Chapter Fifty-One: Heaven's Gate and the Divine Realm

Gravity Chamber.

At the center, beside a colossal wolf-toothed mace, Shi Yan wore nothing but a pair of shorts. His body was stone-hardened, sweat pouring off him as he crashed relentlessly against the mace.

The wolf-toothed mace was seven meters tall, three meters wide, deeply embedded in the stone floor at the heart of the chamber. Its protruding spikes, like short clubs, gleamed with a dark, metallic luster.

Shi Yan’s body was a deep, earthy brown. Gasping for breath, he circled the massive mace, ramming it with his shoulders, arms, waist, thighs, and back—every part of his body.

A heavy, muffled rumble echoed constantly through the Gravity Chamber.

To unleash the full potential of the Shi Family’s Petrification Martial Spirit, one had to endure self-tormenting training of this sort. Only by pitting oneself headlong against unyielding objects could the petrification’s power reach its zenith.

It was only through such brutal self-abuse that the martial spirit within could become resilient enough to withstand the enemy’s fiercest onslaughts.

All around the chamber stood seven pillars, each glimmering with a dark brilliance. Because of them, gravity in the vast room was perpetually maintained at seven times normal.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Half-naked, Shi Yan’s expression was resolute as he drove himself into the limits of physical tempering, determined to bring the potential of his martial spirit to the fore.

With each collision, the point of contact between his body and the mace would flare faintly with a brownish glow.

The glow flickered only for an instant, bursting forth at the very moment of impact, vanishing as soon as his body broke away.

After five thousand impacts across various parts of his body, Shi Yan collapsed into a heap, utterly spent. Limbs sprawled wide, he lay in the center of the chamber, sweat streaming from his body like a creek and leaving the stone floor slick and wet.

Half a month had passed.

During these two weeks, Shi Yan had eaten and slept inside the Gravity Chamber—apart from answering nature’s call, he rarely left.

This was Shi Jian’s arrangement.

Upon discovering that Shi Yan’s martial spirit had advanced to the second stage, Shi Jian ordered him to halt all other training and devote himself solely to tempering his body.

He was to draw out the martial spirit’s second-stage potential as quickly as possible, using its power to transform his physique, toughening himself to endure the full force of an entry-level warrior’s assault.

Over these two weeks, Shi Jian, Han Feng, Yang Hai, and other Shi clan elders would drop by from time to time.

Especially Shi Jian, who visited almost every three days, meticulously inspecting Shi Yan’s progress, noting subtle changes in his body, and prescribing the next phase of training and its intensity.

Lying on the ground, Shi Yan, utterly drained, slowly adjusted his breathing. Once he felt a sliver of strength return to his limbs, he forced himself to sit up and began circulating energy within.

Though his body was exhausted, the flow of energy was much faster than before. While cultivating in silence, Shi Yan emptied his mind, clear as a tranquil mirror.

At such times, he sensed that his flesh, cells, sinews, and bones were being nourished in ways he could not comprehend.

His body, on the verge of collapse, would recover with surprising speed; fatigue would quickly melt away.

This was the self-recovery power of the Undying Martial Spirit!

Shi Yan understood this keenly.

He did not know how long had passed when he slowly awakened. His eyes shone cold and bright as stars; after a period of meditative cultivation, every trace of exhaustion had vanished, energy surged within him, and he felt an explosive power that demanded release.

Just then, someone pushed open the stone door of the Gravity Chamber.

It was Han Zhong, carrying seven bamboo baskets of varying sizes, who entered with a cheerful grin.

After coming in, Han Zhong set down the baskets and began laying out dishes one by one. As he worked, he said, “Today we have bird’s nest, sea cucumber, century-old turtle, bear paw, and lingzhi mushroom. Brother Yan, you eat more than anyone! The other young masters of the Shi clan could barely finish in five meals what you eat in one. Your appetite would bankrupt a small clan!”

Han Zhong laughed as he set out stacks and jars of delicacies. Secretly, he took out a wine jar from his robe and chuckled, “This jar of ‘Blazing Flame’ is my prized stash. Drink fast! Once you finish, I’ll get rid of the evidence.”

Shi Yan didn’t stand on ceremony. He plopped down beside Han Zhong and began to feast, devouring the rare and nourishing foods that ordinary folk would never taste. At last, he grabbed the jar of ‘Blazing Flame’ and drained it in one go.

Wiping his mouth and setting the empty jar aside, Shi Yan grinned, “Old Han, next time bring two jars of this wine. One isn’t nearly enough.”

“Brother Yan, ‘Blazing Flame’ is the best liquor from the Spring Pavilion. One jar costs five hundred purple crystal coins!” Han Zhong grimaced. “I saved this one from last time. Tomorrow, I’ll bring you ‘Burning Knife’ instead—only a hundred blue crystals per jar. I can bring you four jars at once, no problem.”

“It’s just crystals,” Shi Yan said airily. “Bring me ‘Blazing Flame’ whenever you can. I’ll make sure you’re paid next time.”

“In that case, no problem.” Han Zhong grinned. “Brother Yan, the head of the family is keeping the news of you becoming a true warrior very close. Most of the clan’s warriors and guards don’t even know. Do you know why?”

“Why?” Shi Yan asked lazily.

“The Martial Tournament, held every five years, is only three months away. You know, last time we faced the Mo and Ling clans, we suffered a few setbacks. The clan leader roared for days afterward. So this time…”

“He’s sending me to the tournament?” Shi Yan interrupted, startled.

The Martial Tournament was an event jointly organized by the Merchant Alliance’s five great families, open to all warriors.

It was divided into five levels: Postnatal, Innate, Human Rank, Hundred Calamities, and Earth Rank. Experts from every realm competed for the top three in each category.

The five great families provided generous prizes—elixirs, rare treasures, martial arts techniques, and more. Victors received corresponding rewards.

The tournament served two purposes: to select outstanding talents for the clans’ forces and to keep the Alliance’s warriors in constant training, raising the overall strength of their ranks.

Independent warriors and mercenaries, hungering for the elixirs, treasures, and skills offered by the great families, flocked to the tournament. Some lone warriors hoped to catch the eye of the clans and earn a place among them.

Every tournament drew a great crowd and was a scene of excitement and fierce competition.

Besides independent warriors, the five great families sent their own sons to vie for honors.

This was a way to prove each clan’s strength and to show the outstanding contestants where their best opportunities lay.

The tournament was a stage for talent selection—and for the covert rivalry among the great houses.

For that reason, not only the Alliance’s warriors and mercenaries but the five families themselves took the tournament with utmost seriousness.

At times, even disputes over the ownership of certain industries or properties were settled through the tournament.

Last time, for instance, the Shi and Mo clans wagered three mines as stakes.

Unfortunately, in the three rounds among their heirs, only Shi Tianyun won, while Shi Tianluo and Shi Tianke lost to the Mo sons. In the end, the Mo clan claimed two mines, and the Shi clan only one.

“You don’t know how lively things have gotten lately between our clan and the Mo clan—so many disputes over properties, nothing’s been resolved. This year’s tournament might see the same—stakes will be placed on more industries,” Han Zhong said.

“So I’ll have a chance to compete?”

“You’re definitely going! The clan leader is counting on you to win at least one match. Otherwise, why would he keep such a close eye on you, coming to check your progress every three days? You have no idea how busy he is. The fact that he makes time for you shows how much he values you.”

“I see.” Shi Yan nodded in understanding.

…

Within the Hall of Stone.

Shi Jian sat upright atop a massive boulder, his expression solemn, a bright spark in his eyes as if deep in thought.

“At the auction in the Ethereal Pavilion, a fragmentary map depicting the ‘Heaven Gate’ has surfaced…” Han Feng reported from the side, relaying the latest news to Shi Jian.

The ‘Heaven Gate’ was a mysterious portal, said to lead to the ‘Divine Domain’—a mystical realm that might exist somewhere within the Divine Grace Continent, or perhaps not belong to it at all, but rather to some otherworldly space.

No one truly knew how the Divine Domain was formed, what its structure was, or where it might appear. It was shrouded in mystery.

Only through the ‘Heaven Gate’ could one enter the Divine Domain. The gate was the sole entrance.

Legends of the Divine Domain had circulated across the continent for ages.

It was said that within the Divine Domain, all manner of mysteries could be found: martial techniques of spirit, profound, or even godly rank; miraculous elixirs spoken of but never seen; treasures of heaven and earth…

“Four months ago, there were rumors that Karu, apprentice of the Medicine King Mu Xun, stole a fragmentary map from his master showing a ‘Heaven Gate.’ Could these two maps be parts of the same treasure map? Or are they separate? Is the one that just surfaced the very map Karu stole?” Shi Jian’s mind raced, quickly connecting the news of the recent fragment.

Han Feng shook his head. “Karu vanished long ago without a trace. The map at the Ethereal Pavilion was reportedly put up for auction by a woman. Recognizing its importance, the Pavilion kept it for authentication instead of selling it directly.”

“So the map is still at the Ethereal Pavilion?” Shi Jian asked grimly.

Han Feng nodded. “The Beiming, Mo, Ling, and Zuo clans have all contacted the Pavilion, each eager to acquire the map. But the Pavilion insists they won’t auction it until its authenticity is confirmed. For now, the four clans can only express strong interest; no one has made a move in secret yet.”

“That’s only because it’s a fragment. If it were a complete treasure map, the Beiming clan wouldn’t bother with courtesy—they’d have taken it by force already,” Shi Jian scoffed.

“Should we get involved?”

“Keep a close watch on developments, but don’t intervene yet. Make sure to keep the Zuo clan informed. Until a second map appears, we act with caution.”

“Understood.”

…