Despite the Elder's offer to skip the final stage, Akash felt a strange pull. The third stage was a battle royale in a pocket dimension, and the System was pulsing with a new notification.
[HIDDEN MISSION: THE UNKNOWN ASSASSIN]
[OBJECTIVE: IDENTIFY THE PERSON WHO HIRED ELDER MO]
[REWARD: SOVEREIGN'S ARMOR SET (BOOTS)]
"I appreciate the honor, Elder Wang," Akash said, his voice echoing in the silent hall. "But a Sovereign does not take shortcuts. I will enter the third stage like everyone else. If I am to be an Elite, I must earn it on the battlefield."
Elder Wang's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Very well. Your courage is commendable. The third stage begins in one hour."
As the crowd dispersed to prepare, Meera rushed to Akash's side. "Are you insane? You've already won! Why risk going into the Mist-Covered Valley? Elder Mo was just one man, but he had many allies in the Inner Sect."
"That's exactly why I'm going," Akash whispered. "If I hide now, they'll just wait for me in the shadows. I'd rather face them where I can see them."
Before the trial began, the System directed Akash to his new residence to claim his rank rewards.
[LOCATION: THE GOLDEN PEAK LODGE]
The lodge was perched on a floating cliff, surrounded by waterfalls that flowed with spiritual energy instead of water. Inside, the air was so thick with Qi that every breath felt like drinking a high-grade potion.
[ELITE DISCIPLE STARTER PACK UNLOCKED:]
100 Medium-Grade Spirit Stones
Cloud-Walking Boots (Earth Grade)
Technique: Thousand-Sword Rain (Incomplete)
Akash sat on the meditation mat, but instead of practicing, he opened the System Shop.
"System, I have 500 points from exposing Elder Mo. What can I get to survive the next stage?"
[RECOMMENDED PURCHASE: SOVEREIGN'S EYE (TEMPORARY UPGRADE - 450 POINTS)]
[EFFECT: REVEALS THE CULTIVATION LEVEL AND MURDEROUS INTENT OF ANYONE WITHIN 100 METERS.]
"Buy it," Akash commanded.
[PURCHASE COMPLETE. SOVEREIGN'S EYE IS ACTIVE.]
Instantly, Akash's vision shifted. He looked out the window toward the other candidates gathering at the valley entrance. Most had a green or blue aura, indicating neutral or friendly feelings. But among the crowd, he saw three bright, blood-red pillars of light.
One was Feng, who was still glaring at the mountain. But the other two were much larger and darker. They were Level 7 and Level 8 cultivators—way above the limit for a normal entrance exam.
"Disguised experts," Akash narrowed his eyes. "So, the Stone Village or the Blood-Moon Sect has sent professional killers into the trial."
Suddenly, the Sect's bell rang again.
BONG... BONG... BONG...
"The Trial of Battle begins! Enter the Mist-Covered Valley!"
Akash stood up, his new Cloud-Walking Boots glowing faintly. He didn't take the path. He jumped straight off the cliff, his body appearing like a golden leaf floating down into the dark, foggy forest below.
[SYSTEM WARNING: YOU HAVE ENTERED A KILL-ZONE]
[MURDEROUS INTENT DETECTED: 99%]
The mist in the valley was unnatural. It was cold, damp, and smelled of iron—the smell of blood. As soon as Akash touched the ground, his Sovereign's Eye flared. The three red pillars of light were moving, circling him like sharks in deep water.
"They aren't just here to pass the exam," Akash muttered, his hand reaching into the air. "System, equip the Broken Sovereign Blade."
[ITEM EQUIPPED: BROKEN SOVEREIGN BLADE]
[CURRENT STATE: SEALED (LEVEL 1)]
A handle made of ancient black wood appeared in his hand, followed by a blade that looked like it had been shattered in a war of gods. It was only half a sword, jagged and dull, but the moment Akash gripped it, the golden Qi in his body surged with a hungry roar.
Whoosh!
A silver needle, thin as a hair, whistled through the fog toward Akash's neck. Without looking, Akash tilted his head. The needle buried itself in a tree behind him, instantly turning the wood to black ash.
"Silent Shadow Needle," a raspy voice echoed from the mist. "Not bad for a Level 4 brat. But can you dodge a hundred?"
Out of the fog, two figures emerged. They wore the standard gray robes of candidates, but their faces were hidden behind porcelain masks. Through his golden vision, Akash saw their true strength: Level 7 and Level 8.
"The Blood-Moon Sect really spent a lot of money to send you two," Akash said, his eyes scanning their movements. "Who is the third one? The one hiding behind that rock?"
The masked men froze. They didn't expect a boy to sense their partner.
"Dead men don't need answers," the Level 8 assassin hissed. He pulled out two curved daggers that glowed with a toxic green light. "Kill him!"
The two assassins vanished, moving with a speed that would have been invisible to a normal cultivator. But to Akash, their tracks were lit up in bright red.
[SKILL ACTIVATED: SOVEREIGN'S SOUL-STIFLING PRESSURE]
A golden wave of authority exploded from Akash. The air in a 10-meter radius became as heavy as lead. The assassins, mid-lunge, felt their hearts skip a beat. Their speed dropped by half.
"Now!" Akash roared. He swung the broken blade. It didn't have a sharp edge, but the golden Qi extending from the jagged tip formed a blade of pure light.
"Sovereign Art: First Strike - Horizon!"
A horizontal arc of golden energy sliced through the mist. The Level 7 assassin tried to block with his sword, but the Broken Sovereign Blade ignored his defense.
Clang! Snap!
The assassin's sword broke like glass, and the golden energy slammed into his chest, throwing him back through three trees.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: TARGET NEUTRALIZED]
[EXPERIENCE POINTS GAINED: 200]
"You... you're using a Sovereign-grade weapon?!" the Level 8 leader screamed in terror. He realized they had severely underestimated their target. "Brother, help! He's not Level 4!"
From the shadows, the third pillar of red light finally moved. But it wasn't moving toward Akash. It was moving toward... Meera, who was fighting a group of puppets nearby.
Akash's heart sank. "The distraction... they aren't here just for me. They want to use Meera to break me!"