The test to become an inner disciple of the Golden Heron Sect was known for its difficulty, challenging both body and mind. But this time, the elders had prepared something truly extraordinary. Instead of the traditional tournament, the candidates were presented with a rare and unique event: the gathering of treasures within a small dimensional world.
Elder Su Taro, his presence imposing, addressed the candidates with a voice that carried across the square.
âThis small world is a place of wonder and danger,â he began, his tone solemn. âThough smaller than our own world, the Great Blue River, it is still several times vaster than any of you can imagine. It harbors primitive cultivators, as well as resources and secrets that do not exist in our realm.â
The disciples, clad in their respective sect robes, listened intently. Outer disciples wore white robes marked with a bronze heron insignia. Inner disciples wore gray robes adorned with silver herons. Core disciples were allowed more freedom in their attire, but while within sect grounds, they were still required to bear the golden heron insignia.
Outer elders wore brown robes with green insignias; inner elders wore blue robes with red markings. Supreme elders, who represented the core authority of the sect, were not bound by such garments. Instead, they were distinguished by custom-crafted heron insignias made of diamond, each with gemstone eyes. The elder who had once assisted Huang Di bore emerald eyes in his heron. Another, who hovered silently in the air beside a massive teleportation gate, had ruby eyes.
âYou will enter the dimensional world and return with treasures to be assessed by the elders,â Su Taro continued. âThose whose collected items are valued at no less than one thousand high-grade spirit stones will be considered for promotion to inner disciples.â
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He paused, letting the weight of that requirement settle in before proceeding.
âYou will be transported to random locations, at least five kilometers apart. The world itself spans roughly one hundred and fifty thousand kilometers. Prepare yourselvesâfor this trial will last one full year. Fail to return within that time... and you will remain trapped there for a century.â
Each disciple was handed a return talisman, an enchanted item required to exit the small world.
âBreak the talisman when you are ready to return,â Su Taro instructed. âBe warnedâanyone within a ten-meter radius will be brought back with you.â
As the talismans were distributed, the Ruby-Eyed Supreme Elder began preparing the portal. With graceful, deliberate movements and an immense outpouring of energy, he tore open a glowing rift in space, an entrance shimmering like a wound itself.
âThose who wish to participate, step into the portal,â the Ruby Elder declared, his voice deep and resonant.
Without hesitation, one of the core disciples stepped forward, vanishing into the light. Others followed in quick succession, some with resolute eyes, others with hesitant steps.
Huang Di watched the blonde demoness, still seated atop her six-tailed mount, her lips curled in an enigmatic smile. She seemed amused by the entire affair, as if privy to secrets the others were not. Before he could ponder further, she too vanished into the portal, dissolving in an instant.
Taking one final look at the world he knew, Huang Di inhaled deeply and leapt through the portal. Light engulfed him, and within moments, everything changed.
The landscape before him was breathtaking. He stood in the heart of a vast forest, where trees soared hundreds of meters into the sky. Their canopies were so thick they blocked most of the sunlight. The energy in the air was pure, vibrantâunlike anything he had ever felt. He stood motionless for a moment, overwhelmed by the beauty and immensity of the place.
But he knew danger lurked in every shadow. This world, for all its splendor, was untamed and fraught with peril. He recalled the elderâs warning about primitive cultivators and the threats they posed. He would need to remain vigilant, his senses sharp, and his skills at the ready.
With renewed resolve, Huang Di stepped forward and began his journey, ready to face whatever the Small Dimensional World had in store.