The abyss was dark and freezing cold.
Fan Zhi was lying on the floor of the abyss, somehow uninjured from the fall.
Groaning, Fan Zhi forced himself to get up.
For some reason, Fan Zhi's mind felt clear of the negative emotions.
Looking around, Fan Zhi felt confused.
"What is happening? I felt like I was falling into an abyss, but that was mentally speaking and not actually happening."
Mulling over it for several minutes, Fan Zhi suddenly realized what happened.
Exhaling heavily, Fan Zhi knew that the following period of time in this abyss was going to be hard.
It seemed that the Pearl had thrown his consciousness into this strange place as a trial.
Although Fan Zhi knew little about the Pearl as it was, he had discovered that there was more to the Pearl than what the wanderer had assumed.
He found this out due to several mentions of the Pearl during various memories.
Fan Zhi personally suspected that the Pearl gave him those specific memories to observe precisely for the purpose of expanding his horizons.
"Sigh…... Whatever. I guess I just have to do as it said, survive."
Muttering loudly, Fan Zhi began to walk in the only direction he could.
The abyss was only several dozen mel wide, him having strangely fell at one end of the abyss.
He could only follow the line of the abyss, unable to move any other direction than towards the end of the path.
As he was walking, Fan Zhi heard strange murmuring around him.
After several minutes, Fan Zhi was startled as he saw a strange, murky grey, human-shaped thing flash past too fast for him to identify.
Stopping and observing his surroundings, Fan Zhi found nothing.
Fan Zhi shrugged his shoulders and continued to walk.
Soon, he saw more grey blurs moving around him, too fast to discern clearly.
The voices around him grew louder, the grey blurs grew more frequent and moved slower as Fan Zhi advanced through the abyss.
Listening intently, Fan Zhi still couldn't identify the words of the voices.
He was only in the 1st Realm of cultivation in each of his cultivation paths.
The Qi Path didn't help with the senses of the cultivator, his strength as an Advanced Spirit Disciple meant he wasn't yet equipped with soul-sense that could expand outside his body.
The Physique Path of cultivation did enhance his senses, but that wasn't until the next Realm of cultivation, too far in the future to help at this point in time.
He didn't need any of this to identify the grey blurs and the noises though.
The further he walked, the more distinct the blurs and noises became to Fan Zhi.
Once he reached about a quarter way through the path within the abyss,
Fan Zhi was able to identify the grey blurs as humanoid shapes; their voices being the noises that he heard.
Strangely enough, the blurs and their voices were familiar to Fan Zhi.
They seemed strikingly similar to members of the Fan Clan, all of them well known to Fan Zhi.
Their mutterings became audible too, blaming Fan Zhi for his weakness.
Fan Zhi steeled his heart as he continued to advance.
He could guess that this was the trial set by the inheritance within the Pearl, which was residing in Fan Zhi's soul.
"Zhi'er…... Why? Why are you so determined to face suffering?"
Fan Zhi froze in shock, a single tear starting a flood of tears from his eyes.
The grey blur which spoke was a perfect copy of Fan Zhi's mother, Fan Hui.
Unable to control himself, Fan Zhi's eyes turned red and his thoughts turbulent.
His will wavered as he saw his mother's dejected face.
Shaking his head, Fan Zhi managed to convince himself of the fact that it was an illusion.
Continuing to progress forward, Fan Zhi branded his rage and helplessness into his heart.
Where he merely felt that being strong would be nice earlier and his love of training was his reason for trying to grow strong; Fan Zhi now desired strength, more than anything else.
"Hey, son. Why are you looking so down? Don't worry about it, you are still weak. You can become strong in the future; an unrivalled expert with the ability to eclipse the heavens with a single palm. However, do you really need to suffer so much to become strong?"
Fan Zhi's body shuddered at another grey blur's words.
This one was a replica of his father, Fan Heng.
Still, despite the incredible toll on his willpower, Fan Zhi continued to journey to the end of the path in the abyss.
To his surprise, the grey blurs all started to follow him.
Slowly, as Fan Zhi progressed, more and more grey blurs appeared; all resembling people he was acquainted with.
They each said different words, but each questioned his choices and his will.
"This inheritance within the Pearl is truly cunning, setting up such a malicious trial to test its inheritor. Heh, shame it met me."
Fan Zhi muttered to himself, taking in and remembering every word said by the grey blurs.
However, he didn't let their doubts stop him, answering each ones' doubts with words within his heart.
Fan Zhi was now almost two-thirds of the way through the path.
The grey blurs had slowly changed, becoming increasingly malicious and blameful of Fan Zhi's weakness.
They blamed him for their deaths, for their pain and for the future in which they would become forgotten.
Fan Zhi slowed down his walking, guilt weakening his resolve.
Eventually, Fan Zhi stood still, his eyes closed as he was bombarded by their thoughts.
Even the grey blurs of Fan Hui, Fan Heng and Fan Cheng were the same.
Their accusations cut the deepest into Fan Zhi's heart.
Fan Zhi stood there for an unknown period of time, his expression gradually changing.
After what seemed an eternity, Fan Zhi's eyes opened.
However, they weren't expressive and determined; they were cold and decisive.
Looking around apathetically, Fan Zhi's voice sounded out in a quiet, but powerful enough tone to silence all of the grey blurs.
"Silence."
Once he had silenced the grey blurs, Fan Zhi continued walking.
As he walked, Fan Zhi calmly answered every accusation of the grey blurs with a cold expression.
"You killed the clan because of your weakness."
"Since when is it up to me to protect you?"
"If you were strong, then our Clan wouldn't have been extinguished."
"What makes you think I care for the fate of the Clan?"
"You are a member of the Fan Clan; you are supposed to protect it."
"Only with power, does responsibility come. I lack power, therefore I am not responsible for your safety. If I was as strong as Fan Cheng, then I would have protected you. Unfortunately, I am not."
All of the grey blurs said similar things, each getting a cold and logical responsible response from Fan Zhi.
Each grey blur that Fan Zhi answered was then ignored thereafter by Fan Zhi.
He was not going to waste time and energy he could spend growing stronger with people who were unreasonably blaming him.
Fairly soon, Fan Zhi reached the end of the path and faced three final grey blurs.
They were Fan Hui, Fan Heng and Fan Cheng; the only ones he truly cared about within his clan.
Stopping in front of them, Fan Zhi calmly looked at them, the only indication of his emotions was a slight change in his incandescent black eyes.
Fan Cheng stepped forward first.
Looking deeply at Fan Zhi, Fan Cheng accused him.
"Fan Zhi, if it wasn't for your talent, then the Fierce Tiger Tribe and Gale Hawk Village wouldn't have annihilated my clan."
Fan Zhi sighed deeply.
"They desired more power; therefore, they would have attempted to annihilate our clan anyway. My new-found talent only sped up their timeline for the destruction of our clan."
After speaking, Fan Zhi turned to Fan Heng.
Fan Cheng had no more arguments he was able to make.
Fading into nothingness, Fan Cheng smiled lightly at Fan Zhi while his final words echoed through the abyss.
"Ahhh my grandson, you have truly grown up now. Always remember, you have chosen the path of strength; no matter the pain, no matter the sacrifices for strength this is the path you have chosen. Do not forsake it."
Fan Zhi smiled lightly, for the first time since the beginning of the ambush.
Speaking to the abyss surrounding him, Fan Zhi's voice resounded through the void of the abyss.
"Fear not grandfather, I have chosen this path; I shall traverse it until the end has come."
Fan Zhi stood still, looking up in a moment of silence.
Fan Heng and Fan Hui were silently waiting too, acknowledging Fan Zhi's desire to mourn his grandfather's death while he could.
A minute later, Fan Heng stepped forward.
"Son, you are still weak. If you hadn't become complacent and remained low-key; our clan could have survived."
"Father, do you still blame me? A decade, that is how long I had to watch my peers grow strong and let them bully me. If you were in the same situation, would you not be the same. I was once weaker than them, yet I broke through in my cultivation within 2 months. Tell me father, how long did the next fastest person take to make their first breakthrough? Two years? Although I was complacent and have paid for it, was there any reason for someone naive like I was to not have faith in our Clan's strength?"
Fan Heng was silent.
Fan Zhi's logic was irrefutable; unable to be denied due to the fact that Fan Heng knew that if he was in that situation, he would be the exact same as Fan Zhi had been.
Naivety required age and experience for someone to grow out of and although Fan Zhi had experienced quite a lot for his age, this experience was not of the outside world.
Smiling contentedly, Fan Heng followed the same fate as Fan Cheng; fading into the void leaving only his last words.
"I am glad, son; although you have experienced great pain and loss you are no longer innocent to the ways of the cultivation world. You now understand just how far people are willing to go for even the slightest trace of more power. I leave you my final wish, to never become like others, murdering in cold blood just for power. Defend yourself, but never harm or implicate the innocent. You understand better than most how cruel this is, having experienced it yourself; so you shouldn't cause this pain to others no matter the cost."
Upon leaving his will, Fan Heng's presence was gone.
He traversed into the void, perishing peacefully, just like Fan Cheng did mere minutes before.
Fan Zhi once again gave a moment of silence, showing his respect and admiration of his father.
After sighing quietly, Fan Zhi looked at the last one, his mother.
Fan Hui then stepped forward, expressing her reluctance in this situation.
However, it seemed that when she spoke, she was searching for something deep within Fan Zhi.
"Zhi'er, you are too young to face these tribulations of life. You can grow strong perfectly fine without risking your life and feeling suffering until your death."
"Mother… It is true, I can grow strong without the suffering."
Fan Hui instantly grew excited as she went to speak more, before being rudely interrupted by Fan Zhi.
"Then--."
"However, I chose this path, this future of suffering. It is the only way to become the strongest. Only when I am at the peak of strength can I truly live free of the pain and suffering being weaker than others can cause me. Do not speak any longer; I have decided and nothing you can say will sway me even if you are my mother. Please, make this goodbye a pleasant one. I want to feel happy before my heart hardens into steel so I can pursue my desires."
This time, Fan Hui truly smiled.
It was a radiant smile that made Fan Zhi smile as he did when he was young.
It was a smile that showcased the endless love a mother has for their son.
Beginning to fade like the previous two, Fan Hui left her final words and Fan Zhi engraved them into his heart just like he did for the rest of those he cared about.
"This is my Zhi'er that I raised, one that was strong-willed and did what he believed he should do. Promise me Zhi'er, no matter what happens, you will not let your journey taint your soul. Promise me, you will always hold strong to your beliefs and never forsake them; just like I know you won't forsake your path to strength. I hope you do reach that peak you so desire in the future; and that you do not regret it. Goodbye, my Zhi'er; I love you."
Sitting down, Fan Zhi's eyes welled up with tears.
Falling over into a foetal position, he expressed his sorrow, his grief and his anger at the passing of his family.
As his vision was turning dark, Fan Zhi saw a shining silhouette of eight colours before him.
Crouching down, the silhouette smiled kindly and placed his hand on Fan Zhi's head.
Speaking softly, his words resounded through Fan Zhi's head as his vision turned to nothingness.
"You have chosen the path of power, the Primordial Dharma. Congratulations young inheritor, you have passed my trial. I shall speak to you soon, but for now, sleep the sleep of healing; the sleep that will heal the pain in your soul."
As Fan Zhi's other senses started to fade, he could hear the light murmuring of the silhouette before everything went to the void.
"Hmmm, how interesting. A common boy born in this realm's Heavenly Necropolis actually has such comprehensive talent. I originally thought he would need a lot of experience and training to get such strong comprehension abilities. Is it coincidence, or fate I wonder…."