Chapter 140: The Blackblood Plateau

In the early days after the Trial Pagoda appeared in the capital, an endless stream of people flocked to it, hoping to strike it rich, especially after a few lucky individuals successfully retrieved high-quality system items.

It was thanks to the experience gained during that period that Zhou Tian managed to level up from 70 to 95 in less than a month. However, once he hit level 95, the situation shifted. While the pagoda remained alluring, the number of people willing to risk their lives for system loot dwindled. Initially, everyone focused on the success stories, but as time passed, mercenaries began to notice their peers dying inside, which forced a sense of cold reality upon them.

Although the pagoda still saw daily traffic, the days of massive, relentless crowds were over. Most people, having satisfied their initial curiosity or realized their own limitations, opted to return to their normal lives. As the number of adventurers declined, the steady flow of experience for Zhou Tian slowed significantly. Had it not been for the occasional influx of mercenaries arriving from distant lands, it is questionable whether he would have gained any experience at all.

Nevertheless, even with the reduced intake, Zhou Tian’s level continued to climb. It took him one month to go from 95 to 96, three months to reach 97, half a year for 98, and another year to finally hit 99.

At level 99, Zhou Tian encountered an unavoidable hurdle: the bottleneck. It is the one obstacle every living being dreads yet cannot escape. While innate talent varies, it is rarely the sole factor in reaching high levels; diligence can often compensate for average aptitude. The true reason many professionals remain stagnant is their inability to break through these physiological or spiritual bottlenecks.

Breaking through can lead to a breakthrough in strength, but failure often means stagnation for a lifetime, regardless of one's talent. The most common method of overcoming a bottleneck is through persistent cultivation, though success often requires a fair share of luck. A person with high talent but poor luck might remain stuck at the apprentice level forever, while someone with average talent but great luck might reach the Saint or Demigod rank without ever facing a major barrier.

Zhou Tian was not particularly known for his luck, but he had the system to rely on. Later, as the system integrated with the world's rules, he gained access to dragon cultivation techniques and bloodlines. Since the ultimate goal for a serpentine creature is to transform into a dragon, Zhou Tian faced fewer bottlenecks than others. Furthermore, he possessed the ability to allocate stat points. Having identified "Luck" as an attribute, he had invested heavily in it, which, combined with his cultivation, kept him free of barriers—until now.

He was at the critical stage of evolving from a snake to a jiao. This was his most formidable bottleneck yet. If he succeeded, all would be well; if he failed, he might remain a snake for the rest of his life. Unwilling to accept such a fate, Zhou Tian had tried everything: consuming vast amounts of elixirs and accumulating enough experience to level up twice over. Yet, nothing triggered the transformation.

Realizing that gentle methods were insufficient, Zhou Tian decided to seek a breakthrough through combat. In life-or-death situations, one's latent potential often erupts, allowing for the shattering of barriers that peaceful cultivation cannot touch. This is why those who survive constant battles often possess higher cultivation levels than those who train in isolation.

Zhou Tian had avoided such risks previously because he had no need to—the system provided everything with ease. Now, however, he had no choice.

With the Trial Pagoda having brought wealth and development to the capital, the city was thriving. With the Twelve Heavenly Godly Evil Array protecting it and professional administrators managing affairs, Zhou Tian felt secure in leaving for a time. He departed in secret, heading toward a notoriously dangerous region.

He avoided staying within human territories to prevent unnecessary attention. As the "Number One Alchemist of the Continent," he was a target for many, and he did not want to trigger conflicts or risk being besieged by enemies. He set his sights on the Black Blood Plateau, located at the intersection of the Ice Empire and the Orc Empire, opposite the Elven Empire.

The Black Blood Plateau was a lawless land, a paradise for dark practitioners, and a headache for the Church. Legend had it that the region was once part of an ancient nation that possessed advanced alchemy capable of creating weapons rivalling the power of demigods. Their progress allegedly frightened the gods and demons, leading to the nation’s destruction. A centuries-long war between empires fighting over these ancient ruins eventually soaked the earth in blood, turning it black and creating a haven for undead and dark magic practitioners.

Entering the region required traveling on foot or by mount, as no empire would dare establish a teleportation circle leading to such a den of chaos. Zhou Tian, using a cloud-riding technique from the "True Dragon Secret Tome," flew toward the plateau. He believed the high altitude would be safe, but he soon underestimated the dangers of the Black Blood Plateau.

Mid-flight, a screeching sound echoed in the distance. Zhou Tian looked toward the noise, only to gasp in shock. Without a second thought, he immediately diverted his cloud and fled in the opposite direction.