Chapter 29: The Sovereign’s Call

A thunderous silence filled the battlefield.

Li Tianming stood amidst the chaos, golden flames spiraling around his form, his sword vibrating with an unknown force.

Across from him, the cloaked figure lowered their hand. Their silver eyes narrowed slightly, as if reassessing Tianming.

"You are ahead of schedule," they mused. "But the trial cannot be delayed any longer."

The Sovereign's Trial.

Those words echoed in Tianming's mind.

He clenched his sword, his body still trembling from the overwhelming force he had just endured.

"What are you talking about?" Tianming demanded.

The figure tilted their head. "You will know soon enough."

Then—

They raised their arm once more.

The sky ripped open.

A deafening boom rang across the heavens as a tear in reality itself formed above the arena. The void beyond it shimmered with countless celestial symbols, shifting and twisting as if whispering secrets lost to time.

Gasps erupted from the sect disciples. Even the elders, who had faced countless calamities, paled at the sight. "This… This is not something that should appear in our mortal realm."

Lei Xueyan, her eyes wide, whispered, "What is happening?"

A Trial Beyond the Mortal Realm

From within the rift, chains of golden light burst forth, shooting straight toward Tianming.

He tried to dodge—

Too late.

The chains coiled around his arms, chest, and legs, pulling him upward. His body jerked as an immense force dragged him toward the celestial tear.

Jiang Chen's face twisted in horror. "Tianming!"

He surged forward, summoning his strongest technique, but an invisible barrier repelled him.

Tianming struggled, his celestial energy flaring wildly, but the more he resisted, the tighter the chains became.

The cloaked figure watched impassively. "The moment you inherited the Celestial Jade of Primordial Chaos, your fate was sealed."

Tianming's eyes blazed. "You think I'll just accept this?"

The figure smiled faintly. "You have no choice."

With a final pull, the chains dragged him through the celestial tear—

And Li Tianming vanished from the mortal world.

---

Beyond the Heavens

The Realm of Trials

Darkness.

Endless, suffocating darkness.

Tianming felt like he was floating, weightless, as if he had been thrown into the vast emptiness of the universe.

Then—

A blinding light erupted before him.

A colossal golden gate materialized, inscribed with countless ancient runes. Its presence exuded a terrifying majesty, as if it had stood since the dawn of time itself.

At its center, a single phrase burned into existence:

The Sovereign's Trial – Step Forward, or Be Forgotten.

Tianming's breath came in ragged gasps.

The Celestial Jade within him pulsed.

He could feel it now—this place had been calling to him long before he even knew of its existence.

"Is this… my true path?"

His fingers clenched into fists.

There was only one answer.

Gritting his teeth, Tianming stepped forward.

The moment his foot touched the ground—

The trial began.

---

The golden gate shattered.

From the void beyond it, figures emerged.

Tianming's heart pounded.

These weren't ordinary challengers.

They were versions of himself.

Each one carried the same sword technique. The same celestial energy. The same desperate hunger for power.

A voice boomed from the heavens.

"Only one may ascend. Prove yourself… or be consumed."

Tianming's grip tightened on his blade.

He was about to face the most terrifying enemy of all—

Himself.

---

What Comes Next in Chapter 30:

-Tianming battles against past versions of himself.

-The deeper meaning of the Sovereign's Trial is revealed.

-The true power of the Celestial Jade of Primordial Chaos awakens.

-Meanwhile, back in the mortal realm, Jiang Chen and Lei Xueyan search for a way to bring Tianming back.