After the trial glyph faded into mist, the terrain shifted. A path of glowing stones emerged, leading Li Tianming and his group to the next stage—a vast, blood-colored lake under a sky of swirling constellations.
Yan Ruo narrowed her eyes. "This must be the Lake of Echoing Realms. It's said to reflect not just the body... but the soul."
A voice echoed from the heavens:
"Trial of the Heart—Face your other self. Survive, or be swallowed."
The lake rippled.
From its surface, three reflections rose—twisted mirror-images of Tianming, Yan Ruo, and Yue Qianyin. But these weren't illusions. They pulsed with real spiritual pressure—copies created from fragments of their own souls.
Tianming's doppelganger grinned darkly, wielding a warped version of Voidpiercer. "You fear your past, don't you? You fear the truth of your father's legacy."
Tianming's jaw clenched. "Shut up."
"Destruction Sword Art—Fifth Form: Celestial Severance!"
A blazing arc of black-violet energy carved the reflection in half—yet it reformed instantly, laughing.
Yan Ruo stepped beside him, facing her reflection cloaked in lunar fire. "You're just a shadow of the girl I used to be," she whispered.
She unfurled her fan.
"Moonlit Requiem—Fourth Note: Thousand Petals Fall."
A blizzard of moonsteel blossoms danced in the air, shredding the illusion into stardust. Her control over the moon arts was growing—more graceful and lethal with every step.
Meanwhile, Yue Qianyin stood still. Her reflection, draped in crimson robes, smirked coldly.
"You've hidden your bloodline for so long, but deep down... you know what you are."
Qianyin's fingers twitched. A red sigil flared to life on her palm—the crest of her ancient clan. Her voice was steady, almost solemn.
"Bloodline Technique: Crimson Soul Invocation."
Chains of bloodlight erupted around her reflection, binding it in place. Her next move—a spear of energy—pierced it cleanly. The reflection burst into smoke.
Tianming took a deep breath. His doppelganger was relentless, mirroring every form he used.
"I'll end this," he growled.
"Sixth Form—Voidstorm Collapse!"
Voidpiercer roared to life, summoning a storm of gravitational slashes that pulled everything into singularity. The reflection let out a scream—crushed into nothingness.
As silence returned, the lake calmed, and the path forward revealed itself beneath the ripples—an ancient stairway descending into the depths.
Yue Qianyin approached him quietly. "The next trial... it's no longer just survival. It's transformation."
Tianming nodded. "Good. Because the enemies ahead won't be illusions—they'll be real."