The announcement came at dawn. A bronze bell tolled across the sect grounds, each strike carrying the weight of judgment. Disciples poured into the courtyards, murmuring, eyes bright with curiosity and fear. The news spread like wildfire:Jiang Hao, the low-profile disciple who had unmasked unfathomable power, was to face his first trial.At the base of the sect's sacred mountain, a great arena had been prepared. Carved from black stone, its floor bore ancient inscriptions that shimmered faintly with protective wards. Above, banners fluttered in the morning breeze, each emblazoned with the phoenix crest of the sect.The elders filled the high seats. Sect Master Tianlong presided at the center, his expression as cold as the mountain wind. To his right sat Elder Feng, arms folded, his glare sharp enough to cut stone. To the left, Elder Bai, eyes gleaming with barely concealed satisfaction.And at the heart of the arena stood Jiang Hao.He wore no ornament, no armor, only the plain robes of a disciple. His golden eyes swept the crowd without pause, his face calm, betraying neither fear nor arrogance. But deep within, the pain from the backlash still gnawed at him, a reminder that his body was far from ready.A herald's voice rang out, carrying across the arena. "By decree of the Sect Master, the first trial shall be—Trial by Flame."A murmur rippled through the crowd. Trial by Flame was no ordinary test. It was an ordeal older than the sect itself, a crucible designed to test not only strength but the purity of one's soul.From the edges of the arena, runes flared. Flames erupted in a great circle, rising higher than a man's head, blue-white and searing. The heat rolled outward in waves, forcing spectators to shield themselves even from afar.The herald continued. "The disciple must pass through the Circle of Flame, enduring its purifying fire. Should his will falter, the flames will consume him. Should corruption dwell within, the fire will reveal it."Gasps followed. Some disciples whispered that even seasoned elders had failed this trial. Others sneered that perhaps Jiang Hao's secret would finally be laid bare.Jiang Hao's lips curved faintly. Flames to test the soul…? How fitting.Elder Bai rose to his feet, his voice sharp. "Let the flames strip him to truth. If his power is tainted, we will all see it!""Sit down, Bai," Elder Feng snapped, his killing intent pressing the air heavy. "The boy hasn't even taken a step."Sect Master Tianlong raised his hand, silencing them both. His gaze fixed on Jiang Hao. "Enter the flames. Show us who you truly are."The circle of fire roared louder, as if in answer.Mei Ling and Lin Xueyao stood among the outer crowd, their hearts clenched tight. Yunxi whispered, almost to herself, "This isn't a trial. It's a sentence."Meiyun's fists clenched, nails digging into her palms, her eyes locked on Jiang Hao's calm figure. If you fall in there, I'll burn with you, fool.Jiang Hao stepped forward. The heat licked at his robes, scorching the air. He did not hesitate. One step, then another, until the fire swallowed him whole.From the stands, all eyes strained to see — but within the circle, the flames became a world of their own.The fire clung to his skin like molten chains, biting deep into muscle and marrow, searing through veins as though to scour away every hidden truth. Agony shot through him, more violent than the backlash of any seal. His vision blurred, his body screamed — but he clenched his jaw, refusing to give sound to his pain.Then came the second strike. Not against flesh, but against his soul. The flames dug deeper, into memory, into hidden seals, probing, demanding surrender.And in the depths of the fire, Jiang Hao heard a voice. Cold, cruel, echoing from within his own seals."Break me. Release me. Or you will burn to ash."The power sealed within him surged against the fire, straining to escape. His body convulsed, the first seal cracking faintly under the pressure. The crowd outside saw only his silhouette trembling, bathed in golden light as his hidden strength fought the trial's flames.Elder Bai leapt to his feet. "You see? His power resists purification! He cannot endure—he is tainted!"But Elder Feng shot up as well, fury in his eyes. "No — he's restraining it! The fire seeks corruption, but what you see is defiance!"The sect master said nothing, his gaze fixed, unblinking, on the golden figure within the fire.Inside the circle, Jiang Hao staggered. The flames bit deeper, whispering for him to yield, to unleash his seal and let the power within consume all. His muscles tore, blood boiling beneath his skin. His handsome face twisted in pain, and yet his golden eyes only burned brighter.Through gritted teeth, he spoke into the fire itself."You think I'll release you for a little heat? You don't know me at all."And with that, he took another step forward.The flames wrapped tighter, pressing not only against Jiang Hao's flesh but against his very mind. Each step forward was like walking through molten iron; each breath was like inhaling knives.A thousand phantom voices filled his ears, memories he had buried clawing their way to the surface. His office desk from his mortal life appeared in the haze, papers piled higher than mountains, his boss's voice screaming:"Overtime again, Jiang Hao! No bonus, no break! Finish this report or burn in hell!"The illusion overlapped with the flames, the paper stacks igniting, curling into ash as the fire consumed his false past. Jiang Hao actually laughed between gritted teeth, the sound jagged but real."You think that's torture? You've never been trapped in an office cubicle at midnight with instant noodles gone cold!"The disciples outside exchanged confused glances as Jiang Hao, within the inferno, actually laughed. To them, it was madness — but to those who knew him, it was defiance, the only way he endured.The fire roared louder, angered by his refusal to break. Blue flames turned white, stripping away all masks. His robes burned to tatters, revealing his sculpted body beneath, skin etched with faint golden patterns that pulsed with the seal's energy. Every flicker of light seemed to make him more unearthly, more immortal.But the backlash struck again. His veins bulged, dark blood dripping from his lips as the first seal buckled. He staggered, one knee striking the searing ground. The crowd gasped as the light around him flickered.Not yet… not here.He clenched his fists, nails biting so deep into his palms blood mingled with fire. The pain doubled, the seal straining like a dam ready to burst. His vision blurred, and for a heartbeat, he saw it—A vast darkness, seven chains binding it, each heavier than mountains. A shadowed figure stared back at him with a smile too sharp to be human."Release the second, and I'll make this flame nothing. But the cost… ah, you already know."Sweat poured down his face, mixing with blood. He bit the inside of his cheek until iron filled his mouth.No. Not yet. If I let the second seal slip now, I won't survive the backlash. I'll crawl out of here half-dead, ripe for my enemies.From the stands, Meiyun stepped forward, voice breaking against the oppressive silence. "Jiang Hao—don't you dare fall! If you do, I'll drag you back myself, even if I burn!"Her words cut through the haze like a blade. Jiang Hao lifted his head, eyes blazing golden. The fire reflected in them, but so did something stronger — a refusal to yield."Not today," he whispered.Then he stood. Muscles screamed, bones cracked, but he rose, step by step, forcing his body through agony that should have broken him ten times over. Each pace set the arena trembling, the fire bending around him, unwilling to consume a soul so unyielding.Outside, the disciples erupted into shouts."He's walking through it!" "Impossible! No one endures that fire!" "His soul should've been shattered!"Elder Bai snarled, knuckles white. "No… he can't… this brat can't…"Elder Feng, for once, smiled — sharp and cruel. "Looks like the flames like him more than you, Bai."The sect master leaned forward, his gaze unshakable. His fingers tightened against the arm of his seat.Within the inferno, Jiang Hao finally reached the circle's heart. The flames flared one last time, their brightest yet, as if giving everything to break him. He roared back, voice carrying beyond the fire, shaking heaven and earth."I've lived through worse than fire. Burn me, scour me, test me — but I will not kneel!"The flames faltered.One by one, the blue-white pillars collapsed inward, vanishing like smoke on the wind. In their place, Jiang Hao stood alone, battered, bloodied, robes in tatters, golden eyes burning brighter than the fire that had tried to consume him.The crowd was silent for a single heartbeat.Then the arena erupted.
