The air inside the Sky Temple hung heavy with the scent of aged stone and ozone, as though lightning had been carved into the very walls. Li Tian's boots echoed against the polished obsidian floor, his gaze sweeping across the vast chamber they'd entered. Above them, the ceiling shimmered with constellations formed from embedded crystals, their light casting fractured shadows that seemed to twist and writhe like living things. The group—Li Tian, Su Lin, Zhang Wei, and the enigmatic Elder Qiang—stood at a crossroads. Three towering archways loomed ahead, each framed by carvings of celestial beasts and radiating distinct energies.
To the left, a jade-green arch pulsed with life, vines of glowing energy curling around its pillars. To the right, a path of fractured crystal hummed with unstable power, its surface reflecting distorted images of distant halls. But it was the central archway that drew Li Tian's attention—a gaping maw of black stone, its edges jagged like broken teeth. Shadows pooled at its threshold, and a low, resonant growl echoed from its depths, reverberating in their bones.
"The temple tests us," Elder Qiang said, his voice gravelly as he stepped forward. His robes, embroidered with silver sigils, shimmered faintly in the starlight. "These paths are not mere corridors. They are trials. To proceed, we must split our strength."
Su Lin frowned, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword. "Split up? In a place like this? That's suicide."
Zhang Wei, ever the pragmatist, cracked his knuckles and grinned. "Or efficiency. Three paths, four of us. Someone's gotta double up. Unless the old man wants to sit this one out?" He shot Elder Qiang a teasing glance, but the elder's expression remained unreadable.
Li Tian stepped toward the central arch, his hand resting on the dagger at his belt—the same blade that had once belonged to his master. The shadows beyond the arch seemed to recoil and surge forward in waves, as though breathing. "This path," he said quietly, "is meant for me."
The others fell silent. They knew better than to argue when Li Tian used that tone—the one that carried the weight of storms and unspoken vows.
Su Lin moved to his side, her dark hair catching the faint light. "You're not going alone."
Li Tian shook his head. "The guardians here are tied to celestial energy. The stronger the challenger, the stronger the response. If we stay together, the temple will unleash something we can't survive." He nodded to the jade arch. "You and Zhang Wei take the left path. Its energy is aligned with growth and adaptation—suits your techniques."
"And the crystal path?" Zhang Wei asked, eyeing the shimmering doorway warily.
Elder Qiang stroked his beard. "Illusions and spatial distortions. A test of perception. I will walk it."
Su Lin opened her mouth to protest, but Li Tian cut her off. "We don't have time. The temple's layout shifts constantly. If we delay, the paths might close." He met her gaze, and for a moment, the hardness in his eyes softened. "Trust me."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Don't die, Tian. I'd hate to have to avenge you before lunch."
Zhang Wei barked a laugh, but it rang hollow in the cavernous space. With final glances, the group split—Su Lin and Zhang Wei vanishing into the jade arch's verdant glow, Elder Qiang stepping into the crystalline haze like a man walking into a mirage. Li Tian turned to the central arch alone.
The shadows swallowed him whole.
---
The darkness was absolute at first, but as Li Tian advanced, faint bioluminescent fungi began to pulse along the walls, their sickly green light revealing a corridor lined with grotesque carvings—serpents with human faces, wolves with stars caught in their jaws, and winged figures whose eyes seemed to follow him. The air grew colder, each breath frosting in front of his face.
*Clink.*
He froze. The sound had come from ahead—a metallic scrape, like chains dragging over stone. His dagger slid silently from its sheath, its edge glowing faintly with qi. Ten paces ahead, the corridor opened into a circular chamber. In its center stood a statue of a warrior clad in ancient armor, its face eroded by time. At its feet lay a pile of bones, some still clad in rusted chainmail.
Li Tian stepped into the chamber—and the statue moved.
Stone cracked and groaned as the warrior's head snapped toward him, empty eye sockets blazing with azure fire. Its spear, once part of the statue, now gleamed as though freshly forged. Without warning, it lunged, the spear tip tearing through the air with a shriek.
Li Tian twisted aside, the blade grazing his shoulder. He retaliated with a slash to the statue's side, but his dagger sparked against stone, leaving only a shallow mark. *Too hard for steel. Need to break its core.*
The statue attacked again, its movements eerily fluid. Li Tian ducked under a horizontal sweep and rolled behind it, aiming for the gap in its armor at the knee joint. His dagger bit deep, and the statue staggered—but didn't fall. Azure flames surged from its wounds, lashing out like tendrils. Li Tian hissed as one grazed his forearm, searing through fabric and flesh.
He retreated, mind racing. The statue's energy felt familiar—celestial, but warped, as though corrupted. *Like the relics in the Wasted Valley.* His hand dipped into his pouch, fingers closing around a small, jade talisman. His master's last gift.
As the statue charged, Li Tian shattered the talisman against the ground. A pulse of golden light erupted, and for an instant, the statue froze—its flames dimming. He struck. Leaping onto its spear shaft, he vaulted over its head and drove his dagger into the back of its neck, where the azure fire burned brightest.
The statue exploded in a shower of stone and blue embers. Li Tian landed in a crouch, breathing hard. The chamber trembled, and a section of the wall slid open, revealing a staircase descending deeper into darkness.
"One down," he muttered, wiping blood from his brow.
---
The stairs spiraled endlessly, the walls closing in until Li Tian's shoulders nearly brushed stone. The air grew thick with the smell of damp earth and iron—blood. He emerged into a cavern so vast its ceiling vanished into shadow. Below, a chasm stretched into oblivion, bridged only by narrow stone pillars spaced irregularly over the abyss.
But it wasn't the chasm that gave him pause.
On the far side of the cavern, perched atop a jagged outcrop, stood a creature out of myth—a panther the size of a horse, its fur black as void and rippling with star-like specks. Six glowing eyes locked onto Li Tian, and it snarled, revealing fangs that dripped liquid shadow.
*Guardian of the Threshold*, Li Tian realized. This was no mindless construct. This beast radiated intelligence—and hunger.
It leapt.
Li Tian barely dodged, the panther's claws gouging furrows into the stone where he'd stood. He countered with a qi-infused slash, but the beast dissolved into smoke, reappearing behind him. Its tail lashed out, striking his ribs with the force of a battering ram. He skidded to the edge of the chasm, pain flaring hot in his side.
*It's toying with me.*
The panther paced, its starry pelt shimmering. Each step left faint afterimages, as though it existed in multiple places at once. Li Tian's mind raced. Celestial predators often had a weakness tied to their essence. This one's energy mirrored the night sky—boundless, but dependent on connection.
He glanced at the stone pillars. *If I can disrupt its anchor…*
Feigning injury, he staggered toward the nearest pillar. The panther pounced, but at the last second, Li Tian channeled qi into his legs and leapt to the next pillar. The beast followed, its claws scraping stone as it landed. Li Tian repeated the maneuver, luring it deeper onto the unstable path.
On the fifth pillar, he struck. Whirling, he slammed his palm against the stone, releasing a surge of earth-splitting qi. The pillar cracked—and collapsed. The panther hissed, its form flickering as the cavern's celestial alignment wavered. Seizing the opening, Li Tian lunged, driving his dagger into the beast's primary eye.
It shrieked, thrashing wildly, but its body began to unravel like smoke caught in the wind. The stars in its fur winked out one by one, until only a fading snarl echoed in the dark.
Li Tian sank to his knees, trembling with exhaustion. Blood trickled from half a dozen wounds, and his qi reserves felt dangerously thin. But the way forward was clear—a stone bridge now spanned the chasm, its surface etched with glowing runes.
As he crossed, the runes flared, and visions assaulted him:
*—A city burning, his master's laughter echoing as flames consumed the streets—*
*—Su Lin lying lifeless in his arms, her blood staining his hands—*
*—Himself, older and hollow-eyed, ruling over a kingdom of ashes—*
Li Tian gritted his teeth. "Illusions. The temple preys on fear." He focused on the dagger's hilt, on the ridges of his master's initials carved there—*Lǜ Zhì*, a reminder of the path he'd chosen. The visions shattered like glass.
At the bridge's end stood a door of blackened steel, etched with a serpent coiled around a blazing sun. The final guardian. Li Tian pressed his palm to the door, and it swung open with a groan.
Beyond lay a throne room of sorts, its vaulted ceiling lost to shadow. Pillars of black marble lined the hall, each carved with scenes of cosmic wars. And there, coiled atop a dais, was the guardian—a serpent larger than any earthly creature, its scales gleaming like liquid silver. Wings of crackling energy spread from its back, and its eyes burned with the cold fire of dead stars.
The serpent reared, its voice echoing in Li Tian's mind like a chorus of damned souls. **"You dare seek the Sky Temple's secrets, mortal?"**
Li Tian raised his dagger, its edge glowing faintly. "I don't seek secrets. I seek strength."
The serpent hissed, celestial energy gathering in its maw. **"Then perish like the others."**
As it struck, Li Tian rolled aside, the blast of energy obliterating the spot where he'd stood. The battle was joined—a dance of light and shadow, blade and fang. But this guardian was unlike the others. Every strike Li Tian landed healed instantly, its scales reforged by celestial power.
*It's drawing energy from the temple itself*, he realized. To win, he'd have to sever that connection. His eyes darted to the dais—the serpent's coils guarded a glowing sigil etched into the stone. The temple's heart.
Risking everything, Li Tian feigned a stumble. The serpent lunged, fangs bared—and he pivoted, channeling the last of his qi into a single, desperate leap. His dagger plunged into the sigil.
The temple screamed.
The serpent writhed, its form unraveling as the energy sustaining it collapsed. Li Tian clung to the dagger, his vision blurring. As the guardian faded, the sigil shifted, revealing a small compartment holding a jade key.
He grasped it, and the room began to tremble. Distantly, he heard shouts—Su Lin? Zhang Wei?—but the world tilted, and darkness claimed him.
When he awoke, he was back in the central chamber, the others battered but alive. Su Lin gripped his arm, her face pale. "You idiot. You nearly died."
Li Tian smiled weakly, the jade key burning in his palm. "But I didn't."
Above them, the constellations in the ceiling rearranged, forming a new pattern—a serpent devouring its tail. Somewhere deep in the temple, a door unlocked.
The real trial had just begun.
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