Xuan Yuan's pupils contracted violently.
The moment Yang Kai began circulating the Death Qi through his meridians instead of ordinary Spiritual Qi, the entire atmosphere of the desert transformed into something grotesque and suffocating.
Crimson-black currents exploded from Yang Kai's body like burning smoke.
The golden sand beneath his feet instantly decayed into lifeless black ash.
Every swing of the staff now carried a horrifying aura of death itself.
Clang—
The two staffs collided again.
A shockwave erupted outward, tearing apart the surrounding dunes. Sand rose into the sky like a monstrous storm while cracks spread beneath their feet.
But this time—
Xuan Yuan's expression finally changed.
Because Yang Kai's strength had increased.
Not by a little.
But by an absurd amount.
"How the fuck…" Xuan Yuan muttered internally while blocking another savage strike. "He's burning his own life force."
His sharp eyes instantly saw through the truth.
The Death Qi Yang Kai was using was not naturally produced.
It was being created by converting his own blood essence into power.
Every second he fought like this, his body was dying.
His veins had already begun turning black beneath his skin.
Blood slowly trickled from the corners of his mouth.
Even his breathing had become unstable.
Yet—
His attacks only became crazier.
BOOM!
Yang Kai smashed the staff downward with terrifying force.
Xuan Yuan blocked with both hands gripping his own staff, but the impact still forced him knee-deep into the sand.
The surrounding desert exploded apart.
Xuan Yuan's eyes narrowed.
"This idiot…"
He suddenly understood something.
Yang Kai was no longer fighting to survive.
He was fighting because he refused to lose.
Because of pride.
Because of rage.
Because of the promise he made.
Meanwhile Yang Kai's eyes had become completely crimson-black.
His hair whipped wildly in the violent energy storm surrounding him.
Inside his body, the Death Qi rampaged uncontrollably, consuming blood faster and faster.
His heart pounded like a war drum.
Every pulse sent unbearable pain throughout his body.
But Yang Kai laughed instead.
"Hahaha…"
Blood dripped from his lips.
"So this is how it feels…"
BOOM!
He vanished instantly.
Xuan Yuan's eyes widened slightly.
Fast.
Too fucking fast.
Yang Kai appeared beside him and swung the staff horizontally.
Xuan Yuan immediately raised his own weapon to block—
CLANG!
The impact detonated like thunder.
For the first time since the battle started—
Xuan Yuan was pushed backward.
His feet carved long trenches through the desert.
Yang Kai immediately followed with another strike.
And another.
And another.
Each attack grew heavier than the last.
The Death Qi wrapping around the staff screamed like millions of dead souls.
Xuan Yuan blocked continuously, but his arms slowly became numb.
"This bastard…" he thought while enduring another collision. "At this rate he'll kill himself before the fight ends."
Then suddenly—
Yang Kai's movements faltered for a fraction of a second.
Xuan Yuan instantly noticed it.
His eyes sharpened.
"He's reaching his limit."
Without hesitation, Xuan Yuan stepped forward and released a devastating thrust straight toward Yang Kai's chest.
The attack pierced through the air like lightning.
Yang Kai barely reacted in time.
He twisted his body sideways and blocked with the staff—
BOOOOM!
The impact shattered the ground beneath him.
A deep crack spread hundreds of meters across the desert.
Yang Kai coughed blood violently as he staggered backward.
His hands trembled uncontrollably.
His vision blurred.
But before Xuan Yuan could continue—
Yang Kai suddenly raised his head.
And smiled.
Not a normal smile.
But the smile of a complete lunatic.
Xuan Yuan instinctively felt danger.
Then—
Yang Kai slammed his foot into the ground.
The Death Qi surrounding him exploded outward.
"I'm not fucking done yet!"
The crimson-black energy condensed around his staff like a monstrous dragon.
Xuan Yuan's expression changed slightly.
Then Yang Kai attacked.
A direct overhead strike.
Simple.
Brutal.
Absolute.
Xuan Yuan immediately blocked—
But the instant the staffs collided—
Yang Kai released all the compressed Death Qi at once.
BOOOOOOOOM!
A horrifying explosion erupted between them.
Xuan Yuan's eyes widened.
Cracks spread across his staff defense.
Then Yang Kai twisted his body violently and launched a counterattack from below.
Fast.
Savage.
Merciless.
Xuan Yuan barely managed to move his weapon—
But he was too late.
CRACK!
Yang Kai's staff slammed directly into Xuan Yuan's ribs.
The impact distorted the air itself.
Xuan Yuan was blasted away like a cannonball, smashing through multiple dunes before rolling across the burning desert.
For the first time in the battle—
Yang Kai had successfully landed a direct hit.
The desert fell silent.
The scorching winds that had raged throughout the battle gradually calmed, leaving behind only drifting black ash and shattered dunes.
Far away, Xuan Yuan's body crashed heavily onto the sand.
His ribs were shattered inward.
Blood continuously flowed from his mouth.
Yet before he could even stabilize himself—
Yang Kai appeared before him.
Like a ghost.
No.
Like death itself.
His crimson-black robe fluttered violently in the burning wind while Death Qi spiraled around his body like countless screaming souls.
His condition was terrible.
Blood leaked from nearly every wound.
His skin had become pale from excessive blood loss.
Even his eyes had started losing focus.
But still—
He raised the staff.
Xuan Yuan looked up at him silently.
Then slowly…
A faint smile appeared on Xuan Yuan's face.
Not mocking.
Not cold.
But approving.
"You surpassed yourself…" he muttered weakly.
Yang Kai did not answer.
His breathing was rough and unstable.
His hands trembled from exhaustion.
But he still tightened his grip around the staff.
Because he understood.
This battle could only end with one standing.
And one dead.
The next instant—
BOOOOM!
Yang Kai swung the staff downward with every remaining ounce of strength left inside his dying body.
The attack descended like divine punishment.
Xuan Yuan tried to raise his own weapon—
But he was too late.
CRACK!
The staff smashed directly into his head.
The impact exploded throughout the desert.
Blood, bone fragments, and shattered sand erupted outward simultaneously.
Xuan Yuan's body froze for a moment—
Then collapsed lifelessly onto the golden desert.
Dead.
The former Xuan Yuan Immortal had been defeated by Yang Kai himself.
Silence consumed everything.
The violent Death Qi surrounding Yang Kai slowly began dispersing into the air.
The crimson-black energy faded.
His staff slipped from his fingers and vanished into particles of light.
Yang Kai himself stood there unsteadily.
His vision blurred heavily.
The desert around him twisted and distorted.
His body had finally reached its absolute limit.
He took one final shaky breath.
Then—
His knees buckled.
And he collapsed face-first into the burning sand.
Unconscious.
…
…
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
Then—
Softness.
Yang Kai's eyelids twitched slightly.
A faint groan escaped his lips as consciousness slowly returned.
His vision remained blurry for several seconds before gradually stabilizing.
The first thing he saw was a white ceiling.
Then the familiar small room entered his sight.
The single bed.
The silent walls.
The faint glowing light source above.
Yang Kai slowly sat up from the bed while holding his aching head.
"What the fuck…"
His voice sounded hoarse.
For several moments he simply sat there in silence, trying to process everything.
"The test…"
His brows furrowed.
"Did I pass?"
He clearly remembered defeating Xuan Yuan.
After that—
Nothing.
His memories completely stopped there.
Suddenly—
A faint black glow appeared before him.
Yang Kai's eyes narrowed immediately.
Floating in the air before the bed was a black jade token engraved with ancient golden patterns.
The token emitted a calm but powerful aura.
Yang Kai reached forward and grabbed it.
The instant his fingers touched the token—
A familiar voice echoed directly inside his mind.
The same voice from the Public Area.
"Congratulations to all Regulars who passed the test."
The voice was calm yet authoritative.
"You are now officially recognized as Tower Climbers."
Yang Kai's eyes narrowed slightly.
The voice continued.
"After 24 hour's, all qualified Tower Climbers will be notified and teleported to the First Floor, where your true journey inside the Tower shall begin."
The message ended there.
The jade token dimmed slightly afterward.
Yang Kai stared at it silently.
Then leaned back against the bed.
A faint smirk slowly formed on his lips.
"So it finally starts…"