CHAPTER 3: THE PATH OF NO RETURN
Sovereign of Celestial Ascent
CHAPTER 3: THE PATH OF NO RETURN
For the first time in his life, Li Tianming stood beyond the walls of the Crimson Dragon Sect, staring at the vast world stretching endlessly before him. The towering mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks piercing the sky like celestial spears. The forests below were a sea of green, shifting with the whisper of the wind. Rivers glistened like silver veins under the pale moonlight, winding through valleys untouched by human hands. The air carried the crisp scent of morning dew, mingling with the fragrance of wildflowers and untamed earth. It was a world vast and unshackled—one he had never truly seen until now.
A bitter realization settled in his chest. He had been blind.
For years, he had believed that the sect was the center of the universe, that its rules, its traditions, and its rigid hierarchy dictated the path to greatness. He had devoted his entire existence to climbing within those suffocating walls, never once questioning what lay beyond them. He had been a prisoner—not by chains, but by his own ambition, his own ignorance.
And now, as he stood here, breathing in the endless possibilities, he felt a deep, aching regret.
"Why did I never look beyond the sect? Why did I let them define my worth?"
But regret would not change the past.
He exhaled, his golden eyes narrowing with new determination.
"I was blind before. But not anymore."
With that, he took his first step into the unknown—toward a future that no sect, no family, and no fate could control.
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The moon still hung in the sky when Li Tianming emerged from the depths of the forest, his robes fluttering in the cold wind. The Azure River Sect lay behind him, its towering pagodas barely visible beyond the distant mist-covered hills.
For the first time in his life, he was truly alone.
Yet, as he gazed upon the endless world stretching before him, he felt something foreign, something exhilarating.
Freedom.
His fists clenched at his sides.
"I will never crawl again."
With his dantian reborn and his strength returning in ways he couldn't yet comprehend, he had only one goal—to rise stronger than ever before.
And to do that, he needed power.
Tianming descended the mountain trails, his boots crunching against the gravel. The sect had once been his entire world, but now, he had to learn how to survive outside its walls.
The forests stretched endlessly, filled with towering trees and mist-covered valleys. Wild spirit beasts lurked within, their roars echoing through the hills.
But it wasn't the beasts that concerned him.
It was the Crimson Dragon Sect's hunters.
Tianming knew that Yunxian, his father, and the elders would not let him leave in peace.
They had cast him out, branded him as worthless—but the moment they learned he still lived, they would seek to silence him.
He needed to move fast.
But first—he needed to understand his newfound power.
---
Tianming sat beneath a great willow tree, closing his eyes. He focused inward, sinking into the depths of his own being.
Within him, his dantian had become something else entirely.
The once-fractured core had been replaced by a swirling vortex of golden energy, its essence crackling with primordial power.
This was no ordinary cultivation.
This was something ancient, something beyond mortal comprehension.
The Celestial Jade of Primordial Chaos had not simply restored him—it had rebuilt him.
Suddenly, a voice whispered in his mind.
"Awaken the forgotten path…"
His breath caught.
This was not a memory. It was a voice from within the jade itself.
The knowledge of an ancient era slumbered within him, waiting to be unlocked.
His heart pounded.
"Then let me see it."
The golden energy within him flared, sending a ripple of power through his veins. His body burned—not with pain, but with boundless potential.
A vision flashed before his eyes.
A man clad in celestial gold, standing atop a battlefield of gods.
A forgotten technique, lost to time.
A name…
Heaven-Devouring Chaos Art.
Tianming's eyes snapped open, his breath uneven.
This was his chance. His path forward.
But before he could even begin to comprehend it—
A voice called out from the trees.
"Li Tianming. You truly are alive."
Tianming rose to his feet, his golden eyes meeting the newcomer's.
A figure stepped from the shadows, his silver robes embroidered with azure patterns, his long black hair tied neatly behind him.
His expression was calm, confident—but his eyes held the gleam of superiority.
Mu Qingfeng.
Tianming's lips curled slightly. "You followed me?"
Mu Qingfeng smirked. "You overestimate yourself. I was sent."
Tianming's gaze darkened.
"The sect?"
"Of course," Qingfeng said. "You humiliated Li Yunxian, defied the elders, and survived a fate that should have left you crippled. Do you really think the sect would let you walk free?"
Tianming exhaled. So they had moved faster than expected.
"Let me guess," Tianming said, "you volunteered for this mission."
Mu Qingfeng laughed lightly. "How could I resist? A chance to remove a stain on the sect's name and prove myself superior to you?"
He stepped forward, drawing his sword in one smooth motion. Azure light danced along its edge.
"The sect may have cast you out," he said, "but I will be the one to bury you."
Tianming rolled his shoulders. A battle was inevitable.
And truthfully?
He welcomed it.
Mu Qingfeng struck first.
He blurred forward, his sword a streak of azure light, slashing toward Tianming's throat.
But Tianming saw it all.
He shifted his weight, stepping aside at the last possible moment.
The blade missed him by a hair's breadth.
Mu Qingfeng's eyes flickered with surprise.
Tianming smirked. "That all?"
Mu Qingfeng's expression darkened. With a flick of his wrist, dozens of azure sword shadows erupted from his blade, each one carrying deadly intent.
Tianming's instincts flared. He moved like flowing water, weaving between the strikes, his body reacting faster than ever before.
This was the Celestial Jade's power.
A step. A turn. A sudden counter.
Tianming struck.
His fist collided with Mu Qingfeng's chest, sending the elite disciple stumbling back.
Mu Qingfeng's eyes widened in shock.
"How—?"
Tianming flexed his fingers, feeling the raw power surging through him.
He was faster. Stronger.
And this was just the beginning.
Mu Qingfeng gritted his teeth, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.
He glared at Tianming, his pride burning.
"You think you're strong now?" he hissed. "You're nothing. Just a fallen dog."
Tianming chuckled. "A dog? Maybe. But a dog that bites back."
Mu Qingfeng lunged again, his sword glowing with raw energy.
But this time, Tianming did not dodge.
Instead, he raised his palm—and caught the blade between his fingers.
The world froze.
Mu Qingfeng's breath hitched.
Impossible.
Tianming's golden eyes burned. "You are not my opponent."
And with that, he snapped the sword in two.
Mu Qingfeng staggered back, staring in disbelief at his broken weapon.
Tianming stepped forward, his voice low, dangerous.
"Go back to the sect," he said. "Tell Yunxian, tell my father, tell the elders."
His smirk widened.
"Tell them I'm coming."
Mu Qingfeng stumbled away, his face pale with fury and humiliation.
For the first time in his life, he had been defeated so completely.
Tianming exhaled, rolling his shoulders. His power was only beginning to awaken.
But one thing was clear—
His journey had begun.
And the Crimson Dragon Sect would soon tremble at his return.
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### What Comes Next?
- Mu Qingfeng returns to the sect, spreading fear of Tianming's survival.
- The first true enemy emerges—someone even Yunxian fears.
- Tianming seeks a legendary cultivation ground to master the Celestial Jade's power.
- A bounty is placed on his head.
The world will soon learn.
Li Tianming is no longer a fallen genius.
He is the Sovereign of the Celestial Ascent.
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