Morning mist rolled across the wide valley as hundreds of young cultivators gathered at the outer grounds of the Sky-Reaching Sect, Ashen Region Branch. The sect's mountain stood tall in the distance—steep cliffs, silver peaks, and layers of protective formations that glowed faintly like breathing stars. It looked peaceful, but everyone here knew the truth: this sect was the strongest in the entire region. Once you got in, your life changed forever.
Valerius stood among the crowd, calm and unreadable. A week of hunting filled his body with strength; the beast blood he consumed, the constant struggle, and the silent guidance of the Eternal Sovereign System had pushed him to the next level. He now stood firmly at the 2nd Stage of the Spirit Vein Realm — Vein Expansion. His veins were wider, tougher, and could hold more spiritual energy. Darkness and Chaos quietly swirled inside him—two elements so rare and so dangerous that even the world avoided speaking their names.
Others came here glowing with confidence or trembling with fear. Valerius came with a quiet purpose. Joining the sect was not his dream—power was. But the sect was the best bridge toward that power.
Around him, whispers spread:
"That's the Sky-Reaching Sect's branch? It looks like a whole kingdom!"
"I heard the inner sect disciples can fly on swords!"
"Forget that—I heard the five Seed students can be transferred to the main sect headquarters if they get powerful enough!"
"That main continent… the Celestial Meridian Continent. That place has saints."
Valerius listened but didn't react. The world had many continents—some small, some large, and some far beyond Ashen Vale's understanding.
Ashen Continent—where Valerius currently lived—was one of the weaker continents. There were stronger lands like:
Celestial Meridian Continent — home to the headquarters of the Sky-Reaching Sect
Eternal Frost Continent — land of ice-cultivators
Vast Divine Beast Continent — where beasts ruled entire empires
Crimson Star Continent — famous for war and bloodline clans
Valerius had stepped foot in none of them.
Not yet.
But he would.
Not for fame. Not for righteousness.
For strength.
A loud gong echoed from the mountain path. A tall man in blue robes stepped forward, eyes sharp like carved jade.
"I am Elder Rowan, examiner for this year's recruitment. Welcome to the Sky-Reaching Sect." His voice stretched across the valley. "Today's examination will be divided into three trials. Only those who pass all three become disciples."
Hundreds of hearts pounded. Some swallowed. Some began to shake. Valerius remained still.
"The first trial tests your foundation. The second tests your combat ability. The third tests your spirit and will."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
"And remember…" Elder Rowan paused, eyes cold.
"There are five Seed Spots. Only five. These five will be carefully watched by the headquarters in the Celestial Meridian Continent. Anyone with dreams of becoming a legendary cultivator should aim for one."
Gasps spread like fire.
"Seeds? Here? At a branch sect?"
"That's crazy!"
"Those five will rise fast!"
Valerius's eyes narrowed slightly. He wasn't eager—but he wasn't blind either. The Eternal Sovereign System always chose the best path. If a Seed Spot was the fastest route to power, then he would reach for it.
Elder Rowan pointed toward a massive stone path lined with pillars.
"The First Trial begins now."
FIRST TRIAL — VEIN PRESSURE PATH
The stone path looked simple at first—just a long walkway. But each pillar burned with symbols. It wasn't just a walkway. It was a spirit formation.
"You must walk across the path. Each step increases pressure on your body and veins. If your foundation is weak," Elder Rowan said plainly, "you will faint or bleed or fall unconscious."
Someone gulped loudly.
"Begin."
The crowd rushed forward.
Valerius stepped onto the first stone, and a heavy weight instantly pressed down on him. It felt like a hand was gripping his veins from the inside. Others around him groaned or slowed. Some stopped after only a few steps.
The pressure doubled every ten meters.
Valerius kept walking.
A young boy ahead screamed as blood sprayed from his nose and he collapsed. Elders quickly carried him away. Another girl fainted without warning. A large youth knelt down, shaking violently.
Valerius continued.
His Vein Expansion stage resisted the pressure, and the Eternal Sovereign System adjusted his internal flow to reduce strain. Darkness and Chaos within him remained controlled, steady.
Around the halfway point, the pressure grew heavy like a mountain.
Many stopped breathing properly. Others crawled. Some cried.
Valerius walked as if he was on a normal road.
It wasn't arrogance. His veins had been tempered by battle and killing beasts for a week straight. His body had absorbed more life essence than most newcomers could imagine.
At eighty meters in, the pressure became brutal. His bones vibrated. His blood slowed. His muscles stiffened.
A boy beside him collapsed, coughing blood. Another knelt and screamed. A girl fainted.
Valerius clenched his jaw and kept moving.
By the time he reached the end, only about a quarter of the participants remained.
Elder Rowan nodded.
"Those who passed, stand aside. The rest: leave."
Valerius stood still as the failures left with bowed heads. The second trial was about to begin.
SECOND TRIAL — COMBAT RING
The valley ground reshaped itself with spirit formations. Rings of stone rose from the earth—ten of them, each wide enough for combat.
Elder Rowan spoke again, "You will fight in groups of ten. Only three from each ring will pass. Fight with all your heart. Killing is forbidden—crippling is not."
A youth next to Valerius trembled. "This sect is insane…"
Valerius stepped into Ring Four.
His opponents looked strong—most were already at the 2nd Stage like him. One tall youth even reached the 3rd Stage, his veins glowing faintly.
Elder Rowan raised his hand.
"Begin!"
The ten charged at once.
The tall 3rd Stage youth immediately attacked the nearest weaklings, punching one in the stomach and sending him flying out of the ring. Two more teamed against him.
Valerius didn't move.
He watched.
He waited.
His calmness drew attention.
"Oi! That quiet guy's acting tough!"
A muscular youth rushed him with a roar, throwing a heavy fist towards Valerius's face.
Valerius slid a foot back and dodged easily.
The boy stumbled forward.
Valerius grabbed his shoulder, twisted, and slammed him head-first into the stone floor. The boy collapsed unconscious.
Gasps came from spectators.
"Who is he?"
"That strength… he's still calm…"
Valerius didn't bother answering. Another youth sprinted toward him and threw a kick. Valerius caught his leg and smashed a fist into his ribs. The boy screamed and fell off the ring.
Only six remained.
The 3rd Stage youth roared and punched two people out at once.
He turned toward Valerius with a grin.
"You're strong. Let's fight."
Valerius finally lifted his head.
The Eternal Sovereign System pulsed softly.
[Opponent Strength: Spirit Vein Realm — Stage 3]
[Host Advantage: Raw combat instinct + elemental affinity]
[Recommended Action: Engage lightly. Do not reveal Chaos element.]
Valerius nodded slightly.
The youth rushed forward with a light-infused punch. Valerius sidestepped, but the punch still grazed him, pushing him back a step. He felt the difference—this boy's veins circulated more smoothly, power flowing like a stream.
Valerius attacked back with a swift jab. The youth blocked—barely.
Their fists clashed.
Their bodies shook.
The youth laughed. "You're good, but not good enough!"
He surged forward, throwing punches in rapid succession. Valerius dodged some, blocked others, but one punch slammed into his stomach. Pain flashed across his chest.
He tasted blood.
For the first time today, Valerius realized he could lose.
The youth grinned confidently. "Submit!"
Valerius wiped the blood off his lip.
No.
He activated only a hint of Darkness.
A shadow slipped from his arm. It wasn't even visible to the crowd—but the boy stiffened. His instincts screamed danger.
"What—?"
Valerius's fist slammed into his jaw.
The youth spun and crashed to the ground.
Silence.
The crowd stared, shocked.
"What just happened?"
"He moved so fast!"
"That punch was insane!"
Valerius stood still. He had used only a fraction of his darkness. No Chaos. Just enough to win.
Elder Rowan raised his hand.
"Winners: Valerius, Ryn Holt, Fei Lian."
Valerius turned away, ignoring the stunned look of the boy he defeated.
Two trials passed.
Only one remained.
THIRD TRIAL — THE SPIRIT MIRROR
Elder Rowan guided the remaining participants to a tall mirror carved from crystal and spirit stone. The air around it twisted, heavy and cold.
"The final trial tests your spirit, will, and heart. The Spirit Mirror shows your inner truth. If you break under fear, illusions, or your own thoughts, you fail."
Several candidates instantly went pale.
Valerius's expression didn't change.
Names were called one by one. Some walked in confidently and walked out sweating. Some screamed inside. Some fainted. A few left crying.
Then—
"Valerius."
He stepped forward.
A wave of energy wrapped around him, pulling him into the mirror's world.
Inside the Mirror
Darkness swallowed him whole.
Not silence.
Not peace.
A storm.
A swirling mass of shadows and whispers. They crawled over him like hands.
"You will fail."
"You deserve nothing."
"You will die forgotten."
"You are weak."
Valerius stood still.
He had heard worse—inside himself.
Then the darkness shifted, forming a shape. A man stepped out.
Valerius.
His copy.
With a twisted face and eyes full of hatred.
"You act cold. But you're afraid. You pretend you don't care. But you do. You want strength… because you're scared of being powerless again."
The clone attacked without warning. Shadows burst from his arms.
Valerius fought back.
Their fists collided, darkness exploding around them.
His copy fought fiercely—every weakness in Valerius's heart turned into a weapon.
The clone struck his face—Valerius staggered.
The clone kicked his ribs—he coughed blood.
"You're weak!" it screamed. "You're nothing!"
Valerius wiped the blood from his mouth and whispered:
"No."
Chaos stirred inside him, silent but powerful.
A dark ripple spread from his chest.
He punched forward—his fist wrapped in darkness so deep it swallowed light.
The clone shattered like broken glass.
The storm faded.
Light returned.
Valerius stood alone.
Trial complete.
Outside the Mirror
Valerius stepped out calmly.
Elder Rowan raised an eyebrow. "No struggle?"
Valerius shrugged. "It was loud."
Someone in the crowd nearly dropped their jaw.
The elder nodded. "You pass."
AFTER THE TRIALS — THE RESULTS
Hours passed.
Finally, the elder raised a scroll.
"Those who passed all three trials, step forward."
Valerius stepped forward among other successful youths.
"You are now disciples of the Sky-Reaching Sect. Based on performance:
Outer Disciples: Majority
Inner Disciples: Twelve
Core Disciples: Three
Seed Spots: Five"
Excitement exploded.
Elder Rowan continued, "The Seeds for this year are…"
Everyone leaned closer.
He read five names.
One of them—
One that shocked many—
Was:
"Valerius."
The crowd exploded in noise.
"The quiet guy?!"
"The calm one?!"
"He was a monster!"
Valerius simply nodded, accepting it.
The path ahead opened.
This was only the beginning.
The sect.
The continent.
The world.
Everything was waiting for him.
And Valerius walked toward it with silent determination—
Chaos and Darkness gently swirling inside him.