The third roar split the heavens.
ROAR!
The vortex above the Moon Lotus Sect spiraled wider, clouds churning like a great whirlpool in the sky. Lightning cracked through the storm, illuminating the snow-laden peaks in brief, jagged flashes. The ground itself shuddered, snow lifting in sheets and scattering into the gale.
Within Haotian's chamber, the resonance surged again.
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Each cry birthed another flood dragon in his sea of consciousness. They rose from the golden rift one by one—long serpentine forms of radiant scales, horns gleaming, eyes burning with ancient fire. By the tenth roar, ten dragons coiled around the altar. By the thirtieth, the void within him was filled with golden serpents, writhing in endless arcs.
Outside the chamber, disciples shielded their eyes as golden light seeped through the cracks. Elders who approached were forced back, coughing blood from the oppressive aura.
Only one pressed on.
Sect Master Yinxue.
Her robes whipped violently as she advanced, her face pale but unyielding. The force struck her chest like a tidal wave, her steps heavy as though treading against a storm. Foolish child… after all my warnings, you still force yourself to this brink…
The chamber door exploded open.
At once, a blast of chi aura erupted outward like a hurricane.
The invisible storm hurled disciples sprawling across the courtyard, elders reeling as blood spilled from their lips. Yinxue braced herself in the doorway, arms trembling as she steadied her stance. Strands of her hair snapped free, lashing across her face, but she did not retreat.
Inside, Haotian sat unmoving, cross-legged in lotus. His skin glistened with sweat and blood, but his breathing was calm, steady. His pores glowed faintly, streams of golden light exhaling from him. His eyes shone with galaxies, the Eyes of the Universe fully awake.
And the dragons roared on.
By the fortieth roar, the chamber trembled as though it would collapse. Wooden beams groaned and split, dust raining down.
By the seventieth roar, the air warped under the pulsing qi, rippling like molten heat. The bedding and floor had long since shattered, replaced by a glowing lattice of qi veins spiraling outward from Haotian's form.
ROAR!
By the ninetieth roar, Yinxue bent slightly under the aura, her teeth clenched as the crushing weight pressed down on her. Yet her gaze never wavered from Haotian. This power… even if it destroys him, it is already beyond mortal cultivation.
Finally—
ROAR!
The ninety-ninth cry thundered across heaven and earth.
Inside Haotian's sea of consciousness, ninety-nine flood dragons circled in blazing unity. Serpentine coils gleamed as they surged downward into his meridians, flooding them like rivers of molten gold.
Yinxue's breath caught as golden firelines spread across his skin, tracing his veins like living calligraphy.
The dragons writhed through his body, cleansing as they moved. They coiled into his heart core, pressing against his ribs until faint golden light glowed within his chest. They poured into his dantian, filling it with radiant strength.
Then they rose again, streaming upward through his meridians, slithering back into the third core.
There, in his sea of consciousness, the ninety-nine dragons coiled around the altar in endless dance—serpents of eternity, without wings, boundless, sovereign.
The storm above the sect slowly broke apart. Snow fell gently again, blanketing the mountains in silence.
The golden glow from Haotian's chamber dimmed.
And at last, stillness returned.
Haotian sat in a lotus position, his body steady, his aura calm but overwhelming. His breath flowed like the tide, unshakable, eternal.
The Ninety-Nine Dragon Ascension was complete.
Sect Master Yinxue stood in the shattered doorway, her sleeves torn, her hair wild. Her eyes burned with awe, dread… and deep frustration.
Reckless boy. You ignored me, and yet… the heavens themselves bend to you. What path have you chosen that even the sect master cannot see through?
She exhaled slowly, steadying her heart as disciples crept closer, whispering with fear and reverence.
But within the chamber, Haotian closed his eyes, sinking into meditation.
The three cores resonated as one.
The flood dragons coiled endlessly in silence within his soul.
And the Moon Lotus Sect understood—nothing would ever be the same again.
Silence clung to the Moon Lotus Sect. The storm had broken, the vortex dispersed, yet the air still trembled faintly, as if the world itself feared the echo of Haotian's breakthrough.
Inside the shattered chamber, he sat in lotus posture, drenched from head to toe. His robes were soaked scarlet, blood crusting along his mouth and chin, streams dried around his nose, ears, and eyes. His skin was smeared, his hair clumped to his face and shoulders.
Yet—there was not a single wound.
The flesh that had torn itself apart was whole. His veins no longer bulged grotesquely. His body, though stained with gore, radiated only peace.
The oppressive storm had given way to tranquility. His aura, once violent and crushing, now flowed smooth and serene, like the calm tide after a raging tempest.
Haotian slowly lifted his head.
His eyes opened—brilliant galaxies swirling in their depths. The Eyes of the Universe glowed, vast and unending, as though creation itself peered through him.
Yinxue stiffened. For the first time in decades, she felt her breath caught. Even her heart trembled under that gaze. Those eyes… what truth do they see that even I cannot?
Then, as softly as they had opened, the light faded. The galaxies dimmed. His pupils returned to gold, clear and bright.
He smiled faintly.
Haotian pushed himself to his feet with startling ease. His steps were steady, as if the ordeal had been nothing more than an exercise. He turned to the doorway, to Yinxue standing pale and disheveled, disciples scattered behind her in fearful silence.
Bowing slightly, he said, voice calm and light,"Forgive me, Sect Master, fellow disciples. I have disturbed your night."
The courtyard erupted with whispers. None had expected such words after witnessing a storm that could unmake mountains.
Yinxue's gaze sharpened, her voice low and cutting."You broke through… to the Nascent Realm."
Haotian met her eyes and nodded simply. "Yes."
But her fingers curled into her sleeve. Inwardly, she knew. That power… that storm… those roars… it had surpassed mere Nascent Realm. It was something else entirely. Something she could not name.
Haotian knew. With the awakening of his third core, his foundation had been reforged. Even in this so-called Nascent Realm, he stood upon a path that could carry him to the pinnacle of Saint Realm.
The disciples, emboldened by Yinxue's words, finally crept closer. Their eyes were wide, torn between reverence and fear as they took in his blood-soaked form.
"Senior Brother Haotian…" one whispered. "Are… are you alright?"
Another elder frowned, voice tight with concern. "Your body… your condition… can you even stand without pain?"
Haotian laughed lightly, the sound warm and unguarded. He spread his hands."I'm fine. Perfectly fine."
No one believed him.
A bold disciple blurted out, "Then prove it—strip off your robes! Show us your wounds!"
Haotian froze. His brows rose as silence fell. For a heartbeat, he stared at the disciple in disbelief.
Then his lips curved, and a chuckle escaped him."Strip? You dare command your senior brother so casually? Bold indeed!"
Laughter, light and playful, filled the broken chamber. Not mocking, not cold, but genuine—as though a weight had lifted from him. The stoic edge that had once surrounded him was gone; in its place was an ease that left the others staring.
He clutched his blood-stained robes tighter around him, shaking his head."No, no. That's one disturbance too many for tonight. Let's leave some mysteries to the imagination, shall we?"
The disciples exchanged glances, stunned at the levity. To see the man who had summoned storms and dragons only moments ago jest with them so lightly—it was surreal.
For a moment, they wondered if he had truly been reborn in that storm of blood and light.
Yinxue's eyes lingered on him, her thoughts silent, heavy. What have you become, Haotian? And how long will I be able to stand beside you before you surpass us all?
Haotian, meanwhile, only smiled faintly, his gaze distant. The blood on his face was drying, his body still reeked of iron and qi, but his spirit seemed as bright as dawn.
The storm had passed.
But none who looked at him believed the world would ever be the same again.
The sect was shaken.
Disciples whispered among themselves as they dispersed, glancing back again and again at Haotian's blood-soaked figure. His body, though covered in dried streams of crimson from his mouth, eyes, and ears, bore no wounds. The gore remained, but the flesh beneath was whole, his aura calm and serene.
"Did you see? He was drenched in blood, yet unharmed…"
"That was no mere Nascent Realm breakthrough."
"Monster… no, a god."
The word spread like wildfire: god.
Even elders looked shaken, muttering lowly to each other. None dared contest his strength. None dared approach further.
"Come with me."
Yinxue's voice cut through the silence.
Before Haotian could even steady his robes, she turned, striding away. Disciples stepped aside as the Sect Master passed, eyes wide, heads bowed low.
Haotian followed quietly, still leaving faint footprints of blood across the polished floors.
The two entered her private chamber. With a wave of her sleeve, the doors shut heavily behind them, cutting away the murmurs of the sect.
The candlelight flickered across Yinxue's face, her expression cold as steel. She stood facing him, arms folded within her sleeves, gaze sharp enough to pierce flesh.
"You disobeyed me."
Her words carried no shout, no anger, but the weight of absolute authority.
Haotian bowed his head slightly. His hair was still matted with blood, his face streaked and pale, his robes torn and stiff with gore. "I did. And I am sorry."
His voice was calm. Not defiant, not defensive. Only honest.
Yinxue's brows knit faintly. Her eyes lingered on him — not the gore, not the blood, but his eyes. Even through the mess, they gleamed with galaxies still faintly shimmering, traces of the Eyes of the Universe not yet gone.
She exhaled slowly. "…You've changed."
Haotian lifted his gaze. "Changed?"
"You once kept everything locked away," she said. "Unwavering. Stoic. As if nothing could touch you. But tonight, I saw you smile. I heard you laugh with the disciples. It was not an act. It was… freer, as if your heart has been unbound."
Haotian chuckled softly, blood drying along his lips as he did."I don't feel that way. Perhaps…" He tilted his head, voice lower, more thoughtful. "Perhaps my burdens have been lifted."
The faint smile on his gore-stained face unsettled her more than his storm of power ever had.
Yinxue studied him in silence, torn between frustration and something she could not name.
You reckless child… yet what path have you stepped onto, that even I can no longer see the end?
Yinxue's eyes lingered on him a moment longer, her lips pressed into a thin line. Finally, she exhaled and said coldly, "Enough for tonight. Go. Clean yourself and rest."
Haotian bowed his head. "Yes, Sect Master. Thank you."
Still covered in dried blood, he turned and left the chamber.
The next morning, pale sunlight stretched across the courtyards of the Moon Lotus Sect, scattering the last traces of the storm. The sect was still uneasy; whispers of the ninety-nine dragon roars had not stopped since dawn.
A door creaked open.
Haotian stepped out.
His robes were clean, his hair freshly tied, and his stride steady. The blood that had drenched him the night before was gone, leaving his face bright and striking. His eyes gleamed with calm clarity, golden irises sharp and gentle all at once. His brows were straight and proud like drawn swords, his features refined and radiant.
He walked the corridors toward the alchemy lab. As he passed, several female disciples lifted their heads out of habit, ready to bow—
"Good morning," he said lightly.
They froze.
That voice was warm. That smile was dazzling.
"…Good… good morning…" one stammered, cheeks burning.
As he continued down the hall, more and more disciples turned. Whispers rose. None recognized him. Not the stoic, unyielding Senior Brother Haotian they had feared and revered.
"Who was that?"
"He… greeted us?"
"His smile… did you see it?!"
Like moths to flame, they began to follow. First two or three, then ten, then nearly an entire line of disciples trailing behind him, their steps quickening to keep up.
By the time he reached the alchemy lab, a crowd of female disciples had gathered silently at his back.
Haotian stopped and turned.
"Is there something I can help you, ladies with?"
The word ladies slid from his lips smoothly, paired with a faint smile.
It was devastating.
Several disciples nearly lost their footing. A few covered their faces, hearts racing. His clear eyes caught the morning light like crystal; his hair curved over his shoulder, bound neatly at the tip. He looked less like a warrior than a prince stepping from a painting.
The silence broke with a bold voice from the crowd:"W-who are you? Are you… are you a new recruit?"
Haotian blinked, stunned. Then his lips curved into a wider smile."What do you mean? I am Haotian."
The courtyard went silent.
Then chaos erupted.
"Senior Brother Haotian?!"
"No, it can't be—he's completely different!"
"Senior Brother Haotian! You really… you really look like this?!"
The disciples rushed forward, voices rising into a storm of awe and disbelief, crowding the alchemy lab steps.
Haotian stood at the center of it, smiling faintly, a light chuckle escaping his lips.
The stoic hero of yesterday was gone.
The sect had awoken to a Haotian reborn.
The words had barely left his lips before the courtyard erupted.
"Senior Brother Haotian, your hair—how do you keep it so smooth?!"
"Senior Brother, your eyes—they're brighter than gemstones! Is that natural or some cultivation effect?"
"Do you have a dao companion already?!"
The flood of voices crashed over him.
A dozen disciples pressed forward, eyes wide, cheeks flushed, questions tumbling over one another. Another group lingered shyly behind, stealing glances at his smile and whispering furiously to each other.
Haotian blinked at the sudden assault, then… chuckled.
Instead of retreating, instead of slipping away like the stoic figure they once knew, he simply clasped his hands behind his back, meeting each question with the same calm smile.
"My hair? I've… never done anything special with it."
"Gemstone eyes? No, just the way they've always been."
"As for a dao companion—" His smile widened faintly, teasing, "—I've had no time for such things."
The disciples' cheeks burned even brighter. One stumbled back, covering her mouth; another whispered furiously, "So there's still hope?!"
The courtyard boiled with laughter, squeals, and frantic whispers. Within moments, the whispers had turned into rumors spreading like wildfire.
"Senior Brother Haotian smiled at me directly!"
"No, it was at me!"
"Did you hear? He doesn't have a dao companion—yet!"
"…If we kidnapped him for a day, maybe we could—"
"Don't even say it out loud!"
The chaos swelled, growing louder, almost unruly. Disciples at the back began pushing forward, trying to get a closer look. Haotian only stood there, calm as the eye of a storm, answering each question with warmth, his presence more dazzling than ever.
But then—
"Enough!"
A sharp voice cracked across the courtyard.
The disciples froze mid-word, the noise cut short as if a blade had severed it.
Sect Master Yinxue stepped into view, her robes immaculate, her gaze sharp as frost. The elders flanked her, expressions grim, though more than one pair of eyes flicked to Haotian with lingering awe.
The crowd of disciples stiffened, paling under their master's gaze. The whispers died, and suddenly the courtyard was still once more.
Yinxue's eyes swept the crowd, then settled firmly on Haotian.
"Is this how the Moon Lotus Sect conducts itself?" she said coldly, though her tone carried more bite for the disciples than for him. "A single smile from your Senior Brother and you lose all composure? Have you forgotten the discipline of our sect?"
The disciples bowed quickly, stammering apologies, though their eyes still darted longingly toward Haotian.
Haotian, for his part, inclined his head respectfully, his faint smile unshaken.
The Sect Master exhaled slowly, folding her arms. "Enough of this. Disperse."
The disciples reluctantly obeyed, scattering in clusters, whispering fiercely the moment they thought they were out of earshot. The rumors would not end—they would only spread faster now.
Yinxue's gaze lingered on Haotian for a moment longer, sharp and unreadable.
"Come with me," she said at last.
The command to disperse rang across the courtyard like a hammer blow.
But the disciples hesitated.
One girl blurted out, "Sect Master, please—just a little longer!"
"Yes, just a moment more!" another added, clutching her sleeves tightly.
"Senior Brother Haotian hasn't spoken to us like this before!"
The cluster of young women protested in a chorus, their voices soft but stubborn, eyes flicking between their master's icy gaze and the man they all clustered around.
The atmosphere strained, the Sect Master's expression darkening—until Haotian lifted a hand.
"Enough."
The word was spoken gently, accompanied by a faint smile that seemed to ripple like sunlight through morning mist. His tone carried no weight of command, yet the entire crowd quieted.
His eyes swept across them, warm, amused."You've all worked hard. I promise I'll return again, when time allows. So, for now, relax."
The disciples' hearts pounded.
That smile, that gentle assurance—spoken as though he were coaxing them instead of dismissing them—left several on the verge of swooning.
Even the elders, standing behind Yinxue, found their faces warming unexpectedly. Hardened cultivators, veterans of battle and politics, coughed into their sleeves and looked away quickly, cheeks touched with a faint blush.
Only Sect Master Yinxue remained unmoved, her expression a wall of frosted glass, unaffected by his newfound charm.
But in that moment, the courtyard softened.
The disciples, though still reluctant, bowed one by one. Their eyes lingered, stealing glances as they shuffled away, whispering furiously the moment they thought they were out of earshot.
"He said he'll return—did you hear that?"
"That smile… I'll never forget it…"
"I felt like he was speaking to me directly…"
"No, it was me!"
Rumors began spinning anew, a wildfire that no elder could extinguish.
At the center of it, Haotian chuckled lightly to himself, his hands folded calmly behind his back.
For the first time, he felt no burden pressing him down—only the strange ease of a man who had walked through storm and blood, and emerged with something unshakable within.