The Wang Clan arrived at noon.
They did not arrive quietly.
A dozen armored riders entered the outer gates beneath a black banner embroidered with a golden wolf. Behind them came three carriages carved from dark spirit wood, each protected by layered formations.
The sound of hooves echoed through the Ao Clan's main avenue.
Servants stopped working.
Young cultivators gathered along the rooftops.
Even the elders left their residences to see what was happening.
At the front of the procession rode Wang Zhi.
He wore white robes trimmed with gold, his long hair secured by a jade crown.
He looked exactly like what he believed himself to be.
Important.
Behind him were two Core Formation elders and several elite guards.
Wang Zhi pulled his horse to a stop in front of the main hall.
"I've come to see Ao Longtian."
The gatekeeper swallowed.
"Young Master Wang, please wait while I inform—"
"No."
Wang Zhi dismounted.
"I didn't come here to wait."
The gatekeeper stepped forward.
"Clan rules require—"
Wang Zhi slapped him.
The guard stumbled backward.
Several Ao Clan cultivators immediately reached for their weapons.
The atmosphere changed.
Wang Zhi looked around.
"Is anyone else interested in explaining the rules to me?"
A quiet voice answered.
"Yes."
Everyone turned.
Ao Longtian walked down the stone steps.
He wore a simple black robe.
No armor.
No weapon.
His hands were behind his back.
He looked almost relaxed.
Wang Zhi studied him.
"So you're Ao Longtian."
Longtian stopped several steps away.
"And you're loud."
Wang Zhi frowned.
"I am Wang Zhi."
"Congratulations."
"I came here because of Yun Mei."
"I assumed."
"You took her from my clan."
Longtian raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting."
"What's interesting?"
"You think I took her."
"She was promised to me."
Longtian glanced toward the Wang Clan delegation.
"Was she?"
Wang Zhi's face tightened.
"Her father agreed."
"Apparently he changed his mind."
"Because you threatened him."
Longtian smiled.
"Then you should be grateful."
"For what?"
"His decision."
Wang Zhi's eyes became cold.
"You think you're clever."
"I don't think about you enough to know."
Several Ao Clan cultivators struggled not to laugh.
Wang Zhi's face reddened.
"You—"
An older man behind him stepped forward.
"Young Master, allow me."
The elder released his cultivation.
A heavy pressure descended over the courtyard.
The weaker Ao Clan disciples immediately staggered.
Longtian didn't move.
The demonic energy within his body stirred.
His bloodline responded instinctively.
A crimson aura spread from his feet.
The elder's pressure suddenly weakened.
His expression changed.
"What is that?"
Longtian looked at him.
"None of your business."
The elder stepped forward.
"You dare?"
Longtian sighed.
"You're going to say that a lot, aren't you?"
The elder attacked.
His hand became surrounded by blue spiritual energy.
He struck toward Longtian's chest.
Longtian moved.
Not backward.
Forward.
He stepped inside the elder's attack and caught his wrist.
The elder's eyes widened.
Longtian twisted.
Crack.
The elder's wrist broke.
He cried out.
Longtian pulled him forward and struck his chest with his palm.
The elder flew backward.
He crashed through the wooden railing and landed several yards away.
Silence.
The entire courtyard stared.
Longtian looked at his hand.
He hadn't used a cultivation technique.
He hadn't circulated spiritual Qi.
He had simply strengthened his body with demonic energy.
Wang Zhi's confidence disappeared.
"Impossible."
Longtian looked at him.
"What is?"
"You lost your cultivation."
"I did."
"Then how?"
Longtian smiled.
"Perhaps you should learn more about the world before you decide you're important."
Wang Zhi's face became pale.
The remaining Wang Clan cultivators reached for their weapons.
Longtian raised one hand.
"Stop."
His voice was quiet.
But the demonic aura around him suddenly expanded.
Black-red energy rolled through the courtyard.
The Wang Clan guards froze.
Longtian looked directly at Wang Zhi.
"I don't want a massacre."
Wang Zhi swallowed.
"You think you can threaten me?"
"No."
Longtian stepped closer.
"I think you're already frightened."
Wang Zhi's expression hardened.
"I'm not."
"Your hands disagree."
Wang Zhi looked down.
His fingers were trembling.
Longtian smiled.
"Take your people and leave."
Wang Zhi stared at him.
"This isn't finished."
"I know."
"You've humiliated me."
"No."
Longtian turned away.
"You did that yourself."
Wang Zhi's face turned red.
"One day you'll regret this."
Longtian stopped.
He glanced back.
"Maybe."
Then he continued walking.
Wang Zhi stared after him.
The humiliation burned.
He would remember this.
He would remember every word.
And he would make Ao Longtian pay.
That evening, Yun Mei stood beneath a flowering tree in the western garden.
The rain had stopped.
Water dripped from the leaves.
Lanterns illuminated the stone paths.
Longtian approached.
"You wanted to speak with me."
Yun Mei turned.
"Yes."
She looked toward the courtyard where the Wang Clan had departed.
"You didn't have to do that."
"Do what?"
"Embarrass him."
"He arrived here and attacked my people."
"He was angry."
"That's not an excuse."
Yun Mei smiled.
"You really don't understand people very well."
Longtian stopped.
"Explain."
"Some people become more dangerous when they're embarrassed."
"I know."
"Then why provoke him?"
Longtian looked toward the dark mountains.
"Because I wanted him to go home angry."
Yun Mei frowned.
"Why?"
"Angry people make mistakes."
She studied him.
"You're expecting him to attack."
"Eventually."
"And you're prepared?"
"Yes."
Yun Mei smiled.
"You're strange."
"I've been told."
She looked at him for several seconds.
"Why did you really agree to protect me?"
Longtian didn't answer immediately.
"The truth?"
"Yes."
"Your Yin constitution is valuable."
Yun Mei's expression became serious.
"I expected that."
"But that's not the only reason."
She waited.
Longtian continued.
"Your spiritual energy is unusually pure."
"And?"
"I need to understand something."
"What?"
"My new power."
Yun Mei's eyes narrowed.
"You want to use me as an experiment."
"Not without your agreement."
That surprised her.
Longtian continued.
"I don't force people who can choose."
She smiled.
"That's reassuring."
"Don't be."
"Why?"
"Because I have very little patience for people who choose badly."
Yun Mei laughed.
"You really are dangerous."
"Yes."
She looked toward the moon.
"Then I'll make my choice carefully."
Longtian nodded.
"Good."
That night, Longtian returned to his study.
The room was dark except for a single lantern.
He placed the scroll of Yin-attribute individuals on his desk.
He opened it.
One name.
Then another.
Then another.
Some were cultivators.
Some were noble daughters.
Some were wandering disciples.
Some belonged to minor clans.
Others were completely unknown.
Longtian wasn't interested in collecting people.
He was interested in understanding his new power.
The Pink Fog Technique remained incomplete in his mind.
He needed the original manual.
And more importantly—
he needed a safe way to cultivate it.
His eyes stopped on one entry.
Yun Mei — Pure Yin Spirit Body.
Longtian tapped the name.
Then he heard a voice.
"Interesting."
He looked up.
Ao Lian stood in the doorway.
Longtian smiled.
"You're out."
She stepped into the room.
"Three days ended."
"I know."
"You weren't waiting outside?"
"I had things to do."
She looked at the papers.
"What are those?"
"Research."
She picked one up.
Her expression changed.
"Yin constitutions?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Longtian looked at her.
"Because I found another path."
Ao Lian studied him.
"And?"
"My body doesn't require cultivation in the traditional sense."
"So?"
"So I need to build my own system."
She placed the paper down.
"That's ambitious."
"I've never been accused of thinking small."
Ao Lian smiled.
Then Longtian noticed something.
Her eyes.
The crimson ring had become permanent.
Her presence had also changed.
Before, she had possessed the quiet spiritual pressure of a talented cultivator.
Now there was something underneath it.
Something predatory.
Longtian looked at her carefully.
"How do you feel?"
"Better."
"Any voices?"
She paused.
"One."
Longtian's expression hardened.
"What does it say?"
Ao Lian smiled.
"Mostly nonsense."
"Anything useful?"
"It tells me I'm wasting my potential."
Longtian laughed.
"That sounds like you."
She sat across from him.
"What about you?"
"What?"
"Are you still hearing yours?"
Longtian's smile disappeared.
"Yes."
"What does it say?"
Longtian looked toward the window.
"Not much."
"Then what does it want?"
He was silent.
Finally:
"To consume."
Ao Lian frowned.
"Everything?"
"I don't know."
"That's dangerous."
"I know."
She looked at him.
"Then don't let it control you."
Longtian smiled.
"That's the plan."
A sudden pulse passed through the room.
Both of them looked upward.
The lantern flame went out.
The air became cold.
Then a golden light appeared outside the window.
Longtian stood.
"What is that?"
Ao Lian looked toward the sky.
"I don't know."
The light descended.
Slowly.
Silently.
It passed through the clouds without disturbing them.
Longtian's demonic bloodline reacted violently.
His heart began beating faster.
The mysterious object came closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
it disappeared.
Longtian stared.
"Where did it go?"
Ao Lian pointed toward the courtyard.
There.
A small object lay in the grass.
It looked like an ordinary piece of black stone.
Longtian stepped outside.
He approached it.
The moment he touched it—
the world went silent.
No wind.
No insects.
No rain.
Nothing.
A voice appeared inside his mind.
Candidate recognized.
Longtian froze.
Compatibility confirmed.
The stone began glowing.
Ten faint lines appeared across its surface.
The first line brightened.
Trial One initialized.
Longtian stared.
"What are you?"
The object did not answer.
Instead, a final message entered his mind.
Survive.
Then everything returned to normal.
The wind blew.
The insects resumed their songs.
Ao Lian stepped beside him.
"What happened?"
Longtian looked down at the black stone.
For the first time in days, he had no sarcastic answer.
"I think…"
He picked it up.
"…someone just gave me a problem."
Far above the mortal world, the heavenly guards watched.
One of them smiled.
"Finally."
Another looked uneasy.
"What if he fails?"
The first guard laughed.
"Then the problem solves itself."
The oldest guard remained silent.
He knew the truth.
The treasure had not been sent to kill Ao Longtian.
It had been sent to test him.
And if Longtian passed all ten trials—
the heavens would no longer be dealing with a mortal.
They would be dealing with someone capable of challenging the rules that governed Fate itself.