The explosion that followed their clash sent shockwaves rippling through the sect grounds. Dust and debris surged through the air, blinding the spectators momentarily. The outer disciples staggered back, shielding themselves from the sheer force of the impact, while the inner disciples narrowed their eyes, watching intently.
As the dust settled, two figures stood at the center of a newly formed crater—Wu Tian and Yan Xue.
Yan Xue's palm trembled slightly, the remnants of her devastating attack still flickering in the air. Yet, Wu Tian still stood.
The veins beneath his skin glowed faintly with a golden hue, his entire being pulsating with an unfamiliar yet ancient power. The Fifth Gate—Draconic Veins—had awakened.
For a moment, silence reigned.
Then, Yan Xue chuckled. A sound of genuine amusement.
"You really are something else," she admitted, lowering her hand. "I was certain that strike would at least incapacitate you, but you… you absorbed it."
Wu Tian rolled his shoulders, flexing his fingers as the raw energy coursed through his body. "I'm just getting used to it," he replied, his voice steady. "But I have to admit—if I hadn't broken through, I'd be dead."
Elder Rong stepped forward, his expression unreadable. He studied Wu Tian for a long moment before nodding. "Three strikes. You endured them all."
His gaze swept across the gathered disciples. "From this moment forth, Wu Tian is no longer just the Number One Outer Disciple. By decree of the sect, he shall be granted an honorary place among the Inner Disciples."
A roar of disbelief erupted among the disciples. An outer disciple skipping ranks? This was unheard of!
Zhao Feng scowled, his fists clenched. "This is ridiculous! He has no Qi core! What right does he have to enter the Inner Sect?!"
Yan Xue merely smiled. "Did you not see? Strength decides everything."
Elder Rong's expression hardened. "The decision is final."
Wu Tian exhaled, feeling the weight of the moment settle upon him. He had done it. But deep inside, he knew this was just the beginning.
The Power of the Fifth Gate—Draconic Veins
That night, Wu Tian sat cross-legged in his quarters, his body still adapting to the newly awakened Draconic Veins. The golden hue beneath his skin had faded, but he could still feel the raw, pulsating power deep within him.
Draconic Veins:
His blood had transformed, carrying an essence more potent than Qi.
His muscles felt denser, allowing explosive power beyond normal comprehension.
His senses had sharpened, his vision clearer even in complete darkness.
But most importantly—he had barely scratched the surface of this power.
The book in his mind flickered again, revealing a cryptic passage:
"The veins of dragons do not pulse with mere blood, but with the essence of eternity. Strength is nothing without control."
Wu Tian frowned. Control. That would be the key to unlocking the full potential of the Fifth Gate.
He clenched his fist. He had no Qi, no core, but his body… his body was becoming something beyond mortal limitations.
The Gathering Storm
As dawn broke, an urgent summons arrived at Wu Tian's quarters. A disciple knocked at his door, his face pale.
"The Sect Master has requested your presence… immediately."
Wu Tian's eyes sharpened. The Sect Master?
He had expected inner disciples to challenge him. He had expected jealousy. But for Daoist Iron Cloud himself to call for him?
Something was happening.
As Wu Tian made his way toward the grand hall, he could feel the shift in the air. The elders were gathering. The core disciples were assembled. And at the very center of it all, sitting upon a raised platform, was Sect Master Daoist Iron Cloud.
His presence was suffocating. Even without releasing his full power, the air around him crackled with dominance. His gaze landed on Wu Tian, measuring, analyzing.
"You are Wu Tian," he said finally. "The anomaly of our sect."
Wu Tian met his gaze without flinching. "Yes."
Daoist Iron Cloud studied him before speaking again. "You have shaken the balance of this sect. That alone would be enough to warrant my attention. But that is not why I summoned you."
The hall fell silent.
Then the Sect Master's next words sent chills through everyone present.
"There is an intruder in our world—one who should not exist within the Sealed Plane. A cultivator beyond our limits."
Gasps filled the hall. The Sealed World was meant to be cut off from higher realms. No one had ever entered or left without unlocking the mysteries of space itself.
Wu Tian narrowed his eyes. A cultivator from beyond? How?
The Sect Master continued. "This intruder has already slain three of our elite disciples… and they were at the peak of Pseudo-Core Realm."
A heavy silence fell over the hall.
Pseudo-Core was the absolute limit of their world. If even they had been slaughtered effortlessly… then the intruder was a monster.
Wu Tian exhaled. His time in this sect was about to change forever.
The path ahead would not just be one of cultivation—but survival.