Golden radiance spilled across the skies as the disciples of the Rising Cloud Sect stepped through the colossal gates of Heavenly Star City. The city was unlike anything they had ever seen—vast towers of crystal spiraled into the heavens, rivers of luminous Qi coursed through the air like constellations brought to earth, and banners of countless sects fluttered proudly, each exuding its own aura of dominance.
The Rising Cloud disciples gazed in awe, their breaths stolen by the majesty before them. Yet among them, Li Shen walked with measured steps. His body pulsed with unstable waves of light and darkness, but unlike before, he could steady them with a breath—proof of the crucible he had endured within the Trial Grounds.
"This world is so much vaster than Rising Cloud ever hinted," Li Shen thought, eyes sharp as blades. "And it is here, among giants, that my true path begins."
---
Arrival of the Celestial Flame Sect 🔥
The air ignited with heat as the first sect's arrival drew thunderous cheers. Their presence was like a blazing inferno sweeping through the plaza—Celestial Flame Sect.
They marched in fiery formation, their robes shimmering like molten steel. At their head strode a youth whose hair burned like scarlet flame and whose gaze seared with arrogance—Huo Jian.
His lips curled as his eyes landed on the Rising Cloud delegation.
"Rising Cloud? I thought that sect had long turned to ash. And yet… here you are, clinging to scraps of glory."
Murmurs rippled through the other sects. Huo Jian stepped closer, locking his gaze directly on Li Shen.
"And you must be Li Shen—the boy tainted by forbidden Qi. Hmph. I'll see to it that your name becomes nothing but a pile of dust when this tournament ends."
Anger surged among the Rising Cloud disciples, but Li Shen raised a hand, silencing them. He met Huo Jian's burning stare with calm, steady eyes.
"I don't care for your words. If fate puts us in the arena, let strength decide whose path burns brighter."
For a moment, silence hung in the air. Then Huo Jian threw back his head and laughed, loud and scornful.
"Good! I like your spirit. That will make your destruction all the more satisfying."
The crowd roared with anticipation, sensing the spark of a fiery rivalry.
---
Arrival of the Azure Dragon Sect 🐉
The atmosphere shifted, the scorching flames giving way to a tide of majesty. Azure Dragon Sect entered, their disciples moving like an unstoppable river.
At their head walked a youth in deep azure robes, every step radiating a quiet, crushing authority. His eyes shone like twin stars within the night—Long Tian, one of the generation's undisputed geniuses.
He stopped before Li Shen, his expression unreadable, his presence like a coiled dragon ready to strike.
"So you are the one who bears both light and darkness?" His voice was calm, but each word carried weight. "I intend to see for myself if the rumors are truth. I look forward to crossing blades."
No insult. No mockery. Only pure challenge.
Li Shen inclined his head. "And I look forward to answering it."
A hushed tension filled the plaza. Between Li Shen and Long Tian, a rivalry of destiny had silently taken root.
---
Arrival of the Moonlit Valley Sect 🌙
Soft radiance bathed the square as Moonlit Valley Sect arrived. Their disciples moved with ethereal grace, shrouded in the glow of moonlight.
At their center was a young woman, serene yet radiant, eyes deep as the night sky—Lan Yue. She did not glance at Li Shen. Instead, her gaze locked onto Mei Lin.
"The light within you…" Lan Yue murmured, her voice carrying like a whisper in the wind. "It is not of Rising Cloud. You are… different. You do not wholly belong to them."
Mei Lin froze, eyes wide. "What do you mean?"
Lan Yue only smiled faintly, offering no answer as she turned away.
The words lingered like a shadow in Mei Lin's heart. Li Shen frowned, his gaze flicking to her—yet he said nothing. Questions now swirled unbidden: just what was Mei Lin's true origin?
---
Arrival of the Iron Mountain Sect ⛰️
The ground quaked with thunderous steps. The Iron Mountain Sect arrived, their disciples built like living fortresses, each step shaking the plaza.
At their lead strode a towering youth, his chest broad as a mountain, his voice booming like thunder.
"I am Tie Shan! Whoever blocks my path will be crushed beneath my fists! No matter your sect, no matter your name!"
He beat his chest with a sound like a war drum, sending echoes rolling across the square. Some laughed at his bluntness, others paled at his sheer, intimidating presence. Tie Shan's strength was not a matter of rumor—it was an undeniable reality.
---
Arrival of the Serpent Fang Sect 🐍
A sinister heaviness filled the air. Breaths grew shallow, the atmosphere tainted as though venom itself had seeped into the lungs. Serpent Fang Sect slithered forward, every step exuding poison.
Their leader, Yin Xiu, smiled with lips thin and sharp as a blade. He stopped near Li Shen, his voice a venomous whisper meant only for him.
"Be wary, Li Shen. Even if you survive the tournament… who's to say my poison hasn't already crept into your veins?"
Li Shen met his gaze without flinching.
"Then make sure your poison is strong enough to kill someone who has already swallowed light and darkness."
Yin Xiu's smile deepened into something colder, then he drifted back into his ranks.
---
Arrival of the Shadow Abyss Sect 🌑
And then—the world dimmed. The very light of the sun seemed swallowed as Shadow Abyss Sect entered. Their disciples moved like wraiths, cloaked in oppressive darkness that silenced the square.
All eyes turned as their formation parted, revealing a youth cloaked in black, his face hidden behind a mask. Whispers rippled like wildfire. Who was he?
With deliberate slowness, the youth removed his mask.
Gasps tore through the crowd.
It was Zhao Wei.
His eyes glowed crimson, his aura now a vortex of pure darkness and ruin, far stronger than before. A cruel smile twisted his lips.
"Li Shen…" His voice was icy, echoing with hatred.
"You thought the Trial Grounds ended me? That was merely the beginning. Under Shadow Abyss, I've been reborn. And I swear—your path ends here."
The square erupted in uproar, shock and dread spreading through every sect. The elders of Rising Cloud stiffened, fury flashing in their eyes.
But Li Shen only stood still, the dual auras within him trembling in response. His gaze locked onto Zhao Wei, unwavering.
"So this is the path you've chosen, Zhao Wei. Very well… then I will face it head on."
---
Seven sects now stood together upon the plaza, their banners rippling in unseen winds. Rivalries flared, secrets whispered, and destinies intertwined.
The air itself seemed to tremble beneath the weight of the gathering. This was not merely a tournament—it was the crucible that would forge the future.
And amid the storm, three names already blazed in every heart: Li Shen. Long Tian. Zhao Wei.
The first steps of the Thrones of Ascension had begun.