Ishin cultivated the ambient lightning qi into his chakra, following the rhythm of the Silent Storm technique. Like most of the two-week journey, he was seated in his small, dark room. There was no need for light while he cultivated, and the privacy made focusing easier.

  As he drew the vibrant blue qi into his chakra, he watched it gradually grow in size. It looked like a spherical spark of lightning inside him, radiating power. Ishin guessed he was only partway to reaching the fifth layer. A few more weeks up here and I’ll probably reach it.

  A knock came from the door, followed by Hou Lei’s familiar baritone. “Elder Zhou called a meeting downstairs. Coming?”

  Sighing, Ishin rose from his position. “Yes,” he answered while stretching.

  “I’ll wait.”

  Five minutes later, the two joined the other four disciples downstairs in the communal room. Poor Rhee still looked sick, sipping on a cup of ginger tea in the corner. Air travel did not agree with her, and she’d spent most of the trip hidden in her room. Opposite her, Wu Kai was sharpening his sword with a whetstone. Wei Long sat reading a book. Tan Chen was the only one standing, eating an apple.

  Ishin still hadn’t gotten to know the others very well, having spent most of the journey cultivating. Tan Chen was the only one he’d had an actual conversation with. Lei, on the other hand, had been very social. Ishin had heard him converse with Wu Kai at least, and at one point he swore he’d heard the sounds of a fight break out downstairs.

  “Where’s the Elder?” Lei asked.

  “Upstairs,” Elder Zhou’s voice echoed throughout the room.

  It’s like Lady Kurai’s sound technique.

  “We’ll be arriving at Desolate Island shortly,” Elder Zhou continued, his voice now smug. “You all may wish to look outside.”

  Ishin immediately stepped outside the tower and moved to the taffrail, Lei and Tan Chen following behind.

  “What is that?” Ishin asked, staring down at a sea of blackness a thousand feet beneath them.

  “The World Ocean,” Tan Chen answered in amazement. “I’ve heard stories about it, but never thought I’d see it.”

  “We’re over the ocean?” Rhee asked with a groan as she joined them. She began to move toward the taffrail but thought better of it, sinking to the floor instead.

  “And those are mountains!” Lei declared, pointing behind them.

  Sure enough, Ishin saw a vast mountain range, its peaks disappearing into the heavens and even rising above their current position. It covered a gigantic landmass that stretched further than Ishin could see.

  Even Tyrant’s Rest and all of the Nine Striped Hills can’t compare.

  He looked back down at the equally impressive body of black water below them.

  “What’s the ocean?” Ishin asked Tan Chen.

  She looked puzzled. “It’s the water that surrounds the continent,” she replied as though answering a trick question.

  “Don’t judge him too much, Chen,” Rhee said from her position on the ground. “His homeland probably has never heard about it.”

  Ishin wanted to protest, but it was true.

  And when did those two get so familiar?

  “How far does it go?”

  “To the edge of the world,” Rhee answered shakily.

  “Come look over here!” Wu Kai called out from the other side of the sky chariot, interrupting the conversation.

  Everyone but Rhee hurried over, and the sight took Ishin’s breath away. Before them was a sprawling, crescent-shaped island covered with dull gray foliage. It must have stretched for dozens of miles—Desolate Island, no doubt.

  But what truly caught Ishin’s attention was the multicolored carpet floating hundreds of feet above the island, at least two hundred feet long.

  “That’s a carpet,” Ishin could only say. “In the sky.”

  “Observant,” Wei Long commented smugly.

  Ishin ignored the remark, instead wondering how it remained afloat.

  It would require an immense amount of qi. Is it a sky chariot?

  “What’s everyone looking at?” Rhee asked as she slowly walked behind them. “Is there land finally?”

  “Plenty of it, Sister Rhee,” Lei answered. “Looks like we’ve finally reached the sect.”

  The eager disciples watched the sky chariot descend toward the carpet’s center. As it drew closer, Ishin saw that someone was sitting on the carpet—exactly where they were headed.

  The chariot halted fifty feet above the carpet once it was only a dozen feet away from the seated figure. Then it began its final descent until it came to rest on the remarkably stable surface.

  Rhee looked like a mess by the time they landed. “Are we done?” she groaned.

  “Soon, I think,” Ishin said, kneeling beside her. “Want me to find you some more ginger?”

  Shaking her head, Rhee said, “That’s alright. I’ll manage if we’re almost done.”

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  Ishin helped her to her feet and led her to where the other disciples stood beside the taffrail.

  “Welcome to Desolate Island,” Elder Zhou said from behind them. This time, the Elder was actually present, wearing an excited expression as he walked with purpose.

  He must be happy to be home.

  “Grab any weapons you want,” Elder Zhou told them. “Leave the rest of your supplies behind, aside from what you can carry. Then depart the chariot.”

  He wants us to leave our supplies?

  That was strange, and Ishin immediately became suspicious.

  “You can leave me here,” Rhee told him.

  “Are you sure?” Ishin asked. “What about your stuff?”

  “I don’t have any weapons, remember? Besides—” she lifted her right hand where two rings rested, one silver and one gold—“I have these.”

  Right. The storage rings. I have to get one of those sometime.

  “Alright. I’ll be quick.”

  True to his word, Ishin hurried upstairs, retrieved his spear from beneath his bed, and grabbed a full waterskin from his pack. He didn’t know how long it would be until he got his pack back, and he had no intention of being without water. Returning to Rhee, he helped her off the chariot.

  As Ishin stepped onto the carpet, he was amazed by how sturdy the tapestry felt beneath his feet, as though it were solid ground.

  “Is this land?” Rhee asked hopefully.

  “A carpet.” Elder Zhou was already standing there, waiting for everyone to disembark. “You look awful.”

  Rhee gave a slight bow. “Apologies, Elder. This was my first time flying.”

  “Fair enough. It’ll get easier once you reach the Adept Realm. Even more so at the Merit Realm.”

  He speaks of the Merit Realm as though it’s inevitable instead of a difficult goal to reach. I suppose, to a Venerable Realm cultivator, it is.

  Wu Kai and Tan Chen were already on the carpet. Shortly after, Wei Long and Hou Lei arrived. Ishin saw that his friend had brought his steel-tipped knuckles, which he thought was a wise choice.

  “Come,” Elder Zhou commanded. “Let me introduce you to the island’s proctor.”

  Elder Zhou quickly led them to the seated figure at the carpet’s center. She was an elderly woman with gray hair kept in a bun and a deeply lined face. A smooth sapphire staff rested on her lap, a striking contrast to her black-and-red Crimson Abyss robes.

  “Greetings, Elder Xie. It has been too long.”

  Elder Xie offered a warm smile to her peer. “Elder Zhou, welcome back.” Her thin, age-withered eyes drifted over the gathered disciples. “I see your search went well.”

  Shrugging, Elder Zhou replied, “We’ll see. If half make it through, it’ll be sufficient.”

  “They have a fair chance. There are only sixty-seven others on the island currently. Although, that includes the Bai scion.”

  “Still?”

  “Still.”

  Ishin had no idea what the two were talking about, but he knew better than to interrupt. He still remembered when he’d angered Elder Fa and wasn’t about to risk a similar mistake—especially not with the Crimson Abyss Sect.

  “Is the Crimson Abyss Sect on the island?” Lei asked, stepping forward.

  Heavens bless you, Lei.

  The attention of both elders turned toward the strong blood cultivator.

  “Not quite, young one,” Elder Xie answered, her voice ancient. To Elder Zhou she asked, “Do you want to tell them?”

  “Sure,” Elder Zhou said enthusiastically. “Alright everyone, time for you to prove yourselves. Gather around.”

  They stepped forward, and Ishin noticed Wu Kai and Rhee sharing his confusion.

  “Below us is Desolate Island,” Elder Zhou began. “The sect uses it as a proving ground to determine who is truly worthy of joining. Candidates like you are recruited and sent down there. We call this the Culling. If you pass, you’ll join the sect as outer disciples.”

  “Pardon, Elder,” Wu Kai said. “I thought we were already in the sect when you invited us.”

  “I did invite you. And you will join—if you make it through the Culling. The Crimson Abyss Sect doesn’t want the weak. Consider this your final test.”

  “How do we pass, Elder?” Rhee asked, looking steadier now that she stood on something solid.

  “By reaching the Adept Realm,” Elder Xie explained. “That’s all you have to do.”

  “Reach the Adept Realm,” Tan Chen echoed, frowning.

  Ishin understood her apprehension. They were all only at the fourth or fifth layer of the Initial Realm. Reaching the Adept Realm could take years.

  “That’s correct, child. All outer sect disciples are at the Adept Realm and have earned their way there. It’s a rite of passage. Harsher than most sects, but it’s why our sect is strong.”

  Their outer sect disciples are as strong as Rhee’s parents.

  That was a sobering realization. Ishin had sought out the Crimson Abyss Sect because he knew they could offer him power, and here they were—doing exactly that. He wouldn’t shy away from the challenge.

  “Now, before you worry too much,” Elder Xie continued, “the sect will provide resources to ease your journey. Every seven days, a collection of alchemic pills will be deposited at the island’s center. Fortunately for you, the next Pill Drop Day is in just four days’ time. You’ll find pills suited for all manner of qi, so do not fret.”

  That’s good, at least.

  “And once we’ve reached the Adept Realm?” Tan Chen asked.

  “Then I will retrieve you from the island and take you to the sect. Any other questions?”

  Silence lingered before Wei Long spoke up. “Are there any rules about how to conduct ourselves on the island?”

  Elder Zhou laughed, but Elder Xie answered with grandmotherly patience. “No. Succeed or fail as you will.”

  “I think that’s all they need to know,” Elder Zhou said once his laughter subsided.

  “Very well.” Elder Xie lifted her staff. It began to glow as she pointed it at the group of six disciples.

  No. We’re just candidates, Ishin realized as a brilliant blue light engulfed them all.

  When the azure light faded, Ishin took in his new surroundings. Sickly pale trees with ash-colored leaves surrounded him. White soil covered in fallen leaves blanketed the ground. An eerie quiet filled the landscape, bringing with it a foreboding sensation of decay. Only the occasional ray of sunlight pierced the canopy, leaving most of the island in shadow.

  Desolate Island, huh.

  Fortunately, Ishin wasn’t alone. The other five were still around him, in the same positions they’d stood on the carpet.

  “I didn’t know we could be transported like that,” Hou Lei said.

  “An impressive display,” Wu Kai replied, drawing his sword. “This place feels wrong.”

  “I feel it too,” Rhee affirmed, approaching a nearby tree. “I’ve never seen flora like this before.”

  Ishin bent down and pushed away the leaves to feel the white grains of earth. It felt rougher than the soil back in the Nine Striped Hills.

  “We should try to orient ourselves,” Wei Long suggested, peering up at the barely visible sky through the thick canopy. “Finding the island’s center needs to be our top priority to obtain those pills.”

  “Finding a source of water needs to be our first priority,” Tan Chen countered. “Food should be next.”

  “She’s right,” Ishin agreed, rising. He’d learned from his mother that when going on an extended hunt, securing supplies came first. If they were going to stay here for weeks—maybe even months—they needed a secure base.

  “I agree with them,” Wu Kai said as he walked toward Tan Chen. “Did anyone bring any food? We should also consoli—”

  He was cut off when an arrow pierced through his throat, drowning his words in blood.