Jiang Chen, Bai Muchen, and Xiao Dong emerged from their secluded cultivation chambers, their eyes sharper, their auras heavier than before. The air around them thrummed with newfound power, each of them having refined themselves through their respective rewards.
They found themselves in a secluded section of the 20th-floor reward chamber, seated beneath the towering presence of an ancient stone obelisk inscribed with faded battle records of those who had come before.
Jiang Chen sat cross-legged, his golden-amber eyes flickering with chaotic energy. His cultivation base had soared to the Peak Foundation Establishment realm, but it was more than just raw power. His Voidwalker ability had fully stabilized, allowing him to seamlessly traverse through space without hesitation. His Chaos Qi had become denser, no longer just a wild force of destruction but something sharper, something more… controlled.
Bai Muchen rolled his shoulders, the Titan's Ascension ability flowing naturally through his movements. The more he fought, the stronger his body became, his size increasing proportionally with his Qi usage. His control over his raw physical power had reached a terrifying level, and the battlefield had become his playground.
Xiao Dong grinned, his eyes sharper than before. He had awakened a form of battle sense, not quite Divine Sense, but an instinctual awareness that allowed him to predict attacks and strategize better mid-fight. His once reckless fighting style had transformed into something far more dangerous—he was no longer just a mad brawler; he was a thinking beast of war.
The three warriors sat in silence for a moment, taking in each other's presence before finally speaking.
Xiao Dong stretched. "Shit, we really came out of that floor different men."
Bai Muchen nodded. "I feel like my control over my power has doubled. The Titan's Ascension ability doesn't just make me bigger—it's refining my entire body every time I fight."
Jiang Chen smirked. "And you're finally using your brain."
Xiao Dong scoffed, throwing a pebble at Jiang Chen. "I swear, one day I'm gonna land a punch on you."
Jiang Chen laughed, but his expression turned serious. "I don't think we're done yet. The temple has forced us to evolve at every step, and it won't stop now."
Bai Muchen agreed. "We've had our time to grow. The next floor will push us into a different kind of battle."
Xiao Dong cracked his knuckles. "Then let's fucking get to it."
As they stepped onto the 21st floor, the world around them shifted dramatically. Unlike the previous floors, which had been full of ruins, trials, and beasts, this was something entirely different.
The sky burned with a dark, ominous hue, and a massive battlefield stretched as far as the eye could see. Colossal banners, torn and bloodstained, flapped violently in the wind. The land itself was scarred by war, trenches carved into the earth, long-dried rivers of blood staining the rocks.
Most notable of all were the hundreds of cultivators gathered across the battlefield—each one having survived until this point, their battle-hardened eyes scanning the competition.
These were no ordinary warriors.
They were some of the top geniuses from the major sects, clans, and kingdoms.
Jiang Chen's eyes flickered. So, not the absolute monsters that will be going to the Jiuhuang Secret Realm, but the ones just beneath them… That makes things interesting.
Bai Muchen muttered, "This is no random gathering. This is a battlefield where real elites are made."
Xiao Dong grinned. "Good. I was getting tired of killing nobodies."
But before they could continue speaking—
BOOOOOOM!
A celestial force descended upon them, shaking the very fabric of reality.
A voice resonated through the battlefield, neither male nor female, but vast and omnipotent.
"From this point forward, survival is not an individual effort. You must form factions, or you will be eliminated."
"The rules are absolute."
"Here on floor 21, only the top 9 factions will advance to the next floor. Then, it will he 8 on the 22nd floor, with this pattern continuing until only 1 faction is remaining on the 29th floor. The Strongest Faction."
"The dead stay buried in the Temple, but those disqualified will be immediately expelled."
"Form your alliances wisely, for the battles ahead will not favor the weak."
BOOOOOOOOOM!
The battlefield trembled as the rules were seared into the minds of every cultivator present.
The moment the decree ended, the battlefield erupted into chaos.
Some rushed to form factions, aligning themselves with those they knew they could trust.
Others stood in place, analyzing the competition, hesitant to join a weak faction.
The strongest cultivators immediately gathered followers, setting the stage for dominance.
Jiang Chen, Bai Muchen, and Xiao Dong?
They stood alone.
Until a group of three cultivators approached them.
The one at the front was a tall, golden-eyed young man with a sword strapped to his back. His aura was steady, unyielding, like a mountain that had withstood countless storms.
"I saw you fight on the 10th floor," he said, his voice calm but firm. "You three… You're the real deal."
Before he could address this man, a strong aura immediately caught his attention. A woman with crimson hair and burning golden eyes had a host of over 10 geniuses surrounding her. Her aura radiated fire, so strong it distorted the air around her.
Jiang Chen deliberated for a second and recognized her aura from the first reward floor.
That must be Feng Yuechan
Her eyes flickered toward Jiang Chen, a smirk forming on her lips. "You. You're interesting."
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
Bai Muchen crossed his arms and glanced at the group. "You three are here to cause trouble, or are you looking for a faction?"
The golden-eyed swordsman nodded. "A faction. The strongest one."
Xiao Dong burst out laughing. "HAHA! So you're asking to join us?" "What's your name?" he questioned.
"Qin Tian, of the Emperor Sword Pavilion."
Xiao Dong and Bai Muchen's expressions immediately became serious at the mentioning of this force.
Xiao Dong whispered, "Emperor Sword Pavilion is known for only taking in the most talented Sword cultivators. A top force in the Blazing Sun Province. They're no joke, and they do not fear battle."
Jiang Chen surveyed the group and felt a sharp presence from the golden-eyed young man like that of an endlessly honed blade. He turned to the other two and noticed a bulky, brown haired young man and an extremely tall and slender woman.
"What about their strength?" He said, referring to the other two.
"Good enough," Qin Tian laughed.
"At least, they can cause some trouble for me if they come at me together," He smiled.
The tall slender woman stepped forward, "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, I am Xia Qingren." She smiled warmly.
The grunt looking disciple then stood forth, "I am Huo Xingren. I've always wanted to see if the rumors about your Heaven Sundering Sect are true." he said with excitement.
Xiao Dong released a battle hungry aura that swept towards Huo Xingren, "Wanna find out?"
Qin Tian slapped Huo Xingren on the back of the head, "Now's not the time blockhead, we're about to be fighting to the death."
Jiang Chen laughed and studied them for a moment, then turned to Bai Muchen and Xiao Dong.
"What do you think?"
Bai Muchen smirked. "More strong people means more bloodshed."
Xiao Dong shrugged. "Fine by me."
Jiang Chen turned back toward the Qin Tian and his company.
"Then welcome to the Sundering Legion."
BOOOOOOOOOM!
A wave of energy surged around them, sealing their faction's existence into the rules of the battlefield.
Then—
The celestial voice returned.
"The factions are set. The first battle begins now."
"To survive, your faction must claim one of the ten battle shrines scattered across the battlefield."
"The weakest factions will be eliminated."
The sky trembled.
A thunderous war drum echoed through the battlefield.
Jiang Chen grinned, his golden-amber eyes gleaming with untamed battle intent.
"The first real war begins now."
Bai Muchen cracked his knuckles. "Let's take a shrine."
Xiao Dong's fists burned with power. "Let's burn this battlefield down."
The battlefield erupted into war.