Chapter 666 - 675: Celestial Ascension Stele

A shrill voice rang out. Everyone’s eyes instinctively followed the sound to see a stunning woman pointing at Wen Qingye, exclaiming in shock, "Wen Qingye! He’s Wen Qingye! I remember now!"

Silence!

The area fell completely quiet.

The moment the woman’s voice faded, no one said another word. All eyes turned to Wen Qingye.

"Wen Qingye... could he be *the* Wen Qingye from the Celestial Profound Sect?"

"Such incredible strength. I didn’t even get a clear look just now, and he’d already beaten Li Xu. It seems his reputation is more than just talk."

Hearing Xiaoyu’s words, a storm of shock surged through the crowd, churning within them.

Xiaohui was trembling, her heart pounding. She looked at Wen Qingye in disbelief. "Oh my god," she said, "so his background is this incredible... I thought he was just some nobody."

The previously composed Lü Xiongjie’s expression changed drastically. He sucked in a sharp breath and said, stunned, "So he’s Wen Qingye."

The Sword Sect had originally intended to send Moo Luo as the Inspection Disciple for the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty. However, when Moo Luo heard that the Celestial Profound Sect’s Inspection Disciple was Wen Qingye, he gave up the position immediately.

That was the only reason Lü Xiongjie had the chance to become the Inspection Disciple for the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty. Lü Xiongjie knew Moo Luo’s temperament well. For him to be scared off by the mere name of Wen Qingye... one could only imagine how immense Wen Qingye’s reputation was, and how deep a psychological scar he had left on Moo Luo.

Gul Lian watched Wen Qingye, his eyes narrowed. ’This Wen Qingye’s strength cannot be underestimated,’ he thought. ’Judging from that one move just now, I’m definitely not his match. I never expected the Celestial Profound Sect to actually produce such a prodigy.’

At this moment, Li Xu slowly picked himself up. Looking at Wen Qingye, a chill ran straight up his spine. He never would have imagined that the person before him was the renowned prodigy of their time, Wen Qingye.

In contrast to the shock of the others, Pan Jieming, standing to the side, was much calmer.

"So, you are the Celestial Profound Sect’s prodigy of a generation. I have long heard of your great name."

Wen Qingye looked at Pan Jieming, whose attitude had done a complete one-eighty, and said with a smile, "Is that so? Then I am truly honored."

Pan Jieming’s expression turned solemn. "Brother Wen’s strength and talent are known throughout the Eastern Profound Domain. Earth-shattering, world-shaking—you are, without a doubt, the prodigy of this generation."

Earth-shattering, world-shaking, the prodigy of a generation!

Hearing Pan Jieming’s assessment, everyone’s expression grew solemn. They watched Wen Qingye standing proudly in the wind before them, and not a single one of them disagreed.

This was the might of the Celestial Profound Sect!

This was the might of Wen Qingye!

Wen Qingye just smiled faintly and said nothing more.

A great reputation was earned by those with the strength to back it up. Since people addressed him as such, he wouldn’t shy away from it.

’This Pan Jieming is quite remarkable,’ he thought. ’He knows when to yield and when to stand firm, and his attitude can change in the blink of an eye. He must be a formidable character.’

Pan Jieming smiled at Wen Qingye. "Since Brother Wen has come to the Ascension Celestial Mansion, you must want to see the view from the Heaven-Ascending Tower. How about I lead the way?"

Wen Qingye nodded. "That is what I hoped for, though I would not have dared to ask."

"Please!"

Pan Jieming made an inviting gesture, and Wen Qingye, without any hesitation, walked directly up the stairs.

Everyone present was silent, their eyes fixed on Wen Qingye as he left. A strange thought surfaced in their minds: ’Wen Qingye and Pan Jieming... doesn’t this mean the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty and the Celestial Profound Sect might be developing a closer relationship?’

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, they all hurried to follow.

At the same time, an attendant hiding in a corner, his eyes darkening, flickered and vanished from sight in an instant. But in the commotion, no one would notice an insignificant attendant.

The group walked toward the top of the Heaven-Ascending Tower, with Wen Qingye and Pan Jieming maintaining a tacit silence.

Following the endless staircase, it wasn’t long before a gentle breeze began to blow, and a sliver of the azure sky appeared ahead.

A strange smile played on Pan Jieming’s ugly face. "Ahead is the highest point of the Heaven-Ascending Tower. Brother Wen can leave his name on the Celestial Ascension Stele there. When Huangfu Tian was the Inspection Disciple for my Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty, he left his name at a height of nine zhang and three chi on that very stele."

"The Celestial Ascension Stele?" Wen Qingye asked, looking at Pan Jieming with a questioning expression.

Seeing the doubt in Wen Qingye’s eyes, Pan Jieming explained, "At the very top of the Heaven-Ascending Tower is the Celestial Ascension Stele. That stele contains a strange, mystical aura. Only the most talented young prodigies who come to the Heaven-Ascending Tower have the chance to leave their names on it, immortalizing them for ages to come. The stele is ten zhang tall, and the higher up you go, the harder it is to leave a mark—and the more memorable your achievement becomes."

Wen Qingye couldn’t help but smile. "Is that so? In that case, I must take a good look."

Hearing Huangfu Tian’s name, Wen Qingye felt a flicker of interest, but only a flicker.

Pan Jieming saw the eager glint in Wen Qingye’s eyes and his heart stirred with curiosity. ’It’s probably impossible for Wen Qingye to surpass Huangfu Tian,’ he thought, ’but he’ll definitely make it above nine zhang. I’m just curious to see how big the gap between him and Huangfu Tian will be.’

Wen Qingye took the lead, with Pan Jieming following closely behind him without a trace of displeasure—a stark contrast to his earlier behavior.

’Like father, like son,’ Wen Qingye thought to himself. ’It seems this Pan Zhongyi must be quite a character as well.’

WHOOSH!

The moment Wen Qingye’s foot landed on the summit, a fierce gale surged toward him, whipping his hair back and sending the hem of his robes fluttering in the wind.

Standing atop the Heaven-Ascending Tower.

The cyan sky was vast and boundless, deep and profound. The entire firmament seemed to expand, and for a moment, it felt as if one were standing right next to the heavens themselves.

It made one feel both infinitesimally small and infinitely vast at the same time.

A massive stone stele stood in the center. Its surface was covered in densely packed imprints, each one a name belonging to a renowned young prodigy of the Eastern Profound Domain.

Chu Bufan of the Celestial Profound Sect, Zhao Hongwei of the Sun and Moon Sect, Hai Ning of the Taiyi Pavilion, Gul Lian of the Thousand Nether Valley...

The higher one looked, the scarcer the names became.

Near the very top, in an empty space, hung the two words: Huangfu Tian. They seemed lonely, set apart from all the others.

Huangfu Tian, the number one genius in the Eastern Profound Domain in three thousand years, looking down upon all the other young prodigies below.

Wen Qingye slowly walked toward the Celestial Ascension Stele, his steps calm and steady.

And at that moment, peering through the endless clouds and mist, the vast, ethereal scenery below came into view.

The boundless Eternal Night Riverbank stretched to the horizon. The last rays of the setting sun dotted the sky, tinging it blood-red. At the same time, thousands upon thousands of painted pleasure boats and song boats were arrayed neatly upon the river’s surface.