Only the sound of wind blowing filled her ears.

The air suddenly became thick with the heavy scent of blood. Jian Chou didn’t need to look back to know what had happened behind her.

Such terrifying pressure…

Nearly invoking the power of heaven and earth to strike down—how could the Jianzhu Sect members possibly survive?

The Imperial Heaven Seal—

When the great land of the Nineteen Provinces first formed, three innate supreme treasures were born alongside it, each in one region.

At that time, there was not yet the division of the four domains of South, North, Central, and Extreme. Only because cultivators gradually formed factions did distinctions slowly emerge, and thus the three supreme treasures also moved to various regions following the forces of these factions.

The Imperial Heaven Seal remained in the Central Domain, the Houtu Seal was kept in the Northern Domain, and the众生令 belonged to the Southern Domain.

The Central Domain was the only place among the Nineteen Provinces where small sects flourished, possessing all manner of strange cultivation methods. It was the “land of shining stars” in the eyes of cultivators from other domains, forming its own unique tradition.

The Imperial Heaven Seal, as the Central Domain’s supreme treasure, could invoke the power of the firmament and had always been controlled only by the Central Domain’s Law Enforcement Elder.

The position of Law Enforcement Elder had always alternated only between the two sects of Yashan and Kunwu.

Or rather, it rotated only between Fudao Shanren and Master Hengxu.

Now that Fudao Shanren’s cultivation was merely at the Nascent Soul stage, yet he could kill so many with a single strike—this was naturally due to this Imperial Heaven Seal…

“Keep walking forward, don’t look back.”

Beside her ear, Fudao Shanren’s words seemed to echo again.

Behind her stretched a brilliant expanse of blood red, extending all the way to the base of the heavenly path, like a gorgeous red robe draped over Cloud Sea Plaza.

The One-Person Platform was now close before her eyes.

Jian Chou ultimately still did not turn back for even a glance.

Lifting her foot to step forward, she paused only for that brief moment before continuing ahead.

The step before her was made of gray-white stone. When she stepped on it, it left a faint footprint. Jian Chou lowered her eyes for a look—it was incredibly clear.

This was already the final step.

Blazing golden light enveloped the entire heavenly path and blurred her figure…

“Whoosh.”

Master Hengxu, standing atop the Heavenly Halls, ultimately said nothing. He simply stepped forward and swept his wide sleeves, creating a great wind that swept away all the blood and filth from Cloud Sea Plaza.

The originally flowing blood instantly transformed into a floating red silk ribbon, carried by the wind and scattered into the firmament, becoming a brilliant evening glow on the horizon.

Cloud Sea Plaza returned to its original spotless state, with only those crack marks remaining impossible to erase.

“When evil cannot overcome righteousness, that is justice.”

A single sigh.

Master Hengxu’s face still bore a hint of a smile, making it impossible to tell whether it was forced or genuine.

“Qu Zhengfeng betrayed Yashan, stole Yashan’s giant sword, destroyed Jianzhu Sect, and even drew his sword against his fellow disciples. Every cultivator in our Central Domain has the right to execute him, though his actions have nothing to do with Yashan. As for the death of Jianzhu Sect’s Zheng Yun’er, the truth is now clear to all. Brother Fudao has already given Jianzhu Sect their justice, and this matter can be considered settled.”

“…”

No one dared to refute a single word.

In fact, everyone hadn’t even recovered yet.

That suddenly appearing golden seal had been terrifying to the extreme.

Only after Fudao Shanren put it away did people belatedly realize that it was the Central Domain’s supreme treasure—the Imperial Heaven Seal!

Fudao Shanren, as the Central Domain’s Law Enforcement Elder, had actually used this seal as a weapon to execute nearly a hundred members of Jianzhu Sect!

Fairy Zhuxin had also been a prominent figure in the Central Domain for nearly a century, yet just moments ago she had no power to fight back whatsoever, dying as soon as death was decreed…

What terrifying might was this?

None could withstand it, none could escape it!

They said they would give Jianzhu Sect “justice”—who could have imagined this “justice” would cost the lives of nearly a hundred members of Jianzhu Sect?

When evil cannot overcome righteousness, that is justice!

If Zhuxin had any awareness after death, she would never dare believe these words came from Master Hengxu’s mouth, much less believe that at such a time, Master Hengxu would so casually stand on Yashan’s side!

Object?

Who would still dare to object?

One was Kunwu, one was Yashan—two great sects that dominated the Central Domain with transcendent status.

Who would dare risk universal condemnation to oppose Kunwu and Yashan, to oppose Hengxu and Fudao?!

Moreover…

Whether Jianzhu Sect was good or evil, they understood all too clearly.

They deserved to die.

So even though Fudao Shanren’s methods were nearly cruel, leaving blood everywhere, not a single person dared say half a word.

Even the upper five sects like Dragon Gate, Tongling Pavilion, and Fengmo Sword Sect—their sect masters, elders, and others—wisely maintained their silence.

Master Hengxu’s gaze shifted to fall upon the Yashan group.

The two former Jianzhu Sect disciples, Jiang Ling and Shang Liaofan, stood among them with panicked expressions, looking rather out of place.

Nearly a hundred long swords still flashed with sword light, their qi reaching skyward.

The entire southeastern direction was filled with murderous intent.

“Fellow disciples of Yashan, please sheath your swords.”

With a gentle word, Master Hengxu spoke.

Kou Qianzhi stood shoulder to shoulder with Shen Jiu, and Yan Chensha had also drawn his Xiao Zhong sword.

At this moment, hearing Master Hengxu’s words, the Yashan disciples made no move, only directing their gazes toward Fudao Shanren.

Fudao Shanren flipped his hand, and the Imperial Heaven Seal with its terrifying destructive aura disappeared from his palm.

Casually waving his hand, the furious anger that had been on his face moments before had now completely vanished: “Put them all away.”

“Swish, swish, swish—”

Nearly a hundred long swords were sheathed almost simultaneously.

The soaring sword qi disappeared in an instant, every inch of blue light returning to its sheath, vanishing without a trace.

It was as if the killing intent that had emanated from these Yashan disciples had never existed at all.

Master Hengxu watched with slightly narrowed eyes, sweeping a glance at the people below who were still in shock and hadn’t recovered. The corner of his mouth curved slightly with what seemed like appreciation: “Yashan’s swords maintain their former elegance.”

“You flatter me.”

Fudao Shanren tousled his messy hair, yawned greatly, then flipped his hand to produce two chicken legs, tossing one to Hengxu: “Your last few improvised words weren’t bad. Here, take this.”

“…”

With quick reflexes, he swiftly caught the chicken leg.

The greasy chicken leg fell into his hand with an indescribable texture.

Master Hengxu held the chicken leg, momentarily at a loss for words.

He looked toward Fudao Shanren, but Fudao Shanren’s eyes held a trace of mockery.

In that instant, Hengxu also lowered his eyes.

Looking at the chicken leg in his hand, he didn’t eat it, only gazing toward the octagonal One-Person ancient platform beyond the firmament ahead.

He said: “Apart from the two disciples Jiang Ling and Shang Liaofan, Jianzhu Sect still has nearly a hundred cultivators in the sect who were not killed by Qu Zhengfeng. What are Brother Fudao’s intentions?”

“They didn’t all die? That’s good too.”

Fudao Shanren bit into a chicken leg, eating with relish while also looking toward Jian Chou’s figure ahead.

“In that case, let’s choose one from between Jiang Ling and Shang Liaofan to become the future sect master of Jianzhu Sect. What do you think, old monster?”

“…Very well.”

This was the only bit of relatively good news.

After killing a group’s elite forces, casually picking someone you find agreeable to be the sect master…

In just a few words, they had decided the life and death of nearly a hundred cultivators and determined a sect’s future…

Master Hengxu ultimately didn’t object, only clasping the chicken leg behind his back, immediately displaying an aura of looking down upon the world.

At this moment, traces of the slaughter had vanished.

Atop the Heavenly Halls, Kunwu’s Master Hengxu and Yashan’s Fudao Shanren stood side by side—the leaders of the Central Domain’s two great sects spoke no more, only casting their gazes toward the distance…

Above the octagonal One-Person Platform, eight heaven-reaching pillars pierced the firmament.

At this moment, Jian Chou had already reached the edge of the final step. With just one more step, she could ascend the One-Person Platform—

Becoming the foremost among the new generation of cultivators in the past decade!

Even though countless people on Cloud Sea Plaza still had unclear minds, immersed in the shock of Fudao Shanren’s earth-shattering, casual killing, as both Hengxu and Fudao looked toward the One-Person Platform, everyone’s gaze also fell upon Jian Chou.

Everyone could only see her blurred figure, as if about to be swallowed by the radiance on the heavenly path.

No one knew why Jian Chou had suddenly stopped.

Even she herself, at the moment of stopping again, couldn’t help but ask herself.

Why?

Perhaps because at this moment she stood at the very end of the firmament, perhaps because at this moment she was only one step from success, making it seem especially unreal…

The appearance of the One-Person Platform before her was completely displayed in her sight.

An octagonal elevated platform with a heaven-reaching stone pillar at each corner, inscribed with name after name.

The surface of the One-Person Platform was made of rough stone, carved with ancient patterns that were obscure and difficult to recognize. Vaguely, they seemed to form a formation of their own, with spiritual light constantly flowing across them.

Only when the flow reached a certain corner in the southwest would it be blocked by a golden light.

This should be the power of Master Hengxu’s “Prohibition Seal.”

Standing quietly before the One-Person Platform, the fierce wind at this high altitude made her robes flutter with a hunting sound.

Just like her currently turbulent state of mind.

One moment, one hundred and nineteen steps.

She had walked step by step, and constantly flashing through her mind were all her experiences from the mortal island to the Nineteen Provinces…

Like scattered lamplight, like a revolving lantern, like a momentary flame…

This final step—was it an ending or a new beginning?

Jian Chou had no more time to think about it.

The evening glow on the horizon was dyed with the blood of nearly a hundred members of Jianzhu Sect, a sheet of blood red.

At the end of the heavenly path, golden light blazed brilliantly.

The One-Person Platform hung high at the end of the firmament, and Jian Chou was reminded of that “Jian Chou” from the third trial.

She raised her head, as if seeing that her standing on the One-Person Platform, waiting for herself.

Others seek immortality; she pursues the future.

Thus all mysterious barriers shattered with a thunderous crash.

In the moment of stepping forward, everything flashing through her mind vanished like smoke, and Jian Chou stepped across the void in one stride, arriving on the One-Person Platform!

At this moment, she had already crossed the highest point of the sky, as if breaking through a membrane.

Looking down, the sky curved beneath her feet, and the ten thousand li of mountains and rivers arched their backs like a scroll. Even the distant Western Sea, that line where it met the sky, had become a smooth, rounded curve…

The world had suddenly changed its appearance.

Looking up, there was only blur.

But in the instant she looked up, a vast and ancient aura rushed toward her, as if a larger world had opened its arms to embrace her…

An extremely mysterious feeling that left Jian Chou unable to speak.

At this moment, she had already stood beyond the vault of heaven!

“Hum.”

The moment her step fell, a spiritual light rippled outward from where she stood.

The eight surrounding heaven-reaching pillars were almost simultaneously affected by this spiritual light, actually producing humming sounds that spread throughout the sky and the four directions, even reaching the unknown world above, like celestial music resonating, washing away all impurities from people’s hearts.

The spiritual light climbed the stone pillars, forming two ancient characters like branded gold or chiseled silver, then vanished in a flash.

A wonderful spiritual connection suddenly appeared in Jian Chou’s mind.

Though she could no longer see these two characters, couldn’t even find them on the stone pillars, she could sense through this spiritual connection that they wandered about this heaven-connecting platform like playful little fish.

Occasionally, they would encounter other similar auras…

Perhaps every cultivator who ascended the One-Person Platform would receive such a seal.

This seal should be her name.

The other similar auras that Jian Chou sensed as this seal wandered should be other people’s names…

This One-Person Platform actually seemed like a living thing.

At this thought, the ground beneath Jian Chou’s feet immediately began to shake thunderously.

A small stone platform actually rotated up from the center of the One-Person Platform just as those two ancient characters disappeared!

The stone platform was bound with chain after chain of crimson red, making “clanging” sounds as the platform rotated upward.

The entire One-Person Platform suddenly blazed with brilliant light.

In everyone’s view below, all eight heaven-reaching pillars emitted blazing light, covering most of the sky, bright as daylight!

Jian Chou’s blurred figure stood before that stone platform.

“Weapon-Dissolving Platform!”

Dissolve all weapons on the One-Person Platform!

Three ancient seal characters were carved on that stone platform, naturally carrying an ancient aura.

The platform wasn’t refined, and even the patterns carved on it carried an almost primitive atmosphere.

Above was a rough groove, seemingly designed specifically for visitors to place their weapons.

Jian Chou’s gaze fell on those three characters, naturally understanding their meaning.

When the common people and even nobles of the mortal island entered the palace for audiences, they had to surrender their weapons outside the palace gates.

This One-Person Platform also required cultivators to surrender their weapons.

Her brow furrowed slightly as she grew curious: What exactly was the origin of this One-Person Platform, and by what authority did it dare command all visitors to surrender their weapons?

After hesitating only briefly, her finger still pressed against her forehead.

From within her ancestral aperture, a ray of light emerged, and moments later, the Ghost Axe was in Jian Chou’s palm.

Holding the axe, she came before this Weapon-Dissolving Platform and slowly placed the Ghost Axe in the groove.

“Click.”

Almost the instant the Ghost Axe was placed, the entire Weapon-Dissolving Platform actually sank down a section, perfectly securing the Ghost Axe within.

Jian Chou’s heart jumped, and almost simultaneously, violent bright light burst forth from the Ghost Axe. The Weapon-Dissolving Platform spun madly, and a black beam of light enveloped Jian Chou, rushing skyward and soaring straight up!

“Boom!”

The massive beam of light immediately broke through the blur above.

Like a drop of thick ink on the sky’s curtain, with the point where the beam pierced as the center, the entire sky quickly darkened in all directions.

From day to night!

Jian Chou stood in this densest, darkest night composed of black light, stood on this One-Person Platform higher than the firmament, stood in a larger world, looking up—

Thus, a brilliant galaxy crashed into her eyes with a fierce and irrefutable force!

It was endless void with deep dark colors, massive stars burning in the distant depths of the galaxy, grain upon grain of stars, countless as the sands of the Ganges River, scattered throughout every corner of the void, revolving along predetermined orbits, forming magnificent nebulae…

Occasionally a ball of flame would explode, forming endless whirlpools that devoured all surrounding stars.

…

What her eyes beheld was actually the vast boundless universe!

In this moment, standing in this blazing pillar of light, her dark hair danced wildly, covering her almost intoxicated expression.

Under the night sky, the entire starry sky was brighter than ever before.

Countless cultivators in the Central Domain almost all stopped whatever they were doing at this moment, looking up to witness this nearly miraculous scene together!

On the vast land of the Nineteen Provinces, many great master cultivators opened their long “sealed” eyes…

On the Western Sea plaza, countless traveling cultivators stopped in their tracks in amazement, raising their heads to gaze at what was rotating in that night sky—

A trillion stars!

A white robe with exquisite embroidered patterns, her face showing more pallor, her entire being suffused with the clear bitter scent of medicinal herbs.

Lu Xiangleng also gazed at that endless night sky, finally showing a slight smile at the corner of her lips.

Feng Li stood beside her, but her face showed some disappointment: “Senior Sister Jian Chou took first place.”

Lu Xiangleng nodded but said nothing.

She recalled the various experiences of recent days, her mood rising and falling slightly, but soon calming again.

Being able to receive her sect’s protection and suppress this matter through their influence, ultimately not creating an irreparable mistake—she was still a medicine woman of Baiyue Valley, which was already extremely fortunate.

As for the One-Person Platform, being able to witness Jian Chou’s ascent was already satisfying enough.

Under everyone’s gaze, that black beam of light soon exhausted itself, and after sending the last bit of black light into the firmament, gradually dissipated.

The entire sky blazed with brilliant light again.

The azure sky, centered on Kunwu, slowly filled the entire night sky, and thus the entire Central Domain returned from night to day.

The brilliant stars vanished in the glorious heavenly light, no longer traceable.

Only now did the plaza erupt with countless voices of discussion.

“Heavens, what was that just now!”

“The One-Person Platform! It was the One-Person Platform!”

“The one who ascended the One-Person Platform—Yashan’s Jian Chou!”

“In the end, Yashan still claimed the championship…”

“What a phenomenon…”

…

Hearing these almost overwhelming cacophonous voices, Lu Xiangleng’s brow showed a rare trace of gentleness as she slowly walked toward the several teleportation arrays on the plaza.

But after taking only two steps, she suddenly stopped, frowning slightly: Someone severely injured?

In the teleportation array directly ahead, a man seemed to have been standing there for a while.

He wore a dark blue robe stained with some dried blood, appearing extremely disheveled, yet his features maintained complete calm, hiding some scholarly air. His composure still carried a hint of refined elegance.

Deep pools for pupils held a shallow layer of thin ice, giving people a sense of distance; his thin lips were pressed tight, drawing a line of coldness.

Unlike everyone around him still gazing at the firmament, his gaze fell only on the towering Nine Heavens Tablets ahead.

The salty sea wind of the Western Sea beat against the nine tablets, yet through years and months could not damage them in the slightest.

The Second Heaven Tablet represented the foremost among Foundation Establishment cultivators.

At this moment, new names had appeared, with “Liao Kong” now at the top—presumably a cultivator from the Northern Domain’s Chan forest.

The three characters “Xie Buchen” had now been pushed to third place.

This wasn’t particularly surprising.

After all, after his breakthrough to Golden Core, there should be successors to brand their names on this tablet, only…

His gaze fell between the names “Xie Buchen” and “Liao Kong.”

The same name?

Or the same person?

“Jian Chou…”

Rolling his tongue lightly, these two almost tender characters gently spilled from his lips.

Standing before these Nine Heavens Tablets, standing beneath this familiar name, Xie Buchen looked up with slightly flickering eyes, but in the deepest part of his gaze was an obscure calm.

The sun set in the west.

Brilliant evening clouds fell into the vast Western Sea.

In later historical records, this was an evening worthy of remembrance throughout the Nineteen Provinces.

On this day, news of Qu Zhengfeng’s betrayal of Yashan spread throughout the cultivation world;

On this day, Yashan’s Jian Chou defeated one hundred and eighteen companions to become the champion of this assembly. Fudao Shanren used the blood of nearly a hundred Jianzhu Sect cultivators to pave her heavenly path, while Master Hengxu waved his sleeve to create wind and evening clouds, making the most brilliant splash of color on the horizon when she ascended the One-Person Platform;

On this day, the Central Domain’s day and night transformed, with the galaxy hanging inverted;

…

On this day, the long-missing thirteenth true disciple under Master Hengxu, Xie Buchen, finally returned…