The blinding light faded, and Kai found himself standing in complete darkness. He blinked, trying to adjust his eyes, but it was no use. The darkness was absolute.

I’m surprised I’m not falling through the air or anything. Small mercies, I guess.

He took a deep breath, calming his nerves. Okay, think. What would a cultivator do in this situation?

The answer came to him quickly. Channeling qi to enhance vision was a common trope in cultivation novels. Kai focused, drawing qi to his eyes. It took a few attempts, but eventually, he felt a warm sensation in his eyes, and a faint blue glow illuminated the area immediately around him.

Not bad for a first try, Kai thought, pleased with himself. But man, this is a crude method. There's got to be a proper technique for night vision somewhere in this world.

With his qi-enhanced vision, Kai could make out that he was standing in some sort of tunnel. The walls were rough stone, and the ceiling was low enough that he could touch it if he stretched his arm up.

Alright, let's see what we're working with here. Kai opened his map, hoping it would give him some clue about where to go. To his disappointment, the map showed only a small area around him, with the rest shrouded in fog.

Limited visibility, huh? Typical dungeon mechanics. Kai sighed. Well, let's try qi sensing then.

Kai closed his eyes, extending his senses outward. He felt... nothing. No enemies, no traps, no other cultivators. Just empty tunnel stretching out in both directions.

That's... concerning, Kai thought. Either there's nothing here, or whatever is here is beyond my ability to sense. Neither option is particularly comforting.

Just then, a message appeared before his eyes:

Quest: Complete the Trial of Endurance

Objective: Reach the end of the tunnel and exit the pocket realm

Time Limit: 1 hour

Reward: Based on ranking upon completion

Failure: Expulsion from Azure Sky Sect

Nothing unexpected.

Kai glanced down the dark tunnel stretching out before him. I've got a feeling this is going to be one of those 'endless' tunnels. You know, the kind where no matter how far you run, you never seem to get anywhere.

He took a deep breath. Well, standing here isn't going to get me anywhere. Time to start running.

With that thought, Kai began to jog down the tunnel. He kept his senses alert, eyes darting from side to side as he moved.

No point in conserving energy if I've only got an hour. Better to move quickly and deal with obstacles as they come.

As he ran, Kai's mind raced through possible scenarios.

In games, these kinds of trials usually have a few standard elements. Physical obstacles, maybe some puzzles, probably a boss fight at the end. But this is cultivation world, so who knows what kind of crazy qi-based challenges they might throw at us.

After several minutes of running, Kai hadn't encountered any obstacles or changes in the tunnel.

This is... suspiciously uneventful. Either I'm incredibly lucky, or they're lulling us into a false sense of security.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the tunnel ahead split into seven paths. Kai skidded to a halt, eyeing the branching passages warily.

And there it is. Classic maze scenario. It's not a proper dungeon without getting lost at least once.

Kai closed his eyes, trying to sense any differences between them. Nothing.

Alright, let's think about this logically, Kai mused. The Sect Master mentioned hidden aids and hints. There's got to be something here to guide us...

Kai began examining the area more closely. He looked at the floor, the walls, even the ceiling. At first, nothing stood out. But then, as he was about to give up and just pick a tunnel at random, he noticed something.

Near the entrance of each tunnel, there was a small, almost imperceptible symbol etched into the stone. Kai had to channel more qi to his eyes to see them clearly.

Now we're getting somewhere. But what do these symbols mean?

He studied each symbol carefully. They seemed to be stylized representations of natural elements - fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, light, and darkness.

Elemental affinities, Kai realized. Each tunnel probably corresponds to a different element. But which one is the right path?

Kai thought back to his status window. His strongest elemental affinity was lightning, at 20%.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

It can't be that simple, can it? Kai wondered. Just pick the tunnel that matches your element?

He shook his head. No, that's too obvious. It's got to be a trick. Usually, the obvious choice is rarely the right one.

Kai thought harder, trying to recall everything he knew about cultivation novels and game dungeons.

Wait a minute, he thought suddenly. In a lot of stories, cultivators have to face their weaknesses to grow stronger. What if...Kai's gaze lingered on the darkness symbol. Something about it made him uneasy. Is that discomfort a sign I should avoid it, or a challenge I need to overcome?

He shook his head, realizing he might be overthinking things. Maybe there's more than one correct choice. The strongest affinity might be easiest but longest, while the weakest could be hardest but shortest. And this is a race, after all. But then again, I could be overthinking this…

After a moment's hesitation, Kai pulled out a small knife from his storage ring and carefully carved a mark into the wall near the entrance.

Just in case I need to backtrack. Always leave yourself an escape route.

Taking a deep breath, Kai stepped towards the tunnel marked with the darkness symbol. Time to face my fears, I guess.

As soon as he entered, the darkness engulfed him completely. Even his qi-enhanced vision couldn't penetrate the inky blackness. He closed his eyes, focusing on his other senses. The stone beneath his feet felt rough, and a cool breeze whispered past his ears.

This darkness is intense, Kai thought. It's like being in one of those pitch-black cave levels in a game. I half expect to run into some kind of monster any second now.

He opened his eyes and looked at his map, relieved to see at least a small area around him illuminated. Not much, but better than nothing.

Kai extended his qi sense, probing for any nearby threats. So far, the tunnel seemed empty.

I could try to create some light with qi, he mused. But that might drain my reserves too quickly. Better to save my strength in case I need to fight.

As he walked, Kai kept one hand on the rough stone wall to his right, using it to guide his path. The coolness of the stone under his fingers provided a small comfort in the oppressive darkness.

At least I know I'm still moving forward. Though for all I know, this tunnel could be curving around in circles.

Kai paused for a moment, focusing on his qi sense. He extended his awareness outward, probing for any sign of danger or other presences. But just like before, he sensed nothing but empty tunnel stretching out before and behind him.

This is starting to feel like one of those psychological horror games, Kai thought with a wry smile. The kind where the real enemy is your own mind as you wander through endless dark corridors.

He shook his head, dispelling the thought. No, focus Kai. This is a test, not a game. There has to be some purpose to all this darkness.

As he continued forward, Kai tried to piece together the logic behind this trial.

Okay, let's think about this systematically, he reasoned. The Sect Master called this the Trial of Endurance. So far, the only thing I'm enduring is this darkness. Is that the point? To see how long we can handle being deprived of sight?

It made a certain kind of sense. In the world of cultivation, adaptability was key. Being able to function without relying on one of your primary senses could be a valuable skill.

Or maybe, Kai thought, this is about overcoming fear. Plenty of people are afraid of the dark, after all. Testing our mental fortitude in the face of the unknown.

He chuckled softly to himself. If that's the case, all those late nights gaming in the dark are finally paying off.

Suddenly, Kai's foot struck something solid. He stumbled slightly, catching himself against the wall.

What the—?

Crouching down, Kai felt along the ground with his hands. His fingers brushed against something smooth and cylindrical.

Is this... a step?

Kai's heart rate picked up as he explored further. Yes, it was definitely a step. And beyond it, he could feel more steps leading upward.

Stairs, Kai realized. I've reached some kind of staircase.

A mixture of excitement and wariness filled him. On one hand, this was the first change he'd encountered since entering the darkness tunnel. It had to mean he was making progress. On the other hand, in games, stairs usually meant you were about to face a new challenge or enter a boss room.

Well, standing here isn't going to get me anywhere, Kai thought. Time to see what's waiting for me up there.

Taking a deep breath, Kai placed his right foot on the first step.

Instantly, an overwhelming pressure slammed down on him. It felt like the very air had turned to lead, pressing down on his body from all directions. Kai's eyes widened in shock and he instinctively stepped back.

As soon as his foot left the step, the pressure vanished.

What... what was that? Kai wondered, his heart pounding. It felt like standing in front of one of those super-powerful cultivators. Like that Nascent Soul elder, but even stronger.

Cautiously, Kai reached out with his foot again, lightly touching the first step. The pressure returned immediately, though not as intensely as before. It was as if the staircase was reacting to his presence, exerting force in proportion to how much weight he put on it.

I see, Kai thought, a grim smile spreading across his face. So that's the game we're playing.

This had to be true trial of endurance - to overcome the increasing pressure and reach the top of the stairs. But how many steps were there? And how intense would the pressure become?

One way to find out, I guess.

Before attempting the stairs again, Kai decided to take stock of his resources. He pulled up his status window to review his stats and skills.

Name: Kai Thorn

XP: 50/4000

Level: 8

Qi: 250/250

Strength: 60

Agility: 63

Endurance: 62

Intelligence: 30

Wisdom: 29

Titles:

* Novice Instructor

Elemental Affinities:

* Lightning: 20%

Skills:

Qi Condensation (Level 4)

Basic Cultivation Technique (Level 3)

Unarmed Combat (Level 2)

Deception (Level 4)

Iron Skin (Level 3)

Swift Wind Step (Level 4)

Flame Palm Strike (Level 3)

Mental Fortitude (Passive)

Spirit Beast Communication (Level 1)

Qi Concealment (Level 1)

Qi Detection (Level 1)

Iron Rebound (Level 1)

Let's see... My strength, agility, and endurance are all in the low 60s. Not bad, but will it be enough? And what about my mental stats? This feels like it's testing more than just physical ability.

Iron Skin might help resist the physical pressure. And Mental Fortitude could be crucial for staying focused and determined. This is going to test both body and mind. But the test is tailored towards my cultivation realm so I should be able to do this.

Kai took a deep breath, steeling himself for the challenge ahead. He knew he couldn't stand here forever - the one-hour time limit was ticking away.

Alright, no more stalling. Time to face this head-on.