Slaughter Across the Myriad Worlds

A tiny jade pendant holds a palace, and within it lie eight thousand-meter-tall statues sealed away for ages.

After being betrayed, Shen Yun, heir to the prince's estate, enters the palace and gains a great fortune. He unravels a mystery that has endured for countless ages, just as a cataclysm of immense proportions sweeps across the boundless sea of stars.

(This book features an intelligent protagonist, plenty of intrigue, and a well-defined cast. The pacing is somewhat slow, and this is not a mindless power fantasy.)