Morning broke like fire over Flameheart Planet, casting long shadows through the branches of ironwood trees that lined the ancient path leading to the Arena of Embersteel. The Tournament of Flames was entering its final day, and whispers buzzed through the air like a storm waiting to descend.
Today, the Main Family's emissaries would arrive.
Jin Taixuan stood alone in his courtyard, arms crossed, gazing at the sky. He wore his simple navy robe, nothing ornate or gilded, but every fold lay crisp and every thread seemed to hum with quiet tension. Inside his spirit sea, the Heavenhammer hovered in solemn silence, its aura stronger than ever.
Last night, the Emberstorm Node had pulsed again.
> [System Progress: 3% - Secondary Compression Module Available] [Upgrade Path Unlocked: Core Pressure Refinement Initiated]
The information had flooded him like molten light, strengthening his link with Heavenhammer and offering new control over internal ship density and energy discharge. More than that, it whispered a silent invitation:
Advance.
His realm, until now the first level of Warship Affinity, was no longer enough. The Heavenhammer had reached the threshold of evolution, and so must he.
---
The arena was already filled by the time Taixuan arrived. Tiered stone seats stretched upward in wide circles, with banners of red and gold fluttering in the breeze. At the highest level, an ornate pavilion had been erected.
There, seated with solemn expressions and robes embroidered with threads of starlight, were the Jin Main Family Envoys.
Jin Bairan: an old man with a sharp gaze and reputation as one of the family's top shipwright strategists.
Jin Lianque: a woman with moon-colored eyes, known for her ruthless insight into human nature.
Jin Huangshi: a younger envoy, but powerful, rumored to be at the Fourth Realm in both Warship Affinity and Martial Dao.
The atmosphere had shifted.
Every match today would be watched with scrutiny deeper than steel.
---
Taixuan's first match was swift. He defeated Jin Fulong in under a minute, calmly deflecting sonic barrage waves before breaking the opponent's ship core with a precise pulse.
By his second match, elders were murmuring.
By the third, even the main family envoy Jin Lianque leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing.
"Steady boy," she murmured. "But there's depth under that calm."
Taixuan, however, remained expressionless. He refused to speak, posture straight, gaze always on his opponent.
---
Between Matches
Back in the waiting chambers, Taixuan sat cross-legged, drawing in slow breaths.
His mind wasn't on the next fight. It was turned inward. The Core Pressure Refinement technique he'd unlocked required one final spark. And it had to be now.
He sent his spiritual sense deep into his spirit sea.
Inside, the Heavenhammer floated surrounded by glyphs of glowing blue, rotating slowly.
> [Initiate Realm Breakthrough: Affirm?]
Taixuan clenched his fists.
"Affirm."
A burst of pressure surged from his dantian outward, traveling through his spirit sea like a roaring river.
He felt the warship respond.
A core emerged from within Heavenhammer—not a reactor, but a second crystalline nucleus, small but pulsing with tremendous force. It fused with his spirit sea, and pain lanced through every inch of his body.
Bones groaned. Muscles tore and reknitted. His veins, already reinforced by prior awakenings, now expanded slightly to accommodate the increased energy flow.
His mind, however, remained still.
When it ended, he was different.
> [You have advanced to Second Realm: Core-Bonded Disciple.] [Warship Synchronization Rate: +18%] [New Ability Unlocked: Resonance Pulse - Phase I]
He exhaled sharply.
Outside the chamber, his name echoed.
"Final Round: Jin Taixuan vs. Jin Huanglin!"
---
The Final Match
Jin Huanglin was no mere elite. He was one of the top three among the younger generation, favored to win the tournament since its announcement. His warship, the Twin Seraph Engines, was a dual-engine energy vessel known for its relentless flurry tactics and deceptive feints.
He stood tall, smile easy, confidence practically dripping from him as he summoned his ship.
"Let's have a good fight," he said with a grin. "Don't disappoint me."
Taixuan nodded slightly. Nothing more.
The Heavenhammer appeared again, still plain, still silent—but those watching closely felt something else.
A deeper resonance. A denser aura.
The final gong echoed.
Huanglin struck first—wave after wave of dazzling blue energy blasts, each one bending at the last moment to attack from a different angle. The Twin Seraph Engines danced across the battlefield, its agility unmatched.
Taixuan didn't dodge.
He let the Heavenhammer absorb the first five attacks. The sixth and seventh he redirected. And the eighth—he reversed.
BOOM.
The redirected attack struck the Twin Seraph's flank, causing minor destabilization.
Gasps rang out.
"That's... new," one elder murmured.
From the envoy pavilion, Jin Bairan sat upright.
"Resonance redirection? At his realm? That's not possible."
Taixuan didn't pause.
He activated the new Resonance Pulse.
The Heavenhammer trembled once, and a wave of force expanded outward in a perfect sphere.
The shockwave was subtle, near-invisible.
But the Twin Seraph shuddered, its energy flow momentarily disrupted. It missed a beat—a single flaw—but against someone like Taixuan, it was enough.
He advanced, cannon humming.
One strike. Clean. Direct. Unavoidable.
The Twin Seraph was hit at its core junction. Its entire projection collapsed.
The crowd went silent.
Then chaos erupted.
Jin Huanglin had lost.
Jin Taixuan had won the tournament.
---
Moments Later
In the central platform, Jin Taixuan stood before the three envoys.
"Name," Jin Lianque said.
"Jin Taixuan. Grandson of Jin Wei."
"Ah," Bairan nodded slowly. "The exile."
"No exile," Taixuan said calmly. "My grandfather left with honor. I fight in his name."
Jin Lianque smirked. "You fought well. Not overreaching. Not timid. You hid much. But not too much."
Jin Huangshi stepped forward.
"You will be placed in the envoy's candidate list. The main family will monitor your growth. Perhaps you'll receive an invitation soon."
Taixuan bowed. "I await the opportunity."
Inside, his heart was calm.
This was step one. Not too fast. Not too slow.
Exactly as planned.
---
That night, his grandfather said nothing when Taixuan returned.
Only poured him tea, and said:
"Your father would be proud."
Taixuan said nothing, only smiled.
Tomorrow, his journey would change. But for now—he was content.
The Heavenhammer slept, but not for long.
-------
Dao Realms (Human Cultivation Path):
1. Awakened
2. Core-Bonded Disciple
3. Internal Dao Forging
4. Spirit Resonator
5. Vessel Commander
6. Astral Weaver
7. Stellar Core Disciple
8. Dimensional Sovereign
9. Starborn Paragon
---
Warship Realms (Warship Advancement Path):
1. Base Frame-Class
2. Reactor-Class
3. Combat-Class
4. Tactical Command-Class
5. Fusion Core-Class
6. Starbreaker-Class
7. Riftship-Class
8. Dominion-Class
9. Epoch Flagship-Class