The final trial concluded beneath the pale blue skies of Dawnveil Summit.
One by one, the remaining candidates emerged from the mist-laden garden, some limping, some trembling, a few smiling in relief. At the center of it all stood Chen Yu—unbothered, his black-and-white robes rustling lightly in the mountain wind, Azurefang quietly sheathed at his side.
Around the summit, great platforms hovered mid-air—each bearing the emblem of a powerful sect from across Tianxia.
The Crimson Lotus Sect, known for their fiery swordsmanship.
The Sevenfold Spirit Hall, famed for mind and spirit cultivation.
The Jade Snow Pavilion, elegant and enigmatic, focused on balance and inner force.
And towering above all—literally and figuratively—was the floating pavilion of the Heavenly Sky Sect, the most revered among them.
From these platforms, sect elders and emissaries observed, their eyes sharp, their auras restrained but heavy.
The trial overseer, a thin man in silver-gray robes, stepped forward and raised his voice.
"Candidates! You who stand here have passed the Illusory Garden and the Threefold Tempering. Today, you may be chosen by a sect… or walk away with the strength you've earned."
Whispers erupted among the disciples. Eyes turned to Chen Yu.
"He didn't just pass… he broke the trial's record."
"Did you see the way he emerged? Not a scratch on him."
"I heard he faced his past self… and won."
From the platform of the Crimson Lotus Sect, a burly elder leaned forward. "That one… the one with the strange sword. I want him."
"No," said the robed woman from the Sevenfold Spirit Hall, eyes narrowing. "His soul resonates with clarity. He belongs with us."
From Jade Snow Pavilion, a youthful-looking elder simply smiled. "I'd like to see what he chooses, not who chooses him."
Then came a silent pressure from above.
The pavilion of the Heavenly Sky Sect pulsed with invisible force. A figure stepped forward—a tall man with flowing white hair, clad in blue-and-gold robes. His voice, calm and commanding, rang across the summit.
"Chen Yu."
The crowd fell silent.
"You showed mastery over body, mind, and will. Our sect rarely accepts outsiders… but for you, an exception may be made."
The offer stunned many. Even sect disciples blinked in disbelief.
Chen Yu stepped forward slowly, eyes calm, unwavering.
"I'm honored," he said, voice clear. "But I choose not based on glory… but on the path that allows me to rise freely."
He turned his gaze to the Jade Snow Pavilion.
"They pursue balance, clarity, and restraint. That suits me best."
Shock rippled through the summit.
He had just rejected the Heavenly Sky Sect.
The white-haired elder simply chuckled and stepped back, not insulted—but intrigued.
From the Jade Snow Pavilion's platform, the smiling elder nodded. "Wise. Welcome."
> [System Prompt: New Affiliation — Jade Snow Pavilion Confirmed]
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: Unravel the Pavilion's Secret]
As Chen Yu stepped toward the pavilion's staircase of light, wind danced around him.
The sects had gathered to judge him.
Instead, they had witnessed the birth of a rising sovereign.