There was no sky.
No ground.
No wind.
No sound except the footsteps approaching through the darkness.
Ao Longtian stood completely still.
His breathing was slow.
His eyes searched the emptiness.
Nothing.
Then the footsteps stopped.
A voice echoed through the darkness.
"You have entered the first trial."
Longtian looked around.
"You're fond of dramatic entrances."
The voice ignored him.
"Your cultivation has been removed."
"I noticed."
"Your bloodline has been sealed."
Longtian's smile faded.
He immediately tried to summon his demonic Qi.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
His blood felt ordinary.
His altered senses had disappeared.
Even the strange connection between his body and the demonic energy was gone.
For the first time since his transformation, Ao Longtian felt completely ordinary.
The voice continued.
"Your weapons have been removed."
Longtian reached toward his waist.
Empty.
His storage ring was gone.
His treasures were gone.
Even the black stone that had brought him here had disappeared.
Longtian laughed.
"So I'm supposed to survive with nothing."
"Correct."
"How long?"
Silence.
Longtian waited.
Then the voice answered.
"Until the trial ends."
"And when does it end?"
"When you survive."
Longtian shook his head.
"That isn't an answer."
"It is the only answer you require."
The darkness trembled.
Then something appeared.
Two red eyes.
Longtian's expression became serious.
A creature stepped out of the darkness.
It was enormous.
Four meters tall.
Its body resembled a wolf, but its limbs were too long, its claws too large, and its jaw split far beyond what a normal animal could possess.
Black smoke rolled from its mouth.
Longtian stared at it.
The creature stared back.
Then it attacked.
Longtian moved.
The beast's claws tore through the space where his head had been.
He rolled across the ground.
The impact sent fragments of black stone flying.
So there was a ground.
Good to know.
He jumped up.
The creature turned.
Its tail swept toward him.
Longtian ducked.
The tail passed over his head.
He grabbed it.
The creature's momentum dragged him several meters.
Longtian dug his heels into the ground.
His arms screamed.
"You're heavier than you look."
The beast turned its head.
Longtian barely released the tail before its jaws snapped shut.
He jumped backward.
The creature charged again.
This time Longtian didn't retreat.
He ran toward it.
At the last moment, he dropped low.
His shoulder struck the creature's chest.
It barely moved.
Longtian rolled away.
The beast looked down at him.
For the first time, Longtian felt genuine concern.
Without his bloodline, he was weaker.
Much weaker.
The creature lunged.
Longtian ran.
The darkness seemed endless.
Behind him came the sound of claws striking stone.
He didn't know where he was going.
He didn't know how large the arena was.
But he knew one thing.
The creature was faster.
He needed an advantage.
Longtian glanced around.
Nothing.
No weapons.
No formations.
No spiritual energy.
Only darkness and stone.
Then he noticed something.
The creature never looked away from him.
Not once.
Its eyes followed his movement perfectly.
Longtian slowed.
The beast slowed.
He stopped.
The beast stopped.
He smiled.
"You can see me."
The creature growled.
"Good."
Longtian looked into the darkness.
"Then let's see if I can see you."
He closed his eyes.
The creature charged.
Longtian listened.
The sound of claws.
The rhythm of breathing.
The scraping of feet.
The creature was approaching from his left.
He waited.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
he moved.
A claw passed across his chest.
Pain exploded through his body.
Longtian stumbled backward.
Blood soaked his robe.
He touched the wound.
Three deep cuts.
The creature turned.
Longtian smiled.
"You're predictable."
The creature roared.
He had learned something.
The beast was powerful.
But it wasn't intelligent.
It relied on instinct.
Longtian could work with that.
He began running again.
But this time, he ran toward the creature.
The beast attacked.
Longtian dodged.
He changed direction.
The beast followed.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Soon, the creature was becoming frustrated.
Its attacks grew wider.
Sloppier.
Longtian waited.
Then he saw it.
A slight depression in the ground.
A narrow crack.
Longtian smiled.
He ran directly toward it.
The creature followed.
At the last moment, Longtian jumped sideways.
The beast's front leg entered the crack.
Its weight shifted.
The creature stumbled.
Longtian attacked.
He grabbed one of its horns and pulled.
The beast roared.
Longtian climbed onto its back.
He wrapped both arms around its neck.
The creature thrashed.
Longtian held on.
"You're not the only one who knows how to fight dirty."
The beast slammed itself against the ground.
Longtian released his grip and rolled away.
The creature turned.
Longtian stood.
Blood ran down his chest.
His breathing was heavy.
The creature was injured.
But it wasn't dead.
It charged one final time.
Longtian waited.
The beast opened its jaws.
Longtian stepped forward.
He didn't attack the body.
He attacked the jaw.
His fist struck beneath its chin.
The creature's head snapped upward.
Longtian grabbed its throat.
Then he drove his knee into its chest.
The beast collapsed.
Longtian stood over it.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then the creature vanished.
The darkness returned.
Longtian dropped to one knee.
He breathed heavily.
A faint voice appeared.
"Trial One: First Stage complete."
Longtian looked up.
"First stage?"
No answer.
He laughed.
"Of course."
The darkness began changing.
A faint light appeared ahead.
Longtian stood.
His wound still hurt.
His legs were shaking.
But he walked toward the light.
Outside the trial, only three seconds had passed.
Ao Lian watched her brother standing motionless beneath the golden artifact.
The Wang Clan soldiers had not moved.
Neither had the Ao Clan.
Everyone was waiting.
Wang Zhi looked at the treasure.
"What is this?"
No one answered.
The Wang Clan elder cautiously approached.
Ao Lian blocked his path.
"Don't."
The elder looked at her.
"You think you can stop me?"
"Yes."
The elder released his aura.
Ao Lian's demonic energy exploded outward.
The pressure around her changed.
The elder's expression became grim.
He had expected a young woman with an unstable demonic bloodline.
Instead, he felt the presence of something disciplined.
Something that had already begun adapting to the blood.
Ao Lian stared at him.
"Stay away from my brother."
The elder hesitated.
Then he stepped back.
Wang Zhi saw the hesitation.
"You fear her?"
The elder didn't answer.
That answer was enough.
Inside the trial, Longtian emerged into a new environment.
A forest.
At first glance, it looked ordinary.
Trees.
Grass.
Rocks.
Birds.
Sunlight.
Longtian frowned.
It was too peaceful.
The voice returned.
"Second stage."
Longtian looked around.
"What is the objective?"
"Reach the end."
"And where is the end?"
"You will know when you arrive."
Longtian sighed.
"You're terrible at giving instructions."
No response.
He walked forward.
The forest was beautiful.
Too beautiful.
Purple flowers grew beside a stream.
Golden butterflies moved between the trees.
The air smelled of pine and rain.
Longtian crouched beside the stream.
He touched the water.
Cold.
Realistic.
Perhaps too realistic.
He looked at his reflection.
His face was pale.
Blood still covered his chest.
The wound hadn't healed.
Interesting.
The trial wasn't restoring him.
Everything that happened here mattered.
He stood.
Then he noticed something.
His reflection hadn't moved.
Longtian froze.
He looked down.
The reflection smiled.
Longtian slowly stepped backward.
The reflection remained still.
Then it raised its hand.
Longtian didn't.
The reflection touched the surface of the water.
A ripple spread.
Then it spoke.
"You should have died."
Longtian's eyes narrowed.
The reflection continued.
"Your child almost killed you."
Longtian said nothing.
"Your bloodline isn't yours."
Still nothing.
"Your clan will betray you."
Longtian smiled.
"That's possible."
The reflection tilted its head.
"Your sister will become your enemy."
Longtian's smile disappeared.
The reflection smiled wider.
"You don't know her."
Longtian stared at it.
"Neither do you."
The reflection's face twisted.
"You're afraid."
"No."
"You should be."
"Perhaps."
The reflection stepped out of the water.
It looked exactly like him.
Same face.
Same voice.
Same posture.
But its eyes were empty.
Longtian looked at his double.
"What are you?"
The double smiled.
"Everything you refuse to admit."
It attacked.
Their fists collided.
Longtian stumbled backward.
The double was just as strong.
No.
Stronger.
It knew every movement Longtian knew.
Every technique.
Every habit.
Every weakness.
Longtian attacked again.
The double countered.
He kicked.
It blocked.
He punched.
It dodged.
They moved through the forest like mirrors.
Every attack was answered.
Every trick was anticipated.
Longtian's breathing became heavier.
The double smiled.
"You're predictable."
Longtian froze.
Those were his words.
The creature from the first stage.
The same lesson.
But this time—
he understood.
He had spent his life relying on power.
Cultivation.
Bloodline.
Status.
Technique.
Now the trial had removed all of them.
The first stage had tested his body.
The second was testing his mind.
Longtian lowered his fists.
The double stared.
"What are you doing?"
Longtian smiled.
"Changing the rules."
He turned his back.
The double charged.
Longtian didn't move.
The punch struck his back.
Pain exploded through him.
He fell.
The double stood over him.
"You lose."
Longtian laughed.
"No."
He looked at the reflection.
"I learn."
The double froze.
Longtian grabbed its ankle.
It looked surprised.
He pulled.
The double fell.
Longtian climbed onto it and began striking.
Not with technique.
Not with elegance.
With everything he had.
The double fought back.
They rolled through the dirt.
Branches snapped.
Blood stained the grass.
Neither surrendered.
Then Longtian noticed something.
The double was beginning to move differently.
Its movements were changing.
It was becoming emotional.
Angry.
Frustrated.
Afraid.
Longtian smiled.
"There you are."
He caught the double's wrist.
"You aren't me."
The double froze.
Longtian pulled it closer.
"You're what I think I am."
The creature began cracking.
"You copy my fear."
Cracks spread across its face.
"My anger."
More cracks.
"My regrets."
The entire body fractured.
Longtian whispered:
"But you don't know what I'll become."
The double shattered.
The forest disappeared.
Longtian stood alone in darkness again.
The voice returned.
"Second stage complete."
Longtian looked upward.
"How many stages?"
Silence.
He smiled.
"I suppose I'll find out."
A golden door appeared.
Longtian walked toward it.
Before he reached it, the voice spoke again.
"You have completed two stages."
Longtian stopped.
"Eight remain."
His expression changed.
"Eight?"
The door opened.
Beyond it was darkness.
Something enormous breathed on the other side.
Longtian stared into it.
Then he smiled.
"Finally."
He stepped through.
Outside the trial, the golden artifact suddenly released a pulse.
Ao Lian's eyes widened.
Longtian's body moved.
His fingers curled.
Then relaxed.
He was still unconscious.
But he was fighting.
The mysterious artifact brightened.
The first seal vanished.
A second seal began glowing.
The heavenly guards watching from the upper realm fell silent.
One whispered:
"He's already passed two."
The other shook his head.
"Impossible."
The oldest guard stared down.
"No."
His expression darkened.
"It is possible."
"Then why were we told he would fail?"
The old guard didn't answer.
Because deep within the treasure, another message had appeared.
One the heavenly guards couldn't see.
Candidate exceeds predicted parameters.
And beneath it:
Trial difficulty increasing.
The second seal burned brighter.
Far below, Ao Longtian stepped into the darkness of the third stage.
And for the first time—
the treasure began to fear its own candidate.