Inside the elegant pavilion, Yu Chenran walked to the window, pushed it open, and gazed into the distance with deep eyes, murmuring, “The Hundred Veins Banquet might expose my identity. But this is a path that must be taken, unavoidable.”

After staring for an unknown amount of time, Yu Chenran withdrew his gaze, his expression resolute. “I will do my best to pave this road for you. How far you can go depends on your own fortune.”

The Buddhist Sect of the Eastern Land, the Academy of the Northern Wilderness, the Song Family of the Ancient Clan, and certain forces in the Imperial Province all stood by Qingzong’s side. All of this was due to Yu Chenran’s efforts.

As your master, I must fulfill my responsibilities.

Qingyuan, I believe you can change the world’s situation and reshuffle the deck.

The grievances Qingzong has suffered should be soothed by you. The lost dignity should be reclaimed by you.

“I wonder where the Principal is and if everything is going smoothly.”

Although he didn’t know the Principal’s exact whereabouts or what he was doing, Yu Chenran silently prayed.

Without the Principal overseeing the Academy, it always felt like a headless dragon, difficult to withstand the coming storm. Hopefully, the Principal could return before the storm arrived.

The ancient tower had thirty-three levels. Only the Principal had reached the top two thousand years ago; everyone else was stopped.

Even Zhao Yichuan, the Principal’s direct disciple, hadn’t reached the peak.

Last time, Chen Qingyuan had passed the thirteenth level but stopped there.

Now, Chen Qingyuan planned to try again.

Every disciple of the Academy had three chances to enter the ancient tower. Of course, they had to be under a thousand years old; otherwise, they would be ejected by the tower’s prohibition.

“Are you ready?”

A few days later, Yu Chenran accompanied Chen Qingyuan to the base of the ancient tower.

“Yes.” Chen Qingyuan nodded, his eyes firm.

“Go on in!”

Yu Chenran lifted the barrier around the ancient tower.

Watching Chen Qingyuan step into the tower, Yu Chenran felt a tinge of anticipation.

Buzz!

As soon as Chen Qingyuan entered the ancient tower, he arrived directly at the fourteenth level.

Looking around, he saw clouds and mist, as if he were in the middle of a cloud, unable to find a direction.

Taking a step forward, his left arm was slashed, and blood flowed out.

Chen Qingyuan quickly stopped and looked down at the wound.

Mysterious laws!

No trace could be seen with the naked eye.

Now, Chen Qingyuan dared not take another step lightly. His whole body tensed as he used various methods to explore this space.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t see the essence of the laws drifting in every corner of the space.

After a long stalemate, a faint light appeared ahead.

Looking in the direction of the light, Chen Qingyuan guessed it was the entrance to the fifteenth level.

After studying for a while, he suddenly noticed that the wound on his arm was slowly healing, causing no harm to his body.

“Could it be…”

Chen Qingyuan had a guess but wasn’t sure yet.

To verify his guess, Chen Qingyuan decided to take a few more steps forward.

Rip—

After a few steps, several strands of law slashed Chen Qingyuan’s body, magnifying the pain a thousandfold, making him grit his teeth and let out a muffled groan.

The mysterious laws ignored Chen Qingyuan’s protective barrier and directly injured his flesh.

“Indeed, this should just be a test.”

Chen Qingyuan realized that the laws only caused superficial wounds, amplifying the pain a thousandfold, ten thousandfold.

Such pain was unbearable even for a cultivator.

“Keep walking to the end, and you’ll find the way to break through.”

There was no shortcut, only a path forward.

Next, Chen Qingyuan’s body began to be enveloped by the mysterious laws, bloody wounds appearing one after another, indescribable pain eroding his soul.

His eyes were bloodshot, his face gradually twisted, veins bulging, as if his blood vessels were about to burst.

The endless pain devoured Chen Qingyuan’s consciousness, making him suffer immensely.

A voice seemed to echo from the depths of his heart, urging him to stop. Just stop, and the torment would cease.

However, Chen Qingyuan’s steps forward did not hesitate, unwavering and unstoppable.

The test of a fearless heart forged a Dao Heart unafraid of pain.

Only in this way could he reach the pinnacle of the Great Dao in the future.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Qingyuan went from unbearable pain to numbness.

He could no longer feel his body, moving forward purely on instinct, stumbling.

The laws of this space not only caused immense physical pain but also corroded the soul and shook the mind.

The faint light ahead was Chen Qingyuan’s goal to keep going.

Months later, Chen Qingyuan finally reached the end.

Whoosh—

In an instant, the laws entwining his body dispersed, and his wounds began to heal.

In just a moment, Chen Qingyuan’s body was restored, his mind clear.

Chen Qingyuan opened his mouth wide, wanting to roar out the pain he had endured these days. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t make a sound.

It took several days for Chen Qingyuan to slowly recover, coughing violently.

“This path is too arduous.”

Chen Qingyuan let out a long breath, looking back at the space filled with thick white mist, feeling lingering fear.

Fortunately, he persisted to the end, reaching the other shore.

Taking a step forward, Chen Qingyuan entered the fifteenth level.

This level was a sea of fire, testing Chen Qingyuan’s control over the fire element of the Five Elements.

The road ahead would not be easy.

At the Academy, in the Council Hall.

A group of big bosses sat, discussing the Hundred Veins Banquet.

“Old Yu, are you really deciding to let Chen Qingyuan participate in the Hundred Veins Banquet?” asked an elderly man with graying hair, the head of the Branch of Techniques, holding a high position.

“Yes,” Yu Chenran nodded in acknowledgment.

“Since the establishment of our Academy, we have never participated in worldly disputes. Even if you are the Vice Principal, you cannot go against the ancestral teachings!”

The head of the Branch of Talismans expressed his opinion.

“We need a reason.”

Gu Qingfeng, the head of the Sword Hall, although he valued Chen Qingyuan, did not agree with this move.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall was extremely heavy, with deep eyes staring at Yu Chenran, putting immense pressure on him.

Anyone who could sit in the hall was a core figure of the Academy. If he couldn’t convince everyone, Chen Qingyuan’s participation in the Hundred Veins Banquet would surely face heavy resistance.

“I support Vice Principal Yu’s decision.”

Lin Wenyou had to step up to support, standing firmly by Yu Chenran’s side.

“Old Lin, are you serious?”

The elders frowned deeply.

This matter was not child’s play. Once Chen Qingyuan went to the Imperial Province, it would signify the Academy’s intention to enter the world, inevitably bringing trouble and making it impossible to live a peaceful life in the future.

Everyone didn’t understand why Lin Wenyou agreed with Yu Chenran.