Chapter 29: Trial of the Valley

Scene 1: The Calm Before the Storm

The morning air was thick with mist, clinging to the jagged rocks and uneven terrain. Lin Feng stood at the valley's edge, his body aching but steady, his breath slow and controlled.

Yesterday, he had fought against his own strength.

Today, the valley would fight back.

He rolled his shoulders, feeling the new weight of his body. Every muscle had grown tougher, his skin hardened to withstand impact and his steps no longer cracked the earth beneath him.

But something felt… off.

The valley was too quiet.

No sudden shifts in gravity. No tremors beneath his feet. Even the usual rustling of wind between the cliffs had vanished.

It was an unnatural silence.

And then—

Boom!

A deafening roar shattered the stillness.

The ground beneath Lin Feng exploded sending debris flying in all directions. He leapt back, his reflexes barely fast enough to evade the sudden eruption.

From the crater emerged a monstrous figure.

A beast… no, a construct.

It stood nearly three meters tall, its body made of hardened rock shaped like a towering golem with arms as thick as tree trunks. Ancient symbols glowed faintly across its stone skin, pulsing with an eerie golden light.

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes.

"A guardian?"

He had expected more environmental challenges such as gravity shifts, unstable terrain, extreme weather. But a living opponent? That was new.

Still, there was no time to hesitate.

The guardian moved.

And it moved fast.

Scene 2: The First Clash

The golem lunged forward, its massive fist descending like a boulder from the heavens.

Lin Feng dodged, barely slipping past the crushing impact. The ground beneath where he stood moments ago shattered, a crater forming from the sheer force.

He twisted his body midair, landing smoothly on a nearby rock.

But the golem was relentless.

It swung its other arm in a sweeping motion, aiming to crush him against the valley wall.

Lin Feng reacted on instinct, jumping straight toward the attack.

Instead of evading, he met the strike head-on.

His arm tensed as he braced himself, Skin of Steel, First Pillar.

Boom!

The impact sent shockwaves through his bones, but his hardened skin absorbed most of the force. He skid backward but remained standing, gritting his teeth as the pain faded quickly.

He could take its attacks.

But could he defeat it?

His gaze sharpened.

"This thing is pure defense. No weaknesses."

Attacking blindly wouldn't work. He needed a strategy.

Scene 3: The Hunt for Weakness

The golem advanced, its movements methodical yet unyielding. Each step shook the valley floor, sending tremors through Lin Feng's legs.

But Lin Feng wasn't just dodging anymore.

He was studying it.

Every attack, every motion, patterns began to emerge.

The golem relied on sheer power, but its movements were slow compared to Lin Feng's enhanced speed. It favored direct attacks, overhead smashes, sweeping strikes but lacked flexibility.

More importantly—

The glowing symbols.

They flickered slightly each time it moved, especially near the joints.

A smirk formed on Lin Feng's lips.

"That's it."

He charged forward.

The golem reacted instantly, raising its arm for another devastating punch.

But this time, Lin Feng didn't dodge outright.

Instead, he sidestepped at the last second, slipping past the giant fist and closing in toward its shoulder joint.

His fingers clenched into a steel-coated fist.

And then—

He struck.

Right at the flickering rune.

Boom!

The impact rippled through the golem's massive frame, sending cracks spiraling outward from the weak point.

It staggered.

For the first time, it faltered.

Lin Feng's smirk widened.

"Got you."

Scene 4: The Breaking Point

The golem roared, its body trembling as its symbols flashed wildly, struggling to recover.

But Lin Feng wasn't going to let it.

He pressed the attack, weaving through its sluggish defenses like a phantom.

Every step was precise. Every strike targeted a weak point.

Fist to the elbow joint—crack.

Kick to the knee rune—boom.

Elbow to the back sigil—shatter.

Piece by piece, the golem crumbled.

It tried one last, desperate attack, swinging both arms down in a crushing blow.

Lin Feng leapt high, twisting midair and came down with all his strength.

His foot, coated in the full force of his Fourth Stage Body Tempering, slammed directly into its core.

BOOM!

A shockwave tore through the valley as the guardian exploded into rubble.

Silence followed.

The only sound left was Lin Feng's heavy breathing.

He landed smoothly, standing amidst the broken remains of his fallen opponent.

Then—

A deep chuckle echoed from below.

Scene 5: Master Yen's Amusement

Deep within the mountain, Master Yen observed with a smirk.

"Well, well. You actually figured it out," he muttered, arms crossed.

The guardian wasn't just a mindless construct. It was a test.

A trial designed to push a warrior beyond brute strength, forcing them to think, react, and adapt.

Most would have tried to overpower it. Lin Feng?

He dissected it.

"Tch. Maybe this brat isn't so hopeless after all," Master Yen mused.

Still, this was only the beginning.

A battle of endurance was next.

And this time Lin Feng wouldn't just be fighting one opponent.

The valley had many more guardians waiting.

And they were watching.