The Return
When Kai stepped out of the Grand Council Hall, the air outside felt sharper, as if the world itself had changed in the brief span of his decision. Disciples who had gathered outside to catch rumors surged forward, whispers exploding the instant they saw him.
"He accepted?"
"Impossible. He'll die!"
"No… he's Kai. Maybe he can do it."
"Fool. Lu Chen isn't Wei Tian—he's on another level!"
Voices clashed like waves on stone, admiration and doubt in equal measure.
Kai ignored them. His body was battered, his mind heavy, but his spirit was a burning flame. Every step carried him deeper into the storm he had chosen.
---
System Notification
The familiar icy chime echoed once more.
[System Update]
Temporary Quest Active: Trial of the Heavens
Time Remaining: 2 Days, 23 Hours, 48 Minutes
Progression Bar: 0% → 100% (Condition: Prepare body, sharpen will, stabilize cultivation)
New Feature Activated: Pain Resistance (Lv. 2)
Passive effect: Further reduces stamina loss from injury.
Side effect: May dull warning signs of severe damage.
Kai blinked. So, it grows with me. But dulling warning signs… that could kill me if I overestimate myself.
Still, the timing was no coincidence. The System knew what he faced.
---
The Healer's Chamber
Kai staggered into the Academy's infirmary. Rows of beds lined the chamber, disciples groaning as healers moved briskly among them.
An old healer raised an eyebrow when Kai entered. "You again? Didn't I just see you half-dead yesterday?"
Kai managed a faint grin. "Guess I'll be a regular here."
The healer muttered curses under his breath but moved quickly, weaving qi threads across Kai's torn muscles. A bitter herbal paste was slapped across his ribs, making him grit his teeth.
"You Outer disciples push yourselves like lunatics," the healer muttered. "Do you even know what you're doing, boy?"
Kai's eyes hardened. "If I stop here, then everything I've done so far is meaningless."
The old man studied him for a long moment before sighing. "Then I'll keep you in one piece. But whether you live past three days… that's not in my hands."
---
Outer Academy Reaction
News of the duel spread like wildfire.
Outer disciples gathered in hidden corners, debating loudly. Some swore to train harder, inspired by Kai's defiance. Others mocked him, calling him a suicide fool dragging their name into shame.
But a small group… they began whispering a new name. Kai, the Unyielding.
For the first time, Outer disciples had a banner to rally behind.
---
The Weight of Politics
Inside the Council chambers, the debate raged long after Kai left.
"He's reckless!" one Elder thundered. "This duel will destabilize everything!"
"Or stabilize it," Elder Yun countered smoothly. "If he dies, balance is restored. If he wins, it proves the Outer disciples' worth once and for all."
"And you," another Elder sneered, "seem far too eager for him to succeed."
Elder Yun only smiled faintly, saying nothing.
Far above, in the shadowed balconies, unseen figures—elders whose names hadn't been spoken in decades—listened silently. The Trial of the Heavens was no longer a simple duel. It had become a chess piece in a far greater game.
---
Kai's Training
For the next two days, Kai pushed himself relentlessly.
At dawn, he meditated beneath the waterfall, letting freezing torrents batter his battered body, forcing circulation of qi through strained channels. Every breath was agony, but every cycle steadied him.
At noon, he drilled techniques with a weighted wooden spear, his calloused hands blistering as he repeated motions until his vision blurred. He lacked advanced martial techniques, so he sharpened the basics until each thrust was like lightning, each strike like thunder.
At night, he collapsed in the courtyard, staring at the stars. The whispers of doubt pressed against his mind, but so did the fire of countless Outer disciples who believed in him.
And always, the System chimed.
[Progression: 21% → 43% → 72%]
---
The System's Guidance
On the second night, as Kai pushed through one last cycle of training, the System's cold voice whispered again.
[Hidden Feature Unlocked: Battle Instinct (Lv. 1)]
Grants slight predictive awareness of enemy attacks in close combat.
Effectiveness increases with danger level.
Kai froze, his heart pounding. This… this could turn the tide. If I can read even a fraction of Lu Chen's intent, I might survive his strikes long enough to land one of my own.
For the first time, hope flickered in the shadow of despair.
---
The Skyfire Arena
On the third morning, the Skyfire Arena revealed itself.
A vast coliseum carved into the mountain's crown, its walls soared hundreds of feet high. Ancient runes circled the battlefield, glowing faintly with fire-red light. Legends said the arena was forged from the crater of a fallen star, tempered by dragon flames.
Every duel fought here was recorded in history. Victors carved their names into the Academy's legacy. Losers… became forgotten ash.
Already, thousands of disciples filled the stands. Outer disciples crowded the lower tiers, their cheers mixing with anxious cries. Inner disciples occupied the higher rows, their expressions filled with scorn and anticipation.
The Elders sat in their elevated thrones, silent watchers of destiny.
And at the center of the arena floor, two figures waited.
Kai.
Lu Chen.
---
The Moment Before
The roar of the crowd shook the mountain, but to Kai it was muffled, distant.
His heart was steady. His hands no longer shook.
Three days of preparation. Three days of pain. Three days of climbing. Now… it begins.
The System chimed once more.
[Trial of the Heavens: Commencing]
Opponent: Lu Chen (Inner Academy Rank 23)
Conditions: Survive. Defeat. Ascend.
The runes around the arena flared to life, sealing them in a cage of fire and light.
Lu Chen smirked, his voice carrying over the roaring crowd.
"You made it here alive. That's better than I expected. But today, Kai, I'll break you so thoroughly that no one will ever dare speak your name again."
Kai's grip tightened around his weapon. His eyes burned.
"Try."
The drums thundered. The Trial of the Heavens began.