Chapter 1001: Momentum That Leaves One Speechless
The good news from the Pagoda spread like wildfire
throughout Veluriyam Capital. Someone had passed the eighth Veluriyam Obelisk
and broken the record Emperor Peafowl had held for nearly five thousand years!
Emperor Peafowl’s apparent intention to advertise this success only caused the
news to spread even faster. The three words “young lord Zhen” were brought up
again and again amongst the citizens of Veluriyam Capital. People were of the
mindset that the greatest star of Veluriyam Capital’s young generation of
cultivators had made his appearance. Young lord Zhen was absolutely the best
candidate to succeed Emperor Peafowl. His achievements and the fortune he
carried were proof of his qualification.
For the past three thousand years, Emperor Peafowl had been
the absolute authority in Veluriyam Capital. He was the totem and protector god
in most citizens’ hearts. Young lord Zhen breaking through the record that a
young Emperor Peafowl had set meant that young lord Zhen was even greater than
the emperor. In addition, his excellence was acknowledged by Emperor Peafowl himself.
The student surpasses the master and the new replaces the
old. There was nothing the martial dao world loved more than this saying. A
genius’ improvement meant that the citizens under their protection were safer.
No one wished to see their territory being handed to a coward or a mediocre
ruler in the future. Young lord Zhen was without a doubt a candidate that truly
satisfied everyone’s hopes and wishes. Young lord Fan had been completely
forgotten by the citizens of Veluriyam Capital. They believed from the bottom
of their hearts that the young lord Zhen was superior in every way.
The powers under Emperor Peafowl’s command were greatly
inspired when they received this news. The Coiling Dragon Clan and House Wei in
particular could hardly contain their joy. They wanted nothing more than to
announce to the world that young lord Zhen had made his way to the peak from
under their wing. This was especially true for Wei Tianxiao, lord of House Wei.
He stood tall and proud before all others, and his status in House Wei rose
like never before. His words were now law in the entirety of his family, and
the family elders were also utterly loyal to him. No one dared to even think
about betraying the family. Everything they had now was thanks to young lord Zhen.
Introducing young lord Zhen to Sacred Peafowl Mountain alone was enough to
secure great riches and honors for the Wei father and son duo for generations
to come, to say nothing of anything else.
Judging from how things were moving right now, even House
Wei’s enemies were sitting on pins and needles. Those who had stomped
ruthlessly on House Wei when the aristocratic family were down on their luck
were especially worried of their future. House Wei was going to rise
meteorically with young lord Zhen’s rising status. At this rate, it was
entirely possible that House Wei would want to take revenge against all those
who offended them in the future. For a while, many of the powers that had
offended the aristocratic family in the past wondered if they should repair
their relationships with them before it was too late.
Similar joy had erupted over on the Coiling Dragon Clan’s
side as well. However, they were rejoicing because of young master Ji San. He
had also broken Emperor Peafowl’s old record when he successfully grasped the
seventh Veluriyam Obelisk. To the Coiling Dragon Clan, his success brought
about an unprecedented level of glory. No one, not even the most outstanding
clan lord in clan history had ever been able to obtain such an illustrious
achievement. Young master Liuxiang might be the only person in the entire
Coiling Dragon Clan who was unhappy with the news. As Ji San’s rival, he had no
choice but to sorrowfully admit that he had been surpassed by Ji Ole Third. In
fact, Ji Ole Third was so far ahead right now that he almost couldn’t see the
other’s back. Surprisingly, Ji Zhongtang was doing very well despite the news.
Ji San’s impossible performance had only fanned his passion for martial dao and
inspired a greater drive in him.
Taiyuan Tower was more popular than ever. All those
previously unfamiliar with the establishment made for the pill shop. They
wanted to see just how amazing the Taiyuan Tower that had nurtured a genius
like young lord Zhen truly was. Thankfully, the powers under Jiang Chen’s
personal command weren’t present in Taiyuan Tower right now. Otherwise, they
might not even be able to set foot outside their door.
Those at work were awash with both pleasure and stress.
While the attention was perfect for business, the building itself was seriously
going to break under the immense amount of attention and pressure it was
receiving. As long as young lord Zhen’s performance continued, so too would
this level of public enthusiasm.
“Your Majesty, do you think young lord Zhen will continue to
challenge the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk?” Cloudsoar Monarch asked softly. The
other three monarchs also turned to look at Emperor Peafowl with great
interest.
Emperor Peafowl smiled leisurely. “From what I know of him,
I’m sure he’ll continue the challenge. As for the exact timing, I think that’ll
come later. After all, he has so much time in the Veluriyam Pagoda.”
With Jiang Chen’s successful attempt at the eighth obelisk,
his time limit was extended by another two years. \That was enough for him to
do many things. Naturally, Emperor Peafowl thought that Jiang Chen wouldn’t
give in to petty impulses. However, something shocking soon happened. The young
lord actually started on the ninth obelisk three days after passing the eighth!
His firm and resolute attitude caused the seven great emperors to explode with
great furor.
Even the depressed Emperor Shura’s faction was absolutely
bewildered by Jiang Chen’s choice despite their dislike of him. A frisson of
hope suddenly arose in Emperor Shura’s heart. The dejection he felt after Li
Jiancheng’s defeat had lessened slightly. An impulsive attention seeker like
him must be a rash person. Geniuses like him normally don’t last long. Emperor
Shura had seen countless young geniuses like him in the past. They were all
people who had grown smug and conceited just because of a bit of success.
“Seriously? This young lord Zhen is too impulsive. The ninth
Veluriyam Obelisk is the last challenge in the Veluriyam Pagoda. It’s said that
it’s key to opening a new world in the Veluriyam Pagoda!”
“Yes, everything beyond the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk has been
a blank canvas for the longest time. Will Pill King Zhen be the one to bring us
this pleasant surprise?”
“I doubt it. He’s been too proud this time. He only waited
for three days to begin his challenge, when he has at least two years left in
his time limit. Why didn’t he stabilize his strength first before attempting
the challenge?”
“It’s hard to say. Maybe he’s thinking of doing the
challenge in one go while morale is high? He’s in a good and inspired frame of
mind right now. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to challenge the ninth
Veluriyam Obelisk like this.”
“Anyways, I think that he’s acted a bit too hastily this
time.”
Even Emperor Peafowl looked a little worried when he
received the news. Of course, he wasn’t worried because Jiang Chen had
overturned his earlier prediction. He had a different view regarding Jiang
Chen’s risky choice.
Everyone knew that the main pagoda contained nine Veluriyam
Obelisks, but no records of the world beyond them could be found. Emperor
Peafowl himself wasn’t sure why this was the case, as he didn’t know that the
teleportation formation at the entrance of the main pagoda had the ability to wipe
a cultivator’s memory. All those who failed to enter the Six Palaces of
Heritage would have their memories related to the nine Veluriyam Obelisks wiped
when they left.
Therefore, no one including Emperor Peafowl knew what
secrets were hidden behind the nine Veluriyam Obelisks. With that being said,
the emperor often mused about this despite his puzzlement. He deduced that the
nine Veluriyam Obelisks were probably a test to the geniuses of Veluriyam
Capital. Only those who had passed through these tests were qualified to access
more of the Veluriyam Pagoda’s secrets. Naturally, those who failed to do so
were forbidden from learning those secrets.
Following this line of deduction, Emperor Peafowl deduced
that the Veluriyam Pagoda was likely hiding even greater secrets in its depths.
Moreover, these secrets were so important that every measure of secrecy were
taken to ensure that they weren’t revealed. Therefore, all those who failed to
conquer the nine Veluriyam Obelisks were unqualified to uncover these secrets.
Not even he, Emperor Peafowl, master of Veluriyam Capital, ruler for three
thousand years, knew much about the Veluriyam Pagoda. His knowledge in this
regard was as limited as everyone else who had participated in the Veluriyam
Pagoda gathering. Today, he felt very conflicted to see Jiang Chen act so
recklessly in trying for the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk.
On one hand, the emperor knew Jiang Chen well enough to know
that he wouldn’t loose his arrow until he had his prey in his sights. He would
not have acted this way if he wasn’t confident in his chances. On the other
hand, Jiang Chen was in the prime of his youth. The emperor was worried that
Jiang Chen had been blinded by his recent success and made the wrong choice
during a critical moment. It was entirely possible for one impulsive move to
ruin all of his efforts.
Emperor Peafowl very much hoped that Jiang Chen could
uncover the deeper secrets and greater inheritances that were hidden behind the
Veluriyam Pagoda’s walls. In fact, it would be best if the lad could surpass
him and the upper limits of the entire Upper Eight Regions. It was the only way
to better ensure Veluriyam Capital’s survival during the demonic calamity that
was sure to come. It was also the only way to ensure that the fate that held
Veluriyam Capital together wouldn’t break. Emperor Peafowl possessed the
All-Seeing Eye, so he didn’t think that he was mistaken in his choice. He
didn’t doubt in the slightest that Jiang Chen was a man of great fortune.
But he was worried that Jiang Chen’s youthfulness would
cause him to grow so careless that he might miss out on the inheritances hidden
in the deeper levels of the Veluriyam Pagoda. This was something he least
wanted to see. The four great monarchs looked dumbstruck. It was obvious that
they were bowled over by the news too.
Chronobalance Monarch slapped his own head. “This young lord
Zhen seriously does not play by the rules. Why is he acting so hastily when he
has so much time?”
Plumscore Monarch said coldly in anger and disappointment,
“He’s a young man who just obtained great success and has ultimately failed to
keep his cool. If he were to fall before the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk, it will
not be due to a failure of talent, but a failure of character. If he doesn’t
change his frivolous attitude, his so-called fortune will only become as
transient as clouds in the end.”
Wildfox Monarch also sighed. “Impulsive, how impulsive. But
he’s a youngster, isn’t he? Who didn’t have moments of impulse when they were
young?”
Chapter 1002: The Mysterious Chain Seal
Standing before the ninth obelisk, Jiang Chen wondered if he
had opened a portal and arrived in a different world. The difficulty of the
ninth obelisk was increased by at least five times. Jiang Chen sent his
consciousness towards the ninth obelisk to activate it. A great pressure fell
from above, as though the sky had collapsed on top of him. Jiang Chen was
genuinely suppressed by the aura and pressure emitted by the ninth obelisk. He
would have wet his pants if his dao heart and consciousness hadn’t been so
unwaveringly resilient. The ninth obelisk was immensely packed with substance.
He seemed to have opened the gates of hell itself. Sometimes, he would be
pelted by eerie winds filled with rage or baleful killing intent, other times
he would hear wraiths shrieking and wailing. He could even hear an approaching
army from hell.
“Young one, welcome to the Pelagic Dragon Obelisk. This is
the final obelisk and your final test. If you overcome this challenge, you
shall soar through the heavens like a dragon. If you don’t, you will forever
splash in mediocrity like a mere fish in the sea. The opportunity to reach the
very peak will slip from your hands, and you will never become the brightest
pearl in the oceans.” There was less teasing and more seriousness to the voice.
Jiang Chen wore a somber expression while enduring the hellish
attacks on his consciousness. He mused deeply on the meaning behind those words
as he built a defense to the attack. The voice had spoken quite loftily and
made exaggerated claims of soaring like a dragon once he passed this challenge.
Jiang Chen didn’t necessarily agree with any of it, but the words had incited
the competitive spirit deep inside of him.
“Remember, your fate as a true dragon or a mere fish depends
on whether you can withstand this one month-long test. You will face all kinds
of challenges in the coming month. Your dao heart must remain untainted and
your consciousness whole.”
There was nothing for him to understand this time. It was a
pure tempering of his dao heart and consciousness. The task might sound simple,
but it was definitely the most difficult thus far, as the voice clearly stated
that he would be facing all kinds of different, multifaceted challenges. Even
someone as knowledgeable as Jiang Chen couldn’t afford to take the trial
lightly.
The Pelagic Dragon Obelisk was simply too mysterious. It
felt like he’d fallen into a world within the obelisk after linking his
consciousness to it. There was an odd sense of realism to this particular
world. Eerie winds of hell, baleful killing intent, and wailing sounds of
spirits immediately flooded his five senses. He withstood this hellish torment
for seven to eight days until the scene before his eyes suddenly changed into
another. The scene of hell was swept away into nothingness. The horrors from
only a moment before were nothing but a nightmare. However, the next scene
dumbfounded him.
I… what’s happening? Have I returned to my past life? Jiang
Chen truly felt like he’d returned to his previous life. The scenery before his
eyes was something that had appeared in numerous dreams in his current life.
This was the world that he’d once known. The majestic Taiyuan Sky Palace, the
bustling Taiyuan Realm, and the numerous scriptures in Tianlang Library...
Jiang Chen suddenly found himself inside the pagoda,
leisurely reading the books and scriptures within. The pageboy off to the side
was fanning Jiang Chen and was seemingly made of real blood and flesh. There
was no obvious flaw that Jiang Chen could spot. In fact, he could even see the
tiny pores on the pageboy’s face.
“Chen’er, why do you bury yourself in books all the time?
Father will take you on a visit today to a nice place you’ve never been to.”
Jiang Chen felt a lump in his throat when he heard this
voice. His eyes welled up with tears. Father! He would never forget this voice,
even after ten reincarnations. This was the very man who had given him a long
and fulfilling first life. He was a great man, but an even greater father. He
had sacrificed everything to refine the Sun Moon Pill so that he could extend
his son’s life for millions of years.
Father… father… All kinds of emotions roiled inside Jiang
Chen. He desperately wanted to shout for his father, but his voice wouldn’t
come out no matter how hard he tried or how much he concentrated. He
frantically searched everywhere, but there was simply no sign of his father.
Father… Jiang Chen’s body was trembling before the obelisk.
His consciousness was in great disarray and his emotions out of control. His
eyes were bloodshot as tears swam in his eyes. But he wasn’t aware that any of
this was happening. He was too deeply entrenched in the illusionary realm.
Clang! Suddenly, a great tremor befell the world. Row after
row of bookshelves toppled over. Books fell from the shelves and scattered all
over the floor. Bam! The board over the library’s door soon followed suit and
crashed down while the thick walls were torn apart like paper. Jiang Chen escaped
from the pagoda and noticed that Taiyuan Sky Palace was also crumbling into
ruins.
A mysterious force of destruction had appeared in the sky
and was destroying everything, including the palace. Powerful experts swarmed
out of the palace, but every single one of them collapsed before the
destructive force. Blood splattered throughout the air. Their bodies were like
blood-filled bags that exploded whenever they came into contact with the
mysterious force.
“Chen’er, Chen’er! Run!” Jiang Chen suddenly heard his
father yell in his ears. The Celestial Emperor was someone who was always calm
and composed. At this moment, however, his voice was filled with a horror and
despair that had never been heard before. He leapt off his throne and came
running towards Jiang Chen at lightning speed. It looked like he was trying to
save his son from something. Unfortunately, the destructive force struck and
trapped the emperor when he was only twenty meters away.
Bam! The force swept through the emperor, instantly crushing
him into smithereens. No! Jiang Chen’s mind almost fell apart when he saw the
realistic and incredibly ruthless scene. There was constant ringing in his
ears, and all he could see was pitch black. It felt like a million arrows had
pierced through his head.
No! Jiang Chen cowered in anguish. He could feel the energy
within the sky and earth condense into a lethal arrow. It was about to strike
him in his consciousness.
Hmm? Suddenly, a formation appeared all over him. An
immensely bright light appeared within his consciousness, which was on the
verge of collapse. It was frighteningly powerful, like the boundless stars in
the Milky Way. Convoluted thoughts, negative emotions, and all kinds of
destructive forces were condensed into a single arrow. However, they were all
caught by the bright light before they could reach the deepest parts of his
mind.
Jiang Chen was trembling violently and immediately opened
his eyes. Upon further inspection, he realized that he was still sitting before
the obelisk. He was drenched in sweat from head to toe. The constant ringing in
his head was slowly dissipating. His mind was also becoming less and less
confused.
Why did this happen? Jiang Chen shuddered in trepidation. He
was too deeply entrenched in the illusionary realm and was thoroughly
frightened by the mortal dangers he had faced. He shuddered again at the thought
of what could have happened.
Whatever happened before was merely illusion, but the
destructive force formed by his negative emotions and inner demons had been
anything but fake. His mind had genuinely been under siege. His conscious would
have instantly collapsed if his inner demons had penetrated it. He would have
become a slave to his inner demons and a walking corpse, never to regain
consciousness. The chain seal within his conscious had been triggered during
that extremely precarious moment. Like the boundless Milky Way, the chain seal
devoured all of the negative energy. It protected Jiang Chen’s mind from
danger.
The chain seal was ever-present, and he had first noticed it
when he broke through to origin realm under the Precious Tree of the Rosy Dawn
in the Precious Tree Sect. The mysterious seal had caused a strange anomaly in
the heavens and earth when he had broken through. There were nine droplets
surrounding the chain seal. It didn’t seem particularly remarkable or unique,
but there was a frightening amount of power contained within the seal. It made
the restricted area within Jiang Chen’s consciousness seem like the vast
cosmos, deterring all unwanted visitors. He could sense exactly how much power
was contained within the seal. If released, it could instantly destroy the
entire Divine Abyss Continent.
It’s the seal again. Jiang Chen sighed gently. However,
there was no doubt that the seal had helped greatly this time. In fact, it
wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it had saved his life. Jiang Chen was
now certain that the seal had something to do with his reincarnation. It was
definitely somehow related to his father from his previous life.
Why were the convoluted thoughts that attacked my
consciousness and the incident at Taiyuan Sky Palace so realistic? Did I truly
live through all of that in my previous life? His mind was still a little hazy
and fuddled. He was now a lot more vigilant after soaking up this lesson.
The Pelagic Dragon Obelisk is truly a difficult test. Jiang
Chen finally knew why it was the ninth and final obelisk in the pagoda. A
powerful obelisk that reflected the darkest inner demons of a cultivator was
indescribably scary.
Chapter 1003: The Final Hurdle
Having just passed a harrowing trial, Jiang Chen actually
felt a lot more relaxed but remained on his guard. Tests from the Pelagic
Dragon Obelisk pervaded everywhere. At the same time, outside the Veluriyam
Pagoda, most of the seven emperors’ geniuses had already been eliminated. Less
than a handful remained within the complex, enough to be counted with one hand.
Young lord Zhen had the flashiest performance up until now.
He had shocked everyone by already reaching the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk.
According to initial estimates, he would surely be stonewalled cold by this
final challenge. But it had been ten days since then. He was perfectly intact
and hadn’t been eliminated.
Aside from Sacred Peafowl Mountain’s young lord, young
master Ji San shone the brightest. He had made his way about the secret realm
of battle like a fish in water, scoring victories in the arena one after
another. It was a tangible testament of his improvement. According to rumors,
he had plans to challenge the eighth Veluriyam Obelisk at precisely three
months on the clock. This year, young master Ji San and young lord Zhen were
the only two geniuses to pass the seventh Veluriyam Obelisk. The others had
either eschewed challenging it entirely or had been kicked out already.
The greatest element of suspense left for this year’s
Veluriyam Pagoda gathering was whether the young lord would conquer the ninth
obelisk. Immediately after that was whether Ji San would do the same with the
eighth. Was Coiling Dragon Clan’s young master going to become the
second-darkest horse right after his friend? If that question had been asked
before the geniuses’ entrance into the Pagoda, everyone would have thought that
it was a joke. But now, no one dared say that Ji San had no hope whatsoever!
The young master was showing a surprising amount of hidden
talent. Who would have thought that Ji San, ranked twenty-first, would be able
to defeat the seventh Veluriyam Obelisk and succeed where rank one Li Jiancheng
had failed? It was these untold surprises that made the road of martial dao all
the more splendid. Defying expectations was how legends were born. On the
whole, this year’s Veluriyam Pagoda gathering had produced an above-average
crop of geniuses. Uniformly speaking, they were a significant cut above the
norm. It was considered rare in past years for just one or two geniuses to pass
the sixth Veluriyam Obelisk. This year, there were six who had. As for the
seventh obelisk, previously unsurpassed for the past several millennia—two
geniuses had appeared, and both had been able to move past it. What was more,
that wasn’t the limit of their abilities. Thus, the current Veluriyam Pagoda
Gathering was loaded with geniuses.
Jiang Chen was presently zeroed in on his goal. Completely
attentive, he fused into the ninth obelisk’s realm once more. This time,
however, his mind was much clearer. None of the negative emotions prevailed,
and the images shifting between reality and illusion could no longer invade his
consciousness any more. The lesson that he had been taught had reinforced Jiang
Chen’s ocean of consciousness a fair bit.
The Pelagic Dragon Obelisk underwent many other changes
after that, presenting fresh trials each time. However, Jiang Chen’s
consciousness seemed to have been spontaneously transformed into something much
mightier. A layer of protective power had awakened in the chain seal,
fortifying his mind several times over. No matter how fierce the obelisk’s
trials came at him, how manifold its alterations were, Jiang Chen was as immovable
as a mountain. His dao heart was unshaken.
This state of mind allowed him to exist for the next
half-month in a relative state of tranquility. It was something that Jiang Chen
himself hadn’t been able to foresee. The chain seal destroyed the Pelagic Dragon
Obelisk’s intimidating attacks on his consciousness each and every time,
crushing them utterly. It thus appeared that the obelisk’s tests had been
greatly reduced in difficulty.
Jiang Chen knew fully well, however, that that wasn’t
actually the case. In fact, there were signs of quite the opposite. It was
simply because his harrowing experience had caused his consciousness to improve
qualitatively. The obelisk’s own increase paled in comparison to it. If his
count was correct, only three days remained in the month-long test.
The final days are sure to hold even more insane trials.
Whether I’ll be able to enter the Six Palaces of Heritage… that’ll be decided
here and now. The ninth Veluriyam Obelisk had mentioned that crossing its
threshold represented entering into the might of a true dragon, fit to rule the
heavens. To do otherwise was to remain a common fish in the dust of the world.
He didn’t agree with such an extreme statement, but he
didn’t like being called a common fish either. I will bravely bear whatever
comes my way in the next three days. Even if the sky falls, I shall withstand
its aftermath! The young lord had no fear. Indeed, infinite courage was a
prerequisite for even making it this far. His heart was completely placid as he
prepared for the trial’s final throes.
On the first day, Jiang Chen felt as if he’d been pushed
into a boundless sea. Innumerable whirls and waves beat constantly against him
from every direction. He was set adrift like a leaf in the vast ocean, liable
to be swept away at any moment. He descended into a state of hibernation,
keeping only his consciousness awake and alert. He could not let himself be
overwhelmed by the trial’s power.
The first day was finally over. Despite the immense strength
of his consciousness, Jiang Chen felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. His
trials were far from concluding. The scenery changed on the second day. This
time, a burning expanse surrounded him. Flames shot up to the sky, tens and
hundreds of yards tall. The crackling conflagration seemed to set the entire
world aflame. There was fire everywhere, a sea of crimson as far as the eye
could see.
Jiang Chen felt like a pill in the cauldron of an ancient
master, unable to decide anything relating to his own fate. The flames burned
with a refining truth, pummeling Jiang Chen’s consciousness with extreme force.
The terrifyingly fiery inferno appeared capable of rending his very flesh to
incinerate the soul within. It threatened to burn up his entire ocean of
consciousness.
Jiang Chen grit his teeth. He knew that his fate in the
Veluriyam Pagoda depended on his performance in these next two days. If he
endured, the Veluriyam Pagoda would unveil to him an even deeper set of
mysteries. If he faltered in his attempt, all of his previous efforts would be
useless. There wouldn’t have been much point in coming this far. With this in
mind, he pushed onwards and finally survived another day. The sea of fire
carried a power that had almost destroyed his mental self-defense mechanisms.
The final day was also the scariest. Heralded by a howling
tempest of dust, it barraged him with countless daunting trials. Most fearsome
were the powerful arrows, formed of frightening presences that shot themselves
at his ocean of consciousness.
Though it had begun with only a handful of arrows, there
seemed to be more than ten thousand at the end. At the same time, the sounds of
hooves and steel were also audible. The din of a million heavenly soldiers
charging at him filled his eardrums. It was supremely intimidating. Anyone who
possessed a consciousness of even slightly lower caliber was likely to have
their mind shattered on the spot.
“Well come on! Bring it on!” Though his consciousness was
being sorely tested, Jiang Chen nevertheless yelled silently. “I will pass this
trial. I must pass this trial! Even if heaven falls and earth crumbles, I shall
remain immovable!”
The latent ferocity hidden at the bottom of Jiang Chen’s heart
had fully risen to the top. Outside the Pagoda, the seven emperors and their
retinues waited with bated breath. Strangely enough, there was no sign of
casual conversation or rampant speculation. The audience had only a single
focal point on their minds: young lord Zhen. Less than half a day remained. If
the young lord was able to resist being ousted past that point, then the
Veluriyam Pagoda would usher in a radical change. All eyes were fixated upon
the image formation. Though they did not know how much torment young lord Zhen
was experiencing at the moment, the image told them at least part of the tale.
The young lord was in a difficult position, but far from the brink of disaster.
Some were pleased by this state of affairs, others quite
bothered. Emperor Shura’s faction was especially disappointed. Young lord
Zhen’s meteoric rise placed him squarely in front of them as an insurmountable
obstacle. All of their ambitions had been crushed by it. The only thing they
could do now was watch from the outside. Time and time again, young lord Zhen
broke records and created miracles. Emperor Shura’s number one genius, Li
Jiancheng, was now just an observer.
Aside from Emperor Vastsea, who was one of Emperor Shura’s
staunchest supporters, none of the other emperors spared their outpourings of
praise. They commended young lord Zhen because he had their wholehearted
approval. With a genius like him, it was impossible for Sacred Peafowl
Mountain’s fortunes not to be preserved. Young lord Zhen carried so much momentum
that Emperor Shura’s faction was essentially irrelevant.
There was no possibility that Emperor Shura himself could do
better than Emperor Peafowl. He lacked substantially in both strength and
charisma compared to his peer. Young lord Zhen had the advantage of youth on
his side. The potential and popularity he showed had signs of surpassing even
the Emperor Peafowl of yesteryear. In fact, it was easy enough to say that he
already had, considering the direction he was headed in.
The public opinion of the entire Veluriyam Capital was
moving in a certain direction—that young lord Zhen would succeed Emperor
Peafowl as leader of Sacred Peafowl Mountain. After that, he would naturally
become the city’s absolute ruler and master. In the hands of such an amazing
genius, Veluriyam Capital was sure to move towards ever greater success. It was
the final day. Was Jiang Chen going to pass the trial?
Everyone looked forward to that moment of truth. Even if
young lord Zhen failed now, his challenge to the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk was
enough to leave his name in the history books. If he did succeed, the exploit
would be even more exciting. Perhaps this was the new beginning of Veluriyam
Capital’s road to glory. Even Emperor Peafowl felt a tinge of anticipation. For
him, it was a hitherto unexperienced sensation.
Chapter 1004: Inheriting the Six Palaces
For both Jiang Chen and his observers outside, the last day
seemed by far the longest. He felt hopeless exhaustion. There seemed to be many
mountains sitting on his consciousness, their heavy weights pressing down on
him. The endless trials of the three past days had forced his stamina to its
limit. If the test had gone on for three more days, Jiang Chen would surely
have been strained to the point of failure. He was truly at his wit’s end this
time. Thankfully, a day only consisted of twenty-four hours. No matter how long
one sometimes seemed, every day eventually came to an end at some point.
When the last second of the final day finally passed, the
ninth Veluriyam Obelisk gave off a cheerful ring. In the next instant, the
Pelagic Dragon Obelisk shone with a brilliant light. The entire obelisk
shimmered a jadeite green, giving off the appearance of an enormous stele of
emerald. In that moment, its radiance was unparalleled.
“Congratulations on conquering the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk,
young man. You are the third genius to have done so for the past hundred
thousand years! Do not be reluctant or surprised. You are every bit worthy of
being called a ‘genius’. Your erstwhile accomplishment proves this, and the
Veluriyam Pagoda welcomes true geniuses like you. Guard your heart. You are
about to be brought into the territory of the Six Palaces of Heritage.”
Hurriedly, Jiang Chen steeled his heart and kept his
consciousness closed. He prepared himself as well as he could. Before long, the
ninth obelisk’s verdant light enveloped the heavens, the earth, and the void.
It sucked in Jiang Chen entirely. It was as if there was a dimensional gate
that had now been opened. In the next moment, Jiang Chen disappeared entirely
from in front of the obelisk. The obelisk became silent once more. All of its
former light and radiance had completely disappeared, as if they had never
appeared in the first place.
“Has he broken through?”
“He… he really passed the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk?”
“Genius… a real genius… I didn’t think that I’d be able to
see someone break through the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk during my lifetime!”
“Young lord Zhen has nothing stopping him now!”
“The young lord of Sacred Peafowl Mountain has broken
through the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk… Sacred Peafowl Mountain’s fortunes are
truly unwavering!”
“That much is obvious. Me personally, I’ve never even
considered the other six emperors capable of challenging Sacred Peafowl
Mountain, much less replacing it.” Discussion and exclamation took place all
around, quiet but incessant. They were filled with shock and envy, and perhaps
a dash of sour jealousy as well.
Emperor Peafowl’s mood brightened all of a sudden, his
eyebrows unfurling. A lock had been removed from his heart, lightening up his
burden many times over. Good… that kid didn’t let me down, huh. The emperor’s
joy was entirely heartfelt. It was his unique eye for talent that had led him
to Jiang Chen. Finally, he was able to see his labor come to fruition. After
conquering the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk, Jiang Chen would inevitably enter into
the innermost layers of the Veluriyam Pagoda. Perhaps he would have the
opportunity to shed some light upon its archaic mysteries.
Beginning from only moments after his breakthrough, the news
began to fervently spread throughout the city’s streets. It made its way into
every house, around every corner. All at once, Veluriyam Capital began to boil
over with activity. Its residents came out from their homes into the lanes and
avenues, shouting and cheering in celebratory joy. This was a stirring
occasion.
Though the other geniuses had returned to the secret realm
of heritage in order to spend their spare bits of remaining time on the seventh
Veluriyam Obelisk, all of them ultimately failed including Zhou Yan, Shui
Rutian, Ye Piaoling, and the rest. It was quite the stark contrast to Jiang
Chen’s bold accomplishments. Despite being ranked amongst the top five in this
year’s Ranking of Young Lords, there were obvious limits to their ability.
Their potentials were remarkable, but nevertheless lesser than Emperor
Peafowl’s of yesteryear.
After their humbling challenges concluded, young master Ji
San began to prepare for his own challenge of the eighth Veluriyam Obelisk. His
posture and momentum were rather like a king’s return. Only two people remained
in the Main Pagoda: Jiang Chen and Ji San. The other geniuses from the Ranking
of Young Lords had all been eliminated by now. Having awakened his draconic
bloodline, his skill in cultivation grew by leaps and bounds, his drive onward
relentless.
He had spent his time in the secret realm of battle,
accumulating a great deal of practical combat experience in the process. Through
the endless melee, his heart had also grown in fortitude. Ji San was a
promising youth indeed. When his true dragon blood’s advantages emerged, he
began to progress at a breakneck pace. Doing so allowed him to gather up enough
confidence to try breaking through the eighth Veluriyam Obelisk. Though the
outside audience did not look well on the attempt, something that even he
himself gathered, Ji San used his actions to mock them once again.
He showed no cowardice before the obelisk, and was actually
almost like a fish in water. Jiang Chen had been someone who had practiced the
art of producing images, but the same was true for Ji San. He had a draconic
bloodline, after all. Compared to his sworn brother, he lacked only in
experience and prowess. The eighth Veluriyam Obelisk’s demand for him to
cultivate its image wasn’t particularly hard for the young master.
After feeling things out for a while Ji San amply succeeded
in conquering the eighth Veluriyam Obelisk as well. Nevertheless, he knew that
he had overreached a little in his advancement. It wasn’t that he lacked the
potential, but rather that he had overexerted his own body. He knew that Jiang
Chen had broken through the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk, but blood didn’t rush to
his head because of it. He had no intention of challenging the ninth Veluriyam
Obelisk straight away.
“Brother, you’re sprinting so quickly ahead of me. I should
follow through on my own ideas too, right? I have two extra years thanks to
beating the eighth obelisk, so I have plenty of time to ready myself for the
ninth.” The trial had been a baptism of sorts. Ji San traded some of his
flightiness away, replacing it with calm. He had enough self-awareness to
understand that he had absolutely no chance of going against the ninth obelisk
at present. Why rush things? He had a two-year reward to spend, no?
Ji San was perfectly content with his own position. He no
longer cared much about perceived face. He would be eager enough to compete
with any genius, but he was completely and utterly deferential towards his
sworn brother’s ability. Without the true dragon blood Jiang Chen had given
him, Ji San would have been stopped much earlier at the fifth Veluriyam
Obelisk, or the sixth at most, perhaps. That he was now qualified to challenge
the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk was something he hadn’t even dreamed of.
…...
Wrapped in the strange interdimensional passage, Jiang Chen
waited for an indeterminate amount of time before he felt his entire body
relax. Subsequently opening his eyes, he found that he’d been taken to an
expanse of glittering space. More accurately, an endless starry sky served as
his backdrop. A river of stars, glistening like a belt of jade, blazed in milky
radiance.
Are these the Six Palaces of Heritage? The question popped
into Jiang Chen’s mind as he observed his surroundings. Within the infinitely
extending astral vault were many buildings, ancient and great. The age of the
structures could be felt in the sense of antiquity they exuded.
Each stone and pillar were steeped in tradition. Each
masoned step had over a hundred thousand years of history. Each inch of ground
held the footsteps of countless sages from ages past. Standing upon a plain
patch of ground, Jiang Chen looked at the timeworn buildings around him in awe.
It was as if he had traveled back into the distant past through a dream. Each
time he raised his head, a fan of galaxies greeted him.
“Welcome to the Six Palaces of Heritage, young man. That’s
right—the buildings you perceive before you are precisely what you think. Don’t
be surprised. The Veluriyam Pagoda was a work of extraordinary ingenuity.
Neither divine nor demonic can discern its truths. It has countless formations
embedded within, and everything you see here is merely an intersection of the
mysteries of space and time, accomplished through the profoundness of yet
another formation. Each man that enters may see something entirely different.”
The explanation wasn’t easy to understand. Jiang Chen was
just barely able to comprehend it. The Six Palaces of Tradition had likely been
created by an ancient master, or even several, through many methods of fusion
and synthesis. In this way, a grand complex had been erected from nothingness.
“Young man, the area you are currently in is surrounded by
the Six Palaces. When the transportation formation is activated, you will be
moved randomly to one of them. Before that, however, you have an opportunity:
do you choose to depart, or explore?
“If you choose to depart, you’ll have another chance to
re-enter the Veluriyam Pagoda. If you choose to explore further and fail in
your exploration of the first palace, you’ll get another chance to return to
the Pagoda at that time as well. Therefore, most clever people choose to
explore.
“Do you see the taiji diagram before you? The white area
means exploration, and the black means departure.”
Jiang Chen considered it for a moment. If failing on the
first palace gave him another chance anyway, what was the point of departing?
Since I’m here, there’s no reason for me not to explore. I need to understand
what these Six Palaces are all about, anyway. His curiosity and desire for
victory fueled him. Without hesitation, he stepped into the white area of the
taiji diagram.
“Very good, I admire your courage. I hope that you will give
a marvelous showing in the first of the six palaces.” The voice disappeared,
and a frost-white light began to glow in the white area around Jiang Chen. Its
rays swept across his body, dissipating it into thin air. When Jiang Chen’s
footsteps touched ground again, he was in one of the palaces.
“You’re finally here, young man.” An old, weary voice
sighed, filled with unfathomable sorrow and desolation.
Chapter 1005: Honored Master P'eng
Jiang Chen was slightly surprised when he heard this voice.
This wasn’t the voice he’d heard earlier. A voice had guided all the
cultivators since they entered Veluriyam Pagoda. It had been the same voice up
until he’d entered this palace of heritage. But this time, it was different.
Although it sounded just as weary as the previous voice, there was a trace of
human emotion behind this new voice. It held a mixture of some worry, joy, and
surprise. He thought that the voices of Veluriyam Pagoda were all set up
through the mysterious application of some formations. So why was there such a
complicated mixture of feelings behind this new voice? Why did it sound like
someone was talking to him in real time?
Jiang Chen calmed himself down and started looking around
confidently. This place was a palace alright, but it wasn’t nearly as dazzling
or luxurious as he had imagined it would be before he’d come in. It was ancient
and mysterious. Every inch of land in this place seemed to have been marked
with the passage of time. However, it was completely empty. He couldn’t find a
place where someone might be talking to him from at all.
“There is no need to search for me, young man. You can’t
detect me with your current consciousness. You only need to remember one thing,
and that is that this is the first palace of the Six Palaces of Heritage, the
Skykun Palace.”
“The Skykun Palace? Are you actually a real person, senior?
Or are you a voice of some formation?” Jiang Chen asked curiously as he
blinked.
“Heh. Is there even any doubt that I’m real?” The voice let
out a wry laugh. “With that being said, I suppose I can’t exactly be called a
real person. That’s because I’m barely more than a speck of true spirit right
now.”
“Oh? What do you mean?”
The voice sighed. “That’s a long story. Are you sure you
want to hear it? It’s a long story that goes on for at least three to five
years. It won’t be strange if it goes beyond that.”
Jiang Chen’s expression changed when he heard this answer.
He hastily waved his hands. “In that case just forget about it. Why don’t you
pick just the important points and tell me.”
“Important points? I’ve been trapped here for more than a
hundred thousand years, and at this point everything in this world is but
floating clouds to me, including your so-called important points. I’ll make
this short. First, I’d like to congratulate you. You are the third youngster
fin the past one hundred thousand years to make it to the Skykun Palace. You
are also the youngest genius out of all of them. Tsk tsk, you’re not even over
thirty years old, and yet you’re able to step into the Six Palaces of Heritage.
I wonder why I feel that you’re slightly different from the previous two
entrants?” The old man’s interest seemed to have been piqued by Jiang Chen. His
lazy voice had become a bit more energetic than before.
“You know my true age, senior?” Jiang Chen was slightly
surprised.
The old man broke into laughter. “Are you joking? I knew
what kind of underwear you’re wearing the moment you stepped into this place,
much less your true age.”
Jiang Chen also laughed wryly when he heard this response.
He knew that it was no problem at all for an expert to see through a secular
cultivator’s true age after they’d reached a certain height of power.
Therefore, this senior’s cultivation was likely above even a great emperor like
Emperor Peafowl. After all, Jiang Chen’s disguise was good enough that it
fooled even emperor level experts. They only knew that young lord Zhen was
younger than usual, but no one could tell exactly how young he was.
However, the master of Skykun Palace was able to see through
him completely. No secret of his were a secret to this old man, but he hadn’t
even seen this old man’s face yet. Jiang Chen felt very depressed at this
point. It was completely unfair. He didn’t object to this intrusion of privacy,
however. He was a guest in his host’s territory right now, and he would have to
follow the rules. He smiled awkwardly and asked, “You sure like to joke,
senior. May I have the honor of knowing your name?”
“Mm-hmm, my name is Honored Master P'eng. [1] Remember it
well, young man. You’re a bit interesting, more interesting than either one of
the two fellows who came in before you. Still, with that being said, if you are
planning to challenge my palace, I’m not going to go easy on you just because
you’re interesting, okay?” Honored Master P'eng said while cackling strangely.
Jiang Chen didn’t expect him to go easy on him from the
beginning. Even so, he still had no idea what the Six Palaces of Heritage were,
nor their relations to the Veluriyam Pagoda.
“Senior P'eng, please forgive me if I say that I am utterly
confused and that I have no knowledge regarding this Six Palaces of Heritage in
my head at all. Should you not dispel my doubts first before we begin
anything?”
It was true that Jiang Chen was very confused right now. A
challenge wasn’t a bad thing, but he wasn’t willing to play into the old man’s
game while completely blind either.
“Alright, I suppose you haven’t been an eyesore so far, so
I’ll tell you some things that you may need to know. As the name ‘Six Palaces
of Heritage’ might suggest, there are a total of six palaces in this place. The
Six Palaces of Heritage is the true core that surrounds and protects the
Veluriyam Pagoda, and we, the masters of the six palaces, are responsible for protecting
the Six Palaces of Heritage. We have no freedom, and we are not allowed to
leave our posts. Freedom is possible only when a new master succeeds the
Veluriyam Pagoda.”
“Freedom? Were you forced into your role, senior?” Jiang
Chen asked in surprise.
“Duh! Who in their right minds would want to stay in this
shitty place for one or two hundred thousand years if they weren’t forced?
Worse, we aren’t allowed to move too much or go beyond our designated areas
like a tortoise.”
“But why?” Jiang Chen grew even more puzzled.
“We have no idea when the Veluriyam Pagoda will welcome its
new master. As powerful as we are, not even our lifespan is infinite.
Therefore, we have no choice but to use a secret art and limit a year of
physical activity into a single day. That is the only way to minimize the rate
of loss of our life force. We would’ve been dead already even if we were
actually turtles with ten thousand years of lifespan. It’s been more than a
hundred thousand years, you know.”
Jiang Chen abruptly came to a realization after hearing the
old man’s explanation. He could understand what he meant. Back at the Boundless
Catacombs beneath the eastern kingdom, Mang Qi and his people were also trapped
inside a formation. The only reason they had managed to survive until this day
was because they had employed various secret arts.
This type of secret art was rather torturous. Imagine having
an entire year’s of physical activity shrunken down to just one day. This meant
that the cultivator who employed this art could only perform a day of activity
in an entire year. How dull must it be to live in such a manner, year after
year? However, the benefits were huge. If a year’s time was condensed into a
single day, then the cultivator would have only ‘lived’ for a couple hundred
thousand days even though a couple hundred thousand years of time had passed. A
couple hundred thousand days translated to just a couple hundred years. That
amount of lost time didn’t matter much to an expert of this level.
“Senior, you said you were all forced into your roles? Who
on earth was the person who did this to you?”
“Who else could it be?” Honored Master P'eng sounded
depressed. “The master of the Veluriyam Pagoda is the one who did this to us,
of course. That old bastard, he even forbade us from mentioning his name. But
so what? If I can’t mention his name, then I’m going to call him an old
bastard. That cunning, cunning bastard!”
“What do you mean? It doesn’t sound like being cunning has
anything to do with forcing you into your roles.”
Honored Master P'eng sighed. “Well, I suppose we weren’t
technically forced into our roles. The thing is, I have a feeling that I was
fooled by him. Ah, a single slip has truly caused everlasting sorrow. Sigh,
back then I often flaunted myself to be unrivaled in speed. One day, this old
bastard came to me and said that he wanted to race me. Since the stake of this
race was a treasure that tempted me greatly, I agreed to the bet, and just like
that, I lost my whole lifetime of freedom. Depressing. Just depressing!”
Judging from Honored Master P'eng’s tone, Jiang Chen roughly
guessed a bit of what had really happened back then. If he wasn’t mistaken,
this Honored Master P'eng was tricked by the creator of the Veluriyam Pagoda
and fell into a trap, thus losing the race. That was how Honored Master P'eng
had lost his freedom and became one of the protectors of Veluriyam Pagoda.
“Do you understand now, boy?”
Jiang Chen reined back his urge to laugh and nodded
obediently. “More or less, yes. The fact that you’ve kept your promise and
accepted your loss proves that you are a trustworthy person when it comes to
gambling, senior. I dare say that you are a virtuous person considering how
trustworthy you are.”
Honored Master P'eng had been trapped here for more than a
hundred thousand years, and it was only natural that he was bored out of his
wits. That was why tears nearly appeared in his eyes when he heard Jiang Chen’s
words. Just how many years had it been since he’d heard such warm words?
Although the flattery wasn’t great, he had stewed in boredom for at least a
hundred thousand years. Even the worst flattery would sound like the words of a
god to him. That was why Honored Master P'eng felt so happy that he couldn’t
wipe the grin on his face. “I see that your insight is quite good, boy. That is
a rare trait to have. Ah, even back when I still traveled the world I never
went back on a bet. I may have lost a bet once in a while, but I have and never
will lose my honor.”
“Mm. Now that’s how a senior should act. This kid is
impressed.” At this point Jiang Chen had realized that this old man loved to
hear compliments.
“Mm-hmm, you are an interesting person, boy. Since I’m
feeling so good today, I shall speak a bit more about the Six Palaces of
Heritage. By entering the Six Palace of Heritage, you have won the right to
obtain the inheritance of the Veluriyam Pagoda. But that is all. If you truly
wish to inherit the Veluriyam Pagoda, you must go through challenges presented
by each of the Six Palaces of Heritage first.”
Jiang Chen nodded slightly. He had guessed that this was the
case earlier.
“Keep in mind that not all the protectors of the palaces are
as good tempered as I am. Still, you are a quick-witted boy. I doubt that
you’ll be hated by any one of the protectors of the palace. However, if you
truly possess outstanding talent, then it doesn’t matter if everyone here hates
you. That’s because all six protectors of the Six Palaces of Heritage have
sworn to their inner demons that they will never ignore the rules due to
personal preferences. Therefore, even if I am very fond of you, the difficulty
of the challenge you will soon face is the same as that given to the two
previous challengers who’d previously entered the Six Palaces of Heritage. In
this regard, I will always be impartial.”
Jiang Chen understood just how strict the rules of the Six
Palaces of Heritage from Honored Master P'eng’s repeated warnings that he
wouldn’t go easy on him.
“I can’t go easy on you, but I can give you some friendly
tips within the limits of the rules. To be honest, I wish for every genius who
enters this place to succeed no matter how much I may dislike them. If no one
succeeds, we won’t be able to fulfill our end of the bet and complete our
responsibility. We won’t have a shot at obtaining freedom either.”
“A shot at obtaining freedom? Why’s that?” Jiang Chen was
puzzled by this.
“Oh, it’s very simple. That old bastard’s scheme was
watertight. Not only did he want us to protect this Six Palaces of Heritage, he
even requested that we assist the new master of the Veluriyam Pagoda for ten
thousand years. He’s totally planning to enslave me for the rest of my life,
that old bastard. Damn me for being possessed by greed and falling for his
devious trap…” Honored Master P'eng sounded like he was swearing through
clenched teeth, but for some reason Jiang Chen felt that he didn’t actually
hate the former master of Veluriyam Pagoda. His tone wasn’t right.
Of course, this was just Jiang Chen’s feeling. “But senior,
if you really hate that senior that much, surely you won’t perform a sloppy job
when you are serving the new master he requests you to assist, will you?”
“Well, of course not. I may hate that old bastard, but I
made a bet and I am a man of my word, so I don’t hate him that much. Also…
haha. To be honest, if it wasn’t for that old bastard, there’s no telling if we
would have survived the ancient demonic calamity. You win some and you lose
some, I guess…” Honored Master P'eng sounded a little sad here. He seemed to be
recalling something from a very, very long time ago.
Chapter 1006: An Angry Old Man
Jiang Chen could tell that there was a long history between
them. Honored Master P'eng was expressing his resentment towards the master of
the Veluriyam Pagoda, but one could tell from his voice that he didn’t just
bear hatred for the late master. Rather, it was an odd mixture of gratitude and
grudge.
“Alright, the past should remain in the past. Young lad,
what is your name?”
Jiang Chen wanted to tell the keeper his fake name, but he
quickly realized that there was no need to do so within the pagoda. “This young
lad is called Jiang Chen, but because of certain reasons, I’m now going by the
name of Zhen Shi. I am the young lord of Sacred Peafowl Mountain of Veluriyam
Capital.”
“Sacred Peafowl Mountain?” The elder shook his head in a
confused manner. “Never heard of it.”
“Senior, you’ve never heard of Sacred Peafowl Mountain?”
Jiang Chen was quite taken aback.
“Is that weird?” Honored Master P'eng asked in response.
Jiang Chen smiled wryly. “Sacred Peafowl Mountain is the
current ruling faction of Veluriyam Capital. They’ve been the rulers for many
millennia."
“Only a few thousand years?” Honored Master P'eng laughed.
“Do you know how long I’ve been cooped up in here? According to my modest
estimates, I’ve been in here for over 150,000 years. Remember, this is only a
modest estimate. The last time a genius managed to enter the Six Palaces of
Heritage was more than 20,000 years ago. Jiang Chen immediately caught the
meaning behind his words.
To the citizens of the capital, Sacred Peafowl Mountain
seemed like a faction with very long history. After all, many generations had
come and gone ever since Emperor Peafowl had come into power a few thousand
years ago. This span of time was miniscule when compared to the entire history
of Veluriyam Capital. The last genius who had managed to enter the Six Palaces
of Heritage did so over 20,000 years ago. Sacred Peafowl Mountain probably
didn’t even exist back then. Even if it did, it was probably a faction with
little power. Jiang Chen wasn’t too overwhelmed by the large span of time.
After all, he was someone who had lived for millions of years. A few hundred
thousand years was still a long time, but not enough to shock him greatly.
Honored Master P'eng was a little surprised when he noticed
Jiang Chen’s bland reaction. “Jiang Chen lad, you don’t seem very surprised by
the large span of time. Does a young lad like you really know what it entails?”
“Of course,” Jiang Chen replied blandly.
“Yeah, right.” Honored Master P'eng was skeptical. “If you
knew, why would you have such a bland reaction after hearing such an
astronomical number?”
The two geniuses that he’d met before were extremely
dumbfounded when they heard the number of years at play.
“Esteemed senior, must I show an over-exaggerated expression
for you to be content?” Jiang Chen smiled wryly.
“Uhh…” The elder was at a loss for words. However, he still
stood by his opinion. “Since you understand, why don’t you explain it to me?”
“Even a great emperor realm cultivator will only have a life
expectancy of five to ten thousand years. Rarely do they live for more than ten
thousand years. One can only be free from the baggage of time when one reaches
the empyrean realm. Even then, one still couldn’t consider oneself immortal.
The empyrean realm has its own trials and tribulations. It’s why they say an
immortal has five paths to degradation. A few hundred thousand years is still
an extremely long time to an empyrean realm cultivator.” Jiang Chen spoke with
extreme detail, rendering Honored Master P'eng speechless. He had originally
thought that Jiang Chen was nothing but an ignorant child. Never in his mind
did he think that the young lad would give him such a detailed response.
It seems like the young lad truly understands the meaning
behind the years. But he is no more than thirty years old! How can he maintain
such composure after hearing about such a great span of time? How steady must
his dao heart be to do such a thing? He was growing more and more interested in
the young lad and gave a long and sincere sigh. “Good lad. It seems like it’s
not just luck that brought you here. Not bad. You are very interesting. I’ve
begun to think quite highly of you now. By the way, you mentioned that you are
now going by the name of Zhen Shi. Why is that?”
The old man had been lonely for over hundreds of thousands
of years. He could no longer stop talking now that he had company. Jiang Chen
was more than happy to converse with the old man. The more he could find out
about the the Six Palaces of Heritage, the more advantageous it would be for
him. He regaled the old man about his past without leaving out any details, up
to the destruction of Regal Pill Palace. Nothing was hidden, including what had
happened at the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect and the Myriad Domain.
Jiang Chen knew that there was no need to hide the truth.
After all, Honored Master P'eng was a powerful cultivator from ancient times
who had lived through the ancient demonic calamity. Based on what the old man
had just said, he was most definitely an empyrean cultivator. Jiang Chen wasn’t
sure about his cultivation level, but he was more than certain that the
heritage found within the Myriad Domain wouldn’t be enough to incite the
slightest interest in him. The elder remained silent after hearing his story.
He sighed gently after a some moments had passed.
“It seems that after the ancient demonic calamity, the
Divine Abyss Continent has gone downhill with each passing generation. What
happened to the great ancient races? Where are they now? Upper Eight Regions?
What is that? Is it part of human territory?” Honored Master Tiankun knew
nothing about the current state of the outside world, but Jiang Chen could tell
that the old man wasn’t the least bit satisfied with the current state of the
human race. He also viewed the Upper Eight Regions with great scorn.
“The Upper Eight Regions, Mid Regions, and Lower Regions
form the entire human domain. This junior has no information regarding the
other great ancient races as they are no longer found within the human domain
or the ancient texts. Oh, this junior has heard rumors about an island called
the Myriad Abyss Island. It’s said that many powerful beings have gone into
seclusion on that island after the great ancient war. I believe they left
because the qi in the human domain was exhausted after the great battle. It was
no longer a suitable place for an empyrean expert.” Jiang Chen explained
carefully.
“Horse shit!” Honored Master P'eng yelled agitatedly.
“Everything you’ve heard is a lie! The only reason they survived the ancient
battle was because they were nothing but cowardly turtles! All experts with a
backbone joined the battle against the demons! Many powerful experts fell in
battle! Only vermin that hid and contributed nothing to the battle were able to
live to the end!” He let out another long sigh. He seemed very agitated and
upset. “I’m also a coward. The biggest coward of all!” He blamed himself.
Jiang Chen immediately consoled him, “Esteemed elder, It
isn’t your fault. You were sealed in this place by the master of the Veluriyam
Pagoda.
Honored Master P'eng sighed. He calmed down a little after
Jiang Chen consoled him. However, it didn’t take long before he raised his
voice again. “Young lad! If the human realm is truly at the state which you’ve
described, I can guarantee that the demon race’s revival will spell the end of
the human race!”
Jiang Chen’s heart skipped a beat. “Is the situation really
that dire?”
“Of course it is!” Honored Master P'eng no longer bothered
to affect the air of a sage elder. “Many great races have united together as
one army during the ancient battle. Even then, we were barely able to stop the
demon army’s advances after paying a great price. We lost almost eighty percent
of our army. Of course, we culled their army in great numbers as well, but
there were a few demons that were too powerful for us to kill. In the end, we
were forced to seal them away.
“What does sealing them away mean? It means that we weren’t
able to eliminate them down to their roots! It means that the demon race will
one day rise from the ashes!” The more he spoke, the more riled up he became.
“I can’t believe that these shameless cowards actually ran away and hid
themselves in a corner of the world! They are the scum of the ancient ages!
Even if they are no longer alive, their descendants are surely as cowardly and
as spineless as them!”
Jiang Chen couldn’t agree with these words. His most beloved
Huang’er was from the Myriad Abyss Island, and was most definitely not a
coward. She was a very compassionate person and would never run away from
danger. They had braved through all kinds of dangers together. However, Jiang
Chen didn’t correct the Honored Master P'eng. The old man was very hot-headed
by nature, and had been sealed in the pagoda for hundreds of thousands of
years. The only thing he could do was worry, as he knew nothing about the
outside world. It was only natural that he would fail to control his emotions
and lose his temper.
“Sigh… no wonder there have been so few geniuses that could
enter the Six Palaces of Heritage. Even an old man like me is beginning to
despair. Who knows? Maybe a demon spawn will be next to enter the six palaces.”
Honored Master P'eng began to laugh at his own words. “Indeed, that is
something that will never happen! The moment someone with a demon’s bloodline
enters the pagoda, he will be struck down by the formations! By the way, Jiang
Chen, you mentioned that the strongest cultivator in the human domain is only
at the emperor realm?
Jiang Chen gave the question some thought before he replied.
“I’ve met an expert beyond the emperor realm, but he wasn’t from the human
domain. Instead, he calls the Myriad Abyss Domain home.”
“Don’t even mention those cowardly turtles.” Master Tian Kun
was fuming with anger.
Jiang Chen smiled wryly. “Esteemed elder, you shouldn’t make
generalized assumptions. That elder is definitely no coward.”
Master Tian Kun snorted. “Even if he isn’t, the same
couldn’t be said for his ancestors and his elders!”
It was at this point that Jiang Chen realized it would be
futile to reason with the old man. However, he remained firm that Elder Shun
was no coward. How much courage would it take for someone to escape the Myriad
Abyss Domain with Huang’er, despite its strict rules? It was a great act of
treason to the Myriad Abyss Domain. Their lives would be forfeit if they were
ever caught. However, Elder Shun was willing to risk it all for Huang’er. He
didn’t just take Huang’er away. He also went back to the Myriad Abyss Domain to
look for the Requiem Wood.
Jiang Chen didn’t know Elder Shun well, but he still
respected him greatly. He didn’t think badly of Master Tian Kun either, but
treated them both with equal respect. Within Honored Master P'eng, he could
sense the valiance and courage from a person of ancient heritage. The ancient
expert also possessed a great amount of vitality. It was beyond anything seen
in a modern cultivator.
Jiang Chen explained a little more about the situation in
the Upper Eight Regions. The elder cursed in a low voice every once in a while
as he listened. “What a bunch of bastards! They aren’t even close to being as
valiant as us, but they sure are quick to master infighting! How can they
murder each other when the human race is in such a great state of decline?”
These words were obviously directed towardsr the Eternal
Celestial Capital and Ninesuns Sky Sect.
Chapter 1007: Kunpengs Meteoric Escape
Even Jiang Chen could feel a great sense of danger with his
limited knowledge of the human domain, much less Honored Master P'eng’s
dissatisfaction with the current state of the human race. The human race’s
present situation was one in which they had to restructure themselves in search
of salvation. If the current state of affairs were allowed to continue, the
moment the demon race broke through the ancient seals, they would undoubtedly
engulf the entire human domain. Jiang Chen had seen the signs since a long time
ago.
There were just too few people with knowledge and experience
within the human race right now. In the olden days, someone like Emperor
Peafowl would be at best an average cultivator, but in present times he was
practically one of the strongest leaders of the human domain. Most importantly,
there weren’t even that many people at Emperor Peafowl’s level at all. The fact
that there weren’t many people in Veluriyam Capital who could understand the
emperor’s viewpoint showed just how few people there were in the entire human
domain that truly possessed his visions and aspirations. There weren’t many
people who would consider the fate of the entire human race either.
More than a hundred thousand years of peace had made humans
grow comfortable and lazy. They had become accustomed to living a
self-deceiving life. They knew of the demon race’s existence, but they refused
to face and deal with the problem. They all lived with the wishful thinking
that the demon race couldn’t possibly cause any trouble after they had been
defeated and sealed away during the ancient times. Even if the demon race would
eventually come back one day, no one thought that they would be so unlucky as
to be born in that unfortunate era. That was why there were very, very few
experts who maintained a broad view of the human race’s situation like Emperor
Peafowl This was also the biggest obstacle the human domain was currently
facing. They refused to be convinced unless they were faced with grim reality.
From Jiang Chen’s perspective, he had gone into the desolate
wildlands and witnessed the demon race’s activities with his own eyes. That was
he had a deeper recognition of this threat than most people. He couldn’t help
but say, “Senior, I’ve actually gone into the desolate wildlands where the
demon race was sealed not long ago. I’ve even gone into the sealed grounds.”
“What?” Honored Master P'eng’s tone abruptly changed. He
sounded so shocked that it was almost as if he had been struck by thunder.
“What did you say? You’ve gone into the desolate wildlands? And into the sealed
grounds no less?”
“Yes.” Jiang Chen nodded. “Holes are starting to appear on
the desolate wildlands’ seals. Not long ago, some cultivators actually came out
as carriers of wood demon parasites. Luckily, I discovered the parasites early
and eliminated them before any real harm could be done. I’ve already made some
arrangements at Veluriyam Capital because of this, but unfortunately they are
only effective against the wood demon parasites. These arrangements are useless
against other types of demons. It almost feels impossible to stop the demon race
from infiltrating the human domain.”
Honored Master P'eng muttered angrily to himself, “The
demonic calamity is here. The demonic calamity is already here. Tell me
quickly, Jiang Chen, what else have you seen in the desolate wildlands?”
Jiang Chen didn’t try to conceal his knowledge. He relayed
everything he learned from the desolate wildlands. “When I left, I used the
Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect’s formation to seal up the gaps in the seal. An
average cultivator should find it very hard to destroy.”
“Good, you did good in this matter. Unfortunately, this
measure can only prevent human cultivators from walking to their deaths. In the
end, your formation isn’t powerful enough to stop a true demon expert that has
awakened from their slumber.” Honored Master P'eng sighed. “I didn’t know that
you’ve inherited the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect’s legacy. Interesting, very
interesting. You’re definitely looking like a person of great destiny, so I’ll
give you a warning, boy. One of the protectors of the Six Palaces of Heritage
is an Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect expert. It’ll be your boon when you finally
meet him.”
“Oh? There’s actually a survivor of the Ancient Crimson
Heavens Sect in this place?” Jiang Chen’s curiosity was immediately piqued.
“What do you mean by that? Don’t tell me everyone in Ancient
Crimson Heavens Sect is dead?”
Jiang Chen had no choice but to repeat everything that was
written on the ancient sect’s stone tablet.
Deep veneration rose in Honored Master P'eng’s heart as he
praised, “See? They are an example of the moral integrity of an ancient expert
and the honorable bearing of an ancient sect. The Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect
may have sat only between a first and second-rate sect, but they were
uncommonly talented in the dao of formation. Even a sect like them was willing
to go all out against the demon’s invasion and die in battle rather than
dishonor themselves!”
Honored Master P'eng didn’t need to tell him this. Jiang
Chen had already been very impressed with the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect’s
moral integrity even before today.
“Luckily for all of us, the area you were in was at the edge
of the ancient war zone. The demons sealed in that place are pretty weak. At
the very least there were no empyrean level demons or demon lords there.”
Honored Master P'eng sighed quietly. “Still, if just a few demon emperors and
demon monarchs were to awaken from their slumber, I doubt the human race can
hold out considering the scattered mess of a situation that the human domain is
in right now.”
Jiang Chen agreed with this point. All of the various
regions of the human domain had a terrible culture. There was an extreme amount
of infighting and disunity within the human race. If a demonic calamity were to
happen now, it would easily sweep through the entire race. But such was the
reality of things and no one person’s strength could prevent this tragedy from
happening. Considering the level of degradation the human race was in already,
perhaps a calamity was exactly what was necessary to wake them up a little.
“Boy, the Emperor Peafowl you mentioned is a somewhat
interesting person. However, one Emperor Peafowl is not nearly enough to save
us from this predicament. I believe that you are able to enter the Veluriyam
Pagoda because fate has chosen you to walk the path of great destiny.
Therefore, I very much hope that you can conquer the Six Palaces of Heritage
and become the new master of the Veluriyam Pagoda. That old bastard may be a
terrible person, but his morals were in the right place when the demon race was
involved. The reason he built the Veluriyam Pagoda was to leave behind his
inheritances. As one of the leaders of the human race, he knew very well that
he could perish at any moment during the war. He was prepared to die for the
greater good. That is why I do not loathe him even though I dislike him for
what he did to me.” Honored Master P'eng sighed quietly. “Now, it almost seems
that his choice to imprison us was a correct one. His treatment of us is
unfair, true, but from a long-term standpoint I believe that he made the right
choice. After all, what use is an ancient inheritance if it were to fall into
the hands of cowards?”
Jiang Chen still had no idea who the creator of the
Veluriyam Pagoda was, but he had no doubt that he was a great expert. Honored
Master P'eng wouldn’t only have a dislike for such a person for a hundred
thousand year’s imprisonment otherwise. Only a person of incredible charisma
could have achieved this feat.
“Alright, we’ve talked about many things, and I believe
you’ve learned everything you needed to know. So? Are you going to challenge
the next palace, or are you going to head out and prepare yourself first?”
Jiang Chen thought for a moment. “I’m here already, so I may
as well give it a try. Speaking of which, do I have a second chance to try
again if I were to fail this challenge?”
“That’s right. You will have a second chance at every palace.”
Jiang Chen nodded as a surge of heroism rose in his heart.
“Then I shall give it a go. Please give me the challenge, senior.”
“Give you the challenge, you say?” Honored Master P'eng
smiled wryly. “I’m a prisoner of this place, and I cannot regain my freedom
until you’ve completely inherited the Veluriyam Pagoda. Therefore, the
challenge you are about to face was set up since a long time ago. My Skykun
Palace cares for absolute speed, and here you may learn my Kunpeng's Meteoric
Escape. Once you’ve succeeded, you will be met with a challenge of speed. If
you can beat this challenge of speed, then you will have overcome Skykun Palace
itself. Your reward for overcoming my palace will be a bloodline that you may
use to refine a pair of Kunpeng Wings in the future.”
Speaking of escape arts and wings, Jiang Chen actually
possessed two such arts in his arsenal already. One of them was the Cicada’s
Wings, the other the Featherflight Wings. However, Jiang Chen also knew that
both wings were far inferior compared to the Kunpeng Wings. The Kunpeng race
was an incredibly powerful divine beast race even during ancient times. The
dragons, vermillion birds, kunpengs, peafowls, black tortoises, and white
tigers were all sovereigns of the ancient divine beasts. Honored Master P'eng
had obviously assimilated a kunpeng bloodline into his human body, or he
couldn’t have possessed such a bloodline or cultivated the Kunpeng's Meteoric
Escape.
Honored Master P'eng obviously had a very good impression of
Jiang Chen. He consoled the lad. “Boy, you are the genius that I like the most
out of every genius that I’ve met since ancient times, and you are also the
genius I believe to have the greatest chance at succeeding the Veluriyam
Pagoda. I am only going to tell you that the challenges of the palaces tests
your potential and not your current cultivation. So don’t be afraid because you
think that your current cultivation is lacking. Remember, the challenges you
face changes accordingly to your realm, but the one thing that doesn’t change
is their goal to test your potential. If your potential is good enough, then
you will have a glimmer of hope to succeed.”
Jiang Chen felt reassured after hearing this. The setup was
even more perfect that he’d thought. If this wasn’t the case, if the tests were
specifically targeted at a cultivation level that was above and beyond his
current cultivation level, then there was almost no hope for him to succeed in
these challenges. The inheritances prepared by ancient experts would likely
cause headaches even for great emperor cultivators.
“Remember, the Six Palaces of Heritage tests your potential,
destiny and overall strength. If fate truly has sent you here, then your
chances of success will be greater than that of any other challenger.” Honored
Master P'eng explained patiently. “You have half a years’ time to get ready. Do
you see the words and images of inheritance around the Skykun Palace? Your task
is to find the right method to cultivate the Kunpeng's Meteoric Escape from
these words and images. Then, you will have to cultivate the art. Once half a
year is over, the challenge will officially begin.”
“What do you mean finding the right method to cultivate the
Kunpeng's Meteoric Escape? Are some parts of these words and images of
inheritances actually wrong?”
“Of course. This is also a part of the test. If you lack
even the martial talent to distinguish the proper cultivation method, if you
couldn’t even pass the test of the theory of martial arts, then what’s the
point of even letting you attempt the challenge?” Honored Master P'eng said
impatiently.
Jiang Chen chuckled in understanding. This wasn’t a problem
for him. If there was one thing he dared boast about, it would be his
foundation and insight in martial dao. He knew that the inheritances of the Six
Palaces of Heritage must be at a pretty high level, but no matter how high a
level it was, it couldn’t possibly be higher than that of his father, the
Celestial Emperor, could it?
Chapter 1008: Reactions From All Sides
The four walls of Skykun Palace were recorded with words and
images of all sorts of inheritances. Their sheer number overwhelmed Jiang Chen.
It was actually quite difficult to find one cultivation method from these dense
walls of information. Even if the cultivation method was correctly identified,
two or three months would probably have passed since then. However, the
challenger was only given half a year’s time to prepare before the first
challenge began. Therefore, the challenger was actually quite pressed for time.
Of course, should the challenger fail to pass the challenge,
they would be given a second chance. This rule applied at every stage. However,
all cultivators were naturally competitive. No one was willing to use this
second chance if at all possible. After all, what if the inheritance was
somehow altered because they used the second chance? Therefore, Jiang Chen had
no plans to use the second chance. He only wanted to use the chance to leave.
Although the Veluriyam Pagoda and the outside world shared
the same flow of time, a cultivator could cultivate ten to twenty times faster
in the Veluriyam Pagoda. He had entered the Veluriyam Pagoda for a very long
time, and he was rather concerned about the situation outside. This concern was
only enhanced by his promise to the Coiling Dragon clan lord. Several years had
passed by already, so the Five Elements Augmentation Art was likely going to
fail very soon. Perhaps the clan lord was caught up in anxiety at this very
moment. Jiang Chen didn’t want to become a person who breaks his promises. He
planned to head out after he completed this first challenge at Skykun Palace.
“This isn’t it.”
“This isn’t it either…”
“This doesn’t match up.”
“Hmm, this one’s too stiff as well.” Jiang Chen activated
his eye arts of God’s Eye and the Evil Golden Eye in full and swiftly looked
everywhere in Skykun Palace. The mental component of this cultivation method
had been broken up, so he had to connect them together segment by segment.
That was why he searched around for clues very carefully. If
even one segment was connected incorrectly, the entire art wouldn’t be able to
function. Thankfully, Jiang Chen possessed the memories of his previous life.
His martial dao foundation was probably far superior to even the master of
Skykun Palace, Honored Master P'eng himself. He didn’t expose too much of his
foundations. Obviously, it would be bad if he performed too well.
At the very least, he needed to limit his skills to a level
that was appropriate to his age. Even if he were to ‘overperform’, he should
still make sure that it didn’t defy common sense too much. Otherwise, a
busybody like Honored Master P'eng was would be sure to ask questions until he
got to the bottom of the whole thing. There were many things that Jiang Chen
found no reason to conceal, but the secret of his previous life was one thing
he couldn’t reveal to anyone.
He made steady progress as he searched around for the
complete cultivation method. He’d finally gathered all the mental arts and
physical arts about a month later. After he looked over his work several times
and was sure that he had completed the cultivation method, he finally relaxed
and started cultivating.
Although Honored Master P'eng was trapped, Skykun Palace was
his domain. His consciousness was spread throughout this whole place, so he was
able to grasp everything that was going on. He was very surprised to see that
Jiang Chen was able to gather all the physical arts and mental arts of the
cultivation method in just a month’s time. He exclaimed in silent admiration.
“I guess the human race hasn’t lost their ability to pass on
their bloodline, even though they have largely faltered since the ancient war.
There are still geniuses in every generation. This little guy seems to be a lot
more talented and perceptive than the previous two geniuses who came in here.”
Honored Master P'eng had incredible insight, so it was only natural that he
could distinguish who was superior and who was inferior. Plus, Jiang Chen had
obviously outperformed the previous two geniuses.
“He’s only at ninth level sage realm, but he actually
managed to find the answer from this random cluster of inheritances in just a
month’s time. This kid sure makes you expect great things from him.” At the
same time, he couldn’t help but guess. “Could this kid be the successor that
the old bastard was searching so hard for?”
Honored Master P'eng allowed his first impression to rule
his judgment. He had an extremely good impression of Jiang Chen, so he couldn’t
help but want to raise Jiang Chen to greater heights when he saw how
outstanding his performance was. Factually speaking, he also thought that Jiang
Chen’s talents had absolutely exceeded the previous two cultivators.
Fortune-wise, the sheer amount of opportunities Jiang Chen had run into despite
being only twenty years old or so was also proof that he was absolutely a
genius of great destiny. If he truly possessed all the necessary qualities,
then...
“He might actually be able to become the new master of the
Veluriyam Pagoda.” Honored Master P'eng couldn’t help the strange excitement he
was feeling. After being trapped for more than a hundred thousand years, no one
wanted freedom more than he.
However, this freedom wouldn’t be obtained easily. First,
someone must show up as the heir. Moreover, they needed to serve their new
master for ten thousand years after they had regained their freedom. This was
also a rule that couldn’t be changed. Every single protector of the Six Palaces
of Heritage was a proud fellow. If their new master’s character and temperament
disgusted them, they would probably not enjoy serving their new master.
However, Honored Master P'eng found that this little fellow named Jiang Chen
was very much to his taste in every aspect. That was why he was looking forward
to his success.
“My freedom is all in your hands, little fellow!” Honored
Master P'eng didn’t deny that the previous two geniuses who showed up were also
true geniuses. However, his impression of them was far inferior to his
impression of Jiang Chen. It was because he saw a unique quality in Jiang Chen.
Moreover Jiang Chen was very honest, and he had spoken about his experiences
without attempting to hide anything at all. Even rarer was the fact that Jiang
Chen wasn’t afraid to talk back. He didn’t yield unconditionally just because
the master was the protector of Skykun Palace. Honored Master P'eng didn’t mind
a bit of arrogance at all.
…...
On the outskirts of the Veluriyam Pagoda, the powers beneath
the seven great emperors’ command were still absorbed in the reality that was
young lord Zhen’s successful breakthrough of the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk. The
entire Veluriyam Capital had sunk into wild merriment too. This wasn’t a grand
event, but it might as well be one. In fact, it was a grand event that couldn’t
be enjoyed even once in ten thousand years. Young lord Zhen’s successful
domination of the ninth Veluriyam Obelisk was an achievement that surpassed all
other geniuses to date. Right now, not only did young lord Zhen’s glory
overwhelm his peers, but it also overwhelmed even the seven great emperors’ and
the thousands of years of history of Veluriyam Capital.
Some were happy and others troubled.
At a secluded place in Veluriyam Capital, several holy kings
of the Eternal Celestial Capital had gathered together. Saint Holy King Mu,
Saint Holy King Ke, Holy King Bei, and Mie Chenzi, the challenger who’d
forfeited against Jiang Chen, were all present. When they heard that young lord
Zhen had successfully conquered all nine Veluriyam Obelisks, these Eternal
Celestial Capital cultivators all wore grave expressions on their faces.
“Everyone, I must say that the Eternal Celestial Capital may
be facing a great trouble in the near future.” There was no point in hiding
anything, so Saint Holy King Mu spoke frankly.
“Yeah. I never thought that that kid would be this talented.
He hid himself extremely deeply.” Saint Holy King Ke also sighed.
But Holy King Bei asked timidly, “Saint Holy Kings, are you
two absolutely sure that that young lord Zhen is Jiang Chen of Regal Pill
Palace?”
Frankly speaking, this was where they felt the most
defeated. Despite all their scheming, they weren’t able to confirm if young
lord Zhen was Jiang Chen even to this day. Although they had made some
deductions and felt that young lord Zhen was Jiang Chen, upon closer inspection
they felt that the lord, particularly in the arena, didn’t feel like the
legendary Jiang Chen.
“What do you think, Mie Chenzi?” Saint Holy King Ke asked.
When Mie Chenzi was challenging the Ranking of Young Lords,
he had surprised everyone by surrendering and leaving in a hurry. Although he
had managed to escape with his life, he’d also become a joke in Veluriyam
Capital. With that being said, no one knew who Mie Chenzi really was.
“I believe that we may have over thought things. If young
lord Zhen truly is Jiang Chen, then he has no reason to conceal his identity
right now.” Mie Chenzi continued, “I agree with the general opinion outside.
This young lord Zhen is probably a pawn that Emperor Peafowl has raised in
secret.”
Holy King Bei also nodded. “I believe that this line of
deduction is more logical too. If we were Emperor Peafowl, we wouldn’t have
left a genius successor at the secular world to waste his life, would we? That
animal Jiang Chen was born in a tiny place called the Eastern Kingdom. He also
wasted time in other tiny places like the Skylaurel Kingdom and Precious Tree
Sect. No matter how you look at it, he just doesn’t seem like a pawn that
Emperor Peafowl was secretly raising.”
Saint Holy King Ke sighed softly. “That is the logical
deduction, yes. But if that is the case then why can’t I help but feel worried
about young lord Zhen’s success?”
Saint Holy King Mu also agreed. “I too can’t help but feel
that this young long Zhen may become a threat to the Eternal Celestial Capital
in the future.”
Mie Chenzi and Holy King Bei exchanged a glance with each
other. Their status was inferior to the two saint holy kings, so it wasn’t in
their place to raise an objection. However, they definitely thought that the
two saint holy kings were overreacting.
A while later, Saint Holy King Ke sighed. “Forget it, it’s
too late to talk about this anyway. Whether or not young lord Zhen is Jiang
Chen, we must be prepared for this possibility. In case he really is Jiang
Chen, the Eternal Celestial Capital will be met with a crisis in the future.
Who knows, if he becomes the true master of Sacred Peafowl Mountain tens or
hundreds of years later, he may start a war against us.”
Everyone’s expression changed when they thought of Veluriyam
Capital starting a war against the Eternal Celestial Capital. Mie Chenzi
couldn’t help but say, “It can’t be that easy, can it? Even if he is Jiang
Chen, and even if he takes control of Sacred Peafowl Mountain, it still doesn’t
mean that he controls the entire Veluriyam Capital. I heard that not everyone
in Veluriyam Pagoda shares the same opinion. For the longest time, Emperor
Shura was seen to be the most likely cultivator to succeed Emperor Peafowl, and
then this young lord Zhen suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I doubt that Emperor
Shura’s faction would be willing to obey his commands.”
This analysis did make a lot of sense. Saint Holy King Mu
also nodded. “In that case, what we need to do now is to make an ally out of
Emperor Shura and support him. As long as Veluriyam Capital falls into Emperor
Shura’s hands, the Eternal Celestial Capital will be able to rest without
worries. If it’s only Sacred Peafowl Mountain that we have to face, then what
is there to be afraid of?”
Veluriyam Capital was strong because they had seven great emperors.
Moreover, the only reason the Sacred Peafowl Mountain was almost on par with
the Eternal Celestial Capital’s strength was because they had a heaven-defying
expert like Emperor Peafowl. Otherwise, if the emperor were to be excluded from
the equation, his faction was far inferior to the Eternal Celestial Capital in
terms of overall strength.
Chapter 1009: Accepting The Challenge
It didn’t take long for the Eternal Celestial Capital to set
their plan in stone.
…...
A dark silhouette shot across the sky. Jiang Chen flew past
like a shooting star.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh! Jiang Chen flew across the sky
repeatedly, each successive attempt quicker than the previous. I’ve yet to
reach my limits. I can go faster! He mused deeply and shot through the sky again.
He was a meteor in a race with the moon.
It had been four months since he first started cultivating
the Kunpeng Meteoric Escape. He’d improved immensely within the period of time.
His execution of the art was even more perfect, and with a much greater speed
than before after he’d combined it with the Featherflight Wings. He’d broken
through his limit yet again.
Tsk tsk. This is truly an incredible art. My current speed
is likely beyond that of some high level emperor realm experts. Jiang Chen was
innately quick. However, his speed had improved by leaps and bounds after he
cultivated the Featherflight Wings in tandem with the Kunpeng Meteoric Escape.
He was also incredibly surprised by the immense improvement in speed.
Cultivators of the same level will no longer be a match for
me in terms of both absolute and relative speed. In fact, most emperor realm
cultivators will not be faster than me. With so much improvement to my absolute
speed, I’m certain that I can now escape an emperor’s domain with speed alone!
The only art without counter was speed. Speed was in itself
an advantage. The faster one was, the more advantage one had. Speed was by
nature, powerful. It amplified and enhanced the power of an attack. It wasn’t a
mere tool to use in escape. It was incredibly useful in real battle, where
speed often gave overwhelming advantages. It didn’t matter if one was on the
offense or defense, the one with the fastest speed had the greatest chance of
winning. After all, defending against a faster enemy was no easy task.
The first palace challenge was gradually approaching with
each passing day. Jiang Chen already had good mastery over the Kunpeng Meteoric
Escape, but due to his perfectionist nature, he didn’t slack off even in the
slightest for the remaining days. He continued to dedicate himself to the
cultivation of the art. Even the Featherflight Tactics paled in comparison to
this particular art. The Featherflight Tactics was more dedicated to the art of
escape. Most of its specialty was meant for escaping. It was a very useful
survival art. Emperor Featherflight had often relied on it to escape from
desperate situations.
Even then, it was still no match for the Kunpeng Meteoric
Escape. This art didn’t just share many advantages that the Featherflight
Tactics had; it was also superior in many different ways. For example, it gave
him much more relative speed in battle, allowed for much more nimble and agile
movements, and also improved his response time. It was an art that trained
one’s speed for all situations.
Moreover, this art also contained innate destructive powers.
When the Kunpeng Meteoric Escape was brought to the extreme limit, it would
give rise to very powerful heat energy and a formidable severing light. Many
opponents were instantly killed by the sharp severing light. Even if they
somehow evaded it, they would be consumed by the large amount of heat generated.
It was an art that gave rise to offense while on the defensive, and vise versa.
It was a truly formidable art. Jiang Chen was impressed by it even though he
had studied arts from the heavenly planes.
The more he learned about the art, the more extraordinary it
became. His admiration for Master P'eng only grew as time went on. Half a month
later, his half year time limit was finally up.
Master P'eng’s voice was heard yet again.
“Jiang Chen, half a year’s time has passed. You should enter
the testing grounds. If you pass the challenge, it means you’ve passed the
Skykun Palace. Even though you are given one retry in each round, I truly hope
that you won’t use it here. In fact, it’d be better if you never have to use
it.”
Jiang Chen could sense the encouragement within Master
P'eng’s voice. Warmth filled his heart. He yelled loudly, “Esteemed elder,
don’t worry! I’ve comprehended the art very well, and my cultivation has gone
perfectly! If the challenge only tests for potential and not cultivation level,
then I have full confidence for success!”
This was absolute confidence. The old man laughed. “Hehe!
Good lad! I like your confidence! Based on my observations from these past
months, I can only say say that I’m truly stunned by your potential. The gates
to the testing grounds are already open. There will be a formation outside the
gates to adjust the difficulty according to your cultivation level. You may go
in.”
Jiang Chen no longer hesitated and walked towards the gate
with big strides. There was nothing left for him to worry about at this point.
He was as calm as still water. The thought of losing never even crossed his
mind. He was dedicated to only one thought: Conquer the challenge!
A sealed door was slowly opening on the right side of Skykun
Palace. A beam of light appeared from within the gaps and ensconced Jiang
Chen’s body. The light scanned his body and confirmed that his cultivation was
at the ninth level sage realm. The formation began to pulse, and Jiang Chen
soon disappeared within the bright light.
When the bright light subsided, he realized that he had been
teleported into the testing grounds. There was a wide river before him. Its
waters were as blue as the Milky Way, making it seem like a blue meandering
ribbon. The opposite bank was shrouded by fog.
“The first round is a test of absolute speed. Do you see the
river? You must reach the opposite bank with the Kunpeng Meteoric Escape before
the first wave crashes and before the second rises. If a drop of water lands on
you at any given time, you’ll have failed. Remember, it isn’t just a test of
absolute speed. It’s also a test of your agility and response time.”
Jiang Chen took a deep breath while looking at the blue
river. Its waves were rising and crashing at very quick speeds. There was
almost no time interval between the two motions. It was quick and smooth, like
walking. The right leg naturally followed the stride of the left leg. To
complete this challenge, one would need an extremely quick response time and a
full comprehension of the situation. There was only a breath’s time between the
two wave motions. One had to make their move within that instance.
All efforts would go down the drain if one mistimed it by
even a fraction of a second. A drop of water landing meant immediate failure.
Jiang Chen noticed a very powerful barrier between the two banks. The maximum
height that he could reach with the Kunpeng Meteoric Escape was around ten feet
above the river. This meant that if he failed to catch the correct timing
between the two wave motions, he would be splashed by the water from the rise
of the second wave.
Jiang Chen took in another deep breath and stared at the
river. He fully immersed himself in the river’s rhythm. He suddenly made his
move. The Kunpeng Wings expanded and contracted behind him. A golden silhouette
shot through the air, leaving afterimages in the shape of an arc above the
river. As the silhouette landed on the opposite bank, a wave rose and crashed
into the afterimage.
Jiang Chen was already on the opposite bank. He had executed
the art flawlessly, timed it immaculately, and achieved the perfect speed.
There wasn’t even a drop of water on his body. He had completed the challenge
with grace and finesse.
“Congratulations, you’ve passed the first round. The next
round is a test of relative speed.”
There were three rounds of testing in the Skykun Palace
challenge. The first round tested for absolute speed, the second round tested
for relative speed, and the last round tested for his comprehension of the art.
The testing grounds for the second round were in a secret
chamber. Jiang Chen could feel an odd pressure within the chamber. There was an
aura within the chamber that gave the occupants a certain feeling of
oppression.
“The second round is a test of relative speed and also
response time. You’ll be attacked at random from all sides of the room. It’s up
to you to respond to these attacks and evade them. Remember, you’re not allowed
to return any hits. You can only evade by relying on your art. The test will
last for fifteen minutes.”
Upon hearing those words, Jiang Chen immediately expanded
his consciousness and fully activated Psychic’s Head. He had entered a state of
apprehension. Every corner of the room, every detail, and every inch of moving
air was now within his grasp. Even the hair on his body was now a sensor.
He suddenly heard an abnormally quick movement of air with
his ears. He immediately executed the art and moved away slightly. A fast arrow
shot past his body, narrowly missing him. He kept the light speed art activated
and continued to dodge left, right, and center.
Arrows were being shot at him from all sides like torrential
rain. They weren’t just fast, but also extremely sharp. He was truly besieged
from all directions. However, he had already experienced a similar attack in
his earlier years. Back when he was in the Eastern Kingdom, he faced a similar
barrage of sword intent. However, the difference in difficulty was as clear as night
and day.
He couldn’t even afford to make a millimeter of mistake due
to the intense speed. An arrow would strike him if he made even the slightest
mistake. Fifteen minutes wasn’t really that long. But an attack of this
intensity, density, and speed would absolutely be a test for anyone.
After all, one was only allowed to dodge and couldn’t even
return any hits. This round of testing required much more accuracy than the one
prior. Beads of sweat were dripping from the tip of his nose.
Chapter 1010: News That Stunned Jiang Chen
Despite his sovereign mastery over the art, Jiang Chen was
quite strained by the test of strength and speed. A test like this surpassed
the limits that someone of his cultivation level could sustain. Because the
trial taxed him past his breaking point, it was a significant hurdle with
regards to both reflexes and stamina. Thankfully, he had two lifetimes’ worth
of experience to guide him. He was able to calm himself during crucial moments,
keeping both his direction and composure.
The longer he fought, the more tenacious he became. In
between dodges and shifts, he felt countless bursts of inspiration rise to the
top of his mind. Initially, Jiang Chen had found the task to be quite daunting.
In these last few moments, however, he gleaned ideas increasingly frequently
about how to pick up his own speed. Thus, he found it easier to survive with
every passing second.
The fifteen minutes were up before long. When all of the
attacks ceased, Jiang Chen’s clothes were absolutely drenched, permeated with
sweat from the inside to out. He hadn’t expected a mere quarter-hour to consume
so much of his energy and stamina. Admittedly, this particular test had been
exceptionally exciting. It was perfect in essentially every aspect. It had
tested speed, reflex, finesse, and conscious judgment. Almost everything there
was to examine, really.
“I suppose this shows that I shouldn’t underestimate these
Six Palaces of Heritage. I thought I’d prepared so well for them, but there had
been only a fine line between success and failure just now nevertheless.” The
past round of trials made Jiang Chen warier of the palaces’ difficulty.
“This is only the first of many to come. The later trials
will surely be harder rather than easier. If I rush headlong into things, the
slightest amount of hubris will be enough to cloud over my heart. Any
impurities therein just now would likely have ended in my elimination.”
Thinking back on it, he was both relieved and somewhat grateful.
Jiang Chen adjusted himself a little before exiting the
secret room, coming into a wholly different world. The test this time was to
verify Jiang Chen’s grasp of the Kunpeng’s Meteoric Escape technique.
Naturally, passing this round meant his successful weathering of the entire
Skykun Palace. Accordingly, he would be eligible to receive the appropriate
rewards: the kunpeng bloodline.
The kunpeng bloodline could be counted as a token, a mark of
Master P’eng’s trust. Receiving the bloodline was equivalent to receiving both
the palace and the master’s acceptance. The test was somewhat similar to that
of the Veluriyam Obelisks. Jiang Chen needed to analyze the Kunpeng’s Meteoric
Escape with his consciousness. Standing before a gigantic stone obelisk, Jiang
Chen injected his consciousness into the structure. Instantly, the shadow of a
kunpeng appeared on the obelisk’s surface.
Roar! The beast reared its head, roaring into the sky. Then,
it began to move with comet-like haste.
Jiang Chen’s task was to use his consciousness to understand
the art. In fact, he needed to follow and even predict the beast’s path. It was
a job that required meticulous attention to detail. He quickly accustomed
himself to the rhythm needed for the trial.
Someone of his intuitive caliber was easily able to tail the
meteor’s shadow, plotting out all of its potential paths forward. Such fine
control tested not only the keenness of perception, but also a thorough
understanding of the technique’s delicacies. Any inaccuracies in comprehension
meant abject failure. Besides the aforementioned control, sufficient foresight
was required as well. It was a trait that required certain foundations as well.
Without sufficient practice with this technique, how could there be foresight?
Jiang Chen’s extensive experiences with martial techniques and superb martial
talent both granted him insurmountable advantages. It wasn’t easy, but it was
actually comparatively easier than the second round. After a battery of
struggles, Jiang Chen brought this round of testing to its conclusion as well.
“Good lad! I knew that you had it in you.” It was Master
Kunpeng’s joyful voice. “You haven’t let me down.”
Three successive rounds of testing had drained Jiang Chen of
every iota of energy. He had to sit for a while, regaining his strength, before
being able to open his eyes again. A pleased smile now hung upon his face. “I
appreciate your high hopes, senior master. Truthfully, I only passed by the
skin of my teeth.”
“I wouldn’t say the same.” Master P’eng chuckled. “I can see
that you’re actually quite skilled.”
The master rarely praised others. He especially spared
junior disciples such gestures, having the notion that youngsters who received
too much adulation would become too proud and full of themselves. In this
moment, however, his approval was entirely honest.
“Ah, yes. You will receive two things as your prize. The
first is three drops of kunpeng blood, which is a token of Skykun Palace’s
trust. The second is a… spacetime seal.”
Kunpeng blood was easy enough to understand from its name.
What was a spacetime seal, though?
“A spacetime seal is a talisman uniquely found in the
Veluriyam Pagoda. Breaking it will create a dimensional passage, no matter
where you are. It will take you inside the Six Palaces of Heritage. Because
you’ve broken through Skykun Palace, you will be taken straight to the next one
whenever you do.”
“How miraculous!” Jiang Chen was surprised at the seal’s
effects. He knew that some talismans were potent enough to accomplish similar
things.
However, only masters of the heavenly planes could create
such items. Prospective makers had to grasp powerful spacetime mysteries in
order to be able to forcefully open such passages. A spacetime seal was an
extremely effective lifesaving treasure. No matter how dire one’s
circumstances, breaking it would instantly return the user to the Veluriyam
Pagoda. The architect of the Veluriyam Pagoda had to have been a master among
masters.
An expert like that would surely have had a place even in
the heavenly planes. Jiang Chen was suddenly filled with curiosity about the
Divine Abyss Continent. If this plane really was only an ordinary one, how could
it have spawned someone so powerful? To put it another way, why had he been
reborn into such a supposedly mundane plane? What kind of power had led to his
reincarnation here? Had it been a willful act from his father the Celestial
Emperor, or simply a stroke of happenstance?
For now, it was a question without an answer that filled
Jiang Chen’s heart with doubt. Puzzled by all of this, he sank into deep
thought.
“Can I leave the Pagoda right now, then, senior?” Jiang Chen
suddenly piped up once more.
“Obviously, you dolt. Anyone who comes into the Six Palaces
of Heritage has a chance to leave and re-enter after every individual one.
However, before you do, you have to swear on your inner demons that you will
not reveal the palaces’ secrets. Otherwise, may they consume you totally.”
Master P’eng sighed. “Those are the rules. The person who built the Veluriyam
Pagoda made them, and no one is allowed to break them.”
Jiang Chen found these rules to be quite understandable.
Those who refrained from entering the Six Palaces had no such opportunity. The
formation that sent them away automatically wiped the associated memories
clean.
Only those who entered the Six Palaces had the chance to
preserve their memories, but that also required them to gain the right of
re-entry. If they failed at their single chance and repeated their result a
second time, their memories would be wiped away just the same. The Veluriyam
Pagoda had perfected its art of secrecy. That was how it had preserved its
traditions throughout over a hundred thousand years of heritage. The outside
world knew none of its enigmas to this day.
Jiang Chen’s subsequent silence made Master P’eng scratch
his head. “You’re not really going to go outside, are you?” He couldn’t help
but ask. “If I were you, I would rather stay here and go challenge the second
palace when the time comes.”
“Senior, I do have to go out for a bit.” Jiang Chen cracked
a wry smile.
His stubbornness disappointed the master. “If you want to go
out, the other palaces have formations that do that as well. Are you sure about
this?”
“Yes, I am.” Jiang Chen nodded. Having been here many years,
he was unsure about how the outside world had progressed while he’d been gone.
The heaviest thing that hung upon his mind was the possible premature
occurrence of the demonic invasion. The promise he had made to the Coiling
Dragon clan lord was another reason he had to leave. Breaking it would likely
result in the creation of an inner demon.
Master P’eng was depressed at the young man’s resolution.
Jiang Chen didn’t seem like he was amenable to staying for any reason. “It’s
rare that there’s a kid around to chat with me and alleviate my boredom. Why do
you want to go outside, huh? Never mind, never mind, I know you’ll have your
reasons for this-and-that. Alright, swear the oath.”
Jiang Chen immediately swore an oath on his inner demons.
Just like a heavenly oath, an inner demon’s oath tended to be both horrific and
self-fulfilling.
“You better not renege on that oath, Jiang Chen. If you do,
you will be eternally doomed. I’m not just scaring you, you know. The Veluriyam
Pagoda’s secrets are linked with the fate, fortune, and future of the human
race. There can be no mistakes, no errors, no accidents. Do you understand?”
Master P’eng was tireless in his repeated admonishments.
The old master’s seriousness sparked a question in Jiang
Chen. “The human race’s fortune? Who built the Veluriyam Pagoda exactly? I hear
that the Main Pagoda holds his empyrean decree and relic? Was he—is he—a great
empyrean expert?”
Master P’eng smiled serenely. “Empyrean expert? Too young
and too simple, my little friend. The so-called empyrean decree and relic are
mere smoke and mirrors. They are hardly the things that actually lie at the
heart of the Pagoda. Just that old bastard’s elaborate ruse, you see.”
“…What?” Jiang Chen was perplexed. He remembered the first
day that he’d come into Veluriyam Capital, still. Back then, Wei Jie had
proudly told him, very clearly, that the Veluriyam Pagoda held the
first-generation master’s empyrean decree and empyrean relic. All this time, he
had thought that they were the most important items the Pagoda held. Given what
Master P’eng had just said, was that not the case at all? The decree, the
relic, were both just part of a lie?
