After passing the first trial of Heaven's Gate, the chosen cultivators were transported to a floating platform surrounded by clouds and thunder. The air here pulsed with divine energy, and the ground beneath their feet was translucent, revealing a bottomless expanse below.
As everyone steadied themselves, a metallic voice echoed in their minds:
"Prepare for the next trial—The Illusion Labyrinth."
Before them rose a crystalline maze, towering and glowing with spiritual runes. Its walls reflected their faces from a thousand angles, and a heavy pressure enveloped the entire area.
"This is no ordinary illusion," Ying Yue spoke softly, her crimson eyes darkening slightly. "Inside, you'll face your truest fears. Your greatest regrets. Your deepest secrets."
---
The First Step into Darkness
Without hesitation, Feng Chan stepped into the maze. The moment he crossed the threshold, a chilling wave passed over him. The world outside vanished, and he found himself alone in an endless corridor of mirrored walls.
From the reflections, a broken version of himself stepped forward—weak, crying, hunched over in defeat.
> "You're nothing," the illusion said. "Talentless. Abandoned. A disgrace."
Feng Chan's fists clenched. This was the version of himself he'd once believed in… but not anymore.
> "You are who I was, not who I am."
With a flash of spiritual energy, he shattered the illusion. The mirror cracked and faded. One trial complete.
---
The Ghost of Love Lost
The next chamber was worse.
Standing before him was Ling Xue, his ex-fiancée—the one who had broken off their engagement when he was powerless. She was dressed in a soft lavender robe, her beauty as sharp as ever. But her eyes... they were filled with scorn.
> "You think you can change?" she mocked. "You'll always be beneath me. I never loved you."
The words sliced through him like a blade. Even if it was just an illusion, it still hurt. Deeply.
But Feng Chan had changed.
> "I don't need your approval. I'll rise on my own terms."
Spiritual fire surged from his core, and the illusion burned away.
---
The Mysterious Flame
The third chamber wasn't like the others.
It wasn't an illusion of pain or weakness—but a test of confusion.
Standing within the heart of the labyrinth was Ying Yue herself.
She was real… or at least, she looked real. Her ice-blue hair shimmered like moonlight, cascading to her waist. Her skin was pale and flawless like carved jade, and her crimson eyes glowed with mysterious power. She wore a robe of silver and white, etched with celestial runes that moved on their own. Her presence was divine—untouchable.
Feng Chan hesitated.
Was she real? Or a memory?
"I know what you're chasing, Feng Chan," she said, her voice calm and cold. "But you still lack control."
Her expression didn't change, but her aura flared for a second—overwhelming and ancient.
"You took the inheritance without asking. For that, you must earn your worth. Seven years. Prove yourself."
Then, without another word, she vanished—transforming into a trail of white lotus petals.
The final door opened.
---
The Bloodline Secret
The last chamber was unlike anything he'd experienced.
There were no mirrors. No illusions.
Only two shadows standing in front of him—his parents.
Their faces were blurred, but their voices were crystal clear.
> "Feng Chan… you were never ordinary."
> "You carry a divine bloodline—one that even you don't know. Hidden to protect you. Hidden from everyone."
His breath caught.
> "A divine bloodline?"
It couldn't be a trick. It felt real. More real than anything in the maze.
But before he could speak, the vision faded, and he was enveloped in white light.
---
Return to Reality
In the next instant, he was standing in a vast hall with the other cultivators.
Everyone looked shaken. Pale. Silent.
They had each faced their inner demons… and not all of them had won.
Feng Chan stood still, his thoughts racing.
The divine bloodline… his parents… Ying Yue's cold warning.
Ying Yue stood at a distance, watching him quietly. She said nothing—but her eyes lingered on him longer than anyone else.
> "This boy," she thought, "he's not ordinary."
---
A New Presence
A powerful aura filled the room as a tall old man stepped into the hall, dressed in flowing white robes with golden embroidery. His eyes glowed with wisdom and power.
"I am Elder Wu, caretaker of Heaven's Gate," he announced. "Those who have passed the Illusion Labyrinth may now proceed to the next trial—The Sky Arena."
The cultivators straightened. No one wanted to show weakness now.
From a hidden corner of the hall, a shadowy figure observed it all.
It was Lord Xing Tian—Feng Chan's hidden master.
Even Feng Chan didn't know the truth yet.
> "The pieces are moving," Xing Tian murmured. "And the boy… he's at the center of it all."