Crimson Sky Academy glowed under the twilight sun, the peaks casting long shadows over the pristine halls. Word of Su Mengtian's solo completion of the Storm Trial in Thunderclad Basin had already reached the higher echelons of the Academy. Whispers echoed through corridors, students spoke of him in reverent tones, and many instructors watched the horizon, curious to lay eyes on the youth who had tamed the Tempest Fang Bear and emerged with relics once sealed for legends.
As the sky burned with a soft amber hue, Su Mengtian dismounted beside the Grand Plaza, Commander Fei Wu by his side. The seasoned general had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout their journey, but his sharp eyes scanned every corner, as though expecting trouble to leap from shadow.
"You're no longer just a prodigy," Fei Wu said, voice low. "The moment you stepped out of Thunderclad Basin alive, with that dragon egg in your possession and lightning in your stride... you became a contender for something far greater."
Mengtian adjusted the Thunder-Bearing Armguards hidden beneath his sleeves, feeling their silent pulse. "What happens next?"
Fei Wu stopped at the edge of the plaza. "You meet the Hallmasters. The nine pillars of this Academy. They've called an emergency Ethereal Summit to assess your role in what lies ahead."
Mengtian's steps slowed. The summit was rarely convened, a secretive conclave only initiated when matters of utmost strategic importance arose.
Inside the Hall of Unity – Council Summit Chamber,
The summit chamber was a circular vault lined with celestial sigils and enchanted lanterns that shimmered with astral light. Nine thrones of different elemental resonance encircled the polished floor, each occupied by a Hallmaster — Ji Yeyan of Shadows, Rao Lin of Valor, Inara of Ironblood, Baojin of Aegis, Kai Chan of Echoes, Xiaoyun of Wyrmcallers, Lan Qiu of Tempests, Yue Mei of Luminous Veil, and Xuan Le of Astral Command.
At the center, a lone pedestal rose — the position of judgment and dialogue.
When Su Mengtian entered, his gaze met nine pairs of intense eyes. Some curious, others calculating, and a few genuinely warm.
"Su Mengtian," Xuan Le's calm voice resonated. "You stand before us as a storm-forged cultivator. You've claimed the right to command with deeds, not just words."
Kai Chan leaned forward, fingers drumming lightly. "But we ask — can you lead others not just in power, but in unity, in vision?"
Rao Lin's laughter boomed. "He faced the Tempest Fang Bear alone, survived the ancient lightning gauntlet. That's enough valor to put half our warriors to shame."
Ji Yeyan raised a hand. "Valor without foresight is reckless. Let us not rush judgment."
Yue Mei nodded gently. "This trial was the first step. We are not here to test his past... but to shape his future."
Headmaster Yuwen Jinhai entered last. A silver-haired scholar with robes trimmed in gold and stardust.
"I propose we offer Su Mengtian the Trial of Ethereal Merit," he said. "It's time he glimpses the higher game we're all pieces of."
The Hallmasters exchanged glances. Some surprised. Others expectant.
Inara of Ironblood finally broke the silence. "Agreed. But let us warn him — this is no ordinary rite."
Later That Night – Astral Pavilion Balcony,
Under a dome of stars, Su Mengtian stood alone until footsteps approached.
Hallmaster Xuan Le joined him, his robe billowing with a faint astral shimmer. "They see pieces of themselves in you. Valor, clarity, resilience. Yet no one can prepare you for the burden of knowing more than the world wishes."
Mengtian turned toward him. "What is the Ethereal Merit Trial truly about?"
Xuan Le looked toward the sky. "Power without wisdom births tyrants. Influence without restraint ends in ruin. This trial will show you not what the world is... but what it hides."
"And if I fail?"
"Then you remain powerful... but directionless. A sword with no wielder."
As silence stretched, a junior messenger appeared, out of breath. "Urgent missive from the Northern Sky Veins! The Island Carrying Kun has stirred. The spirit beacons lit. The elders are calling a conclave."
Both Xuan Le and Mengtian turned sharply.
"So the myths stir," the Hallmaster whispered. "The tides change. Perhaps your next trial will not wait as long as we thought."
Next Day, at Morning,
Morning light crept across Huayin Village, illuminating the Su estate with gentle warmth. Su Mengtian stood in the rear courtyard, the air crisp around him as he practiced his breathing techniques in perfect synchronization with the thunder pulses echoing in his core.
Behind him, Su Leilong sat in his usual spot beneath the pine tree, retired from worldly struggles yet ever watchful. His robe was simple, but his presence carried the unmistakable weight of a man who had once stood atop countless battlefields.
"You're different now," Su Leilong remarked, sipping tea. "Your steps carry thunder, and your eyes… war."
Su Mengtian finished his form and turned, a small smile playing at the edge of his lips. "The world doesn't wait, father. I have no choice but to change."
"Change, yes. But remember what anchors you," Leilong said softly. "You were born of this land. Let your rise be rooted, not reckless."
Mengtian nodded with a solemn bow.
A sharp whistle broke the morning calm. Commander Fei Wu approached with purpose, trailed by elite messengers from Crimson Sky Academy. They bore detailed scrolls, resource reports, and fresh intelligence on their next target—an island shrouded in arcane mist, known only in legend until now.
"The Island of Kun," Fei Wu declared, unrolling a parchment onto the courtyard table. "It has reappeared in the Southern Sea. Our scouts confirm strange activity and multiple unknown energy signatures. No established faction has claimed it—yet."
Su Mengtian's gaze narrowed. "An unclaimed relic? Or a trap waiting to be sprung?"
Fei Wu gave a tight smile. "Possibly both. But one thing's clear: whoever controls the Island of Kun will gain a strategic advantage across three maritime trade routes, and likely access to ancient arcane materials."
A spark lit in Mengtian's eyes. "Then we move."
"Within reason," Su Leilong interjected calmly. "You're not the only power watching that place. Rashness will undo you before any battle begins."
"I'll send reconnaissance ahead," Mengtian said, already forming the plan aloud. "Ji Yeyan will dispatch shadows. Lan Qiu and Xiaoyun can prepare aerial and beast-based sweeps. We'll need layered strategy—not just strength."
Fei Wu placed a palm-sized crystal on the table. It projected a rough illusion of the island—jagged cliffs, violet forests, and strange floating stone rings above its core. "Time is limited. Rumors spread fast."
Su Mengtian turned to face the Hallmasters who had gathered silently around the courtyard edge. Each one stood at attention: Ji Yeyan, Rao Lin, Inara, Baojin, Kai Chan, Xiaoyun, Lan Qiu, Yue Mei, and Xuan Le.
"The Island of Kun will be our proving ground," Mengtian said. "Our stronghold must be mobile, tactical, and built to adapt. This is more than expansion—it's the opening move in our continental rise."
A brief hush fell.
Then Su Mengtian raised his hand, drawing lightning into his palm with quiet force. He etched a sigil into the courtyard stone: a spiral storm coiled around a rising dragon, wings spread wide.
"This is the mark of our coming. Let it be seen from sea to summit."
As the sun dipped behind the hills, Su Leilong rose and placed a firm hand on Mengtian's shoulder. "Don't forget that conquest isn't always taken—it's earned. Win hearts as well as land."
Mengtian met his father's eyes. "I will. This island will be our first pillar. From there, we build the future."
That night, beneath a sky streaked with stars and stormlight, the first plans for the Island of Kun were drawn. Su Mengtian stood before his Hallmasters, maps splayed around him, lightning dancing at his fingertips.
"Prepare the ships. Ready the vanguard. In ten days, we sail."
The egg of the Celestial Thunder Dragon pulsed once more within his storage ring.
The ocean awaited.