The first rays of dawn slowly appeared above the mountain peaks.
Cold mist rolled across the upper cliffs behind the Ji Xia Sect, covering the long stone staircase that climbed deep into the mountain.
This was the Path of the Celestial Mind.
An ancient trial left behind by the original founders of the sect.
The staircase itself looked ordinary at first glance, yet the faint spiritual pressure surrounding it told a completely different story.
At the base of the mountain, the nine remaining candidates stood silently.
Some looked confident.
Others were visibly nervous.
Yan Fu stood calmly before them, his white robes moving gently with the morning wind. Behind him stood the three guardian beasts—Vorath, Aetherion, and Tianlong.
Even the current disciples of Ji Xia Sect had gathered nearby to watch the final trial.
Li Fei crossed his arms as he looked up at the towering staircase.
"I tried climbing that path once," he muttered.
"And?"
Another disciple asked.
Li Fei sighed.
"I didn't even reach halfway."
Vorath chuckled.
"That path doesn't test your strength," the ancient lion said.
"It tests your mind."
Yan Fu raised his hand slightly.
The murmuring stopped instantly.
"The final trial will now begin."
His gaze moved across the nine candidates.
"The Path of the Celestial Mind is not a test of cultivation power."
"It is a test of your Dao Heart."
He pointed toward the staircase disappearing into the mist.
"As you climb, the formation will create illusions."
"These illusions will challenge your fears, regrets, and weaknesses."
Some of the candidates swallowed nervously.
Yan Fu continued calmly.
"If your mind is weak… you will not be able to continue."
He paused briefly before adding,
"But if your Dao Heart is firm, then the path will open before you."
The wind grew stronger as clouds moved slowly across the sky.
Yan Fu stepped aside.
"You may begin."
For a moment, no one moved.
Then one of the candidates took the first step onto the staircase.
The moment his foot touched the stone—
The formation activated.
Ancient runes carved into the sides of the path began glowing faintly.
The spiritual pressure around the staircase increased instantly.
Soon the others followed.
One by one, the nine candidates began climbing the mountain.
At first, everything seemed normal.
They climbed slowly, carefully adjusting to the increasing pressure.
But after the first hundred steps—
The illusions began.
The first candidate suddenly stopped.
His breathing became heavy.
His eyes widened as he stared at something only he could see.
"No… no…"
He stepped backward in fear.
"What are you doing?" another candidate asked.
But the man shook his head violently.
"I can't… I can't go further!"
Without another word, he turned around and ran back down the stairs.
The first failure had appeared.
Li Fei shook his head.
"That was quick."
Yan Fu watched silently.
The Dao Heart Trial was never easy.
Every cultivator carried fears and regrets inside their mind.
The formation simply forced them to face those things.
Higher on the staircase, two more candidates stopped moving.
Sweat poured down their faces.
One of them suddenly dropped to his knees.
"I… I failed my family…"
He looked completely broken.
Moments later, he too turned back.
The climb continued.
Nine candidates had become six.
But the higher they climbed, the stronger the illusions became.
A young girl who had passed the Spirit Root Trial earlier suddenly began crying.
Her hands trembled as she stared at the empty air in front of her.
"They're… gone…"
She took another step, trying to continue.
But the illusion clearly overwhelmed her mind.
After a few more steps, she collapsed.
Aetherion quietly walked forward.
The celestial guardian released a soft wave of healing energy that lifted the unconscious girl gently off the path.
"She has reached her limit," Aetherion said calmly.
Yan Fu nodded.
"Take her down."
Now only five candidates remained.
Among them was Zhao Tian.
Unlike the others, his movements had not slowed at all.
He continued climbing steadily.
His breathing remained calm.
Li Fei frowned as he watched.
"That guy…"
Vorath grinned.
"He's interesting."
Far above them, Zhao Tian continued climbing.
But the illusions had already begun attacking his mind.
The mist around him shifted.
The staircase disappeared.
Suddenly, he stood somewhere else.
A ruined village.
Burning houses.
The smell of smoke filled the air.
Zhao Tian's expression hardened.
A small boy stood in the center of the village, surrounded by bodies.
The boy looked exactly like him.
Memories long buried resurfaced.
A voice echoed in his mind.
"You were too weak."
"You couldn't protect anyone."
The illusion showed shadows of armored cultivators walking through the burning village.
Zhao Tian's hands clenched slightly.
But his steps did not stop.
"This is the past," he said quietly.
"It cannot change."
The illusion shifted again.
Now he stood before a towering figure cloaked in golden robes.
A powerful cultivator with eyes full of cold judgment.
"You will never surpass me," the figure said.
"Your destiny is to remain beneath others."
The pressure from the illusion grew heavier.
Even the air felt difficult to breathe.
But Zhao Tian simply took another step upward.
His voice was calm.
"My destiny…"
Another step.
"…belongs to me."
The illusion shattered.
The burning village disappeared.
The staircase returned.
Below, Yan Fu watched quietly.
The system interface displayed Zhao Tian's mental condition.
Dao Heart Stability: Extremely High
Yan Fu's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Interesting."
Vorath noticed his reaction.
"What is it?"
Yan Fu replied calmly.
"That one…"
"He may have experienced far more than we thought."
The climb continued.
One more candidate stopped halfway up the mountain.
His legs trembled violently.
"I can't do this…"
He collapsed and slid down the staircase.
Now only four remained.
Zhao Tian had already reached the final section of the path.
The mist near the top of the mountain glowed faintly with golden light.
Yan Fu spoke quietly.
"Once they reach the summit…"
"The trial will end."
Moments later—
Zhao Tian stepped through the mist.
Golden light surrounded him.
The formation acknowledged his victory.
A bell rang softly across the mountain.
The first disciple had completed the Dao Heart Trial.
Li Fei whistled.
"That guy really did it."
Soon after, two more candidates reached the summit.
But the final climber stopped just a few steps before the top.
He stared into the mist with trembling eyes.
Finally—
He turned back.
Only three candidates had passed the final trial.
Yan Fu looked toward the summit.
Zhao Tian stood calmly at the top of the mountain, gazing down at the sect below.
The wind moved through his hair as sunlight spread across the sky.
Yan Fu spoke quietly.
"Bring them down."
Aetherion summoned a gentle wave of celestial wind.
Moments later, the three successful candidates were transported back to the courtyard.
They landed softly before Yan Fu.
The other disciples watched with excitement.
Yan Fu looked at them carefully.
"You have passed the Three Trials."
He paused before announcing,
"From this moment onward…"
"You are disciples of the Ji Xia Sect."
The three cultivators bowed deeply.
But Yan Fu's gaze remained on Zhao Tian.
Divine Talent…
Unbreakable Dao Heart…
Yan Fu's instincts told him one thing.
This young man carried a story far greater than he revealed.
And perhaps…
A destiny connected to the future of Ji Xia Sect.