Lin Xuan’s body still trembled from the overwhelming force of the inheritance. The golden energy that had surged into him settled deep within his meridians, making every fiber of his being feel stronger, sharper—almost as if he had shed his old self.
Zhao Feng stared at him, arms crossed. "Well? What did you get?"
Lin Xuan clenched his fists. A strange warmth spread through his limbs. He could feel it—a new power slumbering within him, waiting to be unleashed.
"I don't know yet," he admitted. "But it feels... powerful."
The pedestal that once held the inheritance began to crack, and in the blink of an eye, it crumbled into dust. The valley itself seemed to shift, as if its purpose had been fulfilled.
Zhao Feng sighed, rubbing his temples. "Why do you always get the rare stuff?"
Lin Xuan chuckled. "Luck, maybe?"
Before Zhao Feng could respond, the ground beneath them rumbled. The trial wasn't over yet.
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A HIDDEN THREAT
From the shadows, a dark mist began to rise. It coiled and twisted like a living entity, whispering in an unknown language. The air turned cold, and an eerie pressure filled the valley.
Lin Xuan and Zhao Feng instantly tensed.
Zhao Feng narrowed his eyes. "I don’t like this…"
A figure emerged from the mist—cloaked in black, their face hidden beneath a hood. Their aura was suffocating, filled with something sinister.
"You’ve taken what should not be yours," the figure said, their voice layered with something unnatural. "The inheritance does not belong to you."
Lin Xuan took a step forward, his instincts screaming that this was no ordinary foe. "Who are you?"
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The figure remained silent, then raised their hand. The mist around them thickened, and from it, shadowy tendrils shot forward, aiming straight for Lin Xuan’s heart.
Zhao Feng reacted instantly, summoning a barrier of qi to deflect the attack, but the tendrils pierced through it as if it were paper.
"Move!" Lin Xuan shouted.
They leaped back just in time. The tendrils slammed into the ground, leaving behind a deep, burning scar.
Zhao Feng gritted his teeth. "This guy isn’t normal."
Lin Xuan’s mind raced. The figure’s power… it wasn’t pure qi cultivation. It felt different. Darker.
Something beyond the sect’s teachings.
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THE FIRST CLASH
The cloaked figure lifted their hand again, and the mist around them condensed into a long, black blade.
"Give up the inheritance, and I will spare you."
Lin Xuan’s eyes gleamed. "I think I’ll keep it."
The figure sighed. "Then you die."
Swoosh!
The figure vanished.
Lin Xuan barely had time to react before the blade was already swinging toward his neck. He twisted his body, avoiding the lethal strike by a hair’s breadth.
CLANG!
Zhao Feng intercepted the next attack with his own sword, but the impact sent him flying backward.
Lin Xuan countered immediately, his instincts guiding him. The golden energy within him flared to life, spreading through his veins.
He didn’t think. He just moved.
His palm struck forward, and to his surprise, golden runes appeared mid-air, crackling with energy.
BOOM!
The blast of power sent the cloaked figure skidding back, their robe slightly torn.
Zhao Feng coughed. "What the hell was that?"
Lin Xuan stared at his hands. The golden runes had already faded, but he could still feel the lingering power.
The figure wiped the dust off their robes. "Interesting… So, that’s the power of the inheritance."
For the first time, Lin Xuan noticed something beneath their hood—a pair of crimson eyes.
Not human.
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A DANGEROUS ENEMY
The figure straightened, their aura growing darker. "You may have inherited its power, but you haven’t mastered it yet."
They pointed their blade at Lin Xuan. "If you survive this night, we will meet again."
Then, just as quickly as they had appeared, they vanished into the mist.
The valley fell silent.
Zhao Feng groaned, pushing himself up. "I hate people like that. Always acting mysterious and vanishing before we get answers."
Lin Xuan didn’t respond. He was still staring at the spot where the figure had disappeared.
Who were they? And more importantly… why did they want the inheritance?
One thing was certain.
This trial was just the beginning.