Apart from Zhang Fan, the others were all filled with shock. Even Pu Ji Zhen Xian, who had spent hundreds of years in the Star River, was still awestruck by the majestic tower every time he saw the Seven Star Tower.
It was several light-years high, its summit out of sight. The tower stood obliquely in the Star River like a pillar connecting heaven and earth. The vast Star River seemed like a mere stream before it.
"If the Immortal Emperor could lift the Seven Star Tower, why didn't they take it from the Star River? Even a broken treasure tower would be valuable material, wouldn't it?" Blood Demon Jiao asked doubtfully.
In fact, Pu Ji Zhen Xian also had this question, but no one in the war base knew why. Perhaps it was due to insufficient strength, so they couldn't access the truth.
"Because this is not the true body of the Seven Star Tower, it's just an image projected in the Star River," Zhang Fan chuckled.
"An image?" The crowd found it hard to believe. The Seven Star Tower stood obliquely in the Star River, its height of several light-years piercing the starry sky. Its base was deeply embedded in the Star River, absorbing its waters. It even formed countless huge whirlpools around it. These were all real, so how could it be just an image?
"Impossible, the Seven Star Tower is a tangible existence. How can it be illusory?" Pu Ji Zhen Xian shook his head, as he had entered the Seven Star Tower and explored it many times. The scarred tower body was indestructible, and he could feel its reality.
"What is real? What is illusory?" Zhang Fan stared at Pu Ji Zhen Xian and said with a smile, "If the true body of the Seven Star Tower were here, this Star River wouldn't be contended for by the Zi Xiao Star Domain and the Jiu Ya Star Domain!"
"You must know that the Seven Star Tower is a true Immortal Emperor artifact. Even a Great Ascension Immortal Emperor would be extremely covetous of it. You can feel its reality because your strength is insufficient. When you truly master the Great Dao, you will understand everything."
After hearing Zhang Fan's words, Pu Ji Zhen Xian's heart was deeply stirred. He didn't speak anymore because he felt that what Zhang Fan said was likely the truth.
Pu Ji Zhen Xian had never heard such profound secrets despite exploring the Star River for hundreds of years, yet Zhang Fan knew them.
Pu Ji Zhen Xian speculated in his heart whether Zhang Fan had deduced it through his own means or obtained the information from other channels. But clearly, either possibility indicated that Zhang Fan was no ordinary person.
This made Pu Ji Zhen Xian even more curious about Zhang Fan. How could such a person come from the Savage Star Domain?
"Where is the true body of the Seven Star Tower?" Blood Demon Jiao quickly asked.
"In a place only I know," Zhang Fan said mysteriously.
Blood Demon Jiao sighed and didn't believe him at all. How could Zhang Fan know about a treasure that even Great Ascension Immortal Emperors coveted?
Zhang Fan smiled. Currently, it was true that only he knew where the Seven Star Tower was. However, his strength was insufficient, and the time was not ripe. He did not have the ability to retrieve it yet.
"The Seven Star Tower is divided into seven layers and is rumored to be forged from seven giant and rare mineral stars. Each layer's space is comparable to a great world. Within the Seven Star Tower, countless precious refining materials are nurtured," Pu Ji Zhen Xian said.
Zhang Fan nodded and said, "This rumor is not wrong. Even if it is just a projection of a true Immortal Emperor artifact, it possesses incredible power. It is not surprising that it nurtures some refining materials."
...
The first layer of the Seven Star Tower was a world of fire.
Endless land, crisscrossed with ravines, volcanoes erupted everywhere, and magma rolled, dyeing the earth a crimson color. The air was filled with the dense fire element. A gentle breath felt like fire was being expelled from the mouth.
A noisy yet desolate world, apart from the roaring sound of volcanic eruptions, no other living beings existed. Zhang Fan and the others flew at a low altitude in the fire element world for several days but did not see a single human figure.
"It's dead silent and lifeless. This fire element world is so boring," Blood Demon Jiao felt quite bored. This was different from the battlefield it had imagined, without any feeling of excitement.
"The length and width of the first layer of the Seven Star Tower are close to one light-year. It's normal not to encounter anyone. However, as long as treasures appear, all cultivators in the fire element world will sense it. Then it will depend on who is closest and who is faster," Pu Ji Zhen Xian said.
Upon hearing this, a flash of inspiration struck Blood Demon Jiao, and it said, "If that's the case, then we should head directly to the central position of this world. From there, we can quickly reach any location in this world. Am I right?"
After speaking, Blood Demon Jiao looked smugly at Pu Ji Zhen Xian.
Pu Ji Zhen Xian glanced at this "big smart guy" and smiled, "Do you think other cultivators wouldn't think of something that even you can think of? Teams daring to enter the central position of this world need at least a six-star general leading them. Our team, whether in numbers or overall strength, is not yet suitable for exploring there."
"Isn't my master here? What's a six-star general?" Blood Demon Jiao said dismissively.
"Pu Ji is right. Our team's strength is not yet suitable for exploring the central position."
"Even if I can deal with a six-star general, you still need to hone your skills," Zhang Fan looked at Blood Demon Jiao and Nan Zun, and then said, "This starry battlefield is an excellent place for tempering. You need to quickly adapt to the environment here. I can still protect you now, but once I reach the Nascent Soul stage, I will venture alone. By then, you will have to rely on yourselves."
"Is the Nascent Soul stage that easy to break through?" Blood Demon Jiao asked doubtfully.
Zhang Fan nodded and said, "I will break through to the Nascent Soul stage within three years. I'm telling you in advance so you can be mentally prepared."
Blood Demon Jiao and Nan Zun were not too surprised. After all, the two of them knew that Zhang Fan had almost no bottlenecks at any stage of his cultivation. The profound truths of the Great Dao that were difficult for countless cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage to comprehend seemed to have long been understood by Zhang Fan.
As for Pu Ji Zhen Xian and the Pang brothers, hearing Zhang Fan's words made them look sideways. Zhang Fan, who was currently only in the middle stage of the Nascent Soul realm, claimed he would break through to the Nascent Soul stage within three years. Seeing his calm and confident demeanor, Pu Ji Zhen Xian and the other two couldn't help but doubt themselves.
Was cultivation really that easy?
"Rumble!"
While they were talking, the entire fire element world suddenly began to shake. Countless volcanoes erupted simultaneously, and lava filled the sky like pillars of fire, creating a scene like the end of the world.
Pu Ji Zhen Xian's eyes lit up. He turned and looked into the distance, excitedly saying, "Treasure is emerging in the southwest direction."
"Let's go!"
Zhang Fan released his profound mana to envelop the others, tore open a spatial rift with a wave of his hand, and plunged into the dark space, heading southwest.
...