When Jiang Chen emerged from the Draconis Spirit Caverns, the crowd that had gathered outside fell silent. The aura radiating from him was overwhelming, a tangible force that pressed down on everyone present. His eyes gleamed with newfound power, and the Celestial Dragon Pearl floated gently in his palm.
Jiang Tianyu stepped forward, his confident smirk faltering as he felt the oppressive energy emanating from his cousin.
"You… succeeded?" Tianyu's voice was laced with disbelief.
Jiang Chen's gaze locked onto Tianyu's, cold and unyielding. "Did you think I wouldn't?"
Tianyu's jaw tightened, but before he could respond, the Patriarch's voice boomed across the courtyard. "Silence."
Jiang Tianlong descended from his throne-like perch, his golden robes billowing as he approached his son. He studied Jiang Chen intently, his expression unreadable. Then, with a slight nod, he spoke.
"You have proven yourself worthy of the Heavenly Draconis Sect. The position of Crown Heir is yours."
The declaration sent ripples through the crowd, their murmurs a mixture of astonishment and acceptance. Jiang Tianyu's face twisted in anger, but he dared not challenge the Patriarch's decision.
Jiang Chen bowed deeply. "Thank you, Father. I will not disappoint the sect."
Jiang Tianlong's gaze hardened. "See that you don't. The trials you have faced are but the beginning. The path to supremacy is fraught with greater dangers and darker foes. If you are to lead this sect, you must be prepared to face them all."
Jiang Chen straightened, his resolve unshakable. "I welcome the challenge."
As the crowd dispersed, Jiang Chen's mind turned to the journey ahead. The Celestial Dragon Pearl had granted him immense power, but it had also awakened something far greater—a destiny that stretched beyond the boundaries of the sect, one that would take him to the heights of the martial world and beyond.
But this moment was not one for quiet contemplation alone. As he returned to his quarters, an unexpected presence awaited him. A girl clad in crimson robes, her long black hair tied in an elegant braid, stood by his door. Her piercing eyes held both curiosity and amusement, and the emblem of the Phoenix Shadow Sect on her robes marked her as an outsider.
"Jiang Chen," she said, her voice smooth but carrying an edge of challenge. "I've heard much about you. But stories are just words. Let's see if you live up to them."