The Heaven Measuring Tower had never shattered before.
In its thousands of years standing over Celestial Gate City, it had evaluated emperors, prodigies, reincarnated sages, and monstrous bloodlines from a hundred lower realms.
But never—
Not once—
Had its measurement crystal exploded.
Yet now fragments of that ancient artifact still drifted through the air like glittering snow.
And every cultivator in the tower hall stared at Lin Xuan.
The silence was so heavy it seemed to compress the air itself.
Lin Xuan brushed a piece of glowing crystal dust off his sleeve.
"So… I passed?" he asked.
No one answered immediately.
Wei Jian was still staring at the shattered pillar where the measurement crystal had once floated.
"…You didn't just pass," he finally said.
"You broke the ranking system."
The hall slowly filled with whispers.
"Did he really destroy the tower's core?"
"That artifact measured law affinity… how could it break?"
"I heard he devoured the final trial."
"Devoured… law?"
The words rippled outward like a storm.
Wei Jian rubbed his temple.
"This is going to cause problems."
Lin Xuan tilted his head.
"I thought the trial was meant to evaluate potential."
"It is."
"And?"
Wei Jian sighed.
"It also categorizes ascenders by threat level."
Lin Xuan's lips curved faintly.
"And what category did I land in?"
Wei Jian met his eyes.
"Calamity-Level."
The whispers exploded into full murmurs.
Bai Lianhua folded her arms calmly.
"That sounds dramatic."
Wei Jian gave a humorless chuckle.
"Because it is."
He gestured toward the massive board of rankings embedded in the tower wall.
Thousands of names glowed across it, arranged in tiers.
Mortal Rank.
Heaven Rank.
Sovereign Rank.
At the very top—
A tier that had been empty for centuries.
Calamity Rank.
And now—
A new name had appeared there.
Lin Xuan.
Celestial Gate City erupted with news.
Within minutes, transmission talismans carried the information across the floating continents.
"A Calamity-Level Ascender has appeared."
"He shattered the Heaven Measuring Tower."
"He devoured a law sphere."
In the Azure Cloud Pavilion, elders from multiple sects exchanged grim looks.
"That ranking hasn't been used since the Era of Chaos."
"Do we eliminate him before he grows stronger?"
"Fool," another elder snapped. "Anyone who can shatter that tower at Core Formation cannot be eliminated easily."
Meanwhile—
In the crimson pavilion overlooking the city, the mysterious woman in red robes smiled.
"Calamity-Level," she murmured.
Her eyes gleamed.
"How interesting."
Wei Jian dismissed the crowd quickly before panic could spread further.
"Everyone return to your duties! The trial is concluded!"
Reluctantly, cultivators began dispersing, though many continued casting wary glances at Lin Xuan.
Bai Lianhua leaned closer.
"You've become famous."
Lin Xuan shrugged.
"I thought it would take longer."
Wei Jian sighed again.
"You're not just famous."
"You're a problem."
Lin Xuan looked amused.
"Because I broke a tower?"
"Because heaven will notice."
He gestured toward the sky.
"The Heaven Measuring Tower reports directly to the Celestial Tribunal."
Lin Xuan's expression didn't change.
"They were already watching."
Wei Jian couldn't argue with that.
Before they could leave the tower hall, a powerful aura descended suddenly from above.
The doors burst open.
A group of armored cultivators strode inside.
Their robes bore the symbol of a golden spear piercing the sky.
Wei Jian muttered under his breath.
"Of course…"
The leader stepped forward confidently.
A tall man with bronze skin and eyes like molten gold.
"Which one of you is Lin Xuan?" he demanded.
Lin Xuan raised a hand casually.
"That would be me."
The man's gaze sharpened immediately.
"You are the one who claimed Calamity Rank?"
"I didn't claim anything. The tower did."
The man smirked.
"I am Huo Zhen, disciple of the Blazing Heaven Sect."
The name caused several nearby cultivators to stiffen.
One of the most powerful sects in the Heavenly Boundary Realm.
Huo Zhen cracked his knuckles.
"I challenge you."
Wei Jian groaned.
"Already?"
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
Huo Zhen laughed.
"To see if you deserve that title."
Bai Lianhua stepped forward slightly.
"You're a Spirit Sovereign."
"And?"
"He's only Core Formation."
Huo Zhen's grin widened.
"Exactly."
Challenges were common in Celestial Gate City.
Within minutes, word spread that a Calamity-Level Ascender would fight a Blazing Heaven disciple.
The Sky Arena filled rapidly.
Floating platforms arranged in a massive circle.
Thousands of spectators gathered on surrounding terraces.
Wei Jian stood beside Bai Lianhua.
"This is reckless."
Bai Lianhua watched the arena calmly.
"Or inevitable."
At the center of the arena—
Lin Xuan faced Huo Zhen.
The difference in cultivation was enormous.
Core Formation vs Spirit Sovereign.
Normally such a fight would end instantly.
But Huo Zhen was smiling like a predator.
"Let's see if the rumors are true," he said.
Lin Xuan rolled his shoulders slightly.
"Don't hold back."
Huo Zhen moved first.
He vanished.
Appearing directly in front of Lin Xuan with a fist blazing in golden fire.
The speed alone would have pulverized most cultivators.
Lin Xuan raised one hand.
Their fists collided.
BOOM.
The arena floor cracked.
A shockwave rippled outward, forcing weaker spectators to shield themselves.
Huo Zhen blinked.
Lin Xuan hadn't moved.
Not an inch.
"You're strong," Huo Zhen admitted.
"But let's see this."
Golden flames erupted around him.
His aura surged violently as he unleashed his true power.
Spirit Sovereign Stage: Third Layer.
The sky above the arena darkened slightly under the pressure.
Lin Xuan exhaled.
Finally—
Something worth devouring.
Huo Zhen attacked again, unleashing a storm of flaming spear strikes.
Each one carried enough power to level mountains.
Lin Xuan didn't dodge.
He walked forward.
The Devourer Star inside him pulsed.
The flames bent.
Twisted.
Collapsed inward.
The entire attack was swallowed into a spiraling vortex around Lin Xuan's body.
Huo Zhen's eyes widened.
"What—"
Lin Xuan stepped through the fading fire and grabbed his wrist.
The Devourer Domain expanded instantly.
The arena trembled.
Spectators gasped as the air itself began flowing toward Lin Xuan.
Not violently—
Inevitably.
Like water down a drain.
Huo Zhen struggled.
His aura flickered.
"You're… absorbing my qi?"
"Not just qi," Lin Xuan said softly.
He tightened his grip.
"I'm tasting your law."
The Devourer Star flared.
Fragments of fire law flowed into him.
Not enough to cripple Huo Zhen.
But enough to strengthen Lin Xuan.
Huo Zhen roared and broke free with a burst of power.
He retreated several meters, breathing heavily.
"That technique…"
Lin Xuan tilted his head.
"Interesting, right?"
The spectators had gone completely silent.
One elder whispered hoarsely.
"He's devouring attacks in real time."
Another nodded grimly.
"That's not ordinary devouring."
Wei Jian exhaled slowly.
"No."
"That's law consumption."
Bai Lianhua's gaze remained fixed on Lin Xuan.
"He's still holding back."
Huo Zhen wiped blood from his lip.
"You're dangerous," he admitted.
"But I refuse to lose to someone two realms below me."
Golden fire exploded outward from his body.
His spear appeared in his hand.
A weapon forged from condensed sun essence.
"This ends now."
He raised the spear.
The entire sky above the arena ignited.
Thousands of flaming lances formed in the air.
"Heaven Burning Cataclysm!"
The attack descended like a meteor storm.
Lin Xuan looked up calmly.
Then—
He smiled.
The Devourer Star rotated once.
The Devourer Domain expanded to its limit.
Everything stopped.
The flaming lances froze midair.
The crowd gasped.
Lin Xuan raised his hand.
And closed it.
The sky collapsed inward.
All the fire—
All the energy—
All the law—
Compressed into a single burning sphere.
Floating above his palm.
Huo Zhen stared in horror.
"That… was my strongest technique."
Lin Xuan shrugged lightly.
"It was decent."
Then—
He devoured it.
Completely.
The arena fell silent.
Huo Zhen dropped to one knee.
Not defeated by force.
But by inevitability.
"I… concede."
The crowd erupted.
Not in cheers.
In shock.
A Core Formation cultivator had defeated a Spirit Sovereign.
Not through trickery.
Not through luck.
Through absolute dominance.
Wei Jian shook his head slowly.
"Calamity-Level indeed."
Bai Lianhua allowed herself a faint smile.
Lin Xuan helped Huo Zhen to his feet.
"You're strong," he said sincerely.
Huo Zhen laughed weakly.
"And you're terrifying."
Far above Celestial Gate City—
Beyond the floating continents—
A colossal presence stirred.
The true Heavenly Warden opened its eye fully.
It had felt the devouring.
Again.
Its gaze focused on the tiny figure standing in the arena below.
The anomaly.
The one who consumed law.
The one who might someday threaten heaven itself.
The Warden's voice echoed across dimensions.
"Monitor him."
Across the celestial realms, countless beings received the command.
Back in the arena, Lin Xuan looked up at the endless sky of the Upper Realm.
The Devourer Star pulsed steadily.
Stronger now.
Denser.
Hungrier.
This realm was vast.
Powerful.
Full of enemies who could crush the old him easily.
Perfect.
He turned to Bai Lianhua.
"Now what?"
She smiled slightly.
"Now we find a sect."
Wei Jian groaned.
"Please choose carefully."
Lin Xuan chuckled.
But his gaze drifted toward the distant floating continents where ancient sects ruled.
Somewhere up there—
The Wardens waited.
He clenched his fist.
"I'll reach them."
The Devourer Star burned brighter.
And the heavens—
For the first time in a very long time—
Trembled slightly.