Kalen stood at the edge of the courtyard, his victory over Varik still fresh in his mind, though his focus had already shifted to the challenges ahead. The other outer disciples whispered among themselves, their gazes filled with a mix of fear, envy, and suspicion. The Black Sect was not a place where strength alone guaranteed survival; it was a web of hidden motives and dangerous rivalries. Each victory only served to draw more attention, not all of it welcome.
As he prepared to leave the training grounds, a figure cloaked in darkness approached him. The faint pulse of Abyssal Qi radiating from the man was unmistakable—an inner disciple, one of the trusted few who had advanced far beyond the reach of those in the outer sect. His face was obscured by a hood, and his presence alone carried an air of authority.
“Kalen,” the figure said, his voice a smooth, almost mocking drawl. “You’re making quite a name for yourself. The elders have taken notice.”
Kalen narrowed his eyes, sensing the veiled threat behind the man’s words. “What do they want?”
“Not everything in the Black Sect is given freely,” the disciple replied. “The elders believe in tests. You’ve proven yourself against the outer disciples, but the next trial will be far more dangerous. You’ve been chosen to participate in the Night Trials.”
The Night Trials. Kalen had heard whispers of them, dark rumors about a challenge reserved for those who showed promise—but also for those whose loyalty needed to be tested. It wasn’t just a test of strength, but one of survival. Few who entered the Night Trials returned the same, and some never returned at all.
---
#### **The Night Trials: A History of Shadows**
The Night Trials were a rite of passage for disciples deemed ready for the inner workings of the Black Sect. Unlike the brutal but straightforward battles among the outer disciples, the Night Trials were shrouded in mystery. They were designed to push the participants to the edge, testing not just their power but their will, their resourcefulness, and their connection to the Abyssal Qi.
The trials were held in the Shadowed Abyss, a forbidden zone deep beneath the Black Sect’s main fortress. The Abyss was a natural formation, an underground maze where the flow of Abyssal Qi was at its strongest—and most unstable. It was said that the Abyss itself was alive with the essence of the Abyssal Qi, its very walls pulsing with dark energy that could either empower or destroy those who entered.
Kalen knew he couldn’t refuse. Refusing the Night Trials was seen as an admission of weakness, a lack of ambition. If he turned down this challenge, the elders would see it as a sign that he was not worthy of the sect’s true teachings.
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“When?” Kalen asked, his voice steady despite the weight of the news.
“The Trials begin at midnight. You will be summoned when the time comes,” the inner disciple said with a smirk before turning and walking away, his figure disappearing into the shadows of the courtyard.
---
#### **Preparations for the Abyss**
Kalen returned to his quarters, his mind racing as he considered what lay ahead. The Night Trials were not battles to be won through brute force or even precise technique. From what he had gleaned from the older disciples, survival required a deep understanding of the Abyssal Qi and its chaotic nature. The Abyss would challenge him not only physically but spiritually, testing the limits of his control over the dark energy that now pulsed within him.
He sat down cross-legged on the stone floor of his chamber, closing his eyes and focusing inward. His Abyssal Core was stable, but the Night Trials would push it to its limits. He needed to refine his control even further, merging the destructive chaos of the Abyssal Qi with the stability of his icefire energy.
The cultivation method he had developed—an intricate balance of ice and shadow—would serve as the foundation for his survival. His icefire energy, with its cooling, stabilizing properties, would act as a counterbalance to the wild, unpredictable nature of the Abyssal Qi in the Abyss. Without it, he knew he risked being consumed by the very power he sought to master.
Kalen spent hours refining the flow of energy within his body, drawing on the *Abyssal Core Refinement* technique to compress and purify his Abyssal Qi even further. He visualized the Abyss itself, the dark, suffocating energy that awaited him, and imagined his icefire energy as a shield—a barrier that would keep the chaos at bay.
---
#### **New Technique: Abyssal Ice Veil**
As Kalen focused on strengthening his defenses, a new idea began to take shape in his mind. He needed more than just a reactive defense like the *Abyssal Mantle*. In the Abyss, where the environment itself would be hostile, he needed a technique that could actively repel the chaotic energy while allowing him to move freely.
The result was the *Abyssal Ice Veil*, a fusion of his icefire energy and the Abyssal Qi. The veil would create a thin layer of cold mist around his body, a subtle but powerful defense that would disrupt any Abyssal energy trying to invade his core. Unlike the *Abyssal Mantle*, which was designed to absorb and redirect force, the *Abyssal Ice Veil* would act as a filter, allowing Kalen to walk through the Abyss without being overwhelmed by its dark energies.
It took hours to perfect the technique, but by the time the sun had fully set, Kalen was confident that he was as ready as he could be for the Night Trials.
---
#### **The Descent into the Abyss**
Midnight came swiftly, and as promised, Kalen was summoned by one of the Black Sect’s acolytes. He was led through the winding corridors of the fortress, deeper into the mountain than he had ever gone before. The air grew colder, and the presence of Abyssal Qi became more oppressive with each step.
Finally, they reached a massive iron gate, engraved with symbols of the Black Sect. Beyond it lay the Shadowed Abyss.
“You enter alone,” the acolyte said before stepping aside, leaving Kalen to face the gate.
With a deep breath, Kalen pushed open the gate and stepped into the darkness beyond. The air was thick with Abyssal Qi, and the walls of the underground cavern pulsed faintly, as if alive with the dark energy. The Abyss was vast, a seemingly endless maze of tunnels and caverns, each one more foreboding than the last.
As Kalen ventured deeper into the Abyss, he activated the *Abyssal Ice Veil*, the cold mist swirling around him in a protective shroud. He could feel the Abyssal Qi pressing against the veil, but the cold energy of his icefire held firm, keeping the chaotic energy at bay.
He had no idea what the Night Trials would entail, but he knew one thing: he was not alone in the Abyss. He could feel the presence of others, hidden in the shadows, watching him. Whether they were fellow disciples or something far worse, he didn’t know.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the tunnels, followed by the unmistakable sound of claws scraping against stone. Kalen’s pulse quickened. The true trial had begun.