In a spacious chamber within the Spirit Stone mine, a tiny, miniature tower lay resting on the floor.

The artifact was divided into seven distinct sections, while its gates were tightly shut.

Yet, the muffled sounds of intense combat and the cries of a man echoed from within.

The entire tower shook violently, as if struggling to contain a berserk beast.

Time passed slowly until, suddenly, the gates of the tower swung open.

A beam of black light shot out from the opening, expanding and materializing into a human silhouette.

It was Chen Xuan.

However, his usual spotless appearance and extraordinary demeanor were completely gone. His current state was extremely bad.

His hair and eyebrows had vanished, burned to ashes by scorching flames that had left red marks on his skin.

His body was riddled with injuries. Sword and spear wounds covered his skin, interspersed with bruises shaped like handprints and knuckles.

Stumbling onto the floor and gasping for breath, Chen Xuan nearly burst into tears.

"Old hag! Don’t let us meet again! I am certain of it: you absolutely did this on purpose!"

"It was all my fault for trusting your words and even vowing to rescue you once I got strong enough!"

"Cough."

Mid-sentence, Chen Xuan spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed flat on his back.

His blue eyes looked hollow as he stared at the ceiling, sorrow and fury alternating on his face.

This was the first time he had been beaten up so badly.

Even during his reckless adventures as a mortal, he had never ended up in such a humiliating state.

The physical injuries were negligible; given his cultivation, he would recover in a few hours at most.

Instead, it was the psychological damage that made him question his life.

’Didn’t you claim these items would help me increase my strength quickly? Is that what you call a reward?’ Chen Xuan grumbled internally.

He strongly suspected that Mu Xuanyin had left the Seven Trials Tower behind purely as a pretext to give him a beating while she was gone.

He had been far too naive to take her words and the System’s description to heart.

Recalling how nine puppets, each bearing the same face as his Master, had ganged up to pummel him, Chen Xuan clenched his fists.

’Just you wait! They’re just a few puppets, yet they dare to be so arrogant,’ he gritted his teeth.

’I don’t believe it! I’ll soon return today’s beating. Then, I’ll find that woman and give her a spanking in person,’ he made a vow.

Forcing his battered body up, he sat cross-legged and channeled the Yin Yang Technique, drawing in the surrounding Spiritual Energy.

The fragile Nascent Soul inside his Dantian gradually stabilized. At the same time, his physical wounds began to knit together at a speed visible to the naked eye.

--

It was clear that Mu Xuanyin knew Chen Xuan very well.

Having suffered such a defeat, he couldn’t possibly take it lying down. He had to fight back!

Thus, over the next few days, he subjected himself to an intense and brutal schedule.

He analyzed the Great Star Origin Dao and integrated it into his combat style, familiarized himself with his new magic weapons, and repeatedly threw himself back into the Seven Trials Tower to face the nine puppets.

The results were... entirely predictable.

Chen Xuan was consistently beaten black and blue, escaping fatal injuries only because of the tower’s built-in safety mechanisms.

Time quickly passed as he repeated this cycle.

One attempt, two attempts, four, ten...

Before long, he had long lost count of how many times he had challenged the trial.

At first, he could only last a few breaths.

But as he adapted and grew familiar with his own power, his survival time steadily increased.

... Though managing to hold out for a mere couple of minutes was hardly a milestone Chen Xuan felt like celebrating.

--

Staring at the Seven Trials Tower, Chen Xuan’s eyes were bloodshot.

Defeating the nine puppets appeared to have become his obsession.

He desperately wanted to dive back and have another hearty battle. Unfortunately, he knew he had reached his limit.

’These past few days have taken a heavy toll on my mental state,’ he mused.

’The constant battles have increased my combat experience and even greatly improved my cultivation, but I can no longer continue like this.’

’I need a few days of rest,’ Chen Xuan decided, reluctantly stowing the Seven Trials Tower back into his spatial ring.

Then, he let out a deep breath.

He gently brushed his palm against his face, wiping away the pale complexion and the bloodshot tint left in his eyes.

His pristine appearance returned in the blink of an eye. Even the burned hair and eyebrows were restored, looking exactly the same as before.

To an outsider, it was impossible to guess what had taken place over the past few days.

Only the deep, hidden exhaustion in his eyes could give him away, though it was nearly impossible to notice.

’It’s time to summon those girls. Su Ying and Huo Ling’er are easy to handle. But my new disciple is really troublesome...’

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Chen Xuan flicked his wrist. Three streaks of light flew out of his fingertips and out of the room, sending out his summons.

--

A few minutes later, Chen Xuan stood at the center of a small hall, facing the three beautiful women. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

He had purposely avoided meeting them in his room, wishing to give the gathering a more formal and solemn atmosphere.

Inspecting the trio, each possessing their own distinct features and completely different temperaments, Chen Xuan’s gaze ultimately locked onto his "youngest" disciple—Chi Yao.

Sensing that her aura had surged to the Peak of the Qi Refining realm, he put on a show of pleasant surprise.

"It appears your Physique is even more remarkable than I expected," he praised.

"To make such rapid progress in just a few days... I can feel that a breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment realm is just around the corner."

His words caused Chi Yao, who was already struggling to suppress her inner pride, to stiffen slightly as she knelt.

But gritting her teeth, the former Demon Empress forced herself to maintain a submissive posture before this "ant" who had coerced her into becoming his disciple.

She looked up with teary eyes and replied in a sweet, innocent voice:

"Yes, Master! I can feel that my cultivation speed has skyrocketed! The efficiency with which I absorb Spiritual Energy has increased many times over," she said, a smile plastered across her face, her eyes twinkling with gratitude.

Though amused by her excellent acting skills, Chen Xuan gave a satisfied nod.

Then, his eyes drifted towards the two women beside her.

"I summoned you all today not only to give some guidance on your cultivation paths, but also to bestow a few treasures upon you. First, Su Ying..."