The sun rose over the floating peaks of the Azure Heaven Sect, bathing the mountain in a pale gold glow. The crisp air carried the scent of spiritual energy and the faint hum of countless disciples practicing their techniques.
Jin Baiyu stood at the base of Scrap Peak, a notorious outer sect training ground for beginners. Jagged stones jutted like teeth from the mountain, surrounded by thin mist that concealed hidden pitfalls. Every year, dozens of young disciples failed their first real combat trials here. Many did not return.
Wu Hao followed behind, nervously glancing at the towering stones. "Baiyu… are you sure you want to go first? I mean… everyone says this place is deadly. Even the Inner Sect candidates avoid it."
Jin's crimson eyes flickered. "I've survived death before. A broken body won't change that. Let's begin."
The Assignment
An elder appeared, robes billowing with spiritual energy. "Today, you will pair off for combat trials. Your task: dominate your assigned opponent and reach the summit of Scrap Peak. Each group will face unpredictable hazards along the way. Disqualification comes with failure… or death. Do not underestimate the terrain, nor your opponents."
The disciples murmured, glancing nervously at the jagged peak and at Jin Baiyu.
His presence alone seemed to distort the air. Even the elder hesitated slightly, sensing the faint shadow of something ancient within him.
First Encounter
Jin's first opponent was a burly boy named Lei Feng, known for brute force but minimal technique. He charged at Jin with a boulder-sized punch, energy radiating from his fist.
"Predictable," Jin muttered.
He sidestepped, barely moving his legs, and let Lei Feng's momentum carry him forward. A faint shadow curled along Jin's sleeve, snaking around the boy's arm and yanking him violently.
Lei Feng crashed into a jagged rock, groaning, stunned by the sudden force. Before he could rise, Jin's hand shot forward, fingertips brushing his chest. Lei Feng collapsed, unconscious but uninjured.
The other disciples whispered in shock. That's not human… that's impossible.
Jin turned his gaze to the next challenge. Good. One down. Many more to crush.
The Path Upward
Scrap Peak wasn't merely a combat trial—it was a labyrinth of natural hazards and spiritual traps. Jagged stones could impale, sudden gusts could knock a disciple off the cliffs, and phantom illusions were scattered to test focus and composure.
Jin walked steadily, analyzing each stone and gust, each flow of qi around him. Shadows flickered at his heels, subtly reshaping the terrain to his advantage. Rocks that might have crushed another disciple shifted slightly, guided by his control over the faint spiritual energies in the world.
A group of disciples tried to ambush him from above, hoping to knock him off the peak with coordinated attacks.
Jin smirked.
In a heartbeat, he extended his shadow tendrils. They struck like snakes, pinning three disciples against the jagged cliffs. Before they could react, a pulse of crimson energy surged from Jin's chest, shattering weapons and sending them tumbling down the mountainside.
The remaining disciples froze, realizing he hadn't even broken a sweat.
A Rival Appears — Qiu Jian
At the midpoint of the climb, a faint wind heralded the arrival of Jin's most dangerous rival yet—Qiu Jian. His silver hair gleamed in the sun, his azure robes fluttering as if imbued with their own energy. His eyes, sharp and calculating, glinted with hostility.
"You're moving too fast," Qiu Jian called out, drawing his sword. A thin layer of spiritual energy crystallized along its blade. "You may have passed the initial tests, but this… this will not be so easy."
Jin's crimson eyes narrowed. "Good. I was growing bored."
The clash was instantaneous. Qiu Jian's sword techniques were elegant, fast, precise. Each strike carried the weight of a disciplined sect genius.
But Jin Baiyu was faster.
He didn't attempt to block—he didn't need to. Every movement calculated, predicting the flow of Qiu Jian's energy. When the silver blade sliced through the air, Jin's shadow tendrils intercepted, wrapping around the weapon and crushing the qi circulation inside Qiu Jian's arm.
"Impossible!" Qiu Jian shouted. His strike faltered, the sword shaking in his grasp.
Jin's hand shot forward like lightning. He didn't strike to kill—he had no interest in killing yet. He simply demolished Qiu Jian's balance, sending the Inner Sect candidate tumbling back several meters, chest burning with the sudden pain of suppressed qi.
"You rely on raw talent," Jin said softly. "I rely on knowledge. Experience. Fear."
Qiu Jian glared, but deep down, he felt a sliver of terror. This boy—no, this monster—was unlike anything he had faced before.
Reaching the Summit
By the time the day waned, Jin had left a trail of unconscious or stunned disciples behind him. He walked steadily, shadows curling along his robes, hair flowing in the wind, eyes glowing faintly crimson.
The summit of Scrap Peak was within sight—a platform carved from jagged stone and swirling spiritual energy. Legends claimed those who reached the top had a chance to awaken latent potential, and many disciples considered it impossible to survive the climb without serious injury.
Jin Baiyu approached the summit calmly, scanning the area for traps. He moved with a predator's precision, stepping over hidden snares and dissipating spiritual spikes with a flick of his hand.
At the peak, the elder overseeing the trial bowed slightly, unable to hide his shock. "You… reached the summit… without a single injury. Impossible…"
Jin Baiyu's lips curled. "Nothing is impossible for those who understand power."
He glanced back at the chaos below—the other disciples bruised, battered, and terrified. A faint smile appeared on his lips. Let them learn fear. Let them learn their place.
The Lesson
As the sun set, Jin Baiyu remained at the peak, watching the other disciples return.
This sect is weak.
Its disciples are weak.
And yet… it is perfect.
Perfect for shaping under his influence. Perfect for testing his strategies. Perfect for watching the weak fall before the strong.
Tonight, he would meditate, heal his mortal body, and refine his control over spiritual energy. Tomorrow, the games would continue, and the Azure Heaven Sect would begin to learn what it truly meant to face the reincarnated Asura Emperor.