The Giant Stone Clan had been utterly devoted to Jiang Chen ever since he revived them. They considered him their master, and their loyalty was unwavering.
No matter what Jiang Chen arranged, they would never object.
However, when they heard that he intended to use a secret technique to separate their souls from their bodies once again, Big Rock grew somewhat anxious. "Benefactor, won't it be dangerous? We really don't want to go through—"
"Relax. This time it will take half a day at most before I restore you. It's only because we need to return to the Glazed Tile Royal City in an instant that I'm resorting to this. Otherwise, at our current speed, getting back to the Glazed Tile Royal City would take at least a day or two, and we simply don't have that kind of time."
Seeing the sincerity in Jiang Chen's tone, Big Rock exchanged a few glances with his brothers, then gritted his teeth and said, "We all trust you, Benefactor. Whatever you say, we'll do!"
The brothers of the Giant Stone Clan were all thoroughly honest folk.
Jiang Chen would never deceive them. Without further delay, he began performing the secret technique, once again separating the Giant Stone Clan brothers' souls from their bodies.
This time, the four brothers' souls were sealed back into four small stone sculptures, while their bodies transformed into a large stone sculpture once more.
Jiang Chen put them away carefully and murmured silently, "Big Rock, rest assured—today's suffering will be repaid to you tenfold someday. Given the chance, I will definitely help restore the Giant Stone Clan's bloodline. And even if that's beyond my power, I will search across the Myriad Heavens Planes until I find your fellow clansmen!"
The Giant Stone Clan was not limited to the Divine Abyss Continent alone.
Though rare, this race still persisted in a handful of other planes.
After making all the preparations, Jiang Chen called in several leaders of the allied forces and informed them that something had come up in the Glazed Tile Royal City and he needed to return immediately.
He told them to continue advancing and not let anything slip.
Upon learning that the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect was not the main force of the Wind and Cloud Cult, these leaders were both surprised and somewhat relieved. At the very least, they wouldn't have to fight to the death on this mission—that was good news.
Still, they couldn't show their relief too openly.
"Young Master Jiang Chen, won't it be too difficult for you to face the Wind and Cloud Cult's main force on your own? Perhaps our army should return to the Glazed Tile Royal City as well, to lend you a hand?"
"There's no need. If you head back now, you might walk right into their ambush. Since they want to play this game, let's play along. Continue onward and make a show of charging toward the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect with full force. Let them believe I'm still there." Jiang Chen wasn't looking down on these allies—it was simply that under the current conditions, they couldn't make it back in time.
By the time they returned, even if they avoided an ambush, it would already be too late.
So rather than pulling back, it was better to keep cooperating with the enemy's expectations, lull them into complacency, and let them misjudge the situation. At the very least, Jiang Chen could sneak back to the Glazed Tile Royal City and prepare for the coming battle.
At this level of conflict, numbers mattered, but so did strategy.
Jiang Chen was confident that if he played his cards right, there was still a chance!
…
Whoosh. The Space-Time Sigil dissolved into nothingness within the void.
The next instant, Jiang Chen materialized in the Third Palace of the six palaces of legacy within the Glazed Tile Royal Tower.
"Hm? You've come to challenge my Third Palace already?" A languid voice drifted lazily from somewhere within the Third Palace.
Jiang Chen had no time for pleasantries. "Senior, these Six Palaces of Legacy grant two attempts each, correct? This time, I'm not here to challenge the palace—I need to borrow passage. Please show me the exit of the Third Palace. I'm in the most desperate kind of urgency and must return to the Glazed Tile Royal City immediately. Otherwise, the Glazed Tile Royal City's very foundation hangs by a thread!"
The voice was silent for a long, stunned moment before it spoke again, clearly exasperated. "Boy, are you messing with me?"
"I assure you, Senior, if it weren't for the crisis facing the Glazed Tile Royal City, I would never be so reckless." Jiang Chen genuinely had no interest in challenging the Third Palace right now.
Moreover, when he had been in the Second Palace—the Danxiao Palace—the Venerable Chongxiao had warned him that it was best to attempt the Third Palace only after reaching the high stage of the Emperor Realm.
Otherwise, passing through this palace was virtually impossible.
Each palace granted only two attempts.
And Jiang Chen was now, without question, wastefully burning one of them.
He didn't want to squander such a precious opportunity, but he had no other choice.
"Hmph. Crisis? What crisis could there be? Has the Demon Race risen from the ashes?" The languid voice carried a note of indignation.
"I'm not certain myself. This enemy is extremely powerful—whether they are the Demon Race, I can't say. But they are no easier to deal with than the Demon Race."
Jiang Chen could only answer honestly. His heart was pounding with anxiety, but without guidance, he had no way to find the exit.
The voice let out a snort. "Fine. Listen well, boy. No matter your reasons, this is still an affront to the Third Palace. By squandering one attempt, the next time you enter, I may well consider adding a bit of extra difficulty!"
Jiang Chen groaned inwardly at those words.
But he had no alternative. Cupping his fists, he said, "Senior, if you wish to punish me later, I will accept it without complaint. But for now, please—show me the exit. I am deeply grateful."
His tone was utterly sincere.
Though the guardian of the Third Palace was irritated, he chose not to press the matter further.
"Get lost!"
The moment those words left his lips, a surge of magical force swept across the space, and a beam of light streaked past—an exit materialized directly before Jiang Chen's eyes.
"Thank you for your grace, Senior!" Jiang Chen was overjoyed. He stepped into the passage and shot outward without hesitation.