This World is Mine

Choosing to remain silent, Yu Yan felt his heart speed up as he stood there. As he had never read of a system being exposed in his previous life, he was only slightly worried about that. He still felt nervous because, despite his confidence, the Patriarch position wasn't in the bag yet.

While he was in his thoughts, the Clear Heart Sect Elder rose and slowly made her way toward the stage center. The treasure of the Clear Heart Sect was called Heart Mirror. It was a gift to the Yu Clan Ancestor from the Imperial Family. However, due to the weakness of the clan, the Ancestor offered it to the Clear Heart Sect under the condition that it would be available to the clan during certain ceremonies.

This was one of those ceremonies. The relationship between the Yu Clan and the Clear Heart Sect wasn't anything special. Many small and medium-sized clans had similar arrangements with the sect as it was the most reputable sect in the Western Continent. A stronger sect might look down on them as nothing, but the Clear Heart Sect was a righteous and above-board sect.

The Clear Heart Sect Elder reached the center stage and offered up the Mirror before coming down the stage. She sat mid-air a few feet from it to guard the treasure and Yu Clan Legacies in case anyone was crazy enough to interrupt the ceremony.

"You have the time it takes and incense stick to burn out to prepare yourself" the First Elder spoke again, this time his tone gentle with some affection as he looked down at the Legacies that will soon herald a new age for the clan. Aside from Yu Wei, who had disqualified himself unknowingly, and Yu Yan, who was mysterious, the audience had good feelings about Yu Chen and Yu Hao.

The four Legacies sat cross-legged on the ground, with their hands together and their eyes closed; they regulated their breathing and started to meditate.

It was difficult for Yu Yan as this was the first time he was meditating without the effect of the green mist or Serenity but he still recalled the feeling from when he took a sip from the Chaos Spring. Taking in a deep breath, he slowly let it out and relaxed himself as he fixated on that feeling.

He soon felt himself begin to float as if through the void. The world seemed to not exist and there was only his body between heaven and earth. He felt strangely at peace.

Beside the center stage, the Clear Heart Sect Elder glanced at Yu Yan, and the corner of her mouth twitched in bitterness as she struggled to come to terms with reality. While others assumed Yu Yan's sagely bearing would fade away as he matured to the ways of the world, she could clearly feel that it had become a part of him.

"Maybe I should cut out half my soul and experience being a fool," she thought.

***

Yu Yan felt like a long time had passed in an instant when his surroundings suddenly changed. He found himself in a large hall, seated on a throne. The Hall had tall ancient pillars supporting it, and there were no walls around, allowing him to see outside of it.

His vision soon changed to a God's eye view and he saw the Magnificent Hall with beautiful ancient characters seated atop a mountain peak and surrounded by clouds. In the distance was the rest of the world, cultivators moving around through the air. Battles taking place in many places, geniuses rising and falling while he sat on the throne, his figure lonely as he stared ahead.

Even further was a mortal world where people struggled to survive, having no idea that a short distance from them was a world of immortals and nonchalant about the godlike Yu Yan.

A strong sensation of power suddenly overwhelmed him, and with a thought, the environment instantly changed. Immortals and Mortals met, and their worlds merged; the seas surged and diverted, mountains flattened into plains, and from deserts sprang lush trees and grasses.

The skies turned red, and the sun died, replaced by a bright moon burning independently and giving off silver light to the world.

Yu Yan continued to relish this feeling, feeling intoxicated by it. With a thought, he could control the trajectory of all life and all things. He could make a pauper prosper and a king miserable. He lived long to see the strongest immortal fall to the cycle of reincarnation. And the landscape of the world changed frequently before his eyes.

In the real world, onlookers could not see what was happening in the mental world of the Legacies but the Clear Heart Mirror emitted a radiance of light from the top of their heads. This radiance of light was slowly being absorbed by a dark tint from the edges.

"What is happening?" one from among the crowd whispered to their friend beside them.

"The Clear Heart Mirror is testing their Hearts. No one can hide anything from it. This is only the first phase and what is being tested is their resolve and loyalty to the clan."

"That means Yu We..." that person did not complete their sentence but everyone could understand, after all, on the center stage. Yu Wei was the only person whose light was not tainted with the darkness.

"This stage tests the will of the Legacies. How much they can preserve in the face of temptation," an announcer's voice echoed throughout the crowd, and everyone exclaimed in understanding.

"Didn't you say the test was about loyalty?"

"Shut up and watch. How will you understand when you keep asking questions?"

"If you don't know, just say so"

***

The light from Yu Wei continued to turn clearer and clearer when suddenly there was a burst beside him. A sharp sword light soared into the heavens, and all the swords among the crowd let out a strong hum, some with weaker wills even flying out and beginning to revolve around Yu Hao.

"Innate Sword Heart 1st Layer!" someone in the know exclaimed when they saw this scene.

"He directly tore apart his mental world. Is this the recklessness of a sword cultivator?"

Among the Yu Clan Elders, Mei Hua turned to the Ninth Elder in confusion.

"What happened?" she asked curiously.

"Yu Hao just tore apart his mental world, the sword is the only thing in his heart now." The Ninth Elder replied, her tone not disguising her astonishment.

To put into perspective what Yu Hao just did, let's look at it this way. Everyone has a mental space where they process their thoughts and imagine things, sometimes fantasizing. The strength to ignore these fantasies and laziness was important for every Cultivator, and the Clear Heart Sect focused on processing all thoughts that happened in this space.

Yu Hao just tore apart this space and replaced it with a sword. He was not the first Innate Sword Heart cultivator in the Western Continent but his way of breaking through was very unique.

"Only we don't know what his sword is made of" the Ninth Elder continued to mutter.

Meanwhile, Yu Bo, Yu Hao's father, who was among the crowd, sighed to himself.

"Two Legacies left," he muttered, but there was a distinct expression of pride on his face.

Yu Hao had not broken through the realm, but what he had just achieved was something even more unique and more powerful. He was Cultivating "Intent" and seemed to have great skill at it.

In terms of strength, Yu Hao could potentially kill everyone here in a one-on-one battle if their Qi were restrained. This was because he was the only one who had cultivated "Intent". Of course, this was impossible because cultivators often have mysterious ways and also because some had cultivated Intent in secret. Like Yu Bo himself.

For the Yu Clan Ancestor to get involved with the Imperial Family, it obviously was not a simple clan.

***

Back on the center stage, the Clear Heart Sect Elder was astonished as she observed Yu Hao because the sharp sword intent from him was still climbing.

She was even starting to feel a prickly sensation on her skin and subtly covered herself with Qi. She stole a glance at the First Elder of the Yu Clan and her eyes instantly narrowed as her heart turned wary.

"Your Sect Mistress is aware of our clan condition. Elder Zhou, we still need your protection." The First Elder noticed Elder Zhou's expression and instantly sent over a voice transmission.

Elder Zhou considered for a moment before nodding and turning her attention to her Sect Mistress's disciple. Her eyes turned bright and a smile appeared on her face at what she saw.

Yu Yan and Yu Chen were different from the other two. Both their lights had turned dark and were turning even darker by the moment. It was as if they were competing on who could get more carried away by the mental world!

"What is happening?" Mei Hua, who was only concerned about Yu Yan, asked anxiously as she worried that he was failing the selection test. She couldn't accept it especially since Yu Wei seemed to be doing well.

"Relax girl. Accepting the darkness only means he is treating the mental world as real. He is not in any danger" the Ninth Elder chuckled, her pleasant voice attracting attention from a few dignitaries of the Empire.

"Doesn't that mean he's failing this round?" Mei Hua was not convinced and continued to worry.

The Ninth Elder didn't reply and simply shook her head.

'Failing or getting a windfall is yet to be seen'

She thought to herself.

****

Meanwhile, in Yu Yan's mental world, the scenes continued to change as he watched the world grow old and shatter the rebuild itself over and over again. He sank into his role as God of this world. He observed, took it all in, and allowed all the emotions and thoughts of power to wash through his soul over and over again.

This was himself, all of this was his, and this world was real.

He truly believed so.

Suddenly someone appeared in the Hall.

It was Zi Peng, his expression was frantic as he rushed forward and knelt to the ground.

"Great Master. The Yu Clan is in danger; we request you to come down the mountain and save us," Zi Peng cried.

Suddenly everything froze. Yu Yan rose and raised his feet but he suddenly paused. If he left here, if he left this Hall, he would lose all his power but he would save the Yu Clan.

He felt it instinctively and suddenly fell into a dilemma.

But this did not last long. A smile suddenly appeared on his face and he started to laugh.

"Who are you trying to trick?" he roared in amusement.

"Am I not allowed powerful? Is all things not in my control? If that is the case how can the Yu Clan be in danger? Who allowed it? If I say they are not in danger then they are not in danger!"

"After all..."

"This world is mine!"

"...And I am God!"