Jiang Chen followed the black-and-gold-robed enforcer through the grand halls of Ironhollow's City Lord Mansion, his senses sharpened as he absorbed the immense structure's details. The walls were engraved with ancient formation scripts, pulsing with latent power. Spiritual lanterns flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows that stretched over vast murals—paintings of battlefields, celestial palaces, and legendary figures from forgotten eras.
The deeper he walked, the heavier the air became. A suppressive aura—one not from mere power, but from authority itself—hung thick in the halls. Jiang Chen had faced spirit beasts and assassins, but standing before true political power was another kind of battlefield.
Finally, he entered a chamber where a lone figure sat on an imposing throne of dark jade.
City Lord Feng Tianlan.
Draped in long flowing robes embroidered with golden sigils of protection, Feng Tianlan exuded an air of composed dominance. His eyes were sharp as blades, dissecting Jiang Chen the moment he stepped forward. Around him, a council of high-ranking cultivators observed silently—elders, strategists, and military officers, all at least in the Peak Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, perhaps even stronger.
Jiang Chen stopped several meters away and inclined his head, neither bowing fully nor showing defiance. Respect without submission. Strength without arrogance.
Feng Tianlan studied him before speaking. "You have caused quite the disturbance in Ironhollow."
Jiang Chen met his gaze evenly. "I defend myself when attacked."
A faint smirk tugged at the City Lord's lips. "Is that what you call it? Breaking Lu Chen's pride, exposing the Crimson Blade Sect's weakness, and causing an entire assassination squad to be captured?" His voice was light, but the weight behind it was unmistakable. "You're either reckless or intentional. Which is it?"
Jiang Chen didn't hesitate. "Neither. I am simply unwilling to be prey."
A ripple of amusement passed through some of the gathered officials. One of the elders, a tall man with a hawk-like gaze, stepped forward. "Strength alone does not decide one's survival in this city, boy. You tread on dangerous ground."
Jiang Chen's grip on his spear tightened, but he remained calm. "Then tell me, if strength is not enough, what is?"
Feng Tianlan tapped the armrest of his throne. "Control."
The chamber fell silent.
The City Lord leaned forward slightly. "Ironhollow exists in a delicate balance. The sects, the merchant guilds, the noble families, the hidden forces lurking beyond our walls—they all hold power. You, Jiang Chen, have disrupted that balance. I do not tolerate disorder within my city."
Jiang Chen remained composed. "Then why summon me instead of executing me?"
The City Lord's smirk widened. "Because I see value in you."
Jiang Chen's heartbeat remained steady, but his mind sharpened. This was not a threat—this was an opportunity.
Feng Tianlan's voice carried an undeniable weight. "You are strong, but power without direction is a blade without a hilt. You seek something beyond simple survival, don't you?"
Jiang Chen met his gaze without wavering. "I seek to carve my own path."
The City Lord nodded, satisfied. "Then you must learn to navigate power, not just wield it."
Jiang Chen knew what this was. A test. A proposal. A warning.
Feng Tianlan reclined. "Tell me, Jiang Chen, what do you know of the true structure of cultivation?"
Jiang Chen paused, choosing his words carefully. "The Mortal Realm consists of foundational cultivation stages, but I have heard whispers of higher planes—of sects that control entire worlds, of laws that bind even gods. The path of cultivation is not merely strength—it is understanding."
A glint of approval flickered in the City Lord's eyes. "Good. Then understand this—the world is governed by more than just the Law of Force."
A flick of his wrist, and a glowing diagram formed in the air before Jiang Chen. It depicted interwoven branches of energy, each stemming from a central core of existence.
The Law of Elements: The foundation of the physical world, governing fire, water, wind, and earth.
The Law of Force: The principle of impact, weight, and motion—the law Jiang Chen had just begun to grasp.
The Law of Destruction: The force of entropy, annihilation, and pure devastation.
The Dao of Creation: The ability to weave life, matter, and energy into new forms.
The Unwritten Laws: Forbidden paths that even immortals feared to tread.
Jiang Chen's eyes flickered with intrigue. This was knowledge beyond anything he had heard in the wilderness.
Feng Tianlan let the image fade. "You have talent, but talent alone is meaningless without knowledge."
Jiang Chen exhaled slowly. "And you are offering that knowledge?"
The City Lord smiled faintly. "Knowledge, protection, opportunity. In return, I require stability in my city. If you become too great a disruptor, you will leave me no choice but to eliminate you."
Jiang Chen processed his words carefully. Not an ultimatum. A challenge.
After a long pause, he nodded. "I understand."
Feng Tianlan's smirk remained. "Good. Then go forth and make your name known. But remember, Jiang Chen—power without wisdom is self-destruction."
With that, the audience was over. The City Lord waved his hand, and the guards stepped back. Jiang Chen turned, feeling the eyes of every powerful figure in the chamber watching his every move.
As he stepped into the cold night air, his mind was alight with new purpose. The Laws of the World, the deeper mysteries of cultivation, the silent war between sects and factions—he had taken his first step into a world far vaster than he had imagined.
And he would not stop. Not until he stood above it all.