Chapter 5: Spiritual Harmony

Li Tianming took a deep breath as he stepped into Level 12, his body tensing in preparation. The moment the trial started, a barrage of illusionary swords erupted from all directions. Their speed and unpredictability made it nearly impossible to react in time. He twisted his body, bending at impossible angles, narrowly avoiding each blade by mere inches. The illusionary beasts lunged at him, their roars deafening, their claws swiping dangerously close. Sweat poured down his face as his breathing became erratic. His mind screamed at him to stop—his body was at its limit.

But just as he was about to falter, something inside him stirred. A fleeting sensation, almost like an unseen thread connecting him to the world itself. His senses sharpened drastically—he could hear the faintest rustling of the wind, feel the shifting temperature as a blade approached. It was barely there, a whisper of something far greater, but it was enough. With newfound clarity, he dodged the final attacks and collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

A stunned silence filled the training ground before a thunderous applause erupted. No student had ever reached this level. But Tianming had no time to bask in the praise—Level 13 loomed ahead.

Stepping into the next stage, he felt the difference immediately. The swords moved like lightning, the beasts were larger, stronger, faster. His entire body was screaming in pain as he pushed himself to the absolute brink, dodging each attack with razor-thin margins. Every movement had to be perfect. His entire world shrank to this moment.

Minutes passed like hours, but against all odds, he prevailed. Level 13 was conquered.

Then came Level 14.

The instant he stepped in, the intensity doubled. His instincts screamed at him—this was the true threshold, where even monsters among men would crumble. The attacks came from impossible angles. The illusionary beasts had eyes filled with intelligence, predicting his movements, cornering him. His muscles burned, his breath ragged, his vision blurred. He was at his absolute limit.

But then—he felt it again.

That sensation—no, something more. Something deeper. The connection he felt in Level 12 had grown stronger, more pronounced. It was as if the world itself slowed down. The rushing wind, the shifting light, the invisible vibrations—he could feel everything. His body moved on its own, slipping through gaps that should not exist, twisting, bending, flowing like water.

And then—it was over.

The crowd erupted once more. But this time, there was something else. Awe. Fear.

Tianming stood before the final gate. Level 15.

Even the instructors held their breath. No one—not even the strongest teachers—had ever surpassed this level.

The gate opened, and the moment he stepped in, death awaited.

Swords. Hundreds, thousands of them. They moved faster than thought, a storm of steel that no human could ever hope to dodge. The beasts were no longer just beasts—they were titans, towering monsters with strength that defied reason.

Tianming had no choice.

He forced himself to embrace that strange sensation completely.

The world…changed.

He felt everything. The shifting air pressure. The subtlest vibrations in the ground. The scent of steel slicing through space. It was no longer about dodging—it was about becoming one with his surroundings. He moved like the wind, an ephemeral ghost untouchable by blade or claw. His mind was in absolute stillness, his body in perfect motion.

Ten minutes passed.

He had done it.

The illusion shattered, and silence reigned.

And then—

An explosion of cheers. Students screamed in excitement. Teachers stood frozen, disbelief in their eyes. No one—no one—had ever done this before.

In the crowd, Yang Feng stood pale, trembling with rage. Zhou Feng's mouth was agape in stunned admiration.

But above them all, at the very back, the Headmaster of the academy sat frozen. His eyes locked onto Tianming, his expression unreadable. And then, in a voice only he could hear, he whispered:

"The state of spiritual harmony…"

A slow, knowing smile crept onto his face as he hid it behind his hand.

"Finally… It's been a long time."