2026-04-20 17:02:32
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Chapter Fourteen: The final trial (Part Three)
There were towering trees, their trunks blackened and cracked, stretched up into a sky the color of dying embers. Shafts of crimson light pierced the canopy, painting the undergrowth in a blood-red glow. The ground underfoot was uneven, strewn with roots that twisted like serpents. Faint motes of golden qi drifted lazily in the air, but the [System] chimed with a cold note: [Warning: Ambient spiritual energy is unstable. Absorption efficiency reduced by 35%.] The ripple passed through the ground though there was no ground to speak of and then one by one, the others appeared beside him. Meiling. Lin Fei. Behind Quinn, the last disciple stepped through. The gate vanished in a ripple of light, sealing them inside. “What the hell is this?” someone asked. No answer came from the elders. No answer came at all. A faint hum rose in their ears, almost like the echo of a thousand whispers overlapping. The first whisper became words in Quinn’s mind, etched into his thoughts: What do
Chapter Thirteen: The final trial (Part Two)
The panther vanished. Then it reappeared and its jaws were a hand’s breadth from his face. Quinn’s world slowed. He saw the curve of each tooth. The ripple of the muscle down its shoulder. The bead of its silver eye narrows into focus. Something deep in his chest shifted like a lock turning in a door. His vision got clearer immediately. He then moved with the surety of instinct awakened. The blade in his hand met the inside of the beast’s jaw, slicing upward through flesh and bone in one smooth arc. The beast howled in pain and staggered back, shaking its head violently. [Breakthrough Detected: Qi Foundation — Level Five Achieved] [All Attributes +10% | Spiritual Sense Expanded] Quinn felt the change as much as he saw it in the System’s overlay. His qi flowed smoother, and cleaner, like water freed from a blocked channel. The crushing pressure of the panther’s killing intent no longer felt like a mountain, it was more like a heavy storm he could still walk through. Elder
Chapter Twelve: The final trial (Part One)
“…no way he makes it past the first stage.” “Sixth place in the last trial, he has to be incredibly lucky, or skilled.” “I heard he barely survived an ambush. If that’s true, he’s finished.” He didn’t bother looking to see who said it. The voices all blurred together, just like they always had, to him they were just background noise, the kind you learned to live with until you were ready to turn it against them. A flicker of motion drew his attention to the far side of the ring. Xin Meiling stood there, hands clasped loosely behind her back, eyes half-lidded but alert. When she noticed him watching, she smiled faintly. What’s up with her, tch. Beside her, Ruo Han’s stance was relaxed, but his fingers rested lightly on his sword’s hilt, the way one might rest a hand on a sleeping predator’s back. The ground vibrated faintly as heavy footsteps approached. Elder Yan entered the arena, flanked by two Inner Sect disciples in dark silver robes. One carried a scroll, the other
Chapter Eleven: Preparations for the Final Trial
The murmurs of the crowd were still thick in the air when Elder Yan stepped forward, his long sleeves swaying with each deliberate stride. His gaze swept over the remaining disciples. “Enough,” he said, his voice carrying over the courtyard like the toll of a deep bell. The noise died instantly. Even the wind seemed to hesitate. “You have endured the Second Trial,” Elder Yan continued, each word precise. “But endurance alone does not make an inner disciple. Tomorrow will be the Final Trial, the one that will strip away pretenses and leave only truth. Strength, yes. Skill, certainly. But above all… adaptability.” His gaze lingered on each of them, pausing on Quinn just long enough to send an involuntary shiver down his spine. He clasped his hands behind his back. “Rest well tonight. At dawn, you will gather here. By tomorrow’s end, only twelve of you will earn the right to step through the Inner Gate. The rest will return back.” A ripple went through the group, it was excitemen
Chapter Ten: Passing the Second Trial
He snorted and moved on, slipping through mossy pathways and ignoring the ache building in his calves. His senses sharpened with each step, his spiritual threads tuned tighter thanks to last night’s cultivation. About an hour later, he stumbled upon a clearing. At its center sat a pond, glassy and still. Floating in the center was a glowing blue orb, Spirit Core, unmistakably real. A thin, near-invisible web of qi surrounded the pond. Traps layered over traps, most meant to slow or snare. But one would kill outright. Quinn dropped to his knees and studied the formation. The pattern reminded him of something from one of his system-granted books, Wind-Thread Entanglement, usually found in beast lairs. He could bypass it. “Okay,” he whispered, rolling his shoulders and focusing. “No pressure. [High risk. High reward. Proceed like you have brain cells.] He laughed under his breath and stepped forward, his foot landing just an inch off-center. The trap flared but he shif
Chapter Nine: Um why???
Quinn focused. That lingering thread of power from the Rotten Root activated in his veins, tightening his reaction time. He twisted past another swing and slammed his palm directly into Bao’s gut. The older disciple flinched. [Qi Interference: Successful. Muscle Lock triggered.] Bao stumbled just for a second. It was enough. Quinn sprang up, using both feet to launch a flying kick straight into the brute’s chest. With a sound like collapsing lumber, Bao staggered backward and over the platform’s edge. There was silence at first. Then cheers. “Winner: Quinn.” Elder Yan arched an eyebrow. [Bonus Objective Complete.] [Hidden Reward Unlocked: Elder Yan is… mildly curious.] Quinn stood there, chest heaving, arms shaking. Bao roared from where he landed, fury in his eyes. Quinn didn’t look at him. He just turned, bowed to the elder, and walked off the platform. His knees almost gave out the moment he was out of sight. [Would you like to activate Recovery Mode?
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