Heavenly Gate and Divine Realm

Gravity Room.

Beside a giant mace in the center, Shi Yan, wearing only shorts, his body petrified, was drenched in sweat as he slammed into the mace.

The mace was seven meters tall and three meters wide, deeply embedded in the stone floor of the Gravity Room. The sharp protrusions on the mace resembled short clubs, gleaming with a dark luster.

Shi Yan's body was a dark brown, and he panted heavily, circling the giant mace. He continuously used various parts of his body—shoulders, arms, waist, thighs, and back—to strike the mace.

In the Gravity Room, dull thuds echoed incessantly.

For the Shi Family's Petrifying Martial Soul, to fully unleash its potential, one must temper oneself through methods akin to self-mutilation. Only by clashing head-on with hard objects can the petrification ability be maximized.

And only through such cruel torment of the body can the Petrifying Martial Soul adapt to the opponent's onslaught.

Around the Gravity Room stood seven gleaming gravity pillars. Due to their presence, the gravity in this spacious room was maintained at seven times the normal level.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Half-naked, Shi Yan's expression was resolute as he engaged in the extreme tempering of his body with complete focus, determined to unleash the full potential of his Petrifying Martial Soul.

With each impact, the area of his body that touched the mace would emit a faint brown light.

The light would flash and disappear, blooming only at the moment his body collided with the mace, vanishing instantly once his body separated from it.

After five thousand impacts with different parts of his body, Shi Yan was a puddle of exhaustion, utterly drained of strength. His limbs sprawled out as he lay in the center of the Gravity Room, sweat flowing from him like a stream, soaking the bluestone floor.

Half a month.

For the past half month, Shi Yan had eaten and slept in the Gravity Room. Apart from necessary breaks, he had barely left.

This was Shi Jian's arrangement.

Upon discovering that his Petrifying Martial Soul had entered the second stage, Shi Jian had ordered him to cease all other training and focus all his energy on tempering his body.

He was to unleash the potential of the second-stage Petrifying Martial Soul as quickly as possible, using it to alter his physique to the greatest extent, making his body strong enough to withstand the attacks of a Human Position Martial Artist!

Over the past half month, Shi Jian, Han Feng, Yang Hai, and even the elders of the Shi Family had visited from time to time.

Shi Jian, in particular, came almost every three days. He would meticulously inspect Shi Yan's training progress, examine the subtle changes in his body, and then dictate the direction and intensity of the subsequent tempering.

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

Despite his body's exhaustion, the circulation speed of his Essence was much faster than usual. As he meditated with his eyes closed, Shi Yan thought of nothing, his mind as clear as a mirror.

At times like these, he would notice his flesh, cells, and bones quietly nourishing his body in a way he couldn't comprehend.

His exhausted body, on the verge of collapse, would quickly regain strength, and the feeling of fatigue would soon dissipate.

This was the self-recovery ability of the Undying Martial Soul!

Shi Yan understood this clearly.

After an unknown period, he slowly awoke, his eyes bright like cold stars. After this period of seated cultivation, the fatigue in his body had vanished. His Essence surged within him, and he felt as if he contained an explosive power that needed to be released.

Just then, the stone door of the Gravity Room was pushed open slightly.

Han Zhong entered, carrying seven bamboo baskets of various sizes, a smile on his face.

Upon entering, Han Zhong set down the baskets and began arranging the dishes one by one. As he placed them, he said, "Today we have bird's nest, sea cucumber, century-old soft-shelled turtle, bear paw, and lingzhi. Brother Yan, you truly have an appetite! Other young masters of the Shi Family don't eat as much in five meals as you do in one. Your appetite could bankrupt a small family."

Han Zhong chatted and laughed as he placed down stacks and jars of delicacies. He secretly took out a jar of wine from his robes and chuckled, "This jar of 'Blazing Flame' is my prized possession. Hurry up and drink it, kid, I want to get rid of it early."

Shi Yan didn't stand on ceremony. He casually walked over to Han Zhong, sat down, and began to feast, devouring the nourishing foods that commoners could never access. Finally, he picked up the jar of "Blazing Flame" and drained it in one go.

Wiping his mouth and setting down the empty jar, Shi Yan said with a smile, "Old Han, next time bring two jars of this wine. One isn't enough."

"Brother Yan, this 'Blazing Flame' is fine wine from Yingchun Pavilion. One jar is worth five hundred Purple Crystal Coins!" Han Zhong said with a wry smile. "I saved this jar from last time. Tomorrow, I'll bring you 'Shao Daozi' again. That wine is only one hundred Blue Crystal Coins a jar, so I can bring you four jars at once with no problem."

"Isn't it just Crystal Coins?" Shi Yan said dismissively. "Just keep sending me 'Blazing Flame,' and I won't short you on the Crystal Coins. I'll make it up to you next time."

"That's fine then," Han Zhong chuckled and said, "Brother Yan, the news of you becoming a Martial Artist is being kept very quiet by the Patriarch. Even most of the Martial Artists and guards in the family don't know your situation right now. Do you know why?"

"Why?" Shi Yan asked lazily.

"The Martial Arts Tournament, held every five years, is starting in three months. You know, last year when we clashed with the Mo Family and Ling Family, we suffered a small loss. The Patriarch was furious for days after that, so this time..."

"He's planning for me to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament?" Shi Yan reacted before Han Zhong could finish, surprised.

The Martial Arts Tournament was an event jointly organized and run by the five major families of the Merchant Alliance. Any Martial Artist could participate.

The Martial Arts Tournament was divided into five levels: Houtian, Xiantian, Human Position, Hundred Tribulations, and Earth Position. Experts in each realm could compete for the top three places in their respective categories.

The five major families would provide generous rewards, such as Pills, Secret Treasures, and Martial Skills, as cultivation materials. Winners would receive corresponding prizes.

This Martial Arts Tournament, operated by the five major families of the Merchant Alliance, served two purposes: firstly, to select skilled individuals and enhance their family's military strength; secondly, to encourage Martial Artists of the Merchant Alliance to continuously cultivate and improve the overall strength of the Merchant Alliance's Martial Artists.

Martial Artists not belonging to the major families, as well as lone mercenaries, had a strong desire for the Pills, Secret Treasures, and Martial Skills offered by the five major families. Some independent Martial Artists also hoped to gain the attention of the major families by participating in the Martial Arts Tournament, seeking an opportunity to join them.

Therefore, each Martial Arts Tournament attracted a large number of Martial Artists, making it a very lively event.

In addition to scattered Martial Artists, the five major families would also send their own descendants to compete for rankings in the Martial Arts Tournament.

This was done to demonstrate their family's strength and to let those Martial Artists who performed exceptionally well in the tournament know how to make their choices.

The Martial Arts Tournament was a good opportunity to select talent and also a stage for the hidden rivalries between the five major families.

Consequently, not only the Martial Artists of the Merchant Alliance and mercenaries paid close attention to the Martial Arts Tournament, but the five major families themselves treated it with great seriousness.

Sometimes, even disputes over the ownership of the five major families' unlisted industries would be resolved through the Martial Arts Tournament.

For example, last time the Shi Family and the Mo Family wagered the ownership of three mines.

Unfortunately, in the battle between the younger generation of both sides, only Shi Tianyun emerged victorious. Shi Tianluo and Shi Tianke were both defeated by the Mo Family's youths, resulting in the Mo Family winning the ownership of two mines, while the Shi Family only obtained one.

"You don't know, the family has been having quite a lively dispute with the Mo Family recently, with conflicts over many businesses that haven't been resolved. This Martial Arts Tournament might see a repeat of last time, with ownership of some industries being gambled away again," Han Zhong said.

"So, I'll have a chance to compete?"

"You will definitely compete. The Patriarch is certainly counting on you to win at least one match, otherwise, he wouldn't be keeping such a close eye on you. He visits every three days. You have no idea how busy the Patriarch has been lately, yet he's still making time to check on you, which shows how much importance he places on you."

"Oh, I understand."

Inside Boulder Hall.

Shi Jian sat solemnly on a massive rock, his eyes gleaming with light, as if deep in thought.

"At the Misty Pavilion's auction house, a fragment of a map depicting the 'Heavenly Gate' appeared..." Han Feng stood beside him, relaying the latest situation to Shi Jian.

The "Heavenly Gate" is a peculiar entrance that leads to the "Divine Realm." The "Divine Realm" is a mysterious space, which might be located in some strange place on the Divine Grace Continent, or it might not belong to the Divine Grace Continent at all, existing as an independent space.

No one knows how the "Divine Realm" was formed, no one knows its structure, and no one knows where it might appear. No one can say for sure.

Only through the "Heavenly Gate" can one access various "Divine Realms." The "Heavenly Gate" is the entrance to the "Divine Realm."

Throughout the Divine Grace Continent, various legends about the "Divine Realm" have been circulating.

It is said that the "Divine Realm" often contains all sorts of mysteries. It is said that different "Divine Realms" contain different Spirit Grade, Mysterious Grade, or even God Grade Martial Skills. There are even peculiar Pills that have been rumored but never seen, and treasures of heaven and earth...

"Four months ago, there was also a piece of news saying that Kalu, the disciple of the Medicine King Mu Xun, stole a fragment of a map depicting the 'Heavenly Gate' from him. Could these two fragments come from the same treasure map? Are these two maps one or two? Is the one that appeared now the one Kalu stole?" Shi Jian's mind raced, quickly connecting it to the fragments from earlier.

Han Feng shook his head. "Kalu disappeared long ago, with no trace. However, the fragment at the Misty Pavilion was reportedly put up for auction by a woman. The Misty Pavilion, deeming the matter of great importance, did not dare to auction it directly and instead temporarily kept the fragment under the guise of verifying its authenticity."

"That fragment is still at the Misty Pavilion?" Shi Jian asked gravely.

"Yes," Han Feng nodded. "After the Bei Ming Family, Mo Family, Ling Family, and Zuo Family received this news, they all proactively contacted the Misty Pavilion, intending to acquire that fragment. However, the Misty Pavilion stated that they would not auction it until its authenticity was confirmed. Frustrated, the four families could only express their strong desire to purchase it, without making any moves behind the scenes."

"That's because there's only one fragment. If it were a complete treasure map, the Bei Ming Family would never give the Misty Pavilion any face and would have already snatched it," Shi Jian scoffed.

"Should we intervene?"

"Keep a close watch on this news, but do not get involved for now. Remember to exchange information with the Zuo Family. Until the second fragment appears, we will not act rashly."

"Understood."