Ren stood at the threshold of destiny, his heart pounding like a war drum in his chest.
The air around him seemed to hum with unseen energy, heavy with the weight of his decision.
He clenched his fists, the coarse fabric of his robe digging into his palms, and drew a deep breath that tasted faintly of earth and moss.
In a voice steady yet laced with resolve, he spoke,
"Let's start the trial, Lian Yao."
Lian Yao's lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile, her eyes glinting like polished jade under the dim light.
The scent of her herbal perfume, sharp and invigorating, drifted toward him.
"Very well," she replied, her tone soft but carrying a ripple of amusement, like a breeze teasing the surface of a still lake.
"Let's begin."
With a graceful flick of her wrist, the world around them shimmered, the air crackling with a faint, electric charge.
Reality itself seemed to bend, and in an instant, the ground beneath their feet pulsed, the scent of damp stone rising as the scenery dissolved.
They materialized before a cavern, its yawning mouth framed by glowing vines that pulsed faintly, their light casting eerie shadows that danced across the rocky facade.
The air was thick with the heady aroma of medicinal herbs, their bittersweet tang mingling with the faint mist rising from a nearby spiritual pool.
The pool's surface shimmered with hues of sapphire and emerald, its gentle ripples producing a soft, melodic hum that soothed Ren's frayed nerves.
To one side, a lush garden sprawled, its plants swaying in an unnatural breeze, their leaves rustling like whispered secrets.
Lifelike puppets moved through the garden, their wooden joints creaking faintly as they tended the herbs with uncanny precision, their hollow eyes glinting in the twilight glow.
Ren's breath caught, his eyes wide with wonder.
The cave's aura pressed against his skin, cool and tingling, as though the very stones were alive.
His sandals crunched against the gravel path, each step sending a faint vibration up his legs.
He turned to Lian Yao, his voice tinged with awe.
"Miss Lian, what do I have to do?"
Lian Yao's expression shifted to cool indifference, her gaze sharp as a blade.
Her silk robe rustled softly as she folded her arms, the faint scent of sandalwood clinging to her.
"Follow me," she said, her voice clipped.
"You will pay respects to the Realm Master. Though he no longer walks among us, you must show reverence."
She paused, her eyes narrowing.
"And Ren, do not stray. Stay close."
Without awaiting his response, she glided toward the cave, her footsteps silent against the stone.
Ren hurried to keep pace, his heart racing.
The cave's interior was deceptively simple, its smooth stone walls glistening with faint condensation, cool to the touch as his fingers brushed against them.
A faint, otherworldly hum reverberated through the air, low and resonant, like the heartbeat of the earth.
The scent of ancient minerals filled his lungs, grounding yet unsettling.
He gripped the hem of his robe, the rough fabric a familiar anchor against the mystical aura that prickled his skin.
*What is this place?* he wondered, his thoughts spiraling.
It felt as though the cave itself was watching, its silent judgment heavier than any words.
As they ventured deeper, the air grew denser, charged with an ancient power that made Ren's hair stand on end.
The passage opened into a vast chamber, dominated by a grand altar that commanded reverence.
Nine towering pillars encircled it, each carved with coiling dragons whose scales seemed to shimmer in the flickering torchlight.
Their eyes, inlaid with glowing gems, gleamed with an almost lifelike intensity, sending a shiver down Ren's spine.
At the altar's center lay an empty space, pristine and untouched by dust, its polished surface reflecting the faint glow of a jade tablet resting before it.
The tablet hummed softly, its light pulsing like a living heartbeat, and the air carried a faint, metallic tang, as though the altar itself were forged from starlight.
Ren's breath hitched, his mouth dry as he swallowed hard.
The altar's presence was overwhelming, its ancient aura wrapping around him like a heavy cloak.
Lian Yao stopped beside it, her demeanor shifting to solemnity, her silk sleeves whispering as she moved.
Before Ren could react, she grasped his head with surprising strength, her fingers cool and firm against his scalp.
He gasped, his body yielding as she guided him to his knees, the cold stone biting into his shins through his thin robes.
"Kneel," she commanded, her voice low but resonant, echoing faintly in the chamber.
Ren obeyed, his heart hammering.
The stone's chill seeped into his bones, grounding him even as his mind swirled with questions.
Lian Yao knelt beside him, her gaze fixed on the jade tablet, her herbal scent mingling with the cave's mineral tang.
She spoke, her words carrying the weight of ritual.
"I, Lian Yao, guardian of the Alchemy Saint Valley, present a new candidate who seeks to become the inheritor and compete for the Realm Master's legacy. We are here to pay our respects and humbly request your permission to initiate the trial."
Her voice reverberated, each syllable resonating with the chamber's hum, and the air seemed to thicken, pressing against Ren's chest.
The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the faint drip of water somewhere in the distance.
Ren kept his head bowed, his eyes fixed on the stone floor, its faint veins glowing under the tablet's light.
Then, a soft hum filled the air, and the jade tablet blazed with radiant light, its brilliance casting long, wavering shadows across the pillars.
The warmth of the glow brushed against Ren's face, like sunlight filtered through leaves, and he dared not move.
Lian Yao's voice softened, tinged with reverence.
"We thank the Realm Master for granting permission."
She rose gracefully, her robe whispering against the stone, and turned to Ren with a faint smile.
"The Realm Master has given his blessing. You may now begin the trial."
Her words were warm, but an edge lingered, as though she were testing his resolve.
Ren remained kneeling, his body frozen not by fear but by a sudden, jarring intrusion.
A voice—cold and commanding—echoed in his mind, cutting through his thoughts like a blade.
*Shen Yue.*
His master's voice sent a chill down his spine, the familiar timbre laced with urgency.
Ren's breath hitched, his fingers digging into the stone as he fought to keep his composure.
In the slums, far from the mystical cave, Shen Yue moved through his calisthenics with mechanical precision, his muscles straining under the dim glow of a flickering lantern.
The air was stale, heavy with the scent of sweat and dust, and his breath came in sharp bursts.
Suddenly, the mechanical voice of his system rang in his ears, halting him mid-motion.
*System has detected the body of the Realm Master of the Alchemy Saint Valley. Do you wish to initiate extraction?*
Shen Yue's eyes widened, his breath catching.
The Alchemy Saint Valley—a realm of legend, whispered to hold treasures beyond mortal dreams.
The scent of oil from the lantern seemed to fade as his focus sharpened.
"Initiate extraction," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
The system's voice chimed again, cold and unyielding.
*Due to excessive range, direct extraction is not possible. However, Host's Clone 2 is within proximity and can perform the extraction.*
Shen Yue's mind raced.
Clone 2—Ren—was in the valley, kneeling before the altar.
He connected to Ren's consciousness, his voice sharp and urgent.
"Ren, start the extraction. Now."
Back in the cave, Ren's body tensed, his eyes widening as Shen Yue's voice reverberated in his mind.
The cold stone beneath his knees seemed to pulse, mirroring his racing heart.
He wanted to protest, to ask what this meant, but Shen Yue's tone brooked no argument.
"Do it," his master commanded, the words icy and final.
Ren's thoughts spiraled into chaos.
He was in a trial, under Lian Yao's watchful gaze, her power unfathomable.
And now, his master demanded he risk everything.
"I… I'll start," Ren stammered, his voice a timid whisper.
Shen Yue's presence vanished abruptly, leaving Ren alone with his pounding heart and the faint hum of the altar.
His hands trembled as he initiated the extraction, unsure of its consequences.
The air around him seemed to grow warmer, carrying a faint, acrid scent, like burning herbs.
Instantly, a mysterious energy surged into his body, warm and vibrant, like a river of molten light coursing through his veins.
Ren gasped, his eyes fluttering shut as the sensation overwhelmed him.
It was as though liquid fire danced beneath his skin, its heat both exhilarating and terrifying.
His breath tasted faintly of ash, and his ears rang with a high-pitched hum, drowning out the cave's ambient sounds.
He knew of his extraction talent, granted by Shen Yue's system, but this was unlike anything he'd felt before.
Then, the ground trembled.
A low rumble echoed through the chamber, the pillars vibrating as though stirred by an unseen force.
Dust sifted from the ceiling, tickling Ren's nose with its dry, gritty scent.
His eyes snapped open, panic clawing at his chest as the shaking intensified.
*An earthquake?* he thought, his heart lurching.
The stone beneath him seemed to groan, a deep, guttural sound that sent shivers through his bones.
But as quickly as it began, the trembling subsided, leaving an eerie stillness and the faint echo of falling pebbles.
Lian Yao's voice shattered the silence, sharp with surprise.
"What… what just happened?"
Her silk robe swished as she turned, her eyes scanning the chamber, their jade-like gleam catching the torchlight.
The quake had been brief, unnatural, and the air now carried a faint, metallic tang, as though something sacred had been disturbed.
Her gaze fell on Ren, still kneeling, his face pale and his eyes wide with barely concealed fear.
She frowned, her tone softening but edged with suspicion.
"Why are you still kneeling? Are you so terrified you can't stand?"
Ren forced a weak smile, his mind scrambling.
The scent of his own sweat mingled with the cave's minerals, grounding him as he spoke.
"I… I thought something bad was going to happen, so I just… stayed down."
His voice wavered, and inwardly, he screamed.
*Bad? I stole something from the Realm Master's altar, and the ground shook! I thought I was dead!*
But he couldn't voice his terror—not with Lian Yao's piercing gaze fixed on him.
Lian Yao raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable.
"If you're that much of a coward, how do you expect to pass the trial?"
Her words cut deep, and Ren flinched, his pride stinging.
He wanted to retort, to prove his courage, but the memory of the quake and the searing energy lingered, tying his tongue.
Instead, he rose, brushing off his robes with forced nonchalance, the grit of dust clinging to his palms.
"Let's go, Miss Lian. We can start the trial now."
His voice was steadier than he felt, and he prayed she wouldn't press further.
Lian Yao studied him, her gaze lingering, then nodded.
"Follow me," she said, turning toward a passage deeper into the cave, her footsteps silent against the stone.
Ren followed, his mind reeling.
*What did I do?* he wondered, his heart heavy with fear and anticipation.
The energy within him pulsed faintly, like a second heartbeat, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd crossed an invisible line.
[To be continued…]