The blood-red moon hung over the Trial Valley, casting an eerie hue across the jagged peaks and crystalline lakes. Li Tianming stood on a floating stone platform suspended over a bottomless chasm, facing the next trial—a Celestial Wraith born from remnant Heavenly Dao Will.
From behind, Yue Qianyin's voice echoed softly, "This place... it resonates with the Will of the Heavens. Be careful, Tianming."
He gave her a glance. Her violet eyes were calm, yet beneath them, a storm brewed. She had sensed something familiar—something connected to her secret clan. But now wasn't the time to ask.
The Celestial Wraith appeared, formed from stardust and black lightning, and let out a shriek that pierced the void. It was a manifestation of fragmented Heavenly Dao—a being that could crush even a peak True Immortal.
Li Tianming's gaze turned sharp. He drew his blade, Voidpiercer. The edge shimmered, absorbing ambient spiritual energy.
"Destruction Sword Art: First Form—Shattering Silence!"
His blade sang through the void, creating a ripple that warped the space. The Wraith dissolved momentarily but reformed—stronger, faster.
Yan Ruo stepped forward, summoning her moonsteel fan etched with silver runes. "I'll support you. Moonlight Veil—Phase Three!"
Luminous threads of light coiled around Tianming, enhancing his spiritual senses.
The Celestial Wraith launched its own technique—"Heaven's Reversal Pulse", a distortion field that crushed everything inward. Even space itself twisted.
Tianming gritted his teeth. "Second Form—Destruction Spiral!"
His sword burst into a spinning storm of void energy. It collided with the Reversal Pulse, forcing the entire chasm to quake. The shockwave shattered platforms, and for a moment, silence fell.
Smoke drifted from the center. The Wraith, still intact but clearly damaged, began to devour the spiritual energy of the valley.
Yue Qianyin stepped beside Yan Ruo. "We must seal the rift it's drawing power from, or it'll regenerate infinitely."
Yan Ruo nodded. "Cover me. I'll use Lunar Binding Array."
As Yan Ruo formed the array using celestial-grade spirit stones, Tianming unleashed Third Form—Voidfang Sundering, a precise and deadly slice that fragmented the Wraith's form temporarily.
The moment the Lunar Binding Array was complete, a seal of moonlight fell from the sky, pinning the Wraith.
"Now!" Yue shouted.
Tianming surged forward, his body glowing with the merged energies of fire essence and the void. "Fourth Form—Abyssal Descent!"
His sword split the heavens, a devastating vertical cleave that tore through the bound Wraith's core.
The creature howled—and dissolved into sparks.
A new glyph emerged in the air—the seal of trial completion. Tianming breathed heavily, drenched in sweat. Yan Ruo smiled faintly. "You've mastered the fourth form already... just how deep does your potential run?"
Tianming didn't answer. He looked into the distance. This was only the beginning.