The rain hammered down, relentless and cold, pounding the earth in the ancestral graveyard where Shen Yuan knelt, the rain had just stopped. While other disciples retreated to shelter, he remained, surrounded by silent stone tombs and soaked to the bone, his aura a blend of darkness and determination. His eyes were closed, his breath steady, as the Void Fire flickered in his palms—a brilliant, volatile flame fueled by yang energy and his own relentless will. Every ounce of focus was bent on one goal, breaking through to the Heaven Path Realm, no matter how punishing the process.

The Void Fire pulsed, and for the tenth time, he tried to fuse it with his dark aura. Power surged within him, crackling like thunder, only to collapse again. Frustration rose, "damn it", but Shen Yuan refused to stop. His control slipped, and the Void Fire vanished, leaving him gasping, drained. Every failure clawed at him, but each step pushed him closer to mastery, forcing his energy into sharper focus, honed by the unyielding need to conquer the next level.

Minutes became hours, hours turned to days, and the days stretched into weeks. The Void Fire burned fiercer each time, as Shen Yuan's command over it grew—ten minutes, then an hour. But the strain was crushing, like wielding a weapon that resisted him at every turn. His body screamed for rest, but he pushed on, caging his doubt and pain behind a hardened resolve. He'd spent years cultivating this power, and now, on the verge of breaking through, he would not let go.

One month passed. The graveyard was drenched, the rain heavy and cold. But the energy radiating from Shen Yuan was hotter than fire, sharper than ice. His aura twisted around him in a dark cloud, dense and powerful. As he opened his eyes, he felt it—the energy in him has grown to an unfathomable level.

Elsewhere, Feng Yanqing and Bai Chen made their way through the rain, each step crackling with anticipation. Feng Yanqing's usually fiery gaze was tempered by a rare glint of curiosity. Shen Yuan had been silent for weeks, but the faint tremor of his dark aura had reached even them, a signal that something incredible was brewing.

The closer they got, the sharper the chill in the air became. It was a dreadful, creeping cold that twisted in their guts, making them both hesitate. Bai Chen's fingers twitched. "You think… that's him?"

Feng Yanqing nodded, her eyes narrowed. "It has to be."

They pushed forward, the oppressive aura intensifying with every step. Bai Chen felt his own power stirring in response, his curiosity getting the best of him. Gathering his qi, he sent a focused strike toward Shen Yuan, testing just how far his friend had come.

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Before the attack could make contact, Shen Yuan's eyes snapped open, and he moved without a single wasted motion, dodging it as if he'd known it was coming before Bai Chen had even launched it. His calm was unnerving. Rising from his cross-legged position, Shen Yuan stood, his dark aura spiraling around him in waves. A single, dark purple halo spun behind his head, casting an eerie glow across his face.

Feng Yanqing's face lit up with amazement, her gaze blazing with pride and disbelief. "You… actually did it. Heaven Path Realm!"

One could determine the stages by the amount of halo one has in the heaven path realm, the peak one can have is nine.

A faint smug tugged at Shen Yuan's lips, his gaze gleaming with satisfaction. "I did."

He held out his hand, summoning the Void Fire. But the flames had changed. Once a sinister purple, they now glowed a deadly toxin green, casting an ominous, ethereal light. The rain seemed to hiss as it touched the flame, vanishing instantly without a trace.

Bai Chen's eyes widened. "Your Void Fire… it's stronger now. That green, it's terrifying."

Shen Yuan nodded, his smile dark and triumphant. "It's not just physical now," he murmured, admiring the flame that twisted in his hand. "The Void Fire has reached the second stage. It can now eliminate the spiritual essence—body and soul, completely."

The words hung in the air, heavy with awe. For a moment, even Feng Yanqing was silent, unable to hide her admiration.

"So… you surpassed all our expectations," she said, a hint of awe softening her voice. "What will you do now?"

Shen Yuan's smirk grew, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous spark. "I'd thought you'd never ask."

With a flick of his wrist, the green flame dissipated, and he looked at them both, his expression inviting yet taunting. "How about a little test?"

Feng Yanqing's grin was immediate, her competitive spirit igniting. "Now we're talking!"

Bai Chen laughed, a hint of challenge in his voice. "I hope that Void Fire lives up to all that hype, Shen Yuan."

They shifted into fighting stances, their auras spiking as they prepared to test the strength they'd each poured blood and sweat into honing. The graveyard transformed, the stones and shadows a backdrop to their coming clash. They weren't merely sparring—they were pitting everything they'd gained, every hard-fought victory, against each other in a test of sheer will and skill.

Meanwhile, in Gui Zuwang's dwelling, Gui Zuwang sat in the depths of his private quarters, sipping wine with a faint smile on his lips. The tremor of Shen Yuan's success had reached even him, and while he took pride in his pupil's victory, his mind churned with possibilities. Shen Yuan's rise was an undeniable testament to his strength, but Gui Zuwang knew well that power like his was both a blessing and a curse. For now, he would let the boy climb higher, knowing that one day, their paths might intersect in ways that even he could not foresee.

Back at the graveyard, Shen Yuan's eyes glinted with something fierce. He hadn't clawed his way to power just to prove himself or follow orders, and he certainly didn't care for anyone's approval—not Gui Zuwang's, not the clan's. His power was his own. And he would wield it as he saw fit, no matter what stood in his way.

Gui Zuwang and Shen Yuan spoke in unison.

"I will not bow to anyone, especially to him!"