Ziven rode through the Valley of Scattered Flames on a horse-like creature, which he had nicknamed 'Blaze'.

Blaze was an Ash Courser. Standing at fifteen feet tall, it had a muscular build covered in ash-coloured fur that allowed it to blend into the surroundings. Its hooves were strange, almost resembling talons, they gave the beast traction on the loose volcanic terrain.

“You’re a good boy,” Ziven leaned forward, patting Blaze's neck affectionately.

It was only appropriate that he, a Son of Heaven, had such a magnificent companion.

He had discovered Blaze skulking around in the third day of the trial, no doubt driven down from its mountain home by the influx of disciples invading its territory.

Ziven had always had an affinity with beasts and creatures since childhood; it hadn't taken much for him to earn Blaze's trust, only a few dried strips of meat.

The Ash Courser now followed his every command, which was convenient now that he was on the run.

As soon as Ziven realized that he was being tracked, he had abandoned his two teammates and fled with his new mount.

One of those teammates had been a Black Rose disciple - there was no way Ziven could trust anyone from that demonic sect. Not when he intended to kill their Supreme Elder.

Ziven brushed his fingers over the ring on his right hand, there were two scrolls stored inside - one Yang and one Yin. He didn’t dare hand the scrolls to either of his useless teammates. At their pathetic cultivation levels, the scrolls would've been stolen from them in minutes.

No, the scrolls were safest with him.

His face darkened as unwanted thoughts of the Black Rose disciples filled his mind. Hunted like a wretched dog, all because those demons wanted to stop him from carrying out Heaven’s justice.

One day, I’ll personally exterminate every last one of those foul cultivators, ridding the realm of their evil for good! Ziven clenched his teeth.

Sensing its master's fury, Blaze let out an uneasy whine. Ziven quickly softened his expression, gently stroking the Ash Courser's neck.

"Easy boy, it’s not you that I’m mad at."

Blaze nodded before its ears suddenly pricked upwards, nostrils flaring. The Ash Courser's head swivelled, fixated on a rocky outcrop they were approaching.

The beast possessed sharper senses than any human. If it smelled trouble ahead...

"So it's time then, is it?" Ziven's eyes narrowed, looking around warily.

Six figures walked out. Black Rose disciples, formed a circle around him, cutting off any chance of escape. But one figure hung back - was that Atrius?

"Atrius," Ziven growled at his fellow Heavenly Light disciple. "What is the meaning of this?"

Atrius lifted his hands, taking a step back. "Z-Ziven, I don't want any trouble. I just need to pass this trial."

Before Ziven could respond, a silver-haired girl stepped forward. "There’s nowhere left to run, little rat," she purred.

Ziven regarded the beauty before him with contempt.

Amelia.

She was the worst of the lot.

"Swarming me like a pack of rabid beasts" Ziven sneered. "Have you no sha-"

In that instant, Caelum struck without warning. His sword extended, ready to impale the Son of Heaven through the chest.

Relying on his instincts, Ziven twisted sideways at the last second. Instead of his heart, the blade pierced through his left shoulder. Face contorting in pain, he barely swallowed back a scream.

"All together now! Leave nothing to chance!" Caelum shouted.

Ziven paled. He was hoping to stall as he knew the first stage would be ending any moment. But the Black Rose disciples were clearly done wasting time.

Grimacing, he yanked Bloodthorn free, he then leaned down to stare into Blaze's eyes.

"Rampage," he commanded.

As the enraged Ash Courser’s cultivation rose to the Half-Nascent Soul Realm, it charged forward as Ziven leapt and rolled from its back. He sprinted for cover behind a boulder, clutching his wounded shoulder.

Blaze's roars and the sounds of battle erupted behind him. Ziven glanced back to see the Ash Courser engaging Xavier and Hughie in battle.

But Caelum, Amelia and Dentos had their sights locked on their real target - him.

Cursing under his breath, Ziven continued running.

No matter how arrogant he was, half a dozen peak Core Formation cultivators, including Slifer's direct disciples, were not enemies he could fight head-on.

His figure blurred as he activated a movement technique, Wind Descent. Yet as he continued to flee, every time he glanced that, he saw the Black Rose psychos clinging to his trail like leeches.

Ziven twisted around, throwing a wind blade back at Amelia to slow her down. She deflected it with a wave of her hand.

From his other side, Caelum's blade came slashing in again. Ziven darted right to avoid it, the sword slicing through the hem of his robes.

Too close…

Up ahead, Ziven spotted an opening between two large boulders. He immediately threw himself into the gap, hoping it would force his pursuers into single file. Ziven kept low to the ground as he scrambled on all fours through the tight space, careful not to get wedged.

Just as he pulled himself free on the other side, a giant crimson vortex filled the crevice. Ziven crouched behind one of the boulders, narrowly avoiding Caelum's attack. Moments later, Dentos emerged from the gap, followed closely by Amelia.

Ziven took off again. He wove between rocky outcroppings, leapt over smouldering chasms, ducked flying blades and beams of purple energy. But no matter the evasive manoeuvres he used, his three pursuers matched him move for move.

Up ahead, Ziven spotted a large active geyser shooting steam high into the air. Seizing the opportunity, he sprinted straight into the scalding vapours, hoping to obscure himself from view.

Seconds later, three dark silhouettes emerged from a cloud of steam. Ziven barely rolled to the side in time to avoid Amelia's Soul Render as it came cleaving through the vapours.

I need a new strategy, and I need it now!

"I see you, little mouse!" Amelia called in a sing-song voice.

Ziven immediately switched direction as her next soul blade obliterated the path ahead. But in his haste to avoid it, he skidded out into open ground.

Suddenly, the air around Ziven warped and distorted.

What sorcery is this?

An enormous transparent cube formed, trapping him inside. A lanky cultivator stood just outside the cube, controlling his creation through a paintbrush.

Dentos!

"Now! Attack together!" Caelum yelled.

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Amelia, Caelum and Dentos unleashed their techniques simultaneously. Amelia's Soul Render, Caelum's Crimson Vortex and Dentos' painted spear combined into one massive roaring column of destructive energy, aimed directly at Ziven's heart.

No! It can’t end like this! Ziven thought desperately. Not until I get my revenge! I will get my revenge!

Just as the attacks were about to connect, the world around Ziven blurred and dissolved. He felt a strong pulling sensation, and then everything went black.

----------------------------------------

Zack was lazing high up in a tree, relaxing after having found both the Yin and Yang scrolls needed to pass the first stage of the exams.

"Unless one of those two weirdos die," Zack muttered to himself as he juggled the scrolls. He felt quite confident that his strange teammates would survive. If they could make him feel uneasy, they could definitely handle the other Foundation Establishment cultivators in the trial.

If anything, Zack felt bad for anyone unlucky enough to encounter them.

Though, he had been worried that the Black Death disciples would hunt him down, so he had stayed on the move. He didn’t know what they wanted with him, and he did not want to find out.

But with only an hour left until the first trial ended, he could finally take a breather.

Well, a short one anyway. Never hurt to stay vigilant.

As he began to doze off, Zack's eyes suddenly shot open. A prickle of unease crept down his neck. He sat up, instantly on alert.

Now hold on just a darn minute...this was usually the point where everything goes spectacularly wrong! Just when the protagonist thinks they were safe, bam! Ambush out of nowhere!

Zack wasn't about to fall for that cliche. Time to be proactive.

He closed his eyes and activated a new technique the Main Body had learned called "Mind's Eye." It was a surveillance technique that Slifer thought would come in handy for situations like this.

A barely perceptible pulse of qi radiated out from him, sweeping the forest. It travelled more than twice as far as his spiritual sense could reach.

There!

Two hundred feet to the east, partially obscured from his spiritual sense. Two figures stealthily approaching his position.

Zack's eyes snapped open, immediately focusing east. Were they his creepy teammates? It would explain how they evaded his initial spiritual probe.

His question was answered a second later when two beams of inky black qi came hurtling directly at him.

Cursing, Zack instantly manifested his lightning wings technique, launching himself into the sky right as the attacks struck the tree he'd been lounging in just moments before.

The tree let out an awful groan before crashing down, leaves withering and bark decaying from the residual death qi.

Zack's eyes narrowed, wings beating to keep him in the air. The attacks were similar to the Reversal Card’s life-draining properties, but instead of absorbing life essence, they corrupted with pure death qi.

Below him, two black-robed figures emerged from the treeline. Zack frowned. Yep, definitely his shady teammates from the Death Rose Sect. Though he'd nicknamed them Vampire and Zombie in his mind.

Well, no time like the present for a cheerful reunion!

Zack pasted a sunny grin on his face and called out, "Yo guys! Fancy meeting you here. What took you so long?"

The Vampire girl frowned up at him. "Why did you run from us before?" she demanded.

Zack laughed. "Oh, I just wanted a head start, no biggie!"

As he chatted, his eyes scanned his surroundings, looking for any escape routes. Staying too high up made him an easy target.

There - fifty feet to the west lay a thick bundle of trees. And if he could just make it over that rocky overhang to the south, he'd find plenty of caves to duck into.

And with caves come opportunity!

Now he just needed an opportunity to escape to one of those spots without getting hit by another blast of deadly miasma.

Meanwhile, Zombie spoke up. "We have some questions for you," he said slowly. "About your master, Slifer. There are...inconsistencies.”

"Sorry to disappoint fellas, but you're barking way up the wrong tree.” Zack waved a hand. “An Ascendant like him? That's crazy above your pay grade."

The male disciple continued staring at him like a creep. "We also have questions for you. You seem to have appeared from nowhere. Who exactly are you?"

"Me?" Zack plastered on an oblivious look. "I'm nobody important, just some disciple. Nothing worth digging into there."

The Vampire girl took a step toward him, and Zack realized she was about to attack again.

Crap! Time for me to scram!

Zack immediately dove towards the escape route he had picked out earlier.

He had no desire to actually fight these two. He had no idea which techniques they had in their arsenal, even if he was able to defeat them, he doubted he would come out unscathed.

Unlike the Main Body who had his cards to save him, I need to look out for myself!

A streak of inky darkness shot through the air, narrowly missing his wing as Zack barrel-rolled out of the way.

He plunged into the trees as the Black Death disciples followed in pursuit. They fired off more attacks, decay spreading wherever their qi touched. Zack just managed to dodge them, the blasts grazing past close enough to tear his robe and leave bloody furrows across his shoulder.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Zack clamped one hand over the wound. That stuff was nasty - he could feel the death energy trying to corrupt his own qi.

As he sprinted through the underbrush, Zack focused on containing the spread before it could contaminate his Dantian and meridians.

This crap is strong!

Sweat beaded his forehead from the effort. Zack knew he couldn't suppress it forever.

He soon found a thick tree to lean against and catch his breath.

Closing his eyes, he prepared to cycle his qi in cleansing patterns, only to freeze as a pulse of Mind's Eye qi returned two rapidly closing life forces.

"Damn, how do they keep finding me so fast?" Zack muttered. He opened his eyes to see the pair standing before him.

"I tried being nice, but it seems you two are just ungrateful," Zack said, narrowing his eyes. His cheerful demeanour vanished.

I need to hit them hard and fast!

But before Zack could act, the marking on his palm - the one he had used to touch the teleportation cube earlier - suddenly flared with light.

A portal appeared out of thin-air, sucking all three of them inside.

"Well, crap-" was all Zack had time to say before disappearing.