Down on the southern VIP terrace, Gu Changsheng rested his chin on his hand as the summit altar doors swung open. Chu Tian really thinks a drop of stolen blood-essence can fool a three-thousand-year-old Sword Emperor, Gu Changsheng thought with a quiet chuckle. Any honest craftsman can tell the difference between a real sword heart and a counterfeit.
HUMMMMMMMMMM—CLANG!
At the very top of the 999th Summit Altar of the Heavenly Stairway Secret Realm, nine ancient pillars of star-carved white jade surrounded a floating golden lotus pedestal.
Hovering above the pedestal was the supreme treasure that the Four Righteous Sects had coveted for three thousand years: the palm-sized, nine-dragon-carved [Rank 5 Peak Nine-Continent Sword-Emperor Inheritance Seal]!
The instant the chubby Black-Granite Stone Pony carrying eleven-year-old Ye Xiao, ten-year-old Gu Nian, eight-year-old Su Nuannuan. Seven-year-old Jiang Tuntun trotted onto the 999th Summit Altar, a towering, twenty-foot-tall Golden Sword-Light Phantom wearing ancient imperial robes slowly condensed above the pedestal!
It was the residual wisp of Rank 6 Golden Core Will left behind three millennia ago by the Ancient Nine-Continent Sword-Emperor himself to choose a worthy successor!
“WAIT! STOP! THAT SWORD-EMPEROR INHERITANCE SEAL IS MINE!”
Half a breath behind the stone pony, nineteen-year-old Holy Son Chu Tian [Unstable Rank 5 Early, Charm Halo: 25%] came hopping desperately up the final jade step on his left leg. Dragging his swollen, purple winter-melon right foot behind him as blood and sweat dripped from his chin!
