Within the Soul Tower, all winds ceased and the soul sea fell into stillness. The three stood atop the stone platform at the tower's summit, as if suspended in a moment frozen outside the flow of time. After a brief silence, the once-illusory Gate of Destiny finally solidified, manifesting in the void above.
It was a towering door forged entirely of aged bronze, etched with indescribable runes that resembled the orbits of stars. On either side of the gate floated massive soul orbs—one black, one white—mirroring the balance of yin and yang, their auras both chilling and boundless as the sea.
Xiao Chen approached slowly. The soul mark in his hand still glowed faintly, and the fateforce within him surged without rest. He understood clearly: this was no ordinary teleportation gate, nor an entrance to some hidden realm. It was the true threshold to the Source of Destiny—a forbidden realm entwined with one's fate, soul, past, and future.
"This gate…" Yan Yao frowned, her eyes complicated. "It wasn't opened for you alone."
Lei Hao spoke gravely, "Those soul orbs—if I'm not mistaken—are the Twin Pearls of Causality. Opening this gate isn't just about entering the realm of destiny. It could alter your life's entire fate."
"Fate is mine to choose," Xiao Chen replied calmly, his voice steady yet resolute as he gazed at the gate.
Just then, the Gate of Destiny trembled lightly. From the narrow crack between its doors, a strand of deep blue light emerged. An ancient, unfathomable consciousness slowly reached forth from beyond.
"To enter the Gate of Destiny, you must undergo the Judgment of Fate."
A cold and solemn voice echoed simultaneously in all three of their minds—neither male nor female, but as if the collective will of all creation had taken form.
"Judgment of Fate?" Yan Yao's expression shifted. "That's no ordinary trial. It's a verdict upon your soul's essence itself. If you cannot endure it… you'll be erased from all existence."
Lei Hao cursed under his breath, "What kind of damn fate is this—so unreasonable."
But Xiao Chen remained unmoved. "I will bear it."
He stepped toward the staircase. Each footfall felt like stepping into a different lifetime. As he stood before the gate, a powerful force pulled his entire being—body, spirit, and soul—into the void beyond.
"Xiao Chen!" Yan Yao cried out, but in the blink of an eye, the Gate of Destiny had closed shut, leaving her and Lei Hao behind, staring at each other in silence.
"Looks like we'll need to find another way in," Lei Hao said. "We can't let him face fate alone."
"Mm." Yan Yao's eyes narrowed. She turned toward the tower walls, where ancient soul runes shimmered faintly—as if concealing secret paths to the origin of destiny…
Fate's Judgment – Trial of the Soul
Meanwhile, Xiao Chen plummeted into a pitch-black void. There was no wind, no sound—only the silence of chaos before the birth of the universe. His physical body was gone. Only his pure consciousness and soul remained, drifting in the emptiness.
Suddenly, light and shadow flared. Scenes from his life—his childhood, youth, and recent memories—played in reverse like a tapestry unraveling. He saw his mother's warm smile, his father's silhouette as he trained, and the fire, the despair, the screams on that fateful night...
"Do you regret?"
The solemn voice rang out again, echoing across the formless world.
"Regret?" Xiao Chen whispered. Then he raised his head and faced the void. "I regret being weak. I regret not protecting them… But I never regret choosing this path."
The voice fell silent for a moment, then responded:"Then let judgment begin. Let your soul bear witness, and accept the power of fate."
The realm shifted. A river woven of starlight appeared beneath Xiao Chen's feet, and his soul was drawn to walk upon it.
Each step brought a trial.
First Trial: Greed
A giant figure emerged, shaped like the version of Xiao Chen who once craved power above all. The phantom spoke:"Give me your memories, and I will grant you supreme cultivation."
Xiao Chen sneered. With a gesture, his sword condensed from soulforce, and he struck down the illusion of greed.
Second Trial: Fear
He saw again the nightmare of that night—his parents torn apart in flames, the helpless wailing of his younger self, over and over again.
He clenched his teeth, bore the agony of a soul torn asunder, and walked through the blood-soaked memories.
Third Trial: Obsession
Here lay his fixation on vengeance, his thirst for power. The obsession tried to devour his soul, but in the depths of torment, Xiao Chen awakened.
He realized: power was not for revenge, but to protect what must never be lost again.
Final Trial: The Choice of Fate
He saw two versions of himself.
One wore golden armor, ruling the world, all beneath his feet—yet alone in eternal cold.
The other wore plain robes, hidden in the mountains, family close, friends by his side.
"Which life do you choose?" the voice asked.
He was silent for a long time. Then, softly, he replied:
"I choose neither. I'll carve my own path."
BOOM—
The River of Destiny shattered. A brilliant soul light burst skyward, enveloping his entire being.
Remade by Fate – The Path Reforged
When Xiao Chen opened his eyes again, he was back at the top of the Soul Tower. The Gate of Destiny had vanished without a trace, but within his soul sea, a golden sigil had formed.
It was the Mark of Destiny.
The Source of the Soul Tower had acknowledged him.
Lei Hao and Yan Yao were beside him now, their faces marked by the exhaustion of their own trials.
"You're back," Yan Yao said softly.
"We made it through our own illusions too," Lei Hao added, grinning as he held out his fist. "Looks like fate wasn't so cruel after all."
Xiao Chen looked up. Beyond the tower, the skies of the Nine Provinces roiled with new winds—something ancient was awakening.
"But," Lei Hao said, glancing into the distance, "what I really want to know is—where are you going now?"
"Where?" Xiao Chen laughed quietly, his gaze sharp. "Now, I'm going to the ruins of the Scarred Flame Hall."
He looked at the two of them. "The Bloodflame Soul Lord was just the beginning. The real enemy hides deeper than we imagined."
Yan Yao nodded. "Then let's keep going."
Lei Hao shrugged. "Wherever you go, I go."
Together, the three descended from the summit of the Soul Tower, as though stepping into another fork in the road of fate.
In the distance, clouds churned, and a blood-red sun rose over the horizon—heralding the coming storm.