The world shifted the moment Li Feng and Yan Wei crossed the Nexus gate. The oppressive weight of the energy around them lifted, replaced by an unsettling stillness. The air shimmered like a mirage, and the ground beneath their feet dissolved into a swirling expanse of white.

"Where are we?" Li Feng asked, his voice echoing in the void.

Yan Wei's hand rested on her blade, her sharp eyes scanning the emptiness. "This is part of the trial. Be on guard."

Before she could say more, the space around them fractured like glass, and the void gave way to a vibrant, sunlit field. Li Feng recognized it immediately—the rolling hills, the familiar scent of wildflowers. It was his village.

"No," he whispered, his heart pounding. "This isn't real."

The field stretched out before him, perfect in every detail. In the distance, he could see the modest cottages of Qinghe, their thatched roofs glowing warmly under the afternoon sun. Villagers bustled about, their faces joyful and familiar.

"Feng!" A voice called out, cutting through his disbelief. He turned to see his father standing by the edge of the field, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the sky.

Li Feng froze. "Father?"

The man waved him over, his smile wide and welcoming. "What are you waiting for? Come on! Your mother's made dumplings—your favorite."

Every fiber of Li Feng's being told him this wasn't real, but his feet moved of their own accord. He took a hesitant step forward, then another, until he was running. His father opened his arms, but as Li Feng reached him, the image flickered and warped.

His father's warm expression darkened, and his voice turned cold. "Why did you leave us, Feng?"

Li Feng stumbled back, his breath catching in his throat. "What? No—I didn't have a choice! The sect was coming. I had to protect you."

"You abandoned us," his father said, his features twisting into something cruel. The villagers around them turned, their faces blank and hollow, their voices rising in a haunting chorus.

"You could have stayed. You could have fought."

"No!" Li Feng shouted, clutching his head as the voices grew louder. "I left to keep you safe! If I'd stayed, they would've destroyed everything!"

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The villagers advanced, their hollow eyes locking onto him. The field darkened, the wildflowers wilting into ash. Li Feng fell to his knees, his chest tightening as guilt and doubt consumed him.

"Why did you leave us?" the voices repeated, the sound blending into a deafening roar.

Amid the chaos, a faint pulse from the mark on his palm cut through the noise. Li Feng forced himself to focus on the warmth spreading from his hand, grounding him. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"This isn't real," he said, his voice steadying. "It's a test."

The voices faltered, their chorus breaking apart into discordant whispers. Li Feng stood, his fists clenched. "I made the only choice I could. Leaving wasn't easy, but it was the right thing to do. If I'd stayed, I wouldn't have saved you—I would've doomed you."

The illusion flickered, the villagers dissolving into mist. His father's figure remained, his expression softening. "You carry a heavy burden, my son. But you must remember why you left."

The figure placed a hand on Li Feng's shoulder, and for a moment, the warmth felt real. Then, it too dissolved, leaving Li Feng standing alone in the void.

The void shifted again, revealing a battlefield strewn with bodies. Yan Wei stood at the center, her blade drawn, her eyes wide with horror. Around her lay the fallen forms of disciples, their robes stained with blood.

"No," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I couldn't save them."

Li Feng hesitated, unsure whether to intervene. Yan Wei's hands shook as she knelt beside one of the bodies—a young boy no older than fifteen. His lifeless eyes stared up at her, and her breath hitched.

"You said you'd protect us," the boy's voice echoed, though his lips didn't move. "You promised."

Yan Wei's face contorted with pain. "I tried! I did everything I could!"

"But it wasn't enough," the voices of the other disciples joined in, rising into a mournful chant. "You failed us."

Yan Wei clutched her blade, her knuckles white. "I didn't fail," she said through gritted teeth. "You don't understand. The sect…"

Her words faltered, and tears streamed down her face. The illusion's hold tightened, the voices becoming a deafening cacophony.

Li Feng stepped forward, his voice firm. "Yan Wei! It's not real."

She didn't respond, her gaze locked on the boy's lifeless face. Li Feng gritted his teeth and reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. The mark on his palm flared, its warmth cutting through the illusion.

"Yan Wei, listen to me! You did everything you could. Blaming yourself won't bring them back."

Her head snapped toward him, her eyes filled with anguish. "I—"

"You're stronger than this," Li Feng said, his voice steady. "You've taught me to keep moving forward, no matter how heavy the burden. You can't let the past hold you here."

For a moment, Yan Wei remained frozen. Then, she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. The battlefield dissolved, the voices fading into silence. When she opened her eyes again, they were clear.

"Thanks," she said softly, rising to her feet. "I guess I owe you one."

Li Feng smiled faintly. "I'll hold you to that."

The void around them brightened, and the swirling expanse returned. The mark on Li Feng's palm pulsed faintly, its rhythm steady and reassuring.

"That was just the beginning," Yan Wei said, her voice regaining its usual sharpness. "The Nexus is digging into our minds, our weaknesses. It won't stop until it breaks us."

Li Feng nodded, his expression firm. "Then we won't let it."

They stood side by side, the void shifting once more. The next trial awaited, and neither of them was willing to back down.