Dawn broke like a blade drawn from silk—slow and glinting with promise.
The Summit Trials had arrived.
And the Azure Sky Sect stood still, holding its collective breath.
Mist blanketed the surrounding peaks, coiling around the marble spires and bridges like ancient dragons rousing from slumber. Spiritual birds cried out across the mountain range as disciples in flowing robes assembled around the Grand Celestial Arena.
At the heart of the mountain sat the arena itself, carved into the stone like a divine bowl—wide enough to hold ten thousand spectators, and deep enough to drown a falling star. Runes inscribed into the marble hummed with dormant power, waiting to awaken at the elders' command.
Today, legends would begin.
Or end.
Inside the Outer Sect Pavilion
Lin Feng adjusted his robes in front of a small bronze mirror. His black hair was tied tightly behind his head, and the white trim of his dark blue robes caught the morning light. His eyes, once timid and filled with self-doubt, now shimmered with clarity and quiet strength.
There was no tremble in his hands.
No hesitation in his steps.
Not anymore.
Behind him, a knock rapped against the door.
"Lin Feng!" A familiar voice—it was Su Xue, her tone tight with nervous energy. "The inner court messenger is here to escort you. They're calling the names."
He nodded and opened the door.
Outside, Su Xue stood alongside two other outer disciples, their eyes darting between Lin Feng and the messenger from the inner sect—a tall youth in gray robes with a spirit beast emblem sewn into the shoulder. His nose wrinkled slightly as he looked at Lin Feng, but he said nothing.
They walked in silence.
Until Lin Feng finally asked, "Any new rules for the trial format?"
The messenger scoffed but answered anyway. "Standard three-stage trial. First round is spiritual endurance and qi manipulation—weed out the trash. Second round is combat—duels. Final round is by elder selection."
"And outer disciples are eligible for all three?"
The messenger glanced at him. "For now."
Su Xue gave Lin Feng a small, worried look.
He returned her glance and smiled.
"For now is all I need."
The Grand Celestial Arena
The marble floor of the arena radiated spiritual heat as formation lines flickered into activation. Dozens of elders sat in elevated positions around the perimeter, flanked by banners bearing the Azure Sky Sect sigil—a soaring phoenix over a river of stars.
At the lowest level, 300 disciples stood at attention—inner sect elites in fine robes, outer sect hopefuls, and a few core disciples watching silently from the shadowed balconies above.
Elder Qian rose.
"The Summit Trials begin now!"
A wave of spiritual energy pulsed outward from his voice alone—suppressing the crowd into reverent silence.
"The first stage: The Path of Endurance."
He gestured toward the western quadrant of the arena. There, the marble split and shifted, revealing a wide staircase that descended into the mountain's interior—toward the Trial Abyss.
"The path will test your control over qi, your endurance under pressure, and your clarity of mind under spiritual duress. Only the first 120 disciples to reach the stone dais at the base shall proceed."
Disciples murmured anxiously. This trial was infamous for breaking cultivators both mentally and physically.
Qian continued, "Begin."
Trial Abyss – Stage One
As Lin Feng stepped into the abyss, a dense pressure wrapped around his body like wet sand. The corridor ahead was shrouded in darkness, lit only by flickering torch-flames fueled by spiritual fire.
Immediately, the air grew thick with illusory qi.
Lin Feng's Astral Core pulsed in response.
[Warning: Mental Interference Detected]
[Astral Defense Field Active]
Host protected from spiritual dissonance. Mental clarity stabilized.
Around him, dozens of disciples stumbled as the illusions took hold.
Some saw beasts lunging at them from the walls. Others shouted at shadows only they could see. A few simply froze, sweat pouring down their faces as internal fears took shape.
But Lin Feng?
He walked.
Unbothered.
In his mind, the path was clear—every step forward cleansed his body in a cold, astral flame. His thoughts sharpened, focused like a blade honed by years of pressure.
He overtook twenty disciples in minutes.
Then fifty.
The air grew thicker.
Now illusions began attacking his self-worth.
"You're still just a cripple," a voice hissed beside his ear.
"You needed a system to get this far. You're nothing without it."
He smirked.
"And yet… here I am."
He silenced the voice with one thought, and surged forward.
By the time he reached the stone dais—ranked among the top five—most other disciples were still wrestling their inner demons in the dark.
Stage Two – Combat Trials
The arena shimmered again as formation lines shifted and reset.
Stone platforms rose from the ground, spaced apart like dueling rings. Each one would host a battle between two disciples.
Elder Qian's voice boomed again.
"Each disciple will face opponents in a best-of-three format. Winners of two duels advance. Inner disciples will be seeded. Outer disciples… must prove themselves."
No one was surprised.
But now, the name on everyone's lips surfaced again.
"Match One: Lin Feng vs Gu Kai."
A murmur ran through the crowd.
Gu Kai—a peak Foundation Realm cultivator, ranked twenty-fourth among the inner disciples. Known for his iron skin technique and brutal spearwork.
He grinned from across the ring.
"I'll break your bones and send you back to your mountain, cripple."
Lin Feng stepped into the circle, unarmed.
His hands were at his sides, eyes calm.
Elder Qian signaled.
"Begin!"
Gu Kai didn't hesitate.
He charged forward with a roar, his iron spear sweeping toward Lin Feng's ribs like a bolt of lightning. His iron skin shimmered with metallic sheen, amplifying his defenses.
Lin Feng ducked.
Crack.
The air exploded behind him as the spear missed.
Before Gu Kai could recover, Lin Feng slid inside his guard and struck his chest with a single open palm.
"Astral Pulse."
A wave of blue energy burst outward.
BOOM.
Gu Kai flew backward, crashing into the edge of the dueling platform. His chest armor cracked. He coughed blood.
The crowd gasped.
Elder Qian raised an eyebrow.
"Round one—Lin Feng."
Gu Kai snarled and stood up, his veins bulging with qi.
"Don't get cocky."
He activated his defensive technique fully—his body became like metal, and his spiritual energy surged with reckless abandon.
He lunged again, faster this time.
Lin Feng's eyes narrowed.
In the split second before the blow landed, he activated his new technique.
[Comet Step – Initiated]
He vanished.
Then reappeared behind Gu Kai.
"Too slow."
With a precise finger strike, he severed the qi flow at Gu Kai's waist.
The inner disciple collapsed, paralyzed.
Elder Qian stood slowly, his voice tinged with approval.
"Round two—Lin Feng. Victory."
The arena was silent.
Then the murmurs began.
The name spread again.
Not whispered this time.
But spoken in awe.
"Lin Feng."