As Su Yang stepped onto the next glowing platform, a familiar warmth enveloped him — but unlike before, there was no tremor, no suffocating pressure.
Only silence.
And then...
A breeze.
Warm. Fragrant. Carrying the soft scent of spring blossoms.
"What kind of illusion is this?" Su Yang wondered, glancing around. He was no longer in the dark or void — he was standing in the courtyard of a beautiful sect.
Cherry blossoms drifted lazily through the air. The sky was clear. Spirit qi flowed gently across the ground like a calm river.
In front of him stood a pavilion, and beneath it sat Lu Ying — alive, radiant, and smiling.
Max slept beside her. Jin Hao leaned against a post with a smirk, arms folded. They were all there.
And they were waiting for him.
"Yang-ge!" Lu Ying called with a bright smile. "Come quickly! The elders just approved your promotion to Core Disciple!"
Behind her, several elders stood and clapped. One said proudly, "Your talent surpasses the geniuses of our sect's history. The future belongs to you, Su Yang."
Su Yang hesitated.
This… feels too perfect.
He walked forward slowly. Every step felt more surreal.
As he sat with Lu Ying, Max licked his hand, and Jin Hao raised a toast. The sun shone gently on them. The atmosphere was peaceful.
Then, Lu Ying reached out and gently touched his arm.
"Yang-ge, you've become so strong," she whispered. "But now… you don't need us anymore, do you?"
Su Yang frowned. "What are you saying?"
The mood suddenly shifted.
Lu Ying pulled her hand back and looked at him with cold eyes.
"You used me to awaken your ice body, didn't you?"
Max stood up and growled.
Jin Hao narrowed his eyes. "We helped you grow, and now you've surpassed us. Is that what we are to you? Stepping stones?"
"What are you all—? No! That's not true!" Su Yang shouted.
The elders behind them vanished like smoke, and suddenly Su Yang stood alone as all three of them stepped away.
"You betrayed us," Lu Ying said.
"You never cared," said Jin Hao.
"You only want power," growled Max.
Their words pierced Su Yang's heart like daggers.
And then, the ground split.
Lu Ying, Max, and Jin Hao fell into the abyss.
"NO!" Su Yang screamed, diving forward — but his feet wouldn't move. He was frozen in place.
And suddenly...
A figure stepped out of the shadows.
Sun Xiyan.
But it wasn't the real him — it was an illusion version. Calm, arrogant, grinning.
"You betrayed them," the illusion Sun Xiyan said. "And now you stand alone. Just like I knew you would."
"You're wrong!" Su Yang growled. "I would never betray them!"
"Wouldn't you?" the illusion sneered. "You revealed your Karma Fire Body. You shared your system's secrets. You let your emotions guide your strength. And look where that got them."
The words echoed in his mind.
His breath quickened. His fists clenched.
This illusion… it's not attacking with fear or sorrow. It's using my relationships. My love. My loyalty. It's testing my heart.
Su Yang looked down at the abyss, then back up.
And he realized something.
This wasn't just a vision.
This was a mirror — of what could happen if he lost control, if he let power, greed, or pride guide him instead of purpose and loyalty.
He closed his eyes.
"I'm not perfect," Su Yang whispered. "I may make mistakes. But I won't betray them. Not Max. Not Lu Ying. Not Jin Hao. I don't fight for power. I fight to protect."
Suddenly, the abyss vanished.
The cherry blossoms returned.
The illusion shattered like glass.
And once more, Su Yang found himself back on the golden platform.
This one read: 4.
The fourth trial, conquered.
---
Elsewhere in the trial array…
Jin Hao stood in front of a burning house — the house of his childhood. The screams of his sister echoed inside.
He clenched his jaw, his spirit surging with rage.
"Another illusion?" he muttered, his hand trembling. "You think this can break me?"
Then he charged into the flames.
The illusion of betrayal for Jin Hao wasn't about friendships or sects — it was about family left behind.
He fought through it alone.
---
Watching from above…
Sun Xiyan's elder narrowed his eyes.
"His will is too sharp. He passed the fourth illusion without hesitation," the elder muttered. "If he passes all seven… even Sun Xiyan might not be able to defeat him."
---