The Azure Cloud Continent was not kind to Alex. Two years after transmigrating into the body of a dead orphan, the 16-year-old was still dodging the heavens' wrath. Lightning seemed to stalk him, spirit beasts eyed him like a snack, and even stray pebbles conspired to trip him. Yet, every disaster left him with a shiny prize—a Spirit Core here, a mysterious herb there—making him Willow Creek Village's walking paradox of calamity and fortune. Now, with a faintly stirring dantian and a dream to punch the heavens, Alex set out for the Righteous Annihilation Sect, the continent's most righteous yet unhinged sect, rumored to be a mental asylum for cultivators who blew up mountains to "uphold justice."
Alex trudged along a winding path through the Misty Vale, a bamboo basket slung over his shoulder, stuffed with spirit turnips and a rusty dagger—his only possessions. The sect's outer examination was in three days, and he'd heard it was brutal: three stages testing strength, wit, and spirit. If he passed, he'd join the sect's outer disciples, a step toward defying his cursed fate. If he failed… well, the heavens would probably drop a boulder on him for laughs.
The path was serene, with mist curling around ancient trees and qi humming faintly in the air. Alex, however, knew better than to trust serenity. "No disasters today," he muttered, eyeing the sky. "Just let me get to the sect without—"
A twig snapped. Alex froze, hand on his dagger, as a low growl echoed from the bushes. "You've got to be kidding me." A Horned Razor Boar, twice the size of the ones that trashed Willow Creek's market, burst onto the path, its tusks gleaming like swords. Its red eyes locked on Alex, as if the heavens had personally sent it to ruin his day.
Alex bolted, his basket bouncing wildly. "Why me?!" he yelped, dodging a tusk that grazed his robe. The boar chased him through the vale, uprooting trees and sending birds scattering. Alex's bad luck kicked into overdrive: he tripped over a root, rolled down a slope, and crashed into a clearing—right into a pair of polished boots.
"Silence," a cold, sharp voice cut through the chaos. Alex looked up, heart pounding, to see a woman in flowing silver robes, her face as icy as a glacier. Her black hair was tied in a severe bun, and her eyes, sharp as daggers, pinned him in place. She radiated Nascent Soul Early Stage power, her aura crackling with controlled chaos. The boar skidded to a halt, whimpered, and fled as if it had seen a demon.
"Uh… thanks?" Alex stammered, scrambling to his feet. The woman's gaze could've frozen a volcano. She was young—barely 25—but carried an authority that screamed "don't mess with me." Her presence alone made the air feel heavier, as if the heavens themselves bowed to her.
"You," she said, her voice like a blade, "are a walking disaster. Why are you on my sect's land?"
"Your sect?" Alex gulped. "I'm Alex, here for the outer sect examination. I didn't mean to—"
"Enough." She raised a hand, and a gust of icy wind silenced him, nearly knocking him over. "I am Shui Bing (Frozen Torrent), Valley Master of Flood Redemption Valley and youngest disciple of the Righteous Annihilation Sect's founder. You will speak when permitted."
Alex's jaw dropped. Shui Bing was the youngest Valley Master, rumored to be so strict that even Sect Leader Duan Renyi tiptoed around her. Whispers said her family, the ancient Shui Clan, had ties to the Immortal Realms, making her background as terrifying as her icy demeanor. Yet, her valley's chaotic water techniques—floods that "cleansed evil"—fit the sect's unorthodox righteousness perfectly.
Before Alex could process this, a cheerful voice rang out. "Oi, is that a boar-chased cultivator? Classic!" A young man, about Alex's age, sauntered into the clearing. He was dressed in gaudy gold robes, his hair adorned with jade pins, screaming "rich kid." His grin was infectious, and his eyes sparkled with a mischievous intellect that matched Alex's own chaotic brain.
"Who're you?" Alex asked, wary but curious.
"Jin Hao, heir to the Jin Merchant Clan, future legend of the Righteous Annihilation Sect!" the boy declared, striking a dramatic pose. "Saw you running from that boar. Epic style, brother! Tripping and surviving? That's art."
Shui Bing's eye twitched. "Jin Hao, cease your nonsense. You're also here for the examination?"
"Yup!" Jin Hao winked. "Gonna join the sect, make history, maybe blow up a mountain or two. This guy's my new best friend, by the way." He slung an arm around Alex, who blinked in confusion.
"Best friend?" Alex echoed. "We just met."
"Details!" Jin Hao waved it off. "You've got that 'screw-the-heavens' vibe. We're gonna cause chaos together."
Shui Bing's cold stare intensified. "Both of you, follow me to the sect grounds. Cause trouble, and I'll drown you in my valley's torrents." Her tone promised no mercy, but Alex caught a flicker of warmth in her eyes, like she was secretly amused by their antics.
As they followed her through the vale, Jin Hao whispered, "Heard she once flooded a rival sect's treasury to 'teach them humility.' Even the Sect Leader's scared of her. Her Shui Clan could probably buy half the continent."
"Great," Alex muttered. "Another reason for the heavens to hate me."
The trio reached the sect grounds, a sprawling complex of glowing peaks and cratered valleys, buzzing with chaotic qi. The outer sect examination was about to begin, and hundreds of hopefuls gathered at the base of Righteous Peak. Shui Bing led them to a stone platform where examiners, clad in the sect's silver-and-black robes, prepared the first stage.
"The examination has three stages," Shui Bing announced, her voice cutting through the crowd's chatter. "Strength, Wit, and Spirit. Fail, and you leave. Succeed, and you join our righteous cause. Begin."
Alex exchanged a glance with Jin Hao, who grinned. "Ready to screw this up, brother?"
"Born ready," Alex sighed, already bracing for disaster.
Stage One: Test of Strength
The first stage was a trial of physical prowess: climb the Thousand Steps Cliff, a sheer rock face infused with qi-suppressing runes. Reach the top, and you pass. Fall, and you're out. Simple, unless you were Alex, whose bad luck turned simplicity into chaos.
Alex and Jin Hao lined up with the other candidates, a mix of scrappy villagers and pampered clan heirs. The cliff loomed, its runes pulsing ominously. Shui Bing stood at the top, arms crossed, her icy gaze scanning the crowd. "Move," she commanded.
The candidates surged forward. Alex, determined to avoid trouble, took one step—and tripped over a loose rock, crashing into Jin Hao. The two tumbled into a nearby candidate, who yelped and knocked over a torch. The torch rolled into a patch of dry grass, igniting a small fire that spread toward the cliff's base.
"Oops," Jin Hao said, grinning as candidates screamed and scattered. "Nice one, Alex!"
"Not my fault!" Alex protested, dodging a flaming twig. The fire, somehow fueled by the cliff's qi, roared upward, weakening the runes. The suppression lifted slightly, giving Alex's sluggish dantian a faint spark. He didn't notice, too busy running from the flames.
Shui Bing's voice thundered from above. "Control that fire, or I'll drown you all!" A wave of water qi surged from her hand, extinguishing the blaze but soaking everyone. The candidates, now drenched, glared at Alex and Jin Hao.
"Great start," Jin Hao whispered, slicking back his wet hair. "Let's climb before she drowns us for real."
They scrambled up the cliff, Alex's bad luck striking again as loose rocks crumbled under his hands. Jin Hao, with his rich-kid agility, grabbed Alex's arm, pulling him up. "You're a walking hazard, but I like it!" he laughed.
Halfway up, a rune flared, blasting Alex with a qi shockwave. He slipped, flailing, and grabbed a hidden ledge—revealing a glowing Spirit Stone embedded in the rock. The crowd gasped. "How does he do that?" a candidate muttered.
Shui Bing's eyes narrowed, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. "Focus," she barked, though Alex swore he saw approval in her gaze.
By some miracle, Alex and Jin Hao reached the top, panting and soaked. The cliff was littered with fallen candidates, but their chaotic teamwork—Alex's disasters and Jin Hao's quick thinking—got them through. Shui Bing approached, her face cold but her voice softer. "You two are reckless, but your hearts are in the right place. Pass."
Alex blinked. Was that… praise? Jin Hao elbowed him. "Told you, brother. We're legends already."