The vast arena still buzzed with the echoes of disbelief when Principal Feng raised his hand. His calm voice silenced the crowd.
"Wuxie," he said, eyes unreadable, "the Pavilion of Celestial Echo awaits you."
A deep hum filled the air as the center of the arena shimmered. Stone parted, revealing a staircase descending into a brilliance of shifting light. The crowd gasped. Even the other contestants instinctively stepped back.
Wuxie tilted his head, glanced at the principals, then back at the glowing stairway. He gave a cheeky grin.
"Guess this is my bonus level."
With his usual careless stride, he walked down into the light.
The staircase carried him into a world that felt detached from reality itself.
