The silence permeating the Inspection Room was not merely an absence of sound, but a suffocating, physical weight that pressed against the psyche, leaving the Examiner trembling over a heap of glittering diamond dust that represented a squandered fortune in magical crystals. He compulsively wiped perspiration from his brow, his gaze darting toward the entrance with the frantic rhythm of a trapped animal, for only two minutes had elapsed before the atmospheric pressure shifted drastically. The air suddenly grew heavy and redolent with an impossible fragrance, reminiscent of a celestial garden blooming in the heart of winter, as the spatial fabric near the threshold warped and tore open to admit Lady Marta. She did not enter with haste but materialized with majestic grace, her verdant and alabaster robes undulating around her form as if manipulated by an ethereal breeze, prompting the Examiner to genuflect instantaneously. "Lord Marta, we face a catastrophic anomaly regarding this candidate," he stammered, his voice fracturing under the strain of his terror. Marta's ocular gaze swept the chamber with imperious detachment, lingering briefly on the debris before settling upon the young man standing amidst the chaos with unnatural tranquility; her eyes widened slightly, a flicker of amused recognition dancing within their depths. "Well, well; it appears the world is indeed a diminutive sphere, little boy, for I did not anticipate our paths crossing again with such immediacy."
Xan shrugged, maintaining an impassive countenance as the Examiner scrambled to elucidate the crisis, pointing a trembling digit at the sparkling residue. "My Lord, his skeletal chronology is acceptable at exactly twenty-five years, yet we are utterly incapable of quantifying his cultivation level; every Blood Origin Crystal we utilize shatters instantaneously upon contact!" Marta's amusement evaporated, replaced by a calculating coldness as she realized that a standard crystal should, at minimum, withstand the pressure of a Second Step Cultivator without disintegration, implying his Qi was qualitatively divergent from recorded history. She retrieved a translucent, violet gemstone from her spatial ring—a Royal Grade Origin Stone humming with deep, resonant power far superior to the Academy's standard apparatus—and tossed it through the air. "Little boy, why not attempt one final assay? Let us ascertain if this vessel can endure your essence." Xan caught the violet stone effortlessly, feeling its cold density in his palm, and casually pressed his unhealed finger against the surface, depositing a single drop of heavy, dark blood. For a fleeting heartbeat, the stone glowed with a stable, regal purple, but then a chaotic tempest erupted within its core; a blinding Golden Light clashed with a devouring Pitch Black Void, while a serene White attempted to pacify a violent, murderous Red, creating a miniature, swirling vortex of primordial energy. The violet stone began to vibrate, emitting a high-pitched, agonizing whine that pierced the auditory senses before a fissure propagated down its center. "No..." Marta whispered, her composure fracturing as the Royal Grade stone disintegrated with a concussive boom, blasting a shockwave of energy outward and reducing the priceless gem to star-dust.
"This is... an impossibility," Marta whispered, her voice devoid of its customary softness and replaced by raw, unadulterated shock. "Even a Sector Lord could not obliterate a Royal Stone in such a manner; you are a monstrosity wearing human skin." She stared at Xan, realizing the terrifying implications: if the Empire discovered a talent this unstable and potent, they would not recruit him, but dissect him. "I have no alternative; I must summon Master Jin Sumo," she muttered grimly, causing Xan to stiffen as he recalled Mulo's warning about the Grand Enforcer who hoarded secrets. "Little boy," Marta announced, her voice echoing with finality, "you are prohibited from participating in this competition." Xan froze, his strategic objectives—the Royal Wish and the restoration of LinXu Village—crumbling before his eyes. "On what grounds?!" Xan demanded, his shock transmuting into palpable anger. "I passed the age verification! What is the discrepancy?" Marta approached him, her gaze locking onto his mismatched eyes, and leaned in to whisper with undeniable gravity. "Because you are excessively powerful for this arena; if you engage in combat, you will not merely triumph, but inadvertently slaughter the Kingdom's entire future generation, bringing the wrath of the Sky Lord Empire down upon our heads." Before he could argue, she seized his wrist with an iron grip, and space twisted violently around them.
The Examiner watched in awe as the Academy Goddess and the mysterious youth dissolved into particles of verdant light, vanishing from the sterile inspection chamber only to rematerialize instantaneously within a warm, spacious sanctum. Xan surveyed his new surroundings, instantly on guard, for this was a veritable treasure trove where massive sandalwood bookshelves groaned under the weight of ancient tomes, and walls were adorned with weaponry humming with bloodlust. In the far corner, a complex array of spinning talismans mapped out the active Formations covering the Academy, yet in the center sat a surprisingly humble wooden desk. "Master Jin Sumo, we cannot delay this discourse," Marta announced urgently. A figure materialized before them, coalescing from particles of pure white light, clad in pristine robes and wearing a featureless mask that revealed only deep, tranquil eyes. "I instructed you not to disturb me absent an emergency, Marta," the figure hummed, his voice seemingly emanating from everywhere at once. "Observe this boy," Marta insisted, pushing Xan forward. Jin Sumo turned his gaze upon Xan, and the atmospheric pressure in the room doubled instantly. "Hmm... intriguing," Sumo muttered. "You are a Second Step Cultivator... nay, you are at the Completion Stage of the Yin-Yang Harmony! Fascinating!"
"Master," Xan asked boldly, realizing he was being dissected, "what is the defect in my cultivation?" Sumo ignored him, addressing Marta. "I assume you provided him with the ancient text I tape you? He possesses the identical aura." "Master... I merely wished to assist him out of respect for Mulo," Marta flinched. Sumo sighed, turning back to Xan. "Little boy, attend closely; your cultivation level actually surpasses my own." Pfft! Xan, who had just acquired a cup of tea to soothe his nerves, expected the liquid across the floor in shock. "Elaborate?!" Xan choked. "It is factual," Sumo stated calmly. "I am at the Peak Stage of the Second Step, the strongest among the Seven Sovereigns, yet you are merely one step removed from the Third Step; furthermore, I perceive twelve Seals within your somatic vessel which, if unlocked, would render you terrifying." Xan froze, realizing his secrets were laid bare. "How did you manage to open all twenty-seven Meridians?" Sumo asked, his eyes narrowing. Marta gasped, spinning to face Xan. "All twenty-seven are open?!" Realizing that revealing the Gunsang Fruit would paint a target on his back, Xan replied steadily, "That is also a secret."
"Fine, retain your secrets, but know that you are disqualified," Sumo declared, dismissing him with a wave. "You cannot disqualify me without cause!" Xan discussed, anger flaring. "What do you desire? Perhaps I can grant your wish without requiring you to slaughter my students," Sumo chuckled darkly. Xan exchanged a glance with Marta and nodded. "I owe a debt to Mulo involving the restoration of the Lindao Clan's territory." "Simple; consider it done," Sumo agreed. "Secondly," Xan continued, his expression turning serious, "instruct me on the methodology to travel from this Mortal Continent to the Upper Worlds." Sumo's relaxed posture vanished, replaced by solemnity. "Why would one of your power not know the path?" "I lost my memories of the trajectory due to injury," Xan lied smoothly. Sumo sighed and waved his hand, conjuring an illusionary map that displayed spheres of existence stacked like a tower.
"Our world is a Secondary Realm; below lie the Wastelands, and we reside in the Mortal World," Sumo explained, pointing to the projection. "Above us lies the Yin-Yang World, followed by the Martial Void Arts World, the World of Elements, the World of Spirits, and finally, the Heavenly Emperor World." Xan watched in awe as the tower ascended. "Above them all sits the Divine Kingdom—the eternal home of Gods and Sages," Sumo whispered reverently. "The Supreme Continent is a colloquialism for the combination of the Heavenly Emperor World and the Divine Kingdom." Xan absorbed this cosmological hierarchy, realizing the arduous climb ahead. "Master Sumo," Xan asked, testing a theory, "have you ever heard of a Gunsang Tree?" Sumo paused, then vanished to consult the archives, reappearing ten minutes later looking perplexed. "Boy... the fruit you mentioned does not exist even in the Divine Realm's records." "Then where else can I search?" Xan asked, desperation creeping into his voice. "I have told you the truth; it does not exist in our recorded history," Sumo replied gently. Xan fell into deep thought, his mind racing as he realized that the man with the spear and the Bronze Tree must have existed in a place beyond the Divine Kingdom, rendering the mystery of his mother's legacy infinitely deeper.