I am the Thunder Emperor in the fight

The Shadow Palace and Night Falcon Cave were fully opened, isolating the inside from the outside.

In the center of the quiet room, the night falcon sat cross-legged with its eyes slightly closed.

In the void before him floated the 'Dark Origin Star Essence', a gift from the Black Abyss Ancestor.

Inside the dark crystal, the star-like points of light were slowly shifting, emitting an increasingly rich aura of darkness and star essence, illuminating the entire quiet room in a deep and mysterious light, as if one were standing under an endless dark starry sky.

"It's time," Night Falcon murmured to himself.

He took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and slowly injected a stream of pure dark spiritual energy into the crystal to activate it.

hum!
The Dark Source Star Marrow trembled slightly, then burst forth with light several times stronger than before!

Thick, ink-like streams of dark energy, yet shimmering with starlight, seemed to come alive as they gushed forth from the crystal, transforming into countless fine black ribbons of light that slowly coiled around the Night Falcon's body.

And it seeped into his body continuously through his mouth, nose, and pores.

This energy is pure and gentle. As soon as it enters the body, it quickly blends with the dark spiritual power of the Night Falcon, as if they were originally from the same source.

It not only nourishes the meridians and tempers the flesh and bones, but also contains a trace of the essence of darkness and the will of the stars, penetrating deep into the soul, nourishing the spirit, and broadening the breadth and depth of his understanding of the power of darkness.

Night Falcon used the guiding method of the Dark Ancestral Symbol to methodically refine and absorb this vast energy.

His aura began to rise at a steady and rapid pace!
The threshold of becoming a supreme being was easily pierced through, like a thin sheet of paper, under the impact of such pure and powerful primordial energy!
boom!
Inside the quiet room, dark energy surged wildly, forming a miniature black hole vortex that frantically devoured the energy released by the crystal.

The Night Falcon's Supreme Sea expanded rapidly, its meridians were widened and reshaped, and the quality of its spiritual power underwent a qualitative leap.

An aura far more powerful, refined, and profound than that of a half-step upper-level supreme being erupted from his body, sweeping across the entire quiet room, causing even the sturdy walls and restrictions to tremble slightly.

Supreme Earthly Sovereign!
In just three days, thanks to the miraculous effects of the Dark Origin Star Essence, Night Falcon naturally stepped into a realm that many Earthly Sovereigns dreamed of!
The dark spiritual energy flowing around him was even deeper and darker in color, with faint starlight embellishments. Not only had the total amount increased dramatically, but its purity and control had also reached a new level. With every move he made, it seemed as if he could summon a small shadow domain.

However, the night falcon did not stop.

The energy of the Dark Origin Star Marrow remained immense, propelling his cultivation to continue its upward surge!

The early stage of the Upper Earthly Sovereign is stable... moving towards the middle stage... and even faintly touching the edge of the Great Perfection of the Earthly Sovereign!

Just as his aura was about to break through a certain limit and move towards a higher level, the Night Falcon's pure black eyes suddenly opened, a sharp light flashing in them.

"Breaking through to the Great Perfection at this moment would attract too much attention, and the foundation may not be perfectly solid. The peak of the Upper Earthly Sovereign is enough!"

His mind raced, and he forcefully activated the sealing power of the Dark Ancestral Symbol, combining it with his own powerful will, to suppress, channel, and re-settle the immense energy that was about to break through the barrier back into his limbs and the depths of the Supreme Sea!
Part of it was used to further temper his physical body and soul, part was transformed into a more solid foundation, and another part was quietly introduced into the Dark Ancestral Symbol and temporarily sealed away as a trump card.

This process may seem simple, but it is actually dangerous. It requires absolute and precise control over one's own power, and the slightest carelessness will result in an energy backlash.

But the Night Falcon did it with ease. When its aura reached the peak of the Upper Earth Supreme Realm and was faintly touching the level of the Half-Step Great Perfection Realm, it stopped steadily and quickly stabilized.

The Dark Origin Star Essence had dimmed considerably and shrunk in size, indicating a significant loss of energy. However, it was not completely depleted, and the remaining portion was carefully stored away by the Night Falcon for future consolidation or other uses.

He slowly rose, feeling the vast power surging within him.

At this moment, his apparent cultivation level is already at the peak of the Upper Earthly Sovereign. His true combat strength, combined with the Dark Ancestral Symbol and many other methods, is enough to rival or even suppress ordinary Earthly Sovereigns at the Great Perfection!
Combined with the Dark Ancestral Symbol and increasingly sophisticated Shadow Arts, its threat level is now on a completely different level.

“This level should be enough to gain sufficient influence and opportunities in the Nightshade Realm.” Night Falcon clenched his fist, dark spiritual energy flowing between his fingers, carrying a powerful sense of strength.

With his foundation and resources, and with the help of the Dark Origin Star Essence, it wouldn't be impossible for him to break through to the Great Perfection of the Earthly Supreme Realm in one fell swoop, but Night Falcon knew that too much of a good thing could be bad.

With the opening of the Night Mystic Realm imminent, he has painstakingly infiltrated the Black Body Ancient Clan for several years, all for this moment. If his strength increases too much and arouses suspicion from those with ulterior motives, then Night Falcon's efforts will truly be in vain.

The day after he had stabilized his cultivation and familiarized himself with his new power, Elder Heiming's message arrived.

Night Falcon quickly calculated that the opening of the Night Mystic Realm was only a few days away. The Black Nether Elder's message at this time... could it be...?

Thinking of this, a smile appeared on the Night Falcon's lips, and without saying another word, he rushed towards the Netherworld Palace.

Upon entering the Netherworld Palace once more, Night Falcon could sense that Elder Black Nether's gaze upon him was more profound, solemn, and even carried a hint of undisguised astonishment than ever before.

"Peak of the Upper Earthly Supreme... Good, very good!" Elder Heiming's voice was filled with obvious satisfaction.

"The Dark Origin Star Marrow is indeed incredibly effective. Your own accumulation and control have also far exceeded my expectations. It seems that the Ancestor's judgment was indeed correct."

"It is all thanks to the elders' guidance and the ancestor's grace," Night Falcon said, bowing respectfully.

Elder Heiming waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down, his expression turning serious: "I have summoned you here today because of a matter of utmost importance."

Night Falcon felt a chill run down its spine, knowing that the real topic was about to be discussed.

"The three-year period is approaching, and the Night Sacrifice Ceremony will be held soon, and you..." Elder Black Nether stared intently at the Night Falcon.

"Based on my outstanding performance over the past two years, especially my victory over the Holy Maiden Tai Ling at this exchange meeting and my achievement of bringing glory to our clan, I have been granted the qualification to enter the 'Night Mystic Realm' after submitting my petition and with the permission of the Ancestor!"

Although it was expected, hearing the news with his own ears still gave the Night Falcon a slight jolt.

The Mysterious Realm of Night: The Key Path to the Ancient Body of the Night God!

After years of careful lying in wait, he finally got his ticket!
"Thank you, Elder!" Night Falcon said in a deep voice, suppressing his excitement.

"Don't rush to thank me." Elder Heiming's expression was not relaxed, but rather more solemn.

"Gaining qualification is only the first step. The Night Mystic Realm is not an easy path. It is full of dangers and the competition is more intense than you can imagine."

There are fifty young people who qualified this time, including you.

These fifty people represent almost the pinnacle of our Black Sky Ancient Clan's strength in this generation.

He paused, then slowly said, "Of these fifty people, there are ten you need to pay special attention to."

They are the most likely opponents to reach the end of this journey through the secret realm and compete for the ultimate inheritance opportunity; they are also your greatest threat.

The night falcon listened intently.

"Based on the current comprehensive assessment within the clan, these ten people will be temporarily ranked internally." Elder Hei Ming pointed lightly on the table.

"Ranked sixth to tenth are Hei Wufeng, who was just defeated by the Holy Maiden Tai Ling but has made some breakthroughs; Gu Yanluo, who has been cultivating in seclusion under Elder Yin Gu; and three others from powerful collateral branches or direct descendants of elders, whose strength is at least at the peak of the Upper Earthly Supreme, and some even have half-step Great Perfection."

These people are all incredibly powerful and resourceful; you must be careful.

Night Falcon nodded; all of this was within his expectations. While Hei Wufeng and the others were indeed formidable, with his current strength, he was confident he could contend with them, or even defeat them.

Elder Heiming changed the subject, his tone becoming even more somber: "But what you really need to be wary of are the top five."

"Fifth place, Shadow Killer Mo Ying, has a mysterious background and is suspected to be related to an old ancestor in the clan who has long since retired from worldly affairs."

He constantly walks the line between life and death, carrying out the most secretive and dangerous assassination and reconnaissance missions, and his cultivation level is at the Great Perfection of the Earthly Supreme.

His stealth skills were unparalleled among his contemporaries; his attacks were always deadly, he never missed, his whereabouts were elusive, and his nature was unfathomable.

"The fourth place, Ghost Mother Youlian, is not a living person, but the reincarnation of the remnant soul of an ancient ghost master, who was adopted and raised by an ancestor in the clan."

His cultivation level is at the Great Perfection of the Earthly Sovereign realm. He is proficient in the Way of Ten Thousand Ghosts and soul attacks, controls an army of undead, and is unpredictable and elusive. He has extremely high resistance to physical attacks, and his weakness may lie in his extreme yang energy or special purifying power.

"Third place, Dark Star Annihilation, is a hybrid descendant of the Black Sky Ancient Clan and the Northern Desert Star Clan, and is naturally affinity-for-darkness and star power."

His cultivation level was also at the Great Perfection of the Earthly Sovereign realm. His power was ferocious, possessing both the corrosive power of darkness and the destructive force of stars. His physical body was formidable, his fighting style was expansive and powerful, and his destructive strength was immense. He was also aloof and disliked forming alliances.

With each word Elder Black Nether spoke, Night Falcon's heart sank a little further.

Earthly Supreme Perfection! And each one has its own strange and powerful aspects!

Any one of these three could be the biggest obstacle to his trip.

Besides, the first two Black Nether Elders have not yet been revealed, which clearly makes them even more troublesome!

"Second place, Tianyin Nuyue Wushuang." Elder Heiming's voice carried a rare hint of apprehension.

"A prodigy who has never been seen in the main lineage, possessing the rare Taiyin Dark Body, a perfect combination of darkness and Taiyin power."

His cultivation level is at the Great Perfection of the Earthly Supreme Realm, and he has been immersed in this realm for a long time, with an unfathomable foundation.

This woman is skilled at using the power of Yin to freeze the soul and the power of darkness to erode all things. The combination of the two amplifies her power. She is also far-sighted and resourceful, and has a variety of methods. She is recognized as one of the most promising candidates to inherit the ancient body of the Night God.

She rarely shows herself, but every time she does, it's earth-shattering.

Night Falcon frowned slightly. This Yue Wushuang sounded even more troublesome than the previous three. Not only was he extremely strong, but he was also very meticulous.

"As for the first place..." Elder Hei Ming took a deep breath, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

No one knows his real name; everyone just calls him Night Emperor.

"Night Emperor?" Night Falcon murmured, repeating.

"Indeed, its origins are shrouded in mystery, as if it appeared out of thin air, yet it has received unanimous recognition and resource allocation from several of the oldest members of the clan."

His cultivation level... is unfathomable. It is generally acknowledged that he has surpassed the ordinary realm of the Great Perfection of the Supreme Being, touching the edge of the Heavenly Supreme Being, and may even have one foot already in that position!

Elder Hei Ming said in a heavy tone, "He rarely participates in clan affairs and has always been cultivating in seclusion in the deepest part of the ancestral land. It is said that when the Night Mystic Realm opened this time, several ancestors and two clan leaders personally requested him to enter."

If we were to say who in the Black Heaven Ancient Clan has the greatest chance of inheriting the Night God's ancestral body over thousands of years, then the Night Emperor would undoubtedly be among the top three. Even the two clan leaders praised him as having the potential to become a saint.

This person is a true monster; unless absolutely necessary, one should never confront him!

Night Emperor!
Surpassing the Great Perfection of Earthly Supreme, touching the edge of Heavenly Supreme!

A slight tremor ran through the Night Falcon's heart.

The younger generation of the Black Sky Ancient Clan actually harbors such a terrifying figure!

The top five were all at the Great Perfection of Earthly Sovereign, and each one was more bizarre and powerful than the last!
In comparison, Hei Wufeng only ranked sixth, and that was only after it was said that he had already broken through to the half-step Great Perfection stage, so it was indeed not unfair.

"Now, do you understand what you're about to face?" Elder Black Nether looked at Night Falcon.

"Among the top five, any one of them possesses the strength to easily suppress ordinary high-ranking Earthly Sovereigns."

If you wish to gain something in the secret realm, or even compete for its inheritance, besides your own strength and opportunities, you also need wisdom, caution, and even... the necessary alliances and trade-offs.

Night Falcon remained silent for a moment, then his pure black eyes regained their composure: "Disciple understands, thank you for informing me, Elder."

Within the secret realm, this disciple will act prudently and within my capabilities, and will never fail the elder's expectations.

He knew this intelligence was crucial.

The competition in the Night Mystery Realm was far more brutal than he had imagined.

The top five are like five towering mountains, blocking our way.

But as a dignified avatar of the Thunder Emperor, how could he be afraid of such things!
"Very good." Elder Heiming nodded, then gave some instructions on preparations and precautions before the opening of the secret realm, and finally said meaningfully.

"Night Falcon, remember, in the secret realm, danger and opportunity coexist. Sometimes, the seemingly most impossible path may be the way to survival."

Your path of shadow is ever-changing; perhaps you'll find a unique way there. Go, prepare well, and I await your performance on the day of the grand ceremony.

Night Falcon bowed and took his leave, departing from the Netherworld Palace.

Back in his cave, he stood there for a long time.

Those five names echoed in my mind.

Mo Ying, You Lian, Chen Mie, Yue Wushuang, Ye Tianzi.

A pressure, as real as darkness, enveloped my heart.

But what followed was an even stronger fighting spirit and desire.

"Touching the Heavenly Sovereign... Night Emperor..." A cold smile slowly curved the corners of Night Falcon's lips.

"Only opponents like this can pique my interest."

"Night Mystic Realm... Ancient Body of the Night God... I have arrived!"

He closed his eyes and began making final, all-out preparations for the upcoming Night Sacrifice Ceremony and the journey to the secret realm.

A fierce battle, gathering the strongest prodigies of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan, is about to unfold in the mysterious Night Realm! (End of Chapter)