At the same location where Kiyotaka and the other disciples had entered the Obsidium Sanctum forty-five days ago, many figures now floated in the air, suspended by concentrated Qi that distorted the surrounding space.
Nearly every elder of the Nightshade Monastery had assembled here. Only those on important missions or bound by other obligations were absent. The sheer concentration of power in this single location was staggering. Any of these individuals could easily level a city with casual effort, and together they represented the accumulated might of one of the continent's supreme sects.
Today was no ordinary day.
Today marked the conclusion of the Obsidium Sanctum trial, an event that occurred perhaps once every few decades, timed to coincide with a new generation of exceptional talent. The disciples who would emerge would define the sect's trajectory for the next few centuries. Their performance inside would determine resource allocation, status, and succession.
Though forty-five days had passed inside the Sanctum, only eighteen had trickled by in the outside world. To those assembled elders, such a span was barely worth noting. A single session of meditation could easily extend for years without interruption.
Yet despite their patience born from countless years of existence, a wave of anticipation rippled through the gathering. The trial mattered even to them.
The silence stretched for several minutes, each elder maintaining their position with perfect stillness, their spiritual senses extended toward the flickering dimensional gateway that would soon disgorge the trial's survivors.
Then one voice broke the quiet.
"Well, we still have some time before the disciples emerge. Why not pass the wait with some conversation?"
The speaker immediately drew the attention of every elder present.
He appeared to be in his late twenties, though such assessments meant nothing for cultivators of this caliber. Long brown hair flowed past his shoulders, unbound and moving without the wind. To call him handsome would be an underestimation. And unlike the others, he wore no standard sect robes. Instead, he was dressed in casual deep-midnight-blue traveling clothes that somehow managed to look both comfortable and expensive.
But it was his aura that truly set him apart.
The spiritual pressure emanating from him was dense. He didn't actively emit his aura like some other cultivators, but his Qi was concentrated with such intensity that reality seemed to bend slightly in his vicinity. The strength he was showing rivaled that of Sun Min and Mo Hong, the two Nascent Soul elders who typically represented the monastery's peak power.
And perhaps, most notably, this was his first appearance at the monastery in quite some time. He'd been away on extended travel for reasons unknown, and few would dare to ask.
Several of the gathered elders shifted their attention toward him with varying degrees of respect or even caution.
Sun Min, floating near the center of the assembly, turned his head and regarded the man with a slight smile. "Elder Chen Yufan. I wasn't expecting you to return in time for the trial's conclusion. Your timing is impeccable as always."
Chen Yufan's lips curved into an easy grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Would I miss such an entertaining spectacle? I've been following the disciples' progress remotely when possible. This generation is... particularly interesting."
"I wholeheartedly agree," another elder interjected, nodding with evident satisfaction. His aura, while weaker than those of Chen Yufan, Sun Min, or Mo Hong, still marked him as a Nascent Soul cultivator, someone capable of dominating entire regions with ease.
"This generation boasts an exceptional number of talents. Take Dong Mei, for instance. She already created her own technique within the Dao of Darkness despite only being at Foundation Establishment. Then there's Zhao Wuying, whose proficiency with the Dao of Metal is undeniable, though his attitude certainly requires refinement.
He gestured expansively as he continued. "And we have Yue Lian walking the path of Ice and Hua Mingzhu walking the Dao of Earth. Both have demonstrated remarkable comprehension for their age."
Another elder seized the opportunity to add his thoughts. "Precisely. And let's not overlook Meng Ning, Xun Liang, and Yang Dong. They may currently lag behind the frontrunners, but if they were to simply improve their discipline and dedicate themselves more fully to cultivation and Dao comprehension, they too could reach the level of the top disciples. The raw talent is there. It merely needs more direction."
A third elder spoke up, his voice carrying a note of particular pride. "And of course, we must mention the sect leader's personal disciples. Liang Ruxue possesses dual affinity for Wood and Darkness, while Zhang Feng commands both Lightning and Darkness. These two represent the sect's brightest future, and both are on the verge of forming their fifth Major Vein and breaking through to Foundation Establishment Mid Stage, and they haven't even reached fifty years of age yet. Truly exceptional."
"Indeed, indeed," an elderly cultivator with a long white beard agreed, stroking it thoughtfully. "These disciples collectively represent the future pillars of our Nightshade Monastery. We should be quite pleased with this generation's overall quality."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the assembly, elders nodding to one another with satisfied expressions.
Sun Min observed this exchange with barely concealed amusement playing across his features.
"Hahaha!"
Sudden laughter erupted through the gathering, sharp and unrestrained, cutting through the atmosphere like a blade. All discussion ceased immediately as every elder's attention snapped toward the source.
Chen Yufan laughed freely for several moments, the sound carrying genuine mirth. His shoulders shook with the force of it.
No one spoke. The silence that followed his outburst was thick with tension and confusion.
Finally, he exhaled and smiled. "Fascinating." His gaze swept across the assembled elders, his expression still carrying that amusement. "Truly fascinating. You have compiled a remarkable list of aspiring disciples, all of whom deserve praise."
He paused, letting the moment stretch.
"And yet..." His smile widened. "I find it absolutely remarkable that you've managed to discuss this generation's talent without mentioning the single most exceptional disciple among them."
The confusion among the elders deepened, several exchanging uncertain glances.
Elder Huo's expression soured immediately. "If you're referring to that Ayanokoji boy—"
Chen Yufan turned slightly, his gaze landing on Elder Huo with a look that was neither mocking nor confrontational, but it silenced the elder all the same.
"Oh, I am referring to that Ayanokoji boy," he replied, his tone light, but there was a subtle edge to it. "Is there another disciple who reached the seventh stage of Qi Condensation in mere months? Is there another disciple who managed to kill someone an entire major realm above themselves?"
Mo Hong spoke up with a knowing tone. "You've been keeping rather close watch on the boy, then. Though I suppose, given that it's you, Elder Chen, that's hardly surprising."
"Guilty as charged," Chen Yufan admitted without the slightest trace of shame. "A cultivator who displays that level of potential while maintaining such remarkable emotional control? It would be utterly negligent not to observe closely. That boy's trajectory will lead to one of two outcomes. He'll either become one of the sect's foundational pillars, or..." He let the sentence hang deliberately.
"Or what?" One elder asked with genuine curiosity.
"Or he'll die young," Chen Yufan finished with brutal frankness. "Talents of that magnitude don't go unnoticed. Rival sects, rogue cultivators—the list of potential enemies grows exponentially with each achievement. One single misstep, or a moment of overconfidence, and all that potential means nothing."
Sun Min's expression had shifted to something more contemplative, the earlier amusement fading entirely. "You speak as though you've already estimated his survival probability."
"Naturally." Chen Yufan waved one hand in a dismissive gesture. "Current projections place him at approximately sixty-three percent likelihood of successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, forty-two percent of achieving Core Formation, and..." He paused. "Roughly eighteen percent of eventually touching Nascent Soul. Those percentages shift dramatically, up or down, depending entirely on the decisions made in the next few critical years."
Several elders exchanged meaningful glances. Throughout the sect, Chen Yufan was renowned for two particular qualities: his overwhelming combat prowess that few could match and his eerily accurate predictive analyses. When he assigned specific percentages to future outcomes, history had shown those numbers tended to align disturbingly close to eventual reality.
Mo Hong's frown deepened considerably. "Eighteen percent for Nascent Soul seems... remarkably low. Given the talent he's already demonstrated—"
"Talent is meaningless if you're dead," Chen Yufan interrupted, his tone cutting. "And his abilities, coupled with what appears to be near-complete emotional detachment, create unique vulnerabilities that other cultivators don't face. He doesn't cultivate the social connections and political alliances that could provide protection when needed."
A brief silence followed this assessment before Chen Yufan continued, his tone shifting slightly. "However, I must acknowledge something important. His case is... exceptional. This child is genuinely special in ways that defy normal categorization. Even though I've provided survival estimates, his potential ceiling is so extraordinarily high that I cannot guarantee the accuracy of those percentages. He might shatter every prediction simply by existing outside conventional frameworks."
Sun Min nodded slowly, his voice measured when he spoke. "I find myself in agreement. His ceiling is so elevated that I cannot accurately estimate where it truly ends. Which is precisely why Elder Chen's survival probability concerns are so troubling. A cultivation talent of that magnitude..."
"Attracts predators," Chen Yufan finished the thought seamlessly. "Precisely. Every rival sect monitoring our activities would spend major effort in eliminating such a potential threat."
Mo Hong's frown intensified further, his protective instincts clearly engaged. "Then the logical response is to provide additional protection. We could assign guardian elders to shadow him, restrict his access to dangerous missions, create protective formations—"
"Absolutely not," Chen Yufan cut him off with flat finality. "That approach would cripple his growth entirely. He advances precisely through adversity, through impossible situations that force innovation and breakthrough. Wrap him in protective formations and constant supervision, and you'll create nothing more than a hothouse flower that withers the moment conditions become genuinely difficult."
He paused before continuing. "The boy needs to be tempered and not coddled. Steel is forged in fire, not in comfort. However, and this is crucial, he also needs to be acknowledged. Given access to the resources and opportunities that his talent genuinely merits rather than what his current rank technically allows."
His gaze swept across the assembly once more, and this time there was no amusement in his expression, only sharp judgment. "Which is precisely why your collective failure to even mention him when cataloging this generation's top prospects is so deeply concerning. If the sect's own leadership cannot recognize its greatest asset when it's standing directly in front of you, how can we possibly expect proper cultivation resources to be allocated? How can we ensure he receives appropriate guidance and nourishment from those qualified to provide it?"
The accusation settled over the gathering like a heavy weight, undeniable and uncomfortable.
Elder Huo's face had progressively reddened throughout this exchange. "This is absolutely absurd," he said, his voice tight with barely controlled indignation. "One disciple, no matter how ostensibly talented, cannot possibly be worth more than—"
"Than the collective future of the sect?" Chen Yufan's voice sliced through the protest like winter ice, each word precisely enunciated.
"The probability that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka becomes a defining figure for the Nightshade Monastery, assuming he survives the dangers ahead, exceeds ninety percent by my most conservative calculations. The other disciples you mentioned... they'll become excellent pillars of the sect. Strong and reliable elders."
He gestured toward the pulsing dimensional gateway, his voice taking on a harder edge. "But that boy currently inside? If he lives enough to reach his potential, he won't just become a mere pillar. He'll be the one protecting all those other promising disciples you mentioned. He'll be the one other sects use as their benchmark when measuring their own talents. He'll be the reason rival organizations will think twice, no, three times, before considering aggressive action against the Nightshade Monastery."
Complete silence reigned for several breaths. Then Zhou Zhiqiu spoke, her typically cold voice carrying a note of genuine curiosity. "Your passion regarding this topic is quite notable, Elder Chen. One might almost think you have some personal investment in the outcome rather than merely professional interest."
Chen Yufan's sharp expression softened into something that might have been a genuine smile, not his usual sardonic grin, but something warmer. "That observation is entirely accurate, Elder Zhou. After all, I fully intend to offer him the position of becoming my personal disciple."
Chen Yufan's declaration hung in the air like a thunderclap.
"Elder Chen wants to accept a disciple?!" one elder exclaimed, his voice pitched high with shock. "Are my ears betraying me, or is the world collapsing around us?!"
"This cannot be correct," another elder muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Someone as famously unbound as Elder Chen wanting to take on a disciple? The sect leader himself attempted to convince him to accept students multiple times over the years, and he refused every single approach until the sect leader finally abandoned the effort entirely."
"I witnessed those discussions personally," a third elder confirmed. "Elder Chen was absolutely adamant that he had no interest in teaching disciples. What could have possibly changed?"
"Even Zhang Feng and Liang Ruxue couldn't move him to so much as give a single lesson! But this boy—"
"It must be a joke," someone muttered weakly.
He was the wandering sword of the Nightshade Monastery, the one who had walked the continent alone, challenged entire sects by himself, and returned alive from domains where even Nascent Soul cultivators feared to tread.
But several faces among the assembly, including Sun Min's, had gone notably serious rather than shocked. Their expressions suggested careful consideration rather than surprise.
Because those particular elders had harbored similar intentions.
They, too, had been considering approaching Ayanokoji Kiyotaka with offers of personal discipleship. But unlike Chen Yufan, and with the exception of Sun Min, they had deliberately avoided mentioning the boy during discussions precisely to prevent drawing other elders' attention and interest. The fewer competitors for his mentorship, the better their individual chances.
Now, Chen Yufan had not only brought overwhelming attention to Ayanokoji's potential but had openly declared his intention to claim the boy as a personal disciple.
The political war had shifted dramatically in a single moment.
Elder Lu, the alchemist, leaned over to whisper to Mo Hong, "So much for keeping him under the radar."
Mo Hong sighed. "That ship has sailed. And Chen Yufan just raised the sails himself."
Above them all, Chen Yufan remained silent now, arms behind his back, expression unreadable.
Sun Min's eyes met Chen Yufan's across the distance, and a wordless understanding passed between them.
The competition has begun.
▬▬ι═══════ﺤ
At the mountains' base, the ten disciples stood in silence.
For now, all conversation had ceased. There were no teasing remarks nor provocation attempts.
This was unprecedented. Even Liang Ruxue, who seemed incapable of remaining quiet under normal circumstances, stood motionless and silent.
Time passed.
First minutes, then hours.
Then, as the sanctum's invisible clock marked the transition into a new day, a profound rumble shook the entire realm.
Every disciple immediately went on high alert. Even Kiyotaka, whose expression remained blank, shifted his focus entirely to his surroundings, spiritual sense extending outward to maximum range.
Something had begun with the start of the new day.
.
.
.
I lifted my gaze as the loud rumble sounded across the land. The sky, normally bright and unchanging, began to darken. It wasn't the natural darkness of the night, but something stranger. The ambient light hadn't changed at all, yet the entire sky had turned black. It was a contradiction that defied logical explanation, yet there it was.
Then, from five far-off points in the distance, five beams of light surged upward.
Each one was a different color.
Emerald green from the Wood Region.
Crimson red from the Fire Region.
Silver gray from the Metal Region.
Cerulean from the Water Region.
And, finally, golden yellow from the Earth Region.
The beams tore through the sky, converging from all directions at speeds my eyes couldn't follow. Even Elder Sun Min's speed wasn't able to compare.
Less than two seconds after they first appeared, the beams had arrived above us.
Hovering in perfect geometric formation, the five lights began to transform.
The silver light expanded and took shape, condensing into the massive form of the White Tiger. Its body stretched hundreds of meters, composed of pure metal energy.
Deep cerulean transformed into the Black Tortoise. Its shell was so large, it seemed to contain entire oceans. Furthermore, there was another head. Coiled around the shell was a large serpent, the same size as the turtle's head.
From the emerald green light emerged the familiar Azure Dragon. Its body, scales, and antlers were as spectacular as last time.
The crimson light exploded into flames as the Vermillion Bird spread its wings. All of its feathers seemed to burn as it gave a soundless cry toward the sky.
And finally, the golden light solidified into the Yellow Dragon. It seemed similar to the Azure Dragon, just that its form, colors, and aura were different from the Azure Dragon.
The aura emanating from these five guardians was both purely elemental and profoundly ethereal. I felt something stir in my chest. It was a resonance with the energy emitted, but only toward the White Tiger. The Metal affinity I'd developed responded to its presence.
The other four guardians evoked no such response.
That wasn't a surprise.
Not all of the thirty-seven days were spent in mediation. During the first seven days, I had confirmed that I had no affinity toward another element. Wood had rejected me entirely, as evidenced by the Azure Dragon's disappointed headshake. Fire, Water, and Earth had evoked zero reaction when I tried to make use of their respective major shards.
Only Metal had.
I couldn't look away from the sight in front of us. This sight would be permanently engraved in all of our memories. I was certain of it. In the presence of such overwhelming power, each of us, regardless of our cultivation level or arrogance, felt like nothing more than insects. The scale was incomprehensible.
Then, without warning, the five guardians moved.
They dashed toward one another, converging at the center of the sky above us in a single instant.
"What?!" One of my victims screamed in shock, but the sound barely registered. My entire focus had narrowed to the scene unfolding above.
The five guardians collided at the exact center point of their formation, all striking simultaneously with perfect synchronization.
There was no explosion, no sound, nor a shockwave.
Instead, the sky split.
This wasn't metaphorical language or poetic exaggeration. The sky literally tore apart. Small rifts scattered across the heavens like cracks in glass, with one massive fissure opening directly at the collision point. The tear was so large it displaced the clouds entirely, revealing what lay beyond.
Nothing.
Pure void. The same absolute darkness I'd experienced during my transition to this world. A nothingness so complete it made normal darkness look bright by comparison.
They actually split the sky itself...
What level of power would be required to accomplish such a feat?
Yet, strangely, we felt nothing down below. The collision itself was completely silent despite the obvious violence of the impact.
Under normal circumstances, I was absolutely certain that forces of this magnitude would have annihilated us instantly if their effects had propagated downward. The fact that we remained unharmed suggested either incredible control or some protective mechanism built into the realm's structure.
The moment of collision didn't last long.
The five guardian forms began to dissolve, their bodies breaking down into pure elemental light once more.
These five distinct lights then began to merge.
Slowly at first, then with increasing speed, till it eventually formed a vortex. The generative and destructive cycles both played out simultaneously. Water nourished Wood, Wood fed Fire, Fire birthed Earth, Earth bore Metal, Metal enriched Water, all while Wood stabilized Earth, Earth controlled Water, Water suppressed Fire, Fire melted Metal, and Metal cleaved Wood.
The torn sky began to repair itself. The rifts sealed, the void disappeared, and normal atmosphere returned. The darkened sky lightened back to its usual state.
And there, floating at the exact point where the five guardians had collided, was something new.
There was a sphere.
No larger than a fist, it hovered slightly in the air. Its surface swirled with all five elemental colors in constant motion. The five colors flowed together, without mixing, each maintaining its distinct identity.
It radiated power that made the very air tremble.
Zhang Feng exhaled softly, his normally steady voice quivering slightly. "The... Core of the Five Symbols," he murmured. "It actually exists."
"Tens of thousands of years," Liang Ruxue whispered, her playful demeanor entirely absent. "No one has successfully claimed it. Not a single cultivator in history..."
Then, without warning, the Core surged upward.
Its acceleration was instantaneous and extreme. The sphere shot straight up with such velocity that tracking its movement was impossible. It climbed higher and higher through the now-cloudless sky, rising above the mountain peak that had previously remained shrouded in mist throughout the entire trial.
The summit was now fully visible.
And there, suspended exactly one meter above the mountain's peak, the Core came to a stop. It settled into position, hovering motionless, as if claiming its rightful throne.
By rough visual estimation, the mountain had to be approximately sixty thousand feet tall.
So this is the Obsidium Sanctum's true reward.
I felt the atmosphere shift among the gathered disciples. The emotional spectrum was wide and varied. Some remained silent, others stood frozen in shock, and finally, some had their spiritual energy spiking noticeably, greed creeping in.
I had no definitive way of confirming the Core's exact properties or benefits. Neither the sect nor the sanctum provided me with an instruction manual or an explanation. But based on my time here and the clues I'd observed during this trial, I could formulate a hypothesis.
If my analysis is correct... this Core would grant complete elemental affinity across all five elements.
The implications were staggering, almost beyond comprehension. They would ruin the very balance of this planet.
A cultivator with access to all five elements wouldn't just have incredible versatility. They would possess fundamental strategic superiority in every engagement. The ability to counter any enemy's elemental advantage while simultaneously exploiting their weaknesses.
And that didn't even account for fusion techniques.
If someone could successfully combine multiple elements in a single technique, the resulting power would be exponentially greater than the sum of its parts. Such fusion techniques could bridge entire major realms. A Core Formation cultivator wielding dual or triple element fusion might genuinely threaten Nascent Soul cultivators.
My earlier technique, Blood Sovereign's Execution, was proof enough. Despite only being at Qi Condensation, I'd successfully bridged that cultivation gap and posed genuine threats to Foundation Establishment cultivators.
That feat, however, came with clear limitations.
It was only possible because of the techniques I inherited from the Crimson Sage. Metal and Darkness alone wouldn't have sufficed in such strength.
They would have amounted to little more than a single decisive killing move, or a trump card, but that was it.
That was the ceiling.
But if someone possessed affinity for all five elements...
Then the situation changed entirely.
They wouldn't be restricted to a single element combination. They could create countless fusion techniques. And each combination would offer tactical applications suited to different scenarios.
Every potential attack could have the strength level of my current top move.
I heard a gulp beside me.
I turned slightly.
It was Yang Dong. His injuries were still visible, though he'd clearly consumed healing pills. The wounds no longer actively hindered his movement. At most, they merely reduced his overall combat effectiveness.
His eyes were locked onto the peak with unfiltered greed.
"It's MINE!" he screamed, his voice cracking with desperate intensity.
He sprinted toward the natural stone slope ahead, the only path leading up the mountain. Until now, an invisible barrier had prevented access. But the moment the Core had settled above the summit, that restriction vanished, as if acknowledging the start of the final trial.
That barrier's fall marked the beginning of the final phase.
Yang Dong's reckless charge broke the spell holding everyone else in place.
In the blink of an eye, the other disciples surged forward.
"Move!" Dong Mei's voice cut through the air as she too surged forward, her Foundation Establishment cultivation propelling her at speeds that left afterimages.
Zhao Wuying wasn't far behind, Metal Qi coating his body as he accelerated. "Out of my way!"
Hua Mingzhu and Yue Lian exchanged one brief glance before they too launched themselves toward the mountain path, their movements coordinated despite no verbal communication.
Zhang Feng's lightning aura exploded outward as he abandoned all pretense of calm, transforming into a crackling bolt that shot toward the ascent.
Liang Ruxue finally moved, though her approach was more measured than the others' frantic rush.
I didn't hesitate.
My feet ignited with Metal Qi and Darkness Qi simultaneously. Blood Qi remained dormant for now. Activating it now would only waste precious energy better saved for inevitable conflicts ahead.
I shot forward, joining the race.
The Obsidium Sanctum's final chapter had begun.