Jiang Chen stepped forward, and the world shifted.
As for Lian Que, left behind in the Celestial Dragon Palace — once everything settled, he too would be extracted from the Celestial Secret Realm.
What appeared before Jiang Chen was an exceedingly broad platform, seemingly built atop some towering mountain. Stone below, reaching into the clouds above.
Looking in every direction, mist wreathed the landscape, with mountain shadows glimpsed through the haze.
At the center of the platform stood a nine-cornered tower, its peak lost in the sky.
A plaque upon it bore the words: **Heaven-Reaching Tower.**
Before the tower stood a stone stele, and before the stele — three people.
Xu Xiangqian, Li Longchuan, Chong Xuan Sheng.
Xu Xiangqian was running his hands across the stele's surface, studying something with great absorption.
Li Longchuan, his brow bound by a jade ribbon, stood straight as a pine, eyes closed in meditation.
Chong Xuan Sheng's corpulent form held one corner, his small eyes darting warily between Xu Xiangqian and Li Longchuan.
He seemed quite concerned about being ganged up on and thrown off the cliff.
Three people utterly different in appearance and temperament — yet their coexistence was surprisingly harmonious.
The moment Jiang Chen appeared, Li Longchuan's eyes snapped open. His entire being surged with readiness, a razor-sharp killing intent locking onto Jiang Chen like a drawn bow.
Like an arrow about to fly, like a string about to release.
Seeing it was Jiang Chen, he offered a slight smile of acknowledgment, and the killing intent withdrew.
Jiang Chen's arrival immediately lit up Chong Xuan Sheng's small eyes. He waved eagerly: "Jiang brother, over here!"
It seemed that finally meeting up with his teammate had straightened his back and strengthened his voice.
Xu Xiangqian had been too absorbed to notice. At the greeting, he turned: "They all said they hadn't run into you, but I knew you'd come here."
He had quite a lot of confidence in Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen simply smiled, greeted both Xu Xiangqian and Li Longchuan, then walked straight to Chong Xuan Sheng and produced the Azure Dragon's Horn: "I didn't let you down."
Looking at the horn, Chong Xuan Sheng's expression grew complicated.
"Jiang brother," he said. "You should know that the Heart-Demon Oath is ineffective here."
Before entering the Celestial Secret Realm, no one had known what conditions they would face.
Many of the preparations people had brought proved useless. The Heart-Demon Oath Jiang Chen had sworn was also void.
This Azure Dragon's Horn — he had absolutely no obligation to hand it over. The oath could no longer constrain him.
And in practical terms, no one would remember anything after leaving the realm. The Inner Palace divine skill was the tangible reward in plain sight.
"I know," Jiang Chen said with a smile. "But this is what I promised you."
He pressed the Azure Dragon's Horn into Chong Xuan Sheng's meaty palm. "Take it."
Chong Xuan Sheng examined the horn carefully, admiration in his eyes: "Truly a fine piece. But... I already have one."
He handed it back: "Now we've reached the second part of our agreement — I help you claim the opportunity. Keep it."
Jiang Chen couldn't help but smile: "Then why don't you choose, and see which one is better."
"Before we actually discover what the divine skill is, who can say which is more precious?" Chong Xuan Sheng shook his head, his eyes crinkling with his smile: "I'll leave it to fate. Respect destiny's choice."
With things said to this point, Jiang Chen would not be coy. He stored the horn and sat on the stone platform's edge, chatting with Chong Xuan Sheng about their respective battles for the Azure Dragon's Horn.
Compared to Jiang Chen's harrowing experience, Chong Xuan Sheng had been considerably luckier. He and his companion, Shi Si, had been assigned to the same Dragon Palace. The two joined forces and crushed their opponents with raw power.
Of course, this was only Chong Xuan Sheng's account — but Jiang Chen suspected that with the fat man's cunning, the actual process had probably been even simpler.
Afterward, Shi Si recovered from his injuries in the Dragon Palace, and Chong Xuan Sheng had arrived here early with his horn.
In fact, he had been the first to reach the Heaven-Reaching Tower.
As for the others in his Dragon Palace — naturally, they were all dead. The same was true for Xu Xiangqian and Li Longchuan.
This had nothing to do with personal character.
Because beneath all the external trappings, the rules of the Celestial Dragon Palace were essentially encouraging slaughter.
Like a jar of poisonous insects, selecting only the strongest survivor.
They talked while the others — Xu Xiangqian and Li Longchuan, both well-mannered — did not intrude. One studied, the other meditated.
Chong Xuan Sheng gazed at the clouds below and suddenly said: "Jiang brother, do you know why I insisted on inviting you inside, while sending Chong Xuan Xin away? He's technically my distant cousin."
"No need to explain. I don't mind these things."
"But I do." Chong Xuan Sheng's voice took on an edge of stubbornness. "Because he sided with Chong Xuan Zun."
"I know of Chong Xuan Zun. He's the one who sent Wang Yiwu against you?"
"I wouldn't say 'sent.' They're close friends." Chong Xuan Sheng emphasized the word *friends*. "Chong Xuan Zun is my uncle's son — a direct bloodline, not like Chong Xuan Xin from a branch family. He's the heir apparent to the Chong Xuan clan's next patriarch. I'm his only real competitor."
Chong Xuan Sheng smiled: "My chances are slim, which is why I'm risking everything for the Celestial Secret Realm's opportunity. A future Inner Palace divine skill holder would be enough to challenge him. And he — supreme and absolute — is determined to strangle every potential challenger."
"Right now, within the Chong Xuan clan, I'm the only one competing with him. Not because I'm the only one qualified. But among the surviving qualified heirs — I'm the only one who isn't afraid to die. I'm the only one willing to take this chance."
His smile carried a trace of bitterness.
Jiang Chen nodded: "Then I understand."
"Chong Xuan Zun's advantage is enormous. For the past decade, everyone has treated him as the Chong Xuan clan's next patriarch — almost unshakable. If not for his... setback... I would never have had this opportunity."
Chong Xuan Sheng didn't specify what had happened to Chong Xuan Zun.
He continued: "The reason I traveled so far to recruit you is because there are very few people I can trust by my side. Until I've secured a certain position, I can't afford to trust them. I only announced the replacement of Chong Xuan Xin shortly before entering the Celestial Secret Realm — to deny Chong Xuan Zun time to react. I didn't expect Wang Yiwu to secure a spot in such a short time and follow us directly inside."
Chong Xuan Sheng's voice became deliberate, each word weighed: "He wants to kill me."
The two sat on a high platform at the world's edge, a sea of clouds beneath their feet.
Jiang Chen made no grand promises, no passionate declarations. He simply said: "Rest easy."
Just that.
But Chong Xuan Sheng now knew.
A single promise from Jiang Chen was enough.
...
The Heaven-Reaching Tower soared into the clouds, as though it truly pierced the heavens.
But its great doors were sealed.
According to the stele's description, the tower would only open when at least five people had assembled here — or after twelve hours had passed.
Those who held an Azure Dragon's Horn could then enter the tower and pursue their Inner Palace divine skill.
With five Dragon Palaces, there should be a fifth horn-bearer.
Everyone present felt certain that person would appear before time ran out, and that it could only be Wang Yiwu.
Rumors were only rumors — true strength could only be proven in battle.
Both Chong Xuan Sheng and Jiang Chen were prepared to fight.
...
Time passed breath by breath. The fifth person still had not appeared. The others were patient enough, but Xu Xiangqian was growing restless.
Having finished studying the stele, he turned his attention to the clouds beyond the platform's edge. Poetic inspiration struck.
"This view belongs only in heaven — clouds and mist, impossible to see!"
After declaiming, he shamelessly approached Li Longchuan: "How was that couplet?"
Li Longchuan appeared to have meditated himself to sleep — motionless, silent.
Undaunted, Xu Xiangqian drifted toward Jiang Chen: "Brother Jiang, you're a man of experience. What's your critique?"
Chong Xuan Sheng had no patience for this. He glared at Xu Xiangqian repeatedly, hoping the man would take the hint and move away — not disrupt their preparations. But Xu Xiangqian was utterly oblivious, his high forehead gleaming.
Since there was nothing better to do, Jiang Chen affected a moment of contemplation and praised: "The first line is fine — simple and direct, yet elegant in its brevity. Though it does seem a bit familiar..."
Xu Xiangqian coughed: "Actually, the second line..."
Before he could finish, everyone shifted their gaze to the figure who had just appeared on the stone platform.
The youth had a tender, almost delicate face, his expression reserved — even shy.
It was Zhang Yong of the Fengxian Zhang clan.