Emerging from the radiant gate, Jiang Chen and Lei Qian found themselves in a desolate expanse. The ground beneath their feet was scorched and cracked, and the air carried the acrid scent of ash. A pale, eerie light filtered through the gray sky, casting long shadows that seemed to move with a life of their own.
"Where are we now?" Lei Qian asked, his voice tight with unease.
Jiang Chen scanned their surroundings. The oppressive silence was broken only by the occasional crackle of unseen flames.
"This place feels… wrong," he muttered. "Stay alert. The trial's not over."
Echoes of Memories
The ground trembled as they moved forward, their footsteps echoing unnaturally. Ahead, a structure loomed into view—a ruined temple, its once-grand pillars now cracked and leaning. Ancient symbols were etched into the stone, their glow faint but persistent. Jiang Chen's chest tightened as he recognized the symbols; they were from the sect he had founded in his previous life.
"This can't be," he whispered, his fingers brushing over the carvings. "This place… it shouldn't exist here."
Lei Qian frowned. "What do you mean? What is this place?"
"A memory," Jiang Chen replied, his voice distant. "A piece of my past, pulled into this realm. But how?"
Before Lei Qian could respond, the temple's interior flickered with light. Ghostly figures appeared, their forms translucent and wavering. They moved with purpose, reenacting a scene from a long-forgotten time. Jiang Chen's breath caught as he recognized the faces of his old comrades.
"It's them," he said, his voice trembling. "My brothers and sisters from the Azure Sky Sect."
One figure stepped forward, a tall man with sharp features and piercing eyes. He turned toward Jiang Chen, and for a moment, their gazes met.
"You abandoned us," the figure said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "You promised to protect us, and yet we fell. Is this the path you've chosen, Jiang Chen?"
The accusation struck like a physical blow. Jiang Chen staggered, his mind racing. This wasn't real, he told himself. It was a fabrication, a test. But the guilt that surged within him was all too real.
Facing the Specters
"It's a trick," Lei Qian said, stepping between Jiang Chen and the spectral figures. "Whatever this is, it's trying to break you. Don't let it."
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, steadying himself. The past was a weight he had carried for lifetimes, but he couldn't allow it to dictate his future.
"You're right," he said, his voice firm. "This is a trial, and I won't falter."
The figures began to advance, their forms growing more solid with each step. Their eyes burned with a cold fire, and their voices rose in a cacophony of accusations.
"You betrayed us!" "You let us die!" "You don't deserve to ascend!"
Jiang Chen's grip tightened on his blade. The weight of their words was suffocating, but he forced himself to stand tall.
"I've made mistakes," he said, his voice cutting through the noise. "I've lost people I cared about, people I swore to protect. But I won't let the past define me. I'll carry those lessons forward and honor their memory by becoming stronger."
The spectral figures hesitated, their forms flickering. Jiang Chen seized the moment, channeling his spiritual energy into his blade. The weapon glowed with a brilliant light, and with a single, decisive strike, he dispelled the phantoms.
The temple trembled, and the oppressive atmosphere began to lift. The carvings on the walls flared brightly before fading into darkness. The ground beneath them rumbled, and a path opened, leading deeper into the realm.
The Burden of Truth
As they moved forward, Lei Qian glanced at Jiang Chen. "That was… intense. Are you okay?"
Jiang Chen nodded, though his expression was somber. "The past has a way of creeping up on you, no matter how far you think you've come. But it's behind us now. We have to focus on what's ahead."
The path led them to another gate, smaller than the first but no less imposing. Its surface was smooth and reflective, like a mirror. As they approached, the reflection shifted, showing not their current selves but their potential futures.
Jiang Chen saw himself standing atop a mountain of corpses, his eyes cold and unfeeling. Power radiated from him, but there was no trace of humanity left.
"Is this what I could become?" he murmured, his chest tightening.
"The path of ascension is fraught with choices," a voice said, echoing from the gate. "Each step forward requires sacrifice. What are you willing to give up?"
Jiang Chen's gaze hardened. "I'll give up anything necessary, but I won't lose myself. Not again."
The gate shimmered, its surface rippling like water. "Then step forward, Jiang Chen, and prove it."
With a deep breath, he stepped through, Lei Qian close behind. The path ahead was unknown, but Jiang Chen's resolve was unshaken. Whatever trials awaited, he would face them head-on, determined to forge his destiny with his own hands.