Built into the side of a magnificent mountain, there was a large city that could house tens of thousands of people.
Its infrastructure was filled with pagodas of varying heights, all following a color scheme of blue and black.
Within the city, various people wearing matching clothing were going about their days, some leaving to adventure the lands of the Cloud Plane and some choosing to stay in their homes and cultivate.
The city was just the base, though. Along the slope of the mountain leading all the way to its peak, there were lines of various facilities and houses, each of these belonging to one or many of the people in the city below.
And at the peak of the mountain, there was a magisterial castle made of glossy black material. From its color scheme, one would expect it to look dreary or haunted, but it didn't fit this vibe at all. Instead, it was mystical, invoking a sense of wonder in all those who laid eyes upon it.
The entire mountain was seemingly cut in half by a large looming wall that was patrolled by these similar black-robed people. And outside of this wall, thousands of cultivators stood in wait.
This was the grand scene of the Celestial Star Sect. Its entire presence, even the mountain it inhabited, was ethereal. It gave onlookers the feeling of vast space and profundity.
When Damien arrived at the sect, he was astonished by its grandiosity. Even compared to the most lavish areas of Apeiron, it was still far greater. The mountain itself was only slightly smaller than the Godspark mountain Damien had visited in the secret realm.
'Even for one of the peak organizations in the entire world, isn't this too grand?'
Currently, Zara had returned to his shadow and Damien was waiting amongst the anticipant crowd. Their excitement could be felt in the air as even the mana buzzed due to the congregation of intense emotions.
2 days had already passed while Damien traveled to the sect, and he had only arrived a few hours prior, but it seemed he wasn't the last. Even as he waited patiently, hundreds of cultivators arrived in various manners.
"This year's examination is going to be exciting." One of the guards said to his friend.
"Indeed, many geniuses from the large clans have shown up this time. Did you see the Earth Dragon that the Long Clan's young master arrived on?"
"I did! That was Long Chen, rumored to be one of the greatest geniuses the Long Clan ever produced! But why would he come here instead of the Jade Heavenly Palace?"
"It's not just him, though. Bai Ren from the Bai clan and even Shi Ling and Shi Meng, the wonder twins of the Shi Clan are here!"
"This must be a truly fortuitous year for our Celestial Star Palace for so many geniuses to flock to us! Maybe we can finally take the spot of Top Sect from the Jade Heavenly Palace!"
"Well, let's not count our chickens before they hatch. You never know what twists fate will bring to those who look down on it."
"You're right senior brother, I apologize for misspeaking."
Damien listened to their conversation with interest. 'Looks like there'll be plenty of competition for me within the sect.'
If there was one thing Damien feared about entering the sect, it was a lack of action. The entire reason he decided to travel to this new world was for excitement and adventure, so he'd be severely disappointed if he didn't receive it.
Especially from that last interaction with Wang Ming, his hopes had been dashed. Even if it wasn't true conflict, he at least wanted some challenge.
'Maybe I can even find a proper rival in this world.'
The thought brought back the memory of his friend from Apeiron, but he shook it off. Even if Ethan had the appropriate talent, Apeiron itself wasn't a proper place to groom him. Maybe if he explored the vast universe, Ethan would be able to keep up.
That thought got Damien wondering. 'Why is it that we didn't encounter other travelers in our 7-month journey to the Cloud Plane?'
It was odd to him for there to be no one capable of traversing space. Or rather, it was downright impossible. Even if they couldn't freely walk through space with their bare bodies like him, there had to be many worlds that were technologically advanced enough to pull off similar feats.
'No, the Cloud Plane has the ability to do it, so there are definitely other worlds that can too.'
The Cloud Plane wasn't even a scientifically-driven society, and if they could discover space travel using flying treasures, others could too.
"Welcome, young cultivators, to the Celestial Star Palace disciple examination!"
A booming voice interrupted Damien's train of thought. Looking up, he saw a middle-aged man floating above the towering walls.
"My name is Mu Chen, but you can call me Elder Mu. I will be explaining your examination today!"
The entire crowd, which now consisted of many thousands of people, stood silently, watching Mu Chen with rapt attention. Satisfied with their response, he continued.
"As you all know, our Celestial Star Palace is a large power, but that doesn't mean we simply accept everyone! Today, you will showcase your talent, your strength, and your wit to earn a spot among our ranks!
"Just like always, we will only be accepting 1000 new disciples, so be aware of how competitive this exam will be! And for your own safety, be aware that there are some dangers you may face. If you aren't careful, you may be seriously injured or even lose your life!
"This is the nature of the cultivation world! Strength is king. You speak with your fists! The winner is right and the loser must wallow in self-loathing! If any of you is afraid of this, you may leave now!"
Mu Chen's voice boomed through the surroundings. However, even after hearing his words, nobody turned away. Nothing he said was new to them, in fact, it was the rules they abided by every day.
For Damien, these words resounded in the very core of his being. It reminded him of his days in the dungeon. That was the most primal version of the law of the jungle.
'Strength is king.'
This phrase alone made his blood boil in excitement. His beast side wanted to run rampant, inspired by the majestic intent of Mu Chen's words. If Damien had his way, he would roar to the heavens right now to exert his will.
But he held himself back. Now wasn't the time to make a scene. He simply stood with the rest, the excited glint in his eyes never fading.
In fact, even the aura he radiated changed slightly, becoming more unruly. The people crowded around him were forced to slightly make space, and the attention of many geniuses snapped to him for a brief second.
Gazing upon the crowd, Mu Chen smiled. "Good! You all have the spirit of true cultivators. Without danger, there can be no reward! Now, let me explain the many parts of the examination you will partake in today!"
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