Night descended on the Crimson Sect, but the valley did not rest.
Lanterns of floating flame-dust hovered in the air, drifting along pathways and illuminating the lush gardens. Disciples moved in quiet groups, speaking in hushed tones about the explosive first trial and the mysterious girl who had destroyed an illusory flame phoenix with a single strike.
Inside the Sect's main cultivation hall, Jin Zhen stood alone, gazing out the vast window into the mountain fog.
[System Notification]
[New Talent Analysis Available: Fang Mu]
[SP: 5]
[Cost: 3 SP — Proceed?]
"Proceed," he whispered.
[Analyzing...]
[Name: Fang Mu | Realm: Early Foundation | Talent: Iron Vine Constitution (Rare) | Potential: High]
Jin Zhen nodded slightly. "Iron Vine... suited for growth, defense, and spiritual fortification."
He made a mental note to introduce Fang Mu to one of the sect's ancient agricultural techniques. Not everything had to be blood and fire.
---
Meanwhile...
In a secluded chamber near the outer rings of the sect, Li Xiang sat cross-legged, her spatial aura faint but distinct. She had unsealed part of her Void Serpent bloodline temporarily, her silver irises glowing faintly.
She opened her palm. A small seed rested inside—dormant but pulsing with energy.
"The Flame Lord..." she whispered, thinking of Jin Zhen. "He's dangerous. But maybe, just maybe... he's the kind of danger the world needs."
She fed the seed a trace of qi. It pulsed brighter.
---
The next morning, the sect bustled anew.
Yun Mei met Jin Zhen in the alchemy gardens, where exotic spiritual plants bloomed: Starleaf Roses, Emberroots, and even a budding Twilight Vortex Lotus.
"You're growing these now?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Only the most useful," Jin Zhen replied. "The disciples need to be more than warriors. They must be pillars. Builders. Cultivators of the land and self."
She smirked. "You've changed."
He tilted his head. "No. I've simply remembered more of who I'm meant to be."
She handed him a scroll. "These are the final trial designs. Three paths: Combat, Wisdom, and Spirit. Each disciple chooses their own test."
"Good," he said. "Let them show more than muscle."
---
At noon, the second trial was announced.
[System Announcement: Trial Two — The Trifold Gate]
Xue Yan addressed the competitors, his voice booming across the mountains:
"Three doors. One truth. Choose your path:
The Path of Blades: Fight a reflection of your own cultivation heart.
The Path of Echoes: Solve the mysteries of the inner mind.
The Path of Flame: Burn away illusions to reveal your core."
Each disciple approached the archways, each gate glowing with a different hue.
Li Xiang stepped toward the Path of Echoes.
Fang Mu hesitated, then chose the Path of Flame.
A spirit tamer from a minor sect approached the Path of Blades and was immediately thrown into a hallucination where he battled a demonic version of himself.
Screams echoed from within the trial gates.
Lan Yuer whispered to Jin Zhen, "This is intense."
"They must be forged under pressure," he replied. "We don't want followers. We want survivors who lead."
---
Hours passed.
From the Path of Flame, Fang Mu emerged, his robes scorched, but his aura more stable, his vine-patterned tattoos glowing faintly.
Li Xiang returned with unreadable eyes. Her presence was quieter, sharper.
Fewer than forty disciples succeeded. Twenty-two collapsed before completing their trial. Five were spiritually broken and would need healing.
Jin Zhen summoned the final survivors to the main stage.
"You have endured the flames of doubt, the echoes of fear, and the blades of your past. Tomorrow, you face each other."
The crowd erupted.
But even as the flames of celebration flickered, shadows moved.
High above the sect, cloaked figures studied the formations, whispering into communication talismans.
"The Crimson Sect grows too fast," one said. "He must be watched... or ended."
And far away, a dark altar lit with purple fire. An ancient eye opened.
The game had begun.