The queue was already well over a thousand cultivators long by the time they arrived, a snaking line of nervous energy and quiet anticipation. Cade had never imagined there could be so many candidates already, and the line behind them kept on growing. There was already a small group of collared cultivators standing to the side, the smooth metal of their restraints glinting dully in the sun. Those people could either return to their camps or stay around the base of the mountain, under the monastery’s protection. Cade took out his timekeeper to see if it worked. As expected, it lit up almost instantly. He strapped the artifact around his wrist.

  While they waited, Jade told him a little about her life in the capital, and Cade had to admit: it sounded quite restrained. She could not leave the castle grounds on her own and had to be accompanied by a bodyguard whenever she wanted to venture out. The life of a noble didn’t hold any appeal to him. He asked her how she felt about being the daughter of the Emperor, but the question seemed to spoil her good mood. She eventually said that she only had occasional contact with her father and didn’t know her mother, who had died not long after Jade was born. The Emperor was busy cultivating in seclusion, leaving his secure chamber only for brief periods. It was during those rare occasions that Jade got to see him.

  Wanting to cheer her up, Cade asked about her friends, imagining she’d have quite a few, but that seemed to backfire as well. “I have one friend, who is also one of my maids. While I appreciate her with all my heart, we could never be on equal terms. Can a true friendship exist like this? People who try to get close to me always want something. It’s very difficult to trust anyone in my position,” she said, her tone subdued.

  Just as Cade was opening his mouth to steer the conversation in a more cheerful direction, the princess turned to him and smiled under her veil, the corners of her eyes wrinkling slightly. “But I trust you,” she said.

  “What…? Why? You barely know me,” he stuttered out after overcoming his initial shock.

  “You don’t care about titles. I thought Arthur would black out from anger after what you told him,” she snickered softly. “You never asked me for anything. You don’t even know what I look like under the veil. I was rude to you; I even accused you of murder, but you didn’t get upset. You actually agreed to help my Master. I was initially fed up, but then I thought… I will be alone in the monastery. As for Amelia, Regina, and the brothers… they fall under me in the imperial hierarchy, and that’s about it. There is no friendship between us. But with you around, I will have someone who’ll treat me equally. And we can rely on each other, wouldn’t that be good?” she asked, her eyes twinkling.

  “It’s a great idea. If someone in the monastery bullies me, I know who will avenge me,” Cade grinned.

  Jade slapped him on the arm, but it was obvious she was happy with his response. At least her low mood was gone.

  An hour later, it was their turn. After placing the collar around Cade’s neck, a gray-robed Sword Dao disciple triggered the formation embedded within the artifact. The Asura felt his fake spiritual fluctuations gradually diminish, disappearing completely after a few breaths. The spiritual qi around him was now repelled, which also stopped his heart from converting it into blood qi. This wasn’t a big deal. Due to the presence of his spherules, the process was already lackluster, having only a marginal impact on slowing his passive blood qi consumption. Fortunately, he was fully stocked up on Rank 2 blood and bloodstones. The disciple instructed them on how to open the collars, while reminding them it would result in disqualification. And that was it—they were ready for the trial.

  “What a weird feeling,” Jade remarked once they stepped to the side, joining hundreds of other collared cultivators.

  “I think it’s the same type of formation as the one in the slave chains,” prompted by Jade’s comment, Cade voiced his thoughts without prior consideration. The moment he spoke, he wanted to slap himself.

  “Slavery is awful. I wish my father could fix it somehow. At least slavery is banned in the Empire,” she said, her tone once again downcast.

  “You’re right, slavery is disgusting. Let’s hope that one day it disappears completely,” Cade said quickly, eager to change the subject. “By the way, how does your father look after the Empire if he’s so often in seclusion? Is there a council to deal with day-to-day matters?”

  Jade perked up, as this was something she obviously knew a lot about. “There is! The Ruling Council consists of four old and experienced cultivators, and my Master is one of them,” she explained with no small amount of pride. “Though right now, someone has temporarily replaced him. He might have to go back soon.”

  “Oh? I suppose Darkheart will have to take over your protection for a while then,” Cade remarked. He needed more information on that man.

  Jade frowned for a moment, but her expression eased quickly. She shot a secretive glance around, then tugged on his arm, urging him to lean in. “I think Father will send someone else, probably Old Roy. He knows I don't like Darkheart. I've heard he enjoys hurting people. He's always given me the creeps, so do your best to avoid him. He's been sent here as a punishment,” her whisper was barely audible and laced with genuine concern.

  “I’ll do that. I suppose he must have really got on your father’s nerves then,” he whispered back, fishing for more details.

  “He was the manhunter supposed to find Griswold’s kidnapper, but after two weeks, he hadn’t uncovered a single trace. I heard Father lost it, called Darkheart useless, then packed him off here to play glorified bodyguard. So please, tread carefully around him; he’s already in a foul mood,” she murmured, squeezing his arm to emphasize the seriousness of her words.

  Cade had expected to hear almost anything—but not this. His body went rigid, teeth clenched as he bit the tip of his tongue, trying to hold his expression steady. Darkheart clearly didn't suspect who he was, and his emotional fluctuations showed he didn't care. Just a coincidence. The tension slowly eased out of his muscles.

  “I understand. I’ll maintain my distance,” he affirmed in a low voice. This appeared to satisfy the princess, and the smile returned to her eyes.

  “Do you want to go back to the camp, or should we wait here?” Cade asked.

  Jade's brow creased briefly, considering his question before her face lit up. “Let’s stay here! My Master will come to see us off. I don’t really need to meet the others before the trial; after all, I’ve got you for company.” The corners of her eyes crinkled notably, signaling a happy smile under the veil.

  “I suppose you might as well get used to my presence. You’re going to see a lot of me over the next couple of weeks,” Cade chuckled, and Jade’s pupils widened.

  “You’re not going to run off the moment the trial begins?!” she exclaimed, garnering attention from the people around them. “Sorry,” the princess quickly covered her mouth.

  “Why would I run off? Climbing together will be a lot more interesting. We could even sleep in shifts and watch over each other,” he pointed out.

  “You’re right! Why didn’t I think of it?” Jade’s eyes lit up, and she bounced on her tiptoes in excitement.

  He struggled to understand how someone so innocent could appear in an environment that bred primarily arrogance and indifference. Knowing she was being shaped into a future Empress, Cade began wondering whether the Emperor had purposefully steered his daughter this way or was it her nature. Choosing Var Du Long as her Master definitely wasn’t accidental, but it could have been merely a matter of trust the Emperor placed in the Black Sun Sect Master.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  It was as if these thoughts had brought the old man over, whom they noticed casually walking through the crowd in their direction, hands clasped behind his back. Several humans apparently knew, or at least suspected who he was, and quickly moved out of his way.

  “Master!” Jade waved.

  When Var Du Long came over, the first thing he did was check their collars. “Mhm. Solid goldscale work. The formations are simple and highly efficient. The design has barely changed,” he muttered, analyzing the smooth metal ring around Jade’s neck.

  “Senior, do you know artifice?” Cade asked curiously.

  “I dabble. When you’re as old as me, you’ve had a lot of time to study various subjects. Jade, can you please wait here for a spell? I need to talk to young Cade,” the elder said, gesturing for the young Asura to follow him.

  “Yes, Master,” the princess nodded, her eyes moving between both men with slight hesitation.

  “Just a few words, nothing to worry about. We’ll be right back,” the Sect Master smiled lightly.

  Cade followed the old man to a fairly secluded spot close to the nearby lake. They stopped within an area covered with sparse plants and occasional tufts of grass shooting from broad patches of pale yellow sand. Here, the desert and dense vegetation fought for domination, neither able to take the upper hand. The elder opened his hand, which hid a small metal ball with two rings around it. After pressing on it with his thumb, one of the rings lit up with blue light.

  “Now we can talk freely. There are a few things you need to be aware of. When I asked you to look after Jade, I actually asked for quite a lot. You unknowingly agreed, which suits me perfectly but is not necessarily fair to you, so let me elaborate. The Empire is not nearly as united as most people think. There are factions that would like to see someone else sit on the throne in the near future. For example, a person like Arthur. Greedy, callous, easy to manipulate.”

  The Asura frowned. He just knew things could not be this simple. It would go against the law of bad luck that seemed to follow him like an ominous cloud. Sighing, he continued listening to the old man’s quiet words.

  “One of the easiest ways to achieve this is to ensure Jade dies during the trial,” the Sect Master glanced around quickly.

  “Darkheart…?” Cade's voice trailed.

  Var Du Long shook his head. “He’s a killer, but one that’s loyal. He tends to follow his orders to the letter and won’t move a finger otherwise. He might not like his current predicament, but he knows it’s a temporary arrangement. He’s willing to wait it out. No, there would be agents among those climbing the mountain, definitely more than one. I’m guessing they will be body cultivators close to the peak of Skeletal Reinforcement, likely hired from the local assassin sect—the Shadow Dao Palace.”

  Cade’s eyes widened, a shadow of concern flickering through them.

  “You’re right to be wary. Every organization with ‘Dao’ in its name considers itself the leader of that particular path and is led by a truly powerful individual. The assassins will no doubt follow you from a safe distance, waiting for a good opportunity. They will want to strike and kill as quickly as possible. Even if I stop their first ambush, that would be the only time I’d be able to intervene before one of the Saints chops off my head. After some time, another attempt will be made, at which point Jade would be at their mercy.”

  “Could she not just take off the collar and fly away?” Cade asked. It would be the first thing he’d do if he were a qi cultivator attacked in these circumstances. Life is more precious than a position in any monastery.

  “She probably could and likely would try. Jade is innocent and kind-hearted, but she’s also well-trained and powerful for her cultivation rank. She understands how important she is to the future of the Empire; she would definitely prioritize escaping to safety. Sadly, it would change little. Even with potent spiritual pills she’d need at least a few minutes to recover enough qi, while they would only need a few moments to end her. They don’t need weapons for that. I’m sure you paid attention to the wording in the announcement. A candidate killing another candidate will be disqualified; there are no further repercussions.”

  Cade nodded thoughtfully. That detail certainly didn’t escape his notice.

  “So, here’s my question: can you help her reach the summit in time? Mind you, I’m not expecting you to do this for free.”

  The Asura wavered. Var Du Long was putting him in an uncomfortable position. He didn’t want to involve himself in Brightheart matters. However, the old Sect Master was relentless.

  “How does half a million crystals sound? Take a moment to consider. I’m not going to strongarm you into this; I’m just asking.”

  Cade’s eyes nearly popped at the amount, but he forced himself to calm down. Taking the Sect Master’s suggestion, he dropped into the lotus position, scratching his chin as his mind raced. The promise of crystals was extremely tempting. It would save him a lot of time and effort. With half a million, he could buy a few Rank 3 carcasses and reach the peak of the early stage of Flesh Fortification in two and a half months at the most. This would mean he could begin mastering the Asura War Form, grow the number of spherules, and maybe even break through into the middle stage using the bead. Facing Rank 3 creatures would no longer be a huge gamble. While their blood was the most desired ingredient, even bloodless carcasses would sell for at least 20,000 crystals each. This was exactly what he needed to grow his strength quickly.

  He knew there wasn’t a soul on that mountain who could match him in single combat. After all, he was practically cheating the system. But Cade was also painfully aware he wasn’t invincible. A group of three or four skilled opponents working in tandem would force him to go all out. And if he had to reveal the full extent of his abilities, he’d be putting himself in serious danger. One of those old monsters would doubtlessly capture him to study and pry the secrets behind his abilities one piece of flesh at a time. It could even be one of the Saints. Nobody would be able to stop someone like that. No one would even care to try. At least weapons aren’t allowed on the mountain. A small consolation.

  “I will do my best,” Cade answered after taking some time to think it through. “However, what I mentioned during our last conversation still counts. I will have to prioritize my own survival. I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to stop multiple people in time, especially trained assassins. Is training in the monastery really so important?” he asked, lifting his eyes to look at the Sect Master’s wrinkled face.

  “It is. It’s also a test for Jade. I can’t protect her forever; she needs to seek out allies on her own, promising people who could back her up in the future. I guess we’ll have to take a risk then. I really don’t want to lose my head, but if I see you can’t contain the situation, I’ll intervene. That’s how important Jade is,” Var Du Long declared solemnly.

  Cade nodded, his respect for the old man growing even higher. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that. There was just one thing bothering him. “Would the assassins not infiltrate the monastery then?”

  “Oh, they have definitely infiltrated Sword Dao. And I bet the Saints know exactly who the spies are. No, they wouldn’t dare to act inside the monastery. You don’t understand how powerful the Saints are, and there is still someone above them. The Matriarch. A woman at the peak of the Divine Transformation realm,” the old man smiled knowingly. “It's difficult to comprehend the strength she wields. It’s the kind of power that could obliterate a city the size of Oasis with a flick of a finger.”

  “What?!” the Asura stifled a shout, his voice lowering into a hiss. Divine Transformation was the fifth-tier cultivation realm, following the Soul Avatar realm. Reaching its peak was seen as the highest level of cultivation attainable on the Sun Continent. These qi cultivators were legendary existences, capable of unimaginable feats thanks to their mastery over laws. They were still far from Lao Ren’s level of power, but by the local standards, it was the pinnacle of might.

  “It’s enough for you to know the Sword Dao’s roots run deep. Very deep. A strong Empress trained in the Law Severing Art would have a much easier time gaining supporters. Strength means everything in our world, but even the most powerful can’t do everything by themselves,” the old man explained. “Let's go back to Jade; we’ve been chatting here long enough.” He pressed on the ball in his hand once more, and the ring of light gradually dimmed.

  The next half a day passed quickly. Both Cade and Jade took this time to relax and catch up on sleep. By the time the next morning arrived, they were both rested and ready. Groups ranging from a dozen to a few hundred young, collared cultivators surrounded Sword Mountain, all ready for anything. People were nervously treading in place, many stretching and warming themselves up. The atmosphere was tense, the air thick with a mixture of sweat, anxiety, and determination. Everyone knew that two weeks was barely enough time to climb the behemoth in front of them, assuming nothing went wrong. Only a small number of candidates would reach the summit in time.

  Suddenly, a booming voice pierced through the omnipresent tension.

  “Begin.”