The academy gates were massive—at least twenty feet tall, made of dark wood reinforced with iron. Hundreds of young people crowded the area in front of them, all waiting to register. I said goodbye to my guards, thanking them for their protection. They'd return to Azure Falls City and report to grandfather. I'd be on my own now. The crowd pushed forward slowly as registration proceeded. I used the time to observe my future classmates. Most were around my age, seventeen to twenty. They came from all over the kingdom, wearing robes in different family colors. Some looked confident and proud—probably children of powerful families. Others looked nervous—smaller family youth hoping to prove themselves. A few looked dangerous—the kind of people who'd kill without hesitation if given a reason. I spotted Mei Lin near the front of the crowd. She saw me and gave a small nod but didn't approach. We'd agreed to pretend we didn't know each other here. Safer that way. "State your name and

Days blurred together as I settled into academy life.Wake at dawn. Run fifty laps. Weapon practice. Lectures. Personal cultivation. Sleep. Repeat.The routine was exhausting but effective. I could feel myself growing stronger each day. My body adapted to the training. My techniques became smoother. My understanding of cultivation deepened.But I never forgot why I was really here.Every evening, I studied the jade slip Mei Lin had given me, memorizing faces of suspected Four Pillars agents. Every night, I practiced the hiding technique from father's pendant, keeping my true cultivation level secret. And every spare moment, I searched for clues about the missing students and Magnus's plans.Two weeks after arriving, something changed.I was in the tower's library, researching cultivation methods, when I noticed a section of books that seemed out of place. They were covered in dust, clearly untouched for years. But when I examined them more closely, I saw finger marks in the dust—recen

"Your father, Chen Tianlong." I read the note three times, committing every word to memory. Then I burned it, watching the ashes scatter. Father was alive. Or at least, he'd been alive recently enough to know I'd come to the academy. Which meant he was out there somewhere, still fighting the Four Pillars, still searching for truth. And he needed me to complete the mission he'd started. I looked out my window at the Tower of Gods, rising against the night sky. Somewhere in there, Master Magnus was planning his ritual. A ritual that had been scheduled for this year—twenty-five years after the last one. A ritual that targeted students with high soul purity. Students exactly like me. One week until the competition began. One week to prepare for the most dangerous challenge I'd faced yet. I began cultivating immediately, pushing toward another breakthrough. I needed every advantage I could get. Because this time, failure wouldn't just mean embarrassment or injury. It w

The spirit beast moved like liquid lightning, crossing the distance between us in a heartbeat.I barely dodged its first strike—claws that could rip through steel tearing the air where my head had been. I rolled and came up with my sword drawn, heart pounding.The beast circled me, snarling. Its eyes were intelligent, calculating. This wasn't some mindless animal. It was studying me, looking for weaknesses.I couldn't outrun it. Cats were built for speed. My only chance was fighting.It pounced again. I used the time-slowing technique, watching its movement pattern. It led with the right paw, leaving its left side exposed for a split second.That was my opening.As the beast's right claw swept toward me, I ducked under it and thrust my sword toward its exposed left ribs. The blade bit deep. The beast screamed and leaped away, blood dripping from the wound.But it wasn't done. If anything, injuring it made it angrier.It attacked more aggressively now, no longer cautious. Claws and fan

The Tower of Gods loomed before us, even more imposing up close.Its walls were smooth golden stone that seemed to absorb and reflect light simultaneously. Strange symbols covered every surface—some I recognized from ancient formations, others completely unknown. The energy radiating from the structure was immense, pressing down on us like a physical weight.Master Magnus stood at the entrance, waiting. Five academy teachers flanked him—there to observe, I assumed."Welcome to the final test," Magnus said. "Before we begin, understand what you're facing. The Soul Pressure Chamber was created by our academy's founder. It generates spiritual pressure that increases gradually, testing the strength and purity of your soul."He gestured toward the tower. "You'll enter one at a time. The pressure will start gentle and grow stronger. When you can no longer withstand it, you'll be ejected automatically. Your ranking depends on how long you lasted.""What happens if we can't handle it?" one of