The trial grounds of the Imperial Heaven Sect stretched like an endless arena carved from stone and cloud. High terraces circled the central square, each filled with clan representatives, elders, and younger hopefuls. On the ground below, countless youths stood waiting, some nervous, some proud, each clutching at the weapons and techniques they had polished for years.
Jace—hooded, hidden under the name Jake Snow—stood silently near the back. He had already registered. His wooden token hung loosely in his sleeve, the engraved number catching faint light as if it was some kind of magnet. He blended into the sea of candidates, yet his gaze was sharp, never idle.
Above him, the voice of the overseeing elder rang clear. "The first trial begins now. The Roaring Dragon Formation will determine who among you has the courage and strength to remain standing. Fight. Endure. Impress us—or be forgotten."
A low hum rose through the ground. The arena pulsed with ancient qi, the air vibrating like a living thing. With a rumble, scales of light shone from the floor, weaving together into a massive spectral dragon coiling across the land. Its roar echoed through the air—deep, resonant, shaking every chest.
[System Notice: External Formation Detected.]
[Analyzing… Formation Essence: 68%. Origin: Roaring Dragon Array.]
Jace's eyes narrowed. He was supposed to blend in, not draw attention. His mission still burned in his thoughts:
Main Quest: [Imperial Crash]
Objective: Enter the Imperial Heaven Sect trials without invitation.
Time Limit: 13 days.
Reward: +2 Cultivation Stages, Unbound Skill Scroll, ???
Penalty: Severe Growth Restriction.
The first stage of that objective was already complete—he was here. Now, he simply needed to survive and not stand out too much....or so he thought.
Sparks erupted as two candidates clashed nearby, the clang of steel sharp against the growing hum of qi. One boy from the Azure Clan swung his halberd with heavy force, while a girl from the Blossom Clan danced like a ballerina on the stage, her sword strokes flowing with grace. They were strong, confident, raised in families that had given them resources and tutors. Jace watched quietly, not to cheer, but to learn.
[Observation Complete: Azure Clan Technique Detected – Iron Sky Halberd (Minor).]
[Observation Complete: Blossom Clan Technique Detected – Petal Step (Intermediate).]
He almost smiled beneath his hood. Every clash, every move, the system recorded. And all he had to do was stand still.....he was enjoying the show.
All around him, flames, qi, and steel collided. The Roaring Dragon Formation forced candidates to release their essence, suppressing those too weak to withstand its pressure. Many staggered, coughing blood, their tokens shattering as they were eliminated. Yet others shone brighter, heirs of clans unwilling to lose face.
Then—everything shifted.
It began with a ripple of silence. The formation's hum wavered, just for a breath. The hairs on Jace's neck rose as the air grew cold, unnaturally so. He turned his head slightly. The sky… darkened. Not clouds, not evening, but a creeping veil of shadow spreading like spilled ink.
The crowd murmured, confused. An elder frowned, scanning the heavens.
The silence broke with a scream.
It came from the eastern wing—sharp, wet, cut short. The crowd erupted as blood sprayed across the stone. From nowhere, figures cloaked in black surged forward, their blades glinting with cold light.
The Nine Shadow Sect.
Jace's eyes narrowed. He had heard of them—whispers of an assassin clan, their blades always aimed at heirs and prodigies, their methods ruthless, yet precise.
The trial grounds descended into chaos. Candidates scattered as assassins burst from shadows themselves, melting out of walls, rising from the ground as if the arena had birthed them. Screams echoed. Elders leapt from their seats, qi surging, but for every assassin struck down, two more seemed to emerge....there seemed to be no end to them.
The sky grew darker still, as though the very sun had been swallowed.
"Protect the heirs!" someone shouted.
The representatives of the Dragon clans flared with brilliance. Scales rippled across the arm of Kael Redscale, his roar shaking the ground as he met a masked killer with claws glowing like molten fire. Beside him, his sister Seris Redscale's crimson flame coiled like a serpent, cutting three assassins in half before they touched her.
The Bluescale twins answered with icy breath, freezing two shadows mid-step. The Blacscale heirs fought with brutal efficiency, blades dripping with black essence that carved through shadow-cloaks like paper.
The Phoenix heirs burned like stars, wings of flame erupting behind them, forcing back the encroaching dark. The Nightveil vampires moved like phantoms themselves, crimson eyes glowing, their speed unnatural. Among them, Veyra Nightveil stood out—calm even as blades whistled toward her, her blood aura forming a shield that shattered steel.
The werewolves howled, bodies twisting, bones cracking as they transformed mid-combat, tearing assassins apart with fangs and claws.
And the humans—Azure, Blossom, Heart, Saint Hall—stood their ground. The Saint Hall heir raised a glowing scripture, light bursting outward to repel the darkness. The Heart Clan youths fought shoulder to shoulder, their teamwork precise, honed. The Blossom Clan's movements painted the battlefield in elegance even amid the blood.
Jace watched it all with stillness that bordered on the unnatural.
[System Alert: Hostile Qi Detected.]
[New Quest Available.]
Side Quest: Survive the Ambush
Objective: Endure until the Sect Elders regain control.
Reward: 500 Essence Points, Hidden Stat Unlock.
Penalty: Termination.
Termination. A polite way of saying death.
Jace exhaled slowly, sinking lower beneath his hood. The chaos was perfect cover, yet danger pressed from every side....he had to be smart. He needed to stay invisible. But the system whispered louder.
A corpse fell near him, an assassin cut down by a dragon heir. The black-clad figure twitched, blood smeared on the stones.
[System Notice: Devourable Essence Detected.]
[Devour? Y/N]
His jaw tightened..he was hesitant. If he said yes, he could grow stronger, quietly, without anyone noticing. But if someone sensed… it would reveal him.
Another scream tore through the night. He looked up just in time to see Veyra Nightveil staggering, a deer cut on her arm, dark blood dripping. An assassin lunged for her heart, his blade like a blur. She twisted, barely escaping, her aura flaring for a heartbeat.
Their eyes met. Her crimson gaze locked on him, just for a second, as if sensing something in the shadow of his hood. Then she was gone, moving like mist, slitting her attacker's throat with cold grace.
Jace's pulse quickened. She was different. Dangerous. And for some reason, his system reacted to her presence.
[System Notice: Unique Bloodline Detected – Nightveil.]
[Error: Insufficient Access Level.]
His frowned.....that was not good.
The battle raged on. Flames, roars, light, and screams tangled together until the arena became a blur of carnage.
An elder shouted above the chaos, his qi exploding outward. "The Nine Shadow Sect seeks the heirs! Do not let them fall!"
So it was true. They weren't here for everyone. They wanted the prodigies—the chosen of each clan.
Jace's hand clenched around his wooden token. His quest demanded survival and secrecy. But already, assassins were spreading through the crowd. Sooner or later, one would notice the hooded boy standing too still.
And the system, relentless, whispered again:
[System Notice: Opportunity Detected.]
[Devour Now and Grow, or Remain Weak and Fall.]
Jace's eyes lifted as another shadow leapt toward the Saint Hall heir, blade shimmering. Around him, the chaos pressed closer, and the darkness thickened.
Slowly, he stepped backward, deeper into the folds of shadow, the hood hiding his face.
[System Notice: Decision Required.]
The choice was his.
But what would he do?
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TO BE CONTINUED...