Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Late-Night Visitor

When Wu Xiang walked to the tenth floor of the Flame Tower, he returned to the first floor with a heavy heart. As Wu Shu had said, there was not a single decent treasure to be found within the tower.

Seeing Wu Xiang return, Wu Shu stood up and asked, "Uncle, did you find anything?"

After scanning the ordinary tools on the first floor once more—still finding nothing worth a second glance—Wu Xiang feigned composure. "The Flame Tower has always existed to help our clansmen forge weapons; the tower itself is the supreme treasure. Now that you have gained its recognition, Shu-er, you must seize this opportunity. As for the future... if you have any needs regarding weapon forging, your uncle and the clan will support you with all our might."

For years, Wu Xiang had never felt as mentally exhausted as he did tonight. He felt utterly drained, his body devoid of strength.

Wu Shu bowed and said, "Uncle thinks too highly of me. I will surely work hard on my forging skills in the future."

Nodding, Wu Xiang remarked, "Recent days have been very unsettled within Dongsu City; I am quite tired."

Wu Shu replied, "Uncle, I shall have the Flame Tower send us out now."

No sooner had the words left his lips than the two of them appeared outside the tower.

Looking at the Flame Tower with complex eyes, Wu Xiang asked, "Shu-er, has the Flame Tower acknowledged you as its master?"

Before Wu Shu could answer, Wu Xiang sighed, "Shu-er, promise your uncle one thing: the fact that there are no treasures inside the tower is something only you and I should know."

The Flame Tower had always been regarded as the Wu family’s ancestral treasure, serving as a pillar of hope that motivated generations of clansmen to strive in their cultivation. If the clan were to discover that the tower was empty and served no purpose other than assisting in forging, its status as the ancestral treasure would be shaken, and many might lose their faith.

Wu Shu said firmly, "I will keep your instructions in mind, Uncle."

Looking at Wu Shu with a complex gaze once more, Wu Xiang continued, "Since the tower has acknowledged you, it now belongs to you. As for the rest of the clan, I will inform them of the situation individually."

Wu Shu was surprised that Wu Xiang would make such a decision so readily. Of course, he realized that once the news spread, he would face numerous challenges from those who coveted the tower.

Wu Xiang was also aware of this. He said in a deep voice, "Even without the threat of the demons in Dongsu City, our family is at a critical juncture of life and death. Shu-er, I know that while this decision seems infinitely beneficial to you on the surface, it is also pushing you toward an abyss. If you regret it now, I will treat everything that happened tonight as if it never occurred."

In the history of the Wu family, the tower had never acknowledged any clansman. With the family in decline, news of the tower choosing Wu Shu would surely stir the hearts of the people. It would act as a stabilizing force, anchoring the spirits of the entire clan.

Without hesitation—for the Flame Tower was indeed a magnificent treasure that Wu Shu would never abandon—he said decisively, "Uncle, I am deeply honored to be recognized by the Flame Tower. Becoming the hope of the family is exactly what I desire. I accept the tower."

With that, Wu Shu made a gesture. The towering structure rapidly shrank until it disappeared without a trace. Seeing this, Wu Xiang was astonished, yet he felt a sense of validation.

After accepting the tower, Wu Shu took his leave. Watching his nephew’s retreating figure and recalling the moment of his decision, Wu Xiang seemed to see the shadows of his father, Wu Shang, and his younger brother, Wu Xing, in the young man.

Finally, he sighed and said with resignation, "This will be the last chance for our family. Whether it brings fortune or disaster, our family will face it together."

As Wu Shu approached his residence, he sensed that something was amiss. He secretly communicated with the stone monument in his consciousness, "Little Spirit, have you sensed anything?"

"Young Master," the monument spirit replied sheepishly, "I forgot to tell you. Once I enter the suppression state, I lose the ability to perceive the surrounding environment."

What? If Wu Shu remembered correctly, the monument was known as the Divine Monument in the Giant Elephant Mountains. When it came to suppressing demons, even the Heaven-Swallowing Great Ape and the Heaven-Supporting Great Elephant paled in comparison.

It turned out that when the monument spirit was busy suppressing the demons—specifically Wu Zuo and Wu You, and the Night Demon Ancestor—it was completely unable to assist him. Wu Shu’s own spiritual energy was limited, and he currently had no other external help to rely on.

Just as he felt helpless, the Tower Spirit volunteered, "Big Brother... no, Young Master, there are six people lurking in the shadows nearby."

In the time it had taken him to visit the Forging Hall, several experts had infiltrated the Wu residence. Whether they were demons or from the Imperial Clan was difficult to determine without a confrontation.

The Tower Spirit added, "Young Master, if you wish to capture them all, I can assist you. Just catch them off guard and draw them into the Flame Tower, then trap them in one of the levels with a formation. I believe they will starve to death after a certain amount of time."

*Starve to death?*

The suggestion nearly made Wu Shu laugh out loud. However, it gave him an idea: if he could find enough spirit stones in the future to set up a lethal formation inside the tower, he could trap and kill powerful enemies with ease.

Remembering that entering the tower usually required a specific bloodline, he asked, "Tower Spirit, isn't entry to the Flame Tower restricted by bloodline? Can those outside the Wu family enter?"

The Tower Spirit replied, "Young Master, I am not sure how to answer that. However, ever since I attached myself to you, I have known that from now on, you decide who or what enters the Flame Tower."

This stunned Wu Shu once again. There was clearly a hidden story behind the tower, especially regarding the mysterious woman who had appeared. Since he could now bring others into the tower, it would become a powerful weapon in his arsenal.

"Little Tower, let's play it by ear," Wu Shu commanded.

He feigned ignorance of the lurkers and walked toward his courtyard. Just as he reached the gate, someone stepped out to block his path. "Who goes there? This is the Wu family's restricted area; no unauthorized personnel are allowed."

Wu Shu scrutinized the two men in black. They were blocking his path and issuing warnings without attacking, which suggested they were highly trained. Since when did the Wu family have such guards?

He feigned indignation and shouted, "Are you new here? Do you not even recognize the owner of this courtyard?"

After Wu Shu stated his identity, a leader in black appeared before him, bowing. "So it is Young Master Wu Shu. Please forgive us for failing to recognize you immediately."

*Forgive us?* The phrasing sounded distinctly like that of the Imperial Clan.

If people from the Imperial City were being so polite, the first thing that came to Wu Shu's mind was whether Li Jianfeng wanted to see him in the dead of night. Nevertheless, he instructed the Tower Spirit to be ready for battle at all times.

"It’s fine, we are all on the same side," Wu Shu said calmly.

The leader in black hurriedly gestured, "You are most magnanimous, Young Master. Please, come in."

Upon entering, Wu Shu saw Li Jianfeng chatting happily with Zhao Fenxing. Seeing him again, Li Jianfeng beamed, "Brother Wu Shu, it has been many days; I have missed you."

Li Jianfeng was truly unreserved, acting as if they were the best of friends.

Wu Shu walked over, downed two cups of tea, and said, "I was invited by my uncle to the Forging Hall and didn't expect you to visit, Brother Li. We have faced life and death together; please don't take any slight personally."

Hearing this, Zhao Fenxing rolled her eyes at him. It was clear to anyone that she cared deeply about his words, as she had been keeping Li Jianfeng company while he was away.

Realizing his mistake, Wu Shu laughed, "Fenxing, thank you for your trouble."

Not wanting to be a third wheel to their banter, Li Jianfeng said, "Brother Wu Shu is too kind. Meeting Miss Fenxing is my good fortune. Please forgive me for this late-night intrusion."

Li Jianfeng wouldn't be here in the middle of the night unless it were something important. The most pressing matter in Dongsu City was how the negotiations between the human and demon races would conclude.

Wu Shu got straight to the point: "Have the negotiations with the demons ended?"

Li Jianfeng nodded slightly, his expression grave. "Exactly as you guessed, Brother Wu Shu. Three days from now, the Kun Kingdom will send us to face the demon youths in a decisive battle."