Bones and internal organs began to recklessly heal and stitch themselves together again, but only to the extent that he could barely move.
Then Chen Yan stood up from the ground once more and began to take steps toward the bluestone stairs ahead.
Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps.
Only after Chen Yan finally ascended those steps did he stand upon the empty outdoor platform of Qingxuan Immortal Sect.
Standing on the platform, Chen Yan paused to catch his breath, and then looked out toward the distance. Qingxuan Mountain was the highest peak in this realm, towering over eight thousand eight hundred zhang, and if one excluded the height of Cangji Hall and its nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, the mountain itself measured just over eight thousand three hundred zhang.
That number stirred something faintly inside Chen Yan.
He did not remain standing to rest, but instead hurriedly turned and started walking back toward Cangji Hall behind him.
Passing through the hall’s gate, an imposing eighty-one zhang tall, the magnificent palace was, unsurprisingly, still completely empty.
With each step Chen Yan took, the thin, grinding noises of his bones and his footsteps echoed through the hollow Cangji Hall.
Chen Yan could see that something seemed to be placed upon that chair.
He moved forward step by step, as if suddenly realizing something, caring nothing for his body that was on the verge of collapse. His steps became more urgent, even as newly broken bone shards pierced his skin and white bone showed through.
Then, crawling almost, he climbed up onto the main seat of Cangji Hall and finally saw clearly what lay on the chair.
It was a bronze mirror.
Flawless, without any seams, intact as if naturally formed.
The Heavenly Summit Mirror.
On the main seat of Cangji Hall sat the Heavenly Summit Mirror!
Without counting Cangji Hall, Qingxuan Mountain’s height was eight thousand three hundred zhang!
Qingxuan Mountain was the Heavenly Summit Mountain, Heavenly Summit Mountain was Qingxuan Mountain!
This place was the old Chenping Continent!
Chen Yan looked at his own dust- and blood-streaked face reflected in the bronze mirror in his hand, and the next instant the mirror in his hand suddenly cracked into five even fissures—
When Chen Yan came to his senses, he felt the vast spiritual energy surging through his Martial Spring, and his meridians were intact.
Holding the Heavenly Summit Mirror, he was sitting on a pure white Dao platform, his clothing still a plain white daoist robe.
He had returned to the Heavenly Summit Palace, or rather, he had never left.
…
Heavenly Summit Mountain, Cang Luan Cliff.
A breeze passed through, and dusk crept in.
A young swordsman clad in a cyan daoist robe sat alone beside a campfire, and beside him lay the Xun-Li Sword.
Today Su Hongzhen had not faced Shao Yuchen in combat; the Weaving Dreams Tower’s chief disciple from Mirage Palace ultimately chose to forfeit, and it was rumored this had been his personal decision rather than an order from Mirage Palace.
Shao Yuchen’s action unquestionably enraged Mirage Palace’s envoy Lin Mo and many of the elders.
Such a forfeiture was a slap in the face to Mirage Palace.
Elder Lin Mo had already ordered Shao Yuchen imprisoned in the Water Mirror Pavilion. How to handle the matter would be decided personally by the palace lord after Shao Yuchen was returned to Mirage Palace.
As for where Elder Lin Mo himself was, of course he was on Cang Luan Cliff.
Once Su Hongzhen displayed his innate sword intent, Lin Mo immediately realized that Su Hongzhen was not an ordinary Ascending-to-Immortality prospect. He very well might be the greatest cultivator talent in the history of Chenping Continent.
It was even possible he could surpass Immortal Venerable Fusheng!
He might even push forward the path of Immortality for all of Chenping Continent!
Therefore Lin Mo had decisively decided he must personally be responsible for Su Hongzhen’s safety on Heavenly Summit Mountain, and he had already sent word back to Mirage Palace requesting that the Grand Elders dispatch upper-three-realms great powers to protect this unheard-of young genius in the history of Chenping Continent’s cultivation world.
Regarding the Unmoving Sword Sect in the Southern Region, Lin Mo was determined to settle matters decisively.
Even though Dongfang Bo of Star Heaven Sect had expressed his stance to Lin Mo, Lin Mo still refused to yield on this issue.
At this moment, whether it was Elder Lin Mo or other cultivators from Mirage Palace, they were all hidden in the shadows.
It appeared that only Su Hongzhen himself sat alone by the campfire on Cang Luan Cliff.
Tomorrow would be the final battle of the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry.
After it concluded, he would become the champion of Heavenly Summit Mountain for this Dao Inquiry.
But Su Hongzhen showed not a shred of joy.
Since arriving on Heavenly Summit Mountain he had kept to himself.
He did not know where “big brother” had gone, and had not seen Immortal Master Zhou.
The only familiar face he had met was the gentleman he had once seen twice at Moxu Mountain.
Most of the cultivators he met on the mountain were strangers who regarded him with extreme reverence.
Su Hongzhen knew those gazes were aimed at a strong person.
But was he truly a strong person?
If so, what exactly separated the strong from the weak?
Su Hongzhen recalled everything he had been through, Jiangdu Prefecture and Moxu Mountain alike.
Right and wrong, strong and weak…
Was the difference between the strong and the weak that the stronger could decide the life and death of the weaker, while the weaker could only be slaughtered?
While lost in thought, a figure in a pure white daoist robe entered his sight.
Su Hongzhen slowly raised his head, his gaze falling on the gilded cloud crane patterns embroidered between the newcomer’s sleeves, their glow tinted rosily by the firelight on the young man’s face.
“Fellow Daoist Su.”
Li Haoran’s voice was gentle as wind, and a warm smile appeared on his face.
“Chief Disciple Li.”
Su Hongzhen replied.
“Tomorrow is the conclusion of the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry, and the final match will be you versus me.”
Li Haoran spoke as he naturally sat down opposite the campfire, paying no mind to the dust that might soil his pure white robe.
“So, do you have any thoughts?”
“Thoughts?” Su Hongzhen echoed, as if not quite understanding what Li Haoran meant.
“Mm, for example, I’ve been quite nervous,” Li Haoran said slowly.
“Because my opponent is Fellow Daoist Su.”
“I see.” Su Hongzhen only nodded.
“Then what about you, Fellow Daoist Su? Knowing that your opponent tomorrow will be me, do you have any thoughts?”
Li Haoran asked.
“My thoughts…” Su Hongzhen pondered for a moment, then looked up to the cloudless, clear night sky:
“If I can defeat Chief Disciple Li, would that mean I am stronger than you?”