As Zephyr stood before his mother, the light in the illusion slowly dimmed, and the world around him blurred like a forgotten dream slipping away. His mother's soft smile was like mist about to be blown away by the wind.
"Zephyr," her voice was as gentle as ever, filled with boundless love, "you've grown up. Don't let yourself be trapped by the struggles for power or outside conflicts. Remember, true strength comes from within."
Her words were like a breeze sweeping through his heart. Zephyr took a deep breath, feeling the weight in his chest slowly lifting. A tear slipped down his cheek, which he quickly wiped away with a relieved smile.
"Mother, I promise I'll take care of myself, and I'll bring honor back to the family," he said with newfound resolve in his voice.
His mother's figure faded, dissolving into the darkness. Zephyr stood there for a moment, the silence wrapping around him. For the first time in a long while, he felt at peace, like all the burdens on his shoulders had finally been lifted.
The illusion shattered, the dark mist vanished, and suddenly, Zephyr found himself back at the entrance of the trial tower.
Stepping outside, he was greeted by Reika and Sylas, both practically buzzing with concern.
"Finally! Zephyr, do you have any idea how long you were in there? We were about two seconds away from barging in and dragging you out!" Reika said, smacking him on the shoulder—though she wasn't exactly gentle.
"No joke! I mean, I was already planning out how to have Reika throw her spirit pot at the tower. I figured we could bust our way in, action-hero style," Sylas added with a grin.
Zephyr chuckled, their lighthearted banter melting away the heaviness that still clung to him. "Hey, I'm fine! It takes more than a creepy illusion to take me down."
"Well, what were you doing in there? Collecting loot? Learning some epic secret moves? Spill it!" Reika raised an eyebrow, grinning mischievously. "I bet you leveled up like crazy in there. Or did you fight a boss?"
Zephyr put on his most dramatic sigh. "If only. No, it was more like… facing my inner darkness or something," he said, with a sarcastic flair.
"Oooh, so deep," Reika wiggled her eyebrows playfully. "So what, did you beat your shadow self in a duel or something?"
"Sounds like the ultimate cultivation test!" Sylas added, snickering. "Next thing we know, Zephyr's gonna be the protagonist of one of those 'chosen one' stories, huh?"
"You two are impossible," Zephyr groaned, but the laughter bubbling up inside him made it impossible to keep a straight face. Their jokes were ridiculous, but it felt good. Light. Free.
"Oh, and speaking of weird things, I heard this flute music while I was in there. What was that about?" Zephyr asked, genuinely curious as he recalled the soft melody that snapped him out of the illusion.
Reika and Sylas exchanged glances before practically exploding with excitement.
"Oh! That was Isla!" Reika said, eyes twinkling with mischief. "She's, like, this super cool flute master we met while you were busy having an existential crisis!"
"Yeah, she literally swooped in and saved the day with her flute music," Sylas added, nodding as if he'd just announced the arrival of a superhero.
"Isla?" Zephyr repeated, surprised. "Who is she?"
Reika pointed across the courtyard. "Over there!"
Zephyr followed her gaze and saw Isla standing a few feet away, flute in hand, her expression as frosty as ever, like she wasn't interested in anything that was happening around her.
"She was the one who played that music that snapped you out of it. Cool, huh?" Reika said, beaming. "We didn't even know what to do, and she just shows up, all 'I got this,' and bam! You're back!"
Zephyr raised an eyebrow, still processing. "I guess I owe her my thanks."
"No need," Isla replied in a voice as cool as her expression. "It was nothing."
"Wow, icy," Reika whispered, her eyes wide with admiration. "So mysterious…"
"Well, since we're all here now," Sylas interrupted with a grin, "why don't we team up and finish the rest of the tower together? We'd be unstoppable!"
"I'm in!" Reika said, throwing her hands in the air like she was ready to storm the next challenge head-on. "It's way more fun when we're all together!"
Zephyr couldn't help but smile, a feeling of warmth settling in his chest. He had faced darkness, both in the illusion and in real life, but standing here with these friends… it felt right. Unlike the suffocating weight of his family's expectations, this was real—genuine. They cared, they laughed, and most importantly, they had his back.
"All right then," Zephyr said with a soft smile. "Let's finish this trial together."
The four of them exchanged excited grins as they headed for the tower's exit. Sunlight streamed through the doorway, lighting up their faces as they stepped outside. This trial had tested them in ways they didn't expect, but they emerged stronger—both in spirit and in friendship.
Suddenly, Reika's eyes lit up with excitement. "Wait, what if the next trial is a cooking challenge? I've got my spirit pot ready—I'm gonna cook up something legendary!"
Zephyr smirked. "You might want to focus on making something edible first."
"Hey! This time, I'm going for a perfect score!" Reika puffed out her chest proudly. "You guys are gonna be fighting over my spirit dumplings!"
Sylas and Zephyr exchanged a glance, both shaking their heads at the same time. "No thanks," they said in unison.
＊＊＊
After an intense round of mystical trials, the group of four—Reika, Zephyr, Isla, and Sylas—emerged from the illusion tower, ready for the next challenge. To their surprise, they were suddenly teleported to the "Hundred Flower Valley" in Springwood City. This place turned out to be a bustling sect recruitment fair, where different sects showcased their unique training methods and achievements. Banners flashed everywhere, and disciples from various sects demonstrated their skills, adding to the lively atmosphere.
"I was expecting some wild test next," Reika pouted, though her wide eyes were filled with curiosity. She couldn't stop gawking at everything. "This is amazing! Every sect has its own quirky cultivation style!"
Her gaze fell on a booth where a group of alchemists was brewing potent elixirs. The scent of spirit herbs filled the air, attracting quite the crowd.
Zephyr chuckled lightly. "Well, getting into these sects takes years of training. It's no easy task."
Suddenly, a sharp, mocking voice cut through the crowd. "Look at this bumpkin. Everything must seem new to you, huh?"
Reika turned around to see a young woman dressed in luxurious purple robes, flanked by a few attendants, her arms crossed and a smug grin on her face. Clearly, she was used to getting attention.
"Who the heck are you?" Reika asked, genuinely baffled.
"I'm Zara Brightforge, heiress of the Springwood City's Brightforge Clan," she announced proudly, lifting her chin. "You've probably never heard of me. After all, peasants like you aren't even worthy of knowing people like me."
Reika's eyebrow twitched. She could feel the heat rising in her. Just as she was about to unleash her fury, Zephyr, ever the gentleman, stepped in with a polite smile.
"There's no need to be so hostile, Miss Brightforge. We're simply passing through."
Zara's icy expression melted as she turned her attention to Zephyr. "Oh my, what a handsome young man! But why are you hanging out with such... commoners? Come with me, I'll show you the real world of cultivation."
Reika's inner alarm bells went off. Did this girl just try to steal my man right in front of me?! She mentally screamed, "Green tea alert!"
But Zephyr, still smiling, shook his head gently. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm happy sticking with my friends."
Zara's smile froze. Clearly not pleased with the rejection, she huffed, "Hmph! No taste at all!" Her eyes darted back to Reika, full of disdain. "People like you don't belong here. One step further, and you'll hit your limit."
Reika's fuse was officially lit, and she was about to fire back, when Sylas suddenly shouted, "Look over there! Spirit Beast taming demonstration!"
They all turned to see a large field where disciples from the Spirit Beast Sect were busy taming various mystical creatures. The crowd was buzzing with excitement as everyone watched in awe.
Just then, someone from the crowd shouted, "Hey, newbie! How about you try taming one of these beasts? Think you've got what it takes?"
Zara's lips curled into a smirk. "What a wonderful idea. But I wouldn't recommend it for peasants. You might not survive."
Reika puffed out her chest. "Why should I be scared? I've tamed tons of spirit-tail chickens back home. I love animals! Watch this!" she declared confidently.
She strode toward a towering spirit beast known as the "Green-Tail Qilin." The creature's scales gleamed with a luminous green hue, and its eyes were sharp enough to pierce through stone.
But just as she approached, another spirit beast—the Phoenix Chicken—suddenly raised its head. Its fiery red eyes locked onto Reika, and an intense light flickered within them as if it had just made the most life-changing decision.
"It's her…" the Phoenix Chicken thought. It started to waddle toward her, its large talons barely making a sound. Reika, oblivious to this "chicken love confession," was still focused on her Qilin target.
"Something about that chicken feels... off," Reika muttered, glancing back at the bird, but shrugged it off as nerves.
She marched right over to the Phoenix Chicken instead and reached out to pet its head. "Good birdie, don't be scared. I won't hurt you."
Inside, the Phoenix Chicken was doing mental somersaults. "It's her! I've waited for this moment forever!" It lowered its head, deeply moved by her soothing voice. But just as Reika thought she'd successfully tamed it, the Phoenix Chicken suddenly snapped forward and clamped its beak around her wrist!
"OW! Ow ow ow! Let go!" Reika yelped, trying to shake her hand free.
But the chicken wasn't trying to harm her—it was more like, "You're mine now! I'm never letting you go!" It clung tightly, eyes filled with a kind of... affection?
Zara, watching from the sidelines, burst into laughter. "HAHA! I thought you had some skills, but this? This is hilarious!"
Reika's face flushed crimson. She struggled to break free from the "love bite," but no matter how hard she tried, the Phoenix Chicken wasn't letting go.
"You little thing, are you trying to eat me?!" Reika growled, though she was starting to suspect there was more to this chicken than met the eye.
Zephyr stepped forward, stifling his laughter. "Reika, I think this spirit beast really likes you."
"It sure looks like it's chosen you as its master!" Sylas chimed in, flipping through a book. "According to the 'Spirit Beast Taming Guide,' once a beast chooses its master, it shows... um, extreme possessiveness."
Reika groaned. "So it's saying, 'You're stuck with me now!'"
Zara's smile vanished. "Hmph! It's just luck. That beast could have chosen anyone."
Before anyone could respond, the entire taming arena erupted into chaos. The other spirit beasts, apparently angered by the Phoenix Chicken's actions, began growling and thrashing about, sending people running in all directions.
"What's happening?!" Zephyr grabbed Reika's arm, pulling her out of the way just as a beast barreled past them.
Isla acted quickly, pulling out her flute and playing a calming melody, hoping to soothe the enraged beasts. But the scene had already spiraled out of control. Spirit beasts were crashing into barriers, sending spirit energy flying everywhere.
"Oh great! This whole demonstration is a disaster!" Reika complained as she dodged yet another runaway beast.
Finally, the elders of the Spirit Beast Sect intervened, their powerful spirit auras suppressing the beasts, restoring order to the field.
Reika let out a sigh of relief, glancing down at the Phoenix Chicken, which had settled down and was now looking up at her with adoring eyes. She groaned, shaking her head. "Well, this clingy little guy sure knows how to make an entrance…"