Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Trial of the Windborn

The moment Xiao Lian and Yun Mei stepped beyond the gates, the world shifted.

The roaring storm outside was silenced.

A vast, open hall stretched before them, shrouded in mist. Ancient stone pillars lined the walls, their surfaces etched with worn inscriptions. The air was still, but there was something unseen moving within it—a presence, watching.

At the far end of the chamber, Tian Shu stood beside a massive circular altar, its surface carved with swirling wind patterns.

"The Trial of the Windborn awaits," he said, his voice echoing unnaturally.

Xiao Lian felt the weight of the Windblade at his side. "What is this trial?"

Tian Shu gestured to the altar. "To wield the true power of the Windblade, you must prove yourself to the spirits of the Aetherbound. This is not a test of strength, but of understanding. Are you prepared?"

Xiao Lian took a slow breath. He had come too far to turn back now.

"I am."

Tian Shu nodded. "Then step forward, and let the wind judge you."

The Spirits Awaken

As Xiao Lian placed his hand on the altar, a sudden gust of wind spiraled around him, lifting dust and mist into the air.

Then—the world faded.

Xiao Lian found himself standing in an endless sky, the ground beneath him made of shifting clouds. The sky above churned with golden storms, and the air crackled with energy.

A voice—not one, but many—whispered from all around.

"Xiao Lian, heir of the Aetherbound. Why do you seek the power of the wind?"

The voice was neither kind nor cruel. It was ancient, expectant.

Xiao Lian steadied himself. "To protect those who cannot protect themselves."

The wind howled.

"A noble answer. But is it the truth?"

Xiao Lian opened his mouth, then hesitated.

Was it the truth?

Ever since he had learned of the Windblade's legacy, he had felt the weight of expectation. But why did he seek this power? For honor? For duty? Or… something deeper?

The wind shifted.

And suddenly—he was not alone.

A figure stood before him, clad in silver robes. Their face was hidden beneath a hood, but their stance, the way they carried themselves—it was familiar.

Then the figure spoke.

"You do not yet understand the wind," they said. "So I will show you."

They raised a sword—one that looked exactly like the Windblade.

And then they attacked.

The Duel of Winds

Xiao Lian barely had time to react.

The wind-born warrior struck like a storm, their blade moving faster than thought. Xiao Lian twisted, dodging the first blow—but the wind itself betrayed him.

A sudden gust threw him off balance, and the warrior's blade sliced through air where his neck had been.

Xiao Lian rolled across the cloud-like ground, his grip tightening on the Windblade.

His opponent was beyond skilled.

But there was something off—something strangely familiar about the way they fought.

And then, realization struck.

This wasn't just any opponent.

This was him.

A version of himself that had fully embraced the way of the wind. A version that understood what he did not.

The warrior charged again, their sword flashing like lightning.

But this time, Xiao Lian didn't try to resist the wind.

He moved with it.

The two blades clashed, sparks flying as the wind howled around them. Strike after strike, parry after parry—Xiao Lian felt the rhythm of the storm, the unseen currents guiding his movements.

His opponent nodded.

"You are beginning to understand."

Then they stepped back, lowering their sword.

"The wind does not obey you. Nor do you command it. You are one with it."

Xiao Lian's breath was ragged. He felt something click inside him—like a door unlocking.

The wind had never been something to master. It had always been something to become.

And at last, he understood.

The world shifted again.

The Awakening

Xiao Lian gasped, blinking as the mist of the hall reappeared around him. He was back.

The Windblade in his hand glowed faintly, as if acknowledging his newfound understanding.

Tian Shu watched him with a knowing smile. "You have passed."

Yun Mei looked between them. "What just happened?"

Xiao Lian exhaled, gripping the Windblade with new certainty.

"I heard the wind," he said. "And for the first time, it spoke back."

Tian Shu nodded. "Then your true journey begins."

The wind whispered once more.

And Xiao Lian knew…

This was only the beginning.

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