Tian Cang looked toward Shen Xi, his ancient eyes softening as he observed the steady aura she maintained.
"Since you have managed to reach this place, then this shall be your reward," he said, his voice echoing with a weight that seemed to vibrate through the very fabric of the pocket dimension.
With a slow, deliberate motion, Tian Cang extended his translucent hand. Above his palm, a single drop of golden blood began to condense, shimmering with a brilliance that rivaled the sun. The moment the blood manifested, the ambient spiritual energy of the entire mountain pavilion began to churn violently, drawn toward the golden essence as if caught in a localized storm.
"Though countless years have passed and this drop has lost a significant portion of its primordial spirituality, it is still more than enough to facilitate a breakthrough for someone at your level," Tian Cang explained, gesturing for her to accept the gift.
The ancient ruins themselves had been birthed from a single drop of this man's blood, and during that cataclysmic creation, an immense amount of its original energy had been expended to stabilize the space.
Shen Xi looked at the golden droplet, sensing the vast, ocean-like vitality contained within its microscopic form. She offered a respectful nod to the fallen expert.
"Well, thank you, old man," she said, her voice calm despite the magnitude of the gift. She reached out, and the golden blood shot forward, embedding itself between her eyebrows.
As the blood was absorbed, Shen Xi immediately sat cross-legged on the stone floor, her eyes closing as she entered a deep state of meditation. Outside, the other prodigies were busy climbing the Talent Measure Tower and receiving rewards based on their rankings.
...
Several days passed in a blur of silent cultivation. Within the quiet of the pavilion, Shen Xi had completely refined the drop of golden blood. The energy was vast, yet it integrated seamlessly with her meridians, pushing her cultivation forward with a force that felt like a rising tide.
By the time she opened her eyes, her aura had undergone a qualitative change, advancing her from the mid-nascent soul realm to the late nascent soul realm.
Tian Cang's translucent figure began to grow even thinner, flickering like a dying candle in a drafty hall. He looked as though he might disperse into the wind at any moment.
Shen Xi stood up, noticing his fading state. "Old man, you should have a divine soul that still exists somewhere in this world, shouldn't you?" she asked, her brow furrowing with concern.
Tian Cang was somewhat taken aback by her question, a faint, self-deprecating smile appearing on his baby-smooth face.
"Yes, I was killed back then, but an Ascendant is not so easily erased from existence," he admitted. "In my final moments, my divine soul was split and sealed away. A portion of it was scattered throughout the Sky Heaven in small fragments. They are so minuscule and disjointed that it is almost as if I am truly dead."
Recovery was an impossible dream with so little divine essence remaining. It explained why there had been no whispers or signs of his return in the recent centuries; he was a ghost haunting his own memories.
Mu Chen, who had been leaning against the gnarled pine tree, stood up and stretched. In his arms, he cradled Nibi, who was currently occupied with a piece of fried fish she had pulled from somewhere.
"Well, then," Mu Chen said, his tone as casual as ever. "We will take our leave now."
Tian Cang nodded, watching them with a gaze full of ancient hope. "Time is almost up. Since you two are officially joining the Sky sect, I find that now I have far fewer worries."
Mu Chen and Shen Xi offered a final nod. They stepped onto a soft, white cloud that materialized beneath their feet and slowly drifted away, disappearing from Tian Cang's sight. The old man's figure continued to fade, merging back into the mist of the ruins until nothing was left but the rustle of the pine needles.
...
Mu Chen and Shen Xi emerged from the ancient site, stepping through the spatial boundary and back into the world of the Northern Domain. They were not alone; the sky was filled with countless beams of light as the proud children of various kingdoms were simultaneously ejected from the ruins.
For the last few days, Tian Cang had sealed the ancient site to allow the rewards to be processed, forcing everyone to cultivate and wait in silence.
"Mu Chen, Shen Xi! You're finally here? Where did you two disappear to?" A sharp voice cut through the noise. It was Yun Er, who had been teleported to the central region of ruins with other prodigies but found these two were missing.
"We just went to meet someone," Mu Chen replied.
Yun Er rolled her eyes, her silver bells chiming as she crossed her arms. "Humph, always keeping things a mystery. You two are really something else."
Xiao Li, however, was more observant. She looked at Shen Xi and her eyes widened in realization. "Shen Xi, congratulations on your breakthrough! You feel much stronger than before."
Shen Xi offered a small, knowing smile. "Well, I happened upon a particularly good opportunity," she said.
The blood of an Ascendant cultivator was perhaps the greatest stroke of fortune the ancient ruins could provide, but she saw no need to brag.
Yun Er, never one to let a serious moment last too long, sidled up to Shen Xi with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Shen Xi, give me a chance, won't you? How about the two of us try going out together instead of following this boring guy?"
As soon as those words left her mouth, the surrounding male prodigies—all proud and haughty youths who had been stealing glances—showed expressions of deep regret and shock. A collective sigh seemed to ripple through the crowd. What a tragic waste of resources! To think such a breathtaking girl preferred the company of women.
Yun Er's charming face instantly turned a violent shade of red. She had only been joking to stir the pot, but she hadn't realized how many people were eavesdropping on their conversation.
Since Mu Chen and Shen Xi were now being whispered about as the strongest prodigies of the Northern Domain, every eye in the vicinity was fixed on them.
Shen Xi's mouth twitched with irritation. This little vixen was constantly spouting nonsense. She raised her jade-like hand and, with a sharp, precise motion, delivered a firm knock to Yun Er's forehead. The sound of the impact was crisp and satisfying.
Yun Er stuck out her tongue, covering her sore forehead with both hands. Her eyes watered slightly, but she knew Shen Xi's strength was perfectly controlled—enough to make her dizzy, but nowhere near enough to cause real damage.
...
High above the crowd, six massive clouds composed of pure Qi Source hovered in the air. Six figures sat cross-legged upon them, their presence like mountains weighing down on the atmosphere. As they appeared, the faces of the thousands of prodigies below tensed with anticipation. Their entry into the Six Super Sects was the moment that would fundamentally change the trajectory of their lives.
Nibi, still nestled in Mu Chen's arms, looked up at one of the clouds. She spotted Old Zhao and immediately pulled at Mu Chen's sleeve, pointing her paw at the envoy with a disgruntled meow.
Mu Chen followed her gaze and saw that Zhao Pan had a rather strange, sinister look in his eyes. Mu Chen tilted his head, wondering if the man truly intended to hold such a massive grudge over a simple slap.
"Those who have successfully climbed the Sacred Staircase, step forward," the beautiful woman from the Hundred Flowers Immortal Sect announced. her voice was soft and melodic, perfectly matching her graceful image.
Around thirty people, the elite of the elite, stepped forward.
Upon seeing the selected few, the envoys of the Six Sects acted in unison. With their large hands formed of spiritual Qi, they reached down and roughly seized the disciples, lifting them into the air like a farmer catching chicks and indifferently pulling them onto the clouds behind them.
Only few prodigies got better treatment, as they were asked for their choices: Li Chen joined the Sword Sect, while Yun Er and Xiao Li decided to join Hundred Flowers Immortal Sect.
"Heh heh, why don't you two come up as well? There is plenty of room for you here," Wuji laughed, his voice friendly and welcoming as he watched Mu Chen and Shen Xi standing alone on the ground.
Old Zhao's gaze turned even colder as he looked down at Mu Chen, his eyes filled with a murderous light that suggested he wanted to skin the youth alive right then and there.
"The Holy Palace is the most powerful sect in the Sky Heaven," Zhao said proudly, his voice carrying a heavy, threatening undertone. "If you join us, you can be exempted from the crime of killing Lin Xi. Now, make your choice."
Wuji's face reflected a momentary sadness. While the overall strength of the Holy Palace was currently superior to that of the Sky Sect, he knew the history. If Tian Cang were still alive, the Holy Palace would be nothing more than a footnote; now, however, they acted as if they owned the heavens.
Nibi, who had been idly batting at a loose thread on Mu Chen's sleeve, stopped her play and looked at Old Zhao. She then looked at Mu Chen and let out a long meow, moving her tiny paws in a series of mocking gestures.
Mu Chen couldn't help but let out a short laugh as he interpreted the cat's antics. "You are right, Nibi. He really does cultivate his face. No wonder it never seems to hurt him."
"Then you can all go to hell!" Old Zhao roared.
Fuelled by both his new resentment and the old grudge, Old Zhao instantly erupted. A violent surge of spiritual energy exploded from his body, turning the sky a dark, bruised purple.
"Old Zhao, do you truly think I don't exist?!" Wuji's angry voice resounded, and his own powerful Qi erupted to meet the threat, the two forces colliding with a deafening crack.
A wisp of green smoke suddenly rose from Wuji's position, piercing through the void and attempting to envelop Zhao Pan's body. This was the Green Smoke Dragon Binding Technique, a high-level restrictive art. Once trapped within that smoke, unless the target possessed strength far superior to Wuji's own, they would find it impossible to break free.
"Pff!"
Old Zhao's body instantly blurred, transforming into a shifting shadow that vanished before the smoke could settle. Wuji's expression changed drastically. He recognized the Heaven level Art—it was a high-tier movement technique he hadn't realized his former rival had mastered. This was the first time Old Zhao had revealed such a trump card.
" Then none of you will leave this place alive! Hand Flipping!"
Old Zhao's sinister voice resonated from the sky. A majestic, primordial energy concentrated within his palm, expanding until it seemed to cover the entire sky. The massive hand began to fall toward Mu Chen and the others, blocking every possible path of retreat.
The sheer pressure of the descending palm left the prodigies below breathless, their bones beginning to creak under the weight. The other envoys immediately acted to shield their new recruits; otherwise, the weaker youths would have undoubtedly been turned into meat paste.
Nibi, seeing the colossal hand falling toward them, felt the shadow creeping over her. She stretched herself out in Mu Chen's arms, looking upward with a bored expression. She seemed to decide that the hand was better used as a parasol, considering how hot it had been lately.
Shen Xi looked at the falling hand and let out a long, weary sigh. "This Old Zhao... his ability to court death is truly something to behold,"
"It would be terribly rude if I didn't give something back," Mu Chen said, his voice calm.
He looked toward the sky. With a single thought, a hand appeared—not a hand of spiritual Qi, but a hand that seemed to be formed from the sky itself. It tore through the heavens, darkening the world as the stars became visible in the middle of the day. It moved with a weight that suggested a piece of the firmament was falling.
Old Zhao's colossal "Hand Flipping" attack simply dissipated before it could even come into contact with the pressure of Mu Chen's manifestation.
His expression shifted from triumph to absolute terror. Before he could even attempt to react, the celestial hand crossed the distance, rendering the very concept of space irrelevant. It struck him with a sound that echoed like a mountain being crushed.
Old Zhao felt as if he had been struck by a cluster of falling stars. His spiritual defenses crumbled like wet paper, and his skin began to crack like a porcelain doll under the pressure. He threw up a massive mouthful of blood as he was sent flying backward at a speed that broke the sound barrier.
The people watching from below lost count of the number of mountains the envoy's body crumbled through as he disappeared from sight. A series of deep, rhythmic rumbles could be heard for several seconds as he collided with the distant horizon. Who knew where he finally came to a halt, or if he were even still alive beneath the rubble?
The other envoys and the gathered cultivators stood in a state of paralyzed shock and terror. What kind of power was that? It wasn't a battle; it was as if an adult had slapped an ant. The great hand in the sky vanished as it had never appeared, leaving the heavens clear once more.
"Phew... It looks like the Ancestor took action at the right moment," Wuji said, letting out a long, shaky breath he had been holding. "Otherwise, these two would have been dead. But the Ancestor's power is truly amazing."
In Wuji's mind, only Tian Cang, the fallen Ascendant, could possibly wield such power. It was the only explanation for why a Soul Infusion expert like Old Zhao could be swatted away like a fly.
The other envoys shook their heads in silent agreement. They thought Old Zhao was a fool; had he forgotten he was standing right outside the ruins of the Sky Sect's ancestor?
That fallen expert clearly despised the people of the Holy Palace, yet Zhao had dared to act so brazenly on his doorstep. Even if he were dead, no one would pity him; it was his own arrogance that had led to this end.
Mu Chen looked at Wuji and spoke calmly. "Should we leave now? Or are you waiting for him to return?"
The sound of Mu Chen's voice snapped everyone out of their daze.
"Yes, yes, yes! Let us go! Who cares about that guy anyway?" Wuji nodded frantically.
There was no longer any room for Zhao Pan on the recruitment ship, and Wuji wasn't about to go looking for him. If the man survived, he survived; if not, his death was well-deserved.
The other envoys nodded, signalling that the recruitment was officially over. It was time to return to the Super Sects.