Morning sunlight peeked over the mountains, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson. Shen Tian stood before a stone stairway that stretched endlessly upward, disappearing into a sea of clouds. At the very top rested the place countless mortals dreamed of entering.
Azure Cloud Sect.
In this world, the sect was a giant among giants. Thousands entered each year, but only a handful passed the entrance trials. Those who succeeded gained access to cultivation manuals, spiritual techniques, and a future carved by power.
Shen Tian took a slow breath. His body remained sore from the previous day's battle, and his chakra reserves were still faint. But turning back was not an option.
He stepped onto the stairway. Each step felt heavier than the last, not because of fatigue, but because of the invisible pressure descending from above. Spiritual energy pushed against him like a mountain pressing on his shoulders.
"So this is the sect's first test. A pressure formation."
If he were still the original Shen Tian, he wouldn't have survived five steps. But now, something inside him resisted the pressure. His Sharingan allowed him to see faint patterns of Qi in the air. He adjusted his movements accordingly, using the gaps in the spiritual pressure to lighten the load on his body.
Step by step, he climbed.
Ahead, other candidates struggled. Some knelt halfway, coughing blood. Others turned pale and retreated, unable to proceed. A few stared at Shen Tian's progress, puzzled by how effortlessly he walked.
"He has no Qi. How is he moving so easily?"
"Is he hiding his cultivation?"
"Impossible. No fluctuations at all."
Whispers followed him, but Shen Tian ignored them. His attention remained forward.
After what felt like an eternity, he reached the end of the stairs. A gigantic plaza unfolded before him. Hundreds of youths gathered, each hopeful or anxious. Elders sat on elevated platforms, observing silently.
A stern old man in grey robes stepped forward. His eyes were sharp, his aura heavy.
"Welcome to Azure Cloud Sect. Only those with true potential may enter. The first trial measures spiritual strength. The next tests combat ability. The final determines affinity."
The crowd buzzed with excitement. Shen Tian remained calm.
The old man raised a jade tablet.
"When your name is called, place your hand on the stone pillar. It will reveal your aptitude."
One by one, candidates stepped forward. Some pillars glowed faintly, others remained dim. Only rarely did the pillar shine brightly, indicating great talent. Each time that happened, murmurs of admiration followed.
Shen Tian waited patiently. Dozens passed. Some succeeded, most failed.
Finally, the old man frowned at the jade tablet.
"Shen Tian."
The plaza quieted.
Hushed voices spread instantly.
"That name… wasn't he exiled?"
"He's here? How did he even survive?"
"I heard he has no cultivation talent at all."
Some laughed. Others sneered.
Shen Tian walked forward with a neutral expression. No anger. No fear. No embarrassment.
He placed his hand on the stone pillar.
Nothing happened.
No glow. No sound. Not even a flicker.
The watching disciples burst into laughter.
"As expected. Trash is still trash."
"He should have stayed wherever he crawled out from."
"Who let someone like him in here?"
Even the elders shook their heads. Some looked bored. Others disgusted.
Only one figure watched quietly.
Near the back, a man in black robes stood with his eyes half-closed. His aura was suppressed, but there was something unsettling about him. He observed Shen Tian with deep interest, as if seeing something no one else could.
Shen Tian removed his hand gently. His face did not change. He turned to leave, ignoring the mockery.
The grey-robed elder spoke coldly.
"Next."
Shen Tian walked slowly across the plaza. His heart felt calm, but deep inside, a spark flickered.
If this world measured strength only by Qi, then it truly did not understand him.
Just as he stepped away, a sudden jolt struck his mind. His Sharingan activated on its own. A wave of cool energy surged behind his eyes.
Shen Tian froze.
His eyes widened.
The pillar he had touched trembled.
Cracks of red light spread across its surface. The lines twisted like veins, pulsing rhythmically. Spiritual energy gathered violently, swirling toward the pillar.
The plaza fell silent.
Someone gasped.
"What is happening?"
Another elder stood abruptly.
"That pillar hasn't reacted like that in decades!"
The glowing cracks converged into a symbol. A single mark formed at the center.
Two swirling tomoe.
Shen Tian stared in disbelief. His Sharingan was no longer hidden. It reflected faintly in the pillar's glow.
Whispers broke into shouts.
"What kind of ability is that?!"
"That's not Qi!"
"What did he do?"
The grey-robed elder's voice trembled ever so slightly.
"Shen Tian… step forward."
Shen Tian turned around.
His gaze was calm, but his voice carried a certainty that chilled everyone who heard it.
"I told you."
He pointed at his own chest, where his heart beat strongly with something beyond Qi and cultivation.
"I don't follow your rules."
The new mark on the pillar pulsed, and the entire plaza seemed to hold its breath.
The plaza remained tense long after the pillar reacted. Shen Tian stood quietly at the center, his calm expression sharply contrasting the chaos around him. The elders whispered among themselves, their faces a mix of confusion and intrigue.
The stone pillar still glowed faintly, as if unwilling to settle after what it had sensed. Some disciples stared at Shen Tian with disbelief, others with suspicion, and a few with fear. Someone who could shake a spiritual artifact without even possessing Qi was not normal.
Elder Mo finally raised his hand for silence.
"The second trial will proceed as scheduled. Shen Tian, remain here. The sect will evaluate your situation after all tests are complete."
Shen Tian bowed slightly. He neither argued nor appeared intimidated. His eyes remained calm, as if he had expected nothing less.
The next candidate stepped forward for testing. One by one, others placed their palms on the pillar, but no reaction even remotely similar to Shen Tian's occurred again. The contrast only made his anomaly more noticeable.
A young girl whispered to her friend.
"What if he's some hidden prodigy?"
Her friend shook his head quickly.
"Prodigies use Qi. He has none. That thing was something else."
Another disciple glanced at Shen Tian with unease.
"What if he's cursed?"
Fear spread faster than curiosity. Humans always feared what they could not understand.
Shen Tian ignored all of it. He focused on his breathing, feeling the faint remnants of chakra circulating in his body. It was not Qi, yet it responded to his thoughts more smoothly than before. His Sharingan's earlier pulse still lingered in his memory.
He wondered about the mark on the pillar. Why had it appeared? Why did it resemble his eye? Why did it pulse like a heartbeat?
His contemplation was interrupted by Elder Mo's voice.
"The first trial is now complete. Those who passed may proceed to the plaza's center for the combat aptitude assessment."
Shen Tian followed the crowd. The plaza's floor shifted, revealing circular formations etched into the ground. Each circle was an arena.
Lin Yuhan, the black-robed inner disciple, stood near one of them with his hands behind his back. When Shen Tian approached, Lin Yuhan's gaze flickered toward him.
Most would have looked away. Shen Tian did not.
Lin Yuhan smiled slightly.
"Your presence is already shaking the sect, Shen Tian. Are you prepared for what comes next?"
Shen Tian remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"I did not come here to impress anyone. I only came to survive."
Lin Yuhan studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"Survival is an instinct. But those eyes of yours carry something else."
Shen Tian tensed.
"What do you mean?"
Lin Yuhan lowered his voice.
"They carry ambition. And ambition without strength is a blade pointed at one's own throat."
Elder Mo called out, signaling the start of the second trial. Candidates moved into the arenas, their expressions turning serious. For many, this test determined their entire future.
Lin Yuhan stepped away, but not before giving Shen Tian one last look.
"Let us see whether you are destined to be hunted or to become the hunter."
Shen Tian watched him leave, unsure whether Lin Yuhan was warning him or challenging him.
He stepped into one of the arenas.
The floor beneath him hummed with energy. The spectators crowded around, curious to see how the anomaly from earlier would perform.
Elder Mo addressed the participants.
"In this trial, you will not be judged solely by victory or defeat. Your reaction, adaptability, battle sense, and willpower will determine your worth."
Shen Tian breathed slowly. His chakra stirred quietly, no longer dormant. The Sharingan rested behind his eyes like a silent beast waiting to awaken.
He clenched his fists.
This was no longer about proving himself to the sect.
This was about proving he belonged in this world.
The elder raised his hand.
"Prepare yourselves."
Shen Tian straightened his posture.
Around him, candidates drew weapons, summoned Qi, and unleashed battle cries.
He had none of that.
All he had were his eyes.
The elder's hand fell.
"Begin."
Shen Tian opened his eyes fully.
The Sharingan trembled.
The trial had started.
The moment Elder Mo's voice echoed across the plaza, the atmosphere transformed. The arena vibrated with raw intent as candidates lunged toward each other, weapons drawn and Qi blazing. Those who hesitated were struck down immediately. This was not a friendly spar. It was a battlefield disguised as a test.