Feng Ninghe gently reached out and patted his head, offering comfort. "I was trapped in an illusion just now, and it took me some time to break free. How long was I unconscious?"
Facing her question, Xiao Zhao replied without hesitation, "Master, you were unconscious for a little less than half a day."
In the illusion, she had lived through two lifetimes, the experience so long that she believed millennia had passed.
She hadn't expected only half a day to have gone by.
Feng Ninghe slowly got up and surveyed her surroundings.
Everything was a vast expanse of white, stretching as far as the eye could see.
There was no one else present besides them.
For some reason, standing there and gazing at the boundless surroundings, her heart felt at peace.
A crescent bow had already appeared in her hand, and her clear, feminine voice followed, "Xiao Zhao, it's time for us to go."
Feng Ninghe drew the crescent bow and shot an arrow fiercely downwards!
*Swish!*
As the formation shattered, a strong light pierced the eyes.
The light quickly vanished, and a staircase appeared before them.
An elder clad in dark robes stood quietly at the top of the stairs, awaiting them.
Feng Ninghe and Xiao Zhao stepped onto the stairs.
She subtly observed the elder before her.
"Young lady, congratulations. You are the first to pass the second trial."
A gentle smile graced the elder's face as he gazed at Feng Ninghe. He casually produced a brocade pouch and handed it over. "This is the reward for the second level."
Feng Ninghe did not delay, quickly accepting the pouch.
The brocade pouch appeared ordinary, with no distinguishing features.
"What is this?"
She casually opened the pouch and, upon seeing it filled with powder, her eyes lit up. "This is Miaoxiang powder."
Miaoxiang powder was extremely difficult to refine and had numerous uses. It could be used in medicine to create elixirs or made into fragrant powder.
It was effective for both beasts and humans.
Even a tiny amount of this powder was priceless, let alone this small pouch filled to the brim.
Feng Ninghe felt a surge of satisfaction, content that her decision to enter the Thunder Cloud Tower had been wise.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have had the opportunity to obtain these treasures.
The elder nodded slowly, affirming her thoughts. "Young lady, I have one more question for you."
To his inquiry, Feng Ninghe responded openly, "Senior, if you have a question, please ask directly."
Her presence in the Thunder Cloud Tower indicated that the elder's identity was extraordinary.
Moreover, the reward had been personally handed to her by him.
The elder then voiced his thoughts. "Young lady, others who entered the first trial were busy breaking formations, yet you were studying them, and even managed to deploy the formations you encountered in the first trial."
"How did you know what I was doing inside?" Feng Ninghe tilted her head up, a hint of surprise in her beautiful eyes.
The elder chuckled heartily and explained softly, "What happens within the barrier is not only known to me but also visible to those outside. If one performs well, they may be noticed by the academy."
"Outside people?"
Feng Ninghe raised a delicate eyebrow. "Everyone in the academy can see our every move within the Thunder Cloud Tower?"
The elder nodded gently. "Indeed. I have answered your question, so now it is your turn to answer mine, is it not?"
Feng Ninghe couldn't help but feel fortunate in her heart that she hadn't done anything embarrassing within the Thunder Cloud Tower, otherwise, wouldn't everyone have seen it?
After a moment, she collected her thoughts and spoke softly, "Since I came to the Thunder Cloud Tower, I cannot leave empty-handed. The more I can learn, the better."
These simple words clearly conveyed her intentions.
She was already quite interested in formations, and learning more would do her no harm.
The elder stroked his long beard with a hint of approval, his eyes holding a subtle admiration. "Young lady, there are many more trials ahead. Continue to strive."
Their conversation did not last long.
Feng Ninghe had also arrived at the third level of the Thunder Cloud Tower.
She was alone on the third level. The decor here was no different from the previous two levels.
She patiently waited.
After a short while, more people began to ascend to the third level.
"Little sister."
Feng Linyuan strode up the stairs, a faint smile on his handsome face as he looked at her.
Feng Ninghe's eyes curved into a smile, her expression radiant. "Brother, you've come quite quickly."
"And we're here too!"
Bai Niannian walked at the forefront, with Feng Xing and Su Hongxiu following behind her.
Seeing familiar faces appearing one after another, Feng Ninghe's heart settled.
Bai Niannian's gaze darted around, as if searching for something, a hint of disdain appearing in her eyes. "Ji Binyu and Lin Yuran haven't come up yet. Could it be that these two couldn't even pass the second trial?"
"Who says we couldn't pass the second trial?"
Lin Yuran's face turned ashen as she stepped onto the stairs, her angry eyes instantly falling on Feng Ninghe.
Even though Bai Niannian was the one who had spoken mockingly, she first directed her gaze at Feng Ninghe.
In the illusion, she had seen Feng Ninghe the most, even repeatedly replaying the scene of her killing this woman.
The pleasure had almost driven her mad, making her lose all reason.
No one knew how much she desired Feng Ninghe's demise; she even felt a slight fondness for the illusion.
Bai Niannian withdrew her gaze, her delicate face showing little change in expression. "Your cultivation is slightly superior to mine, yet you arrive so late. It seems having only cultivation without sufficient composure is useless."
Ji Binyu grabbed Lin Yuran's hand and shot a fierce glare at Bai Niannian. "You're quite sharp-tongued, but I wonder how long you can remain so arrogant."
He then specifically turned his gaze to Feng Ninghe, a hint of darkness creeping into his eyes.
If they could fight within the Thunder Cloud Tower, eliminating this woman would finally remove the thorn in his side.
However, fighting within the Thunder Cloud Tower was not easy...
Lin Yuran's bright face was tinged with malice, her slightly raised peach blossom eyes holding a hint of allure, yet her face was contorted with rage.
In the illusion, she had drawn her sword countless times to stab Feng Ninghe.
Now, this woman stood before her, yet she couldn't act, which was incredibly frustrating...
Lin Yuran subconsciously glanced around, countless thoughts flashing through her eyes.
The number of people who had entered the second level of the Thunder Cloud Tower was even smaller, less than a hundred in total.
If she could have Feng Ninghe dealt with by someone else...
*Dong dong!*
A dull drumbeat sounded again.
An elder, with a smile on his face, stood cheerfully before everyone. "The second trial has officially concluded. Congratulations to all of you for reaching this point. Next is the third trial. I will send you to a jungle filled with human puppets. Your task is to survive there for one day."
"What?"
"Send us to a place full of human puppets?"
"Human puppets are difficult to deal with. There are quite a few of us here. If we unite, there's still a chance of survival!"