The Five Emperor Tower

Inside the Five Emperor Tower, it was dry and clean—adequate adjectives to describe it. It did not look especially sacred or extraordinary, nothing unique. It resembled a huge stone cavern, vast and empty. The rock walls were not covered with the flowing radiance one might expect; instead, they were plain and unremarkable.

One could say that compared to its great name that shook the ages before the Primordial Era, it was utterly mismatched. Perhaps this was the very embodiment of returning to simplicity—a nearly crude stone cave that could be mentioned in the same breath as the Three Sovereign Mirror.

Xiao Chen was nearly entranced. He stared at the five carvings on the stone wall without moving, his thoughts already separated from his physical body, completely immersed in the five diagrams before him.

Some figures formed a seal, some clenched a fist, some pressed two fingers together like a sword pointing slanting to the southern sky. There was no forced profundity—only simple and direct essential principles, an unreserved display of the highest Dao technique. Yes, without obscure or abstruse explanations, just a few postures expressed the most primal mysteries.

Xiao Chen felt his divine consciousness expand, as if he had merged with the five stone carvings, united with them. At this moment, he roamed in an endless font of mysteries.

His spirit traveled through the Great Void, transforming into the Five Emperors. His hands alternately formed seals, clenched into fists, and pressed together like a sword pointing slanting to the southern sky.

Form followed the mind, moved with the spirit, using posture to express the heart in silent language. At this moment, Xiao Chen used his body to condense momentum, used momentum to contain spirit—his form was the language of his heart.

In this instant, his body moved with his heart, his heart followed the imperial diagrams, using his physical form to manifest the rhythm of the Dao. His hands traced very slowly, yet they flowed with the tracks of the Dao.

In that moment, Xiao Chen's body and mind were completely empty and ethereal. Happiness and sorrow were temporarily set aside; he cast off countless worries and ten thousand thoughts. His whole being was like a piece of translucent, glittering crystal.

Xiao Chen stood before the carvings, stretching his body and condensing the divine aura of the Five Emperors. He was as still as a moonlit pool, as bright as the moon in the sky, like a jade plate reflecting water.

Boom!

He formed a seal and thrust it forward, producing a low, suppressed sound. The entire Five Emperor Tower shook. Xiao Chen was abruptly jolted awake.

He felt that the power of the seal he had just formed was vast and boundless, so tremendous that it had shaken this ancient tower—a sign of its overwhelming might.

Xiao Chen tried to concentrate again, but he found it very difficult to return to that wondrous state. He thrust out a fist, and though it produced wind and thunder, it lacked the majesty of that earlier moment. Then he pressed his fingers together like a sword pointing slanting to the southern sky and slashed through the void. Though it was grand and powerful, it could not compare to the first seal he had formed.

He could not help but sigh. That earlier moment had been but a flash of inspiration, far from a stabilized realm, so it had only shown a fleeting brilliance.

Boom!

But just as he felt disappointed, he inadvertently formed a seal and found that it once again shook the Five Emperor Tower! The Five Emperor Fist and the Five Emperor Sword Finger had not yet stabilized, but the Five Emperor Seal, as if divinely aided, had begun to take shape. This gave Xiao Chen a bit more confidence.

Clatter...

Just then, a thick iron chain descended from the second floor of the stone tower, like an azure dragon coiling toward Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen was startled. He was deep inside the stone tower, extremely close to the Source of All Evil. His mind had been absorbed in enlightenment, nearly ignoring this immense danger. Fortunately, he was not yet in a state of complete detachment; he formed the Five Emperor Seal in defense and retreated quickly, unwilling to directly clash with that eerie iron chain.

Boom!

The iron chain struck heavily against the stone wall. The force behind it was chilling; it caused the Five Emperor Tower to shake. Yet the coarse chain left not a single mark on the wall.

The iron chain extended further, clattering like the death knell, about to lock Xiao Chen in its coils.

But clearly, the Five Emperor Tower was a place that repelled evil. The ancients had already made arrangements. The five carvings were not simply left for later generations as precious teachings; they served a greater purpose.

The five carvings shone with flowing light. In the critical moment, a fist of light burst from the stone wall, striking the iron chain so fiercely that it nearly broke. The chain, like a viper struck on its vital point, immediately wilted and slowly retracted to the second floor.

Xiao Chen sighed inwardly—nothing here could be judged by common sense.

Rumble...

At that moment, the female corpse suddenly broke through the stone tower's protective power. She stepped lightly and entered through the main door.

Xiao Chen's heart tightened. This female corpse was too powerful. Unless the Little Stone Emperor were reborn, nothing in this world could stop her.

She circled the empty cavern of this floor, then slowly ascended the stone steps toward the second floor.

This made Xiao Chen's heart sink. She was indeed about to approach the Source of All Evil. He did not know what great chaos she would stir up.

Tap, tap, tap... The female corpse's originally light footsteps became inexplicably heavy, perhaps an instinctive reaction to the pressure of danger.

With a flash of light, that dreamlike, peerlessly beautiful figure finally entered the second stone floor and disappeared from Xiao Chen's sight in an instant.

Boom!

In that split second, a force that could overturn mountains and seas and shatter the world surged forth. The violent impact of energy, like a tsunami, hurled Xiao Chen away.

That sudden and terrifying energy fluctuation was too overwhelming—unmatched, shaking everything here. The Five Emperor Tower rocked violently.

From the second floor, the sound of clattering iron chains was like a thousand thunderclaps exploding, a deafening roar. A chilling, baleful aura flooded the space, drowning everything.

Bang, bang, bang!

The sounds of palms and fingers striking echoed. The second floor of the stone tower was in turmoil, the terrifying energy radiating from it growing ever more intense.

Yes, it was too powerful. The whole world seemed to shatter in that moment. Xiao Chen felt as if he had experienced a cycle of reincarnation; just now he had nearly lost consciousness.

Rumble!

A tremendous force flung Xiao Chen violently against the stone wall—and this was merely a wave of energy spilling down from the second floor.

It was chilling and hair-raising!

Boom! Just then, the female corpse fell from the second floor, tumbling directly down the stone steps.

Xiao Chen was greatly startled. He saw that the female corpse's arms were deformed from the impact; her slender fingers were nearly crushed, flesh and blood mangled.

What kind of power was this, to strike down the female corpse? Just thinking about it sent chills down one's spine.

But the female corpse's body had already reached a realm that defied common sense. It healed automatically. In almost an instant, her arms and fingers became translucent and restored to their original state.

Then, she walked forward again, ascending the stone steps and reentering the second level of the ancient tower.

Humm—

A violent tremor sounded. Xiao Chen's mind went blank. A powerful and evil force erupted, its aura nearly destroying his will.

What was that thing? Without even making direct contact, sealed deep within the Five Emperor Tower, it still created such a terrifying impact—utterly appalling! The whole world seemed to cease to exist. The vibration of that evil aura was as if it had shattered all the heavens and myriad worlds, stripping away all perception.

All that remained in the heart was fear and numbness!

The so-called Source of All Evil was indeed extraordinary. Xiao Chen's mind was filled with shock.

When he slightly recovered, he saw that the female corpse's pure white robe was already stained with spots of blood, like plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

Her heart had been pierced through—a gaping hole front to back, with blood gushing out.

And this time, it took a full half hour for her body to heal itself, to dissolve that evil power completely.

Xiao Chen was both terrified and curious. What exactly was the Source of All Evil on the second floor? It could gravely wound the female corpse—a truly horrifying thought.

Clatter! The sound of the iron chain shaking was like the death knell of hell, sending chills through the soul.

Tap, tap, tap... The female corpse, unyielding, as if driven by some indomitable will, once again walked toward the second floor.

"In this age, no one can oppose the Source of All Evil..." Just then, Xiao Chen suddenly heard an abrupt voice. He was greatly startled.

The voice was very aged but very calm, as if it had seen through everything in the world.

"Who?" Xiao Chen scanned the surroundings, searching for its source.

A faint light flew out from the stone wall, like a firefly, weak and flickering, as if it could go out at any moment.

Before Xiao Chen could speak, the light spoke first: "It is rare that after countless ages, someone has entered here again. Before my fall, I will give you a word of advice."

Xiao Chen sensed no killing intent. The light was extremely feeble. "You absolutely must not let the Source of All Evil break free. Do not foolishly try to refine and absorb it. In this age, no one can suppress it."

"Who are you?" Xiao Chen asked, very surprised.

"A fallen Stone Man King."

Hearing this, Xiao Chen was astonished. He asked further, but the other only answered with a sigh to all his questions.

"A fallen being is merely a symbol. What else is worth asking?"

"Then let me ask you—what exactly is the Source of All Evil?"

"That question, I fear only the Five Emperors know. It was they who sealed it here. No one else understands." The faint light flickered on and off. "That woman is terrifying. Her body has gone beyond the category of a Stone Man King, but it is clear that she cannot suppress the Source of All Evil. If it is released carelessly, it will be a great disaster. I advise you to leave as soon as possible."

"I would like to leave, but what can I do..." Xiao Chen certainly wished to depart, but everything here was controlled by the demonic shadow. He did not know how to get out.

"Meeting is fate after all. I know how you can leave..." The firefly-like light continued speaking.

To escape, there was only one way: to become a brand on the stone jar. Only then could one see the light of day again. Before this, only one Stone Man King had turned into a brand and charged out, but unfortunately, he fell short at the final moment and became a puppet.

Xiao Chen was greatly shocked. He finally learned the origin of the Stone Man King puppet sealed on the stone jar. It had once been drawn into the jar, transformed into a brand, and failed when charging outward.

Then, from the light's unintentional words, he also learned that this fading light was the spirit of the Stone Man King puppet!

"You are he..." Xiao Chen was both shocked and deeply ashamed. He had used the Stone Man King puppet as his most loyal fighter, never expecting to encounter its spirit here.

When the light learned of its own stone body's situation, it was also quite surprised.

"A moment's greed..." The light sighed long before continuing: "I obtained the stone jar, heard the legend that the Five Emperors had once sealed the Source of All Evil inside, and could not resist the urge to investigate, hoping to refine that thing. I never imagined I would end up dead, body and soul extinguished..."

Hearing all this, Xiao Chen was deeply sympathetic. A generation's Stone King falling here was truly lamentable.

Then, after hearing the full story of how Xiao Chen had become trapped here, the light immediately made a judgment: "That demonic shadow must have split off a strand of divine thought into the female corpse's body, directing all this. It also wants to devour the Source of All Evil to nurture a strongest body. To escape, you must rely on that female corpse. Only her powerful true body can truly break free from the stone jar's restraint. Otherwise, like me in the past, even if you turn into a brand and charge out, your consciousness will be stripped back."

"What must I do?" Xiao Chen knew this remnant spirit had a plan.

"That demonic shadow dares not come in person, nor can it extend a powerful divine thought in. It has only a single strand of thought commanding the female corpse's actions. I will help you; you can completely destroy that will. Then, using the female corpse's body, you can escape. Perhaps I can take one last look at my original body."

While Xiao Chen and this remnant spirit discussed their strategy, the female corpse repeatedly attacked the second floor of the stone tower. Several times her body was nearly destroyed, but she was relentless, continuously charging forward.

When she launched her final assault, her movements were as pure as a white lotus. She continuously formed seals, intermixed with several Heavenly Stele divine seals—though only the beginning postures.

She unleashed unmatched divine power. The entire Five Emperor Tower nearly tipped over, rumbling violently.

"Not good—!" At this moment, the light cried out. The female corpse's divine seals were too vast and unfathomable! "This female corpse is abnormal! The demonic shadow's divine thought cannot suppress her true body! Her instinct is too powerful! This kind of assault could very well break the seal here and let the Source of All Evil see the light of day!"

Rumble!

A deafening sound drowned out everything. Xiao Chen was stunned unconscious on the spot, stripped of all perception. The light was nearly shattered, narrowly surviving by entering Xiao Chen's body.

Boom!

The Five Emperor Tower was flooded by a sacred radiance. At that moment, the three hundred sixty-five deity shadows within Xiao Chen's body all opened their eyes, bursting forth with billions of beams of light. This directly stimulated the five carvings inside the tower. Five hazy silhouettes emerged, each striking with the Five Emperor Seal, Five Emperor Fist, and Five Emperor Sword, holding back the raging torrent from the second floor and allowing Xiao Chen to survive.

But such chaotic bombardment made the situation even more dangerous.

During Xiao Chen's unconsciousness, the area shook unceasingly. Eventually, heaven and earth turned upside down. With a thunderous crash, the second floor of the stone tower detached, losing contact with the first and rolling into the distance.

Vast clouds of dust rose, and a terrifying aura burst forth. It was like an ocean of energy surging violently.

At the same time, the demonic shadow outside suddenly opened its eyes. As if bitten by a viper, it threw the stone jar in its hand into the fire.

No one knew how much time passed before Xiao Chen awoke to find that the second floor of the Five Emperor Tower had fallen away. He was shocked beyond measure.

The female corpse's body was nearly shattered; covered in blood, she lay not far away inside the first floor of the tower.

At that moment, the light flew out again and said, "Now is the time! Use your powerful will to rush into her body and destroy the demonic shadow's strand of divine thought!"

Xiao Chen did as instructed. The light accompanied his divine consciousness into the female corpse's body.

In fact, it went quite smoothly. The strand of divine thought left by the demonic shadow could no longer fully suppress the female corpse's instinct; within this body, it was nearly completely worn away.

"Turn into a brand and leave this place!" When the female corpse's body took charge of collecting Xiao Chen's physical shell, the light urged him.

Following its guidance, Xiao Chen, using the female corpse's body, transformed into a great Dao imprint and violently tore open space! The next moment, he found himself on the surface of the stone jar—yes, he had turned into a brand engraved on the jar's surface. At that moment, the demonic shadow was holding the jar, observing it, still unaware of what change had occurred.

And Xiao Chen unexpectedly discovered that the first floor of the Five Emperor Tower had been brought out with him, also carved onto the stone jar as a brand.