He ignored Gu Chen and turned to leave.
After talking with Li Yiran, Gu Chen decided not to wait for Sun Jiangman any longer and headed directly towards the suspension bridge. Upon arriving at the bridge, Gu Chen couldn't help but sigh. The two-hundred-meter-long suspension bridge was magnificent, with at least several thousand meters below. It was truly a masterpiece of architecture. It was comparable even to the world of cultivation.
In front of the suspension bridge, there is a stone tablet that reads, "Iron Chain Bridge: Tempering the body, mind, and courage; those who cross it may participate in the conference."
Dozens of people were standing by the bridge, while several young martial artists were already crossing it.
"Gu Chen is here."
"This kid, I heard, represents the Sun Family."
"Hey, neither Sun Jiangman nor Sun Da are with him. Looks like they're feeling the pressure."
"Haha, even if he dares to come alone and manages to cross the bridge, he's finished. The six great families won't care!"
Whispers arose around him, which Gu Chen naturally heard, but he ignored them. Instead, he glanced around and spotted a familiar face – Tang Tiandong, who was maintaining security.
This was Gu Chen's first time participating in the Aristocratic Family Assembly, and he wanted to figure out the rules first, so he went straight over to ask.
Tang Tiandong was unaware that Gu Chen had already "lost his reputation." Because of his relationship with Wei Zizhou 'Wei Family, he politely introduced him to Gu Chen, and only then did Gu Chen understand.
Crossing this suspension bridge is the first step. Then comes the jungle battle below Starfall Cliff, which is the second step.
The third step is to arrive at the foot of Starfall Cliff and wait until around 3 PM to begin climbing the cliff and compete for a place on the Tiger Ranking. According to Tang Tiandong, the time to climb Starfall Cliff is only one hour, from 3 PM to 4 PM. Martial artists who do not arrive by this time are not qualified to climb the cliff!
Above the Starfall Cliff, people from the Heaven and Earth Palace and representatives selected by the Six Great Families were chosen for a ranking process. Only those qualified to enter the top ten could return to the Land of Heaven and Earth and reach the Tiger Ranking Stele to have their names engraved in their blood essence. Tang Tiandong was unsure whether the battles there were based on one-on-one duels.
Hearing this, Gu Chen understood, and at the same time, a very bold idea flashed through his mind!
"Arrive at the Starfall Cliff before 3 PM, then you'll have half an hour to climb the cliff and compete for the top ten spots. Otherwise, you'll be late!" Gu Chen squinted at the Starfall Cliff, which was hazy and invisible in the clouds, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face. Immediately afterward, Gu Chen pushed off with both legs and sped towards the suspension bridge!
Gu Chen is gone!
"Quick, keep up!"
"Once I take him down, maybe Fairy Tang will look at me in a new light!"
"Damn it, he's mine! I'll make Young Master Cao look at me with disdain!"
Many people were waiting for Gu Chen, and Gu Chen move was like a stick being stirred into water, creating a huge whirlpool. Instantly, more than twenty people followed him and rushed onto the long bridge!
As soon as he stepped onto the bridge, Gu Chen felt an immense pressure bearing down on him, making his legs feel much heavier. This made him frown, and he couldn't help but extend his Divine Sense to sense it.
"Um?"
Soon, Gu Chen let out a soft exclamation, because he discovered that the iron cables of this suspension bridge were quite extraordinary, and he couldn't tell what material they were made of. He couldn't help but touch them.
"Ink Bamboo?" Gu Chen's body trembled. This was one of the materials used in the cultivation world to refine low-level magic weapons that suppressed cultivation. He never expected that it would be used by people from ancient martial arts families to make iron chains!
Stepping onto the bridge, Gu Chen noticed that the wooden planks beneath it, constructed piece by piece, had become semi-transparent. Sensing this, he exclaimed in surprise once more.
"Kongtong Wood!"
It is also a rare and precious material, renowned for its ever-changing color. It is often used by talisman makers in the cultivation world as a material for refining blood ink such as invisibility talismans.
Such a long 200-meter-long iron chain made of black Ink Bamboo, and the bridge planks made of Kongtong Wood, are all valuable items for Gu Chen, who is at the Revolving Illumination Realm. But to use them like this is simply a waste of resources.
Gu Chen shook his head and quickly understood why the stone tablet in front of the suspension bridge was inscribed with "Refine the body, refine the mind, refine the courage." As soon as he stepped onto the bridge, the powerful pressure from the Ink Bamboo made him lose his balance and his cultivation level drop.
Looking down, the bridge planks forged from Kongtong Wood are faintly visible, and the abyss seems within reach. Clouds swirl in the distance, making it feel like entering a deep, dark place.
In such an environment, martial artists are not cultivators after all, and their methods are too limited. In addition, their cultivation is suppressed on the bridge, so it is natural for them to feel fear.
No wonder he saw the martial artists on the bridge moving very slowly and cautiously; no wonder this suspension bridge was the first obstacle for the martial artists to challenge. So that's the reason.
Gu Chen smiled slightly. After figuring out the principle behind this place, he became even more composed and moved with lightning speed, instantly rushing dozens of meters away!
"How is that possible? How can this kid run so fast?"
"I feel dizzy and lightheaded, how can he run like that? It shouldn't be like that!"
"No, no, I need to slow down, otherwise I'm afraid I won't be able to cross the bridge."
The martial artists from the aristocratic families who followed Gu Chen onto the bridge felt a suffocating pressure after running for a dozen meters, or even a few meters, and they immediately dared not go any faster.
When they looked at Gu Chen, they realized that he had already darted nearly a hundred meters across! He was almost halfway across the suspension bridge! They were shocked. Even a martial artist in the Late Bone-Forge Realm was struggling to move forward, and was covered in sweat if he moved even slightly faster. In contrast, Gu Chen had reached the other side of the bridge in just a minute or two!
Gu Chen remained calm and composed, his expression unchanged.
Little did they know, Gu Chen had already flown on his sword. Compared to the resistance and height in the void, this suspension bridge was child's play. Once Gu Chen got used to it, he felt no pressure at all.
After reaching the other side of the bridge, Gu Chen looked at the sky and estimated that it was already around ten o'clock. He figured that crossing the forest and reaching the foot of Starfall Cliff before three o'clock shouldn't be a problem.
But they had only taken a few steps when they heard a muffled groan.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time, Gu Chen!"
Three martial artists from prestigious families stood side by side in front of Gu Chen. It was a group of two men and one woman. Just as they had said, they had been waiting in place for a long time. Now, they stood with their arms crossed, looking at Gu Chen with disdain.
These three are the Wei siblings, a renowned ancient martial Wei Family, and they are participating in this Aristocratic Family Assembly together.
"Who are you?" Gu Chen asked, his eyes fixed on him.
"Let me introduce myself, so you don't end up not knowing who's killing you." One of the men, who looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, stepped forward and said, "My name is Wei Hang, the one who's going to take your life."
Gu Chen asked, "Is this a place where you can kill someone?"
Hearing Gu Chen's words, the three siblings exchanged glances, then burst into laughter, saying, "To others, this forest test might just be a formality. After all, we're all from prestigious families, we know each other well, and there's no need to fight in the forest. But for you, it's different. We all want you dead!"
"Why?" Gu Chen asked calmly.
"Hmph, our Wei Family has been hoping for a chance to befriend the Kang Family." Wei Hang stretched his arms and body, and sneered, "We'll take your dog's life as a greeting gift."
"So you wanted to be a lackey." Gu Chen nodded.
Wei Hang's face instantly darkened. He said, "Gu Chen, do you think we're still on the top of Leisurely Mountain? This isn't a place where you can act arrogantly! Let me remind you, I'm ranked number one on the Tiger Ranking..."
Bang!
Before Wei Hang could finish speaking, his body was struck violently, his chest caved in, and his feet left the ground as he slammed heavily against the tree trunk behind him!