The dawn air was thick with mist and dread.
Fifty outer court disciples stood at the base of Ashfire Hollow, a valley carved into the bones of ancient demonic beasts. Jagged cliffs loomed like fangs overhead. The sky above was stained crimson from the lingering essence of spiritual flames.
Liu Shen stood near the back, arms folded, while Feng Yulan whispered beside him.
"Once we're inside, don't act too quickly. There are eyes watching."
Liu Shen didn't respond.
He already felt it.
Something beneath the ground was breathing.
---
Outer Court Elders' Platform
Elder Mo addressed the gathering.
"This is the Spirit Ascension Trial," he began. "Inside Ashfire Hollow, you will encounter three tests: survival, spirit resistance, and soul force confrontation."
He glanced around. "Only ten of you will make it out. If you cannot handle the pressure—die quietly."
A circular formation glowed on the ground—a teleportation array lined with fire-type runes.
"Begin!"
One by one, disciples stepped into the array and vanished.
When Liu Shen entered, a strange sensation gripped him—not just spatial teleportation, but something more… ancient.
A whisper brushed against his soul:
> "Welcome back… traitor."
---
Ashfire Hollow – Inner Zone
Liu Shen reappeared atop a scorched plateau. Around him, other disciples emerged, scattered across different areas of the hollow.
The sky was an eerie red, and the very air seemed to flicker like flames.
A spiritual pressure pressed down—oppressive and suffocating. The environment itself was a test.
A screech echoed in the distance.
Liu Shen turned just in time to see a group of disciples overwhelmed by a swarm of Ashbone Raptors—creatures mutated by the residual energy of the rift. One disciple was lifted into the air and torn in two.
> They're releasing corrupted beasts right at the start, he thought. This isn't a test… it's a purge.
But that wasn't what disturbed him most.
From beneath the charred ground, he felt something stir.
Watching. Waiting.
He knelt and touched the soil—dark Qi flowed up his arm.
> This place is still connected to the Abyssal Realm…
> And something old still resides here.
---
Elsewhere – Near the Rift Opening
Feng Yulan stood on a cracked ridge, examining a cave shrouded in black smoke.
Inside, pulsing red light glowed faintly. He smiled.
> The seal is weakening. Just a little more, and it will break.
Suddenly, a voice hissed behind him.
"Feng Yulan… consorting with forbidden energy? Even for a main branch descendant, that's dangerous."
Yulan turned slowly.
It was Feng Lian, an inner court disciple sent to oversee the trial from the shadows.
"I'm simply observing," Yulan said coolly.
Feng Lian narrowed her eyes. "Stay out of the rift. That's not part of the trial."
Yulan shrugged. "Of course. I'm just watching the future unfold."
---
Ashfire Hollow – Blackened Grove
Meanwhile, Liu Shen wandered deeper into the zone. He encountered little resistance—likely because the beasts instinctively avoided him.
Smart, he mused.
Then, a faint sound—breathing—reached his ears.
He turned.
Standing at the edge of the trees was a figure wrapped in black robes, its face concealed.
But Liu Shen knew that presence.
> No… it can't be…
The figure raised a hand, revealing an ancient sigil—a flaming eye bound in thorns.
Liu Shen's pupils narrowed.
> The Flame-Eye Curse… only one being ever wielded that technique…
The robed figure removed its hood.
A corpse-like face stared back. Not dead, not alive—but bound by hatred.
"Do you remember me, Liu Shen?" the man hissed.
"I killed you," Liu Shen said coldly.
"You thought you did. But your betrayal opened the rift that saved me."
The man spread his arms.
"I am Gu Yao, Priest of the Abyss—and your sins gave me immortality."
Liu Shen's expression turned icy.
"So be it."
Black Qi surged around him, and his killing intent rolled out like a tide.
"Then today… I'll kill you a second time."