The journey to the town was slower than Lin Tian would have liked. Though he had gained significant power from the restoration of his core, the strain of battle had taken its toll. The mercenaries' ambush, while a victory, had left him more fatigued than he was willing to admit. His mind raced, constantly analyzing the encounter, the tactics of his enemies, and how he could grow even stronger.
Li Yue noticed his contemplative silence as they walked. Her steps were light, but there was a trace of worry in her eyes. She had seen the toll the battle had taken on him, despite his stoic demeanor.
"Lin Tian," she said quietly, keeping her voice low so Zhang Wei wouldn't overhear, "You can't keep pushing yourself like this. We need to find a safe place, somewhere you can recover."
"I'm fine," Lin Tian replied, though his voice held a hint of impatience. "I can't afford to rest. The guild will be coming for me, and I need to be ready."
Li Yue sighed, but didn't argue. She knew the drive within him. She understood the need for vengeance that burned in his chest, though it was a fire that often threatened to consume him.
Zhang Wei stirred, coughing lightly, his face pale from the wounds that had yet to fully heal. "We'll need more than just strength to survive," he rasped. "The guild has spies everywhere. You've made an enemy of one of the most dangerous factions in the world. They'll stop at nothing to take you down."
Lin Tian glanced at him, his eyes sharp. "I know. But I won't go down so easily."
The Hidden Temple
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an amber glow across the land, the group found shelter in an old stone temple deep in the forest. The temple, abandoned for centuries, seemed to pulse with a strange, almost familiar energy. The air inside felt thick with power, as if the very walls were saturated with spiritual force.
Lin Tian stepped inside, the ancient stones cool beneath his feet. Xiao Fang padded ahead of him, sniffing the air, while Li Yue and Zhang Wei followed closely.
"This place feels different," Li Yue murmured, her voice filled with awe.
Lin Tian nodded. "It's old—older than anything I've seen. This is a place of cultivation, one lost to time."
He felt the pull of the temple's energy. It resonated with his newly restored core, beckoning him to explore deeper. But the caution from earlier still lingered in his mind. He couldn't afford to be reckless, not when so much was at stake.
"This temple… it might hold something useful," Lin Tian mused. "If I can find a way to tap into its power, I could gain an advantage."
The Trial
As Lin Tian ventured deeper into the temple, his footfalls echoing in the hollow halls, a soft glow began to emanate from the far end of the main chamber. The walls were covered with faded murals, depicting ancient cultivators in battle, their forms radiant with divine energy.
At the center of the chamber, a pedestal rose from the ground, an intricate crystal resting upon it. The crystal pulsed with energy, and as Lin Tian drew closer, a strange sensation washed over him—a surge of heat, then a sharp chill, followed by a sense of clarity.
He reached out cautiously, placing his hand upon the crystal.
Suddenly, a voice boomed through the chamber, its tone deep and commanding. "Who dares to awaken the Trial of the Ancients?"
Lin Tian stood frozen, his heart racing. "Trial?"
The voice echoed again, and this time, it was accompanied by a brilliant flash of light that engulfed the room. When the light faded, Lin Tian found himself standing on a vast battlefield. The sky above was a swirling storm, lightning crackling in the distance.
He was alone.
A figure appeared before him, tall and draped in ancient armor. The figure's face was obscured, but the power emanating from it was undeniable.
"To claim the power of the Ancients, you must prove yourself," the figure said, its voice cold as steel. "Survive the trial. Survive… and the power will be yours."
Lin Tian's pulse quickened. This was no ordinary trial—it was a test of his strength, his resolve. A test to see if he was worthy of whatever power lay within the temple.
The ground trembled beneath Lin Tian's feet as the figure raised its hand, summoning a horde of spectral warriors from the storm. They charged at him with terrifying speed, their weapons crackling with spiritual energy.
Lin Tian barely had time to react. He drew his dagger, channeling spiritual energy through his body, and launched himself into the fray. The first spectral warrior swung its blade, and Lin Tian sidestepped just in time, slashing across its chest. The creature shattered into mist, dissipating with a high-pitched scream.
More appeared in its place, relentless in their attack. Lin Tian moved fluidly, his body dancing through the battle, but he could feel the toll it was taking on him. His energy reserves were draining faster than he would have liked, and his wounds from the earlier ambush were beginning to reopen.
He fought on, using every trick he had learned over the years—speed, precision, and cunning. But the warriors didn't stop. They kept coming, wave after wave.
He was exhausted. But he wasn't about to give up.
[Warning: Energy levels critical. Would you like to use the System Taming to replenish energy?]
Lin Tian gritted his teeth. He knew the risk of relying on the system, but he had no choice.
"Yes," he growled.
A surge of energy coursed through him, far stronger than what he could have managed alone. It was as if his core had been infused with an endless supply of spiritual force. The spectral warriors began to slow, their movements sluggish as Lin Tian's power surged beyond their capacity to keep up.
With a final, decisive strike, he shattered the last of the warriors, their spirits dissipating into the storm.
The battlefield fell silent.
The figure in the ancient armor stepped forward, its presence now less menacing. It extended a hand toward Lin Tian. "You have proven your strength and will. The power of the Ancients is yours to command."
A surge of energy flowed into Lin Tian's body, filling him with newfound power. It was as if the very essence of the temple had been absorbed into his core, enriching it and enhancing his cultivation.
The figure nodded once, and Lin Tian found himself back in the chamber of the temple, his hand still resting on the crystal. The trials had ended, and he could feel the results already. His cultivation had risen—he was stronger than before, and the crystal in front of him glowed with the promise of even greater power.
"Good," Lin Tian said, his voice low with satisfaction. "This is just the beginning."
Li Yue and Zhang Wei found Lin Tian in the temple's inner sanctum, the crystal now dormant but still radiating a faint energy.
"You… you did it?" Li Yue asked, her eyes wide.
Lin Tian nodded, a smile creeping onto his face. "The power of the Ancients is mine now. We're not just surviving anymore. We're going to take the fight to the guild."
Zhang Wei looked skeptical but nodded. "If you're truly ready for that, you'll need allies. The guild isn't something you can fight alone."
Lin Tian turned to him, his gaze steady. "I'm not alone. Not anymore."