189 Challenging the Battle Tower: Fate Sense Tingling
As Anastasia departed to her own quarters, Arthur settled into the tranquil ambiance of the mansion.
It was time for some serious contemplation. He had a clear path ahead.
Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts. He would concentrate on comprehending the powers of the Time, Space, Soul, and Fate Gems, and get more from the sources of mystical and powerful abilities.
Each held the potential to significantly elevate his strength, and he was determined to tap into their profound energies.
'I currently have the empath ability from the soul gem, the teleportation ability of the space gem, the fortune sense ability from the fate gem, and the time manipulation ability.'
'I have also comprehended the Dao of these gems to the Peak of the Intent level but it is already as strong as the Concept level power of the others.'
The ticking of time sounded distant to his senses, as he visualized the gems and the mysteries they held.
It would be a great task, but one he was eager to embrace. As unlike others he had an advantage no one else had.
As long as he wills it, the secrets of the Dao of time, space, fate, and soul would be opened to him to comprehend.
It would all then depend on his comprehensive ability.
Yet, there was another matter on his agenda.
The Grand Martial Arts Tournament loomed ever closer, a mere six months away.
His cultivation had made great advancement.
'I am currently at the Third Stage of the Martial King Realm. With all the abilities I have at my disposal I am already invincible among my peers.'
Arthur wasn't bragging. His Dragon Souls alone is enough to stomp many. Even his Devouring Soul is enough or is it the Heavenly Dao Sword which is an Astral Soul that only those of the Immortal level could come in contact with?
His comprehension of concept level Dao have even surpassed most Martial Emperor Realm Powerhouses.
"But that is just the younger generation. My true target are those old monsters," Arthur touched his chin in thought.
Yes, what Arthur used as a means of measurement of his strength were the older generation and even the legends of ancient times where experts fills the realms as sands on the earth and countless extraordinary figures roamed the Nine Heavens.
Arthur had a premonition that he would be facing montrous opponents in the future. Because he would be eventually discovered by the Grand Dao.
But Arthur had already set in motion a plan for when he is finally discovered by the heavens.
As he deliberated, he considered the intricate art of Runes, another aspect of cultivation that he wished to explore.
But he decided to wait until after the opening of the Red Sky Secret Realm, an event that Anastasia had told him was only three days away.
With his plans roughly outlined, Arthur retrieved the book given to him by Eve.
It listed the 12 Elite Disciples and provided a brief description of each. All the princes occupied the top spots, as expected.
Prince Kalius ranked second, Prince Cedric held the fourth place, and the fifth position belonged to Prince Xavier. Most intriguingly, Prince Julius ranked ninth.
Arthur noted the peculiar structure of the Hartfield Royal family.
Even those who weren't the Emperor's biological children held the title of Prince. This not only gave them prestige but also the right to challenge for the throne under specific circumstances, like the current situation where the Emperor's biological successor was uncertain.
It was an open secret that Arthur was not the of the Hartfield Royal Family blood. But no one dared to directly oppose the Emperor.
This was simply because of strength!
With a wry smile, Arthur speculated that the other princes might orchestrate schemes to gauge his newfound capabilities.
They likely wished to determine if he could now cultivate, but he wasn't interested in playing their games.
Determined to quell any opposition, he planned to confront the Battle Tower head-on. It was time to dispel any doubts about his strength.
The next day, as the sun painted the sky in vibrant shades of orange and pink, Anastasia returned to the mansion with a glum expression. "My Master refused to let me stay with you," she muttered dejectedly.
Arthur chuckled and patted her on the back. "Don't worry, Ana. It doesn't matter much. If I need to, I can come visit you."
The Arthur explained his intention to challenge the Battle Tower, a gleam of excitement lit up Anastasia's eyes.
She agreed wholeheartedly and led him to the massive structure, already teeming with people eager to prove themselves.
As Arthur and Anastasia stood in front of the imposing Battle Tower, Anastasia couldn't help but share more information about the tower's workings.
She pointed at a projection near the tower, revealing the current rankings of the challengers. Arthur scanned the list, recognizing a few names he had heard before, including those of the Princes.
"Arthur," Anastasia spoke, her voice tinged with curiosity, "you never mentioned your cultivation rank before. What is it?"
A cryptic smile curved Arthur's lips. "I've already told you," he replied and shrugged.
Anastasia raised an eyebrow, "Yeah right, who would believe you can defeat Martial Emperor Realm Powerhouses of any level?"
She was clearly skeptical, but she decided to withhold further questions until after Arthur's challenge in the tower.
However, just as Arthur was about to enter the massive tower, a group of individuals approached, led by none other than Prince Julius.
He wore an insincere smile that masked his arrogance and contempt beneath.
"Well, well, if it isn't our esteemed Prince Arthur, the great prodigy" Julius greeted with false cordiality as he mentioned an old title that Arthur had not heard in a long time.
Arthur met Julius's gaze with an unflinching demeanor, as he didn't want to engage in needless interaction as that was not his goal of coming here.
His intuition told him that the Battle Tower held secrets, just like the sword tower of the Heavenly Sword Sect and he came to see if he could obtain any benefits.
Prince Julius's announcement drew a gathering of spectators, intrigued by the unexpected confrontation. As the crowd grew, Julius continued, "I heard the rumors, Arthur. They say you can finally cultivate. A late bloomer, I suppose."
With a half-hearted nod, Arthur responded, "You've heard correctly."
Julius attempted to cloak his humiliation with praise, "Well, it's good to see that the Hartfield Royal Family is regaining some prestige. A Prince who can't cultivate is a shame to us all. But now, with the Empire's favor, you should breeze through the Battle Tower, right? Surely a Prince like you can make it to the 50th floor."
"After all, you weren't called the Great Prodigy for nothing as you have easily comprehended complicated martial arts before the age of seven. But alas your constitution derived you of the glory you ought to have," Julius sighed as though he was regretful.
Arthur glanced at Julius, his eyes flickering with amusement. He leaned closer to Anastasia and said in a hushed tone, "Hey, I can hear a fly buzzing. Did you hear it too?"
Anastasia stifled a laugh, realizing that Arthur was deliberately ignoring Julius's thinly veiled mockery.
Her concern faded as she saw his nonchalant attitude. She knew Arthur had his reasons for entering the Battle Tower, and it wasn't to seek recognition or approval from Julius or anyone else.
The jest about a fly buzzing left the surrounding crowd stunned and some even barely could hold their laughter, further eroding Julius's pride.
But before Julius could respond, Arthur walked past him as he whispered, "Get ready..."
Anastasia gave Julius a polite nod and then rushed to catch up with Arthur, relieved that the situation didn't escalate further.
As they entered the Battle Tower, Arthur felt the weight of countless eyes on him.
He knew that many doubted his abilities, suspecting that he was merely riding the Hartfield family's coattails, a Prince who had previously been unable to cultivate.
Within the vast hall of the tower, they found the entrance to the Challenge Chamber, a formidable set of doors adorned with intricate engravings of martial prowess.
With a deep breath, Arthur pushed them open, the crowd's noise fading into the background. The chamber was dimly lit, with an aura of anticipation hanging in the air.
Arthur and Anastasia were greeted by an elderly gatekeeper, a man with sharp eyes who assessed Arthur's presence with curiosity. "Hmm, you are here. As expected," he said, confusing Arthur.
Arthur met the gatekeeper's gaze, "You were expecting me?"
"More or less."
As Arthur was about to ask he raised his hand and said, "Just start your challenge."
Arthur understood that the old man didn't want to say anything more, so he nodded.
With a nod from the gatekeeper, Arthur entered the Challenge Chamber, leaving behind the world of expectations and doubt.
To him he was just making a trip to the highest floor.
That Arthur's target after all, he wouldn't live up to his title as the Immortal Invincible if he could not even clear the tower.
As the doors closed behind him, the crowd outside fell into silence, waiting with bated breath to see what the former Prince Arthur could achieve within the Battle Tower.
R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at f(r)eew𝒆bnovel.com Only