Chapter 44 – Jun De Resists Temptation

  Jun De’s arrival on the Seventh Floor of the Tower of Tempered will came without any fanfare. One moment, he was being treated with visions of his past life, and the next, he was standing under a dull grey sky of a humble village nestled between farmer’s fields.

  There was no Qi in the air, no swords or roaring beasts. The only thing that waited for him was work.

  He spent what felt like years living as a farmhand. He tilled soil, carried buckets and fetched firewood. Jun De would spend his free time making small talk with his neighbours and doing choirs around the village.

  There was no cultivation or hurry, just a slow and simple life. The only unusual thing that happened was that a man in black robes appeared in front of him. He promised Jun De the life of an immortal, of all the power he could ever imagine wielding.

  The only thing he asked in return was for Jun De to kill an innocent villager. One life in exchange for a new path to power.

  Jun De immediately shook his head and turned him down.

  “If cultivation means becoming someone I hate, then I’ll keep farming.”

  The world shattered around him like glass, and Jun De stepped onto the Eighth Floor.

  Jun De found himself sitting in front of an old man who smelled like onions and claimed to be a legendary grandmaster of a forgotten art. Jun De couldn’t sense any cultivation from the old man, but that wasn’t odd since many experts concealed their cultivation.

  The old man told Jun De that he was passing on his ultimate technique to him and that he wouldn’t be allowed to leave the room until Jun De learned it.

  The technique he taught Jun De was truly bizarre, which consisted of hopping about on one foot while chanting nonsense words before striking the wall next to him with a hand gesture that resembled a thumbs-up.

  In between each attempt, Jun De would be forced to drink a ‘medicinal soup’ that smelled terribly and tasted like stagnant swamp water.

  Most cultivators would have stormed off in a fury, refusing to learn such a ridiculous technique. Or they would have assumed the old man was suffering from Qi deviation and had lost his mind. Cultivators were proud people, often rigid in their thinking and possessing a narrow view of the world.

  But Jun De just blinked at the instructions and shrugged his shoulders.

  “Honestly, every technique I’ve seen so far made just as little sense as this one.” Jun De said before practicing the technique exactly as instructed.

  Jun De chanted the words without understanding them, hopped on his right foot, then his left, and struck out with his right hand, forming a ‘thumbs up’ gesture.

  After weeks of trying, the ‘Thumbs-Up Fist’ shattered the wall beside Jun De, along with three other walls directly behind it, and the old man cackled madly and vanished into motes of golden light.

  Which is how Jun De found himself on the Ninth and final Floor.

  The Artifact Spirit of the Tower of Tempered Will was determined to make this one as hard on Jun De as possible. It had learned much about Jun De during his time inside, and it had found that Jun De had a desire and a potential flaw tucked deep down inside him.

  Jun De had a fondness for beautiful women. In fact, it knew that Jun De desired to surround himself with them and the Artifact Spirit intended to craft the final trial around that flaw.

  When Jun De stepped onto the final floor of the Tower of Tempered Will, a warm, floral fragrance greeted him immediately. The ground was carpeted with layered silks, and a gentle pink haze filled the air. Red lanterns hung from the ceiling, and everything was draped in comfort and seduction.

  He had just gotten his bearings when the women appeared.

  They emerged in pairs and clusters from behind curtains, doorways and even the shadows. They walked barefoot toward him, laughing and whispering to each other. There were dozens at first, then hundreds, walking or lounging on beds and cushions that sprang into existence.

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  The women possessed every kind of form Jun De’s mind could ever imagine. Some were tall and statuesque, others delicate and graceful. Some gave him lusty looks with bold eyes and wild hair, while others appeared soft-spoken and serene.

  Each and every one of them was beautiful beyond compare, their every feature crafted to appeal to his longings or hidden desires.

  Some wore flowing robes that slipped from their shoulders to reveal pale and perfect skin, while others were clad in sheer silk that left nothing to the imagination or ornate garments that highlighted their figures.

  Gold jewelry glinted at wrists and ankles, charms chimed with every movement, and their long hair was styled in every way imaginable, in every colour under the rainbow.

  Each and every one of the women watched him, either with playfulness or affection, love or desire. Their presence was overwhelming, like a storm of longing, temptation and pleasure.

  And the incense grew thicker, filled with medicinal herbs designed to increase the lust of everyone who inhaled it.

  Jun De’s thoughts quickly grew muddled as his heart beat faster. His skin flushed, and he felt like he was burning from the inside out.

  His mouth hung open as he watched them. They didn’t just walk; they seemed to glide across the ground. A gorgeous brunette touched his arm and whispered his name while lightly tugging him toward a chair. Another giggled as she looped her fingers around his and leaned her body against him.

  Jun De froze.

  He looked from one woman to the next, and somehow, it seemed they were all getting closer to him. They were smiling, laughing, and leaning in close. He subconsciously tried to step back, but he bumped into a tall, blond woman who smiled and ran her finger down his chest.

  And that was when the flaw in the Artifact Spirits plan was revealed.

  Jun De wanted to enjoy life; he wanted to spend time with beautiful women and even had plans to start a Harem. Unfortunately, Jun De had zero experience with women.

  He had barely spoken to anyone of the opposite gender in his past life, aside from a few classmates, but that was strictly about school or various projects. Jun De had never kissed a woman, or even been on a date!

  And now, here he was, thrown into the deep end of the pool without ever learning how to swim.

  Jun De was drowning.

  With a strangled noise, Jun De spun on his heel and, stumbled through a cloud of incense and walked out of the room like a panicked animal. He left behind what many men would consider paradise as quickly as he could.

  The moment his foot crossed the threshold of the chamber, the haze of incense vanished, and the fragrance thinned.

  He stood there for a long moment, gasping for breath.

  And that was how Jun De passed the final floor of the Tower of Tempered Will.

  Page Break

  There was a sudden flash of blinding light from the top of the Tower of Tempered Will that caught the Outer Sect’s attention. This wasn’t the glow of someone passing a floor but a pulse so brilliant it illuminated the entire courtyard below like a second sun.

  Disciples froze where they stood, conversations died on their lips, and even the wind seemed to pause.

  Figures descended from the sky in response. Elders from both the Outer and Inner Sects arrived, those of the Foundation Establishment stage and higher speeding through the air in streaks of radiant light or on their flying swords.

  At the very front of the Elders stood Vice Sect Master Mu, with her hands folded calmly behind her back and her eyes locked onto the Tower’s entrance. She said nothing as she waited, but there was a rare smile on her lips, and everyone could see that she was incredibly pleased.

  There was a low hum from the Tower, and Jun De appeared from within.

  Wearing the plain blue robes of the Outer Sect, Jun De stood out from his peers due to his refined and noble appearance, as well as his 5th Level of Qi Condensation Cultivation. His skin seemed to shimmer faintly under the descending light, and he appeared unbothered by the crowd assembled to greet him.

  Elder Mu stepped forward, and her voice easily carried across the courtyard.

  “Congratulations, Jun De. You are the first in your generation of Disciples to pass all nine floors of the Tower of Tempered Will.”

  Jun De responded by clasping his hands and bowing low to the Elder.

  “Disciple Jun De greets the honoured Elders of the Sect. I thank you for your kind words, Inner Sect Elder Mu, but I feel I do not deserve them. I succeeded through luck.” Jun De said honestly while making sure to keep his tone respectful.

  A murmur rippled through the crowd as people assumed Jun De was being modest and speaking with false humility. They had all attempted the Tower during the time he had been inside, and they knew how hard it was to get past the first floor, let alone all nine.

  Elder Mu gave him a knowing look as she also thought he was being too humble.

  “Regardless, you will be rewarded by the Sect for your achievements. You are hereby granted 100,000 Sect Contribution Points and full access to the Ninefold Refinement Array.”

  Jun De’s expression froze, and his heart began to pound in his chest. There was a faint twitch in his right eye, and it took all of his willpower not to flee.

  ‘The Ninefold Refinement Array! The one place in the entire Sect that I never want to see again.’

  ‘Well, two places.’ Jun De thought as he added the Tower of Tempered Will to the list.

  Jun De swallowed and forced a smile onto his face before bowing once again.

  “That is extremely generous, Elder Mu. I thank the Sect for its kindness.” Jun De said without meaning it in the slightest.

  ‘I’m never going back there again. Never Ever. Nope!’

  The crowd applauded, and the Elders nodded in approval as Jun De vowed to avoid the Array for the rest of his very long life.