CHAPTER 41 — THE FOURTH ECHO: WHERE FATE BREAKS
Darkness swallowed Jason Wu whole.
Not the comforting darkness of night, or the cold black of a cave—this was different. This was emptiness. A void without shape, without sound, without direction. Jason felt like he was falling, yet not falling; floating, yet sinking; breathing, yet suffocating.
His heartbeat echoed unnaturally loud in his ears.
*Thump.*
*Thump.*
*Thump.*
Every pulse felt like a hammer hitting his ribs from the inside.
Longwu Sword's voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once.
["Jason… listen carefully. You are inside the Void of Fate."]
Jason forced his eyes open. Nothing changed—everything remained pitch black.
"The… Void of Fate?"
["Yes. The place where all possibilities collapse. Where all paths converge. Where illusion and reality blur. Where the universe discards all destined futures except one."]
Jason's breath trembled.
"That sounds… unpleasant."
["It is worse than unpleasant. It is where your ancestors broke. Where strong hearts shattered. Where mighty wills dissolved. And where only one survived—your great ancestor, Wu Zhaotian."]
Jason froze.
"Wu Zhaotian… the strongest Wu in history?"
["Yes. The only one who walked out of here with his mind intact."]
Jason gulped.
Then—
A soft *crack* formed beneath his feet.
He looked down.
A floor had appeared beneath him—if it could be called a floor. It was made of translucent glass, stretching infinitely in all directions, floating in this abyss.
But beneath the glass—Jason's breath hitched.
He saw **countless Jasons** reflected below him.
Each one different.
Jason in white robes.
Jason in armor.
Jason with long hair.
Jason with a broken sword.
Jason kneeling in despair.
Jason crowned as an emperor.
Jason drenched in blood.
Jason lying dead.
Jason blinked rapidly.
"What… are these?"
Longwu Sword's voice was low.
["Possible futures. Echoes of might-be, might-have-been, and never-should-be. The Fourth Echo forces you to confront every version of yourself."]
Jason felt his chest tighten.
Suddenly, one reflection shifted.
A version of him wearing a black robe raised its head slowly—its eyes glowing red like dying embers.
Jason stumbled back. "What—?!"
Longwu's tone sharpened.
["Be careful. Not all reflections are harmless."]
The dark reflection smiled.
Then it spoke.
"I'm what you become… if you lose everything."
Jason's blood ran cold.
Before he could respond—
The glass beneath him shattered.
He fell.
---
### FREEFALL INTO FATE
Jason plummeted through a tunnel of floating mirror shards, each one flashing different futures at him. He reached out instinctively, but each shard cut through his hand like cold fire.
In one shard, he saw himself standing atop mountains of corpses.
In another, he was chained in darkness.
In another, he led armies across the heavens.
In another, he lay motionless while someone screamed his name.
Xueyin.
Jason reached toward that shard, but it slipped past him.
He felt his heart twist painfully.
"Xueyin… I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
As if hearing him, the shards changed.
Now he saw images of her—in danger, crying, stabbed, dying—
"STOP!"
Jason grabbed the shard, crushing it in his fist.
Blood dripped from his palm.
The void trembled.
Longwu Sword spoke urgently.
["Jason, DO NOT cling to the shards! They are echoes meant to destabilize you! If you chase them, you'll lose yourself!"]
Jason clenched his teeth. "Then what am I supposed to do?!"
["Endure. That is all this place demands."]
Endure?
When possibilities of failure surrounded him?
When futures of loss stabbed into his heart like needles?
Jason breathed heavily.
"No… I'm not going to break here."
He forced himself upright mid-fall.
And then—
He landed.
---
### THE ARENA OF FATES
Stone slammed into his feet.
Jason stood in a circular arena made of white marble veined with gold. Above him, the void swirled like a living storm. Around him, thousands of mirror pillars rose, each containing a different version of Jason Wu.
Some were weak.
Some were monsters.
Some were kings.
Some were alone.
Some held the dead in their arms.
Jason's knees almost buckled.
This was overwhelming.
Then—
A voice boomed across the arena.
**"JASON WU."**
Jason turned.
A figure stepped out of the void.
Tall. Fierce. Clad in armor forged from starlight.
A long spear rested on his shoulder.
His black hair flowed like burning smoke.
His eyes shone with golden fire.
Jason recognized him instantly.
Wu Zhaotian.
The strongest Wu in history.
Jason felt awe flood him.
"You… you're…"
Wu Zhaotian didn't wait.
**"You stand at the heart of fate. The final echo."**
He pointed his spear at Jason.
Jason stiffened. "W-wait—are we fighting?!"
Wu Zhaotian's voice thundered.
**"No."**
Jason exhaled in relief.
Then Zhaotian finished:
**"You are fighting THEM."**
He thrust his spear toward the mirror pillars.
The mirrors cracked.
And from each mirror—reflections began stepping out.
Jason's breath froze.
Dozens. Scores. Hundreds.
Hundreds of versions of himself emerged from the mirrors—each holding weapons, each radiating a different energy.
Jason inhaled sharply.
Longwu Sword clicked its tongue.
["Well. This is unfortunate."]
Jason stared at the army of himself.
"This is a nightmare."
["No. This is your bloodline's greatest trial. Every path you could have chosen, every version you might have become—they will try to devour you."]
Jason gripped his sword tightly.
Wu Zhaotian slammed his spear into the ground, and waves of energy tore outward.
**"There is only one Jason Wu destined to survive."**
He pointed at Jason.
**"Prove it is you."**
Jason's heart pounded so hard he thought it would burst.
The reflections roared in unison.
Jason stepped forward.
"Longwu… any advice?"
["Yes. Do not die."]
"You're useless."
["Absolutely."]
The army of reflections charged.
And Jason ran to meet them.
---
### THE BATTLE AGAINST HIMSELF
The first reflection struck with a sword identical to Longwu, but Jason sidestepped and parried, slicing through its chest. It exploded into shards of light.
"Okay—one down—"
A second Jason leapt from the side, fist glowing with spiritual energy.
Jason blocked, but the hit sent him skidding across the marble floor.
"Ow—! What was THAT?!"
["That was you—if you specialized in fist cultivation. Honestly, terrible fashion choice."]
"Focus!"
Jason rolled just in time as three spear-wielding reflections thrust simultaneously. He sprang up, cutting through two and ducking under the third.
But more came.
A Jason with obsidian armor swung a massive hammer.
A Jason with white robes unleashed waves of freezing qi.
A Jason with bloodshot eyes screamed in madness as he charged.
Jason's breath became ragged.
He fought desperately.
Slash—dodge—parry—roll—strike—strike—block—
But the reflections kept coming.
He was overwhelmed on all sides.
A blade grazed his shoulder.
A spear scraped his side.
A hammer smashed into his ribs.
Jason coughed blood.
Longwu Sword snapped urgently.
["Jason! Stop fighting them like separate enemies! You must understand the Fourth Echo's rule!"]
Jason stumbled, blocking a whip of fire.
"What rule?!"
["THEY ARE YOU! Every strength you have—they have it too! You cannot overpower them. You must OUTGROW them."]
Jason froze.
Outgrow.
He remembered Wu Jian's words.
Strength.
Control.
Heart.
The first three echoes.
Jason inhaled deeply.
He needed all three.
The army charged again.
Jason didn't dodge.
He closed his eyes.
Longwu screamed.
["JASON WHAT ARE YOU—"]
Jason lowered his sword.
And breathed.
The reflections were inches away, blades ready to tear him apart—
But Jason's heartbeat slowed.
*Thump.*
The world slowed.
*Thump.*
The reflections stumbled.
*Thump.*
Jason opened his eyes.
And golden light erupted from him.
The reflections disintegrated instantly—bursting into motes of shimmering dust.
The arena fell silent.
Longwu Sword was stunned.
["…Boy. What did you just do?"]
Jason exhaled.
"I refused to be the Jason I was a moment ago."
Longwu Sword let out a low whistle.
["Oh. That is VERY Wu Zhaotian of you."]
Jason chuckled weakly—just before his legs buckled. He caught himself on Longwu.
"I'm… not done yet. I can feel it. There's more."
Wu Zhaotian approached slowly.
But instead of pride, his expression was grim.
**"You think the reflections were the trial?"**
Jason tensed. "They weren't?"
Zhaotian shook his head.
He pointed above Jason.
Jason looked up.
The sky split open.
And a MASSIVE figure descended from the void.
Jason's eyes widened.
It was him.
But colossal.
Ancient.
Terrifying.
Eyes glowing with the same golden light as Zhaotian.
Aura so overwhelming Jason fell to one knee instantly.
Longwu Sword gasped.
["Jason—! That's your FINAL reflection—your fate-reflection! The version of you the universe EXPECTS you to become!"]
Jason's heart pounded.
"My… destiny?"
The giant reflection raised its sword—a sword big enough to split mountains.
The void roared.
Wu Zhaotian stepped back.
**"Jason Wu. This is the final battle."**
Jason rose slowly, trembling.
Longwu Sword pulsed in his hand like a living heartbeat.
["Jason. Whatever happens here… will define who you become."]
Jason stared up at his towering destiny.
And whispered:
"I will choose my own fate."
The giant reflection swung its sword down.
Jason screamed—and charged.