Chapter 9: The Trial of the Ancient Vault
The silver-misted path stretched before Li Wei, spiraling into the unknown. He hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward. The instant his foot touched the path, his surroundings **shifted**.
A sudden **pull** yanked him forward as if reality itself had twisted. He felt weightless, his body floating through a space of swirling light and energy. Then—**solid ground**.
He landed on a cold stone floor, staggering slightly as his vision adjusted. The air was thick with an ancient presence, heavy and oppressive. **An underground vault.**
Carvings covered the stone walls, depicting figures in various battle stances, their hands glowing with Qi. Some meditated, their energy forming divine halos around them. Others clashed in combat, their techniques shaping mountains and splitting rivers.
Before him stood a massive stone **door**, covered in golden runes that pulsed faintly, as if alive.
A deep, otherworldly voice resonated through the chamber.
**"The Trial of the Ancient Vault begins."**
A notification flashed before his eyes.
---
**[Trial of the Ancient Vault]**
- **Objective:** Pass the three trials and obtain a cultivation technique.
- **Failure Condition:** Inability to withstand the trials will result in severe consequences.
- **Warning:** Injuries sustained here may carry over to reality.
---
Li Wei's heartbeat quickened.
**"Injuries may carry over to reality?"**
This was no ordinary test. He was already beginning to understand that *Celestial Ascension Online* was far beyond just a game.
This was something **more**.
And that meant the risks were **real**.
Clenching his fists, he steeled himself. **There was no turning back now.**
The stone door **rumbled**, grinding open to reveal the first challenge.
---
### **The First Trial: Strength**
The chamber beyond the door was vast, its ceiling disappearing into darkness. In the center stood a massive **stone guardian**, easily three times Li Wei's height. Its body was carved from ancient rock, its form resembling an armored warrior.
Glowing runes pulsed across its stone surface, and as Li Wei stepped forward, its **eyes blazed with molten energy**.
**"The First Trial: Strength."**
The guardian's **fist shot forward** with terrifying speed.
Li Wei barely dodged, rolling to the side as the impact **shattered the stone floor** where he had stood. Dust and debris flew into the air.
His mind raced. **This thing was fast!**
"Alright," he muttered, forcing himself to focus. "Let's see what I can do."
He drew upon his Qi, feeling it circulate within him. Unlike before, it flowed **smoother**, more naturally, as if his body had already begun adapting to real cultivation.
His senses sharpened. His reflexes quickened.
The guardian charged again, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground.
Instead of retreating, Li Wei ran **toward it**, using its momentum against it. He **leapt** onto its arm, channeling Qi into his fists.
With a powerful **strike to its shoulder joint**, a crack formed in the guardian's stone body.
But it wasn't enough.
The guardian **roared**, swinging its arm violently. Li Wei lost his balance and was **thrown through the air**, crashing into the stone wall. Pain exploded through his back, and he coughed as dust filled his lungs.
A notification appeared.
**[Warning: Qi Synchronization Stabilizing – Physical Damage Detected]**
He grimaced. **So injuries really did transfer over.**
But that also meant his training was real.
Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up. **He couldn't fight this head-on.**
Instead, he needed to find a **weakness**.
His eyes locked onto the guardian's **glowing runes**. The energy seemed concentrated around its chest and head—**a core**.
"That's it," he whispered.
As the guardian charged once more, Li Wei timed his movements carefully.
Just before it reached him, he **sidestepped**, pivoting on his heel. He **ran alongside the guardian**, his body moving instinctively with **perfect precision**.
Then—he **jumped**.
Landing on its back, he **drove his Qi-infused fist straight into the core**.
**Crack!**
The guardian **froze**, its molten eyes flickering.
Then, with a final tremor, its body **crumbled into dust**.
A notification flashed.
---
**[Trial Passed: Strength]**
---
Li Wei exhaled sharply. His arms trembled from exertion, and sweat dripped down his forehead.
But he had done it.
**One trial down.**
The next chamber lay ahead.
---
### **The Second Trial: Willpower**
The stone door rumbled open once more.
As Li Wei stepped inside, the air **shifted**.
The chamber around him **vanished**, replaced by an **endless desert** beneath a scorching sun. The heat was unbearable, waves of it distorting the horizon.
Then came the **whispers**.
*"You are weak."*
*"You do not belong here."*
*"Give up."*
Li Wei staggered as a wave of **doubt** crashed into him. It was as if the air itself carried a **curse**, dragging out every fear and insecurity he had ever felt.
His frail body in the real world.
His years of helplessness.
His failures.
The whispers became **screams**, clawing at his mind.
Was this what the trial tested? Not his body, but his **spirit**?
His knees buckled. He felt **exhausted**, as if life itself was draining from him. The weight of his failures pressed down on his chest like a crushing mountain.
**"No..."**
A flicker of resistance rose within him.
He gritted his teeth.
**No.**
He had come too far to falter now.
This was the same **weakness** that had always bound him. The same doubt that had kept him from believing he could ever become **strong**.
**Not anymore.**
Li Wei **forced himself to stand**, drawing upon his Qi—not just from the game, but from within his **own soul**.
The desert around him **shattered**, fading into mist.
A notification appeared.
---
**[Trial Passed: Willpower]**
---
Li Wei exhaled.
His heart pounded, but he felt **lighter**—as if he had shed a piece of his old self.
One trial remained.
The **final door** loomed ahead.
---
### **End of Chapter 9**
In this chapter, Li Wei faces the **Trial of Strength**, overcoming a powerful guardian by using his agility and intelligence rather than brute force. He then endures the **Trial of Willpower**, resisting the illusions of doubt and fear.
With two trials conquered, one final challenge remains.
What awaits in the last test?
Find out in Chapter 10: The Path to Understanding!