Shen Xuan had finally arrived in the Southern Region. After a long journey, he was sitting in a small inn, quietly listening to the chatter around him. Several disciples from different sects were gathered nearby, excitedly discussing the upcoming events.
"All the King Clans and First-Class Sects are organizing competitions," one disciple said eagerly. "They're testing disciples and recruiting new geniuses for their sects. In just thirteen months, the great Continent Gathering for the younger generation will begin. Everyone's preparing for it."
Another disciple nodded.
"I heard that those who place in the top five of the King Clan competitions will be sent to a secret ancient planet for experience. It's said to be a ruined world, a dead planet — but full of endless opportunities. They say it was once an ancient battlefield."
A third one sighed, lowering his voice.
"The King Clans are doing everything they can to impress the Emperor Clans. Even their competitions are grander than ever."
Then, another disciple added in envy,
"The Shen Family is really lucky. Did you hear? Only a few months ago, they were just a first-class family — and now they've risen to King Clan status!"
The others turned toward him with surprise.
"Seriously? The Shen Family?"
"Yeah," the disciple replied bitterly. "My friend became an outer disciple there. Ever since they rose in rank, he won't even talk to me anymore. A few months ago, we were both from first-class families, but now…" He sighed deeply.
Hearing this, Shen Xuan froze. His mind went blank for a moment.The Shen Family… in the Southern Region?
He had never known their location before — he'd never left home when he was a child. A storm of emotions churned inside him: shock, longing, and bitterness.
He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes trembling as old memories surfaced — the night he was abandoned, the cold faces, his father's merciless command to kill him. If not for the mercy of a few guards who couldn't bear to harm a helpless child… he would've died that night.
Shen Xuan's eyes turned slightly red, filled with suppressed rage and grief. His heart ached, but he forced himself to calm down.
"They're no longer my family," he whispered coldly.
With that, he stood up, left a few spirit stones on the table, and walked out of the inn. The cool wind outside brushed past him, but it couldn't cool the turmoil within his chest.
Late at night, Shen Xuan lay quietly on the bed of a small inn, staring at the wooden ceiling. The dim lantern on the table flickered, casting long shadows across the room.
His mind was restless.
That ancient planet… how can I get there?
He knew that only those who placed high in the upcoming King Clan Competitions would earn a spot — a chance to step onto the ancient battlefield that held endless opportunities.
After a long moment of silence, Shen Xuan sat up, his eyes sharp with resolve.
"I'll take the test for one of the King Clans," he muttered under his breath.
But then he frowned.
Which clan should I choose?
Across the vast southern territory, there were seven King Clans. And now, with the recent rise of the Shen Family, that number had grown to eight.
Each clan carried the proud title 'King' before their name — a mark of their prestige.
The eight King Clans were:
King Zhen ClanKing Duan ClanKing Lan ClanKing Feng ClanKing Tian ClanKing Ling ClanKing Hao ClanKing Shen Clan — the newest of them all.
Apart from these, there was one more power that stood equal to the King Clans — the Jade Lotus Sect. Though not a clan, its strength and influence were on the same level, perhaps even greater. However, they only accepted female cultivators.
That thought made Shen Xuan's expression soften slightly.
Jade Lotus Sect… that's where Yao'er is.
Du Yaoyao — his recognized elder sister. It had been more than ten years since they last saw each other. She was the one who used to protect him when they were young, before everything fell apart.
For a moment, warmth flickered in his chest,
He turned his thoughts back to the clans. The Shen Clan — his birth family — was now among the King Clans, supported by the Feng Clan, because his mother had been the daughter of the Feng Clan's patriarch.
A bitter smile curved on his lips.
"So that's why they rose so quickly…"
He closed his eyes, taking a slow breath.
No matter what bloodline he carried, he owed them nothing. But if entering the competition meant crossing paths with them again — then so be it.
Outside, the wind howled softly against the inn's windows, as if echoing his silent resolve.
Now that Shen Xuan finally knew his family was in the Southern Region, things had become simpler.
He no longer needed to search across the entire continent.
When he gained enough strength—true strength—he would go to them.
He would settle everything.
There was one person in particular he wanted to face.
The one who had showered him with love for five long years…
and then abandoned him without a word.
Yes—his mother.
There wasn't a single night Shen Xuan hadn't missed her or cried silently, asking the same questions again and again.
Why did she abandon me?
If she wanted to leave, then why love me so deeply first?
Those thoughts burned inside him like hidden fire. But now, he had made his decision.
He would join the Lan Clan — the third strongest King Clan in the Southern Region.
Next Morning:
When the sun rose, Shen Xuan left the inn and traveled toward the Lan Clan's territory. After several hours, he arrived before the grand mountain gate.
Dozens of young cultivators were already lined up, waiting for their turn. The atmosphere was tense and filled with anticipation.
The Lan Clan's recruitment test was simple—but terrifyingly difficult.
There were one thousand spiritual stairs, each step exuding increasingly immense pressure.
Whoever climbed past four hundred steps would qualify to join as an outer disciple.
Among the current participants—numbered up to 168 before Shen Xuan—only two had managed to cross the four-hundredth step. The rest had collapsed halfway, coughing blood or fainting.
Shen Xuan was number 169.
When his turn came, Shen Xuan stepped forward calmly. His expression was unreadable beneath the black half-mask he wore. Only his sharp blue-tinged eyes and the upper part of his forehead were visible.
The supervising elder glanced at him briefly and sighed inwardly.
"Another one trying his luck," he muttered, already losing interest.
But soon, his expression froze.
Shen Xuan walked steadily—one step after another—completely unfazed by the growing pressure.
When he reached the four-hundredth step, the crowd started murmuring.
"He's still going?"
"What kind of monster is this guy?"
The elder leaned forward, his eyes gleaming in surprise.
Five hundred…
Six hundred…
Seven hundred…
The whispers grew into stunned silence. Even the elder, a seasoned cultivator who had overseen hundreds of tests, felt his heart pounding.
"Incredible… It's been years since I've seen a talent like this," he whispered.
Most so-called geniuses could only reach seven hundred steps, while the true Heavenly Geniuses of major sects managed eight hundred and fifty to nine hundred at most. Beyond that, the pressure became unbearable, crushing even the strongest bodies.
But Shen Xuan was different.
His body had been reforged by Divine Fire Dragon Blood—each drop having tempered his flesh, bones, and spirit beyond mortal limits.
To him, this pressure felt like nothing more than a light breeze.
When he reached the seven hundred and fiftieth step, he finally stopped.
He didn't wish to draw too much attention—at least, not yet.
He turned around and walked back down calmly.
The elder, now smiling widely, approached him.
"Young man," he said warmly, "your future will be bright. The Lan Clan will directly accept you as an Inner Disciple!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Only three participants had passed among the two hundred who came that day—
two became Outer Disciples,
but only one… had been made an Inner Disciple.
The one wearing a half-mask—Shen Xuan.
Around him, jealous and envious gazes gathered like a storm, but Shen Xuan didn't even glance their way.
His calm steps echoed as he followed the elder inside the clan gates, a faint light glinting in his cold eyes.
"Lan Clan, huh…" he murmured softly.
Shen Xuan followed the elder through the long, marble corridor until they entered a wide, luminous hall.
In the center stood a strange, star-shaped artifact—its surface engraved with countless glowing runes.
It pulsed faintly with spiritual energy.
The elder gestured toward it.
"Before we register you, we'll need to verify your age," he said, then added politely,
"Also, please remove your mask."
Shen Xuan hesitated for a moment, then slowly lifted the mask from his face.
For a brief instant, the elder froze.
Even with all his years in the clan, he had rarely seen a face this handsome—sharp yet calm, with faint traces of coldness in his eyes that didn't belong to a fifteen-year-old boy.
He quickly composed himself and coughed lightly to hide his surprise.
"Alright, place your hand on the Star of Truth."
Shen Xuan nodded silently and stepped forward. He placed his palm gently upon the glowing surface.
A moment later, brilliant green light surged across the entire star, filling the hall with radiance.
The elder's eyes widened.
That color… meant only one thing.
Under twenty years old!
He forced his expression into a calm smile but couldn't hide the flicker of disbelief in his eyes.
"Young man… how old are you, exactly?"
Shen Xuan replied plainly,
"Fifteen."
The elder's composure nearly broke.
"Fifteen… and already at the early Qi Condensation Stage?"
He couldn't help but let out a low whistle.
What kind of monster was this child?
If this youth grew up properly, he might stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great prodigies of the entire continent one day.
Of course, Shen Xuan had deliberately concealed his true cultivation.
If he revealed his real strength, this elder would probably faint from shock.
After completing the registration, the elder handed him a clan identity token carved from dark spirit jade.
"This will serve as your identification within the Lan Clan," he said warmly.
"There are housing complexes for disciples—each house has ten rooms. You'll stay here."
He led Shen Xuan to a large compound surrounded by lush spirit trees and calm streams.
"Most disciples are in seclusion right now, preparing for next month's clan competition," the elder explained.
"I suggest you do the same. If you perform well, you might earn the chance to visit the Ancient Battlefield Planet."
Shen Xuan inclined his head respectfully.
"I won't disappoint you, Elder."
His voice was calm, almost indifferent—but there was something in his tone that carried quiet confidence, a promise.
The elder smiled, clearly pleased.
"Good. I'll be watching your progress closely."
As he left, the elder's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He couldn't wait to tell the senior members that he had discovered a new genius—
even though he had merely supervised the test.
Inside the quiet house, Shen Xuan looked around the empty rooms.
He clenched the identity token in his hand, eyes turning cold.
"Ancient Battlefield Planet…" he murmured.
"That's exactly where I need to be."
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