Chapter 7: Heaven-Opening Stele
"Teacher Xiaohei?!" Chen Chang'an was stunned.
The peerless beauty he had seen earlier was actually called Xiaohei? Why did it feel like a stunning beauty calling herself "Miss Niu"?
"Yes, I met her last year while picking flowers in the valley." Chen Xingcai's eyes sparkled as she revealed a joyful smile. "Father, Teacher Xiaohei is wonderful. Not only does she guide my cultivation, but she also tells me many fascinating stories."
Although Teacher Xiaohei had forbidden her from telling her father about her, this time it was her father who discovered it himself, so she wasn't to blame. Chen Xingcai thought smugly in her heart.
"Apprenticeship is such an important matter. How could you keep it from me for so long?" Chen Chang'an had always been indulgent toward his only daughter, rarely speaking harshly. Fortunately, Chen Xingcai was well-behaved, and the father and daughter shared a close bond.
"It was Teacher Xiaohei who told me to keep it secret." Chen Xingcai wasted no time shifting the blame to her teacher.
Unexpectedly, Chen Chang'an felt that it made sense. After all, she was a woman living alone, and caution was natural. Still, it turned out he had a neighbor all along — and one who had become his daughter's teacher.
Having lived alone for many years, Chen Chang'an unexpectedly felt a trace of happiness. He began to think about what gift he should prepare.
In any case, as his daughter's teacher, it was only proper and courteous for him to pay a formal visit.
While Chen Chang'an was still troubled over his daughter's matter, a world-shaking event was unfolding across the entire Xuan Ying Continent.
…
Within the imperial city of Central State, countless aristocratic families and sects had gathered.
For at this very moment, it was time for the once-in-a-century grand event — the Heaven-Opening Stele.
This story began tens of thousands of years ago.
Back then, after the Demon Venerate Bo Xun's battle with the Ten Great Saint Venerables, the Demon Venerate was finally suppressed, but the Ten Great Saints were left either dead or crippled. Upon returning to their sects, they gradually entered seclusion, withdrawing from worldly affairs.
This brought tremendous change to the power structure of the Xuan Ying Continent's cultivation world.
In the midst of this chaos, a new power quietly rose — the Immortal Dynasty.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had once been only an ordinary mortal kingdom in Central State. But at that time, a new Saint Venerable emerged from its royal family. Taking advantage of the decline of the great sects, he unified the Xuan Ying Continent and established the first Immortal Dynasty in history.
To suppress fate itself, this Saint Venerable somehow obtained three colossal steles from the Upper Realm, which had been cut off from the Lower Realm for countless ages.
These were named the Heaven, Earth, and Human Steles.
The three steles recorded every outstanding human cultivator in the cultivation world.
The Human Stele judged not by cultivation level, but by potential, recording the new generation of geniuses.
The Earth Stele listed the strongest cultivators beneath the Saint Venerables.
The Heaven Stele recorded the Saint Venerables themselves.
Every hundred years, the three rankings were updated — a grand event for the entire cultivation world of the Xuan Ying Continent.
The Great Zhou specially built a vast pavilion, the Heaven Stele Pavilion, to house the three steles.
In front of the pavilion lay an enormous square for ordinary sects and rogue cultivators to watch the ceremony.
Surrounding the square were luxurious, exquisite pavilions reserved for the top sects of the continent.
At this moment, both the square and the surrounding pavilions were crowded with cultivators, all waiting for the Heaven Stele to be revealed.
The scorching heat, mixed with the buzzing of cicadas, swept across the Heaven Stele Square. Tens of thousands of cultivators stood beneath the blazing sun, their robes damp with fine beads of sweat.
In the front rows, young men in green robes swallowed nervously, their faces filled with excitement.
"I say, the first place on the Human Stele this year will surely be the Great Zhou's Princess Jinxiu."
"Indeed. I've heard that Princess Jinxiu reached the peak of the Tongxuan Realm at just seventeen years old, only a step away from the Ten Thousand Arts Returning to One Realm. Truly the pride of our Great Zhou."
Since the rise of the Immortal Dynasty, laws had been established. Even cultivators could no longer kill wantonly; those who did would be branded as demonic by the Great Zhou and hunted by all.
This was the proper, righteous path.
As a result, since the Great Zhou's founding, rogue cultivators and disciples of weaker sects had lived far better lives, and they were the most supportive of the dynasty's rule.
"Difficult! Difficult! Difficult! I've heard there are many geniuses this year, and among them, there's even a particularly ruthless aristocratic family. They say they…"
"They what…?"
Rarely did one hear such juicy gossip about the upper echelons, and several heads quickly leaned in.
But the next moment, a loud shout cut them off—
"The Human Monument is about to open, silence!"
With the golden-armored guard's roar, the massive black stone stele atop the Heavenly Monument Pavilion, a full zhang high, suddenly rippled with water-like patterns.
The plaza instantly fell silent. Everyone held their breath; based on past experience, although most prodigies were monopolized by the top sects, there were still rare cases of outstanding talents from humble origins.
"One hundredth place, Xuantian Sword Sect, Lu Mingxuan."
The moment the golden seal script appeared, the western viewing pavilion erupted into cheers like the ringing of swords.
When the white-robed youth rose and saluted, everyone clearly saw the jade pendant at his waist, engraved with the words "Seventh of the Inner Sect."
Rankings steadily climbed. Each time a signature robe from a top sect appeared, the corresponding pavilion would raise its sect totem—the phoenix of the Purple Cloud Palace, the thunder-beast of the Nine Heavens Thunder Pavilion, the azure cauldron of the Medicine King Valley—brilliant lights painting the sky like brocade.
"Seventieth place—"
The presiding elder's voice caught. The smooth flow of spiritual energy suddenly turned chaotic. The Human Monument's surface flared with golden light, condensing into a sword-shaped phantom in midair.
"Qingxia Sect, Lin Xiao."
Silence.
Only from one corner of the plaza came the sound of porcelain shattering. Though not loud, it was startlingly clear in the hush, and all eyes turned toward a group of plainly dressed youths embracing one another and weeping.
"Senior Brother! It's our Senior Brother!"
"Senior Brother, long live!"
The young man at the center of the crowd still wore a calm expression. Yet the cracked teacup in his hand, and the emerald-green tea dripping through his fingers, revealed that his heart was anything but composed.
"Absurd!" A richly dressed elder on the Purple Cloud Palace's cloud chariot rose to his feet. "Qingxia Sect doesn't even have a cultivator at the Returning Origin Realm—how could they produce someone in the top hundred of the Human Monument? This must be an error!"
"Not so." The Xuantian Sword Sect's chief elder suddenly crushed the jade cup in his hand. Sword qi sliced the young man's fringe, and he said coldly, "Just now, this child stirred innate sword qi. Could it be…"
From his sleeve flew an ancient bronze mirror. The light from the mirror shone upon the youth, turning into a stream that sank into his dantian.
The youth grunted softly. Seven sword-shaped phantoms rose from his body and formed a Big Dipper array above his head. Gasps swept the viewing pavilions, and among them came the trembling voice of a Medicine King Valley elder: "Innate… sword bones?"
"Lin, my young friend," the Xuantian Sword Sect elder instantly appeared before the youth, the cloud patterns on his sleeve carrying biting sword intent. "If you are willing to join my sect, you may directly enter the inner sect as a true disciple. Three hundred top-grade spirit stones every month, and free access to the third floor of the Scripture Pavilion."
"Hold!" A thunderbolt crashed down as the Nine Heavens Thunder Pavilion's flying boat descended. "If you join my Nine Heavens Thunder Pavilion, we will grant you access to the Thunder Pool for body tempering, helping you reach the Returning Origin Realm within thirty years!"
Chaos erupted, the previously hushed crowd exploding into noise.
"What! Three hundred top-grade spirit stones a month?" A youth from a small sect looked shocked, suddenly recalling how half a month ago he had been punished to kneel at the sect gate for taking two extra low-grade spirit stones.
"These great sects poaching people so openly—do they not care about the smaller sects' dignity?" someone protested.
"Dignity? Heh, you're too young. In cultivation, the strong are revered. Dignity? That's something you only have once you're powerful enough to defend it!" another sneered.
At that moment—
"Young Master Lin." A fragrant breeze swept past as the Purple Cloud Palace's saintess appeared beside the youth. Her gauzy sleeve brushed his hand, whether by accident or intent. "My cave abode still lacks a Dao partner for discussing the Way… if you would not find me unworthy…"
"Enough!" The Qingxia Sect's sect master finally slammed the table. "Lin Xiao is a disciple of my sect. You… have gone too far!"
"Sect Master Li," the Xuantian elder sneered, "by the laws of Great Zhou, those ranked in the top hundred of the Human Monument may freely choose their sect." He flicked his fingers, sending out a sword token. "This is the Xuantian Sword Sect's inner sect jade badge. One drop of blood to bind it."
The youth instinctively caught the jade badge, but then heard the quiet sob of his junior sister behind him.
A fleeting hesitation crossed his face. Three years ago, she had secretly given him a packet of osmanthus candy, and the sweetness still seemed to linger on his tongue.
Yet when he channeled his spiritual energy, the glow from the jade badge reflected the proud silhouettes of his peers in the surrounding pavilions—those of his age who stood tall and unyielding.
But… he was meant to stand among them as an equal.
"Disciple… Lin Xiao." The youth slowly knelt, bowing three times to the Qingxia Sect's sect master. His forehead left deep marks on the stone tiles. "Bids farewell to his sect."