The sun rose slowly, casting crimson light over the jagged Void Peaks. The wind howled like a spirit through the broken rocks, carrying whispers of the past.
Jin Mu-Won stood at the front of the group, eyes fixed on the third peak—taller than the others, black as obsidian, with eerie mist clinging to its flanks like spiderwebs.
"The entrance is halfway up," he said.
Lin Xue tied her hair into a high tail. "What kind of place is it?"
Jin Mu-Won touched the scroll he carried. "A ruin. A battlefield. And a test."
They climbed carefully, avoiding unstable ledges and poisonous moss that grew along the trail. The Void Peaks weren't named for their beauty—they were known for swallowing explorers whole.
Three hours in, they found the gate.
A cracked stone archway embedded into the mountain wall, half-covered in vines. On it were etched characters in an ancient tongue.
Yu Fei read aloud: "Only those who walk the Emperor's path may claim his strength… or die in the shadow of their greed."
Bai Yiran stepped forward. "So inspiring."
Jin Mu-Won placed his hand on the arch.
His Qi pulsed.
The stone shifted. Runes glowed.
The ground trembled as a hidden staircase opened beneath their feet, spiraling into darkness.
---
[System Notification]
> New Zone Discovered: Moonpiercer's Tomb
Dungeon Level: S
Danger Rating: High
Party Synergy: 4/5 (Optimal)
Harem Bond Buffs Activated
---
They descended into darkness.
Flickering blue torches lit the walls. The air turned cold. Old skeletons lined the sides of the corridor—some still wearing rusted armor, others with broken weapons driven through their ribs.
"This place reeks of death," Bai Yiran whispered.
Lin Xue drew her sword. "Stay close."
At the end of the staircase, a great stone door waited. Jin stepped forward and placed the Moonpiercer Map fragment into a small circular recess at its center.
The door groaned. Then opened.
A blast of air hit them, filled with the scent of old lotus petals and dried blood.
The tomb beyond was massive.
Columns rose into blackness. Statues of ancient emperors lined the walls. In the center of the hall stood a crystal lotus, inside which floated a humanoid skeleton clad in imperial robes—perfectly preserved.
But it was not lifeless.
The eye sockets flared with blue flame.
A deep voice echoed in their minds:
"Only one may claim the Moonpiercer's Trial. Step forward, Challenger."
The girls looked at Jin.
He nodded, stepping into the circle around the lotus.
Suddenly, the world changed.
He was no longer in the tomb.
---
[Spiritual Trial Realm: Moonpiercer's Illusion]
Jin found himself in a battlefield of starlight, facing an armored warrior with an imperial blade.
"You are not the first to inherit my path," said the ancient emperor. "What makes you worthy?"
Jin Mu-Won's eyes glowed. "I don't seek the path to rule. I seek the path to protect."
The emperor's laugh shook the sky. "Then let us see if your convictions have teeth."
They clashed.
Steel screamed.
Qi surged across the spiritual plane—black void energy versus radiant moonlight.
Jin spun, dodged, then struck with his Sky-Breaking Palm.
The emperor blocked with a single hand.
"Too slow."
He countered with the Moonpiercer's Fang—a technique Jin barely avoided.
But as they fought, Jin's cultivation realm surged.
> [Passive Effect Triggered: Heaven-Devouring Body (Dormant)]
[New Stage Unlocked: Body Forging Realm - Peak]
With each strike, he adapted.
Absorbed.
Improved.
Finally, he released his trump card:
Void Devourer Slash: Unwritten Art
A technique born not from inheritance—but from rebirth.
The emperor was cut in half.
Silence.
Then the fragments dissolved into light.
The skeleton within the lotus cracked… then crumbled to dust.
---
Jin returned to the real world.
The tomb was shaking. The crystal lotus shattered. And in its place now floated a silver-bladed spear with a crescent-shaped tip.
> [Artifact Gained: Moonpiercer Spear (Heaven Grade)]
[Technique Learned: Crescent Void Spiral]
[Title Earned: Successor of the Moonpiercer]
[Hidden Affinity Awakened: Celestial Qi]
His hand reached forward.
As soon as he touched it, the spear bonded with his Qi.
The others watched in awe.
Yu Fei broke the silence. "You did it…"
He nodded, sweat on his brow.
Bai Yiran placed a hand on his shoulder. "Your aura—it's different. Heavier."
Lin Xue hugged him without hesitation. "I was scared."
He held her tightly. "So was I."
Yu Fei stood alone, silent.
Jin noticed.
"You don't want to come closer?"
She looked up, eyes hard.
"Not until I earn it."
He walked to her, lifting her chin with a gentle hand. "You already have."
She blinked. Then kissed him—long, slow, without rush or question.
Yu Fei Favorability: 100 (Love)
Harem Member Secured: Yu Fei
Group Bonus: Triple Bond Activated
Aura Boost: +20% Qi Efficiency in Group Battles
---
As they exited the tomb, the system chimed again.
> New Threat Detected: Blood Lotus Envoy Approaching
Quest Triggered: Defend the Successor
Countdown: 24 Hours
Jin Mu-Won turned toward the wind.
His enemies were already moving.
But so was he.
He had a path now—a path that would shake the heavens.
And he wasn't walking it alone.