The heavens above Heavenly Star City blazed with brilliance, as though the constellations themselves had descended to earth. Rivers of spiritual light flowed through the skies, weaving between crystal towers that pierced the clouds. Every stone, every rune, every glowing street was infused with Qi, creating a living city that pulsed like the beating heart of an immortal formation.
For many disciples, this was the first glimpse of the wider world. They froze in awe, breath stolen, as the majesty of the greatest gathering in the continent unfolded before their eyes.
Yet amid the marvel, Li Shen walked with calm, measured steps. His robes still carried the faint scent of battle from the Trial Grounds, but his presence was sharper, steadier. The unstable tides of light and darkness within him no longer clashed violently; he could suppress them with a breath, as if the crucible of the Trial Grounds had carved away his hesitation.
"The Rising Cloud Sect was but the beginning," he thought, gaze like blades as it swept across the boundless city. "Here, in the gathering of giants, my true path begins."
---
The Rising Cloud disciples followed their elders through streets overflowing with wonders. Merchants displayed shimmering spirit pills that released fragrances capable of soothing souls. Weapons hummed faintly with killing intent, their edges sharp enough to cleave Qi itself. Ancient scrolls of secret techniques glimmered in runic cases, guarded by protective arrays.
Everywhere, disciples of other sects crossed paths. Clashes of aura sparked invisible battles in the air, crackling tension that threatened to explode into violence at any moment. Yet none dared draw blades—this was Heavenly Star City, and only the arena sanctioned battle.
Soon, the Rising Cloud contingent reached the Celestial Thrones Arena.
It was a mountain carved by gods, a colossus of crystal and stone that towered into the heavens. Its pillars gleamed with immortal runes, holding aloft a canopy of starlight that revealed a false sky filled with ever-shifting constellations. Tens of thousands filled the stands, their cheers rolling like thunder.
The Thrones of Ascension was no mere tournament—it was the crucible in which destinies were forged, where the strongest would carve their names into history.
---
In one of the grand plazas outside the arena, disciples of different sects gathered for inspection.
A group clad in fiery robes stepped forward, their leader smirking as his flames licked the air.
"Rising Cloud? I thought that sect had long crumbled into dust," he sneered. "How amusing that you still dare step foot here."
Anger rippled through Rising Cloud's disciples, but before they could respond, Li Shen lifted his hand. His gaze met the fiery youth's with unflinching calm.
"Let strength speak in the arena. Words are ash."
The mocking youth's smirk faltered, only for another booming voice to interrupt.
From the opposite side marched Iron Mountain Sect, their disciples massive, each step like the fall of boulders. At their head, Tie Shan chuckled, voice like rolling thunder.
"If you wish to fight, do it where the heavens allow. Outside the arena, it is nothing but noise."
The tension dispersed slightly, though eyes still glimmered with hostility. Rivalries were already taking shape, each glance a silent declaration of war.
---
Beyond the seven great sects introduced the day before, countless others filled the city, their presence a reminder of the world's vastness.
Crimson Lotus Sect: their disciples walked with serenity, every step blooming into faint red lotuses of Qi. Behind their calm smiles lurked illusions strong enough to bend reality.
Thunder Roar Sect: lightning danced across their skin, each murmur of their voices echoing like storms. They strode forward like walking tempests, arrogant and unyielding.
Verdant Spirit Sect: each disciple was accompanied by a spiritual beast—small wolves, eagles, even glowing butterflies, all fused with their masters' souls.
Starlight Pavilion: robed in dark silks threaded with shimmering constellations, they moved like living stars, each disciple an embodiment of the night sky's beauty and mystery.
Though none rivaled the seven sects' prestige, their presence was undeniable. They were proof that the path of cultivation spread endlessly, with hidden dragons and crouching tigers lurking in every shadow.
---
Suddenly, golden radiance burst across the sky. From the heavens descended the elders of the Heavenly Star Alliance, walking upon air as though upon solid ground. Their aura pressed down like the weight of mountains, forcing even the boldest disciples to bow their heads.
An elder with a flowing white beard raised his hand, and his voice boomed across the city.
"Disciples from across the continent, welcome to the Thrones of Ascension. Here, your fates shall be decided. Not all of you will emerge alive… but those who endure will inherit glory that shakes the heavens."
He gestured, and the sky shimmered. Words formed in blazing starlight:
First Stage: Mass elimination. Survival by any means.
Second Stage: Sect versus sect battles. Unity shall be tested.
Third Stage: Individual duels. The summit awaits.
"And for those who reach the pinnacle," the elder declared, "the Throne Relics shall open—treasures of the age of gods, capable of changing destiny itself."
The crowd erupted in cheers, yet beneath the roar was fear. For every relic gained, countless lives would be consumed.
---
As voices thundered, Li Shen remained silent. He felt the crushing aura of rival geniuses pressing against him like waves. His heart hammered, but his breath was steady. Light and darkness flared within his body, yet under his control, they did not clash—they pulsed in rhythm.
Beside him, Mei Lin stood with quiet strength. The aura of light surrounding her glowed ever brighter, attracting curious glances. Lan Yue's words from the Moonlit Valley Sect still echoed in her mind: "You are not wholly of Rising Cloud…"
Her chest tightened, doubts gnawing at her. But she clenched her fists, gaze firm. Whatever her origin, whatever her bloodline—at this moment, she would stand with Li Shen.
---
From the highest dais overlooking the arena, the elders of the great sects observed. Their eyes swept across the masses of disciples like blades seeking diamonds among rubble.
But one figure stood apart.
Clad in golden robes, his face youthful yet timeless, he sat upon a throne of light. His aura was unfathomable, as though he were a sovereign who had transcended mortality itself.
His gaze settled on Li Shen.
A faint smile curved his lips.
Li Shen's chest constricted. His instincts screamed, his soul trembling as though touched by fate itself. "Who… who is he? And why does it feel as though he has been waiting for me?"
---
As night fell, Heavenly Star City did not dim. Spiritual lamps and flowing rivers of Qi illuminated the streets until the city itself glowed brighter than the stars.
Yet beyond the brilliance, in the shadow of a lone black spire, a figure stood cloaked in darkness.
Zhao Wei.
His black robes billowed in the wind, crimson eyes burning with unholy light. The aura of Shadow Abyss coiled around him like a serpent, more venomous than ever before.
He stared toward the arena where Li Shen resided, his lips curving into a cruel smile.
"Li Shen… You thought the Trial Grounds buried me? No… it was my rebirth. On this stage, under the eyes of the world, I will crush you. And when the dust settles, only darkness shall remain."
The moon cast a pale glow across the city, reflecting the shadow in Zhao Wei's eyes.
And so, with rivalries burning, secrets awakening, and thrones awaiting their claimants, the stage was set.
The Thrones of Ascension were no longer merely a tournament. They were the forge of destiny—and every blade must be tempered in blood.