Morning arrived.
The floating islands of the Heavenly Dao Academy were packed with young geniuses from every corner of the Eternal Divine Realm.
Today marked the beginning of the Four Divine Academies Trial.
Only the strongest would survive.
Only the top one hundred participants would earn the right to enter the Primordial Secret Realm.
A thunderous bell echoed throughout the academy.
BOOM!
An old man with white hair appeared in the sky.
His cultivation pressure alone made countless disciples struggle to breathe.
"I am Elder Tian."
"The rules are simple."
"You will enter the Ancient Beast Forest."
"You have seven days."
"Collect Beast Cores."
"The stronger the beast, the more points you receive."
"Killing other participants is forbidden."
"However..."
A smile appeared on the elder's face.
"If someone dies because they challenged a beast beyond their strength..."
"That is their own responsibility."
The crowd immediately understood.
The trial was far more dangerous than it sounded.
Knox stood with his hands behind his back.
His expression remained indifferent.
The system suddenly appeared.
[Ding!]
[Main Mission Triggered.]
Mission: Crush the First Trial.
Objectives:
- Finish Rank #1.
- Steal at least one opportunity from a Child of Destiny.
- Discover the hidden inheritance inside the Ancient Beast Forest.
Reward:
- 5,000 Villain Points.
- Mythic Treasure Chest.
- Random Divine Bloodline Fragment.
Knox's lips curved upward.
"So there is another hidden inheritance."
The original novel never mentioned it.
The System knew far more than the story itself.
The gates to the forest opened.
Thousands of geniuses rushed inside.
Some formed alliances.
Others searched for rare herbs.
A few immediately hunted magical beasts.
Knox...
Simply walked.
He looked more like someone taking a peaceful stroll than participating in a deadly trial.
His guards remained outside.
This trial allowed no outside interference.
Exactly how Knox preferred it.
Several kilometers inside the forest...
A group of disciples surrounded a massive Iron-Horned Beast.
"Attack together!"
The beast roared.
One swipe sent three cultivators flying.
Blood splattered across the ground.
Suddenly...
A streak of black light flashed through the battlefield.
Slash!
The enormous beast's head separated from its body.
Silence.
Everyone stared.
Knox calmly cleaned his sword with a white cloth.
He hadn't even used spiritual energy.
Only pure swordsmanship.
One disciple swallowed nervously.
"...One strike."
"He killed a Core Formation beast with one strike."
Knox stored the Beast Core without another glance.
To him...
This wasn't impressive.
Far away...
Adrian Vale was fighting desperately against three Scarlet Wolves.
Although he had lost the Ancient Heavenly Flame, his determination had only grown stronger.
His clothes were torn.
Several wounds covered his arms.
But his eyes remained resolute.
"I won't lose."
The mysterious ancient soul inside him sighed.
"You truly are stubborn."
Before Adrian could answer...
The ground shook violently.
A gigantic shadow emerged from the trees.
A Crimson Earth Bear.
A beast at the Peak Core Formation Realm.
Adrian's face paled.
"I'm not strong enough..."
The bear charged.
Adrian prepared himself.
Even if he had to risk his life...
He would fight.
Just then—
A purple spear of Void Energy pierced through the sky.
BOOM!
The bear was thrown dozens of meters away.
Knox slowly walked into the clearing.
Adrian frowned.
"You again."
Knox looked at the injured protagonist.
"You have terrible luck."
Adrian gritted his teeth.
"My problems aren't your concern."
"No."
"They're entertaining."
The Crimson Earth Bear roared again.
Without looking at it...
Knox snapped his fingers.
Space distorted.
A black Void Blade appeared out of nowhere.
The blade instantly pierced the beast's forehead.
Its enormous body collapsed.
Dead.
One move.
Adrian's pupils contracted.
"So this..."
"...is the true strength of the Void Emperor Clan's heir."
[Ding!]
Protagonist Emotion Detected.
Envy +12%.
Determination +18%.
Hatred +9%.
Villain Points +600.
Knox ignored the notification.
He walked toward the dead beast.
Suddenly...
His footsteps stopped.
He sensed something.
The ground beneath the beast...
Contained an unusual spiritual fluctuation.
The system immediately confirmed it.
[Hidden Opportunity Detected.]
Ancient Formation beneath the beast's corpse.
Probability of Discovery without System: 0.003%.
Knox smiled.
"So this is the inheritance."
He pressed his palm onto the ground.
Ancient runes began glowing.
The earth split apart.
A staircase leading underground appeared.
Every disciple nearby gasped.
"A hidden ruin!"
"It was beneath the beast!"
Adrian looked at Knox in disbelief.
Again...
Knox had found something impossible to notice.
It almost looked...
As if he already knew where everything was.
Deep underground...
A magnificent stone hall stretched into darkness.
Golden inscriptions covered the walls.
At the center stood a crystal pedestal.
Floating above it...
Was a jet-black mask engraved with ancient silver runes.
The moment Knox stepped closer—
A majestic voice echoed through the chamber.
"Only one worthy of embracing darkness may inherit my legacy."
Most people would hesitate.
Knox didn't.
He reached forward and picked up the mask.
The entire hall erupted with Void Energy.
The ancient voice laughed.
"Excellent."
"For thousands of years, everyone feared becoming the villain."
"You are the first to accept it without hesitation."
The mask dissolved into countless streams of black light and merged into Knox's body.
[Ding!]
Congratulations!
You have inherited the Void Sovereign's Legacy.
Rewards Obtained:
- Void Step (Heaven-Rank Movement Technique)
- Eyes of Ruin (Ancient Divine Eye Ability)
- 5,000 Villain Points
- Title Unlocked: Heir of the Void Sovereign
A tremendous surge of power rushed through Knox's meridians.
His cultivation instantly broke through.
BOOM!
Foundation Establishment Peak...
Core Formation Realm... First Stage!
Outside the underground hall, dark clouds gathered over the forest.
Lightning flashed across the heavens.
Every genius participating in the trial looked toward the same location.
Even Elder Tian narrowed his eyes.
"Someone..."
"...has obtained an ancient inheritance."
Far away, Seraphina Luna watched the storm with a thoughtful expression.
"I wonder..."
"Was it you, Knox?"
Knox slowly opened his eyes.
His pupils had changed.
For a brief moment, they glowed with an endless black void, as if entire galaxies had been swallowed within them.
He smiled.
"The game is becoming more interesting."
End of Chapter 5