Part One: The Tower Beyond the Heavens

Chapter One: If There Is a Next Life, I Will Dance the World With You!

Nine Heavens, amidst the sea of clouds, Wind and Thunder Platform, a sliver of sky!

Here lies the continent of the Nine Heavens, the Upper Three Heavens, a place of absolute peril—Wind and Thunder Platform!

Above, it connects to wind and thunder, and one can come and go through a sliver of sky!

But at this moment, atop Wind and Thunder Platform, a scene of blood and carnage unfolds!

"William Carter, hand over the Nine Tribulations Sword! Spare your life!"

"William Carter, you are already at death's door, just hand over the Nine Tribulations Sword. We can at least leave your corpse intact!"

"William Carter, a divine weapon like the Nine Tribulations Sword is wasted in your hands. So many years, and you’ve made no progress at all—what a waste of a heavenly treasure! Just hand it over..."

A cacophony of shouts echoed from all directions.

At the center of Wind and Thunder Platform, atop a slightly raised boulder, William Carter stood dressed in black, his body drenched in blood, hair disheveled, yet his face remained eternally cold and indifferent. The look in his eyes was as calm and steady as a rock! His posture, as straight as a javelin!

Just like the sword in his hand, filled with an unyielding spirit!

Even though he had already suffered fatal wounds!

At his feet, within a radius of several hundred feet, countless severed limbs and bodies lay scattered, blood flowing everywhere.

Looking at the crowd of experts all around, shouting but not daring to charge forward, a trace of mocking arrogance appeared on William Carter's face—proud and disdainful!

Facing these masters as numerous as clouds, even though he was at the end of his rope, his pride soared to the heavens!

These people had calculated well. They knew that although he was already spent, whoever stepped forward would have to face his desperate counterattack—no one wanted to be the sacrificial pawn. They all hoped someone else would foolishly rush forward to die. But no one was that stupid, so they all tacitly stopped their attacks at this moment.

People like this, with such a mindset, no matter how high their cultivation or how many their numbers; even if they could kill me ten thousand times, they are not worthy to be my enemies!

William Carter sneered, slowly sitting down. Though his face remained expressionless and he said not a word, his heart was full of doubt.

How did the secret of the Nine Tribulations Sword being in my possession get leaked?

He had spent three years investigating before confirming that a piece of the Ninth Tribulation Sword was hidden here at Wind and Thunder Platform in the Upper Three Heavens. After enduring countless hardships, he finally seized the chance to risk his life and come here. But why, upon arriving, did he fall into such a massive ambush?

Today was only his fifth day in the Upper Three Heavens! He had just found Wind and Thunder Platform when he was ambushed!

Today's situation was a dead end!

He had always been famous for his secretive movements—who could have known his plan?

He had tried to break out more than ten times, each time being blocked! The places he chose were all blind spots! By all logic, there was no reason he couldn't escape!

Who understood his habits so well? Who was this hidden enemy?

This question had troubled William Carter for a long time.

The gleaming blade of the Nine Tribulations Sword reflected the sunlight, drawing a rainbow across the sky. Everyone who saw this scene felt their hearts burn with desire, wishing that divine weapon was in their own hands!

An ancient divine weapon! The number one treasure of the Nine Heavens continent!

Whoever obtained the Nine Tribulations Sword would be invincible! Within the sword lies the great secret of invincibility! According to legend, the power of the Nine Tribulations Sword is far greater than this.

Nine Tribulations, Nine Heavens—one sword to destroy the world;

Supreme for a thousand autumns, eternal beyond the Nine Heavens!

This was the only song about the Nine Tribulations Sword passed down through the ages. Its origin was long lost. The Nine Tribulations Sword had always been just a legend—no one expected that one day it would truly appear before their eyes.

……

William Carter was also full of questions. Yes, he had obtained the Nine Tribulations Sword, and had step by step found five pieces of its blade. But to his disappointment, the sword's power was not as great as he had imagined! Moreover, there was always a clear barrier between himself and the sword. No matter how much blood he poured on it, or how sincerely he tried to comprehend it, nothing worked. Why was this?

Why? Why?!

Extreme in emotion, extreme in sword! He had extinguished emotion to enter the sword, used the way of the sword to enter martial arts, sought the way of heaven through martial arts, paid the price of lifelong loneliness, and used endless slaughter as his raft to cross the world. Yet in the end, he still could not master the Nine Tribulations Sword, nor achieve the divine skill of the Nine Heavens!

Was it his choice that was wrong? Or was this path itself wrong? Or perhaps... his lack of emotion still did not match the Nine Tribulations Sword?

A heartless swordsman, a heartless swordsman—if a swordsman has feelings, is he still a swordsman? The way of the sword, the way of martial arts, the way of heaven—all are ultimately heartless... Yet now, at the brink of life and death, why was he so shaken?

Nine Tribulations Sword, oh Nine Tribulations Sword, what is your secret?!

Looking at the greedy eyes all around, fixed on the Nine Tribulations Sword, William Carter gave a bitter smile in his heart. You only know that with this sword you can be invincible, but do you know how much I have paid for it?

I have nothing left.