They stepped through the final arch, and the stone beneath their feet changed.
Polished black tiles stretched across a circular arena surrounded by eight floating platforms. In the center, suspended above a mirrored floor, hovered a black jade lotus — pulsing slowly, like it breathed.
The air was unnaturally silent.
No dust. No movement. Just tension — woven tight like a blade drawn too far from its sheath.
Shang Di narrowed his eyes. "This is different."
Wei Lin paced the edge of the arena. "No monsters. No traps. I feel like the trial itself is watching us."
A chime rang out from the center of the lotus.
[System Notification – Trial Initiated]
Echo Blade Pavilion
Type: Reflex-Trial / Spiritual Pressure
Format: Shadow Blade Memory Combat
Objective: Survive and Adapt through Echo Phases
Phases Remaining: 3
Bonus Objective: Use Zero Weapon Draws
Bonus Reward: +100 SP / Shadow's Favor +1
Restrictions:
– Spiritual signature locked
– External Qi replenishment disabled
– No flight techniques permitted
Challenge Tier: High
Wei Lin read it over Shang Di's shoulder and muttered, "I don't like the word 'memory' in combat trials."
Neither did Shang Di.
The jade lotus above spun once — and eight shadows flickered into form atop the floating platforms.
Each was cloaked in black, their faces obscured, bodies framed in mirrored Qi. Their weapons were different — dual sabers, glaives, spears — but every figure radiated the exact same spiritual pattern.
His.
"Are those—?" Wei Lin began.
"Yes," Shang Di said. "They're echoes of me."
[Phase One: Mirror Formation Activated]
Shadows will strike in pattern based on Host's prior recorded combat rhythm.
Adjustment Level: Adaptive
Delay Buffer: 2.3 seconds
Reward: +50 SP for successful phase clear
Failure Penalty: Qi Feedback Shock
The shadows moved as one.
Eight versions of Shang Di — from different moments, techniques, and stances — charged.
The first two attacked from either side, using a modified [Flying Darkness Sword] stance. He pivoted low, twisting his waist and stepping forward through [Silent Darkness Steps] — not escaping, but redirecting.
Their blades cut air.
He struck back with his palm, pushing against a flicker of resistance. His attack connected — barely — and one echo shattered like smoke.
Another followed behind, using a slower version of his footwork. Shang Di timed the breath, spun, and swept its legs out before dispersing it with a Qi burst.
Wei Lin stayed out of the ring, watching silently.
"Every one of them copies your delay. Your oversteps. Even your overcorrections."
"They're built from everything I've done so far."
"Can they change mid-phase?"
"We're about to find out."
[Phase One – Cleared]
SP +50
Spiritual Sync Threshold Increased
Preparing Phase Two…
The air turned colder.
Two of the platforms cracked, and the shadows now merged into four new forms. Larger. Sharper. They wore partial armor formed of Qi condensation — their weapons extended, refined.
They weren't mimicking anymore.
They were improving.
One stepped forward and blurred toward Shang Di.
He moved to counter with a strike—only to catch the edge of a reversed feint to his ribs. Pain thudded through his side as he stumbled back, arm burning with impact.
"Still up?" Wei Lin called out.
Shang Di nodded, wiped blood from his mouth.
"This phase is faster. They're compressing multiple styles now."
"Feels like the dungeon's adapting you against yourself."
"I don't like being outplayed by me."
The four shadows circled — and attacked all at once.
[Echo Bind – Active]
Triggered Effect: Temporal Trap Distortion – 0.75s Delay
Defensive interference successful.
Two incoming strikes misaligned.
Shang Di shifted low, used [Abyss Pulse Swallowing] to pull Qi from the incoming spear shadow, then counter-pulsed — blasting two echoes back with a reverberating shock.
Another attacked with his own previously-used palm strike pattern.
He recognized the gap — the moment his balance dipped in the original version.
This time, he braced the stance.
And shattered the shadow's ribcage echo with a direct blow.
Wei Lin watched from behind the safety line. "You're learning faster than them now."
"No," Shang Di muttered. "I'm learning from them."
[Phase Two – Cleared]
SP +70
Echo Analysis: 87%
Next Phase: Final Combat Adaptation
Shadow's Favor Progress: 7 / 7
Path Awakening Unlocked – Veil-Touched Variant
Shang Di's heart skipped once as the lotus above glowed black and violet. The final figure rose — one last shadow.
But it wasn't another version of Shang Di.
It was different.
A robed figure of pure black. No face. No voice. Just pressure.
Its feet didn't touch the ground. Its sword was smoke. Its eyes, a pair of hollow flames.
[Phase Three: Final Echo Initiated]
Opponent Classification: Fragmented Remnant – Unknown Path
Difficulty: Veilbound Adversary (Ranked Trial)
Objective: Survive three minutes or defeat the adversary.
Reward: SP +120 / Trait Evolution Option / Shadow Path Recognition
It moved — faster than the rest.
Shang Di barely ducked under the first strike, a curved arc of spirit steel that screamed as it passed over his head.
The shadow didn't mimic him.
It was testing him.
The swings were uneven. Unreadable. Like someone trying to feel for his gaps.
He gritted his teeth and used [Veilstep Instinct], his form blurring mid-dash.
He returned a strike — absorbed Qi from the adversary using Abyss Pulse Swallowing — and redirected it mid-spin.
The shadow flickered and reformed — and spoke.
One word.
"Unravel."
Shang Di's foot slid. His vision shimmered.
[Warning: Spiritual Disruption Detected]
Mindscape strain: 21%
Countermeasure Active – Echo Bind Anchoring Stabilized
He dropped to one knee, pressed his palm to the ground, and let darkness surge.
The shadow stepped toward him.
He let it.
And released all stored energy in one directed pulse — not aimed to kill, but to scatter.
The black sword broke apart into dust.
And so did the adversary.
...
[Trial Complete – Echo Blade Pavilion Cleared]
+120 SP
Trait Evolution Unlocked:
Choose One —
– Shadowborne Resilience (Passive)
– Echo Collapse Fang (Active)
– Veil Echo (Unique Slot – Delayed Manifestation)
Shadow's Favor – COMPLETE
Path Option:
Unlock "Whisper Veil Cultivation"
Synergy Bonus: 2x Efficiency with Shadow Techniques
Shang Di didn't answer right away.
He looked up at the fading lotus — its petals vanishing one by one.
Then he whispered, "I'll take the Passive."
Trait Applied: Shadowborne Resilience
Internal Stability improved. Mental Fortitude enhanced during Qi disruption.
Partial immunity to low-grade possession attempts.
Wei Lin helped him to his feet.
"Don't take this the wrong way," he said. "But I'm starting to wonder if you're some kind of nightmare beast in disguise."
Shang Di smirked, exhaling hard. "If I am, I'm the kind that gets tired like everyone else."
And he turned, cloak trailing, as the floor began to descend into the final chamber.
...
To be continued…