The world inside the treasure had no borders.
Mountains stretched beyond the horizon.
Rivers cut through enormous valleys.
Cities glittered beneath distant suns.
Longtian stood on a mountain peak and looked down upon it all.
The woman was somewhere in this world.
The treasure had given him no map.
No clues.
No direction.
Only one instruction.
Find her.
Longtian smiled.
"Fine."
He began walking.
Three hours passed.
Then six.
Then an entire day.
Longtian crossed mountain ranges and descended into valleys. He entered cities filled with strangers and listened to conversations in crowded marketplaces.
The woman wasn't there.
He searched villages.
Temples.
Military camps.
Trading cities.
Even abandoned ruins.
Nothing.
The landscape was too large.
The population was too enormous.
If he relied solely on sight, he could spend years searching.
But the trial had already taught him something.
The treasure wasn't interested in whether he could complete a simple task.
It was interested in how he solved it.
Longtian sat beneath an old tree.
He closed his eyes.
The woman's voice returned to his memory.
Find me.
Her tone.
Her breathing.
The rhythm of her movements.
The way she shifted her weight before attacking.
Then he remembered something else.
She had known his name.
Not his title.
Not his reputation.
His name.
Longtian opened his eyes.
"You're connected to me."
The wind stopped.
The world became silent.
The treasure spoke.
"Observation noted."
Longtian smiled.
"So I'm right."
"You have made an assumption."
"Then prove me wrong."
Silence.
Longtian stood.
"If she knows me, she isn't randomly placed in this world."
He looked toward the horizon.
"She's part of the test."
He began walking again.
"But you're hiding her."
"Correct."
"Why?"
"Because she does not wish to be found."
Longtian stopped.
That changed everything.
He wasn't searching for a hidden target.
He was searching for someone actively avoiding him.
Longtian laughed.
"Now this is interesting."
The first clue came from a beggar.
Longtian entered a city shortly before sunset.
The streets were crowded.
Merchants packed away their goods.
Children ran between stalls.
Cultivators returned from the city gates.
Longtian walked through the marketplace without attracting attention.
Then he saw an old beggar sitting beside a fountain.
The man had one eye.
His clothes were torn.
His bowl contained three copper coins.
Longtian passed him.
"Young man."
Longtian stopped.
"Yes?"
The beggar smiled.
"You're looking for someone."
Longtian looked at him.
"Who told you?"
"No one."
The old man tapped his head.
"I watch people."
Longtian crouched.
"What have you seen?"
"A woman."
Longtian's eyes sharpened.
"Describe her."
The beggar chuckled.
"Red robes."
"Yes."
"Scar."
"Yes."
"Eyes that make honest men lie."
Longtian smiled.
"Where?"
The beggar pointed toward the northern road.
"She passed through three days ago."
"Alone?"
"No."
Longtian frowned.
"Who was with her?"
The beggar's smile disappeared.
"Someone wearing a white mask."
Longtian stood.
"Which direction?"
"North."
Longtian started walking.
The beggar called after him.
"Young man."
Longtian turned.
"Don't trust the road."
Longtian smiled.
"I wasn't planning to."
The northern road led into a forest.
The trees grew unnaturally close together.
Mist covered the ground.
Longtian slowed.
He looked at the trees.
There were footprints.
Dozens.
Some fresh.
Some old.
Then he saw blood.
A thin trail of it led deeper into the forest.
Longtian followed.
He eventually reached a clearing.
A man lay dead beside a broken carriage.
White robes.
White mask.
Longtian crouched beside the body.
The mask was cracked.
The man's throat had been cut.
Longtian examined the wound.
"Clean."
He looked around.
The woman hadn't killed him.
The wound came from behind.
Someone else had been here.
A sound came from the trees.
Longtian stood.
"Come out."
Nothing.
He waited.
Then a voice answered.
"You really are stubborn."
Longtian smiled.
The woman stepped from the mist.
The same scar.
The same red robes.
The same confident eyes.
Longtian stared.
"So you're real."
She smiled.
"Disappointed?"
"Not yet."
She walked around him.
"You've been searching for me."
"You left clues."
"I wanted to know how long it would take."
"How long?"
"Longer."
Longtian laughed.
"Then you underestimated me."
She stopped.
"Maybe."
Longtian looked at the dead man.
"Who killed him?"
She glanced down.
"He did."
Longtian frowned.
"He killed himself?"
"No."
She looked at Longtian.
"He was killed by the person who is hunting me."
"Who?"
She smiled.
"You."
Longtian's eyes narrowed.
"That doesn't make sense."
"Not yet."
She suddenly disappeared.
Longtian turned.
Nothing.
Then the forest erupted.
Dozens of masked warriors emerged from the mist.
Longtian sighed.
"Of course."
They attacked.
The first warrior swung a sword.
Longtian ducked.
A second attacked from behind.
Longtian caught his wrist and used his momentum to throw him into a tree.
Three more surrounded him.
Longtian grabbed a fallen branch.
The fight became chaotic.
He blocked.
Dodged.
Countered.
But there were too many.
A blade cut across his arm.
Another struck his shoulder.
Longtian stumbled.
The masked warriors moved with perfect coordination.
Someone had trained them.
Someone had designed their formation specifically to overwhelm a single opponent.
Longtian looked at their movements.
Then he smiled.
"You've made another mistake."
One warrior attacked.
Longtian stepped aside.
Another followed.
He moved between them.
The formation broke.
The warriors collided.
Longtian struck the nearest one in the throat.
He grabbed another by the collar and threw him into two others.
Then he sprinted toward the edge of the clearing.
The warriors followed.
Longtian suddenly stopped.
The first warrior couldn't react.
Longtian grabbed his sword.
Twisted.
The blade flew away.
Longtian kicked him into the others.
Silence returned.
The warriors lay unconscious.
Longtian breathed heavily.
The woman watched from the trees.
"You've improved."
"Have I?"
"You're less dependent on strength."
Longtian stared at her.
"You've been watching me."
"Of course."
"Why?"
She smiled.
"Because I need to know whether you're worth following."
Longtian stepped toward her.
"Following me where?"
She disappeared again.
Her voice echoed through the forest.
"That's the question."
Longtian chased her.
The forest twisted around him.
Every path seemed to lead somewhere different.
Eventually, he emerged into a valley.
At the center stood an ancient stone monument.
It was covered in writing.
Longtian approached.
The language was unfamiliar.
Yet he could understand it.
Those who seek power must first decide what they are willing to lose.
Longtian frowned.
The treasure's voice appeared.
"You have reached the second portion of the fifth stage."
"How many portions?"
"Three."
Longtian looked at the monument.
"What is this one?"
"A choice."
"I hate choices."
"You rejected the previous choice."
"I rejected a bad one."
"Then perhaps you will accept this one."
The monument split open.
Inside were two objects.
A sword.
And a small wooden box.
Longtian stared.
"What do they do?"
"You may choose one."
"Of course."
He examined the sword.
Beautiful.
Powerful.
Even without touching it, he could sense tremendous spiritual energy.
The wooden box looked worthless.
Longtian picked up the sword.
The moment his fingers touched it, images flooded his mind.
An army.
A kingdom.
A throne.
Power.
Millions of followers.
He could see himself ruling an enormous empire.
No one could oppose him.
He looked at the wooden box.
It showed nothing.
No visions.
No power.
Nothing.
Longtian smiled.
He put the sword down.
"I'll take the box."
The treasure remained silent.
"Was that the correct answer?"
No response.
Longtian opened the box.
Inside was a single seed.
Black.
Small.
Ordinary.
Longtian stared at it.
"What is this?"
"You will discover that later."
Longtian sighed.
"Naturally."
The monument vanished.
The forest disappeared.
He found himself standing before another door.
The woman was waiting beside it.
Longtian looked at her.
"You're part of the test."
"Yes."
"You know what happens next."
"Yes."
"Then tell me."
"No."
Longtian smiled.
"I like you."
She raised an eyebrow.
"That was fast."
"You're irritating."
"That's usually how it starts."
Longtian walked toward the door.
She followed.
"Where are you going?"
"Through the door."
"What if you fail?"
"I won't."
She laughed.
"You really are arrogant."
Longtian glanced back.
"What's your name?"
She hesitated.
Then smiled.
"Lin Yue."
Longtian nodded.
"Good."
"Why?"
"Now I know what to call you when I find you again."
She stared at him.
"You don't understand."
"What?"
"This is the last time you'll see me."
The door opened.
A violent white light swallowed the world.
Lin Yue disappeared.
Longtian reached for her.
His fingers closed around empty air.
Then the treasure spoke.
"Fifth stage complete."
Longtian stood alone.
His expression became cold.
"Bring her back."
"You must earn that."
"How?"
"Complete the remaining trials."
Longtian looked at the next door.
"Fine."
He stepped forward.
But before entering, he looked at the black seed in his palm.
It had changed.
A tiny red line had appeared across its surface.
Longtian frowned.
He could feel something inside.
Something sleeping.
Something that recognized him.
Outside the treasure, the fifth seal finally vanished.
The sixth seal ignited.
Ao Lian immediately noticed something else.
Longtian's body had changed.
His wounds were beginning to close.
Not because of cultivation.
Not because of demonic Qi.
His body was adapting.
Gu Ren stared.
"His physical strength is increasing."
Ao Lian nodded.
"Every trial is changing him."
"Then what happens when he finishes all ten?"
Ao Lian looked toward the sky.
"I don't know."
A voice interrupted them.
"I do."
They turned.
Shen Yao stood beneath the courtyard roof.
His expression was unusually serious.
Ao Lian narrowed her eyes.
"You've been here the entire time?"
"I was dragged into this mess."
"Where did you go?"
Shen Yao looked at the treasure.
"Somewhere I didn't want to be."
Gu Ren frowned.
"And?"
Shen Yao took a deep breath.
"I saw something."
"What?"
"A throne."
Ao Lian waited.
Shen Yao continued.
"An empty throne surrounded by twelve doors."
Longtian's motionless body suddenly twitched.
Everyone looked at him.
Shen Yao's face went pale.
"The throne had his name carved into it."
Ao Lian stared.
"What name?"
Shen Yao swallowed.
"Ao Longtian."
The treasure pulsed.
Then a message appeared.
Sixth trial preparing.
Shen Yao looked at Ao Lian.
"I think your brother is walking toward something much bigger than a treasure."
Ao Lian looked at Longtian.
"How much bigger?"
Shen Yao stared at the golden artifact.
"The fate of an entire world."
Far above them, the heavenly guards watched the sixth seal awaken.
One guard whispered:
"Should we interfere?"
The oldest guard shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
The old man looked down at the mortal world.
"Because it has already begun."
Inside the sixth doorway, Longtian opened his eyes.
He was standing before twelve enormous gates.
Each one bore a different symbol.
War.
Trade.
Knowledge.
Law.
Faith.
Medicine.
Industry.
Information.
Entertainment.
Agriculture.
Crime.
And finally—
a symbol he did not recognize.
Longtian stared.
A voice echoed.
"Sixth trial."
He looked toward the twelve gates.
"What am I supposed to do?"
The answer came slowly.
"Build."
Longtian smiled.
"For once, that's a useful instruction."
He stepped toward the first gate.
And behind the twelve doors—
the foundations of his future empire were waiting.