The Grand Council Hall was not just a building—it was a symbol.
Built upon the highest terrace of the Martial Academy, its very stones whispered of authority and judgment. The pillars were carved from star-forged obsidian, each engraved with silver runes that pulsed faintly with ancient power. A vaulted ceiling soared high above, its dome painted with constellations that shimmered faintly when the torches flickered.
The hall's air was heavy with incense, a sharp metallic tang woven with a fragrance of crushed spirit herbs. Disciples who entered always described the sensation the same way: as if invisible chains coiled around their lungs, forcing them to remember where they stood.
Today, the chains felt thicker than ever.
---
The Arrival
Kai stepped through the colossal gate, each step echoing loudly on the polished blackstone floor. His breath fogged slightly in the chill that clung to the hall, but it wasn't the cold that made his skin crawl.
It was the weight of twelve gazes.
Twelve Elders sat in a half-circle of high thrones, their robes flowing like living shadows. Some eyes were as calm as still lakes, others sharp like unsheathed blades. Each carried the authority to raise or destroy countless disciples with a single decree.
At the center of the hall stood Lu Chen.
Dressed in simple white robes that looked too plain for someone of his status, he radiated the quiet arrogance of someone who didn't need ornament to prove his worth. His aura was muted, suppressed by the hall's runes, but his presence… his presence was like a glacier lodged in the marrow of everyone who looked his way.
When Kai's eyes met his, the faintest curl tugged at Lu Chen's lips.
Predator. Prey. The roles were obvious to him.
Kai, however, had no intention of kneeling.
---
The First Words
The silence stretched until Elder Yun's voice finally broke it.
"Outer disciple Kai," the elder intoned, his tone calm yet carrying the gravity of mountains, "your name has stirred both the Outer and Inner Academy. You faced challenge after challenge, defeated Wei Tian before thousands, and ignited a storm across the sect."
"Storm?" another Elder interjected sharply, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Call it what it is. This boy's arrogance has upset balance. His so-called 'glory' to the Outer disciples is nothing but shame brought upon the Inner!"
A few Elders murmured in agreement. Others tilted their heads, waiting.
Kai felt the weight of their judgment pressing down, but he kept his chin raised. "I fought because I was challenged. If Wei Tian fell, it was because he wasn't strong enough. That isn't arrogance. That's truth."
Gasps rippled among the attendants standing at the hall's edge. To speak so bluntly before the Council…
Some Elders' faces darkened, others hid faint smirks of amusement.
Lu Chen's smirk widened.
---
The Weight of a Genius
The white-robed genius took a single step forward.
BOOM.
Though the suppression runes stripped away spiritual energy, his will alone carried force. The air rippled visibly, warping like heat waves. The polished stone beneath his foot cracked in spiderweb patterns.
Kai's lungs compressed as if a giant's hand had closed around his chest. His bones creaked audibly, tendons straining as invisible pressure bore down on him. Several Outer disciples watching from the distant entrance collapsed to their knees, choking.
Kai's knees threatened to buckle.
Pain Resistance triggered…
The familiar chill of the System dulled the stabbing ache, but not completely. His muscles screamed, his blood roared in his ears. Still, he refused to kneel.
Lu Chen's voice was cold, steady, and cutting.
"You think defeating Wei Tian makes you my equal? He was ranked twenty-seventh. I am twenty-third. The gulf between us is wider than heaven and earth. You are nothing more than an insect beneath my heel."
The pressure intensified.
Kai's body trembled, but he ground his teeth. Sweat trickled down his temple, dripping onto the stone floor.
So this is the strength of a true genius… The difference is monstrous. But if I bow here, then every step I've taken means nothing.
Slowly, with every ounce of willpower, he straightened his back. His legs wobbled, his chest burned, but his eyes—his eyes never looked away.
And he spoke.
"Then I'll climb the heavens."
---
Ripples
The hall erupted into murmurs.
Some Elders scowled. This boy is too sharp, too reckless. Others exchanged glances. He has spirit. Unyielding spirit.
Lu Chen's smirk froze for the briefest second, before his eyes narrowed dangerously.
Elder Yun raised his hand. A ripple of authority surged, shattering the suffocating pressure instantly. The air lightened as if chains had been broken, and disciples at the hall's edge gasped for air.
"Enough," Yun said, his tone firm. "This chamber is for judgment, not intimidation."
Lu Chen's aura receded, though his cold smile lingered.
---
The Paths
Elder Yun turned his gaze to Kai once more.
"You are a blade, Kai. But a blade that is too sharp risks breaking before its time."
Another Elder leaned forward, robes rustling like waves. "Your arrogance cannot go unchecked. The balance of our Academy is fragile. You have two choices."
The hall grew still.
"One: suppress your pride. Step back into the shadows of the Outer Academy. Train quietly, avoid conflict, and perhaps in time, your talent will mature enough to rise properly."
"Or two," a different Elder's voice cut like a blade, "face a sanctioned trial of combat. Prove your worth before all. Victory will grant you the right to enter the Inner Academy. Failure…" His eyes glinted coldly. "…will extinguish your flame forever."
The words fell like thunder.
Everyone understood the unspoken truth.
The trial would be against Lu Chen.
---
Kai's Struggle
Kai's heart hammered in his chest.
His body was still bruised, muscles torn, qi channels strained from his fight with Wei Tian. His cultivation realm remained at the peak of Body Tempering. Facing Lu Chen, a ranked Inner genius, was like throwing himself into a raging storm barehanded.
Logic screamed retreat.
But retreat was death of another kind.
The Outer disciples who had cheered his name would sneer, call him a coward. The Inner would trample his reputation into dust. Every drop of blood he had spilled to climb this far would become meaningless.
His fists clenched. His nails dug into his palms.
If I retreat here… then I was never meant to climb in the first place.
---
System's Call
The System's icy chime echoed in his mind.
---
[System Notification]
Temporary Quest Triggered: Trial of the Heavens
Objective: Accept the Council's challenge. Defeat Lu Chen in combat.
Time Limit: 3 days
Reward: Guaranteed Realm Advancement + Unique Skill Unlock
Failure Condition: Death
---
Kai exhaled slowly. The System had sealed his fate.
"I'll fight."
---
Shockwaves
The hall shook—not from power, but from the uproar.
Elders exchanged sharp looks. Some sneered in disbelief, others chuckled quietly.
Lu Chen's eyes gleamed, predatory hunger finally unleashed.
"Good," he said, voice smooth as ice. "I had hoped you would choose this path. I will enjoy shattering your arrogance in front of everyone. When you kneel in defeat, the Outer disciples will remember their place forever."
Kai stepped forward, his body trembling but his gaze unyielding.
"When I defeat you, it won't just be the Outer disciples who remember." His voice rang clear, cutting through the murmurs. "The entire Academy will."
---
The Decree
Elder Yun raised his hand once more, silencing all voices.
"Very well. The decree is set. In three days, the Trial of the Heavens will be held on the Skyfire Arena. Outer and Inner disciples alike shall witness. No interference. No excuses. Only strength will decide."
The words reverberated through the hall.
Skyfire Arena. The sacred dueling ground of the Academy. A place reserved for duels that would shape the sect's future.
To step onto that stage was to stake not just one's life, but one's destiny.
---
The Exit
Kai bowed lightly, then turned toward the massive gate. His steps were heavy, but his spirit burned brighter than ever.
Behind him, Lu Chen's voice echoed like a shadow.
"Three days, Kai. Pray you can still stand when the day comes. Because when I step into that arena, there will be no mercy."
Kai didn't glance back. His voice was steady, unshaken.
"I don't need mercy."
The gates closed behind him, sealing the silence of the hall.
And thus, the storm was set in motion.