The celestial wind carried the echoes of battle and whispers of destiny as Tianming stood before the obsidian gates that marked the entrance to the next phase of the Celestial Selection. They loomed like two unblinking eyes, etched with sigils that pulsed in sync with his heartbeat. His freshly forged Heavenpiercer Twin Sabers pulsed at his side, alive with his soul's resonance, responding to the anticipation in the air.
Yuelan stood beside him, the Celestial Snowstring Blade strapped across her back, its silvery strings singing faintly in the ambient magic. Her calm expression masked the storm within—memories of her trials still burned in her thoughts, each scar forged into clarity.
Lord Xuantai's projection flickered into existence above the gates. "The next trial," he said, his voice echoing across the celestial arena, "is unlike any other. This is not a test of strength, skill, or forging—but one of unity. Of trust."
The gates rumbled, then parted.
> [System Alert: Trial Initiation — The Soulbound Labyrinth] [Requirement: Enter with a Bound Partner. Soul Synchronization Rate must exceed 50%. Recommended Threshold: 75%.]
Tianming blinked. "Bound Partner?"
Yuelan tilted her head. "What's that supposed to—"
A dome of light encased them both. Energy threads spiraled from the ground and wrapped around their bodies like vines. The system's voice returned.
> [Binding Protocol Initiated. Synchronizing souls... 31%... 42%... 56%... Error. Synchronization unstable. Begin Soulbonding Ritual to proceed.]
---
I. The Ritual
The dome transformed into a temple of floating lotuses, moonlight casting shadows across statues of twin deities—one male, one female. A dais formed in the center, etched with mirrored runes.
Tianming looked over at Yuelan. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"That this sounds suspiciously like a celestial wedding ceremony?"
He grinned. "I was going to say trial by magical intimacy, but yes."
Yuelan rolled her eyes, but stepped forward. "Let's just get this done."
They stood on opposite ends of the dais. Runes activated beneath their feet.
> [Soulbond Initiation Step 1: Exchange of Essence.]
Tianming's system interface flared open.
> [Warning: This process is irreversible. Do you accept the Soulbound Oath with Lin Yuelan? Resulting synchronization will allow shared skills, synchronized cultivation resonance, and increased affinity bonuses.]
He pressed accept.
A thread of golden light extended from his chest.
Yuelan hesitated for a fraction of a second, then accepted. Her own light, silver and soft, reached out.
The threads met in midair, twisted, and merged. The light exploded.
> [Synchronization Rate: 84%. Soulbond Successful. Partner Skills Unlocked: Heavenburst Synchronization, Lotus Tempest Waltz.] [Soulbound Trait: Shared Life Pool in Trials. WARNING: If one perishes within the Labyrinth, so does the other.]
Yuelan stepped closer, her voice low. "Guess we're literally stuck with each other."
Tianming smiled. "I've had worse roommates."
The temple dissolved into motes of light, revealing a corridor of shifting mirrors and infinite shadows.
> [Trial Initiated: Soulbound Labyrinth — Objective: Reach the Heart of Reflection. Estimated Completion Time: 12 hours. Bonus Reward for Finishing Within 3 Hours. Penalty for Failure: Forced Reversion of Soulbond, Fragmentation Risk: High.]
---
II. The Maze of Memory
They stepped into the labyrinth. Every wall was a mirror—but not just of their bodies. The mirrors reflected their thoughts, fears, past choices, even hidden regrets.
Tianming saw himself, younger, more arrogant, berating a weak disciple during his early sect days.
"That's not me anymore."
The mirror cracked.
Yuelan passed a mirror that showed her alone in a dark throne room, her sect frozen in time, her body emotionless.
She exhaled. "I won't be that woman."
Another mirror shattered.
But the farther they went, the more complex the reflections became. They weren't just individuals anymore. Now the maze projected their shared moments—Yuelan bleeding during a battle while Tianming ignored her wounds; Tianming lost in system upgrades while she meditated alone. Small fractures in their unity.
"Did I really ignore you that much during the Abyssal Trial?" Tianming asked.
Yuelan was silent for a beat, then nodded. "You get obsessed sometimes."
He looked away. "I'll do better."
A gate of mirrored fire opened before them.
---
III. Combat of the Reflected
Inside the next chamber, two figures waited—reflections of Tianming and Yuelan. But darker. Colder. The versions that would've emerged had they embraced cruelty over compassion, ambition over balance.
> [Warning: Mirrorclones Initiated. Difficulty: True Soul Equivalence.]
The fight was immediate and vicious. Tianming fought his clone blade-to-blade, matching every motion, but the mirror version lacked hesitation. It struck to kill.
"Your heart is weak," the clone sneered. "You spare enemies. You hesitate for love."
"I choose love," Tianming growled, igniting his twin sabers. "Because power without it is hollow."
They clashed in a rain of sparks. Every motion was mirrored, every flaw exploited. Only when he changed style—using Yuelan's Lotus Thread movements—did he gain the upper hand.
Meanwhile, Yuelan fought her mirrored self in a ballet of ice and shadows.
"You could be a queen of frost. Untouchable. Immortal. Why tether yourself to him?" the clone hissed.
Yuelan breathed in, calm as a glacier. "Because I choose warmth over cold. Even if it burns."
She played her blade like an instrument. Her notes became cuts. Her harmony disrupted the clone's form, until it shattered into icy petals.
When they stood victorious, the system chimed:
> [Challenge Complete: Reflected Conquest. Synchronization Increased: 88%. Bonus Skill Unlocked — Unity Shift: Twin Phase Dance.]
---
IV. Heart of Reflection
At last, they reached the Heart of Reflection—a chamber shaped like a lotus with mirrors for petals, floating over a void of stars.
In the center hovered a pearl of starlight.
> [Final Test: One must jump. One must catch. If the trust is true, both shall ascend. If not, both shall fall.]
Yuelan looked at him. "You're stronger. I should be the one to catch."
Tianming shook his head. "You've always caught me emotionally. This time, I'll return the favor."
She nodded once. Then without warning—jumped.
He stepped forward, focused his essence into a net of qi shaped like a blooming lotus, and caught her with precision as the pearl erupted in light.
> [Trial Complete: Soulbound Labyrinth Cleared in 2 hours 44 minutes. Bonus Achieved.]
> [Rankings Updated — Tianming: Rank 2 / Yuelan: Rank 2 (Shared Score Tie)]
A beam of light carried them out.
---
V. Whispered Threats
In the Celestial Pavilion, whispers echoed as Tianming and Yuelan reappeared. The other competitors stared, some with awe, others with cold calculation.
A woman stepped forward, her hair like white silk, her aura shimmering like a mirage. She bowed mockingly.
"You two again. Making waves, I see."
Tianming's eyes narrowed. "And you are?"
"Zhao Yueyin. Rank 1."
Yuelan tensed. "What do you want?"
"To let you know," Yueyin said softly, "the next trial isn't about bonding. It's about breaking. And I'm very good at breaking things."
She turned and left. The crowd parted for her like reeds before a storm.
> [System Alert: Next Trial Revealed — Trial of Fracture. Theme: Betrayal. Begin in 24 Celestial Hours.]
Tianming looked to Yuelan. "Whatever it is—we face it together."
She offered her hand. "Soulbound. Always."
Their fingers laced.
Above them, a constellation shimmered—and shifted.
---
[End of Chapter 19: Soulbound Oath]