Ten thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, countless demon gods and other beings ventured into the Chaos Tower, eager to measure their true strength and gain a clearer understanding of their abilities.
However, rather than boosting their confidence, their attempts only led to unprecedented defeat and humiliation.
"Impossible! I barely reached the 800th floor of the Chaos Tower. I'm a demon god on the verge of enlightenment! Shouldn't a demon god be capable of climbing at least a thousand floors?"
A Quasi-Saint demon god at the peak of his cultivation found himself in utter disbelief. He had always considered himself among the strongest at his level, yet he was mercilessly slain by the monsters within the tower and ejected just after reaching the 800th floor. The reality was too much to accept.
"Hah! And you think that's bad? I'm a demon god who is about to attain the Tao, yet I only reached the 700th floor!"
Another peak Quasi-Saint demon god turned pale with frustration, his confidence shattered.
Before the emergence of the Chaos Tower, they had been complacent, convinced they stood at the pinnacle of their rank. But now, cold, hard truth struck them like a hammer. Not only were they far from the strongest Quasi-Saints, but they were nothing more than weaklings who couldn't even surpass the 800th floor.
"This is absurd! The trials of the Chaos Tower are far too difficult! The monsters inside are endless, each possessing self-awareness and capable of forming legions. How are we supposed to fight against that?"
A demon god spoke with a grave tone.
"Exactly! Do you think it's even possible to surpass the combat power of others at our level by dozens of times? This isn't something a demon god should be capable of!"
Many demon gods were left in shock. While it was true that talent and strength varied among them, the gap was usually only a few times at most—not dozens. What kind of terrifying existence would it take to achieve such a disparity?
"By the way, has anyone figured out how far the most powerful gods have climbed?"
Curiosity grew among the demon gods, eager to compare themselves to the greatest deities.
"Let's not even talk about that. If we feel humiliated, imagine how the gods must feel! It is said that even the strongest of them, the Lord of Light, only reached the 5,000th floor. He is still unfathomably far from the 10,000th floor."
One demon god sighed in disbelief.
"What?! The Lord of Light—one of the most powerful beings among the gods—only climbed to the 5,000th floor? Are you sure about this?"
Gasps filled the air as demon gods widened their eyes in shock.
"Absolutely. Many demon gods witnessed it firsthand. When the Lord of Light exited the Chaos Tower, his expression was described as 'Heart Like Ashes.' Those who saw it couldn't help but feel sorrow."
"Unbelievable… The Chaos Tower has a total of 129,600 floors, and even the Lord of Light hasn't climbed a mere fraction of it!"
Many demon gods were utterly stunned by the revelation.
"Heh, the Lord of Light has already done well compared to others. It is said that the Lord of the Furnace only reached the 4,000th floor, the Lord of the Storm the 3,900th floor, and the Lord of the Titans the 4,300th floor."
A demon god sneered as he revealed more shocking truths.
"That's terrifying!"
Many demon gods shuddered.
"Before this, I thought the gap between the Lord of Light and the Lord of Chaos City wasn't too vast. But now, it's clear—it's immeasurable!"
A single Chaos Tower, with its 129,600 floors, had laid bare the reality of power. Even a being as mighty as the Lord of Light had only reached the 5,000th floor. The realization weighed heavily on their hearts.
Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. As long as they didn't know the gap, they could at least pretend to have hope. But now, knowing just how insurmountable the difference was, many demon gods felt their courage waver.
"Isn't there anyone among us who can come close to the Chaos City Lord?"
A Chaos Demon God asked with trembling fear.
"If even the Lord of Light could only reach the 5,000th floor, how could any of us hope to do better?"
"What about the Lord of Darkness? I heard his strength is also extraordinary. Why didn't he participate?"
"It doesn't matter. His power is comparable to the Lord of Light, so what difference would it make?"
"It seems the Chaos City Lord is simply on another level. The gap is so vast that it feels hopeless."
Demon gods murmured among themselves, voices filled with despair.
"No, you're wrong."
A mysterious demon god suddenly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of reverence.
"There is someone who has climbed higher than the Lord of Light—Pangu, the Deputy City Lord of Chaos City."
A heavy silence fell over the crowd.
"What? Are you serious? How high did he climb? Seven thousand floors? Eight thousand?"
One demon god asked hesitantly.
"Seven thousand? Eight thousand? You underestimate the master of the Giant Axe Arena. Pangu reached the 121,100th floor of the Chaos Tower. He is only a few thousand floors away from reaching the very top."
The demon god spoke with absolute certainty.
"What?!"
Gasps of shock erupted as every demon god present was left speechless.
The strongest among them had barely reached 5,000 floors, yet Pangu had climbed to 121,100. The sheer difference was beyond comprehension.
Of course, they had always known Pangu was second only to the Chaos City Lord. He had battled the Lord of Chaos City for 100,000 years, proving himself as one of the strongest beings in existence.
But none of them had expected him to reach such heights.
"Master Pangu… is truly that powerful?"
A demon god muttered in awe.
"Of course! If he weren't, why would the Chaos City Lord personally invite him to become Deputy City Lord? His strength is undeniable!"
"With the two strongest gods of Chaos residing in Chaos City, their combined power is terrifying."
"The difference between the first and second echelons is simply too vast. It's beyond imagination."
"I never realized Master Pangu's strength was so overwhelming. This is truly shocking."
"If only Master Pangu would guide us…"
As the realization sank in, the demon gods erupted into an uproar. More and more of them flocked toward the Giant Axe Arena, hoping to become disciples of Pangu.