The night air was frigid, a stark contrast to the blistering sun that had watched over their brutal training. Xu Wang y motionless on his straw mat, every muscle screaming in protest. His limbs felt heavy, his body battered and bruised. But worse than the pain was the echo of today’s battle repying in his mind—the ferocity of the other disciples, the raw power they wielded, and the ruthless gaze of Instructor Yan Mei.

  His newfound strength was exhirating. The Ajna Qi Path pulsed within him, a constant hum of energy that sharpened his senses and made his movements faster, more precise. But it had not been enough. He could still feel the sting of fists against his skin, the cold stone beneath him as he was knocked to the ground, again and again.

  Beside him, Li Wang slept soundly, her chest rising and falling in steady rhythm. Her face was serene, but Xu knew she was fighting her own battles. Her movements during the fight had been unreal—fluid, impossibly graceful, like she was moving through water. Yet, she didn’t seem to understand it any more than he did.

  Their room was bare, its stone walls cold and unyielding. Moonlight slipped through a narrow window, illuminating the cracks in the floor. It felt more like a cell than a sanctuary. Xu’s fingers traced the faint lines of qi flowing through his body, the knowledge from the Qi Resonance Crystal still a tangled mess in his mind. The fragments of techniques and principles danced on the edge of his consciousness, just out of reach.

  A faint rustle broke the silence. Xu’s eyes snapped open, his body tensing instinctively. A shadow loomed at the doorway, motionless. Xu’s heart raced as he rose silently, his senses sharpening, muscles coiled like springs.

  “Who’s there?” His voice was low, firm.

  The figure stepped into the sliver of moonlight, revealing a young man with piercing green eyes and a scar etched across his left cheek. His robes were darker than the other disciples’, lined with silver patterns that shimmered faintly, like ripples on water.

  “Quiet,” the stranger hissed, his gaze flicking toward the hallway. “If they find me here, we’re all dead.”

  Xu didn’t rex, his fists clenching. “Who are you?”

  The stranger’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. “Someone who doesn’t want to see you die. At least, not yet.” His eyes flicked to Li, still asleep, then back to Xu. “You fought well today. Better than expected for a couple of summoned ones. But you’re clueless about this pce.”

  Xu’s eyes narrowed. “And you’re here to enlighten us?”

  “Consider it a warning.” The man’s voice dropped to a whisper, low and urgent. “The Sun Cn isn’t what it seems. You’re not just training to survive. You’re being judged. Measured.” His eyes gleamed in the dim light. “And those who fail… disappear.”

  A chill ran down Xu’s spine. “Disappear?”

  “They call it ascension. A reward for the worthy.” The stranger’s face darkened. “But no one ever returns. Not even their spirits.”

  Xu’s pulse quickened, his mind racing. It made sense—the brutal training, the cold indifference, the merciless battles. But before he could speak, the man stepped back, his figure blending into the shadows.

  “Wait!” Xu moved forward, his voice urgent. “Who are you?”

  The stranger hesitated, his silhouette framed by the moonlight. “A shadow, nothing more. If you want to live, learn to fight like one.” He turned, his form melting into the darkness, footsteps soundless as smoke.

  Xu stood frozen, staring at the empty doorway long after the man had vanished. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind whirling with questions. Who was that? What did he mean by judgment and ascension? He gnced at Li, still unaware of the danger that loomed over them.

  They weren’t just fighting to get stronger. They were fighting to survive the Sun Cn’s judgment.

  The shadows were watching.

  The next morning, dawn’s golden light crept into the room, harsh and unrelenting. Xu’s body protested as he rose, every joint aching. He gnced at Li, who was already awake, her expression distant.

  “We can’t trust this pce,” Xu muttered, his voice low. “There’s more going on than they’re telling us.”

  Li’s eyes flicked to him, sharp and alert. “You sensed it too?”

  “More than that.” Xu hesitated, his mind repying the stranger’s words. “Someone came st night. Warned me about the Sun Cn. About the disappearances.”

  Li’s body tensed, her fists clenching. “Disappearing? Like… the other summoned ones?”

  Xu nodded. “They call it ascension. But no one ever returns. Not even their spirits.”

  Li’s face paled. “Then we can’t fail. Not once.”

  A loud gong echoed through the halls, the sound reverberating off the stone walls. Xu felt a chill run through him. Another day of training. Another trial.

  Li’s eyes hardened, her resolve like steel. “No matter what, we survive.”

  Xu met her gaze, his fear melting into determination. “Together.”

  They stepped out of the room, the cold air biting at their skin. Disciples in flowing robes moved along the bridges above, their movements graceful, almost inhuman. Xu watched them, realizing that every face was unreadable, every gaze empty.

  Were they all being judged? Or were some already lost?

  As they crossed the courtyard, Xu felt the weight of invisible eyes on his back, a shiver of awareness crawling up his spine. The shadows were watching, lurking behind every corner, listening to every word.

  They weren’t just fighting their fellow disciples. They were fighting the very walls that surrounded them. The Sun Cn’s realm was alive, a predator waiting for them to falter.And the trial had only just begun.

  To be continued........