The forest shimmered with an eerie calm, the kind that belied the chaos Lin Xuan had just escaped. His breathing slowed as he leaned against a tree, his hands trembling from the lingering energy of the Eternity Core. The crystalline artifact pulsed softly in his grasp, as if it were alive, attuned to his heartbeat. For a moment, he allowed himself to feel relief—but only for a moment.
A rustling sound snapped him to attention. Lin Xuan's senses flared, his Qi flowing instinctively into his legs as he shifted into a defensive stance. The forest was dark, yet every shadow seemed alive, whispering secrets he couldn't quite hear. His eyes darted from tree to tree, scanning for the source of the sound. The presence he felt wasn't human, nor was it the cloaked figure he had encountered in the cavern.
"Show yourself," Lin Xuan called out, his voice steady despite the tension knotting his muscles.
The air grew colder. From the underbrush emerged a creature unlike anything Lin Xuan had ever seen. Its body was translucent, as if formed from liquid starlight, and its eyes glowed with a piercing silver light. The creature was both beautiful and terrifying, its form constantly shifting between that of a wolf, a serpent, and something entirely unrecognizable.
"A sentinel of the Core," Lin Xuan muttered, realization dawning on him. The artifact's guardians weren't limited to the trials within the Hidden Dimension—they extended into the outside world as well.
The sentinel growled, its sound reverberating through the air like the tolling of a distant bell. Lin Xuan felt his Qi surge in response, as though the Eternity Core itself were urging him to act. He tightened his grip on his blade, its edge glowing faintly as it resonated with his energy.
The sentinel lunged. Lin Xuan sidestepped, his movements swift and fluid. He countered with a slash of his blade, but the creature's form twisted unnaturally, evading the strike as though it had anticipated it. The sentinel retaliated with a swipe of its shimmering claws, and Lin Xuan barely managed to deflect the attack with a burst of Qi.
The battle unfolded in a blur of motion. Lin Xuan's strikes were precise, his movements calculated, yet the sentinel's unpredictability kept him on edge. Every time he thought he had found an opening, the creature would shift, its form warping to evade his attacks. It wasn't just a physical opponent—it was a manifestation of pure energy, an extension of the Eternity Core's will.
"I can't fight this thing like a normal enemy," Lin Xuan realized. He stepped back, his mind racing. The sentinel wasn't just testing his strength—it was testing his understanding of the Core. He needed to think beyond brute force.
Closing his eyes, Lin Xuan focused inward. The Eternity Core's energy pulsed within him, its rhythm steady and unyielding. He reached out with his mind, seeking a connection with the artifact. A flood of images and sensations filled his thoughts: constellations burning in the void, rivers of molten energy carving paths through forgotten realms, and a single word, etched into his consciousness like a brand.
Harmony.
Lin Xuan's eyes snapped open. The sentinel was already mid-lunge, its claws aimed directly at his heart. But this time, he didn't raise his blade. Instead, he let his Qi flow freely, blending with the Core's energy. His body glowed with a radiant light as he extended his hand toward the creature.
The sentinel halted mere inches from him, its form flickering like a dying flame. Lin Xuan felt the connection solidify, a bridge of energy linking him to the creature. The sentinel growled softly, its silver eyes locking onto his. Then, as if in acknowledgment, it dissolved into a stream of light that flowed into the Eternity Core.
The forest grew silent once more.
Lin Xuan exhaled slowly, lowering his hand. The artifact in his grasp pulsed brighter, its energy warmer now, more attuned to him. He had passed another test, though the cost of failure lingered in his mind. This power wasn't a gift—it was a responsibility, one he was only beginning to understand.
As Lin Xuan prepared to move deeper into the forest, a voice echoed in his mind. It was the same voice he had heard in the cavern, deep and resonant, speaking in a language he shouldn't have understood but somehow did.
"You are not alone."
The words sent a chill down his spine. He glanced around, half-expecting the cloaked figure to step out from the shadows, but the forest remained empty. Still, the sensation of being watched persisted, a weight pressing against the edges of his consciousness.
Lin Xuan continued onward, his steps careful and deliberate. The forest seemed endless, its trees towering like silent sentinels. Yet as he walked, he began to notice subtle changes. The air grew warmer, and the faint scent of burning wood tickled his nose. A soft glow appeared in the distance, flickering like a fire.
Curiosity mingled with caution as Lin Xuan approached the source of the light. He emerged into a clearing, where a circle of stone pillars surrounded a small, crackling flame. The fire burned a deep blue, its light casting long shadows across the ground. At the center of the circle stood a pedestal, and atop it rested an orb identical to the Eternity Core, though its light was faint, almost dying.
Lin Xuan's heart raced. Another Core?
Before he could move closer, the ground beneath him shifted. The stone pillars trembled, and the flame flared violently. From the shadows of the clearing emerged a figure cloaked in flames, their form humanoid yet otherworldly. Their eyes burned with the same blue light as the fire, and their voice was a low, guttural growl.
"You have come far," the figure said, their tone a mixture of anger and sorrow. "But this path is not yours to walk."
Lin Xuan raised his blade, his resolve unshaken. "If there's more to this than I understand, then show me. I'm not afraid."
The figure extended a hand, and the flames around them surged. The clearing became a tempest of fire and energy, the heat searing against Lin Xuan's skin. Yet he stood firm, the Eternity Core's energy shielding him from the worst of the inferno. This was no mere opponent—it was a fragment of the Core's essence, a trial far beyond what he had faced before.
As the flames closed in, Lin Xuan tightened his grip on the artifact. His thoughts raced, searching for a way to overcome this new trial. The Core pulsed in his hand, its energy resonating with his own. He felt the connection deepen, a bond that transcended understanding.
"Show me your truth," he whispered, his voice steady. The Core's light flared, and the clearing dissolved into a void of infinite stars.