I am the Thunder Emperor in the fight

Three thousand miles west of Shadow City.

This place is far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city, deep within the desolate land shrouded in eternal darkness of the Black Sky Domain.

A vast, rugged black mountain range lies sprawling across the land, its form seemingly formed from the purest black jade and shadows, with jagged rocks and not a blade of grass growing on it.

At the center of the mountain range stands a particularly majestic black main peak, resembling a sleeping behemoth.

The peak is not sharp and towering, but rather concave inward, forming an enormous circular valley, which is the venue for the "Trial of the Night," Shadow Valley.

The Shadow Valley was not formed naturally, but was created by an ancient powerful being of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan using supreme divine power, and was constructed by drawing upon a "Nine Nether Dark Vein" from the ground.

The valley entrance is perpetually sealed off by a thick, liquid-like dark mist, accessible only on specific days when the strongest members of the clan join forces to open the passage.

At this moment, the "Trial of the Night" begins.

Outside Shadow Valley, on a relatively flat black rocky ground, a large group of people had gathered, numbering nearly a thousand at a rough glance.

These people are the participants who have qualified for this trial.

They were clearly divided into several groups, maintaining a wary distance from each other, and the air was filled with a suppressed excitement, tension, and a subtle hostility.

Night Falcon was among them, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at the dark mass of people around him.

As far as he knows, the participants are mainly divided into the following categories.

The first category consists of descendants of collateral branches and distant lineages of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan.

This is the largest group, with about five or six hundred people.

Most of them wore black clothing with slight variations in style, with miniature shadow totems representing their respective families embroidered on the cuffs or lapels.

Their ages range from youth to middle age, and their cultivation levels are mostly between the Supreme Realm and the Earthly Supreme Realm, with a few outstanding individuals even reaching the Lower Earthly Supreme Realm.

Their expressions varied; some were arrogant, some were apprehensive, and some had sinister eyes filled with a desire to change their fate.

The Black Sky Ancient Clan has a strict hierarchy, with the direct descendants enjoying the best resources. For collateral and branch families, this open trial is almost the only way to rise in the ranks.

The second category consists of representatives of external forces or descendants of guest elders who are affiliated with the elders and deacons of the Black Sky Ancient Clan, numbering around two hundred.

Their clothing was more varied, but their aura was mostly dark, and many of them had shrewdness and calculation in their eyes.

The fact that someone can obtain a spot in the trial demonstrates the power of the organization behind them.

Although Night Falcon's identity came from a branch, his bloodline was too ancient, so he mingled with this group at this moment. He was wearing the black tight-fitting clothes of the Night Guard, with the Night Guard's waist badge hanging from his waist. He stood at the edge of the group of dozens of people representing the Black Night Elders' lineage, observing his surroundings discreetly.

The leader of his faction was none other than the "Deacon You" he had met once before, who was currently talking quietly with several other deacons.

The third category consists of "outsiders" or independent cultivators who obtain recommendation slots through other channels, such as offering rare resources, completing special tasks, or having a past relationship with a certain figure in the clan.

This group numbers less than a hundred, with varying levels of skill. Most of them appear reserved and out of place. They are the least favored group and are often seen as mere bystanders.

Nearly a thousand participants, the lowest of whom were at the seventh or eighth grade Supreme Realm, included some hidden Earth Supreme Realm experts, but they were few and far between. The few who were there were all beings with profound auras, who were faintly revered by everyone.

Most of them came from powerful collateral clans or were disciples cultivated by a powerful elder.

Besides the participants, dozens of figures with obscure and profound auras were also suspended in mid-air outside the Shadow Valley.

They either stood in mid-air or sat on thrones or chariots formed from shadow power, surrounded by a faint black mist that obscured their true appearance.

These are the supervisors and referees of this trial, as well as some high-ranking members of the Black Sky Ancient Clan who came to observe and select promising talents; they are all at least at the Great Perfection of Earthly Sovereign level.

Their presence, like an invisible mountain, suppressed the entire area and ensured the basic order of the trial.

Above Elder Heiming, where Deacon You was located, several figures were also suspended. Among them, one had an exceptionally deep aura, as if it had completely merged with the surrounding shadows. It was a trusted confidant of Elder Heiming, a Supreme Great Perfection cultivator.

"Look, that's the guide from the 'Shadow Palace'!" came a whisper from the crowd.

Directly in front of the valley entrance, before the thick, dark fog, space slightly distorted, and three figures completely shrouded in wide black robes and wearing expressionless black metal masks quietly emerged.

Their auras were subtle, yet they possessed a chilling majesty; they were the guides representing the "Shadow Palace," the core institution of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan.

The person in the center stepped forward, his voice like two pieces of cold iron rubbing together, echoing coldly throughout the entire venue.

"The rules for the Dark Night Trial remain the same; only those with the warrant may enter the valley."

The valley is a self-contained space, divided into four areas: 'Shadow Beast Wasteland', 'Dark Current Maze', 'Silent Heart Forest', and 'Nine Nether Platform'.

The first two stages involve hunting shadow creatures, gathering specific dark-attribute spiritual materials, and solving ancient ruins, all of which can earn 'Shadow Marks'. The quantity and quality of the marks determine the ranking.

"Passing through the 'Forest of Silent Hearts' and ascending the 'Nine Nether Platform', one will reach the final battleground."

Only by ascending the Nine Nether Platform can one be qualified to compete for a top ten spot and gain the qualification to study at the Shadow Palace.

Fighting is not prohibited during the trial, but causing death or maiming is strictly forbidden. Violators will be disqualified and severely punished. Now, with your trial tokens, enter the valley in order!

As soon as the words were spoken, the three guides simultaneously made their moves, each casting a mysterious black hand seal.

As the seal entered the dark mist at the valley entrance, the seemingly eternal fog suddenly began to churn violently, parting to reveal a deep, dark passage barely wide enough for a few people to walk side by side.

At the entrance of the passage, distorted spatial ripples and wisps of pure yet violent shadow energy could be faintly seen.

"go!"

The participants, who had been unable to contain themselves any longer, immediately surged forward, but the order was not disrupted. They rushed towards the passage in turn according to their respective factions or strengths.

Those with strong capabilities and powerful backgrounds naturally get in first.

Night Falcon followed the group of Elder Black Nether's faction, proceeding at a leisurely pace.

Just as he was about to step into the passage, a cold, undisguised gaze, filled with contempt and malice, locked onto his back like a venomous snake.

The night falcon paused slightly, its senses quietly sweeping across the area.

The source of their attention was a tall, thin young man with a deathly pale face and sunken eyes in another group next to them.

This person was wearing a black brocade robe embroidered with a hideous ghost head pattern, and his aura had surpassed the Supreme Realm, reaching the level of a half-step lower Earth Supreme!
Surrounding him were several Supreme Realm followers, all of whom looked at Night Falcon with equally hostile gazes. "Brother Ghost Nightmare, what are you looking at?" someone asked the pale youth beside him.

The young man known as Ghost Nightmare curled his lips into a cruel smile, his voice hoarse: "Nothing much, just saw a rat that crawled out from some corner and infiltrated the Night Guard's ranks."

"I heard there's a rat who's been doing pretty well in the Night Guard lately, thanks to a bit of luck and some rudimentary shadow magic he somehow stole? He even got a few words of praise from Deacon You?" His voice wasn't deliberately lowered; it came through clearly.

On Elder Heiming's side, many people's expressions changed slightly, and their gazes toward Night Falcon became somewhat strange.

Deacon You frowned slightly, but remained silent.

Night Falcon remained calm, as if he hadn't heard anything. In the past six months, although he had gradually integrated into the Black Sky Ancient Clan, as the saying goes, "He who walks by the river will eventually get wet," and he had inadvertently gotten into some trouble while traveling among the Black Sky Ancient Clan.

And this nightmare was one of the troubles he inadvertently provoked.

Coincidentally, during one of the Night Guard's missions, Night Falcon was responsible for harvesting a treasure called Dark Crystal.

This object is located deep within the Dark Abyss, almost integrated with it. If not for a stroke of luck, it would be difficult for ordinary people to discover. The Dark Abyss is vast and boundless, and it is teeming with dangerous Dark Demon Bats, making the extraction of Dark Crystal extremely difficult.

However, Night Falcon possessed the Dark Ancestral Symbol, giving him an extraordinary perception of Dark Heavenly Crystals. In addition, his hidden strength far exceeded that of the Supreme Realm, allowing him to easily harvest a Dark Heavenly Crystal.

However, when he left the Dark Abyss, he was robbed by this Ghost Nightmare. The latter, relying on his sister's favor from an elder of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan, acted recklessly and even tried to kill Night Falcon.

However, the Night Falcon naturally wouldn't let its opponent succeed, not only thwarting his idea but also severely injuring him.

If the Nightmare hadn't sent out a quasi-sacred artifact at the crucial moment, it would have been killed on the spot by the Night Falcon.

What Night Falcon didn't expect was that not only had Ghost Nightmare fully recovered from his injuries, but his cultivation had also advanced further, reaching the level of a half-step Earthly Sovereign.

It seems his older sister is indeed very favored.

The thought flashed through his mind, but the Night Falcon didn't stop and walked straight into the dark passage.

Such provocations were like the buzzing of mosquitoes in his eyes, not worth a second glance.

Half-step Earthly Supreme... Among the participants this time, his strength is considered quite good. No wonder he is so arrogant. A hint of mockery flashed in Night Falcon's eyes.

Although his strength was not as formidable as his original self due to the need to integrate the bloodline of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan, it was still far superior to that of a mere half-step Earthly Sovereign.

Of course, on the surface, the Night Falcon's strength is only at the ninth-rank supreme level.

"Hmph, pretending to be calm, you'd better not run into me in the valley." Seeing that Night Falcon ignored him, Ghost Nightmare's eyes grew even more sinister, and he stepped into the passage with his entourage.

The moment you pass through the passage, a dizzying sensation from the spatial shift washes over you.

Once the night falcon had regained its footing, the scene before it had changed drastically.

He was standing on a vast, dark wasteland.

The sky is a perpetual dark gray, devoid of sun, moon, and stars, only a faint, inexplicable light barely illuminating the earth.

Beneath your feet lies hard, cold black sand and gravel, with occasional jagged rocks and sparse, withered, twisted black trees scattered about.

The air was filled with a rich, pure dark spiritual energy, but it was also mixed with a violent, chaotic aura, as well as a faint, almost imperceptible, predatory smell.

This is the first trial area, the Shadow Beast Wasteland.

Looking around, hundreds of participants who had entered earlier had already dispersed. Some were cautiously exploring the environment, while others had formed teams or sped off alone into the depths of the wilderness, clearly eager to start searching for prey or resources.

In the distance, faint roars of beasts and the rumble of colliding energy could be heard; the trial had begun.

The night falcon did not act hastily.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the air filled with shadow energy. The original dark power of the Dark Ancestral Symbol within his body seemed to emit a pleasant hum, showing a high degree of harmony with this world.

His perception spread out quietly like mercury spilling onto the ground, far more subtle and profound than that of others at the same level.

He sensed the shadow scorpion lurking beneath the sand and gravel, waiting for its chance to strike.

They sensed the cold gaze of the night owl hovering in the air, composed of pure shadow energy.

Further away, a massive, bony-armored shadow dragon roamed...

These are the "Shadow Beasts," shadow creatures that naturally arose within the Shadow Valley. Their strength ranges from comparable to a high-level Supreme Realm cultivator to an Earthly Supreme Realm cultivator. Hunting them, especially obtaining the "Shadow Core" within their bodies, allows one to condense a "Shadow Mark."

Besides the Shadow Beasts, scattered throughout the wasteland are some points that emit unique energy fluctuations. These may be naturally formed dark-attribute spiritual materials, or small ancient ruins containing trials.

"The acquisition of Shadow Marks depends not only on quantity but also on quality. Hunting stronger Shadow Beasts, obtaining more precious spiritual materials, and deciphering more difficult ruins will yield higher-quality Marks," Night Falcon understood.

His goal is not only to enter the top ten, but also to enter with excellence rather than by chance, so as to attract the attention of higher-ups and gain a better starting point.

He chose a direction where several strong shadow beast auras could be faintly heard, along with some kind of unique dark energy fluctuations.

He did not choose to team up with the others from the Black Nether Elder's faction. Although going solo was slightly riskier, it was more free and made it easier to control the pace and showcase his strength.

However, not long after he set off, two chilling auras, like maggots clinging to his bones, quietly followed him.

A barely perceptible glint of cold light flashed in the night falcon's pure black eyes.

Judging from their auras, these two figures are most likely the two henchmen of that Ghost Nightmare.

It seems the other party doesn't intend to keep the provocation to just words.

In this trial ground, although the rules prohibit death or maiming, accidental injury, the loss of gains, or even accidental death are common occurrences.

"Very well." Night Falcon thought indifferently, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"I'll use you all to add some attention to my trial trip."

He neither sped up to escape nor looked back, but maintained his original speed, moving unhurriedly into the depths of the wasteland, as if he knew nothing of the tail behind him.

The first act of the Shadow Valley Trial officially began under the dim sky of the Shadow Beast Wasteland... (End of Chapter)