The Fire Realm was a wasteland of scorched earth, the air thick with the reek of sulfur.

Shen Li’s dark purple robe billowed around him, untouched by the searing heat. With every step, intricate silver serpents seemed to slither across the fabric.

He spun the Heart-Eroding Blade effortlessly between his fingers, its polished surface reflecting the slitted, fiery pupils of an approaching fire lizard.

ROAR!

The instant the fire lizard lunged, three poison-coated silver needles buried themselves in its throat.

The spirit beast howled in agony and crashed to the ground, its claws scraping sparks from the charred rocks.

Shen Li glided forward, his steps graceful. He slid the short blade under the beast’s reverse scale with practiced ease. “So noisy.”

In a final, desperate act, the lizard spewed a torrent of its innate true fire. But a cyan light flared from the jade pendant at Shen Li’s waist, and the inferno parted before him as if encountering a natural predator.

Shen Li chuckled softly. With a flick of his wrist, the Heart-Eroding Blade carved a perfect arc through the beast’s belly, incinerating its entrails before they could even spill onto the ground.

“A pity about the scales,” he mused. With a flick of his fingers, a molten crystal core flew into his brocade pouch. The beast’s blood beaded on his blade’s edge for a moment before vaporizing into an acrid mist.

A rustle echoed from the shadows. Without even turning his head, Shen Li flung the short blade.

The Heart-Eroding Blade skewered three fire bats in a single throw, pinning them to the rock wall. He nonchalantly smoothed the creases on his sleeve, strolled over to retrieve his weapon, and an explosion of fire erupted behind him, reducing the carcasses to ash.

After effortlessly collecting three more beast crystals, Shen Li prepared to move on.

Just then, a streak of crimson light tore through the air, halting abruptly three zhang from him.

The light faded to reveal a man in dark black armor. A striking vertical scarlet line marked his brow, glowing vividly in the fiery air.

This was Shen Xiao, a rising star among the Shen family’s direct descendants and, like Shen Cong, a man destined to join Shen Li’s inner circle.

His cultivation was at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm, making him Shen Li’s most crucial supporter in this Ancestral Trial.

“Young Master,” Shen Xiao said, bowing deeply. His voice was steady and powerful.

Shen Li gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

Shen Xiao then presented a storage bag with both hands. “Young Master, these are the extra crystals I’ve gathered.”

The requirement to pass the first stage was to collect fifty beast crystals within two days. Once a disciple secured enough to pass and had no ambition for the rankings, they would simply find a place to wait out the remaining time.

But Shen Xiao was more than strong enough to compete for a top spot. After all, the family offered rewards to the top five.

However, he and Shen Li had been assigned to the same realm.

Shen Li glanced at the storage bag, a faint smile touching his lips.

Long before the trial began, he had used special sensing talismans to mark his most trusted subordinates. This ensured that if any of them were assigned to the same realm, they could find each other and cooperate seamlessly.

As it happened, three of his closest confidants had landed in the Fire Realm with him.

This arrangement had drastically increased his efficiency in gathering beast crystals.

“Excellent,” Shen Li said, pocketing the bag and handing Shen Xiao a jade slip. “Continue to strive, and a seat among the elders will surely be yours in the future.”

Shen Xiao’s heart leaped when he saw the jade slip.

Having followed Shen Li for years, he knew its origin well.

It was a supreme-grade magical artifact Shen Li had discovered in an ancient ruin, one capable of amplifying spiritual awareness and launching mental attacks.

But its power was secondary to what it symbolized.

Though nothing from the ancestral grounds could be brought outside, this gift was a promise. It was proof that once the trial was over, Shen Li would acknowledge Shen Xiao’s contributions, rewarding him with greater trust and status.

Shen Xiao cupped his hands in gratitude. “Thank you for your generosity, Young Master. I will not fail you.”

After Shen Xiao departed, Shen Li stood alone on the scorching rocks. The Heart-Eroding Blade spun between his fingers, its cold gleam a stark contrast to the fiery landscape.

Each realm was completely isolated, making it impossible to know how the other participants were faring. But here, in the Fire Realm, Shen Li was certain no one could surpass him.

“What a pity…” He narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on the distorted heat waves shimmering in the distance. “I wonder which realm that useless brother of mine ended up in.”

If they were in the same realm, he was confident he could arrange an “accidental” death for his obnoxious younger brother, even with Ye Qingxian there to protect him.

Then again, he thought, with that waste’s pitiful strength, he would be lucky to survive in any realm, let alone make an impact.

Continuing on his path, Shen Li soon met up with his other two confidants.

Each respectfully presented him with the beast crystals they had collected.

When the last of them handed over a storage bag brimming with crystals, Shen Li scanned his total haul with his spiritual sense. A self-assured smirk played on his lips.

“The first-place victor of this stage…” Shen Li murmured, “…is undoubtedly me.”

…

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Outside, the light screen hovering above the giant bronze cauldron rippled, and the rankings for the first stage materialized.

The gazes of every senior clan member froze on the screen.

First Place: Ye Qingxian.

Second Place: Shen Xian.

…

The teacup in the Fifth Elder’s hand clattered onto the table. Hot tea splashed across his sleeve, but he didn’t even notice.

He squinted his clouded eyes, scrutinizing the screen again as his adam’s apple bobbed.

The Second Elder’s hand, which had been stroking his beard, froze mid-air, his knuckles turning white.

The old man’s eyelids twitched, and his breathing grew ragged.

Clang.

The purple clay teapot in Nangong Wan’s hand tilted, spilling hot tea over the rim and down her embroidered golden phoenix skirt.

The normally dignified matriarch seemed oblivious, her gaze transfixed on the two glaring words on the screen: Shen Xian.

Her youngest son—the one she cherished most, yet for whom she held the least hope—had actually placed second?

Even the Great Elder, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, snapped them open. A sharp light flashed in his clouded gaze, and his skeletal fingers began to move, unconsciously calculating.

An eerie silence fell over the entire viewing platform, so quiet that every breath was audible.

Everyone was stunned by the unbelievable result.

“Haha…” The Fifth Elder was the first to recover, forcing a dry laugh to mask his shock. “That Ye Qingxian is truly remarkable. She not only secured first place for herself but even managed to carry the Third Young Master to second place.”

He refused to believe that Shen Xian, with his meager Qi Refining Realm cultivation, could have gathered so many beast crystals on his own.

Frankly, with that level of cultivation, just surviving the trial would have been a stroke of incredible luck.

With this thought in mind, his gaze drifted toward the matriarch, Nangong Wan.

The Second Elder also fixed his gaze on her, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. A sinister glint flashed in his eyes. “Some people are just born lucky, aren’t they?”

Nangong Wan maintained a calm expression, acting as if she hadn’t heard a thing.

In truth, before the trial began, she had instructed several favored members of the collateral branches to look out for him. It was entirely possible they had helped.

Just then, another name appeared on the screen.

Third Place: Shen Li.

“Li’er…” The Second Elder’s expression flickered, and he let out a soft sigh. “He must have been assigned to a realm whose element countered his own.”

As he spoke, his gaze darted toward the ever-silent family head.

After all, for the presumptive heir to the family, failing to take first place was a considerable embarrassment.

The Fifth Elder quickly chimed in. “Exactly! If he had been assigned to the Fire Realm, with the Second Young Master’s Burning Heaven Technique…”

He trailed off, his words cut short by Shen Xiong’s cold gaze sweeping across the platform. The family head hadn’t said a word, but his oppressive presence alone was enough to silence them all.

The elders could only sigh inwardly, dropping the subject.