[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback":3,"chapter-rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-580":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Rising from Obscurity: My Martial Path Comeback",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2266415,4424,"Chapter 580","rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-580",580,"\u003Cp>Tower of Heaven!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lin Chen reappeared anonymously at the Tower of Heaven square, he found the number of martial artists there had increased dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the martial artists on the square varied in realm—some were Foundation Establishment First Stage, others Second Stage, even a few Third Stage...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has the Tower of Heaven changed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen scanned the square; its area had expanded more than several times its original size, and the Tower of Heaven no longer lurked in mist—it stood plainly at the very front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a flash, Lin Chen landed on a jade stele, one of over a dozen scattered across the square, each surrounded by several martial artists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lin Chen appear nearby, the martial artists watching the stele turned their gazes toward him; upon noticing his black robe, their eyes flickered with wariness, and they stepped back slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before entering the square, they had been warned by elders in their clans: never offend martial artists wearing black robes at the Tower of Heaven square.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only those who had once claimed first place on Mount Dengwudao were permitted to wear black robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black robe was the exclusive privilege of Mount Dengwudao’s top champion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This robe concealed spiritual sense probes and obscured vision; to outsiders, Lin Chen beneath the robe appeared as nothing but shadow, utterly indiscernible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen turned his gaze to the jade stele; seeing the names displayed, he understood why these martial artists clustered around it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stele recorded the rankings of martial artists who had challenged the Tower of Heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single glance revealed his name had vanished from the list.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The top one hundred had all changed hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what shocked Lin Chen further was that, beyond names, the top one hundred now listed each martial artist’s realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The top seventy were all Foundation Establishment Sixth Stage; the rest were uniformly Fifth Stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this list, Lin Chen was stunned—and puzzled. Only those who had once claimed first place on Mount Dengwudao could challenge the Tower of Heaven; even if a new champion emerged every two years, how could there be so many Fifth and Sixth Stage martial artists?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Fifth to Sixth Stage, even with one generation every thirty years, among contemporaries in Sixth Stage, only around twenty had ever held first place on Mount Dengwudao—how could so many Sixth Stage appear on this list?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He himself had once reached the summit of Mount Dengwudao, only to fall prematurely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen turned from the stele and addressed the martial artists nearby: “Gentlemen, may I ask—has the Tower of Heaven’s rule changed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing his question, the nearby martial artists exchanged glances; one slightly older Foundation Establishment Second Stage man replied: “You must have been in seclusion for several years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Correct.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen nodded; counting his time in the Thousand Fold Secret Realm, it had indeed been three years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A year ago, the Tower of Heaven’s rule changed: no longer is only the Mount Dengwudao champion allowed entry. Any Foundation Establishment martial artist under one hundred years of age may challenge it—but if you fail, you cannot re-enter for a month...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the man explained, Lin Chen gained a detailed understanding of the Tower of Heaven’s new rules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tower of Heaven abolished the requirement that only Mount Dengwudao’s champion could challenge it; now any Foundation Establishment martial artist under one hundred years old may enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this change, many Fifth and Sixth Stage martial artists began challenging the Tower, and all previous rankings—those of former Mount Dengwudao champions who had once held positions—were pushed down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has the Tower itself changed too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen asked again. With the current ranking list, nearly all positions were determined by realm alone—this seemed contrary to the Tower’s original purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, the Tower of Heaven was an extension of Mount Dengwudao: Mount Dengwudao tested those below Foundation Establishment—or just entering it—while the Tower tested those already in Foundation Establishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both existed to identify martial arts prodigies and reward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though reaching Sixth Stage already proves one a prodigy, the new rule denies young generations any chance to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With identical talent, merely being born decades later means no chance to enter the top one hundred—this is indeed a tragedy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Tower has indeed changed, but we don’t know exactly how. We could only enter after the rule changed, and even after several attempts, we’ve never gone beyond the tenth level.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man spoke with some embarrassment; after all, they were here only because of the rule change, and they knew nothing of the Tower’s former state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even knowledge of its internal changes came only from hearsay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for the information.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Chen bowed slightly in thanks; just as he prepared to enter the Tower, a commotion erupted in the crowd. He turned to see a middle-aged man standing before the Tower of Heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s the young master of Zao Hua Gate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He should be at the peak of Foundation Establishment Fourth Stage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I recall he entered the top one hundred half a year ago—but was pushed out two months ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he re-enters the top one hundred this time, he’ll be the undisputed top Foundation Establishment Fourth Stage martial artist in Yanhuang Dynasty.”\u003C\u002Fp>",867,"2026-06-19T20:25:58.850Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9c99709b7f7d7ced850555e113045cf0f28cffa29bde5006b4825b315abb1c35","rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-581","rising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-chapter-579",591,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frising-from-obscurity-my-martial-path-comeback-cover.jpg"]