"Didn''t escape, we killed Liu Jing," Lin Dongxue said without hesitation.


    Lin Xiao''s face instantly reflected disbelief, but he knew his daughter would never lie about something serious. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself and continued asking about the incident.


    Lin Dongxue recounted the events of that day in detail, and with every word, Lin Xiao''s expression grew darker. Her vivid account could only come from something real and terrifying.


    "The Liu family deserves to die!" Lin Xiao''s veins stood out, and murderous intent surged within him. If it weren''t for Tang Yan risking his life, his daughter would have perished on Cangyun Mountain!


    After a long moment, Lin Xiao forced down his violent emotions and spoke in a low voice, "He fought for your life when there was no chance left. His loyalty and bravery are extraordinary. I was right to trust him. This debt of gratitude is heavier than the mountains. Once the East Domain competition is over, we will repay Tang Family for this favor."


    After talking with Lin Dongxue for nearly an hour, Lin Xiao finally let her go rest. He sat back in his rattan chair and glanced towards Tang Yan''s courtyard, his eyes reflecting a mixture of curiosity, anticipation, pride, and admiration. Since Tang Yan composed the song "Meeting Joy" for the city, he had developed a deep interest in him.


    But the more he tried to learn about Tang Yan, the more he realized how little he understood him.


    Thinking about Lin Dongxue''s words, Lin Xiao felt an unprecedented confidence in Tang Yan’s abilities. Over the years, the East Domain competitions had drained him, and each time, his back was bent.


    But this time, all three candidates from Yun City were at the Xuan Stage, and his daughter had reached the second rank of Xuan Stage. Plus, there was the monstrous talent that was Tang Yan.


    For the first time in many years, Lin Xiao was actually looking forward to the East Domain competition!


    Tang Yan returned to his residence. Since he was in the crowded city, practicing martial arts was not ideal, so he decided to practice the Extreme Six Forms in his small courtyard.


    The day passed quickly.


    The next morning, Tang Yan was barely out of bed when he heard a knock on his door. From the rhythm of the knocking, he immediately guessed it was Lin Dongxue.


    Smiling, he opened the door to see her dressed in tight-fitting clothes. "Dressed like this, are you planning to head back to Cangyun Mountain?"


    "Stop it. Didn''t my father say before? Once we arrived at Fang City, we’d visit the Killing Tower," Lin Dongxue gave him a glance.


    Tang Yan remembered then, realizing that entering the Killing Tower would cost 50,000 taels of silver. The high fees only made him more curious about the place.


    "Alright, let’s go see it," Tang Yan said without hesitation, following Lin Dongxue towards the City Lord’s mansion.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Liu Zhi was already waiting for them. When the group was complete, Lin Xiao led the way, and they soon arrived at the Killing Tower.


    Located near the center of the city, it was not far from Wan Fang Tower. In less than half an hour, they reached a towering building.


    The structure was enormous, with a square base of 100 meters by 100 meters. It had six floors, and rather than brick or stone, the outer walls were made of bronze, giving it a formidable appearance.


    Between the second and third floors, the words "Killing Tower" were engraved in massive letters, exuding an awe-inspiring aura.


    The Killing Tower was famous throughout the East Domain and even had some influence in nearby cities. Many talents who had failed here didn''t lessen its reputation; instead, it fueled the determination of others to challenge its trials.


    Anyone who succeeded in passing through the trials would receive immense honor.


    "This is the Killing Tower," Lin Xiao said seriously. "It has six floors, each with a unique challenge. Once you enter, injury is highly likely, and death is not out of the question. So, be careful and don’t be overconfident."


    "What if we can''t hold out?" Liu Zhi asked with a hint of fear.


    "Before entering, each person will receive two tokens. One to hold and one to place in your mouth. If you crush or bite the token, all attacks will stop," Lin Xiao explained.


    As soon as he finished speaking, a voice rang out. The door to the third floor opened, and a young man walked out.


    "Not bad," his companion greeted him as he approached.


    "Not quite. Haven''t even reached the fourth floor, the competition''s going to be tough," the young man said with a gloomy expression.


    Tang Yan extended a sliver of his spiritual sense and was surprised. This person was at the peak of the first rank of the Xuan Stage, yet he couldn’t make it past the third floor?


    Seeing that all eyes were on the young man, Lin Xiao explained, "It’s customary for everyone coming to Fang City for the competition to challenge the Killing Tower. According to experience, anyone who can reach the fourth floor has a good chance of making it into the top 15. If you make it to the fifth floor, you’re almost certain to enter the Qinglong Academy. Even those who only make it to the third floor are still considered, and many have been chosen for Qinglong Academy despite only reaching that level."


    Tang Yan now understood that the Killing Tower was a sort of trial before the competition, meant to test one''s abilities.


    "Alright, you three wait here. I’ll go register you," Lin Xiao instructed before heading towards the registration desk.


    "Miss Lin, how confident are you in reaching which floor?" Liu Zhi immediately turned to Lin Dongxue, trying to start a conversation.


    With her unmatched beauty, noble background, and poised temperament, if he could marry Lin Dongxue, it would not only mean having an excellent partner, but also gaining the City Lord’s backing.


    Liu Zhi made every effort to close the distance between them, but his efforts were doomed to fail.


    Perhaps she had once had some admiration for Liu Zhi, but after the assassination attempt by Liu Jing, she had no more goodwill for the Liu family. It was likely that their movements had been leaked by him.


    "Don’t worry about others. Liu Gongzi, you better do your best and at least make it past the third floor. Otherwise, wasting silver is one thing, but embarrassing Yun City is another!" Lin Dongxue said coldly.


    Liu Zhi felt confused hearing her suddenly cold tone. What had happened to her?


    As for Tang Yan''s return, Liu Zhi hadn''t given it much thought. He had specifically instructed his second uncle to handle the matter. With his second uncle at the fifth rank of the Xuan Stage, if Tang Yan had survived, it meant that his second uncle had failed to find them.


    "Tang Yan, how many floors do you think you can reach?" Lin Dongxue, now completely indifferent to Liu Zhi, turned to Tang Yan, a playful smile on her face.


    Liu Zhi noticed the stark contrast between Lin Dongxue’s attitude toward him and Tang Yan, and a hint of resentment flashed in his eyes. These two were clearly a couple—had they been intimate during their journey to Fang City?


    Tang Yan suddenly remembered the time on Cangyun Mountain when Lin Dongxue had insisted on racing against him. The last time she lost, she had kissed him in a moment of frustration, a kiss that he would never forget.


    "Alright," Tang Yan said, his mind racing back to that moment. "If we make the same bet as last time, then I’ll compete with you."