CHAPTER 4: THE FIRST TRIAL OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD
Sovereign of Celestial Ascent
CHAPTER 4: THE FIRST TRIAL OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD
The wind carried the scent of pine and damp earth as Li Tianming stepped deeper into the wilderness, leaving behind the Azure River Sect and everything he once knew.
The towering trees above him swayed gently, their emerald leaves whispering secrets of the land beyond. The faint glow of spirit fireflies flickered in the distance, dancing above the moss-covered ground. It was beautiful—wild, untamed, and free.
But beneath the beauty lurked danger.
This was no longer the sheltered training grounds of the sect. Here, power ruled absolutely.
And he was no longer a disciple.
He was prey.
As he walked, he felt the weight of his ignorance pressing down on him.
For years, he had devoted himself to the rigid structure of sect life, believing it to be the pinnacle of existence. But out here, the world stretched endlessly in all directions.
He passed ruins of old battlefields, shattered swords embedded in the earth like tombstones. He saw small villages hidden in valleys, where common folk lived their lives far removed from sect rivalries.
This was a world he had never thought to explore before.
"I wasted my life inside those walls."*
The realization stung, but it was also liberating.
"I am free now. And I will carve my own path."
But freedom came with a price.
A rustling in the trees made him halt instantly.
His instincts screamed.
He wasn't alone.
---
A flicker of movement—steel flashing in the moonlight.
Tianming twisted instinctively, his foot pivoting as a blade sliced through the air where his neck had been a moment ago.
Five figures emerged from the shadows, clad in dark armor. Their movements were silent, precise, and deadly.
"Assassins."*
Tianming's golden eyes flickered coldly.
The leader of the group, a tall man with a jagged scar down his cheek, smirked. "Li Tianming. You've caused quite a stir."
Tianming remained silent, calculating his options.
Scarface chuckled. "No need to act tough. We were given simple orders. Kill you, take your body back, and collect our reward."
The other assassins fanned out, cutting off every escape route.
But Tianming?
He smiled.
This was exactly what he needed.
A real test.
Scarface lunged first, his blade glowing with a crimson aura.
Tianming met him head-on.
His hand shot forward, grabbing the assassin's wrist before the blade could strike.
Scarface's eyes widened. "What?!"
Tianming twisted violently, snapping the man's wrist with a sickening crack.
With a flick of his own wrist, he stole the assassin's blade and drove it into his throat.
The other four assassins hesitated.
Too late.
Tianming moved like a phantom, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. His fist shattered the ribs of the second attacker.
The third one tried to retreat—only to find Tianming already behind him.
A swift elbow to the spine. A scream. Then silence.
The fourth assassin barely had time to lift his sword before Tianming's palm collided with his chest, sending him flying into a tree.
Only one remained.
Scarface clutched his broken wrist, terror replacing his earlier arrogance. "You… You're not human."
Tianming stepped closer, his golden eyes glowing in the moonlight.
Then, with a swift strike, he ended it.
Tianming exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
His body thrummed with raw energy.
This power—the Celestial Jade of Primordial Chaos—was more than just a second chance. It was an awakening.
He had barely tapped into its true potential, yet he had dispatched five trained killers effortlessly.
But he wasn't foolish.
This was only the beginning.
The Crimson Dragon Sect would not stop.
If they had sent assassins this quickly, it meant one thing—they feared him.
"Good."
He would make sure their fear was justified.
But first, he needed to grow even stronger.
----
Tianming continued his journey, leaving the bodies of his attackers behind.
He needed information. A lead. A direction.
And then he found it.
A group of merchants traveling under the escort of wandering cultivators.
Tianming approached cautiously, his hood pulled low over his face.
The merchants were gathered around a fire, speaking in hushed voices.
"…They say the ruins hold the legacy of an ancient cultivator. A power beyond imagination."
Tianming's interest piqued. Ruins? A legacy?
One of the escorting cultivators scoffed. "Tch. That's just a story. No one who enters those ruins ever comes back."
The merchant shook his head. "You don't understand. People have seen it. A golden light in the depths of the ruins."
Tianming's heart skipped a beat.
"Golden light…?"*
Could it be… connected to the Celestial Jade?
He had his answer.
His next destination was clear.
Tianming left before dawn, his mind focused, his goal set.
'The Ruins of the Star-Forged Temple.'
A place whispered about in fear.
A place where many had entered, but none had returned.
But Tianming?
He wasn't like the others.
He had nothing to lose.
And if the rumors were true—he would leave those ruins stronger than ever before.
Unstoppable.
His legend was only beginning.
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What Comes Next in chapter 5?
- Tianming journeys to the Ruins of the Star-Forged Temple.
- A hidden enemy waits for him there.
- The Celestial Jade reveals another fragment of its true power.
- Mu Qingfeng begins his next move.
The world will soon learn:
Li Tianming is not just a survivor.
He is the Sovereign of the Celestial Ascent.
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