The stirring of forbidden love, sparked by Mei Ling's fleeting kindness and Li Wei's poetic musings, had unsettled his focus, but the hidden valley's mystical aura kept him anchored to his cultivation. The warmth in his dantian, now a dense pulse he attributed to his nascent Golden Core, reassured him that he was still on the path to immortality. Azure Dragon, his scruffy spirit beast, remained a steadfast companion, dozing by the stone altar as Li Wei pored over the scroll under the glow of the ancient tree's blossoms. Yet, the scroll's next passage introduced a chilling new trial: "The Demonic Possession, where shadows of the heart invade the spirit. Banish them with unyielding will, lest the Dao be lost."
In the cultivation novels Li Wei had devoured in his Beijing days, demonic possession was a terrifying ordeal, often involving malevolent spirits or inner demons that threatened to consume a cultivator's soul. The scroll's description was less fantastical but no less ominous: "The mind, weakened by desire or doubt, opens a gate to chaos. The cultivator must confront the shadow within." Li Wei's recent turmoil over Mei Ling, coupled with lingering doubts from Wang Hao's betrayal and his own physical frailties, made him fear he was vulnerable. The valley, with its whispers and vibrant qi, felt like the perfect place to face such a trial, but the prospect sent a shiver down his spine.
One night, as a cold wind swept through the valley, Li Wei prepared for the ordeal. He reinforced his altar with fresh stones, placing the scroll, jade slip, and a single wilted "Spirit Root Herb" at its center, their faint glow a ward against the darkness. Azure Dragon sensed his tension, whining softly and pressing against his leg. The scroll instructed a ritual to "cleanse the spirit": fasting, chanting, and a meditative trance to confront the shadow within. Li Wei, still weakened from his alchemical mishap and sparse diet, hesitated but steeled himself. The memory of his inner demon—the sneering doppelgänger from his earlier dream—loomed large, but he was determined to face this new challenge.
Under a moonless sky, Li Wei began, sitting cross-legged by the altar, the valley's mist swirling around him like a living shroud. He fasted, sipping only the pool's crystal water, and chanted the scroll's incantations, their rhythmic tones blending with the tree's whispers. His goal was to enter a trance, to "open the gate" and confront the shadow within. Hours passed, his body trembling from hunger and cold, but he focused on his dantian, visualizing his qi as a radiant shield. The warmth pulsed, steady at first, but as exhaustion set in, his mind began to wander, images of Mei Ling's smile mingling with Wang Hao's mocking laughter and his mother's worried voice.
Sleep overtook him, and he slipped into a dream that felt too real to be mere imagination. He stood in the valley, but it was warped— the pool black as ink, the ancient tree twisted into a skeletal form, its blossoms dripping blood. A figure emerged from the mist, its face a shifting amalgam of everyone he'd failed: his boss, sneering at his incompetence; Wang Hao, laughing at his delusions; Mei Ling, her eyes cold with rejection. "You're nothing," the figure hissed, its voice a chorus of his deepest fears. "Your qi is a lie, your scroll a fraud. You'll die alone in this valley."
Li Wei's heart pounded, his qi flickering like a candle in a storm. This was the demonic possession, he realized—the shadow of his doubts, given form to test his resolve. The scroll had warned that only a strong will could banish it. He clutched the jade slip, its faint warmth grounding him, and chanted louder, his voice hoarse but defiant. "I am a cultivator," he declared, visualizing his Golden Core as a blazing star. "You have no power over me!" The figure lunged, its claws reaching for his heart, but Li Wei rolled across the ground, as if fighting a physical foe, his chants echoing in the dreamscape.
In the real world, Azure Dragon barked, startled by Li Wei's thrashing. The movement snapped him awake, sprawled in the dirt, his body slick with sweat. The valley was unchanged, the pool shimmering, the tree's blossoms glowing softly. His heart raced, but the warmth in his dantian pulsed stronger, as if the battle had refined it. Had he banished the demon, or had it been just a nightmare? The scroll promised that such trials strengthened the spirit, and Li Wei chose to believe he'd triumphed. He scribbled in his notebook, hands shaking: "Demonic Possession faced. Shadow banished through will. Core shines brighter."
During the next video call with the Order of the Jade Dawn, Li Wei shared the ordeal, describing the warped valley and the figure's taunts. Zhang Wei, wide-eyed, saw it as proof of Li Wei's progress, while Liu Mei, her voice gentle, urged him to rest and meditate on clarity. "The mind is your battlefield," she said. "Guard it well." Li Wei nodded, grateful for their support, though he kept Mei Ling's role in his vision private, fearing their judgment.
As dawn broke over the valley, Li Wei sat by the altar, Azure Dragon at his side, the scroll open before him. The whispers of the tree seemed to congratulate him, their murmurs a soft encouragement. The demonic possession, real or imagined, had tested his resolve, and he had emerged stronger. The scroll promised greater trials, but with his sect's faith and the valley's energy, Li Wei felt ready to face them, his Golden Core a beacon guiding him toward the heavens.