The days passed in a blur of cultivation, duels, and whispers.
Lin Feng's name had spread through the Inner Sect like wildfire. Some called him a monster; others a rising star. But everyone agreed on one thing: he wasn't ordinary.
Each night, Lin Feng sat cross-legged atop his peak residence, drawing in the rich spiritual qi of the Inner Sect. The Heaven-Devouring Manual, now partially unlocked to the fourth page, consumed energy greedily—refining it into dense, jet-black spiritual essence within his dantian.
By the seventh day, with a deep rumble in his meridians and a blinding pulse of inner light—
> Body Refinement Stage 7.
It wasn't just a number. Lin Feng's body was now harder than steel, and his qi surged like a tidal wave. His punches cracked boulders. His gaze alone made weaker disciples tremble.
But this wasn't enough.
He had read the elder's words again and again:
> "You'll be entered in the Secret Realm of Nine Tombs."
No ordinary trial.
He needed more power.
And so, he descended into the depths of the Inner Sect Library—Silent Scroll Pavilion.
---
Most inner disciples browsed the upper levels for martial techniques. But Lin Feng asked the old record keeper for something else.
> "I want forbidden scrolls. The sealed ones."
The old man gave him a long, eerie stare, then led him to the fifth floor—accessible only to those with elder permission.
There, behind dusty shelves and ancient barriers, Lin Feng found it.
A jade scroll, pulsing faintly with death qi.
> "Tomb-Sealed Manual – Fragment One."
A note was carved beneath it:
> "Only the one who devours heaven may read me."
His heart thundered.
The manual responded to him. As his fingers touched it, an ethereal whisper echoed in his soul.
> You are chosen…
He absorbed the scroll's content directly into his sea of consciousness.
It detailed an ancient art lost before the rise of the current cultivation era. The technique harnessed not elemental qi—but death qi, soul remnants, and legacy fragments left in tombs of fallen cultivators.
Its first technique: Remnant Extraction—a forbidden process allowing the user to absorb trace memories and spiritual energy from the bones of the dead.
> "Perfect for the Nine Tombs," Lin Feng murmured.
But the manual came with a cost. Once started, it would brand his soul. He would become a beacon for tomb guardians… and enemies of the ancient era who still lingered in spirit.
He didn't hesitate.
> "Let them come."
---
The next day, the sect buzzed with activity.
All inner disciples were summoned to the Sky-Crystal Arena. Elder Han stood at the center with a crystal scroll floating beside him.
> "In one week, the Secret Realm of Nine Tombs will open. Selection for entries begins today."
Only fifty disciples would enter.
Lin Feng stood among over five hundred.
Mu Yao glanced at him from across the crowd. Yan Zixuan gave a nod of acknowledgment. Others sneered.
The rules were brutal: single elimination combat until fifty remained. No restrictions. No mercy.
> "You kill, you qualify."
As the crowd stirred, Elder Han called the first name.
> "Lin Feng vs. Duan Kuo."
A roar went up. Duan Kuo was ranked 22nd among inner disciples. A sword cultivator known for his merciless style.
Lin Feng stepped into the arena. Calm. Focused.
Duan Kuo sneered. "The upstart. Ready to crawl out of here?"
Lin Feng smiled coldly. "Crawl? I'll make you a tombstone."
---
The duel was savage.
Duan Kuo's sword techniques filled the sky with silver arcs. Each strike tore through air, aimed to maim.
But Lin Feng was faster. Meaner. His Soul-Eating Gaze stunned Duan for half a breath—and that was all he needed.
He moved like a shadow, struck with the Heaven-Devouring Palm, and slammed Duan into the stone platform.
With a burst of black qi, Lin Feng struck his chest.
> Remnant Extraction.
Everyone watched in horror as faint soul wisps rose from Duan's body and vanished into Lin Feng's palm.
Duan screamed once—and fell silent.
He wasn't dead. But he'd never hold a sword again.
Elder Han didn't speak. He simply nodded.
> "Qualified."
The crowd was stunned.
Lin Feng stepped off the platform, cold and composed.
---
That night, in the shadows of the inner peaks, several disciples gathered.
A masked man whispered, "He absorbed Duan Kuo's soul fragments. That's a dark path."
Another added, "The Heaven-Devouring Manual… it's real."
A third voice, old and hateful, rasped from a hidden corner.
> "Let him enter the Nine Tombs. We'll bury him there forever."
---
But far above, on the highest peak, a female figure in blood-red robes sat on a lotus throne.
Her eyes gleamed.
> "Interesting, Lin Feng. Perhaps I'll meet you inside."