Bai Xiao sat cross-legged atop a large rock, cultivating. His long white hair swayed in the wind alongside his equally white robes, while his blue eyes remained closed, framed by long lashes.
"Young Master Bai Xiao, there's still time—please reconsider," a deep, worried voice said. The speaker was a tall, muscular man with similar white hair, though his eyes were ordinary brown. A sword hung at his waist. This was Li Wei, Bai Xiao's personal guard, assigned to him by the clan. "Your cultivation base is too low. You aren't ready to climb the Heavenly Tower."
"Silence," Bai Xiao snapped, opening one eye to glare at him. "My cultivation base is weak; that's exactly why I have to climb the Heavenly Tower. I've already lost my position as the future heir of the Xiao Clan to my younger brother. He reached the True Spirit realm this year—he's already surpassed me. It's beyond shameful for me as the elder brother."
Bai Xiao closed his eye again, returning to his cultivation. But once more, his focus was broken as someone tugged on his arm, pressing it against something soft.
"Young Master, Xia Hua begs you…" a sweet voice whispered near his ear. His personal attendant, assigned by his mother, held his arm close to her chest. Xia Hua wasn't otherworldly, but her pale, pleasant face and short, silky black hair added a charm of their own. She wore a cheongsam with delicate flower patterns. "If something happens to you, I couldn't go on. Please, for Heaven's sake, reconsider."
"No chance." Bai Xiao yanked his arm free, fully aware of her tactic. "Even Heaven might change its will, but I, Bai Xiao, will not. If I did, I might as well cut off my manhood."
Xia Hua gasped, a blush coloring her cheeks. Even Li Wei seemed taken aback. "Young Master, please refrain from such… language in front of a lady. Besides, that's much too extreme. Even if you aren't the heir, you still have duties to the clan."
"Enough." Bai Xiao waved a hand dismissively. "My mind is set. This Heavenly Tower is my only hope to cultivate further. Otherwise, I'll remain stuck at the Elementary Realm for life."
The Heavenly Tower wasn't merely a pathway to the heavens; it was filled with countless trials and rewards that strengthened cultivators who completed them. Its Qi density was unmatched, ideal for cultivation breakthroughs.
"While it may sound tempting, Young Master, it's equally perilous. A thousand ways await to kill you there. Only half the participants come out alive." Li Wei's gaze dropped to the ground before him—an ordinary piece of earth for now, but soon, the Heavenly Tower would emerge there and pierce the sky itself. Xia Hua pursed her lips, watching Bai Xiao with hopeful eyes.
"It's decided," Bai Xiao said firmly, resuming his meditation pose. But in truth, he was only pretending; his cultivation was in such poor condition that he could barely progress. That was the real reason he intended to climb the Tower.
He had arrived early, well before any other participants, leaving the area empty but for the cold wind sweeping over it.
Li Wei finally sighed, knowing that once Bai Xiao made up his mind, only the clan's head could stop him. He'd already sent word to Bai Xiao's father, hoping the message would reach him in time.
Moments later, a burly, bald man appeared, drenched in sweat as he dragged a large wooden cart behind him.
"What… What's this, Fei Xiao? I thought I asked you to deliver my message to the clan head," Li Wei said, glaring at him.
"Brother Li Wei," Fei Xiao huffed as he halted before them, wiping his brow. "I did deliver the message. Don't think I slacked."
"Did you? Then what did the clan head say—and why in the heavens did you bring this cart?"
Bai Xiao and Xia Hua also looked on, curious. Bai Xiao knew that Li Wei had sent a message to his father. Internally, he'd hoped his father might show concern, even order him to be stopped from climbing the Heavenly Tower.
But instead…
"'Leave him be. I have no need for a son stuck at the Elementary Realm for ten years. My younger son is enough,'" Fei Xiao recited reluctantly, averting his gaze from Bai Xiao.
Quickly, Xia Hua clamped her hands over Bai Xiao's ears. "Young Master, you mustn't listen! Fei Xiao's known for his wild exaggerations. There's no way the Lord would say something like that."
Bai Xiao sighed inwardly, knowing that this was exactly what his father would say. He pulled Xia Hua's hands away, forcing a bitter smile.
"Heaven may care, but I do not," he replied, trying to sound indifferent. "Honestly, I'm relieved he didn't fuss." But the three of them knew how deeply his father's rejection cut.
Li Wei cleared his throat, quickly changing the subject. "So, that's what the clan head said. And the cart… what's that all about?"
Fei Xiao managed a grim smile, recalling the struggle of bringing it here. "When I gave the clan head your message, Lady Gia Xiao happened to be nearby. When she heard that her son was going to climb the Heavenly Tower, her eyes lit up like stars. 'Finally, he's doing something!' she said. 'But I feel worried for him. He's a picky eater and may not find food to his liking in the Tower.' So she packed this cart with a year's worth of his favorite meals and asked me to deliver it."
Bai Xiao's forced smile faded into something more genuine, though tinged with irony. His mother was more concerned about his appetite than his safety. Somehow, that seemed fitting.
"So, it's like that…" Li Wei muttered, lifting the lid of the cart and eyeing the contents with wide eyes. "Though a year's worth of food might spoil within a week… perhaps I should help lighten the load a bit." He licked his lips.
"Lady Xiao is a True Spirit Realm expert. I'm sure she used preservation techniques," Xia Hua said, knowing well the skill of the clan kitchens.
Bai Xiao scoffed, waving his hand. "I'm not taking this mountain of food with me. It's the Heavenly Tower, not a banquet."
"Don't be like that, Young Master. Your mother probably put in a lot of effort to prepare this food," Li Wei said, pulling out a few boxes. As he opened them, a fresh aroma filled the air. "Here, eat up. If you're going to climb that tower, you shouldn't go on an empty stomach—though I still think you should reconsider." He placed a box on the rock in front of Bai Xiao, disrupting his cultivation once more.
"No ne—" Bai Xiao started, but his stomach let out a loud growl, cutting him off. He cleared his throat, trying to maintain his dignity. "There's still time left. I suppose I can spare a few bites," he muttered, reaching for the food.
Li Wei turned to Xia Hua, offering her another box. "You should eat, too, Xia Hua. You've been by Young Master's side even longer than I have."
Xia Hua accepted the box with both hands but hesitated, looking to Bai Xiao for permission. Traditionally, servants weren't to eat with their masters, but Xia Hua was close enough to Bai Xiao that this custom was often set aside. Yet she still asked, out of respect.
"Go on, eat up," Bai Xiao waved a hand dismissively. "Then head back to the clan. I'll return in a few years. Take care of my pet fish while I'm away."
Xia Hua opened the box and inhaled the fragrance, smiling slightly. "Young Master, you say strange things. If you're set on climbing the Heavenly Tower, I'll follow you as part of my duty. Someone needs to be there to take care of you."
Li Wei chimed in. "Of course, I'm coming too, Young Master. Protecting you is the task your father assigned me, and I intend to see it through."
For a brief moment, Bai Xiao's chewing slowed as his eyes moistened, though he quickly resumed eating. "Fine, but don't blame me if you both end up dead," he said, trying to sound detached. Truthfully, he'd hoped Li Wei would insist on coming; he knew he'd need the protection, being at the Elementary Realm with no practical fighting skills. As for Xia Hua, taking a mortal girl along was a risk, but the Heavenly Tower required at least a faction of three to enter. And there was no one else he trusted.
The three of them ate in silence until a growing commotion broke through the stillness. More participants began arriving at the location, their footsteps and hushed conversations filling the air around them. Bai Xiao glanced up, his gaze steely with determination as he prepared himself for the path ahead.
The Hei clan's faction was the first to appear—a team of five led by Hei Lan, the young master of the Hei clan. Hei Lan hadn't initially planned to climb the Heavenly Tower, content in his role as his clan's chosen heir. But upon hearing that Bai Xiao, his childhood rival, intended to enter, he changed his plans.
"Pathetic," Hei Lan sneered, his piercing black eyes fixed on Bai Xiao's small faction. His short black hair framed a cold, unreadable expression. "You're still clinging to hope, aren't you? Just give up. You're no longer a genius."
Bai Xiao had once been a prodigy with unmatched talent, reaching the Foundation Realm at just four years old and the Elemental Realm by six. But his cultivation had come to a sudden halt, leaving him stuck in the Elementary Realm. Over time, Bai Xiao and Hei Lan had drifted apart, their once-friendly rivalry dissolved as Bai Xiao's progress stagnated.
"Hei Lan? Why are you here?" Bai Xiao asked, startled. He immediately walked over, flipping the tables—now he was the one urging someone to reconsider. Gripping Hei Lan's shoulder, he said, "You're the next heir of the Hei clan. If anything happens to you, it would be a massive blow to your clan."
Hei Lan yanked his arm away roughly. "Don't touch me," he snapped. "You'll ruin my cultivation base. And as for changing my decision—forget it. No one tells Hei Lan what to do."
"But you're already doing so well," Bai Xiao argued, his concern apparent. "Why throw away your future? What did your father say about this? Don't tell me you intend to climb all the way to the heavens."
Hei Lan scoffed, the very thought of reaching the heavens seeming revolting to him. "Do you know how many floors there are in the Heavenly Tower? Millions. I'd die long before reaching even a thousand floors."
The Heavenly Tower was legendary—a passage to the heavens, rumored to be impossibly high. Only those of immortal cultivation realms could ever hope to reach the top, and even they would need thousands of years. Immortal experts who had already achieved thousands of years of cultivation were rumored to be climbing within the tower, forever ascending. Every decade, the Tower appeared in a random location in the world, and this time it was within Bai Xiao's reach. For ten days, the entrance would remain open, but priority was given to elite clans. Only then would guests from distant lands and those with permission from the emperor be allowed in. Finally, on the last day, mortals would have a chance to enter, as the heavens, it was said, were equal for all.
"Then why?" Bai Xiao pressed, only to be shoved away by Hei Lan.
"Mind your own business," Hei Lan spat, moving off with his faction members. Bai Xiao stumbled, landing in the dirt, his white robes covered in dust. Li Wei, his guard, continued eating, watching quietly. The Hei clan held a higher status than the Bai clan now, and Li Wei didn't want to risk any trouble.
"That bastard…" Bai Xiao muttered, standing up as Xia Hua hurried over to brush the dust from his sleeve. "Don't come crying to me later, saying no one tried to stop you."
"Forget him, Young Master," Xia Hua said, her voice tight as she watched Hei Lan's retreating form. "He's got a flawed personality." She had always disliked Hei Lan; he never failed to insult Bai Xiao each time they met. But Xia Hua, knowing her place, had never dared to speak her mind to him directly.