C5 Time and Space Cage

As time trickled away, the blood in the pool steadily diminished.

Upon absorbing the final drop of the Canghai Cloud Cracking Beast's vital essence, Chu Yan's eyes snapped open, releasing an invisible surge of power that reverberated through the air with the sound of war drums and rolling thunder.

With a swift leap, Chu Yan threw a punch.

BOOM!

His fist cut through the air, thunderous as a sudden storm.

A leg sweep followed—a whip-crack that sent visible ripples through the air.

"Even though I've only just regained the initial insight into the first level of the True Martial Realm, the power coursing through my veins, the transformation of my muscles and bones, feels even more profound than when I was at the second level!" Chu Yan's eyes shone with exhilaration.

"Just as my mother said, not only has my body been restored, but my strength is rapidly returning. I sense that after this recovery, I'll be far more formidable than I ever was at this stage before! Truly, this is a technique only immortals could wield!"

While he wasn't yet able to internally visualize his body's condition, Chu Yan could clearly sense his effortless breathing, his acute hearing and vision, and an indefatigable vigor within him.

This state surpassed even the zenith of his past achievements at the fourth level of the True Martial Realm.

Moreover, he could feel the previously absorbed blood essence continually fortifying his physique.

This meant that, although he had only just returned to the first level of the True Martial Realm from his mortal state, regaining his peak at the fourth level was imminent—without the years of arduous cultivation that once would have been necessary.

After steadying his surging emotions, Chu Yan looked toward the tower's corner.

There, a stone staircase ascended to the second level of the Return to the Ruins Tower.

"My mother's message indicated that this tower was crafted for me, and it's mine to explore. With that in mind, I'm eager to discover what lies on the floors above."

Chu Yan ascended the stairs and came upon a closed stone door leading to the second floor. Sealed across it was a strip of paper that read: Genuine Force Stage level 1. Yet, the handwriting was not the familiar script of Chu Yan's mother.

"It appears that each level of the Return to the Ruins Tower has its own realm requirement. Entry is only granted to those who meet the criteria," Chu Yan mused. "If my knowledge serves me right, above the Genuine Force Stage lies the Pulse Condensation Stage. Given that there are five levels of Genuine Force and three of Pulse Condensation, the tower should have no more than eight levels. But from the outside, it seemed to stretch far beyond that, soaring into the clouds. Of course, my mother's connection to the immortals makes sense now. The power of immortals can't be matched by mere Genuine Force or Pulse Condensation Stages. There must be higher realms out there, realms I'm unaware of from my limited exposure in this county."

With this realization, Chu Yan didn't dwell on it any longer. He peeled off the seal and pushed the stone door open with a firm nudge.

The second floor of the Return to the Ruins Tower defied Chu Yan's expectations. He had anticipated finding either formidable martial arts techniques or divine weapons. Instead, he found himself in a vast, empty stone chamber.

"Empty?" Chu Yan's confusion was short-lived as he spotted four large characters etched on the opposite wall: Spacetime Cage.

The words exuded a commanding presence, as if they held dominion over the life force of the heavens. A single look sent a shiver through Chu Yan's heart.

Despite the overwhelming aura, he pressed on, stepping closer to inspect the writing. Beside the imposing characters, a smaller inscription read: A day in the mortal realm, three days here.

The implication was clear and profound.

"A single day outside translates to three days within this Spacetime Cage? So, if one were to cultivate here, they would effectively have triple the time compared to the outside world?" Chu Yan grasped the significance immediately, his heart racing with the possibilities.

From the moment Chu Yan stepped into the echo loop, he was greeted with a myriad of extraordinary sights he had never encountered before. The power to slow down time was truly an eye-opener for him.

"I languished in the Abyss Demon Prison for an entire year, but now, within this temporal cell, there's hope. I can reclaim the time I've lost!" In his excitement, Chu Yan also recognized his mother's foresight and her meticulous care.

He couldn't shake the feeling that his mother had somehow anticipated his struggles, leaving behind the echo loop and the Return to the Ruins Tower as treasures to aid him in his trials and propel him to greater heights.

Having learned about the second level's function, Chu Yan was eager to explore the third. Yet, as he had surmised, his current level of cultivation barred him from opening the stone door to the third floor, which demanded the second tier of the Genuine Force Stage for entry.

But Chu Yan was patient. Having absorbed the essence of the Canghai Cloud Cracking Beast, his body was continually healing and growing stronger. Moreover, he had the opportunity to train within the time prison, so accessing the third level was only a matter of time.

With this knowledge, a thought struck Chu Yan: "I've been inside the echo loop for a while now. I should leave soon. This secret must be kept from others for the time being. Entering was simple, and I know how to do it, but how do I exit?"

As he mulled over this, the desire to leave sparked within him, and in that instant, he felt the familiar force sweep over him once more.

The next moment, his surroundings shifted, and he found himself back in his previous room, his body still submerged in the bucket, the bathwater retaining its warmth.

Fingering the echo loop now hanging from his left ear, Chu Yan's eyes gleamed with determination: "With such a treasure at my disposal, it would be a waste not to use it. Tonight, the cultivation begins!"

Meanwhile, in a secluded tower deep within the Eastern Palace of the Southern Yuan Kingdom's imperial city, candlelight danced, casting long shadows of two figures.

A young man, bearing a resemblance to Chu Yan, was dressed in a python robe, kneeling solemnly in the center of the room.

Before him, a tall and slender figure clad in a black robe stood silently.

Were it not for the subtle rise and fall of the robed figure's chest, one might easily mistake him for a mere statue.

The youth, now the Crown Prince, held a brush and ink, his strokes flowing freely. Beside him, the man in the black robe remained silent, uttering not a single word.

After a considerable time, with the final stroke laid down, the young man looked up, his gaze bright as stars, and addressed the silent figure, "Teacher, how do you think my calligraphy, Chu Xing's, compares to that of Chu Yan?"