Eternal Ashes, Boundless Heavens

Chapter 3: The Test of the Gods



Lin Jian's body trembled as the power surged through him, his vision blurring with the intensity of it all. The voice that had spoken to him was now silent, but the temple seemed to hum with the same eerie energy, as though it were waiting for him to make a choice.

He wanted to run, to escape, but he couldn't move. It was as if the very air around him had solidified, holding him in place. His heart raced in his chest, each beat echoing in the silence of the temple.

And then, the figure appeared.

The air seemed to split open as a tall, regal figure stepped out of the shadows. His features were sharp, his robes shimmering with a celestial light. His eyes glowed with a power Lin Jian had never seen before, and the mere presence of the man was enough to send a chill through Lin Jian's spine.

"You are the one," the figure said, his voice deep and resonant.

Lin Jian's throat went dry. "Who are you?"

The man did not answer immediately. Instead, he raised a hand, and the temperature in the room dropped. Lin Jian felt the weight of the figure's gaze as if it were pressing down on him, testing him.

"I am the guardian of this temple," the figure said. "I am here to guide you. To test you."

"Test me?" Lin Jian's voice cracked. "What do you want from me? I'm not a warrior. I don't know what's happening to me."

The guardian's eyes softened, though his presence remained overpowering. "You have been chosen, Lin Jian. Chosen to wield the celestial power. But with it comes great responsibility. You will walk a path that no mortal has ever walked before. You will face trials. And only if you prove yourself worthy will you survive."

Lin Jian's mind spun. The celestial power? Trials? He didn't understand. He was just a boy who had been carrying out a simple errand. This wasn't supposed to be his life.

But the guardian did not wait for him to ask more questions. With a flick of his hand, the room around Lin Jian changed. 

Lin Jian's heart pounded as the world around him began to shift. The temple, once cold and silent, now seemed to dissolve, the walls fading into a swirling mist. The stone floor crumbled beneath his feet, vanishing into the void as if the very foundation of the place was being rewritten.

The figure—the guardian—remained standing, his eyes glowing with an ethereal light, but his expression was unreadable, almost distant. Lin Jian could feel the power crackling in the air, heavy with expectation.

"This is only the beginning," the guardian's voice echoed, rippling through the space around them.

Lin Jian tried to speak, to demand answers, but no words came. The fear that had settled in his chest tightened, making it hard to breathe. Everything felt unreal, like a dream that he couldn't wake up from.

Then, without warning, the mist that surrounded him began to swirl faster. The air grew thick, suffocating, and the pressure on his chest intensified. Lin Jian could feel the mark on his palm burning again, but this time, it wasn't just a sharp pain—it was as though the heat was trying to consume him entirely, spreading through his body like wildfire.

"Listen," the guardian's voice broke through the chaos, sharp and commanding. "You are about to face the first of many trials. Fail, and you will not survive. Succeed, and you will begin to understand the power within you."

"What is this power?" Lin Jian gasped, trying to steady himself. His legs felt weak, as though he might collapse at any moment. "Why me?"

The guardian did not answer. Instead, the mist around Lin Jian thickened, transforming into dark shapes, twisting and contorting into monstrous forms. Their eyes glowed, and their fangs dripped with malice. They were shadows, creatures of the void, and they were moving toward him with unnatural speed.

Lin Jian staggered backward, panic rising in his chest. These things were real—he could feel them in the air, hear their breathing as they closed in on him. He tried to summon the power within him, but nothing happened. The mark on his palm pulsed once, then fell silent.

"Fight," the guardian urged. "You must fight."

But how could he? Lin Jian had never fought before. He had no training, no weapons—he was just a boy who had been thrust into this world of danger and power without warning.

The creatures lunged, their sharp claws slashing through the air. Lin Jian barely managed to dodge the first strike, his heart racing as he rolled to the side. He gasped for breath, his hands trembling. The creatures were relentless, their movements swift and unpredictable.

"Fight!" the guardian shouted, his voice harsh and full of authority.

The command jolted something deep within Lin Jian. His instincts flared, and without thinking, his hand shot out. The mark on his palm flared brightly, a hot, searing light that illuminated the mist around him. For a moment, it was as though time had frozen—everything around him slowed, the creatures' movements sluggish and heavy.

Then, the energy inside him surged, an overwhelming rush that he couldn't control. The light from his palm expanded, sweeping outward in a wave of force. The creatures shrieked, their bodies thrown back by the impact, their forms dissipating into smoke and ash as the light touched them.

Lin Jian's chest heaved as he stood there, the wave of power still crackling in the air. His head throbbed with the intensity of what had just happened. He couldn't believe it—he had actually done something. But it had felt so… out of control. Like he wasn't the one who had made it happen.

For a moment, everything was still. The creatures were gone, their twisted forms reduced to nothing more than wisps of smoke. The mist that had filled the space began to fade, the oppressive atmosphere lifting slightly.

"You've passed the first trial," the guardian said, his voice distant and detached. "But this is only a taste of what's to come."

Lin Jian collapsed to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The power inside him had felt so overwhelming, so terrifying, but he had done it. He had won.

Or had he?

He raised his head slowly, locking eyes with the guardian, who was standing silently, watching him with a piercing gaze. There was no hint of approval, no words of encouragement. Just a cold, unwavering presence.

"What now?" Lin Jian managed to ask, his voice weak.

"You will continue," the guardian replied simply. "The path you walk will be fraught with dangers. The trials will grow harder. If you are to survive, you must learn to control the power within you."

Lin Jian clenched his fists, his palms still tingling from the force of the blast. The mark was silent now, but the heat had not completely subsided. His body was still trembling from the experience. He felt like he was being torn apart, pulled in every direction by the force within him. It was more than just power—it was a living, breathing entity, demanding more and more from him.

"Control…" Lin Jian muttered to himself, the word tasting foreign on his tongue. "How do I control this?"

The guardian's gaze softened, though his expression remained unchanged. "That, I cannot teach you. It is something you must learn on your own. But remember this—each trial you face will require more from you. The price for failure is steep. There will be no mercy."

Lin Jian nodded, though he felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He had no choice but to continue. The power within him had already marked him as something different—something beyond normal. There was no going back, no escaping the path that lay before him.

Before he could ask more questions, the guardian raised his hand, and the world around Lin Jian shifted once again. The temple vanished, replaced by a vast, open landscape. The sky overhead was dark and foreboding, clouds swirling as if in a storm. The ground beneath his feet was cracked and barren, the remnants of a once-thriving world now reduced to dust.

"This is where your journey truly begins," the guardian said, his voice fading into the wind. "Face what lies ahead, Lin Jian. Prove you are worthy of the power you wield."


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