Part 1 – The Arrival of Challenge
The academy grounds were bustling that morning, as a gentle yet insistent excitement fluttered through the air. The Inter-Academy Trials were upon them.
It was a tradition deeply rooted in the history of the Star Origin Academy. Every year, students awakened their planets to demonstrate their mastery over their domains, to prove their worthiness in the eyes of the academy's elders, and to carve their names into the annals of history.
Jiang Fan could feel it in the air—this strange, pervasive pressure that enveloped the entire school. The cultivators, martial artists, and mages all seemed to glow with anticipation, their spiritual energy rising like the early hum of a thunderstorm. Even the students who were usually quiet or reserved now carried themselves with an air of quiet confidence.
They had been preparing for this moment their entire lives.
Jiang Fan, on the other hand, had barely begun. His planet was far from the grandiose, elemental forces most students wielded. It wasn't powered by spiritual energy, but by logic, by structure, by the cold precision of technology. It was a place of steel and circuitry, not fire and qi. His preparations had been slow, meticulous, a silent war fought behind the closed doors of his room.
But this was a test. A trial of metal and might. And, as much as it seemed like a world of fire, sword, and spirit, Jiang Fan understood that the true battle would be fought in the spaces in between.
The grand courtyard was filled with eager spectators—both students and faculty—assembled to witness the unfolding of this year's trials. An impressive platform, circular and vast, lay at the center of the academy grounds. Around it, statues of legendary cultivators, warlords, and mages stood silent watch, their eyes like eternal sentinels.
Jiang Fan stood at the edge of the crowd, observing.
He was dressed in the standard academy robes, but there was an incongruity about his presence here. The other students looked different, almost like they were filled with an inner fire. His own sense of purpose was quieter, more calculated, like the hum of a machine coming to life.
His gaze flicked toward the distant horizon. His satellites were positioned high in orbit, tracking every movement of the crowd, scanning the surrounding terrain for anything that might pose a threat. His drones hovered above the academy, silent observers, ready to deploy at a moment's notice.
"Jiang Fan."
The voice broke through his thoughts, low and authoritative.
He turned to find Lin Ye standing beside him, his arms crossed, eyes narrowed.
The older student was taller, his frame broad and muscular, a figure carved from years of martial discipline. His planet was vast, a sprawling martial world filled with towering mountains and deep valleys where his people honed their bodies and minds to their peak potential.
"You seem distracted," Lin Ye said, his voice carrying a hint of mockery. "Are you ready for the trials? Or do you expect to fail as you did last time?"
Jiang Fan's eyes hardened, but he said nothing. The words felt meaningless, like the taunts of a child desperate for validation. It didn't matter what Lin Ye thought. He wasn't here for the approval of others—he was here to prove that his path was real, even if it was different.
The sound of the announcer's voice rang through the air, drawing everyone's attention.
"Students! Prepare for the beginning of the trials! Each of you will enter the central arena and demonstrate the power of your planet! Show us your strength, your growth, and your mastery!"
Part 2 – The First Trial: The Awakening of Power
Jiang Fan stepped onto the arena, his steps firm and deliberate. The earth beneath him felt solid, real, yet strangely alien—like something he could control, but didn't quite understand yet. His planet, his creation, was still young, still finding its shape. But it had potential. That much was certain.
The audience was hushed as the other students took their places, each of them glowing with the light of their awakened worlds. Some summoned swirling storm clouds above them. Others raised mountains from the earth with a flick of their wrist. A few even had spiritual beasts materializing at their side—massive creatures formed from their qi, their power manifest in living, breathing form.
And then, it was Jiang Fan's turn.
He closed his eyes, centering his thoughts. His connection to his planet—his system—was quiet and steady, like the pulse of a machine.
Activate planetary systems. Prioritize orbital surveillance.Initiate AI defense protocols.Begin energy amplification sequence.
Slowly, the ground beneath him vibrated. A soft hum filled the air as Jiang Fan's satellites aligned overhead, their sensors scanning the arena, mapping every angle. His drones moved in sync, a dozen floating orbs that circled around him in a protective formation, scanning for threats, analyzing the environment.
The crowd stirred, murmurs of curiosity rippling through them. This wasn't the kind of spectacle they were used to—there were no storms, no beasts. Just cold, calculated efficiency.
A flicker of doubt crossed Jiang Fan's mind. Would they understand?
But then, as if in answer, the ground rumbled again, and this time, something else stirred. From the center of the arena, a massive wall of energy surged upward—high into the air, crackling with lightning and raw power. It was the first test: a demonstration of their world's might, to prove that they could control the forces within their planets.
Jiang Fan didn't hesitate.
With a single thought, he activated his planetary defense grid.
The drones in the air moved into position, their energy beams locking onto the base of the energy wall, while the satellites in orbit began transmitting commands. The hum grew louder, and then—
Zzzzhhhmm!
A burst of light. A sharp, precise beam of energy shot out from one of the drones, striking the wall of power with pinpoint accuracy. The wall shimmered, cracked, and then—like glass under pressure—it shattered, dissipating into the air.
The crowd fell silent.
Jiang Fan remained calm, his gaze steady. He had done what was necessary—not with overwhelming force, but with precision, with careful calculation.
But the silence wasn't comfortable.
He could feel the eyes on him—some skeptical, others fascinated. Lin Ye's glare burned through him from across the arena, and for the first time, Jiang Fan felt the weight of his difference. This wasn't the path of the martial artist or the mage. This was something entirely new.
And yet, it worked.
Part 3 – The Quiet Aftermath
Jiang Fan stepped off the arena, his head held high. He had passed the first test—but it had come at a cost. The crowd's reaction, or rather their lack of reaction, weighed heavily on him. There had been no applause, no awe. Only silence.
Silence meant rejection.
He walked back to his seat, where his peers were already whispering among themselves.
"Did you see that?" one of them murmured. "The wall just... vanished. Like it was nothing."
"He didn't even summon a single beast or use any spirit energy," another whispered. "That wasn't a real trial."
Jiang Fan closed his eyes, trying to block out the noise. It didn't matter. It didn't change what he had built. But the sting of rejection—of misunderstanding—was still there.
When the trials finally ended for the day, Jiang Fan retired to his room. The hum of his planetary systems, the flicker of light from his satellites, was a comforting presence. It was cold. Calculated. But it was his.
And in this world of fire and force, that was enough.