For the next two days, Eren remained in his quiet room, seated cross-legged on the stone floor, enveloped in a chilly mist. The air around him buzzed as the Ice and Water Dragon Soul Sword hovered silently behind him, surrounded by a faint crackle of lightning from the Warren Legacy within.
Each breath he took pulled in surrounding soul energy. His clone body—already at the 4th level of Soul Disciple—absorbed the energy smoothly.
> "Once you've touched a realm before… returning to it becomes easier."
Eren's eyes glowed faintly blue as he grinned. Within a single day, he broke through to the 5th level of Soul Disciple.
Now, fully recovered, focused, and stronger than ever, he opened his eyes at dawn on the third day.
> "Time for the real challenge."
---
City Center - Morning
The plaza buzzed with noise. Hundreds of cultivators filled the massive square—over a thousand eager men and women, young and old, stood armed with hope and ambition. Most wore worn robes, some had heavy swords or mystical weapons strapped to their backs.
Eren stood silently at the edge, cloak drawn over his face. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd. Some were strong, others just looked brave. But none of them gave off the same aura of hidden power that he carried—despite only being a clone.
A sudden blast of wind tore through the plaza like a stormfront. Dust and leaves scattered. The crowd gasped and looked up.
From the sky, a black shadow emerged, walking through the air itself as if gravity didn't exist.
A man in flowing dark-gray robes, his long white hair trailing behind him like smoke. His hands clasped behind his back, his eyes cold and ancient.
> "So this… is the elder of the Shadow Sect?"
"He's walking in the sky!"
Eren's eyes narrowed.
> "That pressure… he's at least a Soul Ancestor."
The elder hovered above the plaza, staring down with indifference.
Elder: "Hmph. So… you all wish to join my sect, the Free Shadow Sect?"
His voice echoed, deep and commanding. Then, with a flick of his hand, he released his aura.
It hit like a mountain of steel crashing onto the plaza.
BANG!
All around Eren, cultivators collapsed instantly—crushed by the sheer weight of the elder's soul pressure. Screams echoed. Bodies hit the ground like sacks of grain.
> Over 60% of the crowd was pinned in the first wave.
Over 600 cultivators were already out cold.
Eren staggered. His knees trembled as the pressure stabbed into his bones, his soul quaking violently. Blood rushed to his head. His clone body nearly gave out…
> "No… Not here… I won't fall."
He gritted his teeth and forced his soul to burn brighter. Ice mist swirled around him. The lightning in his sword crackled with defiance.
> Push through it. Rise.
Eren's soul energy exploded. He felt it—a sudden surge.
Level 6.
But the elder wasn't done.
"Let's separate the trash from the rare metal."
He raised one finger.
A second wave of soul aura—double the intensity—slammed downward.
> BOOM!
More screams. Bones cracked. Several cultivators coughed up blood and fell like puppets.
Eren fell to one knee for a moment.
But then—he let the storm flow into him.
> "Use this pressure… mold your soul!"
His breathing grew heavier, and with a sharp cry, he forced his soul to the edge.
Crack!
Level 7.
A halo of icy light pulsed around his body as he stood tall once again, sweat glistening on his brow but a grin on his lips.
The elder raised a snowy-white brow. "Oh? A little trickster among mortals. Interesting…"
He waved his hand, dispelling the aura entirely.
Of the 1,000 who came, 890 lay unconscious, groaning or twitching.
Only 110 stood tall.
"These 110… shall proceed to the Free Shadow Sect's Trial Grounds."
With a solemn motion, the elder stretched his hand forward. A massive soul sword materialized—glowing and crackling, nearly the length of a building.
"Ride," he said.
The sword hovered horizontally in the air. With silent awe, the chosen few climbed aboard.
Eren stood at the front edge, his clone body humming with newly-forged power, the twin dragon blade resting at his back.
> "Let's see what this trial really is."