The alchemy arena had not yet stilled. Competitors still struggled with their cauldrons, flames sputtering, but the crowd's attention was gone — all eyes followed the white-robed youth who had left the stage with another perfect score.
Xue Yanfei stood where she was, frostfire flame guttering low in her palm. Her attendants said nothing — they knew their lady's silence was more dangerous than any words.
She moved.
Gliding like a flame across the hall, Yanfei intercepted Haotian in the outer passage. Her frost-silver eyes glinted, her voice soft but edged like ice.
"Again… a perfect score. A Grade 7 pill, refined without cauldron or flame, within minutes. Do you intend to overturn everything we know of alchemy as well?"
Haotian regarded her calmly, golden eyes steady. He inclined his head slightly in polite acknowledgment, but his lips curved in the faintest smile.
"Not overturn. Merely… correct the flaws."
Yanfei's heart skipped, her pulse hammering in her ears. For the second time in as many days, her chest burned with heat she could not control.
But before she could press further, a chorus of voices rang out.
"Senior Brother Haotian!"
The corridor filled with phoenix disciples rushing toward him — robes still singed from battle, swords humming faintly from their victories. Yinxue at the lead, her aura calm but eyes glowing with pride; Ziyue close beside her, face still composed though her armor pulsed with lingering dao; Shuyue trailed slightly behind, her cheeks flushed, eyes shining with excitement.
They bowed quickly, speaking all at once.
"Senior Brother, we advanced again!"
"The prodigies of the Central Continent… we defeated them!"
"Not one loss among us!"
Their words tumbled over each other, but their eyes all shone the same — looking only at him, awaiting his response.
Haotian's calm face warmed with a smile. He reached out, patting Shuyue's shoulder, then Yinxue's and Ziyue's in turn.
"Well done. You've carried the phoenix flame higher than even I hoped. You make me proud."
The girls flushed — even Yinxue's composure cracked as her lips curled upward faintly.
Yanfei stood just beyond, watching in silence. The warmth in Haotian's tone, the way these women looked at him, the way he stood at the center of their orbit like a sovereign sun… it made her heart race for an entirely new reason.
Haotian then turned back to her. He cupped his hands formally, the smile never leaving his lips.
"Miss Yanfei. Forgive me, I must return to my sect. Duties call."
With that, he stepped past her, the phoenix disciples following close behind, their laughter and voices echoing down the hall like clear bells.
Yanfei remained where she stood, her chest tightening again, her frostfire qi trembling faintly in her hands.
You walked past me once before in the East. You did it again here. But Zhenlong Haotian… the more you ignore me, the more I can't look away.
Her heart raced, and for the first time in her life, Xue Yanfei admitted to herself: she wasn't in control.
The finals of the forging competition drew an audience so large the stands overflowed. The Sovereigns of the Central Continent sat high upon the judging dais, their auras filling the hall like storm clouds.
At the center, the last competitors took their stations.
Among them, Xue Yanfei, dual-element prodigy of frostfire, already revered across the continent. Her attendants and clan elders whispered in pride behind her. She exhaled once, silver flame and crimson fire intertwining as her dao ignited, her presence dazzling.
And opposite her stood Haotian, plain white robes, calm as still water.
The announcer's voice boomed.
"Final task — forge a unique dao weapon of your design. Time limit: three hours."
Competitors bowed and began.
Yanfei's frostfire blazed. She moved with practiced grace, hammer ringing, cauldron glowing, ore dissolving into brilliant essence. Her movements were perfect, each step honed by decades of discipline. She smiled faintly, confidence returning. This is my domain. He may impress in speed… but against me here, he cannot overshadow my flame.
Then she glanced across.
Her heart lurched.
Haotian wasn't using a forge. Again.
He stood amid floating streams of ore, herbs, and crystals, all dissolving into motes of light that swirled around him like a starry sky. His hands moved slowly, etching runes in the air, harmonizing essence into form. His golden eyes glowed, calm and steady.
Yanfei bit her lip, her frostfire surging higher. No. I won't let him walk past me again.
She raised the heat of her flames, pouring everything into her weapon. Her dao flared with such intensity the hall shuddered. Competitors near her staggered, sweat pouring as her frostfire aura seared across the stage.
But when she glanced again, Haotian's movements hadn't even wavered.
His harmony threads wove calmly through the storm, essence spheres splitting evenly, crystallizing into weapons with perfect balance. His robe didn't even stir in the heat.
Yanfei's pulse hammered in her ears. Why won't you react?! Why can't I shake you?!
By the time the hour mark passed, she had a gleaming frostfire sword completed, flames dancing around its edge. Perfection by any standard. The crowd roared their approval.
Then Haotian raised his hand.
Dozens of weapons floated behind him — spears, swords, and even halberds, each resonating with faint phoenix cries. Their surfaces shimmered with runes of harmony, alive with will.
Gasps exploded across the hall.
"He forged dozens again—!"
"In half the time—!"
"And every one of them… alive!"
The judges tested his work. Their expressions hardened into disbelief before one raised his voice:
"Perfect score."
The board blazed: Perfect Score.
For the third time, the hall erupted into chaos.
On the dais, some Sovereigns leaned forward, their voices hushed but clear.
"This boy… no, this man. If he can be recruited—"
"Our sect would rise above all others."
"He must be brought in."
But as their gazes fell upon Haotian, his presence remained immovable, golden eyes calm, expression untouchable. He bowed lightly, then stepped away, as if perfection were routine.
Yanfei stood frozen beside her frostfire blade, her chest aching, her heart beating too fast. The roaring crowd faded into silence around her.
Even here… even now… I couldn't reach him.
And yet, her lips curved, faint but genuine. Her heart burned hotter than her flames.
Zhenlong Haotian… the more untouchable you make yourself, the more I want to catch you.
After leaving the forge hall, Haotian reappeared in the martial arena. The quarterfinals of the Dao Comprehension bracket were already underway.
He leaned back against the railing, arms folded, his golden eyes softening as he watched his disciples.
Yinxue and Ziyue stood side by side on the stage, phoenix armors blazing, their sevenfold and triple daos weaving into a storm of frost and wind. Opponents from two top sects unleashed every trick they had — firestorms, earth walls, lightning strikes. But the phoenix maidens cut through them like sunlight through mist.
Shuyue faced a prodigy of the Desire Sect again, this one wielding the dao of pride. He sneered, striking with overwhelming force. Yet her dao of loyalty and love glowed brighter, her sword cutting straight through his arrogance. The prideful prodigy fell to his knees, broken.
The crowd erupted, sovereigns stirred uneasily, and Haotian smiled faintly.
Yes. This is why I forged weapons and armor. Why I bend heaven's rules. For them. For my phoenixes.
The quarterfinal stage blazed with tension. Central Continent prodigies — names that carried the weight of clans and sects — faced the phoenix maidens of the Moon Lotus Sect.
The crowd leaned forward, expecting clashes of equal measure. What they witnessed instead was devastation wrapped in elegance.
First Battle – Yinxue
Yinxue faced a prodigy from the Scarlet Flame Sect, whose dao of bloodfire was infamous for burning both enemy and self to increase destructive force. His crimson flames surged skyward, consuming the battlefield in waves of killing heat.
Yet Yinxue stepped forward calmly, her phoenix armor blazing. Her sevenfold dao harmonized: frost, ice, sword, piercing, love, time, and space.
One strike.
The flames froze midair, time locking them into stillness. A heartbeat later, they shattered into harmless motes. Her blade pierced forward with pinpoint precision, and the bloodfire prodigy collapsed before the audience could breathe.
The arena erupted:
"She froze bloodfire itself!"
"Her dao isn't power alone — it's control over reality!"
Second Battle – Ziyue
Ziyue squared off against the Thunder Pavilion's peak prodigy, famed for wielding twin lightning spears. His strikes came as storms, each spear a bolt of divine wrath.
But Ziyue's Icewind Sword Dao sang in harmony with her phoenix armor, speed doubling, precision sharpening.
Her twin blades moved like shadows of wind and ice, severing lightning bolts midair. With every strike, her swords grew faster, until the thunder prodigy's movements faltered.
In the end, his spears shattered, his armor split, and he fell unconscious on the stage.
"Impossible—!" his sect screamed. But the announcer's voice rang out:"Victory — Moon Lotus Sect!"
Third Battle – Shuyue
The youngest of the three faced perhaps the most dangerous match. Her opponent was the heir of the Mirage Sect, wielder of the dao of illusion and deception. The arena bent and shifted, turning into a labyrinth of falsehoods.
The crowd murmured.
"She's too inexperienced—she'll never escape."
But Shuyue's sword glowed with the Dao of Love, bolstered by loyalty and compassion. Her phoenix armor pulsed, harmonizing with her dao of virtues.
She struck once — and the illusions shattered like glass.
The Mirage prodigy staggered, screaming, his mind stripped bare by the clarity of her dao. He fell to his knees, unable to stand.
The crowd sat in stunned silence. Then a roar erupted.
"The youngest phoenix… cut through an entire dao of illusions!"
As the quarterfinals closed, the Moon Lotus Sect stood undefeated once more.
Their phoenix armors glowed faintly, swords humming with resonance. Together, the three sisters raised their blades in salute to their sect, their phoenix cries echoing through the skies.
The world watched, hearts shaking. The truth was undeniable — this was no longer a tournament. This was dominance.
Meanwhile – Haotian
As the disciples fought, an attendant in fine robes approached Haotian quietly. He bowed deeply.
"Honored guest, several Sovereigns have requested your presence. They await in the Jade Pavilion Hall."
Whispers spread. Sovereigns — summoning a dao comprehension youth? The spectators stared, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Haotian's golden eyes narrowed slightly. He sent a strand of divine sense to his disciples.
I must go. Focus on your battles. Do not be distracted. A Sovereign will not act against me here.
Yinxue's eyes flickered briefly mid-fight, but she tightened her grip and cut her opponent down. Ziyue nodded faintly, determination hardening. Shuyue pouted in her heart, but her dao burned brighter still.
Haotian rose, cupping his hands toward the disciples from afar, then followed the attendant calmly.
The crowd erupted with questions.
"Who is he, to be summoned by Sovereigns mid-tournament?!"
"What is his identity?"
As Haotian stepped into the Jade Pavilion Hall, he could already feel the weight of Sovereign intent pressing lightly, curious, appraising.
And he smiled faintly.
Let's see what game they wish to play.
The Jade Pavilion Hall was a sanctuary reserved only for the most exalted. Its golden roof shimmered with dao runes, its walls carved from jade infused with flowing qi. Even from outside, the air felt heavy with Sovereign authority.
The attendant bowed deeply, gesturing for Haotian to enter.
"Honored guest, please."
Haotian stepped forward. His robes brushed softly against the jade tiles as he crossed the threshold. The doors closed behind him with a quiet boom, sealing away the outside world.
Inside, four figures sat upon high seats, their auras impossible to ignore. Each one was a Sovereign — men and women who had lived for centuries, whose mere presence made the hall hum like a living beast.
The nearest Sovereign, robed in crimson, spoke first.
"So you are Zhenlong Haotian." His voice was smooth, but the power in it rattled the jade pillars. "The boy who forges without flame, who refines without cauldron, who leads phoenixes into the sky."
Another Sovereign leaned forward, her silver hair falling over her shoulder. Her eyes gleamed with sharp amusement.
"A boy? Do not belittle him. We have seen his disciples. We have seen his dao. And we have seen him earn perfect scores where our finest artisans struggled. This is no boy. This is… potential."
The third Sovereign tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, his tone colder.
"Potential… that can disrupt balance. Tell me, Haotian. What sect backs you? Which ancient family protects you?"
The air grew heavy, their intent brushing against him like the weight of mountains. A test. A probe.
But Haotian only stood calmly, his golden eyes faintly glowing, the Eyes of the Universe whirling gently within them.
"No sect backs me," he said evenly. "No ancient family commands me. The Moon Lotus Sect is my sect. Its disciples are my disciples. What you have seen is only what we have chosen to show."
The Sovereigns studied him in silence.
The crimson Sovereign chuckled, breaking the stillness.
"Confident. Bold. Dangerous. I like it."
The silver-haired Sovereign's lips curved faintly.
"Then join us. Our sect will provide you resources beyond imagining. Pills, heavenly treasures, dao manuals. In exchange, you will forge for us. And perhaps… lend us your phoenix maidens."
Haotian's eyes sharpened, though his voice remained calm.
"My disciples are not commodities."
The silver-haired woman smirked, but said nothing further.
The cold Sovereign leaned in.
"Then at least answer this: why are you here? Why parade seven hundred and fifty dao comprehension cultivators before the world? What do you seek?"
Haotian's lips curved faintly.
"Preparation. Nine years from now, the world will tremble. Demons will rise. Those who have not prepared will fall. The Moon Lotus Sect will not be among them."
His words cut through the air like steel. The hall fell quiet again.
Finally, the fourth Sovereign, who had been silent all this time, spoke. His voice was low, calm, but carried weight enough to silence the others.
"This one is not for us to recruit. He walks a path we cannot control. The only question is whether his path will threaten ours."
Haotian bowed faintly, his expression respectful yet unyielding.
"My path is my own. As long as you do not stand in my way, Sovereigns, we will not conflict."
He straightened, his golden gaze meeting each of theirs in turn. For a heartbeat, the heavy pressure in the room faltered — not because the Sovereigns had relented, but because they recognized something.
This boy… stood before them as though already their equal.
The crimson Sovereign laughed softly.
"Good. Very good. Then go, Zhenlong Haotian. Show us how far phoenixes can fly."
Haotian cupped his hands, then turned, his robes whispering across jade. The doors opened with a groan of runes, and the heavy air behind him lightened as he stepped back into the sunlight.
The doors of the Jade Pavilion closed with a heavy boom, sealing out Haotian's departing footsteps. Silence lingered in the hall, heavy with unspoken thoughts.
At last, one Sovereign broke it. The crimson-robed man leaned forward, a faint smile curving his lips.
"A dragon indeed… just like them."
The others turned toward him.
"What do you mean?"
The crimson Sovereign chuckled, eyes gleaming.
"His name. Zhenlong. Have you all forgotten so quickly?"
Shock rippled through the others. The silver-haired woman's lips parted, her eyes narrowing.
"You don't mean—"
"Yes." His smile widened. "The Zhenlong household. The Four Saint Dragons."
A sharp intake of breath filled the room.
The cold Sovereign's fingers stopped tapping, his expression twisting.
"Those four little brats? They still live?"
The crimson Sovereign laughed, the sound echoing off jade walls.
"Of course they live. Did you think the world could erase them so easily? Saints who fought even a Sovereign to a standstill — do you think such names vanish quietly?"
The silver-haired Sovereign leaned back, her expression distant, as if recalling ancient stories.
"I remember the tales. Four siblings, bound by blood and dao. They shook the Central Continent with their arrogance, their brilliance. Saints who dared to challenge Sovereigns themselves…"
Another voice, soft but heavy with awe, added:
"And lived to tell the tale."
The crimson Sovereign's laughter grew louder.
"And now look! Their descendant stands before us. Zhenlong Haotian. Bold, radiant, unyielding. Shining brighter already than his ancestors. If he carries even half their blood, then it is no wonder he walks as though the heavens themselves belong to him."
The cold Sovereign scowled.
"If he truly is their blood, then recruiting him is impossible. The Four Saint Dragons never bowed their heads. Their descendant will not either."
The silver-haired woman sighed, her smile wry.
"Then we can only negotiate on equal terms. To treat him otherwise is folly."
The youngest Sovereign, the one who had first doubted, frowned in confusion.
"All this commotion… for saints? They are not Sovereigns. Why do they inspire such fear?"
The crimson Sovereign's gaze sharpened, voice dropping low.
"Because you are new. You have not seen them. Saints, yes. But saints who broke the order. Saints who bent the sky. Saints who fought Sovereigns not with desperation… but with laughter."
The hall fell quiet again. The weight of those words pressed upon them all.
Finally, the silver-haired woman murmured, almost to herself.
"If he truly is theirs… then perhaps we are witnessing the next legend. The child of dragons who will eclipse even his ancestors."
No one laughed at that. The thought itself was terrifying — and exhilarating.
The roar of the crowd shook the tournament grounds. Prodigies clashed in flares of dao light — ice blades against molten fire, lightning storms against swirling mist. The semifinals of the Dao Comprehension bracket had begun, and the atmosphere crackled like thunder.
A ripple of relief spread through the Moon Lotus Sect disciples as a familiar figure appeared at the edge of their reserved platform.
"Senior Brother Haotian!"
They rushed to him — those who had already finished their battles and those still waiting their turn. Their phoenix armors shimmered faintly in the sun, their swords humming with suppressed energy. But their eyes carried a shadow of unease.
One disciple spoke in a rush, bowing low.
"Senior Brother, we saw you summoned away by Sovereigns… we feared—"
Another clenched her fists, voice trembling.
"Did they… try to harm you?"
Haotian raised a hand, silencing their worries with a warm smile. His golden eyes swept over them, steady as the heavens.
"Everything is fine."
The disciples hesitated, but his calm tone soothed the storm in their hearts.
"They wished to see me," Haotian continued, voice carrying enough for all to hear. "Nothing more. A Sovereign will not act against me here. So cast aside your fears. Focus on your battles. That is what matters."
The tension in the disciples' shoulders eased. A ripple of determination passed through the gathered phoenixes. They bowed as one.
"Yes, Senior Brother!"
Haotian inclined his head, then turned with them to watch the battles still raging on the stage.
Below, a prodigy from the Central Continent fought desperately against a phoenix maiden clad in shimmering ice-blue armor. Her strikes were precise, her dao sharp — yet every time the prodigy thought he found an opening, her sword curved impossibly, guided by the independent will of her dao weapon.
The crowd erupted.
"These phoenix maidens… they fight as though their weapons are alive!"
"Not one of them has fallen yet!"
Haotian's lips curved faintly as he observed. His disciples had grown beyond expectation, every strike proof of their relentless cultivation.
Beside him, Yinxue, Ziyue, and Shuyue stood with calm expressions — but their eyes flickered once toward Haotian, measuring his composure, searching for any trace of strain from the Sovereign summons.
He met their gazes evenly, then said in a low voice meant only for them:
"All is well. They merely wanted to confirm a few things. But now… let us watch as phoenixes carve their names across this sky."
The three sisters exhaled softly, reassured. Their eyes turned back to the stage, but their hearts beat steadier knowing he stood beside them once more.