The next morning, dawn light spilled across the Azure Cloud peaks, tinting the floating mist in shades of gold and blue. Bells tolled softly in the distance, signaling the beginning of a new season's trials.
Tian Shen stood among a sea of new disciples dressed in plain azure robes. Most were sons and daughters of noble clans, each radiating pride and confidence. He, in comparison, looked calm—too calm for someone about to face the sect's initiation.
From the platform above, Elder Ru Han's voice echoed through the square.
> "Welcome, new disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect. Before you can step onto the path of cultivation, you must prove your worth in the Trial of Spirit Resonance."
He raised his palm, and a massive stone gate materialized behind him. Symbols carved across its surface shimmered with an ethereal blue light.
> "Behind this gate lies the Spirit Formation Grounds. Inside are manifestations of your fears, weaknesses, and inner chaos. Conquer them, and you shall form your first resonance with the sect's spiritual energy. Fail… and the sect will not accept you."
A murmur rippled through the crowds.
Inside the Trial Grounds
One by one, the disciples entered the gate. Screams, flashes of light, and spiritual energy flares could be seen from outside.
When it was Tian Shen's turn, Ru Han gave a faint nod. "Remember, child—cultivation is not only the tempering of the body and soul, but of the heart."
Tian Shen stepped through the gate.
A moment later, the world around him shifted.
He found himself standing in a void—dark, endless, and silent. Mist swirled beneath his feet, and within it, whispers echoed.
> "You are nothing…"
"A child cursed by fate…"
"Born to bring ruin…"
The voices grew louder, drilling into his mind. His chest tightened as shadows rose from the ground—each one taking the shape of himself, twisted and hateful.
They lunged.
Instinctively, Tian Shen raised his hands, summoning Qi. But no energy came. His breath hitched. "Why can't I use my Qi?!"
The shadows laughed.
> "Because it was never yours to begin with."
A pulse of golden-black light flickered in his pupils. His heart raced, the same mark on his chest burning faintly. Then, amid the suffocating darkness, a calm voice echoed within his mind.
> "So… you are my reincarnation's echo."
The air trembled. A colossal figure emerged from the void—the same being from his childhood dream.
> "Who are you?" Tian Shen demanded.
> "The one sealed by the Primordials," the shadow replied. "You carry my remnant soul. Awaken, or be consumed by your own fear."
As the shadows closed in, something inside Tian Shen snapped. The mark on his chest blazed, flooding the space with golden chaos energy. The void roared as the illusions disintegrated into dust.
For a brief instant, time itself seemed to freeze.
Ru Han, watching from the outside, gasped. The formation gate pulsed violently.
> "This power… it's reacting to him! What is that energy?!"
The gate burst open.
Tian Shen stepped out, his robes slightly torn, eyes gleaming faintly gold. The air around him felt heavier—unstable yet commanding.
Elder Ru Han hurried to his side. "You… broke through the formation? No disciple has ever—"
Before he could finish, the formation behind Tian Shen shattered completely, collapsing into motes of light. The disciples gasped in disbelief.
> "He destroyed the trial formation!"
"How is that even possible?!"
"He's just a child."
Ru Han turned to the crowd, masking his shock. "From this day forth, Tian Shen shall be promoted to Inner Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect."
The square erupted with murmurs.
Among the crowd, Feng Lian's eyes narrowed. "So, that's the boy everyone's talking about… Let's see how long you can stand under real pressure."
---
Later That Night
Tian Shen sat alone in his new quarters, the events replaying in his mind. "That power… that voice… what does it mean?"
As he meditated, the faint outline of a golden wheel appeared behind him—spinning silently before fading away.
High above, in the Celestial Realm, the Primordial of Time opened his eyes.
> "The thread tightens again. The child of chaos has taken his first step."
From the endless void, a faint, amused chuckle answered.
> "So the game begins anew…"