Chapter Two: The Mythical Spirit Tower

"Mythic Spirit Tower?"

Before crossing over, Li Mu's company happened to be planning a groundbreaking video game. In that game, there was a peculiar artifact known as the Mythic Spirit Tower. Though he had just started his job and rarely interacted with the game itself, the Spirit Tower sample was displayed throughout the office, leaving a deep impression on him.

He never imagined that, after crossing into this world, he would bring the entire tower along.

Staring at the golden, gleaming Spirit Tower, Li Mu’s mind suddenly brightened, momentarily forgetting his predicament, half-buried in mud and water. He racked his brains, recalling that the Mythic Spirit Tower was an extraordinary item, the ultimate treasure in the game, with numerous unique functions—though he could not remember all the details.

He decided to experiment.

Scooping up a handful of muddy water, Li Mu focused, and the water appeared beside the Spirit Tower. The tower’s door opened and closed, absorbing the mud, then flashed with yellow light and expelled it again. A mechanical, paternal voice sounded, “This material is worthless, cannot be transformed.”

Li Mu nodded thoughtfully. He then took several handfuls of colorful stone from his bowl and tossed them into the Spirit Tower.

The tower swallowed the colorful clay, emitting a dazzling yellow light. “This material is fundamental, transformation possible. Please select transformation method.”

Within the yellow glow, several small words appeared on the tower’s body. Li Mu quickly examined them. On the first level, it read “Smelting Furnace.” The second level said “Synthesis.” From the third level onward, the words grew indistinct.

“Smelting Furnace,” Li Mu commanded after a moment’s thought.

In a flickering burst of yellow light, the tower’s mouth opened, and out rolled a bean-sized jewel.

Unhurriedly, Li Mu took the dark stone from the tower and held it up for inspection. It was clearly the same colorful stone as before, only smaller, nothing more remarkable.

“So it’s true—the Mythic Spirit Tower can melt colorful clay into colorful stones.”

For the first time since crossing over, Li Mu felt a surge of joy.

If he could gather enough of these colorful stones, he could finally escape and improve his current situation.

“Please note: this smelting consumed 1 tower point. Remaining tower points: 99.”

The mechanical voice sounded again.

Tower points?

It seemed the Spirit Tower could not be used indefinitely. Li Mu’s mood dimmed, but quickly revived—99 points remained, enough to smelt many colorful stones. First, he would resolve his immediate problems; the rest could wait.

With newfound determination, Li Mu poured all the colorful stones from his bowl into the Spirit Tower.

After smelting, an egg-sized colorful stone rolled out, which Li Mu grasped tightly.

This was it.

Li Mu, heart brimming with joy and clarity, searched carefully and found footholds where he previously couldn’t. He moved, climbing out of the pit, and walked to the mining tunnel’s edge.

“Ugh...”

He cried out, then quickly shut his mouth, changing what would have been “I found a colorful stone” to “That hurts!”

Just as he was about to speak, he remembered: now that he had a way out of the tunnel, why rush? Even immortals sought these colorful stones—they must be incredibly valuable, and who knew if he would ever find more? Why not collect as many as possible?

With the Mythic Spirit Tower at his disposal, why settle for being ordinary?

“Even immortals use such treasures; someday, so will I.”

In the dim tunnel, Li Mu’s eyes flashed with a trace of light, transformed from the local mindset.

Everyone’s gaze fell on him, faces filled with disdain.

“Who here isn’t in pain? Why shout?”

“Stop yelling, or how am I supposed to keep digging?”

Li Mu glanced at them, then bent down to gather more muddy water.

Yet, his injury, wrapped in mud, no longer hurt as much.

As his hand touched the mud, Li Mu’s mind sparked with another idea—if the Spirit Tower could distinguish between spirit materials and mud, could it be used to directly collect colorful stones?

He acted on impulse. Grabbing handfuls of earth, he tossed them into the Spirit Tower. The mud was returned, but the colorful stones remained inside.

Previously, each handful had to be carefully sifted to find colorful stones. Now, his fingers acted like a sieve, processing the earth directly and retaining the stones. His efficiency soared many times over. This mining tunnel, which required many immortal slaves, could now be handled by Li Mu alone.

Suppressing his excitement, Li Mu calmly continued mining.

Much time passed.

The Spirit Tower accumulated a substantial pile of colorful stones. Its internal space seemed limitless, able to contain any amount. But once a certain number was reached, the tower issued a warning: exceeding this limit would increase the tower points required for smelting.

“Smelt, smelt.”

One by one, pigeon-egg-sized colorful stones lined the Spirit Tower’s sides, though its tower points had dwindled to just thirty.

It was enough; he could not use the tower further, needing to reserve some points for future research.

He could not be reckless. Li Mu understood this, though he had no idea how to replenish tower points—an agonizing dilemma.

Unnoticed, Li Mu gripped a colorful stone tightly and began to walk out of the mining tunnel.

When he was dozens of yards from the exit, a fierce wind suddenly struck him like an iron hammer, knocking Li Mu off balance and back into the mud.

The purple-robed cultivator drifted before him, a hint of mockery on his face. “Trying to run?”

Li Mu shook his head and held up the colorful stone. “I found a colorful stone.”

“Another one?”

The purple-robed cultivator’s face showed disbelief, his voice trembling with intensity, forgetting even to rebuke Li Mu’s lack of courtesy.

The colorful glow shone brighter than before, illuminating the tunnel like daylight, with rainbow light spilling everywhere.

Li Mu hurriedly closed his eyes, unused to such brightness after so long in the dark tunnel, but he felt a sudden warmth, comfort spreading through his body.

“What is this? Superior... superior colorful stone!”

The cultivator’s words faltered. He understood the significance of superior spirit materials—they were far more precious than ordinary ones. Even colorful stones, already rare and precious, paled in comparison.

Colorful clay was common, but colorful stones were rare; in terms of effectiveness, a thousand pieces of colorful clay could not match a single colorful stone. In normal circumstances, seeing two in such a tunnel was extraordinary.

A superior colorful stone—if handed to the sect, would earn him a high reward. Even the ordinary colorful stone, if sold privately, would fetch several superior spirit crystals at least.

“Excellent, excellent!”

The purple-robed cultivator regarded Li Mu, a rare softness appearing in his icy eyes. “What reward do you want?”

Li Mu lowered his head cautiously. “Immortal Master, I only wish to return home.”

The cultivator’s lips curled in a smile. “You are very clever—not asking me for cultivation techniques.”

Li Mu’s heart trembled. Earlier, when Li San asked for cultivation methods, the purple-robed cultivator’s strange smile had chilled him, so he dared not make such a request.

Now, it seemed he had made the right choice.