The morning sun barely rose before the skies dimmed again. Clouds rolled unnaturally across the heavens, and a chill ran through the entire Blackpine Range.
Li Yi stood alone on the cliff's edge, robes fluttering in the wind. His body still pulsed with residual qi from the battle against the abyssal scout. The Azure Scripture coursed within him, deepening, rooting his energy into the land with every breath.
He could feel it now—there was a shift in the realm.
The sealed paths were weakening.
Somewhere, someone had begun to tamper with the barrier that divided the God Realm from the lower worlds. The demon that attacked him had been more than just a scout—it was a harbinger.
"Too soon," he muttered, fists tightening. "I need strength. More strength."
His twin cores spun faster, as if in agreement.
Just then, an eagle cry split the sky. A shadow swooped down—a messenger beast, wings etched with silver characters. It wore a jade crest around its neck.
Li Yi's eyes narrowed. "Li family sigil?"
The eagle dropped a scroll before him and vanished like mist.
He caught it mid-air and unraveled the message. Elegant calligraphy flowed across the parchment.
> "To the Descendant of the Main Bloodline:
Your awakening has been noticed.
The branch elders of the Xuan Realm request your presence at the Eastern Sky Peak Gathering.
Come before the full moon.
Refusal will be taken as a challenge to your right of inheritance."
He folded the scroll, eyes cold.
So the branch family had noticed him. And now they wanted to test whether he was truly worthy.
"Let them try."
---
Three days later, the sky was ablaze with spirit boats and flying beasts. The Eastern Sky Peak, seat of the Li Family branch in the Xuan Realm, was hosting its once-in-a-decade youth gathering.
Thousands had gathered—young cultivators from allied clans, disciples of top sects, and hidden geniuses. It was a stage to reveal talent, to determine rankings, and sometimes… to decide life and death.
Li Yi arrived without fanfare. Dressed in simple black robes, hair tied loosely, he seemed like a rogue cultivator at best.
Yet when he stepped onto the welcome platform, the protective formation around the peak shuddered.
All eyes turned to him.
A middle-aged man in ornate robes stepped forward, eyebrows furrowed. "Name and affiliation?"
Li Yi looked him dead in the eye. "Li Yi. Son of Li Tianran, direct descendant of the Main House."
The crowd stirred.
Whispers erupted.
"Li Tianran's son? But he vanished decades ago!"
"Impossible—he was from the Upper Realm's core family!"
"Didn't they say he died during a realm collapse?"
The elder's expression turned grim. "If you claim the blood of the Main House, then prove it—by force."
A circle of light expanded around them. Within it, five youths stepped forward—arrogant, powerful, and clad in rich sect uniforms. They were the top talents of the branch family.
"The test is simple," the elder said. "Defeat three of them. Do so, and your claim will be honored."
Li Yi stepped into the circle.
The first opponent smirked. "I don't care who your father is. In the Xuan Realm, blood means nothing."
He charged with a thunder-infused spear.
Li Yi didn't move.
He raised one hand.
A pale root burst from the stone floor and impaled the spear wielder mid-dash.
The crowd gasped.
Before the second opponent could even react, Li Yi blurred forward, palm glowing. A single strike—gentle yet precise—shattered the youth's spirit shield and knocked him unconscious.
By the time the third stepped up, he was trembling.
"You… what technique is this?!"
Li Yi spoke for the first time.
"Azure Root Scripture."
The final strike split the air with silence. A wave of divine qi surged, and the arena trembled as roots and starlight burst outward.
Three down.
Silence reigned.
Li Yi turned to the elder. "Is that proof enough?"
The elder, sweat on his brow, bowed deeply. "The Li Family of the Xuan Realm welcomes the return of the bloodline."
Above them, the full moon rose.
And from the heavens… a crimson crack shimmered faintly.
The war was coming. And Li Yi was no longer just a boy seeking answers.
He was a storm waiting to be unleashed.