As Lin Feng stepped through the shimmering portal, the world around him dissolved into a swirl of blue light. For a moment, he felt weightless, suspended between realms. Then, with a sudden rush, reality reasserted itself.
He found himself standing on a vast plain, stretching as far as the eye could see in all directions. The ground beneath his feet was not earth, but a strange, semi-transparent substance that seemed to pulse with an inner light. Above, the sky was a tapestry of swirling clouds in every shade of blue imaginable.
Lin Feng glanced around, relieved to see Wei Chen, Li Mei, and Zhao Kuo materializing nearby. Other aspiring disciples were appearing as well, some looking confused, others already tensing for action.
Before anyone could speak, a booming voice echoed across the plain:
"Aspirants! Welcome to the Celestial Realm of Trials. You stand now in the Domain of Physical Mastery, where your bodies and your control over qi will be pushed to their limits."
The voice paused, allowing the words to sink in. Lin Feng felt Azure Destiny hum at his side, as if the spirit sword was eager for the challenge ahead.
"The trial is simple," the voice continued. "Scattered across this realm are nine Azure Peaks. Reach the summit of one, and you will pass the Trial of Body. But be warned – the path is treacherous, and you are not alone. You have until the setting of the Celestial Sun to complete your task. Begin!"
As the last word faded, the ground beneath their feet began to shift. Vast chasms opened up, pillars of stone erupted from the plain, and in the distance, Lin Feng could see the azure peaks taking shape, their summits shrouded in mist.
"Well," Wei Chen said with a nervous laugh, "I guess we should get moving, huh?"
Li Mei nodded, her eyes scanning the horizon. "We should stick together, at least until we get a better sense of what we're up against."
Zhao Kuo cracked his knuckles, a grin spreading across his face. "I like the way you think. Safety in numbers, right?"
Lin Feng agreed, and the four of them set off towards the nearest peak. As they ran, leaping over newly-formed crevasses and navigating around jagged stone formations, Lin Feng marveled at the constantly shifting landscape. It was as if the entire realm was alive, responding to their movements and perhaps even their thoughts.
They had been running for what felt like hours when they encountered their first real obstacle. A wide river of what looked like liquid qi blocked their path, its surface crackling with energy.
"Any ideas?" Wei Chen asked, eyeing the river warily.
Lin Feng stepped forward, remembering his training on Mount Tai. He extended his Divine Sense, feeling the flow of qi in the river. It was wild, untamed, but not uncontrollable.
"I think... I think we can cross it," he said slowly. "If we harmonize our qi with the flow of the river, we should be able to step on its surface."
Li Mei raised an eyebrow. "That's advanced technique. Where did you learn that?"
Lin Feng hesitated, then decided on honesty. "An immortal cultivator taught me on Mount Tai. Here, let me show you."
He demonstrated the technique, manipulating his qi to match the frequency of the river's energy. Then, taking a deep breath, he stepped out onto the liquid surface. For a heart-stopping moment, he thought he might sink – but his foot held firm.
"Amazing!" Wei Chen exclaimed. He attempted to mimic Lin Feng's technique, wobbling a bit but managing to stay afloat.
One by one, they crossed the river, Lin Feng helping the others refine their control. By the time they reached the other side, all four were grinning with a sense of shared accomplishment.
Their elation was short-lived. As they approached the base of the nearest Azure Peak, they saw that other aspirants had already begun their ascent. Some were scaling the sheer cliffs with qi-enhanced strength, while others were attempting to fly or levitate their way up.
"Looks like we've got competition," Zhao Kuo growled.
As if in response to his words, a group of cultivators from a rival sect swooped down on flying swords, their faces masks of arrogant confidence.
"Well, well," their leader sneered, a young man with a scar across one cheek. "Look what we have here. A bunch of clanless nobodies thinking they can join the Azure Cloud Sect. Why don't you save yourselves the embarrassment and turn back now?"
Lin Feng felt a flare of anger, but before he could respond, Li Mei stepped forward, her quiet voice filled with steel.
"We have as much right to be here as you," she said. "The trial will determine who is worthy, not your baseless arrogance."
The scarred cultivator's eyes narrowed. "Big words from a little girl. Let's see if you can back them up!"
With a gesture, he sent a blast of wind qi hurtling towards them. Lin Feng reacted instinctively, drawing Azure Destiny in a swift motion. The spirit sword sang through the air, dispersing the attack in a shower of azure sparks.
For a moment, everyone stood frozen in surprise. Then, with a roar of anger, the rival cultivators attacked en masse.
The air filled with clashing qi and the ring of sword against sword. Lin Feng found himself back-to-back with Wei Chen, fending off attacks from multiple directions. Li Mei's hands flashed through a series of complex seals, summoning shields of solidified air to deflect incoming strikes. Zhao Kuo bellowed a war cry, his fists glowing with earth-attribute qi as he engaged two opponents at once.
As the battle raged, Lin Feng felt a strange calm descend over him. Time seemed to slow, and he could sense the flows of qi all around him – in his friends, in their attackers, in the very air itself. Acting on instinct, he began to move in harmony with these flows, his sword strikes becoming fluid and unpredictable.
Azure Destiny hummed with approval, its blade leaving trails of light as it danced through the air. Lin Feng found himself anticipating his opponents' moves, countering them with a grace that surprised even himself.
The tide of the battle began to turn. The rival cultivators, who had expected an easy victory, found themselves being pushed back. Their formations broke, their coordinated attacks faltering in the face of Lin Feng and his friends' unexpected skill and teamwork.
Finally, with a frustrated snarl, the scarred leader called a retreat. "This isn't over," he spat as they flew off. "You got lucky this time, but you won't make it to the top!"
As the adrenaline of the fight faded, Lin Feng looked at his friends in wonder. They were all breathing hard, but there was a new light in their eyes – a growing confidence and sense of camaraderie forged in the heat of battle.
"That... that was incredible," Wei Chen panted, a grin spreading across his face. "Lin Feng, where did you learn to fight like that?"
Lin Feng shook his head, equally amazed. "I'm not sure. It was like... like I could see the flows of qi, and I just moved with them."
Li Mei was looking at him with new respect. "That's an advanced technique, harmonizing with environmental qi to enhance your combat abilities. Your mysterious immortal teacher must have been quite something."
Before they could discuss further, a tremor ran through the ground. The Azure Peak before them was changing, its smooth slopes becoming jagged and treacherous. It was clear that the real challenge was only just beginning.
"We should get moving," Zhao Kuo rumbled. "That fight cost us time, and I don't fancy being stuck on this mountain when the sun sets."
Nodding in agreement, they began their ascent. The climb was grueling, testing every aspect of their physical cultivation. Sheer cliffs required precise control of qi to scale. Sudden avalanches of qi-infused stones forced them to react with split-second timing. At times, the very air grew thin, forcing them to circulate their qi with utmost efficiency just to keep breathing.
Through it all, they worked together, supporting each other when strength flagged or when a particularly difficult obstacle presented itself. Lin Feng found himself drawing on everything he had learned, from the basic techniques Old Man Chen had taught him to the advanced cultivation methods imparted by the Immortal on Mount Tai.
As they neared the summit, the challenges intensified. Gravity itself seemed to increase, pressing down on them with crushing force. The air filled with illusory azure dragons, their scales razor-sharp, their qi corrosive.
"Almost there!" Wei Chen called out, his voice strained but determined. "We can do this!"
With a final, herculean effort, they crested the peak. As they stood on the summit, gasping for breath, a warm golden light enveloped them. Lin Feng felt his fatigue melting away, his qi replenished and flowing smoothly through his meridians.
The same booming voice from the beginning of the trial spoke once more:
"Congratulations, aspirants! You have successfully completed the Trial of Body. Rest now, for soon you will face the Trial of Mind. May your wits be as sharp as your cultivation is strong."
As the voice faded, the world around them began to shimmer and dissolve. Lin Feng had just enough time to exchange triumphant grins with his friends before the Celestial Realm of Trials faded away, and they found themselves back in the outer courtyard of the Azure Cloud Sect.
Sect Leader Feng stood before them, a hint of approval in his eyes. "Well done, young ones. You have passed the first trial. Take this time to rest and reflect, for the challenges that lie ahead will test more than just your physical abilities."
As they were led to a rest area, Lin Feng felt a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. He had faced his first true test as an aspiring cultivator and had not been found wanting. But even as he basked in the sense of accomplishment, he knew that this was only the beginning.
The Trial of Mind awaited, and beyond that, the mysterious Trial of Spirit. Whatever challenges lay ahead, Lin Feng was determined to face them with the same determination and teamwork that had brought him this far.
As he sat down to meditate and prepare for the next trial, Lin Feng felt Azure Destiny pulse with warm approval. He smiled, closing his eyes and sinking into a cultivation trance. The path of the Azure Cloud Sect stretched out before him, full of both promise and peril.
The journey had only just begun.