Suddenly, from the direction of the highest tower’s peak, the melodious chime of a bell resonated. The sound did not thunder; instead, it traveled softly like dew falling upon a lotus leaf, yet it instantly extinguished all the turbulent energy on the marble plaza.

  A pure white light descended from the heavens, cleaving through the silver clouds. In the midst of that light, a woman in white robes embroidered with jade-green heavenly leaves floated down gracefully. Her face was concealed by a thin veil, yet her calm eyes radiated a wisdom that transcended mortal years.

  "Law Enforcement Elder, stand down," the woman spoke. Her voice was gentle, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

  "The Fairy... the Eternal Snow Fairy!" exclaimed the practitioners in the crowd, immediately dropping to their knees in profound respect.

  The Eternal Snow Fairy landed before Zhi Xuan, with only ten paces separating them. She carried no sword, nor did she radiate any killing intent. Her eyes stared directly into Zhi Xuan’s sapphire eyes, as if she were trying to read the thousands of years of sorrow stored within them.

  "Fellow Gu," the Fairy said, "the Sacred Pavilion Heavenly Leaf never closes its doors to those seeking the Dao, as long as they follow the rules of the Tower. If you have truly come for the Heavenly Jade and the challenge of the tower, then you have the right to enter."

  "Sacred Fairy! How can this be?!" protested the Law Enforcement Elder. "He is the Devil of the South!"

  The Eternal Snow Fairy raised her hand slowly. "In the eyes of the tower, all practitioners are equal. Only merit and strength shall determine if they are worthy of the Heavenly Jade. If he brings chaos, let the laws of the tower punish him. Do you doubt the strength of our ancestors' ancient formations, Elder?"

  Hearing this, the law enforcers were forced to withdraw their silver staves. The stifling atmosphere slowly began to thaw, though fear still shadowed every eye that looked upon Zhi Xuan.

  Zhi Xuan stared at the Eternal Snow Fairy for a moment. He felt a familiar ripple of energy from this woman—a technique that was pure, yet not as profound as Ye Xishui's. "A wise decision," Zhi Xuan replied flatly.

  Zhi Xuan took two steps back. He waved his hand, and in his grip appeared the hilt of the Heavenly Sword, causing the souls of everyone present to tremble, for that was the blade that had spilled the blood of thousands in the Southern Region. Zhi Xuan moved his fingers along the blade, immediately covering it with a white cloth.

  Zhi Xuan’s calm movements as he wrapped the Heavenly Sword in white cloth were like those of a priest shrouding a coffin. The cloth was not merely a cover, but a mental seal he created so that the bloodlust of the relic would not immediately consume the sanity of the low-level practitioners surrounding him.

  He slung the Heavenly Sword across his back, binding it there like a statement. "This Gu abides by the Heavenly Laws of Yao Gu. If I cause harmful chaos in this region, then I shall accept heavenly wrath, and this Heavenly Sword shall stab me from behind."

  Zhi Xuan’s cold and weighted statement left the entire plaza stunned. The oath he swore was no mere empty words, but a spiritual bond that shook the horizon. Using his own weapon as a guarantee for his conduct was a form of arrogance and resolve that could only be displayed by those who had stood for hundreds of years.

  One of the Soul Transformation practitioners from a great sect, Xu Tianzi, clapped his hands from behind the curtains of his flying carriage. "How fascinating!" Xu Tianzi laughed softly, his voice clear yet commanding. "The Southern Devil, Gu Fengyan, swears an oath at the foot of the West Flower Towers, using his own slaughter-blade as a guarantee. This is a sight that cannot be bought even with thousands of high-grade spiritual stones."

  On the other side, two Soul Transformation practitioners from the Eastern Region sects also slowly opened their carriage curtains once the tension had passed. "The South—a remote region, yet now one of its calamities stands before me. Interesting, truly interesting."

  "Indeed, a drama that transcends logic," added his companion, a man in robes engraved with ocean waves that radiated the scent of salt and thick water essence. "The world thought him a mindless beast, yet he muzzles his fangs before the Eternal Snow Fairy. Is he seeking redemption, or is he setting a trap under the very nose of the Sacred Pavilion?"

  "This Gu never seeks redemption," Zhi Xuan countered calmly, his voice flat as he turned toward the West Flower Towers. "It is just that this place is for those without sects and wanderers seeking fortune. Are you also so lacking in Heavenly Jade that you spare the time to remain here?"

  Xu Tianzi burst into laughter—a laugh that shook the curtains of his carriage until the jade bells hanging there chimed loudly. "Lacking Heavenly Jade? Your question is sharp indeed, Fellow Gu! To us, Heavenly Jade is a resource, but to you, it seems to be life itself. We are here not because of lack, but because of greed. Is that not the essence of practitioners like us?"

  The wave-robed man from the Eastern Region stepped out of his carriage, landing on the marble with the grace of a sea sovereign. "I, Mo Shanhai, must admit your tongue is as sharp as your sword's reputation. However, do not be mistaken. This Holy City is a melting pot. You enter as a hard raw material, but do not let yourself be reduced to ash before reaching the tower's peak."

  "I do not take lessons from a Soul Transformation," Zhi Xuan replied calmly. He gave a brief nod toward the Eternal Snow Fairy before turning toward the West Flower Towers. "You spend so much time mocking me, which should be time spent in your respective pavilions to meditate. You young masters can leave now."

  Zhi Xuan stopped his walk as the crowd parted, then glanced back with a thin smile. His sapphire eyes carried a sharp glint like the curve of a devil’s grin. "Are you afraid... that I might join the arena to compete for the Ancient Cultivation Technique?"

  The final question from Zhi Xuan’s lips fell like a block of ice dropped into a cauldron of boiling oil. The atmosphere, which had just slightly eased, froze again in a thicker tension. The thin smile curling on the Southern Devil's face was not just a taunt, but an open challenge that stripped away the deepest fears of the heirs of those grand clans.

  Xu Tianzi, who had been acting relaxed, suddenly ceased his laughter. His eyes narrowed, staring intently at the sapphire flash that seemed capable of piercing through layer after layer of his mental defenses. "Impudent!" hissed one of Xu Tianzi’s guards, but the man raised his hand, stopping his subordinate with a stiff gesture.

  "Afraid?" Mo Shanhai, the wave-ruler of the East, stepped forward. The ripples of water energy around him, previously calm, began to churn, forming small vortices beneath his feet that eroded the celestial marble. "You speak as if the Ancient Cultivation Technique is something you can seize just with your reputation in the South. Remember, Gu Fengyan, the Western Region has its own laws. Here, dragons must coil and tigers must bow before the authority of the Sacred Pavilion!"

  "Enough!" the Eternal Snow Fairy interrupted, her voice like a silver bell breaking the deadlock. She floated slightly in front of Zhi Xuan, blocking the hostile glares of the young masters from other regions. "Fellow Gu, you have been granted permission to enter the West Flower Towers. Do not let your tongue trigger a war before the trial begins. And you, fellows from the East and North, please maintain your dignity as guests of the Holy City."

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  The Eternal Snow Fairy then turned fully to Zhi Xuan, her calm eyes staring at the white cloth wrapping the Heavenly Sword. "The Tower gates shall open at dawn tomorrow. Until then, you are free to seek lodging in the Holy City. But remember your promise, Gu Fengyan. If a single drop of a citizen's blood is spilled by your hand, the entire protection formation of the Holy City will target you as an eternal enemy."

  "And, do not hope to join the upcoming competition," the Eternal Snow Fairy hissed coldly, her voice sharpening as if cutting through Zhi Xuan’s every intent. "This... is your limit."

  With that, the Eternal Snow Fairy withdrew and dissolved into fragrant snow-dew, followed by the law enforcers who snorted roughly and cast sharp glares at Zhi Xuan before turning into bursts of light and leaving the crowd.

  "Limit?" Zhi Xuan murmured softly, his voice swallowed by the whistling wind carrying the scent of the Fairy’s lingering snow. He stared at the spot where she had vanished; his sapphire eyes showed no surge of anger, but rather an unexpected depth.

  "Hahahaha! Did you hear that, Southern Devil?" Young Master Xue, who had been crawling in the distance, now stood up with the help of his guards. Though his face was still deathly pale, a glimmer of cunning victory appeared in his eyes. "You might be able to suppress the ants here with your name, but before the Sacred Pavilion, you are nothing but a stray dog with a leash around its neck! The Flower Tower is your highest limit. Never dream of touching the hem of the Fairies' robes, let alone desiring that Ancient Cultivation Technique!"

  From atop his carriage, Xu Tianzi leaned back again, slowly closing the silk curtains, though his voice still drifted out with a dismissive tone. "What a pity. I thought there would be an interesting opponent in the arena later. It turns out you are merely a stumbling block already cleared before the competition even began. Enjoy your Heavenly Jade, Gu Fengyan. Eat those scraps and return to your hole in the South."

  Mo Shanhai only snorted, turning away with his robes billowing like waves. "Let’s go. There is no use wasting time on someone who already has a boundary line on his fate. This Holy City belongs only to the recognized dragons, not to those feared like a plague yet chained like slaves."

  One by one, the grand flying carriages soared again, leaving the marble plaza with a gust of wind that swept the dust. The crowd of low-level practitioners also began to disperse in a hurry, giving Zhi Xuan a wide berth, as if the ground the purple-haired man stood upon had been cursed into a land of death.

  "You let them bark like that?" Ruo Xianxue hissed within Zhi Xuan’s mind, her tone full of burning provocation. "That Fairy just humiliated you in front of thousands. She gave you permission only to lower your dignity, giving you a bone while she keeps the meat for those dandy young masters. Why didn't you cut out their tongues while they were still on the ground?"

  Zhi Xuan remained standing motionless. He reached for the hilt of the white-cloth-wrapped Heavenly Sword on his back, ensuring it was tied securely. "Dignity..." he said lowly, a word that felt foreign on his tongue. "Great Saint, since when have I cared for the recognition of a flock of sheep that think themselves dragons?"

  Zhi Xuan stepped forward, cutting through the silence of the plaza which now felt empty. "They speak of limits as if they are the weavers of fate itself. The Eternal Snow Fairy thinks she has trapped me within the Tower, not realizing the Tower is merely a step for me to reach what I am truly seeking."

  "Then what about Ye Xishui?" Ruo Xianxue asked, her voice softening now, carrying a sharper tone toward Zhi Xuan's conscience. "She is there, behind the walls of that grand Pavilion. You will let her seek a 'Dao Protector' from that collection of trash that just insulted you?"

  Zhi Xuan stopped his steps for a moment. He looked toward the north, where the peaks of the Sacred Pavilion Heavenly Leaf appeared faint behind the eternal mist. "If she truly seeks someone to patch her Dao Heart, then that man must be someone capable of bearing the weight of all my sins."

  Zhi Xuan resumed walking toward the quieter lodging district. Behind him, Jiang Cheng, still injured, tried to stand, staring at that straight back with conflicting emotions.

  "Senior Gu!" Jiang Cheng shouted with his remaining strength.

  Zhi Xuan did not stop, but his pace slowed slightly.

  "Thank you... for saving this worthless life," Jiang Cheng said while bowing deeply on the marble. "Even though the whole world calls you a Devil, to this Jiang, you are the only one who showed the truth amidst this hypocrisy!"

  Zhi Xuan’s only answer was silence. He continued walking until his shadow lengthened under the rising silver moon of the Holy City. For Zhi Xuan, tomorrow was not just about Heavenly Jade. Tomorrow was the beginning of how he would tear apart the boundaries set by those sacred hands.

  The night in the Holy City felt colder than the ice on the peaks of the northern mountains. The silver light from the glowing moon swept over the pavilion roofs, creating long shadows that twisted like black snakes. Zhi Xuan walked through the now-empty streets; every time his figure approached an inn, the gatekeepers would turn their faces away or shut the doors tighter, as if the pure air he carried was a poison capable of rotting wood and stone.

  He finally stopped in front of an old tavern located in the most remote corner of the district—a wooden building that looked fragile, with a dull red lantern swaying in the wind. Without a word, he stepped inside.

  "A jar of strong wine," Zhi Xuan said without turning, flicking a gold coin toward the tavern owner's table. "Don't tremble; there is no need to fear me."

  The tavern owner, an old man with a hunched back and dim eyes, froze for a moment staring at the gold coin still spinning on his wooden table. His rough, trembling hand slowly reached for the coin, and then he looked at the figure before him—a man with dark purple hair whose aura seemed capable of extinguishing the lanterns in the room.

  "V-very well, Young Master," the owner whispered hoarsely. He turned with shuffling steps, taking a dusty clay jar from the bottom shelf.

  Zhi Xuan sat in the darkest corner, placing the white-cloth-wrapped Heavenly Sword on the table with a heavy, dull thud. The sharp aroma of wheat wine immediately filled the air as he poured the clear liquid into a clay cup.

  "This world is indeed full of theater," Ruo Xianxue murmured, her voice echoing in Zhi Xuan’s mind, synchronized with the gulp of wine passing through his throat. "A moment ago, you were a Devil the Law Enforcers wanted to skin, and now you are just a drunk in a shabby tavern. Truly, Zhi Xuan, are you Gu Fengyan or not?"

  Zhi Xuan stared at the liquid in his cup, where the reflection of the silver moon from a small window seemed to wobble. "Identity is merely clothing, Great Saint. If the world wants me to be a Devil, I will be a Devil. If they want me to be dust, I will vanish in the wind. However, not one of them has the right to determine where my feet must stop walking."

  He downed the wine, feeling a burning heat that seared all the way to his core. That controlled pain helped him focus his mind amidst the bustle of the Western Region's spiritual essence, which was far too fragrant. The wine felt hot, yet strangely made his essence calm again.

  "This wine..." Zhi Xuan murmured, looking toward the owner. "This wine is so calming and delicious. If you don't mind, what is the name of this wine?"

  The old tavern owner stopped wiping the table. He looked up slowly, staring at Zhi Xuan with a gaze that no longer held pure fear, but a sort of long-settled sorrow. He walked closer, carrying a wooden tray with a small plate of cold cakes.

  "This wine has no grand name in the alchemy books, Young Master," the old man said while placing the tray with slow movements. "We call it Immortal's Brew—a name that is lofty enough, yet we consider it like a life."

  "A life?" Zhi Xuan asked with a slight furrow of his brow, staring at the cup for a moment before looking back at the owner. "What is the meaning of wine being a life?"

  The old man pulled out a creaking wooden chair, sitting opposite Zhi Xuan with a courage born of an indifference toward death. He rubbed the rough surface of the table, his dim eyes looking at the clay jar as if staring at the tombstone of an old friend.

  "Young Master, this wine is made from wheat grown on slopes that never touch sunlight, mixed with river water that freezes in winter," the old man said, his voice as raspy as the rustle of dry leaves. "When you swallow it, the heat that first greets your throat represents the ambition and anger of youth—the time when we feel capable of cleaving the sky with our bare hands. However, after that heat passes, there is a lingering bitterness and coldness that settles at the back of the tongue. That is the remnant of regret and silence that we must swallow until the end of our days."

  Zhi Xuan fell silent, letting the cold residue of the wine seep into his meridians. The old man's words contained no spiritual essence, yet they held the weight of mortal experience capable of vibrating his cracked Dao Heart.

  "The life of practitioners like you is like chasing a shadow upon the water for immortality," the old owner continued, a thin smile revealing gums that were starting to lose teeth. "You drink heavenly elixirs to extend your years, but this wine teaches that to be immortal means being ready to feel the bitterness of repeated loss. That is why we call it Immortal's Brew—wine for those cursed to keep living in a world that keeps dying."