Liam stepped out into the morning mist, his figure wrapped in silence as the sect buzzed with anticipation.
Today, the gates to the treasure lands would open. He wasn't the only one who had spent the last few days in seclusion; across the mountain range, countless alchemists had been preparing, refining pills, sharpening weapons, and doing painstaking hard work.
The air near the sect's central plaza was filled with tension. Sect elders, alchemists who stood at the peak, who had already reached Dao lord rank, stood watch in silence. Their expressions were unreadable, though most wouldn't step through the gates themselves. This was a trial for the younger generation.
Liam's arrival did not go unnoticed. Whispers rippled through the crowd like wind through dry leaves. Some gazes held awe, others jealousy, a few even fear. Many had seen the dao pillar during the lecture.
