Born in Blood

Liam had a night of rest and packed everything essential he needed for the Celestial's inheritance. 

The Black Blade, the Dusk Blades, protective artifacts, wrappings, 3 years worth of provisions – even if he overate – and much more.

Inheritances were not daytime trips. Unless there were protective measures put into it beforehand, there almost always was a casualty involved. 

Even for the most basic and least powerful inheritances.

…And this was a Celestial's, which already had an air of mystique to it. 

In short, Liam was prepared.

Fully rejuvenated, Liam met up with Usan and a few Elders. 

As soon as he arrived at the grassy patch of land they were to meet at, Liam and the Elders expected a ride towards the Main Lands.

Through the Monolith Lion, like they'd always done.

But no.

Usan just snapped his fingers, and Liam's surroundings changed in the blink of an eye. They'd flashed across an incredible distance just like that!

Liam was awed.

And truth be told, he felt pity, too.

If the path to strength wasn't authentic, it wouldn't last. That was the gist of what cultivation entailed. 

Usan earned his strength for the most part. But he'd rushed his Path and the fruit only worsened it for him. 

All of this was artificial strength, and it was sad to know it would eventually fade away.

Nevertheless.

Where Liam had teleported at was, unsurprisingly, the World's Cut.

There was a sea to his left, gushing into a massive swath of nothing, and an ocean to his right, doing the same.

The crevice continued past the horizon, and there was nothing resembling human civilization as far as Liam's eye could see.

Only the vast stretches of the ocean looked back at him, along with oceanic beasts poking through the surface now and again.

In the distance was North Star, Yar'wei, Twilight, and none other than Hand of Light himself.

There was no reason why Kuan wouldn't want to have a hand in a Celestial's inheritance. Calling it priceless was an understatement.

Best case scenario, there might even be something similar to a Rank 7 technique. A wide stretch, obviously, but one could hope.

Liam felt slightly unnerved standing so close to the two monsters. 

But the day before, Usan had already given him a new and refined constricting pin to hide his Chaos Pearl.

If Kuan didn't know about his chaos already, he wouldn't know now.

Usan and Kuan fixed their deadly gazes at each other.

Twilight, North Star and Yar'wei simply had their heads lowered in respect. 

But all three of them snuck glances at Usan's figure.

Liam wanted to lower his head, too, but Usan instantly stopped him with a side glare.

'Never show them servitude!'

Was probably what Usan was trying to reprimand him for.

"I'll speak terms," Kuan said sternly. "Your boy can't kill Reyan or sabotage her in any way. Unless the inheritance requires a battle to the death, if he kills her, I'll wipe out your clan."

Reyan. Twilight's name. Right now, the girl looked nervous, but tried to hide the best she could.

Liam could see her mental waves. Fear and a little bit of embarrassment tainted them. 

Kuan's terms applied both ways. Reyan couldn't do anything to him, and he couldn't do anything to her.

Usan said nothing. 

Kuan took his silence as a yes.

A moment later, Kuan began to privately address his squad.

Usan did the same.

"You're going blind into this thing. If he couldn't take out the two cultivators he sent before, I can't do it either." 

Liam nodded. 

He braced for the worst.

It was either death he was walking into, or a gold mine. 

The two parties were done with their discussions.

Kuan approached and so did Usan.

The two spoke privately for a few minutes.

Liam got more and more tense as the seconds passed by.

He had no clue what the two were discussing.

Their words were muffled and Liam couldn't read Kuan's lips.

Ten minutes passed.

Usan came back to Liam and gave him a nod.

"There are no other restrictions. If you win the inheritance without killing the girl, you've won it fair and square. The entrance is right through the swath," Usan told him. "I'm going to have to throw you in there."

Liam frowned slightly.

"Why can't you just lower me down?" 

Falling down a canyon was the last thing Liam was comfortable doing. 

The last time he did such a thing, he had to yank out both eyeballs for a Rank 4 magical beast with a mental sphere.

Usan chuckled under his breath.

"You have any Spirit Beast corpses in your ring?" Usan asked.

Liam nodded. He saved hundreds of them for forging and backup food.

"Throw one down the swath," Usan said.

Liam raised a brow, but complied.

He took out a peak Rank 3 lion corpse and threw it down.

Everyone's attention fell on the beast's body as it plunged to the earth.

As soon as it arrived a hundred meters near the swath, the lion's body was severed into a hundred precise slices.

Silence.

Liam's eyes widened.

What was that?!

Was it a Formation?

But Liam's eyes didn't see any Formations or inscriptions around the swath.

Was it the swath itself?

And he had to go through that?

"Don't worry," Usan said with a smirk. 

"It doesn't affect those who meet the conditions of the inheritance ground."

Liam gulped.

Despite meeting the requirements, he was still a bit paranoid about what could happen.

"Get ready," Kuan said. "We're dropping them at the same time."

Liam and Reyan were brought over the swath. 

They were practically touching shoulders.

Was this where Reyan blushed and fell in love with him?

Just because there was a little skin-to-skin contact?

Please.

Usan exchanged a nod with Liam.

Reyan exchanged a nod with her father and brothers.

A moment later, the two were lowered 110 meters into the air.

Then, they were dropped.

Liam felt the swath growing larger and larger through his vision.

It was like an impending maw, and he was getting devoured.

85 meters.

55 meters.

31 meters.

18 meters.

5 meters.

1 meter.

As soon as Liam and Reyan passed the swath, he felt his brain being squeezed and his vision going dark. 

Liam went unconscious as a glorious voice entered his mind.

"Are you worthy?"