The morning sun cast golden rays over the Azure Moon Sect, illuminating the towering peaks and ancient stone pavilions. Mist curled around the sect's vast training fields, where disciples had already begun their daily practice.
Jiang Chen stood at the edge of the outer disciple courtyard, his hands clenched at his sides.
Everything felt different.
The energy coursing through his body was unlike anything he had ever known. It was not Qi, not the refined essence that other disciples absorbed from heaven and earth. This power was something else—a force beyond the natural order.
He could feel the space around him bending subtly, as if responding to his very presence. His vision had sharpened, his senses expanded. He could hear disciples whispering in the distance, their voices clear despite being far beyond normal hearing range.
But most importantly—he had cultivation.
For ten years, he had been trapped at the starting line, unable to take even the first step. Yet overnight, he had soared to Qi Refining Third Stage.
And he wasn't done.
"I need to test my power."
Jiang Chen turned, his gaze falling upon the Stone of Evaluation, an ancient monolith in the center of the outer disciple training field. The sect used it to measure the cultivation progress of new disciples. When one touched the stone, it would release an aura corresponding to their level—faint for Qi Refining, blinding for Nascent Soul, and utterly terrifying for those beyond.
Many of the outer disciples used it as a way to show off their strength.
Jiang Chen had never dared to approach it before.
But today, he did.
---
The Gathering of Disciples
The training ground was already filled with disciples practicing their martial arts. Some sparred with wooden swords, their movements sharp and refined. Others meditated beneath spirit trees, cultivating their Qi.
When Jiang Chen stepped forward, the chatter around him died down.
Disciples turned to stare, confusion flashing in their eyes.
"What is he doing here?" someone muttered.
"He's walking toward the Stone of Evaluation? Has he gone insane?"
"He must be desperate. He's going to embarrass himself in front of everyone."
Jiang Chen ignored the whispers. His steps were steady as he approached the monolith.
By now, the crowd had grown, dozens of disciples gathering to watch. Among them stood Lin Tao, his arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips.
"So, the trash finally snapped," he said loudly. "Go ahead, Jiang Chen. Touch the stone. Show us all how worthless you really are."
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Jiang Chen didn't react.
He placed his palm on the stone.
---
The Stone Awakens
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—BOOM!
A deep rumbling shook the ground. The Stone of Evaluation, dormant for years, lit up with an eerie black glow.
A wave of cold energy exploded outward, sending nearby disciples stumbling back. The once-neutral monolith now pulsed with darkness, cracks appearing along its surface as an unseen force devoured its light.
The crowd froze.
"What… what is this?" someone stammered.
"I've never seen the stone react like this!"
Even Lin Tao's smirk faded, his face turning pale.
Jiang Chen withdrew his hand. The stone continued to tremble for a few moments before shattering into dust.
A deathly silence fell over the courtyard.
The sect elders had warned that the Stone of Evaluation could withstand even Nascent Soul cultivators—yet Jiang Chen, a supposed Qi Refining disciple, had just destroyed it.
And he had barely used any effort.
Jiang Chen slowly turned, his gaze sweeping across the stunned crowd.
For the first time in ten years, they weren't looking at him with scorn.
They were looking at him with fear.
---
The Sect's Reaction
The disturbance didn't go unnoticed.
Within minutes, a sharp aura descended upon the training field as a figure landed gracefully before the ruined monolith. He was an elder of the Azure Moon Sect, his long silver robes embroidered with celestial symbols. His gaze was sharp, his Qi suffocating.
This was Elder Mo, the enforcer of the outer sect.
"What happened here?" Elder Mo demanded, his voice like steel.
The disciples remained silent, still too shocked to speak. Finally, Lin Tao stepped forward.
"Elder," he said quickly, his voice laced with unease. "Jiang Chen touched the stone, and it… it shattered."
Elder Mo's gaze snapped to Jiang Chen.
"Is this true?"
Jiang Chen met the elder's gaze calmly. "It seems that way."
Murmurs spread through the crowd. The Jiang Chen they knew would have stammered, lowered his head in submission. But now—his presence was different.
Elder Mo frowned. "What stage is your cultivation?"
"Qi Refining Third Stage," Jiang Chen replied.
More murmurs. Elder Mo's brows furrowed, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"You say Third Stage… yet you shattered a stone that even Core Formation disciples struggle to affect?" His gaze darkened. "What technique did you use?"
Jiang Chen remained silent.
How could he explain? His power did not come from Qi. It came from the void.
Seeing his hesitation, Elder Mo's frown deepened.
"Come with me," he ordered. "The sect elders will want to see you."
---
Walking into the Unknown
As Jiang Chen followed Elder Mo toward the inner sect, he could feel the weight of countless gazes on his back.
The outer disciples who once ignored him now whispered in hushed tones. Some looked at him with awe, others with suspicion.
And then there was Lin Tao.
Jiang Chen could feel his glare, filled with anger and jealousy.
"Good," he thought.
The sect had abandoned him for ten years.
Now, they would all be forced to acknowledge him.
Even if it meant stepping into the unknown.
---
End of Chapter 2