The storm-wracked mountains of the Heaven Sundering Sect stood like the broken teeth of a celestial beast, jagged peaks piercing the clouds, their tips veiled in eternal mist. The sky above was an endless battlefield of roaring thunder and flashing lightning, as if even the heavens were at war.
Jiang Chen stood at the base of the massive stone gates leading into the sect. Towering battle-scarred monoliths lined the entrance, inscribed with the faded words of an ancient decree:
"He who fears battle, turn back."
"He who hesitates, shall be trampled."
"He who enters, fights as one of us."
Jiang Chen's golden-amber eyes flickered with intrigue as he took his first step forward. The moment his foot touched the stone threshold—
BOOM!
A thunderous crash shook the air.
Jiang Chen instinctively tilted his head to the side as a massive figure was sent flying past him, smashing into a wall with a deafening impact. The poor bastard twitched before slowly pulling himself out of the crater, bloodied but laughing like a madman.
"Haha! You bastard, I knew you'd be able to take it!" The man cracked his neck, wiping blood from his lips.
Before Jiang Chen could fully process the scene, another group of disciples came barreling into each other, their fists clashing mid-air, shockwaves exploding outward as they grappled, kicked, and outright tackled each other into the dirt.
Others cheered from the sidelines, some drinking from oversized wine gourds, others placing bets on the ongoing brawls.
It was absolute chaos.
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. So this is the Heaven Sundering Sect…
A loud crack of thunder echoed as a disciple delivered a flying knee to another's face, sending him crashing through a wooden pavilion.
Yet, instead of anger, the beaten disciple got up grinning, spitting out a tooth before pointing at his opponent.
"Again! You hit like a fucking woman!"
Laughter boomed across the courtyard, battle cries mixed with drunken chants.
Jiang Chen had seen his fair share of war-torn sects, but this?
This was pure madness.
"Newbie! Get him!"
Jiang Chen was about to take another step forward when he suddenly felt a dozen eyes lock onto him.
A bald disciple with a broken nose squinted at him before jabbing a finger in his direction.
"Oi! A NEWBIE?!"
A second disciple cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Newbies gotta be tested, right?"
A third disciple roared, "HELL YEAH! LET'S GET HIM!"
Without another word, every single one of them charged.
Jiang Chen's smirk widened. "I was hoping for a warm welcome."
He dropped his spear onto the ground.
His bare fists would be enough.
The first disciple lunged at him, fists raised high.
Jiang Chen ducked under the wild punch, grabbed the man by the collar, and flipped him over his shoulder—sending him crashing into two others.
A second one came from the side, aiming a spinning kick to his ribs.
Jiang Chen caught his ankle mid-spin, lifted him off the ground, and swung him like a club into the next attacker.
Three down.
Another roared and threw a powerful palm strike.
Jiang Chen sidestepped, letting the palm pass before slamming his elbow into the man's ribs, making him cough up spit.
A disciple behind him tried to grapple him, wrapping their arms around his waist—
Jiang Chen broke free effortlessly, spun around, and hammered his forehead into their skull.
CRACK!
The disciple staggered, dazed, before shaking it off with a wide grin.
"Hell yeah! This one's a beast!"
Two disciples rushed from both sides.
Jiang Chen smirked, grabbed one by the neck, and used his body to slam the other into the ground.
Seven down.
By now, a small crowd had formed, watching the brawl with excitement.
"Shit! The new guy is handling himself pretty well!"
"He's not just strong—he's precise as hell!"
Jiang Chen planted his foot into the last attacker's stomach, sending him sprawling across the stone pavement.
By the time he cracked his knuckles and exhaled, the entire pile of beaten disciples lay groaning on the ground.
Silence.
Then—
Laughter.
The disciples burst into wild laughter, some slapping their knees, others staggering to their feet, grinning like lunatics.
"Hahahaha! HE BEAT THE HELL OUTTA US!"
"This one is a true warrior—I like him!"
A disciple clasped his hand, his other arm still hanging limp from the beating.
Another threw a wine gourd at him. "Drink, you crazy bastard!"
Jiang Chen caught it mid-air, taking a swig. The alcohol burned like fire, yet tasted like pure energy.
Good stuff.
But just as he was about to enjoy the moment—
BOOM!
A crater exploded behind him as a terrifying aura descended upon the courtyard.
A figure dropped from the sky, landing like a meteor.
The ground shattered, dust billowing outward as an overwhelming presence filled the air.
Jiang Chen didn't even need to turn around.
He already knew who it was.
"You made it faster than I expected, brat."
Jiang Chen turned, smirking at the figure standing before him.
Elder Zhao Yan.
His eyes gleamed with undisguised shock as he took in Jiang Chen's presence.
He's changed. No—he's transformed.
Zhao Yan had expected the boy to grow stronger, but not like this.
His instincts screamed that Jiang Chen's current strength was beyond normal Qi Condensation.
But instead of acknowledging it, he just grinned.
"Not bad," Zhao Yan mused. "But it's one thing to beat up my sect's juniors."
His grin widened.
"It's another thing to stand against ME."
Jiang Chen's smirk never wavered.
"Was wondering when you'd stop staring and actually make a move."
The watching disciples cheered.
"SHIT! HE'S GONNA FIGHT ELDER ZHAO?!"
"HOLY FUCK, THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD!"
Zhao Yan cracked his knuckles, lightning flashing across his fingers.
"Alright, brat. Consider this your TRUE initiation."
Without another word—
He lunged.
BOOM!
The moment Jiang Chen and Elder Zhao Yan clashed, the ground beneath them split apart, deep cracks forming as waves of force exploded outward. The watching disciples backed away instinctively, shielding themselves from the sheer impact.
Jiang Chen's fists clashed against Zhao Yan's palm, sending violent shockwaves rippling through the air. For the first time since arriving, Jiang Chen felt true pressure.
Zhao Yan's attacks weren't just fast—they were precise, overwhelming, and suffocating.
"Not bad, brat!" Zhao Yan grinned mid-fight, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "But you're still too green!"
He suddenly shifted his stance, his foot cracking the stone beneath him as he swung a devastating palm strike toward Jiang Chen's chest.
Jiang Chen barely had time to react. He twisted, narrowly avoiding the blow, but the wind pressure alone sent him sliding back several meters.
Jiang Chen exhaled, shaking out his arms. Shit, he's fast.
Zhao Yan didn't let up. He exploded forward, closing the gap in an instant.
"Sundering Force—Heaven Sundering Palm!"
His palm strike descended like a divine punishment, tearing through the air with an unstoppable force.
Jiang Chen's instincts screamed at him. He had seen fast attacks before, but this was different.
This wasn't just raw power. It was force mastery at its peak.
Jiang Chen crossed his arms, reinforcing them with Chaos Qi as the attack landed directly on his forearms.
BOOM!
The impact sent Jiang Chen flying, his body smashing through a stone pillar before tumbling across the ground.
He coughed, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. The bones in his forearm ached, but—he had blocked it.
He pushed himself up, wiping the blood off his lips. His golden-amber eyes burned with defiance.
"That all you got, old man?"
The disciples burst into wild laughter.
"HOLY SHIT! HE'S STILL STANDING!"
"WHAT A MONSTER!"
Zhao Yan grinned. "I was holding back. Now let's see if you can take this."
He took a deep breath, his entire body exuding a terrifying battle aura. His muscles tensed, veins bulging as his Qi surged like a raging tide.
"Heaven Sundering Sect's Signature Art—"
He clenched his fists, an overwhelming aura of destruction condensing around them.
"HEAVEN SUNDERING FIST!"
A single punch.
But Jiang Chen could feel it warping space itself.
Fuck!
Jiang Chen roared and gathered Chaos Qi, his Starshadow Body flickering as he tried to evade—
Too late.
BOOM!
The punch landed squarely against his chest.
Jiang Chen's vision blurred as an unstoppable force crashed into him, launching him backward like a ragdoll.
He smashed through three stone buildings before finally crashing into the mountain wall.
Silence.
For a moment, the only sound was the faint crackling of debris.
Then—
Cough.
Jiang Chen staggered forward, clutching his ribs, his breathing heavy. Blood dripped from his mouth, but his eyes never wavered.
Zhao Yan raised an eyebrow. "You're not dead? Impressive."
Jiang Chen spat out blood, cracking his neck.
"Yeah?" He smirked. "Well, you're an old bastard."
The entire sect erupted in laughter.
"HAHAHA! HE'S FUCKING INSANE!"
"NO WONDER HE'S ONE OF US!"
Zhao Yan shook his head, grinning. "You're really something, brat. You took my full-force Heaven Sundering Fist and lived. That alone is proof that you're worthy of standing in this sect."
Jiang Chen wiped the blood from his lips. "So, does this mean I'm officially in?"
Zhao Yan exhaled, a proud glint in his eye.
"Welcome to the Heaven Sundering Sect."
The surrounding disciples cheered, punching the air.
Jiang Chen grinned despite his injuries. He had survived his first trial.
But he knew—this was only the beginning.