In the very center of Yingwu Continent, within the Tianwu City, stood a thirty-three-story Skymark Pagoda. Suspended above the pagoda, a stone tablet, the "Golden Name Tablet," was erected.
Upon this stone tablet, the names of a hundred cultivators shimmered with golden light, dazzlingly brilliant.
This Skymark Pagoda was forged from Skymark Stone, the closest material to Sky Profound Stone. It could withstand the attacks of cultivators at the Sage realm. Furthermore, any cultivator who entered the pagoda at or below the Void Breaking realm would have their cultivation captured and ranked, distinguishing their merits and demerits.
Many cultivators traveled from the Five Continents and Eight Realms, drawn by the allure of ascending the thirty-three layers to leave an indelible mark on the Golden Name Tablet at the pagoda's summit, yearning to gain renown throughout the land.
At this moment, a young man in red emerged from the pagoda. Upon closer inspection, his red attire was entirely stained with dark blood. A maiden in blue quickly followed, hurrying towards the young man in red.
"Chu Tianle, wait for me!"
Within Tianwu City, amidst the bustling crowd, her clear voice, without the slightest hesitation, pierced the young man's ears.
Chu Tianle pressed his lips together tightly, forcing out a few words, "Hurry up."
The maiden in blue was Tang Qiao.
She held a common candied hawthorn from the street in one hand and a bowl of freshly made wontons in the other. With half-closed eyes, she smiled and said, "Then help me, here—"
She offered the candied hawthorn in her hand to Chu Tianle.
Chu Tianle frowned, not taking it. Suddenly, Tang Qiao's expression changed.
"Tang Qiao?"
Tang Qiao froze as if struck by a pressure point. Chu Tianle, thinking she was angry, felt a slight surprise.
Over the years, despite his various cold treatments and neglect, Tang Qiao had never shown him a darkened face. He had assumed her interest in him would never wane.
With this thought, a secret joy welled up within Chu Tianle.
Could it be that he would soon be able to return to the Shenqi world?
But when he looked up again, he saw Tang Qiao push him away and dash back into the Skymark Pagoda as if mad.
The candied hawthorn and wontons fell to the ground, but Tang Qiao seemed oblivious, rushing forward relentlessly.
"Tang Qiao!" Chu Tianle chased after her.
Tang Qiao rebuffed the approaching tower guards and headed for the thirty-third floor.
Chu Tianle followed closely behind but was stopped by a guard.
"Young Master Chu, you have already challenged the pagoda today and cannot enter again."
Each person could only challenge the Skymark Pagoda once a day. If one failed to reach the thirty-third floor in a single attempt, they would have to start anew upon their next visit.
Chu Tianle furrowed his brow. He couldn't quite describe his current feelings. He clearly resented and blamed Tang Qiao, yet seeing her so abnormal now, he couldn't help but worry about her.
Just then, he overheard the discussions of the cultivators around him.
"Huh, did someone successfully challenge the pagoda today?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Why is the name of Lord Yue Jun no longer there?"
Chu Tianle's heart jolted. He looked up at the Golden Name Tablet.
Indeed, at the ninety-ninth position, there was an utterly unfamiliar name. The characters "Yue Jun," which had occupied the ninety-ninth rank for fifty years, had vanished.
Given the special status of Yue Jun and Tang Qiao in Yingwu Continent, highly valued by a certain esteemed figure, they attracted considerable attention despite their cultivation only being at the late Spirit Light realm.
Moreover, most people in Tianwu City knew that Yue Jun had consistently remained at the ninety-ninth position, vowing to guard that spot and spar with all heroes under heaven.
"Lady Tang Qiao." A guard beneath the Golden Name Tablet approached cautiously. "I have confirmed that Lord Yue Jun's name was not displaced, but rather, it has faded."
The Golden Name Tablet's golden light signified renown; its dimming signaled demise.
Yue Jun had perished.
"How could this be..." Tang Qiao murmured, unwilling to believe it.
Tianwu City strictly prohibited brawls. Coupled with the presence of the Golden Name Tablet, countless disputes arose annually over rankings on the Golden Name Tablet, resulting in innumerable casualties and injuries. Yet, Tang Qiao had never imagined that Yue Jun would one day be among them.
"Didn't he go to the Green Blossom Lesser World? In such a small place, how could anyone kill him?" A fierce expression flickered across Tang Qiao's innocent and youthful face. "Have Mo Qingque come to replace me. I will personally go to the Green Blossom Lesser World to investigate."
"Yes."
Chu Tianle waited outside the pagoda for a while, but Tang Qiao did not emerge. He then left on his own.
He did not see Tang Qiao again until half a year later.
"Chu Tianle." Tang Qiao appeared travel-worn, her eyes bloodshot, as if she hadn't rested for a long time.
Her gaze fell upon Chu Tianle's red attire.
At some point, Chu Tianle had started wearing red. She hadn't known at first, but after her investigations over the past half-year, she couldn't help but suspect that Chu Tianle was using this method to remember certain people.
"Tang Qiao, please accept my condolences," Chu Tianle said after a long silence, his voice dry as he offered a word of comfort.
During this past half-year, not seeing Tang Qiao, he had thought she had forgotten him entirely. Thus, he had been diligently searching for a way to return to the Shenqi world during this time.
Tang Qiao lowered her gaze and said softly, "Chu Tianle, do you still want to return to Shenqi?"
"Of course," Chu Tianle replied with absolute certainty.
Tang Qiao asked, "Can't you stay in Chongyuan permanently?"
Chu Tianle shook his head in silence.
Tang Qiao looked up at him, her figure vanishing from her spot.
Chu Tianle didn't know how to describe the look in Tang Qiao's eyes—it was a mixture of resentment and anger, yet also of purity and passion. It was as if she had already made up her mind to do something and would not let anyone change that resolve.
Chu Tianle stood in place for a long time, then resolutely stepped into the Skymark Pagoda. "I was born in Shenqi. Knowing that the Shenqi Immortal Staircase is broken and the path to ascension for my homeland is severed, how can I remain in Chongyuan and watch my homeland's cultivators desperately pursue a dead end?"
...
In the Green Blossom Lesser World, behind An'yang Village.
Golden light had enveloped this mountain range for a month.
Li Ya should have also departed back to the temple. However, the Western Divine Lord suddenly came to An'yang Village to seek Master Bai. Upon learning that Master Bai had not yet emerged from the back mountain and noticing the considerable pressure contained within the golden light, which had a significant impact on ordinary people, the Western Divine Lord instructed Li Ya to remain in An'yang Village to represent the temple in assisting the villagers with their relocation.
A few more days passed, and the Southern Divine Lord also arrived at An'yang Village.
"Master Bai hasn't come out for this entire month?" The Southern Divine Lord's eyes darted around. "Are you saying she might have already left?"
The Western Divine Lord glanced at him indifferently. "So what?"
"Western Divine Lord, don't be so stubborn," the Southern Divine Lord's demeanor became more enthusiastic. "Since she is no longer here, why should we listen to her and select another Great Divine Lord to rule over us? If you ask me, I should be the Great Divine Lord, and you should be the Second Divine Lord. Then, this temple will be under our sole command."
As soon as the Southern Divine Lord finished speaking, a bolt of purple lightning struck from the clear sky amidst the brilliant golden light!
It landed on the ground right in front of him, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The dust splattered all over the Western Divine Lord's face, but the Southern Divine Lord dared not utter another word.
He strongly suspected that the Way of Heaven was currently watching him!
Although the Western Divine Lord was timid and fearful, this was only in comparison to Cheng Yuzhi. Towards the Southern Divine Lord, someone who had colluded with Cheng Yuzhi to target the Eastern and Western Temples, he held no good feelings whatsoever.
Consequently, his words were particularly impolite.