The cold air of the night bit at Wuji's skin as he stood on shaky legs, still reeling from the intense trial. His body felt like a battlefield of contradictions—his muscles burned from the heat, while his bones still ached from the cold. He forced himself to steady his breathing, taking deep, slow breaths to calm his heart and regain his composure.

The sun had long set, and the arena was bathed in the soft, silvery glow of the moon that now hung high in the sky, casting a faint light over the participants. Wuji glanced up, momentarily losing himself in the sight of the stars twinkling far above. 'Another test survived,' he thought, wiping the sweat and dirt from his brow.

A murmur spread through the crowd as the black stele at the center of the arena flickered, signaling that the results of the endurance trial were being updated. Wuji's heart raced once more, but this time with anticipation. He craned his neck, his eyes scanning the glowing surface of the stele as the new scores appeared.

"87 points… 1170th," Wuji muttered to himself, relief washing over him. He had done better than expected. Despite not having started cultivating, he had managed to hold his own. He glanced at the top of the rankings, where names of the strongest candidates gleamed in bright letters:

Wei Jun: 100 points – Rank 1

Qin Yulan: 98 points – Rank 2

Zhao Shan: 97 points – Rank 3

'They're miles ahead…' Wuji thought, feeling a pang of envy. Wei Jun's perfect score didn't surprise him. He had seen the strength and confidence of the young man during the trials. Qin Yulan and Zhao Shan, too, had proven their strength, but seeing their scores only fueled Wuji's determination. He wasn't here to win every test—he was here to learn, to grow.

Suddenly, an elder stepped forward onto the platform, his presence drawing the attention of all the participants. He cleared his throat, and his voice boomed across the arena.

"The endurance trial is over," the elder began, his tone steady and calm. "The scores from the physical tests will now be calculated. As you all know, the final score for the physical test will be an average of your performance in the strength, agility, and endurance trials."

Wuji watched as the black stele shimmered again, the columns for strength, agility, and endurance vanishing, replaced by a single column labeled Physical Test.

Wuji held his breath as the scores updated:

Qin Yulan: 99 points – Rank 1

Zhao Shan: 96 points – Rank 2

Wei Jun: 94 points – Rank 3

Wuji: 81 points – Rank 1307

Wuji exhaled softly, his chest tightening as he took in his new ranking. It wasn't spectacular, but it wasn't a failure either. He had managed to hold his ground, despite the overwhelming challenges. But the gap between him and the top ranks was clear. 'I have a long way to go,' he mused, clenching his fists. 'But I'll catch up—one way or another.'

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Before he could dwell on it, another elder arrived, his expression more relaxed than the previous one. He looked around at the participants, his eyes softening with a touch of sympathy. "You have all endured much. The physical trials were meant to test your body's resilience. Many of you are still mortals, and even those who have begun cultivating are still at the early stages."

He paused, giving the participants a moment to catch their breath before continuing. "You will be given a break of two hours to rest and eat. After that, we will begin the next trial—the combat test."

A ripple of excitement and apprehension moved through the crowd. The combat test was what many had been anticipating, but the elder had deliberately kept the details vague. No one knew what to expect. Wuji's mind raced. 'Combat? How will I fare against others with cultivation?'

But before he could worry too much, his stomach growled loudly, reminding him of how exhausted and hungry he truly was. He followed the flow of participants out of the arena, moving toward the rows of food stalls that had been set up nearby. The aroma of freshly cooked meat and spices filled the air, causing Wuji's mouth to water.

As he neared the stalls, he noticed a group of participants arguing with one of the vendors. They seemed frustrated, their voices growing louder as they gestured at the prices displayed on the stalls. "How can they charge us for food after what we've just gone through?" one of the participants protested. "We've barely had enough time to recover!"

A disciple from the Frozen Lake Sect arrived, stepping in to mediate. His tone was calm but firm as he addressed the disgruntled participants. "This is your first lesson, whether you pass the sect exams or not. 'Nothing in this world is free. Everything has a price to pay.' If you wish to eat, you must pay."

Wuji, who had been quietly observing, nodded to himself, taking in the disciple's words. He had learned this lesson long ago in his previous life—whether it was time, energy, or resources, everything came at a cost. If one wanted to rise in this world, they would have to be willing to pay the price.

He stepped forward, approaching one of the vendors selling roasted meats. "How much for the roasted duck?" Wuji asked.

"Five silver coins," the vendor replied, not even looking up.

Wuji handed over the coins and received a hearty portion of roasted duck meat. He took a seat nearby, savoring the rich, smoky flavor of the meat as he ate. The food gave him some much-needed energy, and for a moment, he allowed himself to relax. Around him, other participants were doing the same, talking in hushed tones about the upcoming combat test or complaining about the harshness of the trials.

Wuji remained quiet, focused on replenishing his strength. After finishing his meal, he found a quiet corner away from the noise and sat down to rest. The cool night breeze brushed against his skin, and he closed his eyes, letting his mind drift. His body was still sore, but the food had helped ease some of the tension in his muscles.

After an hour of rest, Wuji felt his strength returning, though the fatigue still lingered in his bones. He rose to his feet, stretching his limbs. The combat test would begin soon, and he had no idea what to expect, but one thing was certain—he wouldn't give up. He had come too far to back down now.

I will endure. I will rise.