The Invincible Sect Leader

The Heavenly Mystical Sect had been established, its foundations laid upon ancient ruins, concealed by a powerful formation. But a sect was only as strong as its disciples.

Chan Li knew that if his sect was to rise above the heavens, its disciples had to be tempered in life-and-death battles.

Thus, the first sect trial was born.

The Trial of the Black Abyss

Within the depths of the hidden realm lay a forbidden region known as the Black Abyss a vast canyon filled with dangerous spiritual beasts, deadly terrain, and ancient relics buried deep within.

The trial was simple.

Survive for three days. Kill or be killed. Find the treasures hidden within.

The Rules of the Trial

Before sending his disciples into the abyss, Chan Li stood before them, his gaze calm yet imposing.

"This trial is not meant to be easy." His voice carried across the training grounds. "If you wish to become strong, you must walk the path of blood and hardship."

The disciples nodded, determination burning in their eyes.

"You will enter in groups of two. No outside help. Only your skills and your wits will determine your survival."

Xie Yun, Luo Feng, and Yan Rui exchanged glances.

"One last thing," Chan Li added, a smirk forming. "There is a hidden reward for those who prove themselves worthy."

The disciples clenched their fists. A hidden reward? That only meant greater danger.

The Descent into the Abyss

The entrance to the Black Abyss was a massive chasm that seemed to devour all light.

As the disciples descended, a chilling aura surrounded them. The deeper they went, the more they could feel a strange oppressive force, as if something ancient and terrifying lurked in the shadows.

Suddenly ROAR!

The first beast attacked.

A pack of Shadowfang Wolves emerged from the darkness, their red eyes glowing with killing intent. These creatures were known for their speed and teamwork.

Luo Feng reacted first.

He unleashed a powerful strike using the Heavenly Flow Combat Arts, his body moving with the fluidity of water yet striking with the force of a storm.

Boom!

One wolf was sent flying, crashing against a jagged rock.

Xie Yun stepped forward next, his hands moving in a circular motion as he activated his Tai Chi cultivation technique. When a wolf lunged at him, its claws aiming for his throat, he merely shifted his stance redirecting the force of the attack and sending the beast spinning through the air.

Yan Rui summoned a wave of frost energy, freezing a wolf mid-air before shattering it with a single palm strike.

The first battle ended quickly, but the disciples knew this was only the beginning.

Secrets of the Black Abyss

As they ventured deeper into the abyss, the landscape changed.

The air grew thicker with demonic energy, and the ground was littered with bones, some human, some belonging to creatures long extinct.

"This place... has been a battlefield before," Xie Yun murmured.

Then, they found it.

A giant black monolith, covered in strange ancient runes.

Chan Li had not mentioned anything about this.

Yan Rui reached out to touch it

BOOM!

A pulse of dark energy exploded from the monolith, sending them flying backward.

When the dust cleared, a figure stood before them.

An ancient cultivator, his body wrapped in decayed robes, his eyes burning with ghostly blue flames.

"Who… dares… trespass upon my tomb?"

The disciples froze.

This was no ordinary opponent. This was a soul-bound guardian of the past.

And they had just awakened it.