"I shall test your heart."

Facing the ancient eyes of the Dragon, the elites from Azure Sky Sect faltered. The momentum of a divine beast said to be alive since the dawn of life made them feel insignificant, even if what they faced was a mere projection created by a formation.

Is this what an ant feels like when looking at a human? Wang Yang, covered in sweat, looked at Muchen.

His Master faced such a beast without a shred of tension. The domineering aura of the dragon was like a calm night's breeze to him.

Not because Muchen was too strong, but because he had faced creatures that made a dragon look like a toddler.

You'd need the Dragon emperor to even make my brow twitch. What can the apparition of a young dragon do to me? Muchen lowered the mental barrier surrounding his body.

The Dragon swam over, its body breaking into a cluster of lights like a band of fireflies, and entered Muchen's body, with a few specks surrounding the disciples.

The Qingliu Mountains had a number of special formations in place to ensure their safety. The Dragon was the last line of defense and the gatekeeper of the mountains. It read the mental state of the cultivators that came near the mountains, weeding out those who had ill will towards the place.

However, that method had become much less precise. Because of the peace, the sects had limited depth at which the dragon could search for said hostility. These requests were from the Hundred Sect Alliance, which joined later.

The Temple didn't care much about the check, claiming they'd never harbor ill will. The Frozen Flower Holyland agreed to the proposition, since they didn't like someone knowing their secrets. Azure Sky Sect rejected the proposal, but couldn't do much as Purple Cloud Sect agreed to the rule change just to spite them.

To think this immature and impulsive behavior would lead to the loss of the Eastern Continent's most important cultivation heritage is maddening. Muchen thought as the light reemerged from him and the disciples, scattering below the starless night to form a circle wide enough for a ship to pass.

"You may pass." The Dragon announced, showing the exit point of the formation.

Muchen moved the flying swords through the golden portal. Leaving behind the dull, misty forest, they arrived in a land filled with light.

The disciples squinted their eyes, shielding themselves from the blinding sun rising from the horizon. Under its glow, the shimmering waterfalls flowed into countless streams through the forest of stone pillars below. The greenery from the shrubs on these rockfaces and the ample flow of qi made them take a deep breath, filling their lungs with misty and lively energy.

"Welcome to the place where the first human gained enlightenment and took the first step on the path of cultivation."

Muchen's introduction broke them out of their reverence. They looked at the white gate in the distance, a tall wooden gate at the foot of a mountain range. Surrounded by lush trees, butterflies wandered the flowers below as squirrels peeked from the curtain of leaves, curious about the new faces.

Unlike the nighttime outside, the time switched inside this space. The sun, the clouds, the vast blue sky that seemed to stretch into the horizon, it was like they had entered another world through that portal.

"You made it, too, huh?" Fei Chao arrived from the newly formed golden portal, the disciples from Hundred Sect Alliance behind him looked around with the same awe as other first timers.

The two groups landed in front of the white gate; it towered over them. The base of the gate was thicker than a hundred humans grouped, countless illustrations etched into it with black ink. As they passed under the gate bearing the mountain's name, an itch spread across the back of their right palm. The disciples looked at the word 'Disciple' etched on their hands in cursive.

"That is the pass, you may use it to travel around the Qingliu Mountains. For now, you all shall go to your accommodations and access the information manual on the Eastern Martial Meet." Muchen explained.

The disciples looked at the mark on their hands with quickening heartbeats. They had heard from the elders and other seniors about what this pass could do. Now, they had truly set foot in the place of legend.

I just have to think of the accommodation for now, right? Wang Yang had heard about it from Muchen, and as soon as the thought surfaced in his mind, a projection jumped out of his palm. It was a map of sorts, with a plethora of buildings and arenas dotting the flowing mountain range that seemed like an endless stream.

However, the map moved and locked in on a lone residence on the eastern face. Wang Yang's vision stretched thin and soon blurred out of focus. By the time he blinked, he stood in a furnished room that smelled like dandelions and incense.

For the next five days, he had to live in this simple, but clean room. Eager about the event, Wang Yang dashed over to the bookshelf near the east-facing window. The shelf, as tall as he, had numerous books, illuminated by the pouring sunlight.

History of Qingliu Mountains.

The Past, Future, and Present of Qingliu Mountains.

The uses of Passes and their types.

Each book thicker than the last, made of high-quality paper formed from spiritual wood, and covers made from the leather of Qi beasts. But Wang Yang picked the thinnest book among them, one only fifty pages long.

He sat down on the rocking chair by the window and opened the book with anticipation. The scent of fresh ink and untouched paper wafted over as he read about the events in this time's Eastern Martial Meet.

"Today is for rest, and we aren't allowed to leave the assigned area?" Wang Yang checked the area on the map; it covered the mountain he was in. His fellow disciples seemed to be in the nearby residences.

"The Martial Meet will begin on the second day; disciples can participate in time-related events and will be ranked based on their performance against their fellow disciples and seniors from previous generations? There are rewards for rankings too… 50,000 spirit stones to first place?!"

Wang Yang soon realized that every one of the 20 time-related competitions offered 50,000 spirit stones to the winner of the respective events. And this was only among the current disciples; if a disciple did well enough to leave a name in the all-time list, they'd get an extra reward based on their position.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Spirit pool for places 40-31? Cultivation under the tree of enlightenment for 30-21?! Entry into the Library of Sacred Knowledge for 20-11?! What will the top ten get?" The more he read, the more impressive-sounding prizes came up, until he reached the last one. "A chance to get a legacy from the Forgotten Era?"

That was the first time Wang Yang heard of the Forgotten Era. He looked at the shelf and found a small book, one the size of his palm. It barely had ten pages in it.

"An Era forgotten by the universe, a civilization that came before the current one. No one knows a being from the Forgotten Era, even the oldest of creatures, the Dragons, only tell of the void in their memories… But it is confirmed that they were creatures similar to us and far stronger; however, they all vanished without a trace." Wang Yang muttered, confused at the passages that followed.

It all seemed like a jumbled mess with very little evidence to show for the supposed forgotten era; however, there were still traces left behind by the people of that era, the legacies that Eastern Martial Meet had used for rewards were one of them.

Even the Qingliu Mountains were a legacy of cultivators from the forgotten era.

"One of those legacies in the reason the original single landmass is now divided into five continents?! It wasn't like that from the beginning?!" Wang Yang almost forgot to breathe.

A legacy that could split the land and form continents. Just how strong were the cultivators from the forgotten era? They seemed closer to gods than to humans.

"I wonder if I can get that legacy?" Wang Yang pictured how much stronger he'd become if he got that, but the condition to even qualify for it brought him back to reality. "I need to place in the top 10 of the all-time lists… yeah, that's not possible for me."

It was good to dream, but he had to choose a target could hit with persistence, not an impossible wall.

He looked through the names on the all-time lists, and the flurry of flashy and unique names grabbed his eyes. Until one name caught his eye. The name he knew very well.

All-time ranking.

Event, Grave of Swords.

.

.

10th – Tie Long, Iron Palm Fortress. Round 60, time: 620 hours 39 mins 01 seconds.

11th – Li Muchen, Azure Sky Sect. Round 59, time: 1000 hours 59 mins 59 seconds

12th – Zhen Ren, Mystic Fist Sect. Round 57, time: 600 hours 13 mins 56 seconds.

.

.

He stared at the name; even his master couldn't reach the top 10. How would he?

No, I can't think like that. It is because Master reached that high that I need to reach it too. Wang Yang clenched his fists; he wouldn't let himself fall back after realizing his mistakes.

He glanced over the rest of the schedule for Eastern Martial Meet. The qualifiers for the individual and team tournaments on day two, the special training session on day three, and the finals of the tournaments on day four, before the final feast and reward ceremony. Every event had generous rewards, but Wang Yang's heart was set on one thing.

I'll get on that all-time list if it's the last thing I do. Wang Yang walked into the courtyard of the house. The house didn't have much open space, but he could practice his techniques in the forest nearby.

Holding the sword, Wang Yang started his training instead of gathering with the other disciples and exchanging gossip. With a burning heart and relentless passion, he continued with a single goal etched in his mind.

***

While the disciples couldn't sit still because of the sheer excitement over the rewards, and waited for the events with bated breath. The elders and the representatives present from each sect gathered in the main pagoda located at the center of Qingliu Mountains.

This green pagoda, the first man-made building on this mountain, had served as the command center for millennia. Even now, the spiritual cedar wood of its foundation stood strong.

In the room that faced the auspicious and brilliant sunlight from the east, Muchen arrived in the meeting room last.

"Beat you to it." Fei Chao, already sprawled in his chair at the table, smirked.

"I don't think we had a competition." Muchen swiftly ignored the petty Fei Chao and turned to face the representatives from the three major sects.

"I apologize for our late arrival. I am sure you are all aware of the cause already." Muchen glanced at Fei Chao, who pretended not to notice.

"The Buddha is forgiving; what matters is that you all arrived as he intended." The bald monk, with two black spots on his forehead, seated near the western window, prayed with closed eyes, numerous rosaries around his neck and hand.

Gen from the Abbot Hall, they sent a guy who has nearly no battle experience this time, too. Muchen turned to the monk's right side; there he saw a neat-looking man with short purple hair. Qian Hei, the rising genius from the Qian branch family, looks like Qian Yun pulled some strings to involve him.

"As Monk Gen said, what matters is that you all arrived safely." Qian Hei said with a firm smile. "Also, Senior Li, please take a seat, you don't have to stand on ceremony with us juniors, do tell me if you need something to drink too."

"Hoh, so this is the famous slick tongue of the Qian family, how come you never butter me up like that?" Fei Chao stretched his sore arms.

"Because you are full of worldly desires." Gen cut in.

"Hearing that from a monk covered in spiritual treasures from head to toe is kind of funny." Fei Chao chuckled.

"These are for protection." A hint of irritation flashed in Gen's beady brown eyes.

"Protection from what? This is the Qingliu Mountains. Not even a bird flies over here, so what are those treasures for? Unless you need protection from the squirrels outside? Well, I did hear they throw acorns at greedy monks." Fei Chao shrugged off Gen's glare.

"Looks like things are gonna get messy." Qian Hei murmured to Li Muchen and the fifth person in the room, his perfect smile never faltering.

The woman, covered from head to toe in loose black drapes, raised her finger. A silver, chilling qi left from her gloved hand and formed words in the middle of the table for all to see.

"Let us get to the main subject." Shi Shun, the mute from the Frozen Flower Sect, formed her words by using qi.

"Yes, we have other duties, too." Qiang Hei nodded.

"Very well." Gen decided to back off this time.

The meeting continued for an hour, and the five representatives discussed which sects handle patrols and event areas to maintain the traffic of disciples.

No one lived on Qingliu mountains; the cultivators only arrived here from important gatherings like the Eastern Martial Meet. No sect wanted to spare their manpower and use them as glorified watchmen. The place maintained itself with the help of several formations laid down by Formations Masters over centuries. Everything functioned on its own, but supervisors approved by the dragon had to be present to use the main facilities of Qingliu Mountains.

So, when the sects gathered, they divided the tasks among them and made sure that the Qingliu mountains stayed in peak condition during the event.

Since they were drawing lots from a bamboo bottle, the order spread among the elders who followed the representatives to the Eastern Martial Meet in a flash.

Azure Sky Sect, time-related events, then patrols.

Purple Cloud Sect, maintaining order and patrols.

The Temple and Frozen Flower Holyland, Individual and Team tournaments.

Hundred Sect Alliance, the special training session.

The representatives scattered as soon as the meeting ended. Gen couldn't stand Fei Chao, and the latter couldn't wait to dive into the soft bed. The two left first.

Qian Hei wanted to talk with Muchen, but he felt an icy glare dig through him.

He turned to see Shi Shun, a cold blue gleam visible even with the thick black cloth over her face. That feeling of pressure was enough to tell him the truth.

That's not Senior Shi. With goosebumps covering his body, Qian Hei walked out of the room. He felt it; he'd die if he stayed in that room for another moment.

Now, only Muchen and the woman in black sat side by side.

The woman removed the black cloth covering her face, letting her snow-like hair out. The white hair cascaded like a waterfall. Her transparent blue eyes locked onto Muchen; there was a hint of anger on her expressionless, doll-like face.

Muchen looked at the familiar fair face with a smile. Han Yue had arrived as promised. With her, he could move on with his plan without fear.

But when her pink lips opened, a soul-chilling freeze spread across the room. She looked straight into Muchen's eyes, her face devoid of even the slightest emotion now.

"You betrayed me." She said.

"Excuse me?" Muchen blinked, frozen in place.

Not because of the shock, but literally frozen in place by Han Yue's ice arts. The layer of ice was as thin as paper, but much tougher than steel.

"I heard you confessed to Gu Fe." Han Yue said, white breath exiting her mouth.

She's still as crazy as I remember. He shuddered in place, worried whether his plans would succeed or not anymore.

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