Against Heaven's Will

'Here. I was talking about this.'

The Tenth Floor was much more crowded with many disciples sitting cross-legged on the floor but Xuefeng's group headed straight towards the end. Many rooms were already empty while others were eyed by hesitating disciples. Only one room didn't catch anyone's interest.

'Looks like a metal fragment of some sort,' Xuefeng observed, watching a weirdly shaped object. 'It doesn't seem to be broken through.'

'It isn't broken. It is actually a fragment of a certain Artefact but no one knows what kind,' Xinyu explained as she grabbed the corner of his shirt. 'Before you say anything, no, it's not good. There is a reason why they are called Cursed Fragments. Many tried to collect them all but failed.'

'Huh? Why is it still here then?' Xuefeng asked confused.

'That's the problem. You can't take them out of the Dragon Tower unless you collected them all and no one knows how many fragments there are. Some say you have to reach the top floor to collect them all and create an Ultimate Treasure,' Xinyu informed while moving in front of him.

She hugged him in front of everyone and pleaded, 'Please don't do it. Once you take it, you can only pick the Cursed Fragments for the rest of your climb. You will automatically give up on all the treasures from the upper floors. As I said, many tried but only failed and later regretted it. Losing so many high-tiered Artefacts and Arts is really not worth the try.'

Xuefeng couldn't help but give the Cursed Fragment another glance.

'You know the more you say I shouldn't, the more I want to do it,' Xuefeng commented with a smile, causing Xinyu to pinch him.

'Can someone help me hold him back?' Xinyu asked for back-up, squinting her eyes at him. 'You don't understand. The Artefacts and Arts beyond the two hundred and fifty floor are comparable to that of the Godly Treasures and Forbidden Arts. Knowing you, climbing half of the Dragon Tower wouldn't be that surprising. Are you going to give up on the chance to get so many treasures of Elemental Bracelet quality? Even if not today, you are capable of reaching the top one day.'

'I can confirm that. The Art which Liu found at the peek of his own climb allowed him to become the House of Dragons Sect Master,' Katherine added. 'Nonetheless, if Xuefeng decides to choose the Cursed Fragments, I will fully support him.'

'Mom, you are not helping—' Xinyu rolled her eyes when Xuefeng suddenly grabbed onto her head and distracted her thoughts with a kiss. "Mhmm!"

"Calm down my beauty. Can you see anyone else panicking?" Xuefeng asked out loud as he gave her cheek a caress.

His public display of affection attracted some viewers inside the floor but Xuefeng never cared about any of those.

'Don't worry. Xuefeng will choose whatever is best for us. We can only support him whatever choice he makes,' Nuwa assured. 'If there is anyone who can reach the top, it's none other than our husband.'

'I agree,' Princess Shan nodded as she walked forward and gave Xuefeng a rub on his shoulder. 'If anything, you can always test how far you can go and then decide. It's not like someone else will take them before you. They have been here for thousands of years.'

'Mhmm, that's right. I don't need to hurry,' Xuefeng agreed with a smile.

He could tell Xinyu was new to his group seeing her advise him against it before he even said anything. His old wives knew that he would do anything to improve their lives.

'Anyway, give me some time to think. You should go look for your own Artefacts first,' Xuefeng suggested. Aside from Yiren, everyone else was yet to take a pick.

'Hehe, don't mind me if I do! I always wanted to climb the Dragon Tower,' Drakos giggled as he walked off for his picking. 'With my Dragon Physique, I'm bound to reach high floors.'

'You must have also reached high then?' Xuefeng commented to Katherine who stayed behind.

'Yeah, but Dragon Physique can only help you so much. I reached the two-hundredth floor. I'm not sure how strong one has to be to reach the top,' Katherine replied honestly. 'Liu only reached where he did thanks to me and my blessing.'

'So you are saying I could reach higher thanks to it?' Xuefeng said with a wink, causing Katherine to look away.

'Possibly…'

Xuefeng couldn't help but laugh and then finally focused, reaching with his thoughts to his own experts.

'So? Ming, Ling. What do you think?'

They were the ones with the biggest knowledge of them all. Too bad, they couldn't help him this time.

'I stayed silent this whole time because I have no idea what this is. It could be anything,' Ming replied frankly. 'Unless we can touch it directly, there is no way of telling if it's worth it or not.'

'It definitely looks like it was fragmented on purpose but I agree with Shan. There is no need to risk without knowing its purpose. Find out if you can even complete this tower first,' Ling suggested.

'Do you know any powerful Artefacts throughout history? Maybe this is one of them,' Xuefeng wondered when his peripheral vision suddenly alarmed him.

A group of people was approaching them.

"Miss Xinyu! What a coincidence!"

Xuefeng didn't need brains to know it wasn't a coincidence. Seeing an immediate frown coming from Xinyu, he couldn't help but sigh.

If they were the typical young masters, this would only go one way.

"I am sorry but I don't have time to entertain you. I am busy, so you can go away," Xinyu called back indifferently but the three individuals didn't listen.

"I heard you returned and immediately entered the Dragon Tower. Did you perhaps forget about your promise? I was waiting for you," the man at the front spoke in a pained tone, completely ignoring Xuefeng's presence.

He dressed like a typical Young Master and anyone could guess he spent more time taking care of his beauty than his skills.

"I only agreed to come with you because you didn't want to stop pestering me. Did you really think I would do so?" Xinyu countered as she stopped paying them any attention. "Anyway, go away. I said I am busy."

The man didn't look offended at all, finally gazing at Xuefeng and Katherine.

"I am sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Artefact King, number ten on the Dragon Steps," the Artefact King introduced himself. "What about—"

"Did we ask you to?" Xuefeng cut him off. "Did anyone here start a conversation with you?"

He didn't give him the chance to reply as he answered. "No. We did not. We don't want to know who you are and what you want. She asked you to go away so what are you waiting for?"

The two lackeys frowned but the Artefact King raised his arms, stopping them.

"You must be Liu Xuefeng, five hundredths on the Dragon Steps, right?" Artefact King asked with a smile, causing Xuefeng to almost face-palm himself.

"Is your dick so small you need to compare your Dragon Steps with everyone?"

Pfft!

Xinyu burst out laughing, barely holding herself back. She threw herself into his arms and drowned him with kisses.

"I love you so much."

He naturally embraced her back when the Artefact King finally showed his thorns, calling back.

"I see, so you are with such a loser now who insults people in public?"

He looked across Xuefeng's shoulder and provoked, "You see that room? I bet you don't have the balls to—"

"That room?" Xuefeng cut him off again as he pointed at the Cursed Fragment room. "I was about to get it when you came here with your small dick."

Pa!

As soon as he spoke, the barrier popped and the Cursed Fragment flew into his hand. Everyone in the room widened their eyes, together with the Artefact King who didn't seem to expect him to actually do it.

'Xuefeng!' Ming suddenly called out in shock. 'This fragment...!'