Xu Wang plummeted into the darkness.

  Wind howled past his ears, his limbs filing as the void swallowed him whole. His heart pounded—this wasn’t just another test. This was life or death.

  He forced himself to focus.

  Calm. Feel. Adapt.

  He reached inward, calling upon his Mudhara Qi, feeling the earth’s presence even in freefall. The energy surged through his veins, grounding him.

  Then—impact.

  The world smmed into him like a mountain, but instead of shattering, his Qi absorbed the force. He bounced off a sloping rock formation, rolling down in a controlled descent before skidding to a stop on solid ground.

  He groaned, pushing himself up.

  Status:

  - [HP: 65%]

  - [Mudhara Qi: 80% Proficiency]

  The cavern around him was immense—colossal pilrs of stone stretched into the unseen ceiling, glowing veins of golden Qi weaving through them like lifeblood. The air was thick, heavy, pressing down on him like an unspoken challenge.

  And then he felt it.

  Something watching.

  A presence, ancient and immovable, lurked within the shadows.

  Xu Wang steadied his breath. “Come out.”

  Silence.

  Then, the ground shook.

  From the depths of the cave, something stirred. Rocks crumbled, dust spiraled into the air, and then—it emerged.

  A monstrous stone serpent, its body coiled like a mountain in itself, golden Qi running through its scales. Its eyes glowed like molten suns, locking onto Xu Wang with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine.

  “You seek mastery over the earth?” The voice was deep, reverberating through the entire cavern. “Then prove you can stand unshaken.”

  The serpent struck.

  Xu Wang barely dodged as its massive tail crashed down, shattering the ground where he stood.

  He sprinted, weaving through the rocky terrain, but the serpent was relentless, its colossal body moving with terrifying speed.

  He had no choice. He had to fight.

  Ground yourself. Be the earth.

  Xu Wang stopped running.

  The serpent lunged, its fangs aiming straight for him.

  At the st second, he dropped into a stance, his body perfectly aligned with the ground beneath him.

  He caught the serpent’s massive head.

  A deafening boom echoed through the cavern as his feet dug into the earth, absorbing the impact. The force tried to throw him back, but he held firm.

  Then, with a roar, he pushed back.

  The serpent reared, momentarily stunned.

  Xu Wang didn’t waste a second. He leapt forward, channeling every ounce of Mudhara Qi into his fist. His knuckles glowed with golden light as he struck—

  CRACK!

  A fissure split across the serpent’s head, golden energy bursting from the impact.

  The beast let out a final, echoing roar before its form crumbled into dust.

  Silence.

  Then—

  [Trial of Earth: Stage Two Complete]

  [Mudhara Qi: 100% Proficiency – Advanced Level Achieved]

  Xu Wang staggered, his breath ragged, his entire body thrumming with newfound power.

  The ground beneath him began to glow once more, and the voice returned.

  “You have proven yourself. Now rise, unshaken.”

  A surge of Qi enveloped him, lifting him from the cavern floor.

  The world blurred—

  And when his vision cleared, he was standing back in the Sun Cn courtyard.

  Zhu Sun was waiting.

  The Sun Cn leader studied him for a moment, then nodded. “You’ve done well.”

  Xu Wang clenched his fists, feeling the solid, unwavering strength within him. He had mastered Mudhara Qi.

  But something told him this was just the beginning.

  ---

  To Be Continued…...