The favor of two Hollow Elders had been earned.
Yet, Liu Shen knew well that these victories were not gifts—they were burdens. With each trial, a part of him was being carved out, reshaped by will, memory, and conviction.
As the second mark dimmed on his palm, a new gate appeared. This one was unlike the others—formed from molten crystal, pulsing with heat and a constant low hum, like a heartbeat.
> "Next is the Hollow Star Elder," Yu Meixing murmured. "The one who guards the trial of ambition."
> "Ambition?" Lei Qing asked, narrowing his eyes. "That's your specialty, isn't it, Demon Sovereign?"
> "Ambition is also the sharpest blade," Liu Shen replied. "It cuts others… and its wielder."
---
A Realm of Flame and Stars
They passed through the gate.
Suddenly, they stood on a burning plateau suspended beneath a massive, hollow star that cast violet light across the realm. Fire rained from above in slow arcs, igniting the land in patches that burned and reformed endlessly.
Before them stood a figure cloaked in solar fire—no face, no features, only flames in humanoid form. This was the Hollow Star Elder.
A voice echoed not in words, but through desire itself.
> "Show me the star that burns inside you… or be consumed by the ones that burn without mercy."
Liu Shen stepped forward again.
> "This one's mine."
> "Are you sure?" Yu Meixing asked. "You've done two trials already—"
> "If I don't prove my ambition here and now," Liu Shen said quietly, "then the rest doesn't matter."
---
The Astral Crucible
The Elder raised its arm, and the sky darkened.
Suddenly, Liu Shen was pulled away into a void—a space where stars were born and devoured, where time was but an afterthought. He hovered in place as countless visions burst before him.
In one vision, he saw himself as the Celestial Sovereign, worshipped across realms, bathed in divine glory.
In another, he saw himself as a tyrant, the world in ruins beneath his feet.
And in yet another, he saw… nothing. No throne. No world. Just silence.
> "These are the paths your ambition may take," said a voice. "Pick one. Let the star within you burn toward it."
> "No," Liu Shen whispered. "I refuse to be bound by these."
He clenched his fist, and his demonic aura surged outward.
> "I do not crave power for glory or ruin. I desire strength to tear open the truth—even if it kills me."
The Hollow Star flared. Fire descended upon him, trying to consume his essence.
Liu Shen roared, activating the Blood Lotus Soul to shield his core.
> "I will not be consumed!"
---
Ambition Refined
Suddenly, the flames stopped.
The Hollow Star Elder stepped forward, its form stabilizing.
From its blazing hand, it drew a brand—a blazing red sigil shaped like a six-pointed sun, and pressed it against Liu Shen's back.
The third mark burned into his soul.
> "Ambition is no sin… if it does not blind," came the echoing voice.
> "Favor granted."
---
In the Shadows' Wake
Liu Shen returned to the physical realm with charred robes and heavy breath.
> "Three trials… three favors…" he murmured.
Yao Shen supported him as they moved to rest.
> "The last two—who are they?" Lei Qing asked.
Yu Meixing responded softly, "Elder Dreamless Night, and the Fifth Shadow…"
Liu Shen's eyes narrowed.
> "Dreamless Night guards the Trial of Sacrifice. But the Fifth Shadow… was once a traitor."
> "He'll test loyalty," Yu Meixing added. "To others. To yourself."
---
The Shadow Stirred
Meanwhile, back in the core of the Sect of Shadows, deep within a sealed chamber, a withered man with black chains wrapped around his limbs stirred for the first time in decades.
> "He's coming?" the chained man whispered. "He really walks the Hollow Path…"
A masked woman bowed before him.
> "Yes, Fifth Shadow. And he's passed three trials."
The man laughed—a sound like glass breaking.
> "Good. I want to see if he's still the boy who died with honor… or the demon who returned to tear it all down."
---
To Dreamless Night
As Liu Shen and his group advanced to the fourth trial, the air grew colder.
The path ahead was filled with mist, and with each step, sound itself began to fade. The group could no longer hear their own breathing, or even their footsteps. The silence was oppressive—almost maddening.
They stood before a door woven from strands of dream essence.
Yu Meixing stepped forward.
> "Let me do this one."
Liu Shen raised a brow. "Are you sure?"
> "Dreamless Night is tied to my past. If anyone should face the Trial of Sacrifice... it's me."