This resembles a path forged from azure gold, shimmering with verdant mists and adorned with intricate symbols that glitter like scattered stars, rendering the place both mystical and serene. As the group stepped onto it, they felt fragments of time slipping away and layers of space distorting—their flesh and spirit seemed on the verge of separation, as if being peeled apart. It was a bizarre experience, as though they had traversed an entire lifetime yet were only just beginning their journey. Amidst the glimmering shards of gold and rising azure radiance, a luminous portal emerged at the road’s end.
Bone inscriptions intertwined with countless cryptic symbols, forming a dazzling exit that burned like divine flames, constructing a mysterious gateway. The group stepped through, exhaling in relief—only upon solid ground did they feel truly secure. The azure passage behind them blurred, dissolving into a rain of light until it vanished entirely.
“Is this the path constructed by the Sacrificial Spirit?” Little Rascal murmured, lost in thought as he glanced back.
An elder nodded. “Our Sky Mending Pavilion’s Sacrificial Spirit once commanded awe across this land, though in recent years, its divine might has waned with age.”
The terrain here was flat, devoid of towering mountains. In the distance, an ancient city loomed at the horizon’s edge.
“Aren’t we supposed to head to Hundred Shattered Peaks? There’s not even a hill in sight,” one of the Pavilion’s prodigies questioned skeptically.
“No one can predict the exact time of its opening, but it should occur within days. It’s nearby—we’ll head to the city first,” explained Elder Tao Ye, the leader of this expedition tasked with escorting the young talents.
Aside from him and Little Rascal, the group consisted of five others—three young men and two women—all exceptional prodigies personally mentored by the Pavilion’s higher-ups, rarely seen among the usual elite trainees.
“Ah, so you’re the ones taken under the wings of those old monsters?” Little Rascal blinked curiously, earning glares from the five and a wry smile from Tao Ye—who, by that logic, also qualified as an “old monster.”
“Don’t glare! What do those old monsters teach you, anyway?” Little Rascal pressed, sidling closer.
“Let’s proceed to Shattered Void City first,” Tao Ye interjected, leading them toward the settlement.
This was an ancient land, once vibrant but now faded by war. According to Tao Ye, a glorious kingdom once ruled these vast territories before crumbling to dust in the tides of time.
“And their Sacrificial Spirit?” a prodigy asked.
“Dead, naturally. Otherwise, the kingdom wouldn’t have fallen so swiftly.”
As they spoke, they reached the city—a grand, timeworn structure with towering gray-brown walls and an imposing gatehouse. Shattered Void City thrived despite its age, bustling with merchants hawking wares ranging from daily necessities to treasures for cultivators: precious beast bones, aged medicinal herbs, weapons, and bone scriptures.
“Many here are formidable experts,” someone noted.
“Most have journeyed from afar, drawn by the opening of Hundred Shattered Peaks,” Tao Ye explained. The event, occurring once every few centuries, drew elites from across the land.
“We arrived early enough to secure lodging. Any later, and we’d be meditating on boulders,” Tao Ye chuckled. Their accommodations were luxurious—a garden estate with artificial hills, bridges, pavilions, and lakes—a privilege only a top-tier faction like Sky Mending Pavilion could afford.
Suddenly, Little Rascal froze, spotting a peculiar sight. From a nearby courtyard emerged a carriage pulled by fearsome beasts, escorted by guards and driven by a human expert. Behind jade-beaded curtains sat a white tiger, its gaze ferocious, attended by two maidens feeding it tender meat.
“That tiger rides in luxury, served by experts… its master must be terrifying,” a female disciple marveled.
“Silence!” Tao Ye snapped, his expression stern. The group quickly realized—this was no pet, but a descendant of an ancient direbeast.
A low growl erupted as the tiger’s eyes locked onto the speaker.
“Slap yourself, or face death,” the driver coldly demanded.
Tao Ye intervened, “She meant no harm.”
“Words have consequences. Consider this leniency—had the young lord acted, you’d all be dead.”
The tiger roared, shaking the gardens. The driver’s face darkened. “Too late. It demands her flesh.”
Tao Ye’s palm glowed as a gourd materialized, inscribed with runes. “We are from Sky Mending Pavilion. We avoid conflict but fear none.”
The driver stiffened—Sky Mending Pavilion was an ancient sanctuary of formidable power.
“Sky Mending Pavilion? Impressive. But know this—we hail from Western Tomb Beast Mountain. Our paths will cross again,” the driver spat before departing, the tiger’s murderous glare lingering.
The female disciple bowed in apology, shaken by her careless words.
“Don’t worry. It’s just a fancy tiger. We’ll feast on its meat later,” Little Rascal declared, drawing stunned silence.
Nearby, a violet-robed youth chuckled. “Bold words. I’m Chu Xia of Fire Nation. Join me if you need aid.”
Before they could respond, a rival sneered, “Alliances? Pathetic.”
Tao Ye urged them onward. “This place is treacherous enough. Hundred Shattered Peaks will be worse—a gauntlet of geniuses and direbeasts where survival is victory.”
Eager to explore, Little Rascal led the group into the city’s heart, where crowds gathered around a bounty notice.
“Rewards? For what?” he asked excitedly.
“Read the stele.”
Moments later, he fled, aghast—the bounty was for his capture!
“Some want me alive—probably the clan who lost their Crimson Feather Fan. The rest? Bring it on!” he muttered, bracing for the trials ahead.
Suddenly, darkness engulfed the sky as a monstrous shadow blotted out the sun—a primordial beast passing overhead, its aura suffocating.
“That’s a guardian escorting its progeny… The coming bloodshed will be unimaginable,” someone whispered.
As dread spread, Little Rascal’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. The Hundred Shattered Peaks awaited—a crucible of battle, where legends would rise or fall.
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