For centuries, the Celestial Ascension Hall stood in silence, resting atop the mist-laden cliffs of Mount Jinlong — a place where the sky kissed the earth.
Carved into the mountain by cultivators who once walked with the divine, the hall wasn't just stone and spirit—it was legacy.
Its walls shimmered faintly with ancient formations, like silent watchers of fate. Massive pillars of white jade and obsidian spiraled toward the heavens, inscribed with glowing golden script in an ancient tongue long forgotten by men but whispered among dragons.
In the center of this celestial temple lay the Circle of Judgement, where energy danced, reality bent, and the path to supremacy began.
And now… the Hall stirred again.
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Morning of the Trial
Outside the Hall, thousands gathered—sect elders, noble spectators, disciples, and old warriors drawn by the storm of talent rising in this generation. Flags of every sect waved, rustling like battle cries in the wind.
Above all, hovering on a sky-platform made of cloudsteel and talismans, stood the Host of the Crimson Ascendance — a man cloaked in shimmering bronze robes, his face hidden behind a porcelain half-mask marked with a phoenix and dragon intertwined.
His voice echoed like a bell across the cliffs:
> "Disciples of the realm... today, the Celestial Ascension Hall opens its gates for the Crimson Ascendance Trial.
This is not a trial for the faint-hearted, nor for those who cultivate only for glory.
This is the stage where conviction is tested, where harmony of spirit and weapon shall determine fate."
He lifted his hand.
The gates of the Hall groaned open with a deep, ancient breath, and a wave of spiritual pressure flowed out like a whisper from the past.
Inside, the Hall transformed. The floor shimmered and reshaped — wide, circular arenas emerged from the divine formation beneath, surrounded by stands held aloft by floating talismans. Above them, glowing inscriptions marked the names of every team:
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Trial Teams
Silver Slip Teams:
Dawn Wrath (Zhang Xin's Team – Zi Xuan Academy)
Emerald Thorn Sect (Twin blade assassins, masters of silence and strike)
Thunderroot Sect (Hammer-wielding brute force cultivators)
Sun-Soul Brotherhood (Swift, light-based agile warriors)
Golden Slip Teams:
Silver Tiger Sect (Claw techniques, raw agility)
Celestial Horn Sect (Storm and wind elementalists)
Blazing River Pavilion (Water-based defensive speed masters)
Iron Root Sect (Tanks of earth, nearly immovable)
Windhowl Sect (Stealth archers of the wild)
Star Gaze Sect (Illusion and spiritual confusion experts)
Diamond Slip Teams:
Crimson Blade Sect (Firestorms and explosive openers)
Nine Vortex Sect (Poison-infused illusion users)
Ebon Night Sect (Dark qi manipulators, masters of shadows)
Heaven-Piercing Sect (Unbeaten swordsmen with perfect form)
Frozen Vale Sect (Ice and seal specialists)
Serpent Flame Sect (Fire fused with beast spirits)
Imperial Sky Warden Unit (Elite royal disciples shielded by imperial secrets)
Structure of the Crimson Ascendance Trial
The Host raised his staff of whitewood. A floating crystal projected the structure in mid-air for all to see.
Round One: Trials of Duel
> "Each team will face random matches — solo, duo, trio.
Points will be awarded based on victory, skill, and execution.
But beware—points only serve as the path. They do not promise survival."
The crowd buzzed. This wasn't just a power test. This was strategy, composure, and adaptability.
Round Two: Elimination Battle
> "Lowest-ranked teams will be cast out. The rest will face team-versus-team combat.
A single loss... and your journey ends."
Final Rounds: The Celestial Summit
> "The final four teams will clash in semi-finals and then the grand finale.
One shall rise. One shall earn the title of Crimson Ascendant."
The Host lowered his staff. A golden gong sounded, echoing like a dragon's roar.
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Inside the Hall – Dawn Wrath Assembles
Zhang Xin and his team entered the Hall. The air shimmered with spiritual weight—older than dynasties, heavier than gold.
Even Xiaobo grew quiet.
"This place… it remembers every step," Yuxin murmured, her breath leaving mist in the air.
Zhang Xin looked up. He could feel it—the echo of every battle fought here, of blood spilled with honor and dishonor. His Light energy pulsed gently around him, unafraid.
The audience murmured with excitement.
Then—
> "The first match begins now! Representing Zi Xuan Academy's Dawn Wrath, the one who walks with silence and shadow… Chen Bo!"
Chen Bo stepped forward silently. Dressed in muted grays with silver embroidery, he looked calm — too calm. His sleeves fluttered gently despite the absence of wind. He didn't carry a sword. No visible weapon at all.
Opposite him stood a warrior from the Emerald Thorn Sect — lithe, masked, and wielding dual curved blades etched with toxic-green patterns. The audience recognized them immediately — stealth assassins trained in twin-blade.
The gong echoed.
Round One: Solo Duel — Chen Bo (Dawn Wrath) vs. Lin Yue (Emerald Thorn Sect)
Before the echo faded, Lin Yue vanished.
But Chen Bo didn't flinch.
A flicker behind his back — blade flashing — a strike aimed straight at his spine!
Yet—whoosh!—the figure of Chen Bo dissolved like mist.
The Chen Bo that had been standing there melted away as if made of water vapor.
From the edge of the platform, a whisper of movement — and then SLASH!
Blood flew. But it wasn't Chen Bo's.
Lin Yue reappeared mid-air, a shallow gash along his shoulder, forced to land hard.
From the shadows behind him, Chen Bo stepped out — calm, composed, and dangerous. No visible weapon… but a thin silver thread looped between his fingers, faintly glowing with qi.
The audience murmured in awe.
> "He's using the Shadow Silk Technique… silent, untraceable, deadly!"
They circled one another — Lin Yue's dual blades moving like twin snakes, while Chen Bo manipulated the silver thread like a puppeteer, every flick of his fingers disrupting Lin Yue's rhythm.
Then — with a sudden pull — snap!
Both blades were yanked from Lin Yue's hands, tangled mid-air in Chen Bo's thread.
He stepped forward, calm as moonlight.
> "Yield," Chen Bo said.
Lin Yue clenched his jaw… then slowly bowed, acknowledging defeat.
> "Winner: Chen Bo of Dawn Wrath!"
The Zi Xuan Academy side erupted in cheers, but Chen Bo simply nodded and turned away, expression unreadable.
From the sidelines, Zhang Xin's eyes gleamed.
> "He's improved."
Mei Lan grinned, "Improved? That was straight-up deadly."