Chapter 96: Behold the Chosen - Part 2

High above the Sword God Sect's arena, the sky split open, revealing a tapestry of ancient godly characters etched into the fabric of reality itself. Ethereal figures of divine beings, their barely distinguishable but undeniably powerful forms, danced among the clouds as if welcoming the mortal world into their sacred embrace. Waves of godly Qi cascaded from the heavens like a waterfall, flooding the arena in a breathtaking display of divine might.

It was as though the ancestors of the Sword God Sect had returned, blessing their chosen heir, Dao Wei.

Dao Wei levitated, motionless, hovering above the arena, seemingly at peace. But within his Sea of Qi, a storm raged. His internal world, already brimming with immense power, trembled as godly Qi surged in without end. The weight of this energy was too much to bear, causing cracks to form along the edges of his Sea of Qi. The ominous sound of breaking resonated in Dao Wei's mind like the toll of a distant bell.

Pain shot through his body. His face twisted in agony as sweat beaded on his brow. His robes, once pristine, clung to his skin as he struggled against the surge of power, attempting to suppress an inevitable breakthrough.

"Argh!" Dao Wei screamed, the sound echoing within his Sea of Qi and across the arena, drawing gasps from the spectators.

The cracks in his Sea of Qi widened, and the pressure in his body intensified. It felt as though new bones were forming, pushing out from within him. The sensation was unbearable, a thousand needles piercing his flesh as his back began to tear open, making way for the emergence of his Golden Wings.

In the arena, Dao Wei's face grew paler by the second, but his body refused to falter. His form hovered above the stage, but his soul was locked in battle, fighting to contain the energy that threatened to overwhelm him.

Huang Ling, looked up, her face filled with concern. She reached out, as if trying to hold Dao Wei steady. "Young Elder!" she cried, worry etching her face.

Her voice, however, was drowned out by the sneer of Cheng Fang, who stood with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed with disdain. "Hahaha... The so-called Evil Star can't even handle a little divine energy?" His mocking voice rang throughout the arena, stirring murmurs among the disciples and elders alike.

Whispers of doubt and envy spread like wildfire. "How can he possibly be worthy?"

"He's a demon in disguise!"

But even as they spoke, a tremendous shift in Dao Wei's Sea of Qi took place. The thunderous rumbling within him intensified, shaking the very foundation of his internal world.

Boom!

A deafening thunderclap rang out, shaking the entire arena as if the heavens themselves were about to descend. The divine and arcane marks that Dao Wei had seen earlier surged forward, flying into his Sea of Qi with blinding speed. The marks were enormous and radiant, each pulsating with celestial energy. They rushed to the edges of his Sea of Qi, mending the cracks as they infused his very being with untold power.

Dao Wei's Sea of Qi had expanded, growing into something far beyond its original scope. Droplets of internal Qi began to coalesce above the Sea, shimmering like stars in the night sky, their number growing exponentially with every heartbeat. What had once been a bounded Sea of Qi now expanded into something vast and limitless—a Boundless Sea.

This was no ordinary breakthrough. No one in the Nascent Spirit Realm had ever achieved such a transformation, not without ascending to a higher plane. And yet, here stood Dao Wei, shattering expectations.

The pain that had overwhelmed his senses slowly began to fade, replaced by a sense of tranquility so profound that it felt as though he were being cradled by the universe itself. The cracks in his Sea of Qi mended themselves, and his soul found a serene calm.

Outside, in the arena, Dao Wei's body was bathed in a golden light, so radiant it seemed as though the sun itself had descended upon him. His figure began to levitate higher, suspended midair, even as his eyes remained shut in deep concentration.

The onlookers were transfixed.

"What's happening?" one disciple whispered, his voice shaking.

"He's... so handsome," came a breathless reply from a female disciple nearby, her eyes wide with admiration.

"He's glowing like a god! This is unbelievable!" another gasped.

"He is transcending!" a voice from the crowd yelled, causing a ripple of murmurs.

Female disciples stood in awe, some with hearts in their eyes, whispering to each other in excitement. "I want to marry the Young Elder!" one of them squealed, clasping her hands together dreamily.

Lu Shen, the Supreme Elder's first disciple, grinned widely. "Hahaha! That's my junior brother!" he shouted, pride swelling in his chest. "Did you expect anything less?"

Wei Jun, sitting beside him, couldn't help but join in the excitement. "Senior Brother, this is crazy. I bet he'll be unstoppable!"

Lu Shen chuckled, unable to hide his excitement. "Who knows? Maybe he'll surpass even our Master!"

But not all were as enthused.

Cheng Fang's face twisted into a dark sneer, his envy boiling over. "He's unworthy!" he spat. "Bailey Wuchen should be the one standing there, not him!" His words dripped with venom, and he turned his gaze toward Chu Yafei, who remained silent, eyes fixed on Dao Wei.

The murmurs of jealousy and doubt continued to spread like a poison. 

"Why does the Evil Star get this honor?"

But just as those words were spoken, the divine light surrounding Dao Wei began to shift and solidify, transforming into a magnificent Silver Halo that floated behind him. The Halo bore ten void stars, each with golden edges, rotating gracefully around the circumference of the ring. Within the center of the Halo shimmered a chaotic light, beautiful and dangerous, like a thousand stars compressed into a single point.

The Halo had two layers—an external layer of stars and an internal core of chaotic starry light. Its presence alone was a statement: Dao Wei's potential was limitless, his destiny bound for the divine.

The sight left everyone speechless.

Gasps filled the air once more.

"Woah!"

"Amazing!"

Dao Wei's transformation was so profound that even those who had doubted him moments before could only stand in awe. The vision of Heaven and Earth continued to swirl above, the ancestors watching in silent approval, as if confirming Dao Wei's worthiness.

As Dao Wei's body pulsed with celestial energy, his Sky-Python robe shimmered and transformed into a deep, iridescent black, as if the very stars had been sewn into the fabric.

"Look at him… He's… untouchable…" a disciple murmured, wide-eyed.

"I've never seen anything like this…" another whispered.

Disciples from all corners of the arena began discussing Dao Wei's evolution, their voices a mixture of awe, jealousy, and excitement. 

"Do you think he'll be stronger than the Sect Leader now?"

"He's the Sword Childe now—of course, he will be!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes the youngest Sect Leader in history!"

"Maybe he'll even surpass the Sword God himself!"

The female disciples, in particular, were ecstatic, their admiration for Dao Wei growing with every passing second. "He's a living legend! I swear, I'll devote myself to him!" one of them declared passionately, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

"He's the perfect man!" another sighed, clutching her heart.

Lu Shen, who had been watching all of this with a wide grin, turned to Wei Jun, his laughter bubbling up again. "Haha! Did you hear that? Our junior brother is practically a god now!"

Wei Jun smirked, nudging Lu Shen with his elbow. "I wonder what kind of power he'll gain next. Whatever it is, it's going to be legendary."

Lu Shen and Wei Jun sat together, their minds racing as they tried to imagine the heights their junior brother would soon reach.

As Dao Wei's transformation neared its completion, one thing became clear to everyone in the arena: they were witnessing the birth of a legend.