Xan Li Fang found himself once again standing on the surface of the infinite, mirror-like ocean, but a profound metamorphosis had occurred. The darkness that usually enveloped the horizon was pushed back by a new, blinding brilliance. Xan took slow, deliberate steps toward the center where, pulsing with a rhythmic, golden heartbeat, hung a massive, radiant Star. "Hmmm," Xan murmured, shielding his eyes with his hand. "My perspective is limited from this elevation; I require a superior vantage point." He willed himself upward, his spirit body floating into the "sky" of his inner world, stopping only when he reached the orbit of the new celestial body. He hovered there, stunned. "What is this phenomenon?" he whispered. "Yesterday, this Star did not exist; yesterday, the Essences orbited me. Now... they orbit it? Or has my cultivation level ascended again without my cognizance?"
He stared intently at the cosmic dance before him, analyzing the shifts with a scholar's eye. The Life Essence (White), Death Essence (Black), Reincarnation Essence (Grey), and the newly awakened Sword Essence (Sharp Silver) were moving frantically, spinning around the central Star with aggressive velocity and humming with power, as if they had sworn absolute fealty to this new sun. In contrast, the other dormant Essences—Fire, Water, Space, Time, and the rest—hung in the distance like cold, dead planets: silent, motionless. "It appears the active Essences have secured a gravitational anchor," Xan analyzed. "However, the origin of this Star eludes me; perhaps I should consult Master Sumo... or locate a record of the Dao Master's cultivation methodology." He reached out a hand to touch the Reincarnation Essence... "Hey, brother! Awaken immediately!" The voice did not emanate from the star; it tore through the sky of his mind like thunder. "Do you possess any comprehension of your actions?!"
THUD! "Argh!" The serenity of the Sea of Consciousness shattered, and Xan's eyes snapped open in the physical world just as a sharp pain exploded in his ribs. He bolted upright in bed, clutching his side. "Master Marta?!" Xan groaned, rubbing the sore spot where she had unceremoniously kicked him. "What is the meaning of this assault? Is a student prohibited from acquiring repose in this institution?" Marta stood by his bed, hands on her hips; her usually calm, goddess-like demeanor was obliterated. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes blazed with a mixture of fury and panic. "Repose?!" she hissed, leaning down until they were nose-to-nose. "How can you slumber?! Are you cognizant of the identity of the individual you just beat half to death? That was not a random sentry! That was the Disciple of the Sword Lord!" Xan blinked, his expression remaining maddeningly calm. "And?" "And?!" Marta looked ready to strangle him. "The Sword Lord is one of the Seven Sovereigns! He is fiercely protective of his students and will not dismiss this slight—he will arrive to fracture every bone in your somatic frame!"
Xan shrugged, reaching for his boots. "He initiated the hostility. Had he not obstructed my path and attacked first, I would not have touched a follicle on his head; it was self-defense." "Self-defense..." Marta massaged her temples as if fighting a migraine. "You are unbelievable. Attend closely: this is your predicament now. You must resolve it independently." She straightened, glancing nervously toward the door. "Master Sumo has been summoned to the Imperial Palace by the Emperor and is unavailable to shield you. The Sword Lord heeds only Sumo... without him, you are solitary against a Sovereign." She looked at him with a mix of pity and frustration. "What an unfortunate brat you are. Fine. I have issued my warning. Preserve yourself!" WHOOSH. Before Xan could reply, she dissolved into green particles and vanished, clearly unwilling to be present when the Sword Lord arrived. "Hmph," Xan scoffed, standing and stretching his stiff muscles. "Retreating with such velocity... some 'Goddess' she is."
He walked to the basin, splashed cold water on his face to wash away the grogginess, and dried his hands methodically while staring into the cracked mirror. "Even if I am disqualified," he told his reflection, "I can still witness the spectacle. I must locate Elder Mulo, explain the situation, and bid farewell; I cannot leave him believing I abandoned our compact without rationale." Xan adjusted his jacket, opened the door, and stepped into the crisp morning air. The campus was buzzing; even from here, the roar of the crowd at the Lindao Royal Arena was deafening. He began to walk toward the sound, his steps leisurely and unhurried, looking less like a man hunted by a Sovereign and more like a tourist on a stroll. But he didn't make it far. Just as he reached the edge of the courtyard, a voice—deep, majestic, and vibrating with power—arrested his movement. "Boy... where are you rushing to?" The air suddenly grew heavy, pressing down on Xan's shoulders like a physical weight.
Xan stopped. He didn't turn immediately; he simply tilted his head, a small smile playing on his lips. The sky itself seemed to bow in reverence as clouds parted and sunlight bent around the figure descending from the heavens, casting him in a majestic, terrifying silhouette. Xan Li Fang squinted; for a fleeting second, he thought he was looking at Master Jin Sumo, for the figure wore a mask identical in design to the Grand Enforcer's. But where Sumo was a void of pristine white, this man was a storm of violent Red. His crimson robes flowed like spilled blood, and on his back, he carried a weapon that defied the logic of the Mortal Continent—a broadsword that drank the light, pulsing with a rhythmic, alien heartbeat and radiating a pressure that made the air scream. Xan didn't cower; instead, he offered a shallow, mocking bow. "To think the wind would blow such a mighty figure to my humble doorstep," Xan said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What an honor, Sword Lord."
THUD. The Sword Lord didn't float down gently; he slammed into the ground, cracking the stone beneath his boots as he towered over Xan. "I will grant you the mercy of choice, boy," the Sword Lord stated, his voice a deep growl vibrating in Xan's chest. "Option one: I shatter your legs immediately, and you crawl for the remainder of your miserable existence as a cripple." Xan's eyes narrowed, the playful smirk replaced by cold steel. "And the second?" "Option two," the Lord continued, crossing his arms. "Combat. If you survive for five minutes without expiring, I will release you." Xan let out a short, sharp laugh of anticipation; he had been itching to test the limits of the Sword Dao he had unlocked, and a Sovereign was the perfect whetstone. "No," Xan replied firmly. "I refuse." The Sword Lord tilted his head. "You elect the legs, then?" "I elect a fair engagement," Xan corrected, his voice rising. "Cease regarding me as an insect beneath your boot; if you underestimate me, I will be forced to instruct you in the same lesson I taught your disciple."
The air froze. "How dare you!" The Sword Lord's roar shook the building. "You arrogant brat! Fine! If you desire a stage, I will provide a stage!" WARP. Space twisted violently, and the courtyard dissolved into a blur of colors. In the blink of an eye, the scenery changed; the quiet solitude was replaced by the roar of thousands in the Lindao Royal Arena. Although the official matches had concluded, the stands were packed. A ripple of shock went through the crowd as two figures materialized. "Look! Who is that?" "Is that... the Sword Lord?! One of the Seven Sovereigns!" "Who is the youth challenging him?" In the VIP section, Elder Mulo dropped his teacup, staring slack-jawed. "Master Wang..." Mulo whispered, wiping sweat. "It has been merely fifteen days... he solved my clan's crisis in hours... and now he is provoking a Sovereign?! This boy... his courage is either divine or insane." The crowd erupted into cheers; a bonus match featuring a Sovereign was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.
"Let us commence, boy," the Sword Lord announced, his voice amplified by Qi. He unbuckled the alien red sword and stabbed it into the ground outside the circle. "To maintain fairness," he said, cracking his knuckles, "I will eschew my blade. I know you lack a spirit weapon; I will crush you with my bare hands." Xan watched him, expression unreadable. He believes he is generous; he is merely arrogant. "Suit yourself," Xan whispered. BOOM! Xan didn't hold back. He stomped his foot, and the arena floor groaned. Behind him, the air exploded as a massive Yin-Yang Formation, twenty meters in diameter, manifested instantly. But this was evolved: on the White (Yang) side, ethereal flowers bloomed with the power of Life; on the Black (Yin) side, shadows screamed, forming the visage of Death. In the center of the Life vortex, a piercing Blue Orb ignited; in the Death vortex, a blazing Red Orb flared. Binding it all was a brilliant Golden Aura—the color of the Dao. SHING! The air sharpened, and the crowd gasped as the massive Golden Yin-Yang formation transformed its entire aura into Pure Sword Intent. The Sword Lord took a step back, eyes widening behind his mask. "This pressure..." he muttered, losing his mocking edge. "Now I comprehend why my disciple fell. You are a monster in human skin." Xan didn't respond; he was deep in a trance, connecting with the ancient star in his mind. He opened his mouth, and a voice sounding like the origin of time spilled out, echoing in the souls of all present. "Who am I?" The chant began. The atmosphere trembled.