Zhi Xuan lifted the Heavenly Sword once more, knowing he could not act recklessly in the presence of powerful cultivators who could easily destroy him. The sky that had briefly turned a faint black now returned to its original state. The white cloth still wrapped the blade of the Heavenly Sword as Zhi Xuan raised his hand to place it back onto his back.

  "Eighth Prince of the Empire," Zhi Xuan greeted calmly, his tone cold yet acknowledging. He bowed slightly and clasped his hands. "A thread of the power from the Seven Eternal Gods Bell was merely a greeting from you. In this competition selection, I shall receive valuable teachings from the Imperial Prince."

  The suffocating silence broke once more, not by a roar, but by the collective sigh of thousands of cultivators. All eyes locked on the Eighth Prince, who now stood with the Seven Eternal Gods Bell vibrating faintly in his hand, his face flushed red with shame. He had tried to oppress the Silver-Haired Devil in front of the entire Empire, and all he received was a reflection that nearly paralyzed his own Sea of Consciousness.

  In the Pavilion of Infinite Majesty, the Hongmeng Emperor, who had been silent, now smiled thinly. That smile was not full of hidden meaning, but rather an acknowledgment of a new reality. He shifted his gaze from Zhi Xuan to the Eighth Prince, and from the Eighth Prince back to the crowd that seemed to be judging Zhi Xuan; his smile grew wider and more significant.

  Zhi Xuan raised his gaze again, looking toward the distant Hongmeng Emperor and the Imperial Elders, clasping his hands once more and bowing vaguely. "May the Emperor be granted Long Life. Zhi Xuan wishes to ask if it is true that the resources for the winners of the Three Plains Competition, namely Xing Luo, Feng Mie, and Yao Gu, will include an opportunity to cultivate in the Second Grand Constellation?"

  Zhi Xuan did not ask many things, only ensuring the statement he had heard was correct. That place was one of the star paths connecting the Lower Realm with the Nine Heavens. It was a place known as a treasure field for spiritual resources, as well as clues regarding the existence of the lost remnants of the Eternal Laws. Moreover, there was the promise of reaching Soul Transformation within a hundred years.

  Zhi Xuan waited quietly. The question he asked, which broke the post-conflict silence, was not about honor or safety, but about opportunity and a higher Dao. He was not interested in the Eighth Prince's political games; he was interested in the promise of true power and the rewards of leading the Xing Luo Plains to victory in the Three Plains Competition.

  The question immediately caused a commotion greater than his arrival. The Second Grand Constellation—it was a place opened only by the Empire using the Ancient Star Formation, and it was no secret in the realms of Soul Transformation and Divine Transformation. However, for the beginners in the Five Element realm, this was something newly heard that ignited their spirits.

  "The Second Grand Constellation? I did not even know the prize for this competition selection until that Devil mentioned it!"

  "Yes! And the promise of Soul Transformation in a hundred years? Heavens, that almost rivals the resources of the Ancient Clans!"

  "True, I will make sure my name is in the top five! I will do anything for those top five spots to become an envoy of the Xing Luo Plains!"

  The whispers spread like wildfire in the tribunes. The Five Element realm cultivators who came to compete were shocked. They knew that the Three Plains Competition was a gateway to a higher realm, but the name of the Second Grand Constellation was a legend, an ancient promise rarely spoken of below the Soul Transformation realm.

  In the honorary tribune, the Elders and faction representatives were also taken aback. Zhi Xuan, the Silver-Haired Devil, wasted no time on pleasantries or defending his honor after the Bell incident. He went straight for the most important prize hidden by the Empire—resources capable of guaranteeing an unimaginable Dao.

  Holy Maiden Hua Lian Xi, for the first time, showed a faint frown on her elegant forehead. "He truly... knows about the Grand Constellation," whispered Hua Lian Xi, her voice now filled with deep curiosity. "Only the Emperor's faction and the Ancient Clans truly know the details about that star path. Where did he get this information?"

  Hua Tianming, now fully focused, shook his head slowly. "Information always flows, regardless of where he obtained it. His ambition does not lie in this Plaza, but on the path to the Nine Heavens. He is trading mortal honor for the eternal Dao."

  On the side of the Ancient Zhu Clan, Zhu Yanghai laughed softly, a laugh that was not hidden.

  "Look at that, Qinglan. My brother-in-law is a true merchant," murmured Zhu Yanghai. "He arrives, fends off an Immortal Artifact with ease, and the first thing he asks is the price for fighting. He does not want his strength to be wasted atop the Jade arena."

  Zhu Qinglan, her light gray eyes sweeping from Zhi Xuan to the Pavilion of Majesty, knew that the question was a second test: a test of the Empire's promise. If the Emperor lied, then the Empire's authority would waver in the eyes of all these geniuses.

  Beside the envoys of the Thousand Heavens Sect, Elder Yan Shen only laughed lightly next to the Supreme Elder. He looked at the youth who was once only in the Blood Transformation stage, carrying a Devil Seed that he considered a Path and giving him a Formation Scroll, now shaking the Empire with just a question.

  "That Zhi Xuan," murmured Yan Shen, gently stroking his beard. "The disciple of the Sky Sword Peak is truly like a sword piercing the Heavens."

  The Supreme Elder only stared at Zhi Xuan before his hoarse voice and wisdom emerged. "Is that not the disciple who contested the Dao with Xu Sheng, then received a Heavenly Tribulation to forge a Divine Organ? He is truly worthy of someone who entered the Nine Main Peaks."

  On the balcony of the Pavilion of Majesty, the Hongmeng Emperor laughed grandly, his voice carrying Natural Laws that calmed the spiritual ripples caused by Zhi Xuan.

  "Daoist Zhi Xuan," the Hongmeng Emperor addressed him, his tone now filled with a friendly weight of authority, no longer cold. "You are indeed one who sees the wider Heavens. It is true. The ultimate winners from the Xing Luo Plains, who will represent us in the Three Plains Competition, will receive rewards equivalent to a promise of reaching Soul Transformation within a hundred years, and the opportunity to cultivate within the Second Grand Constellation."

  The Emperor's acknowledgment triggered an explosive wave of emotion. Hundreds of Five Element geniuses immediately felt their blood boil. Soul Transformation in a hundred years—that was the dream deadline for every cultivator in the Five Element realm, a guaranteed gateway to immortality. The Hongmeng Emperor raised his hand, a gesture that called for silence. He looked straight at Zhi Xuan.

  "However, that promise has conditions. The envoys we send must be geniuses with an unshakable Dao foundation. They must have the strength to shoulder the burden of the Xing Luo Plains' honor. Daoist Zhi Xuan, we have seen the Dao you have tempered. But true strength must be tested."

  Right after the Hongmeng Emperor finished his sentence, the Eighth Prince of the Empire, still holding the Seven Eternal Gods Bell, suddenly laughed loudly. The laugh was forced and contained a great deal of shame, but it was now mixed with a renewed ambition. He stared at Zhi Xuan with burning eyes, no longer with hatred, but with a desire to restore his honor.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Daoist Zhi Xuan," the Eighth Prince called out. He no longer used a judgmental tone, but the tone of a true competitor. "You have withstood my Seven Eternal Gods Bell, an unexpected honor. However, the Three Plains Competition is not merely about defense. The Hongmeng Empire needs offense, needs destruction capable of serving Order!"

  The Eighth Prince lifted the bell high. Although the weight of the ancient artifact pressed on his shoulders, his spirit was now reignited. He would not let Zhi Xuan steal the stage so easily.

  "I, the Eighth Prince of the Empire, challenge you! Not to paralyze your soul, but to test whether your Five Element foundation is capable of withstanding the Eternal Laws hidden within this bell!" he roared.

  The atmosphere became suffocating again. Thousands of eyes turned from the ambitious Eighth Prince to the calm Zhi Xuan. This challenge was no longer just about personal honor, but a challenge between the Imperial Prince representing Order and Zhi Xuan representing a tolerated Anomaly.

  Zhi Xuan snorted softly. He took a breath, and the cold air of Extreme Ice surrounding him now mixed with the heat of the Earth. He did not glance at the Eighth Prince, but instead stared at the Seven Eternal Gods Bell that radiated an ancient aura.

  "This Zhi came to compete, not to accept challenges of mortal honor," Zhi Xuan replied flatly, his voice containing a stable resonance. "This is a battle of Daoist will, not a life-and-death stage. If the Eighth Prince truly wishes to meet me, then we can see to that later."

  Zhi Xuan gave a vague nod before turning to walk toward a distant edge, isolating himself to calm the vibrations of the Seven Eternal Gods Bell that still slightly disrupted his essence and consciousness. He stopped at one of the pillars, turned his head, and found Ling Huo staring at him.

  Ling Huo, the Young King of the Southern Star, was a flaming figure. Her hair was decorated with fire jewels, and her red robes seemed to carry the glow of Heavenly Embers. She stood near the outermost pillar of the arena, observing Zhi Xuan with eyes that radiated a burning interest.

  Zhi Xuan felt the Pure Fire energy emitted by Ling Huo. That fire was not a wild flame, but a stable one, tempered by the Earth Law to focus its power and prevent it from overflowing. Zhi Xuan knew that among the Star Young Kings, Ling Huo was the one who most resonated with his Fire and Earth contradictions, albeit with a different focus.

  "Daoist Zhi Xuan," Ling Huo greeted, her voice melodious yet possessing the same firmness as a stable flame. "You come from the Southern Continent, a land often considered underdeveloped by the Empire. You are an honor to the Dao of the Southern Continent."

  Zhi Xuan nodded vaguely. "This Zhi pays respects to the Young King of the Southern Star. The Young King humbles herself too much. In the eyes of the Heavens, there is no Northern or Southern Continent, only the strong Dao and the fragile."

  Ling Huo smiled thinly, a smile enveloped by flames dancing in the corners of her eyes. "A cold philosophy. I like that. You rejected the Eighth Prince, yet you channeled honor to the Emperor. You do not seek approval, but demand recognition."

  She stepped closer, her movements graceful like a fire dance. "I see your Dao, Daoist Zhi Xuan. Your Five Element foundation is perfect, but what is most terrifying is how you balance Extreme Ice and Primal Fire. This contradiction can only be tempered by a will that transcends life and death."

  Ling Huo crossed her arms in front of her chest, showing respect while simultaneously testing Zhi Xuan. "I, Ling Huo, Young King of the Southern Star, have no grudges or Ancient Clan approvals to seek. I only seek a worthy fight. In this arena, can my Fire and Earth foundation match your destruction and balance?"

  Zhi Xuan looked into Ling Huo's eyes. He felt the honesty in the words of the Young King of the Southern Star. There were no clan intrigues, no burden of Imperial honor, only the pure desire of a cultivator to test the limits of their Dao.

  "Young King Ling Huo," Zhi Xuan replied, his tone softening slightly from the cold of Extreme Ice, now enveloped in a friendlier layer of Earth weight. "I appreciate your diligence. Our battle will happen at the right time, when both our Daos are ready to clash, not before the competition curtain opens. Our paths both seek Fire and Earth to solidify our foundations. I wish to see how far the Young King's Pure Fire can pierce my Extreme Ice."

  He then shifted his gaze slightly. Across the field, he saw Shi Xing, the Young King of the Western Star, staring at him with burning hatred. Beside Shi Xing, Liu Feng and Ye Ming also locked their gazes, analyzing.

  "Honor is a fragile artifact, Young King Ling Huo," Zhi Xuan murmured. "However, having cultivated to earn the title of Young King of the Southern Star, I feel honored to have a fellow peer from the Southern Continent."

  Zhi Xuan clasped his hands again in return, a deeper bow channeled not from etiquette, but from the recognition of a pure Dao. After that brief exchange, he turned completely away from Ling Huo, allowing the Young King of the Southern Star to absorb the promise of the coming fight. He then walked further away toward the most secluded corner of the Jade Plaza, as if seeking the ancient peace he had found in the Crimson Land Valley.

  He no longer paid attention to the hateful glare of Shi Xing, the sharp gaze of the Ancient Hua Clan, or the pressure surrounding the Eighth Prince. In a Plaza filled with the noise of thousands of ambitions, Zhi Xuan was an island of silence. He only channeled a bit of essence to restore the minor stability disturbed by the Soul wave of the Seven Eternal Gods Bell. The bell's vibration had given him a slight hint about the Soul Law, a law capable of suppressing and purifying the Soul.

  In the distance, he heard the Eighth Prince's arrogance subside again, replaced by whispers that now discussed him in a different tone—no longer of mockery, but of a curious caution.

  At another pillar, several dozen zhang away, Ye Ming, the Young King of the Central Star, was still staring at him. Ye Ming's gaze carried no Shi Clan hatred or Ancient Clan intrigue, but rather a silent understanding. Ye Ming saw weight, and weight was a language that only the two of them understood.

  Zhi Xuan opened his eyes slightly, his blue eyes radiating a calm Earth weight. He did not greet Ye Ming, but he allowed the Earth aura they both mastered to resonate faintly, a wordless acknowledgment. Ye Ming gave a vague, deep nod, respecting the heavier Dao, before closing his eyes again, choosing silence.

  That brief interaction was enough. Zhi Xuan knew that among the geniuses in the Plaza, he now had two possible opponents who respected his Dao: Ling Huo, who sought the balance of Fire and Earth, and Ye Ming, who respected the Weight of Karma.

  In the Plaza, the Eighth Prince of the Empire, after his quiet rejection, stood with a face still flushed. He shifted his gaze from Zhi Xuan to Elder Shi Xuan in the Shi Clan tribune. A silent communication occurred between them. The Imperial Prince's mortal honor had been tarnished, and now he sought an alliance to restore his dignity.

  Shi Xing, the Young King of the Western Star, returned Zhi Xuan's gaze with boiling hatred, but he did not move. He was a proud man, but he was not a fool. He saw the Heavenly Sword planted in the Jade ground and felt the hidden will of destruction. He knew that if he attacked now, he would only become the next pawn whose spiritual weight would be absorbed by the Silver-Haired Devil.

  In the honorary tribune, the tension between the Ancient Zhu Clan and the Ancient Hua Clan grew denser. Meanwhile, Holy Maiden Zhu Qinglan observed every move Zhi Xuan made, including his silent interaction with the Young King of the Central Star.

  Hua Tianming raised his teacup into the air, offering a distant respect to Zhu Yanghai. "Daoist Zhi Xuan truly possesses an unshakable will. He rejects mortal honor for an eternal promise. An ambition worthy of competing with the Heavens," he said, his tone now full of acknowledgment.

  Zhu Yanghai returned the respect with a calm laugh. "Ambition is fire. And fire always seeks fuel for itself. The Hua Clan seeks Order. The Zhu Clan seeks the Fire capable of burning Order." He touched Zhu Qinglan's shoulder. "Qinglan, you must admit, our choice regarding this karmic promise was not in vain."

  Zhu Qinglan continued to look straight ahead toward Zhi Xuan. She saw how easily the youth rejected the Imperial Prince, and she saw his calmness when facing the Young King of the Southern Star. He was the Extreme Balance. She felt a hint of pride, but she immediately suppressed it.

  "Balance must be tested by destruction. I will see if the Dao he tempered is capable of withstanding true fire in the arena later," replied Zhu Qinglan. Her tone was cold, but there was an implied ripple of acknowledgment.

  "He is cultivating again. In the middle of a crowd," murmured Zhu Qinglan, her tone still cold. She held a piece of jade in her hand; the jade was cold. "His weight is stable. After the Bell, he remained unshakable. Unless..."

  Zhu Yanghai, her brother, smiled and sipped his tea. "Unless he meets the right person. Zhi Xuan is looking for something more than just winning here, Qinglan. He will carry the name of the Xing Luo Plains and carve his name into other Plains."

  Time moved slowly in the Heaven Jade Plaza. Other Five Element Perfection geniuses began to arrive, bringing their varied Daos—some relied on sharp Swords, some mastered agile Wind Laws, and some controlled limitless Laws.

  However, all attention centered on five focal points: the four established Star Young Kings and the newly arrived Silver-Haired Devil whose presence had broken the Order. The Hongmeng Emperor, after allowing a sufficient pause, raised his hand again. That movement ended the whispers and summoned absolute silence.

  "The Three Plains Competition, the Xing Luo Plains selection, begins," proclaimed the Hongmeng Emperor, his voice majestic. "Geniuses of the Xing Luo Plains, you are permitted to challenge the four Star Young Kings and the Silver-Haired Daoist there."