Chapter 30: Countless tribulations, to enter this gate

The carriage left the small bamboo grove and got onto a wide road leading straight to Nanjiang City; the road was deserted, with not a person or another vehicle in sight.

Although Nanjiang is vast and sparsely populated, Nanjiang City is its only city, so it really shouldn't be this desolate.

"We should have just pressed him to death on the Eight Immortals table just now." Chen Yi He said coldly. Anything blocking his entry into the Thousand Heavy Gate is an enemy—even a prince won't do!

"You're overthinking it. If he really is the Great Zhou Dynasty's crown prince, the three of us together might not be able to kill him. You don't think he only has those seventy or eighty black-clad assassins at his side, do you? There must be peerless masters hiding in the shadows; if we act rashly, we'll be killed before we even manage to kill him." Long Wang said to Chen Yi He.

"Sigh, I don't know how this will turn out—I constantly feel a great storm is about to break!" Chen Yi He lamented.

Dongfang Xing watched the two men, merely listening without saying a word.

"What's there to fear? Don't we have the invincible Miss Dongfang?" Long Wang had assessed Dongfang Xing's strength; he once told Chen Yi He that Dongfang Xing should be at mid-stage of the Third Heaven or even stronger, to the point that even he couldn't see through her. From then on, Chen Yi He never dared to provoke Dongfang Xing. "I just don't know whether it's really true that thirty thousand Jinyi Wei are blocking the outer walls of Nanjiang City."

"Even if they're blocking it, we'll dig a tunnel and get through!"

"That's right—once we're inside Nanjiang City, not even the Jinyi Wei, let alone the emperor himself, will have any sway!"

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Because Nanjiang City only obeys the orders of the Thousand Heavy Gate; its very existence is to serve the Thousand Heavy Gate!" Long Wang whipped the horse, and the carriage surged forward on the smooth broad road! "Never mind all that—as long as no one stops us, we'll charge straight into the city!"

"If anyone tries to block us, we'll crush that bunch of damned dogs!"

The goal is right before their eyes—after a journey of nearly two months spent under the stars, braving wind and dew, these two young handsome fellows don't want to waste even a minute on the road; they now only want to rush into Nanjiang City, find a restaurant for a good meal, find an inn for a good sleep, eat while holding gemstones, and sleep while resting on silver notes.

"Crack." The carriage seemed to have hit something, startling Chen Yi He and Long Wang, who had been lost in their daydreams.

They hurriedly got out to see what had happened—how could they have hit something on such a smooth, open road?

"Hey, are you alright?" They saw a blood-soaked person leaning against the wheel, near death; Long Wang rushed forward to lift him out and asked.

"Quick… quick… run…" the man gasped intermittently, then breathed his last.

"Did you run him over?" Chen Yi He asked Long Wang.

Long Wang shook his head, laid out the corpse for Chen Yi He to see—a fatal sword wound—and replied, "He was run through with a sword, bled to death… Don't let him affect your mindset; let's keep moving."

"Judging by his attire, he's a martial artist. To lose that much blood and still make it here, his cultivation can't be low—at least at the Third Heaven level." After getting back onto the carriage, Long Wang added.

"Was it the imperial court that did this?"

"Probably."

"If even Third Heaven masters have been killed, can my 'edge‑ball' still work?" Chen Yi He actually felt a bit hopeless.

"What's there to fear? Me and Miss Dongfang will drag you in, kicking and screaming if we have to!" Long Wang remained confident.

……

Inside Nanjiang City, the Thousand Heavy Gate.

Before it stood no imposing stone statues of a grand sect, nor a gold‑rimmed plaque. Only a pair of thick, brown‑red doors, their handles mottled with rust. The doors were large and tall; the white‑washed courtyard had walls as high as the doors. The gate remained shut, unopened for ten years, covered in dust and spiderwebs. Yet the wind and rain had not faded it—it still stood proudly in the center of Nanjiang City.

Countless tribulations, to enter this gate.

It is clearly right there, yet countless people pass before and behind it, unable to gain entry.

A wall's breadth apart, yet worlds away.

No one knows what lies inside, what it looks like, or what will happen upon entering.

Yet young martial artists, regardless of sect or clan, even imperial relatives, spare no effort, rack their brains, and even wager their lives just to rush in.

Actually, the interior is quite simple.

Push the door open, and what greets the eye is a spacious, solemn courtyard. Here every kind of flower, grass, and tree grows, yet they are no rare treasures; the gravel‑lined paths twist and intertwine, secluded and winding—without a guide, one could easily lose one's way.

By the side of the path, the stream murmurs; atop it stand artificial hills covered in moss, rugged and imposing. There are eight such hills; from the fourth onward they branch off from the path and lead straight to the depths.

Gradually the sound of the stream that calms the mind fades away; the scattered paths merge into one. Walking hundreds of steps along this sole route leads to the main hall—this is the genuine Thousand Heavy Gate.

High‑quality white jade paving begins at the nine steps before the gate, soft and graceful, shining with a warm, moist luster.

Standing on it and looking up, the layered, upturned eaves and roof corners fully display the style of their era—but what era that is, not even the ancient texts record. Its age surpasses all the ancient books under heaven; before it, those texts are no longer ancient.

After the nine steps, one may advance three paces and knock on the door.

Push the door open, and there is none of the imagined splendor of gold and azure.

In the main hall sit seven people in black robes: one on the upper platform, and three each on the left and right of the lower hall.

The one seated on the upper platform is the Grand Elder.

Starting from the head of the right row, the Second Elder.

Following that, the head of the left row is the Third Elder.

Then back to the second position on the right, the Fourth Elder.

Continuing in this manner, the remaining are the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Elders.

The Fifth Elder is a female elder.

These seven rarely sit together; their last meeting was ten years ago. Having no names or surnames, upon joining the Thousand Heavy Gate they could only forget their origins, being simply called 'Elder'.

These seven will supply the Tian'an Continent with the finest, most talented individuals. Their mysterious veils have been passed down and altered for thousands of years, yet no one has ever been able to lift them.

"Gentlemen, we have gathered today for the Thousand Heavy Gate's opening ceremony seven days from now. A decennial gathering is no easy feat." The Grand Elder spoke.

"Heh, I wonder which few will manage to survive and get in this year." The Second Elder said with a cold laugh.

"How many of that batch from ten years ago are still alive?" the Grand Elder asked.

"Thirty‑three." the Fifth Elder replied.

"That number is too high; if possible, we should compress it further—preferably no more than twenty‑five." the Grand Elder said.

"All right, I understand." A cold gleam flashed in the Fifth Elder's eyes—she was about to have seven Thousand Heavy Gate apprentices die at her hands; ten years of effort would be wasted in an instant, a shame for such promising seedlings.

"Those who leave our Thousand Heavy Gate must never exceed one‑quarter, or else we won't be able to manage them later. By the way, did the batch from eighty years ago all die out?"

"Hmm." the Fifth Elder replied.

"Then that's good, that's good—their mission has been fulfilled."

"Grand Elder, are we only taking in ten this year?" the Seventh Elder, the lowest in seniority, asked. He sat at the far left; seven years ago the previous Grand Elder passed away, the six other elders moved up in rank, and he was fortunate to be selected as the Seventh Elder.

To be selected as an elder of the Thousand Heavy Gate, one must possess both sufficient strength and sufficient luck.

Mm.

No wonder the whole Bei Du is in an uproar.

I hope those who come are all of good stock.

Eldest Elder, you must explain clearly—how did the unchanging history of a thousand years change under you? The irritable Fourth Elder wants to ask the Eldest Elder for clarification.

"Hehe, this I cannot decide." The Eldest Elder laughed and shook his head, then he asked the crowd, "Our Thousandfold Gate is changing history for the first time this year, but I see the old emperor isn't cooperating; he wants to disrupt our Thousandfold Gate's thousand-year plan. Who will go out to settle this?"

"This kind of thing, of course it's Lao Qi who goes." The Fourth Elder had already risen from his seat; he didn't want to hear any more nonsense.

"Yeah, do we really have to send this bunch of old bones?" The Fifth Elder also rose, trembling, hunched over, leaning on her cane, the picture of an elderly woman.

"What about Lao Qi?" The Eldest Elder's gaze turned to the Seventh Elder.

"I'll go." The Seventh Elder had no choice but to stand, receive the order, and head straight out the door. Behind him came the Eldest Elder's instruction: "As for the court, keep whatever face should be kept; for those who persist in dissuasion, if they shouldn't be kept, kill them directly."

As the Seventh Elder walked, he wondered what background his Thousandfold Gate had, what mysteries it held. From the Eldest Elder's tone, it seemed someone else stood above him! Thinking this, the Seventh Elder clenched his fists, thinking, "This matter must be investigated thoroughly!"