As the burning sphere desded, an overwhelming instinct took over. Something within him stirred—deep, a knowledge awakened.

  Kai flihrowing up his arms—

  And then it happened.

  His breath slowed. The world blurred. His body moved on its own.

  Kai's hands traced an unseen pattern, his instincts guiding him as his Qi fred to life. A pulse of bd golden energy surged through his body.

  "Celestial Eclipse: Obsidian Moon Reversal!"

  A massive bck crest materialized, slig through the desding sun. A shockwave rippled outward, extinguishing the fmes mid-air, leaving only swirling embers.

  Boom! A shockwave exploded outward. The fmes twisted and vanished, snuffed out by a burst of pure bd golden Qi.

  The room fell silent.

  Kai opened his eyes, staring at his hand.

  What… was that?

  Elder Huo Jue stumbled back, eyes wide. His fire had been pletely ralized.

  His grip on his sword tightened. "Impossible… That teique… it's from the lost arts of the our sect!" He looked at the scorched marks where his fmes had beeinguished.

  He let out a heavy breath, then he k.

  “I cede.”

  The crowd exploded in cheers.

  Kai had no idea what just happened, but somehow—

  He had won.

  As the sect members dispersed, Elder Kong Tianba led Kai to a private chamber, where Liu Yue and Liu Yu joihem.

  Kong Tianba spoke first. “You must be w why this has happened.”

  Kai nodded aggressively. “Yes. Absolutely. One hundred pert.”

  "Pert? Is that a term from the lost teiques? I am not familiar with that word."

  Kai replied sheepishly, "Nevermind about that."

  He then straightened and began to expin the history of the sect. “The Obsidian Peak Sect was founded turies ago when our founder, a legendary cultivator, discovered the Obsidian Peak—an a mountain infused with powerful Qi veins. Realizing its potential, he established a fortress at its summit, gathering disciples and developing teiques uo this nd. Thus, the sect was born.”

  Kai listened carefully as Kong tinued, “The sect is structured intreat halls, each led by one of the three elders. Below each hall are twelve chapters, scattered across the tral pins. Each hall trols four chapters, overseeing different aspects of our sect’s operations.”

  He gestured to himself, “The Enfort Hall, which I lead, ensures order and maintains discipline.”

  Then, tou Erniang, “The Shadow Hall specializes in intelligence, assassination, and covert operations.”

  Finally, toward Huo Jue, “The Crimson Hall is our stro offensive force, housing our most powerful batants.”

  Kong’s expression darkened slightly. “After our founder’s passing, the sect was left without a leader. The three elders, each strong in their ht, were stantly at odds, uo gain the upper hand over one ahis power struggle left the sect divided for decades.”

  He sighed. “But I khat this division would only lead to our downfall. That’s why I sought answers. Our founder left behind a prophecy, ohat spoke of a chosen successor—the one who would wield the Celestial Eclipse Manual and master its teiques.”

  Liu Yue spoke , “We spent years following clues, searg for any trace of the manual. Eventually, our iigations led us to the mortal realm.”

  Liu Yu grinned. “And guess what? We found you~”

  Kong nodded. “You were discovered just in time, and so we brought you back here. To lead.”

  Kai was astounded. “But… I don’t fit this prophecy. I’m just an ordinary librarian!”

  Kong frowned slightly. “Librarian?”

  Kai sighed. “I took care of books.”

  Kong Tianba chuckled. “Then sider this fate. The keeper of knowledge shall now be the keeper of power.”

  Kai groaned. “That doesn’t make me a leader.”

  Kong Tianba leaned forward. “You will learn. And we will guide you.”

  Kai, still overwhelmed, hesitated before asking another question. "I noticed that many members dress in bd some look really intimidating... Is this… an evil sect?"

  Elder Kong Tianba raised an eyebrow befiving a short chuckle. "That depends on who you ask."

  He leaned bad tinued, "Unlike many so-called righteous sects, we have an open policy for recruitment. Most orthodox sects take in only disciples from noble backgrounds or those with exceptional talent. We take in anyone who has the potential to grow. Naturally, this mearact… a variety of individuals."

  His expression darkened slightly. "As our sect grew, some members began to act as they pleased, flouting rules and engaging in less savory activities. The so-called righteous sects took notid used it to paint us as evil. Jealous, no doubt, of our influend numbers."

  Kong smirked, eyes gleaming with amusement. "But tell me, Kai—does that sound like an 'evil sect' to you?"

  Kai wasn't sure what to say.

  Kong tinued, "There is no single dire guiding us toward 'evil,' if that's what you're asking. We simply do not ourselves with the approval of self-procimed righteous sects."

  Feeling a little unfortable, Kai ges the topic

  “I've heard the term Cultivation many times now. What are the meics?”

  Elder Kong Tianba frowned. "Meics? I am unfamiliar with this term. But if you are asking about the path of cultivation, then listen well."

  “Qi is the lifeforergy that permeates all living things. It is the foundation of cultivation teiques, the force that separates mortals from those who walk the path of power. The stronger one’s Qi, the closer they are to immortality and divinity. A cultivator’s entire journey is defined by their ability to absorb, refine, and wield Qi effitly.”

  He tinued, "Qi is not limited to bat. It strehe body, enhance martial teiques, enable Lightness Skills for movement, and even be used for healing crafts. Mastering Qi is mastering one’s existence."

  “To the best of my knowledge, there exist freat realms, yet I am certain that many more lie beyond our uanding.”

  “The Mortal Realm is the world of your in, where teology has taken the pce of cultivatioo the absence of Qi refi.”

  “This realm is known as the Asdant Realm, a nd where true cultivators thrive—a world dominated by sects, a s, and martial supremacy.”

  “Beyond it lies the Divine Realm, the highest pne of existence, where only legendary immortals asd after transding their mortal limitations.”

  “Lastly, there is the her Realm, a dark abyss ruled by chaos, where demons and corrupted cultivators dwell, wielding forbidden power.”

  He then began to outlihe ages of Cultivation, each step marking a cultivator’s arduous jouroward immortality.

  “The first stage is Qi Initiation—the moment a cultivator awakens their seo the flow of Qi in the world, learning to draw it into their body for the first time. It is a fragile state, where one must grasp the essence of energy before true cultivation begin.

  es Qi Refi, where the body is strengthened, and the raw energy gathered is purified into a usable force. Many falter here, uo ehe grueling process of internal tempering, their foundations forever inplete.

  Beyond that is Foundatioablishment, the first true step toower. At this stage, a cultivator stabilizes their meridians, f internal Qi pathways strong enough to withstand greater energy flow. With a firm foundation, one aspire to greater heights—without it, their cultivation is doomed to colpse.

  Then, there is Core Formation. Here, the cultivator denses all their refined Qi into a solid core within their dantian, f the very heart of their power. This core amplifies their strength and unlocks deeper teiques, separating artial artists from true cultivators.

  True pins at Soul. At this stage, the cultivatives birth to a spiritual avatar within themselves—a miniature version of their soul, capable of indepehought and a. From this point on, their mastery over Qi reaches new heights, and their lifespaends far beyond mortal limits.

  Yet even the Soul is but a stepping stohe Soul Assion stage follows, where one’s trol over their spirit bees absolute. At this level, a cultivator project their sciousness outward, manipute energy with mere thought, a in both the physical ahereal pnes.

  All cultivation roads ultimately lead to Transderibution. It is the heavens’ judgment, a test that no mortal escape. When a cultivator reaches this stage, divine lightning desds, fmes from the void roar, ay itself bends against them. It is the greatest challenge, where tless prodigies have perished, their dreams reduced to ashes. Those who pass shall asd to the divine Realm as immortals.

  “Cultivators who succumb to corruption, ed by power and vengeance, iably ehe her Realm through Demonic Assion instead. Though feared across all realms, demonic cultivators wield strength beyond mortal prehensio, few who tread this path retain their sanity—most are devoured by the very darkhey embrace.”

  He paused, his gaze pierg as he cluded, “This is the path of cultivation—the ast to divinity or the pluo damnation.”

  Kai grew ptive. In the Mortal Realm, tless philosophies had mentioned about the the existence of heaven and hell, moral dualities that mirrored the Divine aher Realms. Were these merely mortal interpretations of these higher realms? The realms could be perceived as separate dimensions, yet the very cept of cultivation suggested progression—a structured assion from oeo the . But what of the tless mortals who never embarked on this path? So many mortals living in the Mortal Realm had lived their ehout stepping beyond their world.

  Taking a deep breath, Kai tried to steady his thoughts. “So where do I stand?”

  Kong’s gaze greer, unreadable. “Your case is… abnormal.”

  He tinued, "Normally, a cultivator only learns teiques they ha their level. Even if they obtain advanced manuals, their body simply ot harhe power."

  He exhaled. "But you are different. Your cultivation level is only at Qi Refi, yet the Celestial Eclipse Manual has already imparted the teiques of the highest level to you."

  Kai paled. "So I skipped the tutorial a straight to the first level boss??"

  Kong frowned. "...I do not uand those words, but yes. Your body is like a small vessel, it is not able to hold much Qi."

  He gestured toward Kai’s hands. "Without a Core, which is only developed at a ter stage, your Qi reserve is too small to wield the Celestial Eclipse teiques at will. That is why they only activate when your life is in danger—your survival instinct forcefully denses your Qi, allowing you to momentarily unleash immense power. But this is unsustainable and dangerous."

  Kai exhaled. "So what I do?"

  Kong’s voice was firm. "You must train. You o increase the size of your qi vessel by strengthening your cultivation base. Without proper Qi circution, your power is nothing but untrolled bursts."

  He pced a hand on Kai’s shoulder. "I will impart to you the sect’s meditation teiques. Through them, you will learn to absorb, refine, and dense Qi, stabilizing your power. Only then will you bee worthy of the title Sect Lord of the Obsidian Peak Sect."

  Kai groaned. "Great. Homework."

  Liu Yu giggled. "Look on the bright side, Sect Leader, if you fail, we’ll just watch you get beaten up again."

  Kai sighed.