I am the Thunder Emperor in the fight

On the Nine Nether Platform, Night Falcon knelt on one knee, his breathing disordered, blood stained the corner of his mouth.
With his cultivation at the half-step Earthly Supreme level, and relying on the mysterious power of the broken sacred artifact and the Dark Ancestral Symbol, he narrowly defeated the true Lower Earthly Supreme, Hei Huang. This scene was deeply imprinted in the hearts of all the spectators.

Then, whether due to injury or to concealing its strength, the Night Falcon did not make another move.

After all, his achievement of defeating a lower-level Earthly Sovereign had already caused a great sensation. It is likely that the title of genius has been bestowed upon him, and it is unlikely that the high-ranking figures of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan would turn a blind eye to him.

After this battle, the subsequent competitions were not very interesting. After all, apart from Hei Huang, the positions of the other two Earthly Sovereigns were unshakeable, especially the Upper Earthly Sovereign, who was obviously the strongest and the undisputed number one, and no one dared to challenge him.

The following competition was conducted among a group of half-step Earthly Supremes, whose strength was clearly not as amazing as that of the Night Falcon.

After half a day of intense competition, the trial came to an end.

As the majestic voice in the sky announced the end of the trial and the determination of the top ten, the teleportation light enveloped the last ten people on the Nine Nether Platform.

As the light and shadow shifted, the Night Falcon had returned to the familiar plaza outside Shadow Valley.

The square had already been filled with more members of the Black Sky Ancient Clan and onlookers who had come after hearing the news. The number of people had increased rather than decreased since the start of the trial, and the atmosphere was even more heated.

When the Night Falcon and the other top ten figures appeared, countless gazes, filled with awe, curiosity, envy, or inquiry, were cast upon them, especially upon the Night Falcon, whose face was pale, whose breath was weak, yet whose spine remained straight.

Above Shadow Valley, the three Shadow Palace guides reappeared.

The voice of the person in the center remained cold, but it was more solemn than before. He began to announce the final rankings and rewards.

"The Trial of the Dark Night has concluded. The final judgment of the Nine Nether Platform determines the top ten as follows!"

"At the top of the list, Black Fang."

As soon as a name was uttered, everyone's gaze turned to a black-robed youth standing at the very front, with a burly build, a cold and hard face, and an aura as deep as the ocean.

The shadow power surrounding him was heavy and profound, indicating that he had already reached the cultivation level of a high-ranking Earthly Sovereign!
Moreover, its bloodline is pure and ancient, clearly indicating that one of its parents must be a true direct descendant of the Black Sky Ancient Clan.

He didn't flaunt his abilities during the trials, but he crushed all his opponents with absolute strength, making him the undisputed champion.

"Second place, You Li."

This was a woman with a graceful figure and a face shrouded in a hazy black veil. Her aura was deep and mysterious, and her cultivation was at the peak of the Lower Earthly Supreme level, seemingly even stronger than Hei Huang. Her methods were unpredictable.

"Third place in the rankings, Night Falcon."

When the name was pronounced, a suppressed gasp and murmur arose in the square.

Although I witnessed the miraculous battle on the Nine Nether Platform, hearing that Night Falcon was indeed among the top three was still shocking.

A half-step Earthly Supreme being overpowered a lower-level Earthly Supreme genius to claim the third-place ranking is extremely rare in previous Dark Night Trials!

The next four through tenth place are all formidable individuals, including Black Emperor, who was defeated by Night Falcon and ranked fourth, whose performance and strength were still recognized in the early stages, as well as several other strong individuals who emerged from the melee.

After the announcement was finished, the guide continued, "Those who rank in the top ten will be able to enter the 'Shadow Hall' of my Black Heaven Ancient Clan for further study, receive more profound shadow inheritance, and enjoy the treatment of core disciples."

"Furthermore, additional rewards will be given according to the ranking."

"The top-ranked Mo Feng is hereby granted one 'Ancient Shadow Crystal Core', which can help him comprehend the laws of darkness, and one 'Shadow Escape Shuttle', a high-level sacred artifact."

"You, the second-place finisher, is hereby granted a piece of 'Nine Nether Soul Jade' to nourish your soul and ward off inner demons, and a piece of 'Nightfall Robe' mid-tier sacred artifact armor."

"The third-ranked Night Falcon." The envoy's gaze fell on the Night Falcon, and after a pause, he said, "I hereby grant you the right to soak in the 'Ancient Black Heaven Pool' once, for a period of seven days, and a mid-tier sacred artifact called 'Touch of Eternal Night'."

The announcement of the awards has once again caused a stir.

Black Heaven Ancient Pool!

That is a treasure land in the core area of ​​the Black Sky Ancient Clan. The pool water is formed by the purest dark source power mixed with many rare and precious materials. For cultivators who practice dark attribute techniques, it has the miraculous effect of cleansing their marrow, consolidating their foundation, and even helping them break through bottlenecks!

Only core disciples who have made great contributions or possess exceptional talent can obtain the qualification to soak.

"Touch of Eternal Night," as its name suggests, is a mid-tier sacred relic closely related to darkness, whether for attack or support, and is priceless.

Night Falcon's heart stirred slightly, but he remained calm on the surface and bowed in thanks.

These two rewards, especially the Black Heaven Ancient Pool, are exactly what he urgently needs right now!
This could provide him with a perfect excuse and environment to "break through" to the lower-level supreme realm.

"Three days from now, someone will lead you to the Shadow Palace to receive your rewards. Now, go back and rest." After the messenger finished speaking, his figure slowly disappeared.

Ignoring the various gazes around him, Night Falcon, under the slightly complicated and even more serious instruction of the Deacon You, left the square with the people of the Black Nether faction and returned to the quiet room arranged by the Night Night Pavilion in Shadow City.

For the next three days, the Night Falcon stayed indoors, focusing on healing and recuperating.

The battle with Hei Huang, especially the final forced activation of the Dark Ancestral Symbol's origin to detonate the remnants of the sacred artifact, caused a severe backlash, and he needs time to recover.

At the same time, he carefully analyzed the gains and losses of this trial, gained a more intuitive understanding of the strength of the younger generation within the Black Sky Ancient Clan, and had a clearer plan for his next actions as the "Night Falcon".

With the addition of the Shadow Palace, the next step is to officially enter the core of the Black Sky Ancient Clan. Before coming into contact with the Night God Ancient Body, one must proceed with extreme caution.

Three days later, a black-robed deacon dressed in the distinctive attire of the Shadow Palace, exuding a profound aura, arrived at the Nightfall Pavilion to personally guide the Night Falcon.

After passing through layers of rigorous teleportation arrays and checks, Night Falcon finally stepped into the true core area of ​​the Black Sky Ancient Clan.

The sky here is not pure darkness, but a deep, dark purple, as if it were the boundary between eternal twilight and night.

Above the earth, mountains rise and fall, buildings stand tall and majestic, their style more ancient, grand and solemn than that of Shadow City. The dark spiritual energy flowing in the air is several times more pure and concentrated, and one can even faintly feel the pulse of the vast and boundless dark origin deep within the earth.

Located in the southwest of the core area, the Shadow Palace is a vast palace complex entirely made of obsidian. Its towering buildings, with upturned eaves, are carved with countless mysterious shadow runes, exuding a solemn and mysterious aura.

The black-robed deacon led Night Falcon to a side hall, where he completed the entry procedures and received an identity token representing a core disciple of the Shadow Hall, along with clothing and some basic cultivation resources.

Then, he was led to another important place, the Black Heaven Ancient Pool.

The Black Heaven Ancient Pool is not an open-air pool, but rather located inside a heavily guarded black mountain. Passing through heavy stone gates and layers of restrictions, a huge, naturally formed cave comes into view.

In the center of the cave is a pool about a hundred feet in diameter. The water in the pool is not ordinary water, but a strange liquid that is as viscous as black jade, yet clear and transparent, with countless star-like points of light slowly flowing inside.

A rich, pure, and chilling aura of darkness, mixed with the scents of various rare and precious medicines, permeated the entire cave. Just one breath was enough to make one feel completely refreshed and invigorated.

“Junior Brother Night Falcon, you have three days. The energy in the pool is domineering, so you must proceed step by step and not be greedy. Whether you can break through with this depends on your fate. When the time is up, someone will come to pick you up.”

After giving his instructions, the black-robed deacon withdrew, and the heavy stone door slowly closed.

Inside the cave, only the Night Falcon remained, along with the Black Heaven Ancient Pool, which contained astonishing energy.

Night Falcon did not immediately enter the pool. He first carefully sensed the energy composition of the pool water, and only after confirming that there was no danger did he take off his outer garment and slowly step into the pool.

The pool water was icy cold, but the moment it touched the skin, a pure, gentle yet immensely powerful dark energy surged into the body through the pores!

This energy is different from ordinary spiritual power; it is closer to the origin of darkness and has a divine effect of nourishing all things and purifying impurities.

The night falcon dared not be negligent and immediately sat cross-legged in the pool, leaving only its mouth and nose exposed.

He circulated his spiritual power, guiding the energy of the pool water to flow through his meridians, tempering his physical body, nourishing his soul, and solidifying his foundation.

At the same time, the dark ancestral symbol within his body was also quietly operating, absorbing the most refined dark essence from the pool water with a higher level of devouring and refining efficiency.

This was not to significantly enhance strength, but to perfectly simulate the breakthrough process and take the opportunity to further purify and solidify the dark attribute foundation of this clone, making it more compatible with the environment of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan, without any flaws.

For the first five days, he mainly used it to absorb energy and cleanse the subtle impurities in his meridians, so that his cultivation as a half-step Earthly Sovereign could reach true perfection and flawlessness, and he was only a thin layer of paper away from becoming a Lower Earthly Sovereign.

On the sixth day, he began to try to break through the bottleneck.

He frantically absorbed the energy of the pool water, and under the guidance of the Dark Ancestral Symbol, launched repeated attacks on his dantian and acupoints throughout his body.

He deliberately suppressed the support of the Dark Ancestral Symbol, relying solely on the Night Falcon's inherent talent and accumulated experience to make his breakthrough. The process seemed somewhat difficult, but it was precisely because of this that it felt incredibly real.

His aura fluctuated violently in the pool, sometimes rising and sometimes falling, and faint black patterns appeared on the surface of his body.

On the seventh day, the most crucial moment arrived.

The Night Falcon adjusted itself to its optimal state, and the energy accumulated within its body reached a critical point.

Without further hesitation, he guided all forces to launch a final assault on that last bulwark!

boom!
The pool water churned violently, and the pure dark energy inside the cave formed a small vortex, surging wildly into it with the Night Falcon at its center!
A soft sound, as if something were breaking, came from within him, and his aura suddenly surged, breaking through an invisible boundary!

The lower level supreme!
A surge of dark spiritual energy, several times more concentrated and purer than before, emanated from him, causing ripples to spread across the pool water.

His tightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open, and within his pure black pupils, it seemed as if a dark river of stars flowed, incredibly deep.

He succeeded!

At least on the surface, he is already a lower-level supreme being!
Although it was only a minor breakthrough from "half-step" to "lower level", thanks to the miraculous effects of the Black Heaven Ancient Pool and the solid foundation he had laid before, this breakthrough was exceptionally stable, with a solid aura and no sense of emptiness.

Furthermore, under the covert influence of the Dark Ancestral Symbol, the purity and refinement of his newly promoted Lower Earthly Sovereign spiritual power far surpassed that of his peers, faintly carrying a chilling aura of dark origin pressure.

The seven days have just come to an end.

When the black-robed deacon opened the stone door again, he saw Night Falcon with a calm demeanor and profound gaze, who had successfully advanced to the lower-level Earthly Sovereign realm. A hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.

In just seven days, he advanced from a half-step Earthly Sovereign to a lower-level Earthly Sovereign. Such talent is rare even among the Black Heaven Ancient Clan.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Night Falcon. It seems you've gained a lot from this trip." A hint of approval and goodwill flashed in the black-robed deacon's eyes. Being able to break through in one fell swoop with the help of the Black Heaven Ancient Pool also proved his potential.

"Thank you, Steward. It was just a fluke," Night Falcon said humbly, rising from the pool, using his spiritual energy to evaporate the water vapor, and changing into the Shadow Palace's attire.

At this moment, he was wearing a black robe embroidered with the Shadow Palace emblem, with a core disciple token hanging at his waist. His aura was calm and restrained, yet it revealed an undeniable sharpness, already showing some of the demeanor of a core genius of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan.

After leaving the Black Heaven Ancient Pool, the black-robed deacon led him to collect the mid-tier sacred artifact reward, the Touch of Eternal Night.

It was a pair of black gloves, as thin as a cicada's wing and almost transparent, woven from some strange material, cool and supple to the touch.

Once you put them on, the gloves automatically conform to the skin of your palms, as if they weren't there.

With a slight thought, incredibly sharp, retractable threads of dark energy extend from the fingertips of the gloves. These threads are tough and sharp enough to cut through metal and stone, and can amplify the transmission and burst of dark spiritual power. They are especially suitable for performing precise shadow manipulation and close combat techniques, which are quite compatible with the Night Falcon's fighting style.

Although it is only a mid-level sacred object, its practical properties make it quite valuable.

After receiving his reward, Night Falcon officially moved into a private cave dwelling assigned to him by the Shadow Palace.

The cave dwelling is located on a mountain peak in the outer area of ​​the Shadow Palace. The environment is secluded and the shadow power is abundant. It is equipped with basic restrictions, which is considered the standard treatment for core disciples.

Standing before the new cave dwelling, Night Falcon gazed at the even more majestic and mysterious core building complex of the Black Sky Ancient Clan under the dark purple sky in the distance, his pure black eyes calm and undisturbed.

With the qualification to study at the Shadow Palace, the breakthrough to the lower-level Earthly Sovereign in the Black Heaven Ancient Pool, and the mid-level sacred artifact in hand... the first step of the infiltration plan has been exceeded.

Using his identity as Night Falcon, he successfully infiltrated the core area of ​​the Black Sky Ancient Clan and gained considerable attention and resources.

Next, one must steadily improve one's status within the Shadow Palace, gain access to more core inheritances and secrets, and at the same time, seek out any information about the Night God's Ancient Body.

The real competition begins now.

And he has already secured a good position under the veil of darkness.

However, it is unknown how many unknown undercurrents and deadly dangers are hidden beneath the deep pool of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan.

But he was fearless, for behind him sat the true self, seated upon the throne of thunder… (End of Chapter)