The Skeleton's Trial

As Tianyang and Yuqing ascended the stairs to the throne, the pressure on their bodies grew exponentially. Each step felt like lifting a mountain, yet they pressed on, their fingers tightening around the hilts of their high legendary-grade Yin and Yang Swords.

Halfway up, they paused, exchanging a glance filled with both determination and fear. The oppressive aura from the skeleton was suffocating, but they knew they couldn't falter.

"Ready?" Tianyang asked, his voice steady but low.

Yuqing nodded, her Yin Sword beginning to hum faintly as she channeled her energy. "Let's end this."

Together, they unleashed their most powerful high sky-tier techniques: Radiant Solar Break and Lunar Shadow Surge. The twin energies of Yin and Yang swirled together, forming a destructive beam of intertwined light and shadow. The techniques resonated with their swords, amplifying their power to a blinding crescendo.

The attack surged forward like a celestial storm, illuminating the entire chamber. The knights below ceased their assault, momentarily frozen by the sheer force of the strike. The crimson glow in the skeleton's hollow eyes flickered as the attack closed in.

Yet, just as the beam was about to strike, the skeleton didn't move from its throne. It raised one bony hand, its palm facing the oncoming assault. The energy collided with an invisible barrier around the skeleton, spiraling into a vortex before being completely absorbed.

The faint crimson glow in the skeleton's eye sockets brightened, becoming a vivid, malevolent red.

Tianyang and Yuqing froze in place, their hearts sinking.

"It's… impossible," Tianyang muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"How can it just absorb that?" Yuqing gasped, panic creeping into her tone.

The rest of the group below watched in horror. The oppressive energy thickened, and the skeleton's aura seemed to grow even more potent.

"This can't be happening," one elder murmured, his voice trembling.

Before anyone could react further, the knights began to move again. Their swords gleamed under the flickering candlelight as they resumed their merciless assault.

"Defend yourselves!" Xuan'er roared, her voice cutting through the chaos.

She moved with unparalleled speed, her spear—a mid-unique-grade artifact—whirling in a deadly arc as she intercepted one of the knights. Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal, the sheer force of the knight's strike sending her skidding back several feet.

"Elders, assist me!" Xuan'er commanded, her voice strained.

Several Void Tribulation Realm cultivators rallied to her side, their combined efforts barely holding back the onslaught. Yet, despite their strength, the knights' attacks were relentless. The weaker cultivators were picked off one by one, their screams echoing through the chamber.

Blood splattered across the red carpet, soaking into its fibers and adding to the room's macabre atmosphere.

Amid the chaos, a mid-tier Void Tribulation cultivator, driven by desperation, leaped forward. His blade—a mid-rare-grade sword—glowed faintly as he unleashed a high earth-tier technique, Blazing Wind Slash, aiming to destroy one of the knights.

"For the heavens!" he shouted, pouring all his remaining energy into the strike.

The knight didn't flinch.

Before the blow could land, the skeleton's right hand moved. Its index finger rose, pointing directly at the cultivator.

A wave of crimson energy surged forward.

The cultivator's body froze mid-air before imploding violently, his blood and entrails splattering across the carpet and nearby walls.

The group recoiled in horror.

"Don't attack recklessly!" Xuan'er screamed, her voice laced with both anger and desperation. "Focus on defending yourselves!"

Tianyang and Yuqing's Realization (500 Words)

To the others, Tianyang and Yuqing appeared frozen on the stairs, their faces pale and their hands gripping their swords tightly. However, their minds were racing.

"We're missing something," Tianyang muttered, his gaze locked on the skeleton.

Yuqing nodded, her eyes darting between the skeleton and the knights. "It's like… everything here is connected. The knights, the skeleton, even the room itself."

Tianyang's brow furrowed. "The skeleton absorbed our attack. Not deflected, not nullified—absorbed. And its aura grew stronger after."

"What are you saying?" Yuqing asked, her voice tinged with hope.

Tianyang took a deep breath. "It's a mechanism. This entire place is a test. The knights are distractions, the pressure is a deterrent, but the skeleton—it's the key. It's not about defeating it. It's about fulfilling a condition."

Yuqing's eyes widened in realization. "The glow in its eyes… it brightened after our attack. You think it needs energy?"

"Exactly," Tianyang said, a newfound determination in his voice. "If we keep feeding it energy, it might trigger something—a pathway, a seal release, anything."

Xuan'er's voice cut through the chaos as she fought off another knight. "Tianyang! Yuqing! If you have any ideas, now's the time! We're not going to last much longer!"

Tianyang snapped out of his deep thoughts and exchanged a quick glance with Yuqing. Her gaze reflected the same desperate realization that had just clicked in his mind.

"We have an idea, but we need you to hold out a little longer!" Tianyang shouted, his voice strong despite the chaos around them.

"Speak quickly!" Xuan'er commanded, her spear twirling defensively against a knight's relentless strikes.

Tianyang spoke urgently, loud enough for everyone to hear despite the sound of clashing metal and terrified cries. "Listen! The knights aren't attacking us because we're on the stairs. That means the stairs are a safe zone, but there isn't enough room for everyone. Climbing higher isn't an option—the pressure will crush us before we can reach the top."

Yuqing added, "But when we attacked the skeleton before, the knights stopped moving. They froze completely."

Tianyang nodded. "That's the key. The skeleton reacts to energy. Every time we attack it, the glow in its eyes brightens, and the knights halt their movements. I think it's not about defeating the skeleton but feeding it enough energy to unlock something—another path, a seal, maybe even the next stage of this trial. If we focus all our attacks on it, we might be able to trigger whatever mechanism this place is hiding!"

Xuan'er parried a knight's strike, gritting her teeth as she shouted, "Are you certain? If you're wrong, we'll be wasting energy we can't afford to lose!"

Tianyang replied firmly, "I'm not entirely sure, but there's no other way out. We can't fight these knights forever—they're too strong, and they'll wear us down. This is the only option we have!"

"Trust him," Yuqing said, her voice steady despite the tension. "He's never been wrong about these things before."

Xuan'er hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Very well! Everyone, focus all your attacks on the skeleton! Do not waste your strength on the knights—they're distractions!"

The group, battered and desperate, hesitated & didn't believe what tianyang has said.

As Xuan'er and the elders worked to hold back the knights as best they could, Tianyang turned to Yuqing. His gaze softened as he grasped her hand firmly.

"The knights haven't attacked us because we're on the stairs. If we stay here, we're safe, but we can't just rely on that. We need to push forward and distract the skeleton to give the others a chance," he explained.

Yuqing nodded. "You're suggesting we attack it together again, like before, aren't you?"

"Yes," he replied. "We'll use the Celestial Duality Strike. Our bond has grown stronger since the last time, and I believe we can do it more effectively now."

Yuqing smiled faintly. "Let's give it everything we've got."

Tianyang and Yuqing stepped into position, their swords beginning to resonate as they did during the battle with the Pyroclasm Tyrant. The bond between them had only grown stronger since then, and the energy flowing between them now felt seamless.

The Yin and Yang Swords merged, their energies intertwining to create a brilliant blade of light and shadow. The chamber filled with a dazzling glow as they unleashed their divine-tier technique: Celestial Duality Strike.

The strike surged toward the skeleton, its brilliance illuminating even the darkest corners of the chamber. Nature's energy filled the air, momentarily halting the knights' assault as they turned toward the throne.

Once again, the skeleton raised its hand, absorbing the attack. This time, the crimson glow in its eyes became almost blinding, casting an eerie red light across the room.

The group below watched in despair.

"Even divine-tier techniques are useless…" one elder muttered, his voice breaking.

As the group began to lose hope, Tianyang's voice rang out, filled with excitement and hope.

"We were right!" he exclaimed, turning to Yuqing and embracing her. "Yuqing, you're a genius!"

Blushing, Yuqing replied, "No, we're geniuses."

Tianyang laughed, his energy renewed. "The skeleton absorbing our attack—it's not about defeating it. It's about charging it with enough energy to unlock the next step."

He turned to the group, his voice firm. "This isn't over. Everyone, prepare to attack the skeleton together. This is our way forward!"

Xuan'er stepped forward, raising her spear. "You heard him! Focus all your energy on the skeleton!"