Chapter 16: The First Trial - Sacrifice of the Frozen Heart

I. The Celestial Tortoise's Prophecy

Dawn broke over the Nine Trials Temple, its crumbling arches glowing with residual Qi. Elder Hong's Celestial Tortoise floated at the center of the ancient arena, its shell projecting a holographic star map that made the constellations pulse in time with Xiao Chen's heartbeat.

"The First Trial does not test your strength," Hong intoned, his voice echoing strangely. "It tests your willingness to sacrifice what you cherish most."

The hologram shifted, revealing nine towering stone doors, each carved with a different beast:

The Frozen Wolf (Leng Xueyi's trial)

The Venomous Serpent (Mei Ling)

The Crimson Phoenix (Luo Ying)

...and six others, their carvings too faded to read.

Xiao Chen's demon-arm twitched as the Abyss-Shell Predator in his dantian let out a psychic growl.

"Who goes first?" Shā asked, her blade-fingers scraping stone.

Elder Hong smiled grimly. "The ice chooses first."

II. Leng Xueyi's Trial - The Price of Absolute ZeroThe Challenge

Leng Xueyi stepped through the Frozen Wolf's door into a glacial pocket dimension. The air was so cold it crystallized her eyelashes, and before her stood a mirror-image—herself, but with sapphire-blue skin and hollow eyes.

"To master frost," the reflection whispered, "you must become frost."

The Sacrifice

The reflection offered a frostbloom flower—the same rare herb Leng Xueyi's dying mother had once risked her life to pick for her.

"Pluck it, and gain True Ice Dominion," it urged. "Refuse, and remain weak."

Xiao Chen, watching through the Celestial Tortoise's projection, saw Leng Xueyi hesitate for the first time in her life.

The Twist

Just as her fingers brushed the stem—

—Mei Ling's voice echoed through the trial:

"Auntie Frost! If you take that, you'll forget how to feel!"

(The venom mistress had secretly linked their trials using her poison as a psychic bridge—a reckless act that left her vomiting blood)

The Resolution

Leng Xueyi shattered the flower with her boot.

"I choose weakness."

The dimension collapsed, rewarding her with:

Frostbone Scripture's flaw repaired (no more emotion erosion)

New ability: "Winter's Embrace" (healing ice that remembers warmth)

III. Interlude - The Harem's ReactionMei Ling's Aftermath

The venom mistress lay convulsing, her black-veined eyes rolling back.

"Worth it," she giggled before passing out.

Xiao Chen cradled her, using his new Foundation Establishment Qi to purge the backlash—an act that left Leng Xueyi visibly shaken.

Luo Ying's Realization

The princess stared at her phoenix's now-golden flames (no longer crimson).

"All this time... I was suppressing my true power?"

Elder Hong's Warning

The old man studied the Celestial Tortoise's newly cracked shell.

"The Emperor has begun the Blood Moon Ritual early. We have three days, not seven."

IV. The Vermilion Shadow Guard's Attack

As night fell, 12 elite cultivators in feathered cloaks descended:

Enemy Force BreakdownNameCultivationGenomeBattle StyleShadowmaster KuCore Formation (Mid)Nightmare Weasel (S-rank)Psychological warfareLieutenant FengFoundation (Peak)Iron-Plated Hornet (A-rank)Suicide toxin strikes10 OthersFoundation (Early-Mid)Various A-B ranksTeam tacticsThe Battle

Shā dueled Ku in a blur of blade-fingers vs. illusionary clones

Lian's earth magic countered the hornet swarm

Luo Ying's golden phoenix burned through shadow constructs

Xiao Chen's Breakthrough

Cornered by three attackers, Xiao Chen finally unleashed his Foundation Establishment power:

"Abyssal Tide."

His demon-arm morphed into liquid shadow, swallowing the enemies whole and refining their Qi to:

Stabilize his foundation

Heal Mei Ling completely

Unlock the Celestial Tortoise's second prophecy

V. The Tortoise's Ominous Vision

As the last enemy fell, the Celestial Tortoise's eyes blazed, projecting a new vision:

The Vermilion Bird Emperor bathed in sacrificial blood

A moon-sized Fiend eye opening in the sky

And worst of all—Xiao Chen's harem impaled on blackened spikes, their Genomes twisted into Fiendish parodies

"This is what happens if you fail," Elder Hong whispered.

The chapter ended with:

Xiao Chen vomiting black blood (Heavenly Demon fighting his control)

Leng Xueyi gripping his shoulder (her new warm ice countering the corruption)

Mei Ling grinning through bloody teeth: "Well? We're not dying that way, right?"

Chapter 16 End