The following day dawned clear and full of vitality upon Azhura’k’s back.

The golden sun rose above the End Mountains, its rays spreading like fingers of light across the vast dark plain of the ancestral beast’s back.

The air was cool, filled with the scent of damp earth and wild vegetation, an aroma that many residents of the Sky Caravan had never experienced before.

Birds sang in the distance, their melodies blending with the sound of the wind sweeping between the buildings. Smaller spiritual beasts moved among the trees growing along the city’s edges, curious about the presence of humans.

Kyrian woke from the same dream. That colossal eye. The endless darkness. The Black Points scattered like stars across an empty sky, pulsing with a life of their own.

Even after landing, Azhura’k still seemed to be in pain. Somehow, Kyrian could feel it, a profound sorrow echoing through his dreams like a distant lament.

He had no idea why he kept seeing that eye or whether the beast was somehow communicating with him. It was a mystery that remained unanswered, a question that refused to be resolved.

He merely sighed and got up, putting on a simple purple robe and arranging his hair with practiced movements.

The fabric was plain but comfortable, and its color matched his violet eyes. He adjusted the collar and tied his hair into a low bun, brushing a few loose strands away from his face.

Kyrian had heard yesterday that the four great auctions would only begin at nightfall.

He had decided to dedicate the first day of the Celestial Descent to exploration and preparation.

There was no rush for the auctions. The finest items usually appeared during the final days, when the great powers had already filled their coffers and the true treasures were finally revealed.

He left the courtyard early and immersed himself in the pulsating energy of the expanded city.

The new arenas and platforms built around the Caravan were already bustling with activity. Kyrian walked among them, carefully observing the participants’ movements, techniques, and cultivation levels.

There were competitions for nearly every cultivation realm.

Smaller arenas for cultivators of the Qi Accumulation Realm, where young beginners demonstrated their basic techniques with enthusiasm and determination.

Some could barely control their Qi flow, their flames flickering or their barriers collapsing, but their eyes shone with the promise of growth and learning.

Slightly larger platforms for those in the Qi Release Realm, where more complex battles unfolded.

Elemental techniques had begun to appear, gusts of wind slicing through the air, fire projectiles exploding upon impact, and earthen barriers rising from the ground. The combatants already displayed a certain mastery over their respective paths.

And medium-sized platforms for the Core Formation Realm, where most of the Caravan’s young, and not-so-young, talents had gathered.

There, Kyrian could see cultivators from the First to the Ninth Stage, each using their own techniques and fighting styles. Some wielded swords, others axes, while others relied solely on their hands and Qi.

Farther in the distance stood magnificent stages reserved for cultivators of the Spiritual Awakening Realm. These were still relatively empty, as true cultivators of that level usually appeared closer to the end of the festival, when the most valuable prizes were at stake and genuine rivalries came to light.

The main competitions would also take place later, attended by thousands of spectators and representatives of the Caravan’s various factions.

After wandering for a while, Kyrian stopped before a particularly eye-catching golden sign, gleaming beneath the sunlight with embedded runes pulsing softly with energy.

"Alchemy Competition – Open Division"

"Grand Prize: Complete Rank 6 Pill Formula from the Eastern Territory – ’Earth Dragon Mist.’"

His eyes lit up. He was already planning to begin refining Rank 6 pills soon, even though his cultivation still needed to advance before he could do so.

It was well known that only those possessing a powerful flame at the peak of the Spiritual Awakening Realm or above could refine such pills, a barrier separating ordinary alchemists from true masters.

Kyrian was still far from that level, but he wanted to gain an understanding of those pills, their structure, their complexity, and what made them so extraordinary.

Obtaining a high-level pill formula in advance would be an enormous advantage. Without hesitation, he registered.

"Your participation has been confirmed," the organizer said, writing his name onto a scroll with golden ink that shimmered beneath the light.

"The preliminary rounds begin in two days. Be here at dawn."

Satisfied, Kyrian continued walking. Shortly afterward, he stopped before the grand central arena where what appeared to be a Core Formation Realm competition was about to take place.

The structure was magnificent, a raised ring of dark stone with protective runes engraved across its surface, glowing with a bluish light, surrounded by wooden grandstands that were already beginning to fill with eager spectators.

This was where he could truly fight.

After attempting to register, a white-bearded elder looked up at him.

His eyes were sharp and discerning, as though they could see through layers of Qi and perceive the true nature of every cultivator. His hands rested upon a dark wooden table covered with scrolls.

"Name and cultivation?" the elderly man asked, his voice hoarse yet firm.

"Kyrian."

Kyrian released a small portion of his power. The energy of the Fourth Stage of the Core Formation Realm emerged clearly, a stable pressure flowing through his meridians like a calm river.

At the same time, however, he allowed a trace of the Fourth Stage of the Qi Accumulation Realm from his third dantian to leak out.

The elder blinked in confusion. He frowned and checked again with his spiritual sense, which swept through Kyrian’s body with surgical precision, examining every meridian, every core, and every flow of energy.

"That is... strange. Two different energies and two different cultivation levels?" he muttered, stroking his wrinkled beard.

"You’re definitely at the Fourth Stage of the Core Formation Realm, but you also possess a Qi Accumulation Realm dantian at the same time... I’ve never seen anything like this."

"Well, as long as you’re within the tournament’s limits and belong to the Core Formation Realm... you’re registered. Your first match begins in twenty minutes, Arena Seven."