He had been in seclusion, and there was no way Young Master Ji could have notified him. So Jiang Chen didn't think there was anything wrong with Young Master Ji choosing to challenge the Seventh Glazed Stele.
After all, Young Master Ji was different from him. Young Master Ji was in the third zone, and his remaining time there was running short. Had the Sixth Glazed Stele not awarded him an extra six months, he would have long since had to leave.
So, seizing his last remaining bit of time, he challenged the Seventh Glazed Stele — and actually succeeded. Jiang Chen was genuinely happy for him.
"Young Master Ji seems to have fused the True Dragon Blood perfectly. I'd wager he broke through to the Emperor Realm smoothly and awakened part of his inherited memories. That would have elevated both his martial comprehension and his martial realm to an entirely new level — making comprehension of the Seventh Glazed Stele well within reach."
Succeeding in the Seventh Glazed Stele granted Young Master Ji another year of time extension, allowing him to continue training within the Glazed King Pagoda.
"Young Master Ji is still level-headed. Choosing to train himself in the Battle Secret Realm is absolutely the right move. He'd already maximized his time in the Heritage Secret Realm. Having just broken through to the Emperor Realm, he wouldn't be able to achieve another breakthrough in the short term, so it's far better to seek inspiration through real combat."
Jiang Chen heartily approved of this choice.
After all, Young Master Ji was different from him. Even if Jiang Chen went nowhere at all and simply remained in the Heritage Secret Realm continuously comprehending, he wouldn't need to worry about running out of inspiration.
His memories from his past life and his vast reservoir of knowledge gave Jiang Chen trump cards and advantages that no one else possessed.
Even now, having just sat down before this Seventh Glazed Stele, Jiang Chen felt not the slightest trace of apprehension in his heart. He was completely confident, feeling that this Glazed Stele posed absolutely no obstacle to him whatsoever.
This wasn't mere blind confidence.
But in the eyes of
The three of them watched from a distance as Jiang Chen took his position beneath the Seventh Glazed Stele, and the look in their eyes clearly betrayed a shared, silent question: Can he do it?
Beneath the Seventh Glazed Stele, Jiang Chen's spiritual consciousness transformed into a streak of light and shot toward the stele, instantly activating the Seventh Glazed Stele.
An indifferent voice rang out: "Welcome to the challenge of the Seventh Glazed Stele. This stele is called the Stele of Gu Yan. The requirement is to withstand the trial of the Stele of Gu Yan within one month — and absorb a single wisp of Gu Yan Essence from within!"
The Stele of Gu Yan?
Jiang Chen's heart stirred. Gu Yan — that was a type of Heavenly Fire. Jiang Chen had certainly heard of it. Gu Yan was one of the oldest fire seeds in the world.
What connection did this Stele of Gu Yan actually have with the legendary Gu Yan?
Carrying this question in his mind, Jiang Chen began the trial of the Seventh Glazed Stele.
Sure enough, this Stele of Gu Yan was deeply connected to the legendary flame. Within the Seventh Glazed Stele resided immense Gu Yan power, radiating the might of Gu Yan as it tempered the challenger's spiritual consciousness.
This was a trial, but simultaneously a rare opportunity for tempering.
Whoever could endure the full month would have their spiritual consciousness hammered by the Gu Yan for thirty days — their spiritual realm would inevitably rise by several entire levels.
And if one could also absorb and refine a wisp of Gu Yan Essence, that would be an absolutely monumental stroke of fortune.
After all, once a wisp of Gu Yan Essence was refined, continuous cultivation could allow it to grow ever stronger — a single spark gradually becoming an inferno that swept across the plains.
Among the countless Heavenly Fires across the Myriad Heavens Planes, Gu Yan ranked among the top thirty-six — an truly terrifying existence.
In ancient times, there were even records of a single Gu Yan destroying an entire sect. Now that Jiang Chen knew the Seventh Glazed Stele was connected to Gu Yan, he naturally didn't dare treat it carelessly.
In the first few days, the Gu Yan on the stele was nothing more than a faint flicker of flame, barely larger than a candle's light.
But even this tiny flicker, if condensed into physical form, could cause devastating damage. Jiang Chen didn't dare underestimate the Gu Yan.
His spiritual consciousness settled upon the stele, allowing the colossal force of the Gu Yan to hammer and temper his consciousness.
During the first seven or eight days, Jiang Chen didn't feel much pressure, because the Gu Yan showed virtually no fluctuation during that initial period.
However, given the caliber of Jiang Chen's spiritual consciousness, he could still perceive the subtle changes within the Gu Yan. The power of the Gu Yan Stele was evolving step by step.
It was just that the pace of evolution was exceedingly gradual.
By the ninth day, Jiang Chen distinctly felt the power radiating from the Gu Yan surge dramatically, the impact on his spiritual consciousness increasing three- or fourfold.
In the early days, the Gu Yan had been barely more spectacular than a candle flame. Now it had grown to roughly the size of a lotus blossom.
"Hmm, the Gu Yan has begun to evolve."
An ordinary martial artist, facing the Seventh Glazed Stele, would likely be content merely enduring the Gu Yan's trial. But Jiang Chen was different.
He had been observing the Gu Yan's transformation the entire time.
Although the Gu Yan's outward form hadn't changed dramatically, its internal fluctuations were actually filled with profound mystery.
As one of the most renowned Heavenly Fires since antiquity, Gu Yan naturally possessed its own unique characteristics. The true core of this stele's trial lay in mastering those characteristics.
If one couldn't grasp the Gu Yan's nature, how could one possibly hope to absorb a wisp of Gu Yan Essence?