In the next instant, Li Yan stood in another world.
The ground beneath his feet was smooth and warm, formed from lustrous stone threaded with faintly glowing runes. It felt solid—unyielding—crafted to endure destruction. Above, there was no sun or moon—only a gray sky, which made this arena a perfect battlefield for darkness element holders.
He stood at the edge of an enormous stadium, vast beyond ordinary scale.
This was no simple arena.
At its heart lay a colossal central platform, five hundred feet in diameter, its surface reinforced with layered Qi formations that pulsed like veins beneath stone. The air above it felt heavy—compressed by purpose.
Encircling it were eight secondary arenas, each two hundred feet in diameter. Beyond them, forming a third ring, lay twenty-four smaller platforms, each one hundred feet in diameter.
The entire structure resembled a celestial diagram—precise, symmetrical, ancient.
A towering circular wall rose more than a hundred feet high around the arenas, carved from mountain stone and etched with glowing runes. It was not merely a boundary—it was a containment ward, capable of restraining even catastrophic bursts of Qi.
Beyond it, tiered seating spiraled upward, carved directly into the stone. From any angle, every spectator had a clear view.
Li Yan's eyes moved calmly, cataloging every detail.
This place was beautiful.
And lethal.
All around him, disciples descended the stone steps into the arena, separating naturally into their designated zones: White, Yellow, Azure, Brown—each guided by banners matching their rank.
Robes fluttered in the circulating air. Quiet conversations murmured. Some stretched. Others closed their eyes in focus. The stadium pulsed with restrained tension.
The white-rank disciples gathered along the outer ring, waiting.
Li Yan stood among them, posture relaxed, breathing even. There was no awe in his gaze, no nervous anticipation.
Only clarity.
Above them sat the spectators.
Non-participating high-ranking disciples and elders filled the upper tiers—more than fifty elders clad in dignified green robes. Their auras were contained, yet oppressive in their stillness. These were cultivators whose presence alone bent the air.
At the center of the highest tier sat Ji Hong.
The Sect Leader's presence was unmistakable—like a blade drawn just enough to warn of what followed. He said nothing.
He did not need to.
The battlefield was ready.
And so were they.
A deep, resonant gong rolled through the stadium.
The sound struck like a command—absolute and unquestionable.
Conversations died mid-breath. Movements froze. The entire arena fell into absolute stillness.
From the elders' tier, a tall man rose.
He appeared to be in his early forties—slim, composed, dressed in flowing green robes. His long dark-blue hair was bound neatly behind his head, and his black eyes were sharp, calm, and utterly focused.
He did not radiate brute power.
Instead, he carried stillness.
The kind that made every cultivator instinctively straighten, as if standing before a drawn blade.
He took a single step—
—and blurred.
A heartbeat later, gasps erupted as he arrived in midair above the central platform, suspended effortlessly. His robes fluttered gently, unmoved by gravity, as though the sky itself acknowledged his authority.
Applause and cheers surged through the stadium.
Then he raised one hand.
Silence returned instantly.
"I am Chen Zhi," he said, his voice calm yet infused with Qi, echoing clearly across the entire arena. "Head Referee of this year's Grand Competition."
With a flick of his wrist, a golden jade slip emerged from his storage ring, hovering before him. Its surface pulsed faintly, warm and alive.
Chen Zhi extended his palm.
Dark Qi poured from his fingertips, flowing into the jade like ink soaking into parchment.
The slip brightened.
Then—
Four beams of radiant light erupted from it, descending toward the arena like pillars of judgment.
A deep rumble shook the ground.
Stone groaned against stone as four platforms out of eight in the middle trembled violently. From beneath the arena floor, colossal structures began to rise—slow, deliberate, unstoppable.
Four pagodas emerged.
Even veteran disciples inhaled sharply.
Each towered over the stadium, more than a thousand feet tall, their immense forms casting vast shadows across the arena. Their surfaces were carved with ancient runes, celestial beasts, and elemental sigils, each line glowing faintly beneath the sunlight.
Primordial energy rolled off them in subtle waves, brushing against skin and spirit alike.
Atop each pagoda fluttered a banner—white, yellow, azure, and brown—marking the four ranks.
No two pagodas were identical. Each one felt… alive.
One flowed with liquid grace, its structure reminiscent of water in motion. Another rose with jagged strength, sharp and unyielding like a mountain spine.
A third shimmered with layered distortions, illusions folding upon illusions. The last radiated raw weight—solid, immovable, built to endure.
Above them, the sky rippled.
A massive leaderboard formed from pure runic light, rows of golden script hovering in anticipation—empty, waiting to be written.
"For those unfamiliar," Chen Zhi said, his gaze sweeping across the crowd, "allow me to explain the first trial."
He gestured toward the pagodas.
"These structures mark the opening phase of the competition. Each pagoda corresponds to one rank: White, Yellow, Azure, or Brown. Disciples will enter according to their assigned rank."
Murmurs stirred among the newer disciples.
"Upon entry," Chen Zhi continued evenly, "each participant will be placed into a personalized pocket dimension."
"No interference. No external aid."
"Every challenge you face will be yours alone—designed to measure your limits, your adaptability, and your potential."
Among the white-robed disciples, Li Yan's eyes narrowed slightly—not in concern, but in sharpened interest.
"So this is the Pagoda Trial…" he thought.
A personalized trial.
The complexity alone was staggering. Such precision required immense resources—and terrifying mastery over spatial formations.
Li Yan felt a quiet thrill stir beneath his calm exterior.
This was not a test of luck.
It was a test of truth.
Chen Zhi's voice rang out again—steady, controlled.
"The Pagoda Trial consists of nine levels," he announced. "Each more difficult than the last."
A subtle shift passed through the crowd.
"You will encounter a variety of environments," Chen Zhi continued, his tone calm yet unyielding. "Forests, frozen caverns, volcanic wastelands, lightless ruins, and more."
"This trial will test far more than raw strength," he said. "It will test your judgment, your instinct, your adaptability, and your courage."
Murmurs rippled through the stadium. Nervous laughter. Tightened grips. Quiet prayers whispered under breath. The atmosphere thickened, anticipation and anxiety weaving together into a single charged current.
Chen Zhi allowed the reaction to linger before continuing.
"Points determine your ranking," Chen Zhi continued. "Defeating a beast grants five points. Claiming a Bonus Flag, ten. Advancing to the next level—one hundred points."
"But understand this," Chen Zhi added, his gaze sharpening. "The higher you climb, the more dangerous the trial becomes. Beasts grow in their numbers. Bonus Flags will be heavily guarded."
"You must choose wisely—risk versus reward, ambition versus survival."
The stadium quieted.
"Only sixty-four disciples of each rank will advance to the one-on-one duel phase."
The words landed heavily.
For some, it ignited resolve. For others, fear.
With a smooth motion, Chen Zhi raised his hand.
Light shimmered.
Hundreds of translucent bracelets appeared in the air around him, glinting like scattered stars suspended against the sky. With a controlled sweep of his arm, they shot outward in precise streams of light, each one gliding toward its intended bearer.
One by one, they hovered briefly before settling onto the waiting hands of the participants.
"These are your competition bracelets," Chen Zhi said calmly. "Each is bound to the arena's formation and synchronized to your unique Qi signature."
"They will track your score, remaining time, and current level in real time. They will also assist you in the next phase of the competition."
He paused.
"And they contain an emergency teleportation function."
"If you are critically injured, trapped, or face imminent death," Chen Zhi continued evenly, "press the red glyph. You will be extracted immediately."
At those words, the crowd fell completely silent.
"No penalty. No shame."
"Survival comes first."
Disciples lowered their gazes to inspect the bracelets. They were light, smooth, and exquisitely crafted, with layered inscriptions embedded beneath the surface. A small, dark screen was embedded at its center, dormant and silent.
Li Yan examined his own with narrowed eyes.
"Multi-layered formations. Real-time spatial tethering. Automatic leaderboard linkage…" he thought calmly. "Impressive."
He fastened it to his wrist without hesitation.
Chen Zhi's expression hardened.
"One final warning," he said, his voice cutting through the murmurs like a blade. "Even though the beasts within the pagodas are artificial constructs, do not mistake that for weakness."
"They are forged from ancient techniques. Their ferocity is real. Their killing intent is absolute. Treat them as you would living enemies."
A hush swept across the stadium.
Then—something shifted.
Chen Zhi's lips curved faintly.
"For those who dare to chase the impossible," he said, "listen carefully."
"If any participant conquers all nine levels within the allotted two hours…"
A pause.
"…a hidden level will be revealed."
The stadium froze.
"This has never happened since the Pagoda Trial was created," Chen Zhi continued. "No records exist. No descriptions remain."
"All that is known is this—beyond these nine levels lies a reward personally left behind by our ancestors."
A heartbeat of silence.
Then gasps erupted from newcomers. Whispers surged. Eyes widened.
For many, ambition ignited into flame.
But amid the rising tide of excitement—
Li Yan smiled.
Barely.
"A hidden level?" he thought. "Now that makes this more interesting."
It wasn't just about rewards.
It was about legacy.
With a sharp sweep of his arm, Chen Zhi turned toward the towering pagodas.
"Activate your bracelets. Bind them with Qi," he ordered. "Then line up in front of your representative ranked pagodas—White, Yellow, Azure, Brown."
The ground rumbled.
With deep, grinding echoes, the four pagoda gates began to open. Dark spiritual pressure poured outward as the entrances revealed vast, yawning depths, faintly illuminated from within.
The trials awaited.
Li Yan glanced down at the silver bracelet fastened around his wrist. Sleek and metallic, its surface was etched with fine runes that pulsed faintly beneath the light.
He channeled a controlled thread of Qi into it.
The bracelet hummed softly, warming against his skin as it activated. The screen flickered, then stabilized as clean lines of text surfaced:
[Name: Li Yan Tian
Level: 0
Points: 0
Time Remaining: — : — : —]
His gaze shifted to the crimson glyph set into the side of the bracelet—a protruding red button, smooth and cold, gleaming like a watchful eye. A final safeguard. A silent admission that even this trial acknowledged the possibility of death.
Around him, the atmosphere tightened.
Disciples adjusted belts, checked weapons, flexed fingers, and took steadying breaths. Some whispered prayers under their breath. Others stood rigid, faces set with forced confidence. The air itself felt heavier, thick with anticipation and restrained anxiety.
Li Yan exhaled quietly and turned toward the white-ranked pagoda.
Disciples began to form orderly lines. Brown ranks gathered in front of their pagoda, followed by azure, yellow, and white-ranked disciples assembled before their designated pagoda, their murmurs low but constant.
Li Yan took his place near the back of the white rank line.
His posture was relaxed, unassuming—but his eyes were sharp, focused, already dissecting the situation ahead.
Above them, Chen Zhi's voice rang out once more, clear and resonant.
"The trial begins now! Your countdown starts the instant you cross the threshold. What you gain—or lose—inside depends solely on your will."
The words settled like a verdict.
One by one, disciples stepped forward.
Some hesitated at the threshold, fists clenched, breath shallow. Others strode in boldly, masks of confidence barely concealing their tension. With each entry, the pagoda's entrance rippled faintly, like disturbed water swallowing them whole.
Li Yan rolled his shoulders once.
Then he stepped forward.
His thoughts quieted. The noise of the arena faded. His awareness narrowed, honed to a blade's edge.
"Let's see what secrets this trial is hiding," he murmured.
The moment his foot crossed the shimmering boundary, the world warped.
A strange sensation washed over him—cool, weightless, disorienting—like passing through a curtain of flowing water. Sound vanished. Air thinned. Even his breath seemed to dissolve.
Then—
Silence.
Total. Absolute.
The trial had begun.