Fifth-Order Creation Light and the Profound Silent Chaos

"Really?"

Hearing Andrew Han's agreement, Serena Huang's face lit up with a trace of joy.

Though she rarely showed emotion, a distinct wave of feeling crossed her face—because she and Lily Huang were true sisters, always looking out for each other, always helping one another... Then, Serena realized she had misspoken.

To ask if it was true was almost like questioning him to his face.

Every Genius carries an unquestionable pride or solitary dignity.

Serena hurriedly explained, "Sorry, I wasn't doubting you—I'm just genuinely happy."

"It's fine," Andrew Han shook his head with a faint smile.

He never cared for those superficial formalities. Serena Huang, as a peak Stellar Palace-tier Primordial Genius, was always kind and never the least bit arrogant.

People should respect one another.

He took a sip of fruit juice, his mind growing clearer, and then asked, "I have a question. What exactly are the three-tier assessments of the Primordial Gate? I can't find any details."

If you don't know, just ask.

Knowing in advance is always better than being uncertain.

The main hall was quiet, filled with starlight and warmth. Serena Huang smiled gently and said, "Actually, the three-tier assessment is mainly about tempering: a test of mindset, a test of willpower, and a test of overall strength. The format of each assessment varies and is tailored to the individual."

Some are sent into illusions, others into real worlds.

The only constant is that each assessment usually takes a long time, its completion validated by the passage of time.

"Take my own case," Serena Huang lifted her crystal cup, her tone tinged with nostalgia. "My willpower assessment was to stand at the edge of a black hole, sensing its profound terror and persisting as long as possible."

There was no fixed standard for how long one had to endure.

So, until she passed the assessment, Serena pushed herself to the limit, never daring to relax for a moment. No one knows how to clear the three-tier tempering assessment—there’s simply no visible finish line.

"I see."

Andrew Han was suddenly enlightened.

The three-tier assessment is like three immense bridges spanning the ends of the world.

Once the assessment begins, you can only move forward—never backward, and never pause to rest. There is no finish line, no time limit, not even a clear goal. You can only wait for the supervising instructors to consult and decide when enough tempering has occurred.

"Interesting," Andrew mused inwardly, a sense of solemnity rising in his heart.

The Primordial Gate truly is extraordinary.

Since I am here, I must keep my feet firmly on the ground and never seek shortcuts or quick success.

Across from him, Serena Huang wore a luxurious lotus-pink robe, her manner unhurried. When Andrew finally looked up, she covered her mouth and laughed softly: "You don't need to worry too much. In fact, your starting point is already quite good. The vast majority of Geniuses first entering the Spark-Heritage Zone are placed in the Standard Gate—including myself back then."

Andrew was a bit surprised. "You rose up from the Standard Gate?"

Serena nodded serenely. "Yes."

Step by step, Serena climbed upward, rising from the Standard Gate into the Primordial Gate. Now, she sweeps through the Primordial Gate and is about to ascend to the Primeval Gate—a truly earth-shaking transformation.

"Impressive."

Andrew silently marveled.

The next moment, she continued: "Of the Four Great Star Gates, the Standard Gate has the most people. Pre-Genius cultivators who become Standard Geniuses, Standard Geniuses from all over the starry sky, as well as those who win Genius Wars in Human Territory and regional battles—all are assigned to the Standard Gate, so the number of Standard Geniuses reaches over three million."

"The Standard Gate residences are technological high-rise buildings."

"I still remember, back then, I was crammed into the same building with hundreds of others. Even though crystal-diamond walls separated us, I still felt suffocated inside... When I finally rose into the Primordial Gate, I wasn't excited—just deeply fulfilled."

Andrew listened quietly.

In cultivation and evolution, the accomplished always lead. In terms of life level and willpower, this stunningly beautiful woman, Serena Huang, far surpassed him.

"Where you are now doesn't matter," Serena said from the heart, her vast voice echoing in Andrew's ears like a morning bell or evening drum, carrying a penetrating power: "Where you will be in the future is what truly matters."

Andrew felt as if enlightened, realizing Serena was deliberately reminding him. He immediately straightened and said seriously, "Thank you for your guidance."

Whether it was steward Victor Wu or Serena Huang before him, both emphasized the same thing:

Foundation is everything. If you neglect your current foundation in pursuit of a distant dream, you will pay a heavy price.

Never neglect the present for the sake of some distant, illusory future. If you slack off now or let your attention slip, the price will be steep.

Before Andrew could ponder further, Serena Huang, recalling her own past, suddenly smiled and said, "So, may I ask if we can begin now?"

"What?"

Andrew asked in confusion.

Serena coughed softly and said, "You can self-select an opponent and issue a challenge at any time. The duel can be initiated ahead of schedule."

"Now?"

Andrew froze for a moment—he wasn't ready yet!

He didn’t like losing, but he was willing to face defeat. Besides, Random Duels weren’t life-or-death battles—there was nothing to hesitate about.

"Let’s do it, then!"

Andrew stood up, fighting spirit surging. Serena’s eyes widened briefly, then flickered with a hint of apology. There was no doubt—Andrew would lose this fight.

...

Moments later.

Beneath the twin-star spectacle.

Lily Huang, lively as a springtime youth, stood opposite Andrew, beaming with delight. Dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth. "Hehe, are you ready?"

Andrew nodded. "Go ahead."

"Hehe."

Lily Huang, sweet-faced and showing her small red tiger tooth, took two steps forward, came right up to Andrew, and with a casual motion of her pale hand, defeated him in one seamless move—no pause or hesitation.

In their first match, Andrew was utterly defeated.

...

Each star-year, ten Random Duels are held in total.

One star-year is roughly equivalent to ten average planetary years.

Time flowed like water, passing quietly. A year later, Lily Huang appeared again in a light green dress, bouncing over to Andrew with a crescent-moon smile and issued another challenge.

Andrew was still in his adaptation period and could have refused.

But the conditions offered by Serena Huang were truly generous. Andrew was on the verge of mastering his Profound Trait, Silent Chaos Seal, and had already identified the best choice for his next trait. Moreover, he now understood the strength stratification within the Primordial Gate.

This chapter isn't over yet ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!

If divided into upper, middle, and lower bands, Lily Huang counted as a relatively strong lower-band Primordial-tier Genius.

He himself, still at Fourth-Order Cosmic Light, remained among the weakest tier.

"Hehe, are you ready?" Lily Huang placed her hands on her hips, half boasting, half afraid Andrew might be upset, making for a rather amusing scene.

After all, this wasn’t a true competitive duel—Serena was simply helping her sister Lily avoid the risk of demotion.

As the ancients said, victory and defeat are common in the martial world, but how many can truly remain calm through it all?

"Go ahead."

Andrew let out a low laugh. What did a momentary win or loss matter?

"Punch!"

With a sweet voice, Lily Huang charged at him, baring her teeth and claws... Andrew lost for the second time.

—

Time flew by, and the third year arrived—Andrew’s third year in the Primordial Gate.

Inside the manor.

Deep within the main hall.

A plain figure in a drifting green robe sat cross-legged in midair, serene and unadorned, back to the entrance, faintly resonating with a transcendent truth.

Around him stood ten pots of flowers.

Each flower was black and white, with three petals each. They bloomed and withered in turn, symbolizing the passage of time.

Strangely enough,

Every pot of black-and-white flowers was perfectly identical, defying the usual rule that no two flowers are ever exactly the same.

Dong.

A steady, deep sound echoed through the hall, stirring gentle ripples.

The green-robed figure, head bowed and eyes closed, radiated a tranquil, far-reaching aura. He tapped his finger against a round white stone—neither wood nor metal, neither crystal nor diamond.

Dong.

Another soft echo.

Andrew’s finger landed on the white stone, which trembled imperceptibly—no cracks, no marks.

Dong, dong, dong—each unadorned tap was neither loud nor sharp, not deafening or cloud-piercing, but it echoed endlessly, suffused with a profound, enduring quiet.

Meanwhile, the ten flowerpots around him mirrored the cycles of sunrise and sunset.

Sometimes they bloomed, filling the air with a faint fragrance. Sometimes they withered and faded, returning to silent oblivion. Around Andrew, the flowers enacted a miniature cycle of life and death.

Just as the heart is free of distractions, one calmly observes the flowers bloom and fall.

Calm cultivates the body, simplicity nurtures virtue. The green-robed figure slowly opened his clear black-and-white eyes.

The air grew suddenly silent.

Andrew, in his green robe, lowered his gaze to the floating white stone before him. This was Essence-Light Stone, incomparably sturdy, capable of withstanding a full-force strike from a Stellar Palace-tier expert.

"Break."

Andrew murmured inwardly, tapping his finger down.

A delicate, exquisite sigil, shimmering with glazed light, spun at his fingertip, gathering all his power. It appeared out of thin air and landed on the white stone. With a crisp crackling sound, the Essence-Light Stone shattered to dust.

This was the Profound Trait: Silent Chaos Seal!

After three years, Andrew had finally mastered his first Profound Trait.

One strike!

Essence-Light Stone, shattered to dust!

The white stone that accompanied Andrew for three years was now reduced to powder, scattering through the air.

As the powder drifted, the hall grew tranquil, the air suddenly lifeless. Andrew’s eyes blazed with dazzling gold and crimson—brighter than words could describe. Gold and red illuminated the world, as solid as mountains, as deep as oceans.

Peak Starlight Tier!

Fifth-Order Creation Light!

Turning halfway, eyes aglow with gold and red, Andrew gazed through the translucent wall at the revolving twin stars. "Only with Fifth-Order Creation Light am I truly qualified to join the mainstream of the Primordial Gate... Three years of secluded cultivation, fivefold creation—I can finally begin the threefold assessment of the Primordial Gate."

—