The Martial Gate trial is the moment for the four heirs—Lynn Chu and the others—to showcase their attack power. Right now, all four are still at the Immortal Lord realm, which is a bit weak, but it won’t be hard for them to break through to Immortal Emperor in the near future.
The Black Qilin strode to the center of the arena. “This Martial Gate trial is simple: all of you attack me. I’ll stand here without moving or fighting back. I’ll judge whose attack is strongest, and if anyone can actually force me back, you’ll qualify directly. Are you four ready?”
The Black Qilin’s identity was always shrouded in mystery. Everyone stared at him in confusion—anyone who could make such an arrogant claim must be terrifyingly powerful, but no one could tell just how strong he really was.
“We’re ready!” the four responded in perfect unison, each convinced that forcing him back a step would be easy. None of them realized that even Evan Chu’s Divine Cleave couldn’t move him, let alone their own attacks.
Lynn Chu was still the first to attack. She stopped about five meters from the Black Qilin, gripping a black longsword. Taking a deep breath, she flashed forward, leaving an afterimage as she slashed at the Black Qilin.
Her strike was powerful—the space around the arena shook violently. Everyone thought Lynn’s blow would surely force the Black Qilin back several steps, but the result left them all dumbfounded.
Lynn’s sword-qi landed squarely on the Black Qilin, but he didn’t move an inch. Her attack was like a stone sinking into the sea—utterly ineffective.
Lynn hadn’t expected this outcome and was briefly startled, but quickly accepted it. Since her father had chosen the examiner, he had to be someone truly monstrous. She’d given it her all—whether she qualified or not, she had no regrets.
“Your attack power is so-so, but you still need to work harder. Next!” the Black Qilin said blandly, leaving everyone in shock.
Evan Chu smiled faintly and quietly explained to those beside him, “Old Black’s defense is number one in the Immortal Realm. Even I have to go all out to push him back, so only he can fairly judge the Martial Gate’s outcome.”
Next up was Ethan Chu, who also unleashed his strongest martial skill, but just like Lynn, he couldn’t force the Black Qilin back at all. His expression turned a bit disappointed.
Soon, all four had attacked the Black Qilin, but none could move him. At this point, the Black Qilin turned to Evan Chu and said, “Young Master, the Martial Gate trial is complete. I can clearly tell whose attack power is strongest. Should I announce the result now?”
This was the most exciting moment—everyone held their breath, staring at the Black Qilin, guessing who had the strongest attack.
“Go ahead and announce it. Let everyone know who it is—I’m just as curious about which of the four siblings has the strongest attack,” Evan Chu said calmly.
“The person with the strongest attack is the first one who struck me—Lynn Chu. Even though she’s only at late Immortal Lord, her attack power rivals the peak of early-stage Immortal Emperor and can even compare to mid-stage Immortal Emperor. Her potential is enormous,” the Black Qilin said blandly.
Hearing this, a brilliant smile lit up Lynn Chu’s beautiful face. Beside Evan, Selena also smiled—her daughter hadn’t disappointed her; maybe the Palace Lord’s seat would really go to her.
“Are you sure there’s no mistake? We need to treat all four of them fairly,” Evan Chu emphasized.
“No mistake. Young Master knows my strength well—Lynn Chu’s attack power really is the strongest,” said the Black Qilin.
“Good. Now that both the Literary and Martial Gates are finished, I want to hear who everyone thinks should be the next Palace Lord. Let me ask a few people,” Evan Chu said calmly.
He pointed to a Frostbane Imperial Palace disciple below the stage. “Who do you think should inherit the Palace Lord position?”
The disciple hadn’t expected Evan Chu to single him out, and was flustered by the honor. He stammered, “I—I choose Young Palace Lord Lynn Chu! Because she’s the strongest.”
Evan Chu smiled and asked another person, but the answer was the same. After asking five people in a row, he understood—in a world where martial strength rules, everyone naturally chooses the strongest. Lynn Chu’s attack power made her the obvious candidate for Palace Lord in their hearts.
Lynn Chu was thrilled, now just waiting for Evan Chu to announce the result. She’d already resolved to manage Frostbane Imperial Palace even better than before, making it many times stronger and improving every city under its banner.
Evan Chu then addressed the crowd: “I think everyone already knows the answer—Lynn Chu is the people’s choice. If I picked anyone else, there’d be resentment. So I officially announce Lynn Chu as the next Palace Lord—the succession ceremony will be held in three days.”
As for Lena Chu, Cole Chu, and Ethan Chu, they’ll be appointed as chief elders to assist Lynn in managing the palace. I hope Frostbane Imperial Palace will prosper and grow ever stronger in your hands.”
Lynn Chu stepped forward and said respectfully, “Father, I won’t let you down. Please rest assured!”
“Very good. I hope you always keep the palace’s safety in mind. That way, after I ascend, I’ll have no worries left behind,” Evan Chu said with a smile.
With that, the succession trial ended. Though simple, it was thrilling. Ethan and the others hadn’t won the Palace Lord’s seat, but they weren’t disappointed—the result was already clear to them. Lynn was the eldest sister, and by tradition she was the natural heir; the contest simply gave everyone a fair chance and a public justification.
Afterward, Evan Chu returned to his room. Roxanne Lin followed him in, while the other wives stayed outside. They knew that ever since Evan returned from the Phoenix Clan, he’d gone straight to seclusion and hadn’t had any intimate time with Roxanne. With ascension imminent, they wanted to give the two enough time together.
Seeing Roxanne enter, Evan Chu smiled and asked, “Roxanne, after we ascend to the God Realm, it’ll be a whole new world. With our current strength, we’ll be like ants there, facing death at any moment. Are you afraid?”
“Evan, of course I’m not afraid. I bear the Divine Phoenix Bloodline—once it awakens, I’ll be a super powerhouse. Why would I be scared?” Roxanne replied calmly.
Evan was briefly stunned. He sensed Roxanne was different now—her tone had grown subtly arrogant, not as gentle and refined as before. He couldn’t help but wonder why she’d changed so much…