Chapter 38: The Anomaly of the Martial Manifestation

The Flame Tower does not have issues of entry or exit. To enter, one must first be recognized by the tower, after which the internal formations will autonomously summon the recognized individual.

After the Tower Spirit merged with Wu Shu’s body, Wu Shu gained this knowledge from the spirit’s mental world. As the soul of the Flame Tower, once the spirit fused with him, Wu Shu gained absolute control over the tower.

With a mere thought, Wu Shu decided to leave the tower. In the next moment, he appeared outside. Seeing him emerge, Wu Xiang, the head of the Wu family, stepped forward eagerly and said, "My nephew, I was right about you. Wu Shu, you truly are the future hope of our Wu family."

Wu Shu replied calmly, "You flatter me, Uncle. If I am not mistaken, our family must have produced quite a few disciples recognized by the Flame Tower over the years."

Wu Xiang had understood the status of the Flame Tower within the clan since he was young. Any disciple recognized by it would undoubtedly become a prodigy in artifact forging. His father, Wu Shang, and his younger brother, Wu Xing—had it not been for the bloodline curse—would have been renowned masters of artifact forging across the continent. Wu Xiang was not surprised by Wu Shu’s question; after all, as someone who had been recognized and could enter the tower, how could he understand the helplessness of those who could not? Even among the Wu bloodline, not everyone could gain entry.

Wu Xiang replied with a hint of confusion, "The Flame Tower is our clan's supreme treasure. To my knowledge, you are only the third clansman in the last hundred years to be able to enter."

After a moment of reflection, Wu Shu seemed to have hit upon the truth. "If I have guessed correctly, the other two were my grandfather, Wu Shang, and my father, Wu Xing."

Wu Xiang was not surprised that Wu Shu knew of their entry; it was normal for those who could enter the tower to leave traces of their time inside. "You are correct. Both your grandfather and father entered. As our clan's treasure, those who enter not only possess exceptional talent but also gain access to countless cultivation resources that would make anyone jealous."

Thinking of how the tower was completely devoid of treasures, Wu Shu said with some irritation, "Uncle, have you perhaps misunderstood something? The Flame Tower has sixteen floors, and each one is completely empty. There isn't even a decent weapon to be found."

Wu Xiang found this hard to believe. In the eyes of the clan, the tower had always been a mysterious treasure trove that served as the driving force for their struggles. Wu Shu’s words threatened to dismantle that lofty reputation.

Wu Xiang attempted to explain, "The tower is a legacy from our ancestors. The treasures within are surely meant for those with the right affinity."

*Treasures meant for those with affinity?*

Wu Shu had initially held such hopes himself, but after exploring all sixteen floors, he realized there were no special storage spaces, and the idea of "affinity" simply did not hold water. Not wanting to argue, he simply waved his hand, and in the next moment, he and Wu Xiang stood on the first floor.

Looking at the pile of ordinary, rusted artifacts, Wu Shu explained, "Because I have an affinity with the tower, from now on, entry and exit will require my consent. Aside from these common items on the first floor, the other levels are completely empty. If you don't believe me, Uncle, feel free to check each floor."

The sight of the rusted, mundane items left Wu Xiang bewildered. He had been overjoyed when Wu Shu was recognized, seeing it as the salvation of their struggling family. He had hoped that if a genius were chosen, they could utilize the tower’s vast resources to turn the family's fortunes around. Now, the genius had appeared, but the resources were nowhere to be found.

Wu Xiang felt like crying, though no tears came. He muttered dejectedly, "Father, Brother Xing, were you trying to cut off the Wu family's legacy in my hands?" He realized that had they not been forced by necessity, they would never have cleared the tower of its treasures. He looked at Wu Shu, who was only sixteen. Though his reputation had already drawn the attention of many, how was the current, weakened Wu family supposed to nurture such a genius?

Was the family truly destined to decline here? As Wu Xiang’s heart filled with anxiety, Wu Shu suddenly detected something abnormal about him: a faint trace of demonic energy was leaking from his body.

The Ancestor of Night Demons, suppressed within Wu Shu’s consciousness, suddenly cried out in shock, "The Heavenly Demon Clan? How can someone from your Wu family carry the aura of the Heavenly Demons? Could it be that the Heavenly Demon Clan has had their eyes on your family for a long time?"

The Stele, tasked with suppressing the Night Demon ancestor, was annoyed. "Old demon, you are making this difficult for me. If I don't crush you, Wu Shu might think I am colluding with you."

As the Stele prepared to increase the pressure, the Night Demon ancestor gasped, "The Divine Stele! It’s a misunderstanding! The Heavenly Demon Clan is born with extraordinary power and holds a superior status among demons. They possess absolute bloodline suppression over others. Many demons, including myself, despise them."

Curious, Wu Shu said to Wu Xiang, "Uncle, since this is your first time in the tower, I will wait here while you take a look around."

Wu Xiang nodded and headed toward the higher levels with a heavy heart. Wu Shu sat down, pretending to meditate, and questioned the demon within his mind. "The Heavenly Demon Clan? Are they really that powerful?"

The Night Demon ancestor replied with disdain, "Powerful? If the geniuses of the Thick Earth Continent enter the Fallen Lands seeking thrills when they can find no worthy opponents, then the members of the Heavenly Demon Clan are destined to find no equals among the demons from the moment they are born."

Wu Shu was puzzled. "If they are so powerful, why haven't they suppressed the humans with the ambitions you demons possess?"

"They rarely engage with humans," the ancestor grunted, "because while they are born powerful, they find it difficult to leave the demonic realm. If they leave the nourishment of the demonic soil, their power wanes over time, and their lifespan is consumed."

*If they cannot leave the demonic realm, why does my uncle have their aura?* Wu Shu demanded an explanation. The Stele Spirit chimed in, demanding the old demon speak the truth.

The Night Demon ancestor sighed, "My own Night Demon clan is plagued by a bloodline curse, struggling to survive and facing extinction. I only possessed the body of a Shadow Demon youth to seek the secrets of the Giant Elephant Mountain range in hopes of breaking that curse. We are struggling to survive; why would you think I have any connection to the Heavenly Demons?"

The Stele Spirit remained skeptical, but Wu Shu simply said, "I choose to believe you."

As Wu Shu turned to leave, the Night Demon ancestor warned, "Kid, you have talent, but I advise you: if you ever encounter the Heavenly Demon Clan, choose silence and humility until you have attained true power."