Chapter 5: The Ruins of the Star-Forged Temple
Sovereign of Celestial Ascent
Chapter 5: The Ruins of the Star-Forged Temple
The wind howled across the barren cliffs, carrying the scent of dust and time-worn stone. Towering before Li Tianming was the Ruins of the Star-Forged Temple, an ancient structure forgotten by the world, standing as a graveyard of ambition.
Carved into the side of a mountain, the temple's crumbling pillars bore inscriptions so old that even the passing of a thousand years couldn't erase them. The entrance yawned before him—a gateway into darkness, a place where countless cultivators had entered, but none had returned.
Yet, despite the eerie silence and the warning of the merchants, Tianming felt drawn to it.
His Celestial Jade of Primordial Chaos pulsed against his chest, as if whispering to him, urging him forward.
He clenched his fists.
"If there is power to be found here… I will claim it."
With a final glance at the blood-red sky, he stepped into the unknown.
---
The moment Tianming crossed the threshold, the temperature plummeted. The warm, dry air outside was replaced with a deathly chill that seeped into his very bones.
The walls of the temple were lined with giant statues, their faces eroded beyond recognition. Torches burned with an eerie blue flame, casting long shadows that danced like ghosts.
Ahead, the corridor stretched into an endless darkness.
He took another step forward—
THUD.
Something shifted in the walls.
Tianming instinctively jumped back just as the ground erupted beneath him.
From the stone emerged a massive spectral guardian, its body composed of swirling golden light, its form shifting between a dragon and a warrior. Its eyes, burning like dying stars, locked onto him.
Then, it spoke.
"Mortal. You stand before the Gates of the Star-Forged Temple. Only those worthy may proceed."
Tianming's breath steadied.
"A test?"
The guardian raised a blazing spear, pointing it at him.
"Defeat me, or be consumed by the void."
Tianming smirked.
"Perfect. I was looking for a challenge."
-
The guardian moved first, its spear a streak of golden fire.
Tianming dodged, rolling to the side just as the spear shattered the stone floor, leaving a molten crater in its wake.
Before he could counter, the guardian was upon him again. Blinding speed.
A second strike—Tianming barely managed to raise his arms in defense.
BOOM!
The impact sent him skidding across the temple floor. His bones ached, his muscles screamed.
But his golden eyes blazed with excitement.
"Finally... a real opponent."
He pushed forward, channeling the Celestial Jade's power through his limbs. His veins burned with golden energy, his strength surging.
The guardian lunged again, spear thrusting toward his chest—
Tianming sidestepped, and this time, he countered.
His palm struck the guardian's core, unleashing a shockwave of raw celestial energy.
The guardian staggered, its form flickering.
It wasn't invincible.
Tianming smirked. "My turn."
He moved like a storm, his strikes precise, each blow tearing away at the guardian's radiant body. His movements felt faster, sharper—his Celestial Jade was adapting.
The guardian swung its spear in a final, desperate strike—
But Tianming was already behind it.
With a single palm strike, he shattered its core.
The guardian collapsed into golden embers, its form dissolving into nothingness.
Silence filled the temple.
Then, from the darkness ahead, a door opened.
Tianming exhaled, flexing his fingers.
"I won."
After Tianming defeats the guardian in battle, instead of immediately vanishing, the guardian's form stabilizes, its golden body reforming slightly.
"Strength alone is not enough," the guardian intones. "To claim the legacy of the Star-Forged Temple, you must prove wisdom as well. Answer this—"
A low hum fills the temple as an ancient riddle appears in the air, glowing with celestial script.
"I am not alive, yet I grow. I have no lungs, yet I need air. I have no mouth, yet I devour all. What am I?"
Tianming's mind races.
A wrong answer could mean death.
His breathing steadies. He recalls the ruins, the history, the symbolism of celestial energy.
Then—realization strikes.
He meets the guardian's glowing gaze. "Fire."
The temple rumbles. The celestial script burns away into light.
The guardian bows. "You have proven yourself worthy."
The door ahead opens, revealing the temple's true secrets.
He took a step forward—
But a voice stopped him.
"Impressive. I didn't think anyone else would make it this far."
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Tianming turned sharply, golden energy still flickering around his fingertips.
A figure emerged from the shadows, his robes dark blue, lined with silver embroidery. His long black hair was tied in a warrior's knot, and his sharp eyes held a smirk that mirrored Tianming's own.
"You're not the only one seeking the temple's power," the stranger said. "I was wondering if I'd have to clear the way alone."
Tianming's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
The man stepped forward. "Jiang Chen."
Tianming had heard that name before.
A rising talent from the Silver Fox Sect—one of the Crimson Dragon's Sect's greatest rivals.
Jiang Chen examined Tianming, a glimmer of amusement in his gaze. "You're different from the others who came before. You don't just want the temple's power…"
His smirk widened.
"You need it."
Tianming remained silent.
Jiang Chen chuckled. "I like that. But I should warn you—if we're after the same thing…"
His fingers brushed the hilt of his sword.
"…I won't hold back."
Tianming's lips curled.
"Good. I'd be disappointed if you did."
The two warriors stood in the vast, darkened temple, both aware that only one of them could claim the temple's secrets.
But before either could make a move—
A distant roar shook the walls.
Tianming tensed. "That wasn't part of the trial."
Jiang Chen's expression darkened. "No. That was something else."
The torches lining the temple flickered violently, the golden flames turning black.
The ruins began to tremble.
And from the depths of the temple…
Something ancient awakened.
---
Far away, deep within the Crimson Dragon Sect, Mu Qingfeng knelt before an elder, his fists clenched.
"He's still alive," Mu Qingfeng spat. "The assassins failed."
Elder Fang remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Mu Qingfeng's hands trembled with fury. Li Tianming was supposed to be dead.
Instead, he was growing stronger.
"We must act now," Mu Qingfeng said. "If he's allowed to keep rising—"
Elder Fang finally spoke. "Then we let him."
Mu Qingfeng's eyes widened. "What?"
The elder smirked.
"If Tianming truly seeks revenge, he will return on his own."
His gaze darkened.
"And when he does… we will be waiting."
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What Comes Next in chapter 6?
Tianming and Jiang Chen navigate the temple's final trial.
An ancient terror awakens within the ruins.
Mu Qingfeng begins laying a deadly trap.
The Celestial Jade reveals a hidden truth.
The world shall soon know that
Tianming is no longer just a runaway.
He is the Sovereign of the Celestial Ascent.
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