石室没有任何区别，可以延缓时间流逝。你在这十六道门内修炼一天，相当于在外面修炼一个月。这也是为什么进改运塔之后再出来，修为都会精进的缘故。而且十六道门内元气比外面浓郁数倍，对提升修为大有裨益！”

声音在门外传来，那是丁眉看到了陈羲的犹豫。

陈羲没有回头，微微点了点下颌。

“你随便选一个门进去就好！”

丁眉略显急切地说道：“一旦进了门，便是院长也不能将你从中拉出来，所以你现在也无需担心什么了，一切后果都等出来之后再说！但你切记，最多只能在门里修炼一个月，时间一到，改运塔会自动把你送出来的。切不可运力抵抗，不然万劫不复！”

陈羲嗯了一声，再没有任何犹豫。

他走向台阶，奔二层塔。

门外，丁眉惊得瞠目结舌。

“煎熬不在任何一道门里面，而在台阶！”

这是陈羲听到的丁眉最后一句叮嘱，当他的脚踏上第一个石阶的时候，外界的一切都消失不见了，他似乎进入了另外一个天地。

……

……

当陈羲的脚掌落在第一个石阶上的时候，一股钻心的疼便从脚掌下面立即蔓延出来。陈羲低头看了看，发现草鞋已经被烧成了灰烬。他的脚掌踩在一块燃烧着金色火焰的石块上，那火将他的脚底烧得滋滋作响。

陈羲皱眉，抬头往上看了看。

本来看到的石阶消失不见，变成了一个悬空的石块转梯，二十八块燃烧的石头漂浮在半空中，一块比一块高些，踩着这二十八块烈火石头才能登上二层塔。陈羲重重地出了一口气，将另一只脚放在第二块烈火石头上。

顷刻间，另一只草鞋也成了灰烬。

火在一瞬间将他的脚底烧焦，一股腥臭的焦糊味钻进他的鼻子。

若是换做常人，早已经受不了了。

但是陈羲却没有任何退缩，他先是想快速地跑上去，随即发现脚掌好像被粘在了烈火石头上，每一次抬起都极艰难。他咬着嘴唇，将第一次踩在烈火石头上的左脚抬起来，撕啦的一声轻响，脚底焦糊的肉皮被揭下来一层。

血糊糊的脚底板在一瞬间又被火焰烤焦，然后左脚落在了第三个烈火石头上。陈羲身上的衣服开始燃烧起来，钻心的疼已经不止来自双脚。破旧的衣衫被火焰引燃的那一刻，他浑身的肌肤就都开始承受煎熬。

一次，两次，三次……

陈羲走到第五块烈火石头的时候，脚底已经没有了血肉。骨骼踩在石头上发出的声音，那么的轻微也那么的清晰。这声音钻进陈羲的耳朵里，挥之不去。似乎是已经麻木，陈羲咬着流血的嘴唇踏上了第六个烈火石头。

咔嚓一声，左脚的脚腕被烈火烧断，脚骨都丢在了石头上，很快就被烧成了黑色。

陈羲稳不住身子，扑倒在烈火石头上。

然后，他胸口，小腹，包括脸上的肉皮开始被火烧得皱紧，然后发黑，脱落。

陈羲开始向上爬。

到第十六个烈火石头的时候，陈羲的双臂双腿已经只剩下原来的一半长短。到第二十块烈火石头的时候，他的脸上已经没有任何血肉，只剩下脸骨。眼球在眼眶里微微转动着，依然坚毅。

到第二十四块烈火石头的时候，陈羲全身上下已经找不到一块血肉，就连内脏都已经被焚烧殆尽。

一具残破不全的骷髅，继续向上攀爬。

……

……

清量山

紫气东来阁

一个身穿月白色长袍的老者捏着棋子的手忽然停住，微微转头看向山前。那里是小满天宗外宗六院所在，也是改运塔所在。他迟迟没有落子，坐在他面前的周九指忍不住低声催了一句：“宗主，该你了。”

白袍白须的老者忍不住笑了笑：“怪不得你会来找我下棋，原来是有所图谋。”

周九指也笑：“宗主不要笑，你越是笑我就知道你越是在生气。若是你一会儿笑得慈眉善目，我怕自己承受不住。”

“有什么打动你的地方？”

白袍白须的老者问：“何以让你不惜破了宗门规矩？”

周九指讪讪笑了笑：“先下棋，棋局结束之后，或许宗主就能明白，我捡了一个多大的宝贝。”

“他到了二层塔，但只剩一颗头骨了。”

宗主落子，恰是屠了周九指一条大龙：“你心不定，说明你没有看起来这么自信。”

周九指的脸色变了变：“怎么会这么强？付经纶上二层塔的时候，只是烧得没了皮肤，血肉尚存。”

宗主却道：“该你落子了。”

周九指将手里剩下的黑子丢在玉盘里，摇了摇头：“输了。”

宗主微笑道：“你输了棋局，但未必输了外面那一招棋……验体石阶，遇强则强。周九指啊，你青武院被苏小苏的凰鸾院压制了这么多年，这一次看来你要翻身了。他若能上四层塔，我就免了你们两个的罪过。”

周九指大惊：“宗主……还没有外宗的学员可以登上四层塔，从来没有！”

宗主看了他一眼认真的说道：“你以为，破规矩……这般容易？”

他将袍袖一挥：“就让外宗六院的人都看看，这少年有多大毅力，多大志气。”

瞬间

围在改运塔外面的人全都惊呼了一声，他们……看到了改运塔内部，看到了那颗骷髅头。这是他们从不曾见到过的场面，一颗骷髅头居然还在毅然决然地朝着三层塔石阶的方向滚过去。

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When Chen Xi's foot landed on the first stone step, an excruciating pain immediately spread from his foot. Chen Xi looked down and saw that his straw shoes had been burned to ashes. His foot was on a stone block burning with golden flames, which sizzled as they burned his soles.

Chen Xi frowned and looked up.

The stone steps he had seen before had disappeared, replaced by a floating spiral of stone blocks. Twenty-eight burning stones floated in the air, each one higher than the last. To reach the second floor of the tower, one had to step on these twenty-eight burning stones. Chen Xi took a deep breath and placed his other foot on the second burning stone.

In an instant, the other straw shoe also turned to ashes.

The fire instantly burned his foot, and a pungent smell of burnt flesh filled his nose.

If it were an ordinary person, they would have already given up.

But Chen Xi did not retreat. He tried to run up quickly, but found his feet seemed to be stuck to the burning stones, making each step extremely difficult. He bit his lip and lifted his left foot, which had first stepped on the burning stone. With a light tearing sound, the burnt flesh on his foot peeled off.

The bloody soles were instantly burned again by the flames, and his left foot landed on the third burning stone. Chen Xi's clothes began to burn, and the excruciating pain was no longer limited to his feet. The moment his tattered clothes caught fire, his entire body began to suffer.

Once, twice, three times...

When Chen Xi reached the fifth burning stone, there was no flesh left on his feet. The sound of his bones touching the stones was faint yet clear, echoing in his ears. Despite the pain, Chen Xi, with his bleeding lips, stepped onto the sixth burning stone.

With a crack, his left ankle was burned through, and the bone fell onto the stone, quickly turning black.

Chen Xi lost his balance and fell onto the burning stones.

Then, the flesh on his chest, abdomen, and even his face began to wrinkle, turn black, and fall off.

Chen Xi began to climb.

By the sixteenth burning stone, Chen Xi's arms and legs were only half their original length. By the twentieth burning stone, there was no flesh left on his face, only the skull. His eyes moved slightly in their sockets, still determined.

By the twenty-fourth burning stone, there was no flesh left on Chen Xi's body, and even his internal organs had been completely burned away.

A broken and incomplete skeleton continued to climb upward.

...

...

Qingliang Mountain

Ziqi Donglai Pavilion

An old man in a moon-white robe, holding a chess piece, suddenly paused and turned his head to look at the front of the mountain. There, the outer sect's six academies and the Fate Altering Tower were located. He hesitated to make his move, and Zhou Jiuzhi, sitting opposite him, could not help but urge, "Patriarch, it's your turn."

The old man with the white robe and beard could not help but smile, "No wonder you came to play chess with me, you must have some ulterior motive."

Zhou Jiuzhi also smiled, "Patriarch, don't laugh. The more you laugh, the more I know you are angry. If you smile kindly in a moment, I fear I won't be able to bear it."

"What has moved you?"

The old man with the white robe and beard asked, "Why did you break the sect's rules?"

Zhou Jiuzhi smiled awkwardly, "Let's finish the game first. After the game, perhaps Patriarch will understand what a great treasure I have found."

"He reached the second floor, but only a skull remains."

The patriarch made his move, capturing a large dragon of Zhou Jiuzhi's pieces, "Your mind is not at ease, which shows you are not as confident as you appear."

Zhou Jiuzhi's face changed, "How can he be so strong? When Fu Jinglun reached the second floor, he only lost his skin, but the flesh was still intact."

The patriarch said, "It's your turn to make a move."

Zhou Jiuzhi threw the remaining black pieces into the jade board and shook his head, "I lost."

The patriarch smiled, "You lost the game, but you may not have lost the bigger game outside... The Body Testing Steps, the stronger the challenger, the stronger the test. Zhou Jiuzhi, your Qingwu Academy has been suppressed by Su Xiaosu's Phoenix and Phoenix Academy for so many years. This time, it looks like you will turn the tide. If he can reach the fourth floor, I will forgive both of you."

Zhou Jiuzhi was shocked, "Patriarch... no one from the outer sect has ever reached the fourth floor, never!"

The patriarch looked at him seriously, "Do you think breaking the rules is so easy?"

He waved his sleeve, "Let the six academies of the outer sect see how much determination and ambition this young man has."

Instantly,

The people surrounding the Fate Altering Tower all gasped. They... saw inside the tower, saw the skull. This was a scene they had never seen before, a skull still determinedly rolling toward the steps of the third floor.

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