The road to the capital was unlike any path I had walked before.
No broken villages.
No roaming bandits.
No scattered corpses along the roadside.
Everything was… orderly.
Too orderly.
Stone roads stretched straight toward the horizon, wide enough for ten carriages to pass side by side. Patrols of armored soldiers moved in precise formations, their armor polished, their movements disciplined.
This wasn't the Outer Domain anymore.
This was the heart of power.
The system panel hovered in my vision.
[DING!]
Entering High-Tier Zone.
Location: Capital Outer Territory.
Environmental threat level: High.
Detected energy density: Increased.
Recommended action:
Cautious engagement.
I smiled faintly.
"Caution was never my style."
By noon, the capital walls came into view.
They weren't just tall.
They were overwhelming.
Massive black stone walls stretched across the horizon, rising like a mountain range carved by human hands. Golden runes glowed faintly across their surface, pulsing with ancient power.
Even from a distance, I could feel it.
Pressure.
Real pressure.
The system chimed.
[DING!]
Capital defense formations detected.
Power level: Extreme.
Forced entry survival probability: 0.03%.
I chuckled quietly.
"Good thing I was invited."
A long line of travelers stretched toward the main gate.
Merchants.
Cultivators.
Scholars.
Soldiers.
But no one caused trouble.
No one shouted.
No one fought.
Everyone waited their turn.
The capital didn't tolerate chaos.
When I stepped into line, several people glanced at me.
Some recognized me.
Whispers spread quietly.
"That's him…"
"The regional tyrant…"
"The one who beat the legion…"
Fear.
Respect.
Curiosity.
All mixed together.
The system pulsed softly.
[DING!]
Reputation detected.
Capital awareness: Emerging.
Fear absorption: Minor.
Power +3.
At the gate, two massive armored guards stood like statues.
Both radiated commander-level auras.
Stronger than most fighters I'd crushed in the region.
One of them raised a hand.
"Name," he said.
"Zhang Wei."
His eyes flickered slightly.
Recognition.
He turned to the second guard.
"That's the one from the summons."
The second guard nodded.
"Let him through."
No inspection.
No questioning.
Just a silent path opening.
The massive gates creaked as I stepped inside.
The capital wasn't just a city.
It was a world.
Towering buildings stretched toward the sky, their rooftops covered in glowing formations. Wide streets bustled with movement. Elite cultivators walked openly, their auras restrained but powerful.
Even the air felt different.
Denser.
Richer.
The system chimed.
[DING!]
Capital energy field detected.
Passive growth: Reduced.
External pressure: Increased.
Growth method required:
High-tier combat or trials.
Perfect.
I walked through the streets calmly.
No one blocked my path.
But many stared.
Some with curiosity.
Some with disdain.
Some with open hostility.
A group of young cultivators stood near a training arena.
Their robes were clean.
Expensive.
Arrogant.
One of them sneered.
"So that's the regional tyrant?" he said loudly.
"He doesn't look like much."
His companions laughed.
Another stepped forward.
"You probably bullied some backwater gangs and thought you were strong," he said.
I stopped.
Turned.
And looked at them.
Silence fell instantly.
Fear Incarnate activated.
Their laughter died in their throats.
Their faces paled.
One of them stepped back unconsciously.
"W-what is that pressure?"
I didn't say a word.
I just looked at them.
Then turned and walked away.
No fight.
No humiliation.
Just fear.
The system chimed.
[DING!]
Capital intimidation effect successful.
Fear absorption: Minor.
Power +4.
By evening, I reached the central district.
The buildings grew taller.
More refined.
Guards stood at every corner.
At the center of it all stood a massive palace-like structure.
The Evaluation Hall.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Primary destination detected.
Capital Evaluation Hall.
Event trigger: Imminent.
I stepped forward.
Two elite guards blocked the entrance.
"Summons?" one asked.
I nodded.
He scanned me with a glowing crystal.
The crystal pulsed.
Then turned bright gold.
The guards' expressions changed.
Respect.
"Enter," they said.
Inside, the hall was massive.
High ceilings.
Polished stone floors.
Rows of seats arranged like an arena.
At the far end sat a group of elders.
All powerful.
All silent.
Watching.
At the center stood Elder Han.
The same man who had tested me in Blackstone.
He nodded slightly when he saw me.
"You arrived on time," he said.
"I don't like being late," I replied.
A few elders raised their brows at my tone.
But no one spoke.
Elder Han raised his hand.
"The evaluation will begin shortly," he announced.
Murmurs spread across the hall.
Dozens of other cultivators stood nearby.
All summoned.
All powerful.
All competitors.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Capital Evaluation Event detected.
Participants: 48
Average rank: Commander.
Peak threats detected.
Survival probability:
Event completion — 52%
Rewards:
System evolution trigger.
My blood stirred.
Forty-eight commanders.
All in one place.
All potential enemies.
All potential growth.
I smiled faintly.
"This place," I murmured,
"is perfect."
Because here—
Only the strong would survive.
And I had no intention of losing.