The sky had finally calmed.
The purple lightning was gone.
The crack in reality had disappeared.
The colossal hand had retreated.
And yet—
Nobody moved.
The knights remained kneeling.
The wind remained silent.
Even the floating crystals seemed dimmer than before.
It was as though the entire Trial Realm was holding its breath.
Waiting.
Watching.
Observing the young man standing in the center of the courtyard.
Ye Xian shifted uncomfortably.
Ye Xian:
"Why is everyone staring at me?"
No answer.
Ye Xian:
"Seriously."
Ye Xian:
"It's getting weird."
The Knight Captain slowly lowered his head even further.
Knight Captain:
"We await your command, Your Highness."
Ye Xian nearly tripped over his own feet.
Ye Xian:
"My WHAT?"
Knight Captain:
"Your Highness."
Ye Xian pointed at himself.
Ye Xian:
"Me?"
Knight Captain:
"Yes."
Ye Xian:
"I am literally a high school student."
Knight Captain:
"You are also the heir of the Monarch."
Ye Xian:
"That doesn't sound real."
Knight Captain:
"It is."
Ye Xian:
"I reject it."
Knight Captain:
"You cannot."
Ye Xian sighed.
Ye Xian:
"Of course I can't."
The System suddenly appeared.
New Objective Available
Speak with the Knight Captain
Reward:
Information
Ye Xian stared at the notification.
Ye Xian:
"Information is a reward now?"
Correct.
Ye Xian:
"You know what?"
Ye Xian:
"Fair enough."
At this point, information was worth more than gold.
He turned toward the captain.
Ye Xian:
"Fine."
Ye Xian:
"Explain everything."
The Knight Captain slowly rose.
For a moment, the ancient warrior seemed uncertain.
As though deciding how much truth he should reveal.
Finally, he spoke.
Knight Captain:
"The Monarch ruled countless realms."
Ye Xian listened carefully.
Knight Captain:
"He stood above kings."
"He stood above emperors."
"He stood above gods."
The courtyard fell silent.
Knight Captain:
"His empire stretched across worlds."
"His armies numbered beyond calculation."
"No force could challenge him."
Ye Xian blinked.
Ye Xian:
"So you're saying my dad was basically overpowered?"
Knight Captain:
"…Yes."
Ye Xian:
"Good."
Ye Xian:
"At least someone in my family was successful."
Several knights looked confused.
One actually tilted his helmet.
The captain continued.
Knight Captain:
"Then came the Great Betrayal."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Even the wind felt colder.
Knight Captain:
"The Monarch was attacked."
"Not by enemies."
"But by allies."
"Kings."
"Gods."
"Rulers."
"Even members of his own court."
Ye Xian frowned.
Knight Captain:
"They feared his power."
"They feared his future."
"They feared his son."
Ye Xian froze.
His son.
Him.
Knight Captain:
"A war erupted."
"The greatest war in existence."
"Entire realms were destroyed."
"Stars vanished."
"Civilizations disappeared forever."
The captain clenched his fist.
Knight Captain:
"In the end…"
"The Monarch won."
Ye Xian blinked.
Ye Xian:
"Wait."
Ye Xian:
"He won?"
Knight Captain:
"Yes."
Ye Xian:
"Then why is he gone?"
The captain became silent.
A sadness entered his voice.
Knight Captain:
"Because victory had a price."
"The Monarch sacrificed himself."
The words echoed throughout the courtyard.
Ye Xian suddenly felt a strange pain in his chest.
A feeling he couldn't explain.
As though some forgotten part of him already knew this story.
Already remembered it.
Knight Captain:
"Before his death, he hid his son."
"He erased memories."
"He sealed bloodlines."
"He scattered loyal followers across reality."
"He created countless trials."
The captain looked directly at Ye Xian.
Knight Captain:
"And he waited."
Ye Xian swallowed.
Knight Captain:
"For you."
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Ye Xian stared at the marble beneath his feet.
Trying to process everything.
Trying to understand.
But it felt impossible.
Yesterday he had been worried about homework.
Today he was apparently the son of a reality-conquering monarch.
Life had escalated very quickly.
The Hidden Chamber
Ding!
Trial Progress Updated
Proceed to the Monarch's Sanctuary
Reward:
Bloodline Advancement
A glowing pathway suddenly appeared across the courtyard.
Blue light spread through ancient runes.
The ground trembled.
Then—
RUMBLE!
A section of the marble floor slowly split apart.
An enormous staircase emerged.
Descending deep underground.
Darkness waited below.
Ancient.
Mysterious.
Dangerous.
Ye Xian looked down.
Ye Xian:
"I don't suppose there's an elevator?"
Nobody answered.
Ye Xian sighed.
Ye Xian:
"Worth asking."
The knights stood aside.
Creating a path.
Ye Xian hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward.
The staircase stretched downward for what felt like miles.
The deeper he went—
The stronger the strange energy became.
The air grew heavier.
The walls became covered in golden carvings.
Scenes from ancient history decorated every surface.
Battles.
Coronations.
Wars.
Victories.
One image caught Ye Xian's attention.
A giant king standing before millions of soldiers.
Behind him stood a small child.
Holding the king's hand.
The child's face was damaged by time.
Yet for some reason—
Ye Xian couldn't stop staring.
His chest tightened.
A strange feeling surfaced.
Loneliness.
Loss.
Longing.
Then it vanished.
The staircase finally ended.
And what awaited below stole his breath.
The Sanctuary of the Monarch
The chamber was enormous.
Larger than several cities combined.
A golden sky floated overhead despite being underground.
Mountains surrounded the sanctuary.
Rivers of glowing energy flowed across the landscape.
Ancient trees towered thousands of feet into the air.
At the center stood a single throne.
A black throne.
The same throne from his visions.
The same throne from his memories.
The same throne from his dreams.
The moment Ye Xian saw it—
His heart skipped a beat.
The throne seemed alive.
Watching him.
Waiting for him.
Calling him.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Without realizing it, he began walking.
The closer he got—
The louder his heartbeat became.
The world around him faded.
Everything disappeared except the throne.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Then—
A figure appeared.
Sitting upon the throne.
Ye Xian stopped instantly.
His eyes widened.
The figure was a man.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Dressed in black armor decorated with silver dragons.
A golden crown rested upon his head.
His face remained hidden in shadow.
Yet Ye Xian immediately recognized him.
Not because he had seen him before.
But because every instinct in his body screamed the truth.
Father.
The figure slowly opened his eyes.
Golden light filled the chamber.
Then he smiled.
A warm smile.
A proud smile.
A father's smile.
Ye Xian felt his throat tighten.
The man spoke.
His voice was calm.
Gentle.
Nothing like the terrifying king from the stories.
"My son."
The words hit harder than any attack.
For a moment—
Ye Xian couldn't breathe.
Couldn't think.
Couldn't move.
The figure continued speaking.
"I knew you would reach this place."
Ye Xian's eyes shook.
Ye Xian:
"Are you…"
The man nodded.
"I am merely a memory."
"A fragment left behind."
"But yes."
The figure smiled again.
"I am your father."
Tears unexpectedly formed in Ye Xian's eyes.
He didn't understand why.
The emotions simply appeared.
As though they had been waiting for years.
The memory of the Monarch slowly stood.
The entire sanctuary trembled.
Even weakened—
Even dead—
His presence felt infinite.
The greatest ruler in existence looked directly at his son.
Then his expression became serious.
Very serious.
"The enemies who hunted me are still alive."
Ye Xian's heart sank.
"I feared that."
The Monarch nodded.
"They have searched for you for countless years."
"They fear what you may become."
The king raised one hand.
A massive map of stars appeared in the air.
Thousands of realms.
Millions of worlds.
Countless civilizations.
And scattered across the map—
Dozens of crimson marks.
Each radiated terrifying energy.
The Monarch's eyes narrowed.
"They are awakening."
The atmosphere grew cold.
"One day…"
"They will come for you."
Ye Xian stared at the map.
Then at the crimson marks.
Then back at his father.
Ye Xian:
"…How strong are they?"
The Monarch considered the question.
Then answered.
"They can destroy worlds."
Ye Xian immediately regretted asking.
The king chuckled.
For the first time, he actually laughed.
"My son."
"You look terrified."
Ye Xian:
"I am terrified."
The Monarch laughed again.
Then his expression softened.
"But you are not alone."
The king placed a hand over his heart.
A brilliant black flame emerged.
The flame floated toward Ye Xian.
The entire sanctuary shook.
Reality itself bent around the flame.
The System exploded with notifications.
Unique Inheritance Detected
Monarch Core Fragment Found
Compatibility:
100%
Ye Xian's eyes widened.
The black flame entered his chest.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Power erupted throughout the sanctuary.
Darkness and golden light exploded together.
Ancient runes ignited.
The throne trembled.
The mountains shook.
And deep within Ye Xian's soul—
Something opened.
Something ancient.
Something terrifying.
Something royal.
The Monarch smiled proudly.
"My journey ends here."
"But yours…"
His golden eyes shone brightly.
"…is only beginning."
The memory slowly began fading away.
Particles of light drifted into the air.
Ye Xian instinctively reached forward.
Ye Xian:
"Wait!"
The Monarch stopped.
One final smile appeared on his face.
A father's smile.
"Make them remember."
"Make them remember who you are."
Then he disappeared.
Gone.
The sanctuary fell silent.
Ding!
Inheritance Complete
Monarch Core Fragment Acquired
Bloodline Synchronization:
1% → 5%
New Skill Unlocked:
Shadow Command
New Skill Unlocked:
Monarch's Presence
New Title Evolved:
The Little Monarch → Heir of the Eternal Throne
Far away.
Beyond countless worlds.
Inside a palace built from dead stars.
A hooded figure suddenly opened his eyes.
His expression changed.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Fear.
The figure slowly stood.
"He found the inheritance…"
Around him, other ancient beings awakened.
One by one.
A terrible silence filled the palace.
Then someone whispered:
"The heir has begun his journey."
And for the first time in thousands of years—
The enemies of the Monarch felt fear.
To Be Continued.