Between the Four Realms, there flows a river unlike any other—a river without water, yet endlessly moving, carrying the lost, the broken, the forsaken. The River of Oblivion stretched like a wound across reality, its surface a swirling tapestry of smoke, shadow, and faint starlight, reflecting fractured fragments of time and worlds long forgotten.
Here drifted exiled spirits from the Heavens, the Shadow Realms, the Beast Lands, and even the human world. They hovered, neither alive nor fully dead, their forms flickering between substance and mist, their cries and whispers echoing through the void. Some were nameless, their memories scattered like autumn leaves; others remembered nothing but the pain of existence, and some — broken and wrathful — clung desperately to life, refusing to surrender, refusing to rest.
These were not mere ghosts. Their eyes glimmered with hunger, teeth gnawed at the air, and claws tore through reality itself. They sensed every impurity, every heartbeat not pure. They craved corruption, sought weakness, and devoured any who dared step too close. A single misstep would be fatal.
And so, the people of the Heavenly Kingdom decreed: to cross the River of Oblivion was the ultimate trial. Only hearts pure and untainted could move across it like a breeze passing through autumn leaves. Any shadow of deceit, any trace of greed, and the river would seize the offender, dragging them into its eternal depths, leaving nothing behind but whispers and screams.
It was simple in theory — yet impossibly cruel. One step could reveal whether a soul burned with truth or illusion.
In the great hall of the Academy, Master Li's voice carried like a weight across the marble floor. His tone was calm, yet every student sensed the tremor beneath — the echo of caution, of fear, of a memory that still haunted him.
"The trial is simple," he said, his gaze sweeping over the students. "It requires no courage, no strength — only a heart unburdened by lies. The pure shall pass, the false shall fall and perish. We accept no hypocrites in this Academy — no darkness hidden beneath the mask of virtue."
His words lingered in the air like blades poised to strike. Though his lips curved into a faint smile, the shadows beneath his eyes betrayed the pain of knowledge, the memories of failures past.
When he finally rose, the students followed in disciplined silence, their robes rustling softly. The sound of footsteps mingled with distant echoes, the tremor of anticipation vibrating through the hall like a low hum of power.
Huo Feng left last. Outside, Mei and her close friend awaited, a storm of malice barely contained. The friend stepped forward, blocking her path, the cruel curve of her lips promising trouble.
"Did you even understand the test, little fool?" she sneered, voice sharp as a dagger. "Or should I explain it to you slowly?"
Huo Feng tilted her head, innocent as moonlight but sharp as lightning. "I understood it perfectly," she said sweetly. "It means you'll never make it across."
Then she paused, her eyes glimmering with feigned regret. "Ah, forgive me. Of course you can cross — if you smile at them the way you just smiled at me. They'll flee in terror… and the river will be empty — just like your head, darling."
The girl's face contorted with rage. Her hand shot forward, a sharp slap cutting through the air.
But Huo Feng did not flinch. She did not cry. The air shimmered around her as she raised her hands — molten red, burning like iron — before striking back twice. The blows landed with precision, the first sending the bully sprawling unconscious to the floor, the second leaving a faint scorch mark where the shadows themselves seemed to recoil.
Mei did not move to help. She only smiled, soft and poisonous, brushing Huo Feng's cheek with mock tenderness.
"She started it," Mei whispered, her tone dripping false innocence. "I'll testify for you. Don't worry, I'm on your side. But now, come — let's not be late for the trial."
She took Huo Feng's hand, leading her away from the fallen girl… toward the River of Oblivion.
At the river's edge, the students lined up in a tense silence. Beneath the surface, ghostly wails echoed, a sound that chilled even the most courageous. The mist rose in curling tendrils, the air thick with the scent of iron and smoke, of sorrow and forgotten memories. The River shimmered with fractured light, glimpses of ruined worlds and shadowed faces flickering within its depths.
Master Li stood beside them, his composure fragile, the weight of old wounds pressing down on his shoulders. He could not save anyone who fell. Once he had tried — once he had failed.
Inwardly, he whispered, his voice lost in the wind:"Where are you, Wu Xin…? You're late."
Finally, he raised his hand."Begin."
Suo was the first to take flight, moving with calm confidence, leaving a trail of golden light in the air as he crossed the river. Yue followed, her movements as graceful as moonlight dancing on still water.
Then came Mei Ling. She stepped forward, slow and deliberate, then glanced sideways at Huo Feng, her smile a dagger hidden beneath silk.
"Follow me," she whispered, close enough that only Huo Feng could hear. "I'll make him fall into the river. If you want to save him… you'll have to catch me."
Huo Feng froze. Her fingers brushed her ear — the diamond earring, her "follower," was gone. Panic seized her chest, a cold grip that made her stomach lurch. Without thinking, she launched herself into the air.
She caught Mei's wrist mid-flight. Mei gasped, feigning surprise, her voice ringing for all to hear."Huo Feng! It's a trial! What are you doing?! Don't worry — I won't tell anyone you attacked my friend! Please, let go! Don't threaten me!"
But Huo Feng was not listening. Something had awakened within her — a whisper, a shadowed echo from the day she touched the Punishment Platform.
Punish her… Execute justice… Kill her.
Justice… or vengeance? Which had she inherited that day?
Her right hand ignited in white lightning. The air sizzled and snapped as her father's blade took form once more, coalescing in a fury of silver light. Her eyes burned with anguish, fury, betrayal. She raised the sword, the wind trembling under her power. One heartbeat more… and it would have ended.
Then — his voice thundered, ripping through the void:"Huuuooooo Feng!"
It was him. His voice. His whip. A cruel strike of authority that cut through the air like a blade.
No one could breathe. Sparks of energy crackled across the sky, invisible yet tangible, slashing at the air, tearing through her trust, carving into her hand. Another strike from afar — a white-hot line slicing through the gloom. Her focus shattered. Her heart convulsed.
Sparks burst across the river. Time seemed to freeze, suspended in the silence of horror.
Huo Feng's grip loosened in pain. Mei almost fell, but not from the strike — the river had already claimed her. Black tendrils of spirit smoke coiled around her ankles, dragging her downward into the endless void, her scream swallowed by the roar of lost souls.
The truth revealed itself: Mei had never intended to pass the trial. She had only sought to drag Huo Feng down with her, her failure hidden behind calculated drama, a mask of innocence.
But Huo Feng's gaze caught a glimmer in the depths — her lost earring, the "follower," caught among the swirling spirits, fighting for escape.
Without hesitation, she dove.
The river swallowed them both.
Two bodies vanished beneath the surface, leaving behind stunned silence. The students' hearts thumped against their chests. Wu Xin, faced with one choice, soared faster than thought, seizing Mei from the river's jaws and carrying her back to shore.
But when he turned… Huo Feng was gone.
No trace. No sound. Only the echo of her eyes — those eyes that had met his one last time, filled with pain deeper than any whip, sharper than any strike. A look colder, keener, deadlier than death itself.
And then… she was gone.