Weapon seller in the world of magic-Chapter 695: The Sect Head Trials (Part-1)

Two days later;

Mark sat cross-legged in the quiet of his residence, with his eyes half-closed, while the faint hum of the AI echoed in the back of his mind.

On the floor beside him, dozens of adamantine gun parts floated in midair, assembling and disassembling themselves as Ark worked tirelessly, using Mark’s Creation ability to forge perfect weapons with no errors. But Mark’s focus was not on the guns. His mind was somewhere else entirely.

"This wedding..." he murmured quietly, opening his eyes a little, "is the best opportunity to strike a deal with the imperial family, and with the clans who are bold enough to support my declaration." His voice was calm, but his fingers tapped the floor. "By now, every influential clan in the dominion should have received the message. Even if not, then by the day of the wedding, they will know."

A quiet breeze slipped in through the window, rustling the curtains, as if acknowledging the turning wheels of fate.

Mark stood up, put on his outer robe, and stepped out of his residence at dawn.

The clan estate was bustling, the servants already preparing decorations, elders barking orders for arrangements, and disciples rushing from one courtyard to another with wedding-related tasks.

And as Mark walked through the main path, everyone bowed politely. But the moment he walked past them, the whispers began.

"I can’t believe he declared independence..."

"Still... he beat the former Patriarch. That means something."

"Or he’s dragging us all into disaster."

"Maybe he’s the savior our clan has been waiting for."

Admiration and resentment mixed in the air. Mark pretended not to hear anything. He had long gotten used to such reactions.

Later;

After arriving at the sect, he walked through the towering icy pillars that marked the entrance to the Sect Head Chamber. The halls were enormous, carved entirely of deep azure crystal, with frost drifting down like soft snowflakes.

Disciples from different tribes greeted him with polite bows, elf bloodlines, frost-borne humans, etc... The Ancient Lan Clan was pure, but the Azure Frost Sect/Lan Sect was not. It was vast, a melting pot of the entire dominion.

He entered the chamber.

Lan Yujin sat at the central seat of authority, composed and dignified as always. On his left and right stood the two Grand Elders of the sect, Elder Qiao Fei and Elder Yun Renshu. Their expressions were calm, but sharp, like men who had experienced centuries of storms together.

Even though Mark was the Patriarch of Lan Clan and the Lord of the entire dominion, here, inside the sect’s hierarchy, he was still officially a disciple.

He bowed deeply and cupped his fists. "I greet the Sect Head. I greet the two Grand Elders."

Yujin smiled warmly, an expression he had perfected over the decades. "Xiao Zhen, I heard you announced your wedding," he said while stroking his beard, the warmth in his tone completely masking the venom of the night before. "Ten days, was it?"

Mark nodded. "Yes. In ten days, I will marry Lan Xia."

A Grand Elder cleared his throat with visible displeasure. "Lan Zhen," he began, "at your ascension ceremony, when you declared independence... we elders would have preferred that you consulted us. Or at least the clan lords in the dominion. We held our tongues only because you inherited the position." His brows creased. "Your action was... reckless."

Mark shrugged lightly, his tone flat and unapologetic. "If I discussed it with you, it would never happen. And if it never happened, the imperial family would drag us down with the Ravager war. Someone has to protect the clan, even if the method is messy."

His words made a few elders exchange glances.

He continued, "Besides, we have Blizzard Pegasus. As long as that divine beast stays on our side, the imperial family will think twice before attacking. We don’t need to worry about Ravagers. We should focus on strengthening our forces before the grand expedition."

The chamber fell silent for a brief moment as the tension of earlier slowly faded, and it was the second Grand Elder, Yun Renshu, who broke the stillness. He leaned forward slightly, his long silver brows lowering as he spoke in a steady, respectful tone.

"Patriarch Lan," he said, "the Blizzard Pegasus is not merely our guardian. She is our deity. The moment she revealed herself during your ascension ceremony... we understood the message. The heavens have chosen you." He paused, letting the weight of the words linger. "So we accepted your declaration of independence as the will of the guardian. Even if it was abrupt, even if it shook the sect... even if we have complaints on the way you announced it, we shall trust your decision. So, you don’t have to worry about our opposite."

Mark blinked once. Coming from Yun Renshu, a former sect master, before Yujin, such trust felt helpful. A slow smile touched Mark’s lips.

But the Grand Elder was not done.

"And more importantly," he continued, straightening his back, "since you are already here, we can save ourselves a trip to the clan estate. There is a matter we need to discuss with you directly."

Mark crossed his arms, interested. "What is it?"

At that moment, Lan Yujin spoke.

"Xiao Zhen, you are the Clan Patriarch of the Ancient Lan Clan. That also makes you the Lord of our entire Azure Frost Dominion." He lifted his cup of tea, took a slow sip, and then continued. "But remember this well, you are not yet the Sect Master of the Ancient Lan Sect."

Mark frowned slightly. "So what? Does it matter?"

"It matters greatly," Yun Renshu replied before Yujin could. "Without becoming Sect Head, the clans may obey you, but might not follow your orders. The sect disciples also will not follow you. And our sect is the backbone of this dominion. If you want absolute authority... You must obtain both thrones, just like how Lord Yujin did. His Predecessor, your ancestor, faced a lot of troubles when I was the sect master and he handled the clan. Our decisions often clashed and due to that, only troubles arose. That is why you must become the sect master, so that your will be the will of the entire dominion"

Mark exhaled slowly, his brows tightening. "I see. So what do you expect me to do? Challenge Sect Head Yujin? Fight him for the position?"

Lan Yujin chuckled softly, waving a dismissive hand. "No, no, our sect does not follow such customs. Moreover, you have already proven your strength. There would be no need for another fight." He gently placed his medallion on the table, letting Mark see the shimmering blue and silver characters imprinted upon it, Sect Head. "The Lan Sect has a sacred tradition, passed down since the founding of this order."

Mark leaned in slightly, the curiosity piqued.

Yujin continued, "Have you heard of the Forbidden Temple of the Sect?"

Mark nodded slowly. "Yes. It’s the sealed temple where the statues of all previous sect heads stand. Only the Sect Master’s token can open the doors. No one else can ever enter."

"That is correct," Yujin said. "And it is there that the Sect Head Trials take place."

Mark tilted his head. "What exactly happens in those trials?"

Lan Yujin’s expression turned solemn. "You must enter the Forbidden Temple alone. Once inside, you will face the will of our ancestors. They will test your heart, your convictions, and your strength. You may face illusions, trials of endurance, trials of spirit, or combat tests. And most importantly, they will question you. If your answers do not match what they seek, you fail."

Mark’s brows rose slightly. "So it’s a test of character and strength?"

"Exactly." Yun Renshu nodded. "If you pass, the medallion of the Sect Head will appear in your hand, marking your recognition as the rightful successor. And mine will disappear on its own."

Mark turned his gaze toward the medallion sitting on the table. It shimmered faintly.

Lan Yujin closed his fingers around it.

"But beware, Xiao Zhen," he said gently, though his eyes gleamed with something Mark did not miss. "The temple only opens once for each candidate. You have only one attempt. If you fail... then you can never try again in your entire lifetime."

A hush fell over the room.

"And if you fail," Yujin added softly, "your authority over the sect will remain limited forever. Even as Clan Patriarch, your command will not be absolute."

Mark remained silent for a long stretch of seconds. He didn’t show it, but he understood exactly what this was: this was Yujin’s trap. They expected him to enter too early, before understanding the trial fully... and fail.

But Mark was already smiling by the time he looked up.

"I see," he said. "That sounds interesting."

Yujin lifted his chin. "Inform us when you are ready. The Sect Head Trials can begin any time you wish."

Mark replied without the slightest hesitation. "I’m ready right now. Let’s go."

The room froze.