I am submissive in Journey to the West, I strike hard at the gods

Upon seeing Jiang Wang, Bai Yunfei quickly stepped forward and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Tu, I didn't expect you to break through the first level of the test so quickly."

This second layer is a test of restrictions; if we work together, we should be able to break through it more quickly.

Jiang Wang didn't speak, but focused on observing the runes on the stone wall.

He had a good understanding of ancient restrictions, and these restrictions were not too difficult for him.

He raised his hand and waved it, and the cyan-gold spiritual light fell on the stone wall, causing the runes to light up instantly and begin to change continuously.

Upon seeing this, Bai Yunfei and the others held their breath, not daring to disturb Jiang Wang.

They could sense that Jiang Wang's understanding of the restrictions far exceeded their expectations.

Before long, the runes on the stone wall stopped changing, and a stone door slowly opened, revealing a dark passage inside.

Jiang Wang withdrew his hand and walked straight towards the passage.

Bai Yunfei and the others quickly followed, their admiration for Jiang Wang growing even stronger.

The passage wasn't long; after walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the group arrived at the third floor.

The third level is a vast plain, riddled with countless traps. Meanwhile, many cultivators are fighting each other, clearly vying for the token to pass through the third level.

These cultivators are stronger than those on the first and second levels. Most of them are at the early stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal, and there are even a few at the middle stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal.

Upon seeing Jiang Wang and the others enter, a cultivator dressed in black flashed a fierce glint in his eyes and pounced straight at Bai Yunfei, coldly saying, "A few more suicidal fools have arrived. Leave your treasures behind, and I'll spare your lives!"

Bai Yunfei's expression changed, and he quickly swung his sword to defend himself, shouting to his companions, "Everyone be careful!" In an instant, war broke out on the plain, with cultivators fighting each other, screams and the clash of weapons filling the air.

Jiang Wang didn't want to get involved; he just wanted to find the proof to pass through the third level as soon as possible. He moved and flew towards the center of the plain.

"Trying to leave? Leave your life behind!" A cultivator at the mid-stage of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm noticed Jiang Wang, a greedy glint in his eyes. He could sense that Jiang Wang's aura was weak and thought he was an easy target, so he pounced straight at Jiang Wang, his long sword carrying a violent aura as he slashed towards Jiang Wang's head.

Jiang Wang's eyes turned cold as he dodged the longsword. At the same time, he slammed out his right hand, and a giant palm of azure-gold spiritual light condensed, striking the cultivator.

The cultivator's expression changed. He hadn't expected Jiang Wang to react so quickly. He hurriedly swung his sword to block, and the long sword collided with the giant palm, producing a loud bang. He felt a violent force surge into his body through the long sword, and his body involuntarily flew backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His aura instantly weakened.

Upon seeing this, the cultivators who were fighting around them all stopped what they were doing and looked at Jiang Wang with eyes full of horror.

They never expected that this cultivator, who seemed to only have the cultivation of the early stage of the Dao Proving Realm, could severely injure a cultivator in the mid-stage of the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm with a single blow. His strength was terrifying.

Ignoring the gazes of the crowd, Jiang Wang continued flying towards the center of the plain.

In the center of the plain stood a stone platform, upon which rested a silver token engraved with the number "3".

The word clearly indicates that it was obtained through a third-level credential.

Just as he was about to get the token, a cold voice suddenly came: "Boy, that token is mine, get out of my way!" A figure flew out from the clouds and landed in front of the stone platform, blocking Jiang Wang's way.

This man was dressed in a golden robe, with a handsome face and a calm aura. He had reached the late stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal, and was clearly the strongest among these cultivators.

Jiang Wang looked at the cultivator in the golden robe and said calmly, "Whoever has the token owns it."

If you want it, you have to earn it through your own ability.

The golden-robed cultivator sneered, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes: "You? You dare to talk to me about skills? I am Jin Lie of the Golden-Winged Roc clan. If you know what's good for you, get lost right now, or I'll annihilate your soul!"

The Golden-Winged Roc clan is a top race in the Journey to the West world, with formidable strength. As a member of the Golden-Winged Roc clan, Jin Lie has always been arrogant and disdainful of Jiang Wang.

A fighting spirit flashed in Jiang Wang's eyes. He was well aware of the strength of the Golden-Winged Roc clan. If he could fight Jin Lie, he could also test his own strength.

He said calmly, "Enough with the nonsense, make your move."

"act recklessly!"

Jin Lie snorted coldly, and golden light burst forth from his body, transforming into a huge phantom of a golden-winged roc that enveloped him. His speed instantly increased, and he pounced on Jiang Wang like lightning, his sharp claws carrying golden spiritual light as they reached for Jiang Wang's chest.

The Golden-Winged Roc clan is known for its speed and strength; the power of this claw strike is enough to severely injure a cultivator in the mid-stage of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.

Jiang Wang dared not be careless. A burst of azure-gold spiritual light erupted from his body, and his scales instantly stood up, forming an impenetrable defense.

At the same time, he formed his right hand into a claw and reached out to grab Jin Lie's claw. The cyan-gold spiritual light collided with the golden spiritual light, producing a deafening roar.

Both of them were sent flying backward at the same time. Jiang Wang steadied himself and felt a throbbing pain in his arm. He was secretly amazed by Jin Lie's strength.

Jin Lie was shocked. He hadn't expected Jiang Wang to be so powerful. He had actually managed to withstand his full-force attack.

"Who exactly are you? And why do you possess such strength?"

Jin Lie looked at Jiang Wang with doubt in his eyes. He could sense that Jiang Wang's cultivation was indeed only at the early stage of the Dao Proving Realm, but his strength and physical strength far exceeded those of a late-stage Taiyi Golden Immortal cultivator, which was completely illogical.

Jiang Wang sneered: "Beat me, and I'll tell you."

After saying that, he took the initiative to attack. With a swift movement, he pounced on Jin Lie like a ghost. Blue-gold spiritual light flowed around him, and each move was accompanied by violent power and spatial force.

Jin Lie dared not be careless any longer and went all out to deal with the situation. The golden spiritual light and the cyan-gold spiritual light collided continuously on the plain, producing deafening roars. The surrounding cultivators retreated one after another, fearing that they would be affected by the aftershocks of the two's battle.

The two fought fiercely, with Jiang Wang having the advantage in physical strength and power, while Jin Lie was superior in speed and supernatural abilities.

After hundreds of rounds of fierce fighting, both men were wounded and exhausted, but their eyes remained cold and their fighting spirit undiminished.

"Continuing to fight like this will not benefit either of us."

While fending off Jiang Wang's attacks, Jin Lie said in a deep voice, "How about we stop fighting for now, get the tokens together, and enter the fourth level?"

If we continue fighting, even if we can defeat Jiang Wang, we will pay a heavy price. It would be better to join forces and enter the fourth level first, and then make further plans later.

A hint of hesitation flashed in Jiang Wang's eyes. He didn't want to waste too much time here, since the time limit in the Secret Realm Tower was limited.

He nodded: "Okay, but the token is mine."

Jin Lie's face darkened, then he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! The token is yours. Let's get to the fourth level as soon as possible."

Although he was unwilling, he knew that he was not confident of defeating Jiang Wang, so he had no choice but to agree.

The two stopped attacking at the same time. Jiang Wang walked onto the stone platform, picked up the silver token, and then the teleportation array in the center of the stone platform lit up, which was obviously the entrance to the fourth floor.

"Let's go."

Jiang Wang said calmly and stepped into the teleportation array first. Jin Lie followed closely behind, a hint of resentment and bitterness flashing in his eyes. He had already made up his mind that once they entered the fourth level, he would find an opportunity to eliminate Jiang Wang and take back the token.

Seeing this, Bai Yunfei and the others quickly followed into the teleportation array.

With two top experts like Jiang Wang and Jin Lie around, their chances of getting through the subsequent floors will be much greater.

With a flash of light, the group arrived at the fourth floor of the Secret Realm Tower.

The fourth level is a vast ocean, its waters as black as ink, exuding an eerie aura. The waves surge on the surface, and huge black shadows can be vaguely seen swimming in the water, emanating a chilling atmosphere.

"This is the Black Sea, which harbors many water-attribute monsters. They are powerful and adept at hiding, so everyone must be careful."

Bai Yunfei spoke up to remind him, as he had heard about the situation on the fourth level of the Secret Realm Tower and knew that it was extremely dangerous.

As soon as the words were spoken, the seawater suddenly began to churn violently, and a huge monster leaped out of the water. This monster resembled an octopus, but it had countless eyes, thick and powerful tentacles covered in black venom, and it pounced towards the group.

"It's an Ink-Eyed Octopus! It possesses the strength of a late-stage Taiyi Golden Immortal!"

Jin Lie's expression changed, and he quickly reminded him.

The venom of the black-eyed octopus is extremely potent. Even a cultivator at the late stage of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm would suffer a disruption in their cultivation and a significant reduction in strength if they were contaminated with it.

Jiang Wang's eyes turned cold, and he made the first move. The azure-gold spiritual light condensed into a huge longsword, which he slashed at the tentacles of the black-eyed octopus.

The longsword was incredibly sharp, instantly severing one of the tentacles of the black-eyed octopus. Black venom gushed out, landing on the sea surface with a sizzling sound, and the seawater was instantly corroded, creating a large hole.

The black-eyed octopus let out a shrill scream, a fierce glint flashing in its eyes. Countless tentacles attacked the group simultaneously, carrying black venom and sealing off all their escape routes.

"Let's all work together to hold them off!"

Bai Yunfei shouted, and the longsword in his hand lit up with a white spiritual light as he slashed at the tentacle.

Jin Lie was not to be outdone. His body erupted with golden light, transforming into a golden blade that severed several tentacles.

Other cultivators also joined the fray, unleashing various supernatural abilities and magical treasures in a fierce battle against the Ink-Eyed Octopus.

Jiang Wang didn't use too many supernatural powers; he simply relied on his powerful physical body and sharp spiritual sword to continuously sever the tentacles of the black-eyed octopus.

Although the black-eyed octopus had many tentacles, they were constantly being severed by Jiang Wang's attacks, and its aura became increasingly weak.

Before long, the black-eyed octopus collapsed in the seawater, lifeless, and its body gradually sank to the bottom of the sea.

Just then, a golden token flew out from the corpse of the black-eyed octopus and landed in front of Jiang Wang, clearly a certificate for passing the fourth level.

Jiang Wang caught the token and was about to walk towards the teleportation array when suddenly, Jin Lie's figure blocked his way, a fierce glint in his eyes: "Boy, hand over the token, or I'll kill you right now!"

He felt that Jiang Wang's strength would be limited in the Black Sea, and he was confident that he could eliminate Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang looked at Jin Lie, a cold glint in his eyes: "You're courting death."

"It's you who are looking for death!"

Jin Lie snorted coldly, and golden light burst forth from his body, transforming into a giant golden-winged roc that pounced towards Jiang Wang. Its sharp claws, carrying golden spiritual light, reached for Jiang Wang's head.

This time, he used the primordial power of the Golden-Winged Roc clan, making him even stronger than before.

Jiang Wang no longer held back. The Qilin Origin and Dao Proving Power within his body surged wildly, and azure-gold spiritual light burst forth, transforming into a huge Qilin phantom that collided with the Golden-Winged Roc phantom.

"boom!"

A deafening roar resounded, and huge waves surged on the Black Sea. The surrounding cultivators were swept away by the waves and could only watch the two fight from afar, their eyes filled with horror.

The Golden-Winged Roc was incredibly fast, constantly launching attacks at Jiang Wang, its claws and wings flailing with ferocious power.

Jiang Wang, relying on his powerful physique and agile movements, constantly dodged while looking for an opportunity to counterattack.

After thousands of rounds of fierce fighting, Jiang Wang seized an opening and slammed his right hand out, the azure-gold spiritual light condensing into a giant palm, which slammed hard into Jin Lie's chest.

Jin Lie let out a miserable scream, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, landing in the seawater, spitting out a mouthful of golden blood, and his aura instantly weakened.

Jiang Wang moved swiftly, landing in front of Jin Lie. He looked down at him, his tone icy: "Now, do you still want the token?"

Jin Lie lay in the seawater, his eyes filled with resentment and fear, realizing he was no match for Jiang Wang.

He gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "I admit defeat. The token is yours. Please spare my life."

He didn't want to die here, so he could only bow his head and beg for mercy.

Jiang Wang glanced at him, said nothing, and turned to walk towards the teleportation array.

He didn't want to kill them all; after all, in this secret tower, it's better to have one less enemy than one more.

Jin Lie watched Jiang Wang's retreating figure, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes. He secretly vowed to take revenge in the future.

Bai Yunfei and the others quickly followed Jiang Wang and entered the teleportation array.

This time, they arrived at the fifth floor of the Secret Realm Tower.

The fifth floor is a huge palace, ancient and solemn, filled with lifelike statues that exude an ancient atmosphere.

In the center of the palace stood an old man dressed in ancient costume, his aura ethereal and otherworldly, as if he were one with heaven and earth.

"Welcome to the fifth floor."

The old man spoke, his voice aged yet authoritative, "I am the guardian of the fifth level. To pass through the fifth level, you must answer three questions. If you answer correctly, you can enter the sixth level; if you answer incorrectly, you will be annihilated here."

Everyone's expression changed. They hadn't expected the fifth level's test to be answering questions. This was even more difficult than combat and the restrictions, because no one knew what kind of questions the old man would ask.

The old man looked at Jiang Wang and said calmly, "You go first."

The first question: In the beginning, which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Upon hearing this, everyone frowned. The question seemed simple, but it actually contained profound truths about the universe and was difficult to answer.

Bai Yunfei and the others were completely bewildered, unsure how to answer. (End of Chapter)