Still confused and incredibly wary about what was going on, Bai Feng opted to try and work with the other two disciples here to try and figure it out. She may not have personally known them and only vaguely recognized them, but they were the only ones here with her. She certainly wasn't about to put her trust into some random disembodied voice with anything it said here.

She stood up and called out to them. "Hey, are ya two alright? I'm not-"

Before Bai Feng could even finish what she was saying the flame girl had shifted her ire to her, glaring at her hard enough that Bai Feng swore she could feel the heat coming from it. "Oh great, on top of being soaked, of course, I would be paired with a common-born who can't even take proper care of herself and a scholar who shouldn't have even made it here in the first place. It is as if that elder wants me to fail."

Bai Feng took a deep breath as the scholar boy wilted at the flame girl's words. Of course, she'd somehow been even more disdainful than most of the other disciples. But she wasn't about to blow up at her just because of a few words. Not when she didn't even know where they were or what in the hells had happened. That didn't mean she'd be taking that lying down though.

She snorted as she met the glare of the flame girl."I think we all have somethin' bigger to worry about than whatever your problems with us are. Let's jus' take everythin' nice and easy until we even know what in the hells is goin' on right now 'en figure out how to deal with it."

The flame girl just gave her a look full of incredulity that swiftly bloomed into suspicion and her eyes narrowed at Bai Feng. Before she could say anything though, the scholar boy timidly spoke up. "Well um... I believe we're in a trial right now. Can you not feel the difference in the qi around us right now? We're in some sort of liminal realm right now for the trial I believe, likely created by Elder Ning."

Bai Feng turned towards him with a look of confusion on her face. She supposed something about this place other than the whole randomly taken here thing felt off to her but a trial? Liminal realm? What were those supposed to mean? "What do ya mean trial?"

The flame girl didn't leave him a chance to respond as took a step towards Bai Feng. "Hah, it seems they have made the imposter quite obvious to find. There is no way even a commoner like you wouldn't know what a trial is and disrespect your superior so blatantly."

Bai Feng began to bristle and grit her teeth at the girl's words as she glared at her. Just how conceited was she? "Don't tell me ya really believe the words of some random voice speaking from nowhere. 'En last time I checked, we're all outer disciples here 'en are very much equals in that we're practicin' the same thin'."

She could feel the flame girl's glare again as it intensified, but just as she made to move towards her the scholar boy had interposed himself between the two of them.

"Stop!" he shouted firmly before the flame girl began to glare at him and Bai Feng eyed him and he began to wilt again, though he didn't back down. "W-we don't even know yet what challenges lay ahead and we can't be sure who the imposter is just from the beginning. Let's just-"

The flame girl's harsh laughter interrupted him before she leveled her glare up at him again. "If she is not the imposter then that would just mean you are the imposter. But I have seen how foolish you can be in the past Xiong Shui and know you would do something as simple-minded as that. So step out of the way so I can properly deal with who is clearly an imposter." She shifted her glare right back to Bai Feng.

Bai Feng clenched her fists, she knew that fighting right now was likely a terrible idea but damn it she really wanted to knock some sense into this girl. She was sure she could take her, she didn't even have the size advantage most had against her too, and was just about her height.

Xiong Shui was quite resolute though and didn't budge as he shakily met the flame girl's glare. "N-no. I don't want to fail this trial and I know for sure that you don't. Let's get to the end first Zou Yawen and deal with whatever challenges we might face as three rather than two. Then we can deal with an imposter. It's not only when we leave with an imposter that we'll fail but if we attempt to leave without everyone who isn't an imposter. There might even be more of us further within or maybe the imposter will show up then. We don't know enough to justify making the decision now without potentially failing on the spot."

Bai Feng still didn't know why the two of them were so keen on listening to some voice telling them there was an imposter among them—frankly, it felt quite a bit like it was just some tactic to sow distrust—but that didn't change the fact they believed that it was true. And that they were in some trial thing which might actually be true. At least the boy, Xiong Shui seemed like a decent enough sort. "Yeah, let's jus' focus on gettin' to the end of this place so we can get out."

Zou Yawen scoffed before shaking her head. "Fine, you have a point. But once we get to the end I am going to end whoever the imposter is. And do not think I have forgotten your insult you common rat. You had best hope you are the imposter because if you are not then I shall be making you pay for it back in the sect."

Xiong Shui sighed in relief at the girl's words while Bai Feng just rolled her eyes at the insult. "My name's Bai Feng 'en I'd like to see ya try. Now, let's we get movin' before somethin' jumps us in this pond. 'En maybe dry off a bit while we're at it."

Bai Feng swore she could see Zou Yawen's eye twitch as she glared in fury at her while Xiong Shui cringed away. In the end, though, she turned away and towards the stone path, mumbling something under her breath as she strode her way there.

Xiong Shui sighed in relief again as he shot Bai Feng a pleading look before making to follow Zou Yawen. Bai Feng followed after them. Hopefully, this trial would be over before the urge to slug the other girl took over.

The stone path was a simple and straight one as it led onward and was surrounded by trees. She didn't trust it at all and something about the trees deeply unnerved so she made sure to stay in the center of the path but it was all they had to go by. Soon enough, after traveling in tense silence for a few minutes, they came to a large stone clearing that seemed to lead right to a solid wall of stone. There were two stone plates pedestals in front of it a few paces apart from each other as well, both emblazoned with some strange symbol on them that she didn't recognize at all even with her studies with Yi An.

Zou Yawen stopped in front of the wall and frowned as she placed her hand against it. "How are we supposed to get past this?"

Bai Feng resisted the urge to make a comment on her stating the obvious before she took a look at one of the stone pedestals, Xiong Shui doing the same. They were obviously supposed to mean something but what?

Xiong Shui spoke up suddenly from the pedestal beside her. "Wait, is this Nachean?"

Zou Yawen turned towards him. "Nachean? Isn't that one of the inferior countries that we enlightened to the imperial ways before taking their land? Why are you even talking about them right now?"

Xiong Shui shook his head. "No, that was the name of their language..." He paused for a moment as he inspected the symbol. "And this was their word for infuse... aha!" He places his hand upon the pedestal and after a moment it began to light up with a soft blue light and he smiled softly. "Bai Feng, can you infuse a bit of your own qi into the pedestal you're by?"

Bai Feng nodded as she placed her own hand upon the pedestal, ignoring the glare Zou Yawen was currently giving her. She had learned quite a bit about manipulating her own qi and even if she hadn't been able to clear a meridian yet, she was confident she could infuse something with a bit of qi. And even though she was still wary about this place in general it seemed like this was the way to proceed. She focused upon her dantian and drew a trickle of her qi and guided it through and into her hand. It took a moment for it to weave its way through her still clogged channels but it found its way through and towards the pedestal which eagerly accepted it, beginning to glow as well.

The moment it began to glow the stone wall in front of them began to shake and part of the stone in the middle of it seemed to separate and sink into the ground, leaving a clear path ahead where the stone pathway continued onward. Xiong Shui smiled a bit in quiet satisfaction as he watched it open.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

A smile that disappeared when Zou Yawen gave a single mocking clap to him before she made her way through. "Well done, you managed to open a door. Now let us go."

Xiong Shui just gave a tiny dejected sigh as he made his way to follow her. Bai Feng had to take a very deep breath before she walked after them. She was so very close to just saying fuck it and to jump the girl and knock her out than just drag them to the end.

Bai Feng took a bit of a faster pace until she was right beside Xiong Shui as they continued on the stone path. "Hey," she whispered, "I don't know what that girl's problem is but ya did a good job understandin' what that symbol meant. I certainly had no idea. Keep that up."

He turned towards her and gave her a bit of a surprised look before it turned into a sad smile. "Thank you, but please don't judge her just from what you've seen today. She's not been having a particularly good day today and this sudden trial combined with her being soaked now hasn't been helping."

Bai Feng resisted the urge to snort and give the girl in question a reason to look behind her, instead just giving him a very slow nod. The boy was defending her of all things despite just how blatantly dismissive of him she was. It irked her to no end how she did that with someone who was clearly loyal to her. And damn it, they were all soaked. Why was that supposed to make any of what she was saying ok? She certainly wasn't going to not judge her for it even if she had begun to respect the boy.

She slowed down and fell a little behind the boy as they continued onward. In just a minute another stone clearing came into view ahead, much the same as the last one had been. It even had the same solid wall of stone blocking the path. The only difference was that instead of two pedestals there was what looked to be a simple kiln made out of the same grey stone as everything else. Emblazoned on it were words that she could actually read.

'Fuel a blaze to open the path before you.'

Zou Yawen laughed as she approached it before doing something that caused Bai Feng's eyes to widen though provoked little reaction from Xiong Shui. She pulled an elaborate-looking greatsword the same size as her out of seemingly thin air. "Hah! They consider this a challenge? They should not have even bothered."

She pulled the massive blade back with ease while flames began to engulf the blade before she thrust it forward, a small gout of flame exploding outwards from its tip and into the kiln. The inside of the kiln immediately began to burn alight with fire and the emblazoned words began to emit the same blue glow that the pedestals from earlier did and a pathway opened up in the stone wall before them.

Maybe Bai Feng didn't so easily win in a fight against her. Just what level was her cultivation at anyways? She shook her head as the girl somehow sheathed the sword into the same thin air she pulled it from as she continued onward. "I am just about done with this trial. Let us get to the end."

Xiong Shui went after her and Bai Feng quickly followed suit. She was going to have to ask Yi An about that at some point once they got out.

The stone pathway followed the same pattern as before. It was still surrounded by trees that deeply unnerved her and it once again led to the same type of clearing with the same wall of stone. The only difference this time was actually quite major, there was a deep-looking pool of water in front of the wall with a sign in front of it.

'Take a dive to open the path before you.' was emblazoned on the sign.

Zou Yawen stopped in front of the sign and frowned. "Take a dive? Do they expect me to swim of all things here?"

Xiong Shui came up a bit behind her looking at the deepwater with concern. "Uh... it looks like it. Bai Feng, you wouldn't happen to be able to dive into the water, would you?"

Bai Feng though was already at the edge of the water looking into it. It certainly seemed deeper than what she was used to dealing with but it was barely flowing. She was confident she'd be able to reach whatever may lay at the bottom of it. She looked behind her towards him and gave a nod. "That I can, shouldn't be too difficult for me hopefully."

Zou Yawen looked like she was going make some remark about her, but honestly, Bai Feng couldn't give a shit what that girl thought at this point. She took a deep breath and dived into the water only hearing muffled noises from above now.

The water was cold as it submerged her but it was a familiar kind of cold, one that she was used to that from many a day she'd spent in the waters throughout the years. When she'd still been young and weak the river running through the city had been her refuge from any danger within the city. It was an old friend to her and had saved her many times throughout the years. After all, nobody thought it worthwhile to chase a poor street girl through the river. It just wasn't worth the effort and wetness.

Still though, even as used to the water as she was she began to grow a little bit worried at just how deep the water might be until she saw a softly glowing blue light from the bottom. With a goal now she swam downwards towards it and saw it was coming from a simple lever. Settling against the bottom of the depths she reached towards it and flipped it. Hopefully, that was all she had to do because she was starting to feel her held breath growing thin.

She swam upwards steadily towards the surface and as she did so she had a realization. Each one of the challenges had seemed oddly personalized. The first they had figured out due to Xiong Shui being able to understand something that was apparently written in a different language. The second, as much as she loathed to admit it had been possible due to Zou Yawen's flaming greatsword. And this last one had been one she had been able to do with ease even if it did strain her a bit to hold her breath as long as she did. If there really was an imposter among them like that voice had said, any of them could've easily sabotaged the group and they wouldn't have been able to progress. Or at least it would've taken far longer until they could've.

At that last thought, she burst through the water and let go of the breath she had been holding. She found the sight of an open pathway through the wall to be the one to meet her, alongside a glare for Zou Yawen and a worried look from Xiong Shui. Swimming over to the side of the pool that the wall was on she called out to them. "Well, that was certainly deeper than I'd imagined but I got it open."

Zou Yawen scoffed at Bai Feng as she pulled herself up. "Am I supposed to be impressed that you can swim downwards a little? That is hardly a challenge."

Bai Feng rolled her eyes at Zou Yawen as water dripped everywhere from her. Waterproof the dress may have been but that didn't stop some water from seeping in and soaking her everywhere else. "I didn't see ya volunteerin' to take the dive 'en ya certainly don't look like ya would fare well in the water. Maybe ya would float, that'd be it though."

Zou Yawen bristled as she gave Bai Feng a death glare though before she could say anything Xiong Shui had stepped between them again. "Hey! Let's not argue right now and just get through the rest of this, alright? I don't think the elder would've put too much more for us to deal with in such a sudden trial."

Zou Yawen shifted her death glare to him before harrumphing and turning away to continue on the path. Xiong Shui just gave another sigh of relief as he made to follow her.

Bai Feng just shook her head as she tread after them. She hoped the boy right in it ending soon, she was getting very tired of dealing with that girl.

The path this time felt markedly different and the unnerving aura she felt emanating from the trees seemed to increase tenfold, though the others hadn't seemed to notice at all. Thankfully they soon found the path ending in a giant stone circle with the center of it glowing that same soft blue that she'd seen in the rest of the trial. They had truly reached the end this time it seemed.

Bai Feng gave a whoop as she saw it and came to the edge of the circle. "Woo! Finally, we've reached the end of this spirit forsaken place."

Zou Yawen though stopped right before the center of the circle before turning to face her. "You would be happy with that, would you not imposter?"

Xiong Shui stopped beside her before looking back and forth between Bai Feng and Zou Yawen, worry blooming on his face though he remained silent.

Bai Feng gave Zou Yawen a look. Was that girl still choosing to believe some random voice saying there was an imposter? "Seriously? We make it all the way here together without attacking each other and ya are still convinced I'm some imposter? Were ya even payin' attention during those challenges?"

Zou Yawen just glared at her as she drew her greatsword from thin air again. "I was paying plenty of attention during the challenges. Xiong Shui is quite clearly still him and not an imposter so therefore you are the imposter."

Bai Feng felt herself pale a bit as she wearily eyed the greatsword the girl was wielding as she took her own fighting stance. She wasn't really going to attack her, was she? Well if she was, Bai Feng would be ready. Though she'd at least try to convince her of her own stupidity at the moment.

Slowly shuffling to the side she didn't take her eyes off the Zou Yawen. "Ya saw those challenges with your eyes, right? Far as I could tell they seemed quite personalized for each of us. At any point an imposter among us could've jus' not said a thin' 'en we'd still be stuck back at whatever challenge it was. Clearly, to me, none of us are imposters 'en that voice was jus' sayin' that."

Zou Yawen's face barely shifted at Bai Feng's words as she slowly strode towards her, greatsword in hand. Xiong Shui on the other hand looked far less certain. "Zou Yawen, she might be right. Think about it, it'd be all too easy for-"

"No." Zou Yawen's voice put a stop to whatever he was about to say. "This imposter is just trying to twist the truth so that they can make the both of us fail. And I am done standing for their continued existence!"

With a sudden start that Bai Feng could barely track, Zou Yawen surged forwards towards her as flames began to engulf her blade and she swung widely at Bai Feng.

Bai Feng barely managed to dodge backward from the oncoming blade, though a burning pain still lingered in her cheek as it grazed her. Before she could even think of how she could retaliate against the very much lethal force Zou Yawen had already wound up a thrust and a small geyser of flame screamed through the air as it flew at her. Eyes wide she could only watch as it got closer before it had engulfed her.

Strangely, there was none of the pain she had expected as a thick mist she couldn't see through had somehow intercepted the flames before they had engulfed her. The instant afterward, it turned and curled around her. Then everything went dark.