"The demon race, the demon race…" the voice murmured, steeped in sorrow that carried within it a deep, gnawing hatred—almost through gritted teeth.
If not for the demons, why would they have been forced to leave their homeland behind?
If not for the demons, why would they have had to bear the weight of their own conscience, or carry the stigma of desertion?
The demon race had ravaged all living beings, destroyed this land where humanity had made its home, ruined the spiritual veins, and depleted the vast majority of its resources.
That was precisely why those surviving ancient powerhouses had been compelled to abandon their homeland and journey to the Myriad Abyss Island.
Jiang Chen did not interrupt. He simply sat cross-legged in silence. That previous battle had cost him enormously—it had been an extreme test of his limits.
The Imperial Presence Armor Talisman and the Imperial Presence True Essence Talisman, when activated simultaneously, had placed a tremendous burden on his half-step Emperor realm cultivation. To bear the power of two Emperor-grade talismans at once—had he not cultivated the Divine Demon Golden Body, his physical frame would either have been pulverized or suffered grievous injuries.
Seeing that Jiang Chen had actually composed himself and settled into a cross-legged meditation, the guardian of Danxiao Palace seemed mildly surprised. He spoke in a measured voice: "Young man, I sense powerful talisman energy emanating from you—did you just employ some heaven-defying talismans?"
Jiang Chen did not deny it. "Junior activated both the Imperial Presence Armor Talisman and the Imperial Presence True Essence Talisman simultaneously at half-step Emperor realm. The cost was substantial."
"Half-step Emperor realm?" The Danxiao Palace guardian's voice carried a note of surprise. "You're only at half-step Emperor realm, and yet you've made it into the Six Inheritance Palaces?"
Jiang Chen nodded. "Junior has not yet formally entered the Emperor realm."
At that, the guardian's surprise deepened. "Incredible. After tens of thousands of years, the genius who enters the Six Inheritance Palaces is only at half-step Emperor realm?"
Jiang Chen wasn't quite sure how to respond. The other's tone didn't sound like disdain for his low cultivation—it was something else entirely.
"Young man, judging by your age, you can't be more than twenty-odd years old. In the ancient era, there were many who had reached the Emperor realm at your age. However, I can say with certainty that your talent and comprehension are in no way inferior to the geniuses of that age."
By this point, the Danxiao Palace guardian's voice had taken on an unmistakable note of admiration.
In the ancient era, when selecting geniuses, cultivation had never been the primary criterion. What they valued was potential.
And for someone of Jiang Chen's age to have cultivated to half-step Emperor realm in the current martial world—that was already exceedingly rare.
What was rarer still was that he had comprehended all nine Glazed Steles, entered the Six Inheritance Palaces, and passed through the First Palace to arrive here at the Second Palace, Danxiao Palace. That was what had surprised the guardian the most.
"That you passed through the First Palace and arrived here is proof enough that you are destined for the Six Inheritance Palaces. I am the Lord Chongxiao, guardian of the Second Palace, Danxiao Palace. Young man, state your name."
"Junior is Jiang Chen." He had not concealed his true identity in the First Palace, and there was even less reason to do so here in Danxiao Palace. After all, when it came to connections, he shared a deeper bond with this Lord Chongxiao of Danxiao Palace.
"Excellent, excellent! Jiang Chen, I misjudged you earlier. To face a Demon Emperor at half-step Emperor realm and escape unscathed—truly remarkable. A genius like you is exactly the kind of inheritor the Six Inheritance Palaces seek. However, though I admire you, I will not bend the rules on your account. To pass through Danxiao Palace and receive its inheritance, you must complete three trials, same as anyone else."
The Lord Chongxiao made no effort to hide his appreciation for Jiang Chen. It was strikingly similar to the regard the Celestial Kun Master had shown him before.
Jiang Chen understood. The guardians of the Six Inheritance Palaces were all great figures from the ancient era. The only reason they stood watch here was that the builder of the Glazed Pagoda had possessed greater power and abilities than any of them.
Countless ages had passed since the ancient era. Endless stretches of time had left these guardians deeply lonely and isolated. The last person to enter the Six Inheritance Palaces had been tens of thousands of years ago.
It stood to reason, then, that every guardian harbored genuine anticipation toward any challenger who broke through. As long as the contender wasn't hopelessly inadequate, they would generally earn the guardian's goodwill.
"Lord Chongxiao, some time ago, while traveling through the Upper Eight Domains, I encountered a sect called the Celestial Cicada Ancient Academy. They showed me a formation diagram said to contain the legacy of the ancient Danxiao Sect. I humbly ask—Lord, you are…" Jiang Chen did not reveal everything at once, instead probing carefully.
"What?" The Lord Chongxiao's tone sharpened instantly. "The Celestial Cicada Ancient Academy? The Danxiao Sect? Young man, where did you learn of the Danxiao Sect?"
The urgency in his voice was palpable, tinged with an almost anxious intensity. Jiang Chen grew more confident in his guess.
"The Danxiao Sect was a great formation sect of the ancient era. Though no written records survive, rumors passed down through the ages have reached my ears on occasion. When modern formation masters speak of ancient formations, they almost always mention the Danxiao Sect."
Jiang Chen's words carried a degree of flattery. In truth, among the ancient sects, vanishingly few had managed to preserve and pass down their legacies.