The air in the void shimmered faintly, and Xiao Ming's consciousness returned to its core self seated in the lotus position. His brow glistened with sweat as his spiritual body trembled, bound to the Samsara Chart that floated ominously before him. Its radiant engravings swirled endlessly, depicting the cycle of reincarnation.
Within his sea of consciousness, a faint shadow flickered—the Shadow Phoenix's will, its presence oppressive and eternal.
"Thirty-six hours remain," the Shadow Phoenix's voice echoed, a rumble that seemed to reverberate through the cosmos.
Xue Mao, the small snow cat perched at Xiao Ming's side, shifted uneasily. Its fur had dulled with worry. It gazed up at him, its icyl blue eyes wide with panic.
"Xiao Ming… You're running out of time!" Xue Mao's voice cracked with desperation. "If you fail this trial, you'll risk everything and you cannot. The cycle of Samsara is ruthless. It doesn't care about genius or potential!"
