The void trembled as the shadow lunged.
A spear of dark qi tore across the space, screaming straight toward Su Chen's chest. He reacted on instinct—his body twisting, feet sliding against nothingness as he barely avoided the strike.
But the shadow was relentless.
It moved like flowing ink—smooth, ancient, terrifying.
Su Chen's pulse sharpened.
This isn't just a copy of me… This thing is the echo of the original Su Chen—the man whose life I replaced.
The shadow raised its hand, and the space distorted. Countless spear-like projections formed in the air.
"Truth… cannot be stolen."
The spears rained down.
Su Chen inhaled sharply, forced his qi through his meridians, and stepped forward instead of back. His fist collided with the first spear—shattering it—before he vaulted through the rest.
The moment he reached the shadow, he sent a palm strike aimed at its chest.
But—
His hand passed right through it.
The shadow's smirk was cold.
"This body… was mine."
A surge of spiritual pressure exploded, sending him flying backward.
Su Chen rolled mid-air—regaining balance, teeth clenched.
Damn. Physical attacks aren't working?
He steadied himself.
"No matter who you were…" he said, voice low, "…I'm the one living now. I won't be crushed by a memory."
The shadow tilted its head.
Then smiled wider.
---
Outside the Trial – Emotional Shifts
Outside the swirling mist, tension wrapped around the disciples.
Yun Mei stood closest to the entrance, fists clenched.
"What's taking him so long?!" she muttered, anxiety leaking through her calm façade.
Lei Xinyue leaned against a stone pillar, arms crossed—but her expression wasn't as composed as she pretended.
"He'll come out alive," she said, but her voice was slightly too sharp. "He doesn't look like someone who dies easily."
Instructor Han glanced at both girls, noticing their worry.
"His trial is reacting strangely," he murmured. "It's been decades since I've felt such turbulence. Su Chen's potential… might be far beyond what you imagine."
Yun Mei's heart tightened.
Far beyond… does that mean he has a fate that leaves us behind?
She bit her lip.
Lei Xinyue noticed.
Her gaze flickered with something complex—annoyance, competitiveness, maybe something else.
"He better not die," she muttered. "I still owe him a rematch."
But the way her fingers kept brushing the hilt of her sword—with restless worry—betrayed her true feelings.
---
Back Inside – Clash of Identities
The shadow's aura intensified, turning the white void into a storm of black winds.
Su Chen's mind whirled.
This trial isn't testing strength… It's testing identity.
The shadow's voice echoed:
"A foreign soul. A stolen fate. A borrowed name."
"Enough."
Su Chen steadied his breathing.
Qi surged around him—golden threads weaving like flames.
"You're right. I'm not the Su Chen of this world. But I'm also not here to destroy his legacy."
He planted his feet, eyes blazing.
"I'm here to continue it."
For the first time, the shadow paused.
The winds slowed.
Then—
"Prove it."
The shadow condensed, forming a long spear—the same one Su Chen used in his past world during his last battle.
His throat tightened.
Even this world knows…?
The shadow spun the spear once, the air trembling.
Su Chen summoned his own qi, forming a crude spear of energy—not perfect, but enough.
Both spear tips pointed at each other.
A single heartbeat passed.
Then they clashed.
---
A Spear Duel Without Sound
Their movements were silent—no ground to stomp, no air to cut, only spiritual energy colliding with brilliant bursts of light.
The shadow swept from above—Su Chen blocked.
It thrust low—he sidestepped.
It spun—he mirrored.
Blow after blow, their movements synchronized like reflections.
Suddenly the shadow whispered:
"Why fight for a life that doesn't belong to you?"
Su Chen's grip tightened.
He pushed forward, spear slicing through the darkness.
"Because people are waiting for me outside."
Yun Mei's worried eyes.
Lei Xinyue's clenched fists.
Instructor Han's silent approval.
"Because I made promises. Because I have dreams of my own. Because—"
He roared, thrusting with all his strength.
"—I choose to be Su Chen!"
His spear pierced through the shadow's chest.
Silence followed.
The shadow looked down at the golden light spreading through it.
Then… it laughed softly.
"Good… Then live properly."
The shadow dissolved into glittering sparks—absorbed into Su Chen's body.
A wave of warmth filled him.
As if a missing piece finally returned.
---
The Trial Ends
The void shattered.
Su Chen felt himself being pulled upward—back into reality.
The mist at the entrance exploded with light.
Yun Mei gasped.
Lei Xinyue straightened instantly.
Instructor Han's eyes widened.
Su Chen stepped out—clothes torn, breathing heavy, qi swirling around him like a rising storm.
But his eyes…
His eyes looked deeper. Sharper.
Alive in a way they hadn't been before.
Yun Mei rushed forward before she could stop herself.
"Su Chen! Are you—"
Lei Xinyue grabbed her arm, stopping her, cheeks slightly pink.
"Give him space."
But her own gaze never left him—even for a second.
Su Chen managed a faint smile.
"I'm fine."
Instructor Han stepped forward, voice trembling with awe.
"What… did you encounter in there?"
Su Chen looked at the ground, then at his own hands.
For a moment, he wasn't sure whether to speak the truth.
Finally, he answered:
"I met… myself."