Chapter 9 Second Test
**Chapter 9: The Second Test – Trial of Elements**
The first phase of the competition had tested the participants' knowledge of medicinal herbs, separating those with deep understanding from those who merely dabbled in alchemy. Now, as the competition moved forward, the second test awaited—the **Trial of Elements**.
The vast arena was transformed into a mystical battlefield, elemental forces swirling in the air. The challenge was simple in concept yet terrifying in execution: participants would need to traverse an elemental labyrinth while withstanding waves of fire, water, wind, and earth-based obstacles. Only those who reached the center would qualify for the next round.
### **Rules and Structure of the Trial**
1. The labyrinth was divided into four sections, each ruled by a dominant element.
2. Participants would be randomly assigned to a starting point and had to navigate through the ever-shifting terrain.
3. They could use their cultivation techniques, artifacts, or sheer wit to bypass obstacles.
4. Time was limited—only those who reached the center within six hours would pass.
### **Ruoyan's Challenge Begins**
Ruoyan stood at the entrance of the labyrinth, her heart steady but alert. As a cultivator with fire-based spiritual roots, she knew her greatest strength lay in controlling flames, but this trial would demand more than raw power.
As soon as the gong sounded, the labyrinth responded—walls reshaped themselves, pathways crumbled, and the elemental forces surged to life.
Ruoyan's first challenge was the **Domain of Wind**. Razor-sharp gales howled through the passages, forcing her to advance cautiously. She activated her protective qi barrier, but the winds were relentless. A misstep could send her crashing into jagged stone pillars, ending her trial early.
Using her agility and sharp instincts, she dashed between the gusts, leaping from rock to rock until she reached the next zone—the **Domain of Water**.
Here, torrents of water surged unpredictably, forming barriers and flooding paths. Some participants attempted to swim, while others relied on ice-based techniques to freeze sections of the floor. Ruoyan, however, took a different approach—channeling her fire energy, she evaporated just enough water to create stepping stones of steam, quickly maneuvering through the treacherous currents.
Then came the **Domain of Earth**, where towering rock formations constantly shifted. Ruoyan relied on her keen perception to predict movements, avoiding deadly collapses and sudden pitfalls. Here, she encountered Jiang Tian, who struggled against a wave of collapsing walls.
"Ruoyan!" he called out, trapped between shifting stone slabs.
She hesitated but knew she had time. With a precise burst of flame, she melted the edges of a rock just enough to create an opening for him to escape.
Jiang Tian nodded in gratitude but wasted no time—competitors, after all, were still rivals.
Finally, she reached the **Domain of Fire**, where searing flames engulfed the path. This was her element, but the fire here was untamed, unpredictable. She had to synchronize her own spiritual flames with the surrounding energy, controlling the fire rather than resisting it.
Summoning her inner strength, Ruoyan walked through the inferno unscathed, the flames parting around her like a living entity recognizing its master.
### **The Journeys of Other Participants**
While Ruoyan navigated her path, others faced their own trials.
**Yue Ling**, possessing water-based spiritual roots, excelled in the **Domain of Water**, forming ice bridges and manipulating currents to clear her way. However, she struggled in the **Domain of Fire**, where her abilities were weakest. Forced to rely on defensive techniques, she barely avoided the scorching flames, reaching the center exhausted but determined.
**Bai Zhen**, favored by Elder Bai Shen, used his formidable strength to bulldoze through the **Domain of Earth**, shattering rock formations with brute force. His downfall came in the **Domain of Wind**, where he was repeatedly thrown off course, barely making it through using a heavy-forged chain to anchor himself against the gales.
**Jiang Tian**, after escaping the stone collapse with Ruoyan's help, used his strategic mind to anticipate the labyrinth's shifts, navigating with calculated precision. He conserved energy, ensuring he would have enough strength left for later rounds.
**Mu Chen**, from the Celestial Alchemy Sect, relied on his deep knowledge of elemental balance to carefully adjust his qi, using medicinal elixirs to shield himself from adverse effects. His approach was methodical, never rushing yet maintaining steady progress.
**Zhao Wei**, heir to the Heavenly Flame Pavilion, faced the **Domain of Fire** head-on, harnessing his flames to intensify the inferno rather than resist it. His dominance in this section granted him one of the fastest completions.
### **The Star Lord's Observation**
As the competitors neared the center, the **Star Lord, Tian Zhi**, observed through the **Void Mirror**, his interest piqued by certain individuals.
"Feng Ruoyan's control over fire is already exceptional," he mused, watching as she emerged victorious from the labyrinth's flames. "Yue Ling has the adaptability, but she lacks balance. Bai Zhen has strength but no finesse."
His gaze then fell on Jiang Tian, who methodically navigated the terrain, and Mu Chen, whose knowledge of elemental interactions intrigued him.
"The future of the cultivation world lies within this generation," Tian Xu murmured. "But only one will inherit my true teachings."
As the trial concluded, the surviving participants gathered at the center of the labyrinth, their bodies weary but their spirits burning brighter than ever. The second test was complete, but the competition was far from over.