After Sheng Xue received the blow from the dragon, he found himself in an empty place that gave a sense of reassurance. But suddenly, the place changed, and the boy returned to the same state as before the attack—the harshest experiences he endured in his childhood, the constant training and perseverance, and the painful loss of passion. Even if you possess enough, you cannot cross your limits because of neglecting feelings—the endless void that remains with you, the permanent loss of meaning in everything, even eating, fighting, or the loss of pleasure or purpose. The pain, even the sensation of pain, cannot be described.
In the midst of this darkness, he saw a light: a radiant red flower. As soon as he touched it, several illusions appeared. The fog around them disappeared, and the first person appeared before him—his inspiration, Tian Xi, whom he considered more than a savior: a teacher who disciplined him, showed him affection, scolded him, guided him, and his companions, his brothers, whom he considered partners in his life. They joked with him and even gave him the love he had never received from anyone. How foolish I was, searching for passion while I already had inspiration beyond measure. I live for my brothers and, more importantly, to satisfy and adapt myself. I was foolish to see life without passion and to not realize the blessings I already possess.
The darkness of the place dissipated, and the shadows turned into red flowers and chrysanthemums. Meanwhile, Sheng Yan and Sheng Jin fell into the same place. At first, they felt a deceptive sense of reassurance, which then faded into a white light. For Sheng Yan, hallucinations appeared, and a voice said: "You are a failure, trash, and a disgrace. You will never reach your goals. Surrender to the overwhelming darkness. There is no choice left for you."
Meanwhile, Sheng Jin fell into a sea of shadows, its waters black. Several crows and a huge man with a skull head radiating a sinister aura of death appeared, reducing him to ash. Sheng Jin panicked and began to vanish, crows landing on his shoulders until he almost disappeared. The same happened to Sheng Yan. Both fell into darkness.
Despite their disappearance and the fading sense of their world and that strange place, each felt an awareness in the moments of vanishing. Sheng Yan found himself under a tree at the bottom of the darkness. He saw a thread connecting him to the tree and realized it was a part of him, like his own sense. When he touched it, he entered a place full of mirrors and saw the same hallucinations. He almost succumbed until the first mirror shattered. He began to question whether those hallucinations were truly fears and why he was afraid of them. Was it because he was avoiding his fears, or something else?
The same hallucinations appeared, and a dark version of himself said: "Accept your fate, you failure, talentless, disgrace to yourself and others." He sighed and said: "I used to fight the idea that I was a failure and talentless, but when I reflect on the elders who never attained even the strength of a sword or those who never reached the first rank, I realize I am blessed. I am relatively talented. Circumstances affected me. I was among geniuses and persevering talent who never surrendered to their fate. I am slow to comprehend, but even after falling and stumbling, I thank you because you made me emerge from this blazing fire."
The shadow faded, and he smiled faintly before disappearing. Sheng Jin moved to another place; his light shone brightly, but he noticed his body was black, especially his chest, with shiny white parts. He did not understand its meaning at the time, but darkness and blackness seeped into his body, controlling his mind and soul. He said: "I understand now. There is something I have not realized or accepted. Beyond acknowledging the talent I have, there is something deeper. I have reconciled with everything… or rather, I must not lie to myself. I hate that I am not the best. Given the environment I grew up in, I was the best in quality and experience, but when facing famous geniuses in Morim, I was repeatedly defeated until I lost confidence and was crushed. I used to think being better than others was absolute, but it is unpleasant to see a younger person surpass you despite the effort you invested."
He realized that everyone excels in certain fields or skills, and one must reconcile with this truth. One must remain humble, recognizing that no matter how strong one becomes, what they possess is only a drop in the ocean of life. The darkness in Sheng Jin's body faded, and he ascended to a gate and path leading to an unclear direction. A lamp appeared somewhere. After the ash disappeared, Sheng Jin woke up in the middle of the ocean. A large wave engulfed him, pulling him into the depths. Sheng Jin tried to surface to save himself, but shadows pulled him down. He resisted but fell, losing himself. After this loss, he felt relief and said: "Is death this peaceful? Was what I was escaping actually comforting to this degree? I thought death was terrifying, but it is only a stage that the being passes through. Fear of death is a weakness arising from the will to live. But accepting it, one does not regret death but the actions not taken. What I feared most was losing the flame of perseverance in my heart. Despair and death are two, no third. The motive I sought lies in accepting them and using them as a driving force to live a life without regret, achieving my goals, and protecting my loved ones, my leader, whom I consider an elder brother, my support and inspiration, and my companions. Being responsible for myself and my leader makes me responsible for them as well."
Sheng Jin awoke, and the crows around him removed the filth or small germs from him. When he lifted his head, he saw a skeleton in front of him, which said: "Well done in overcoming your trial. Beyond this door lies support." A massive skeleton in a black robe covered his entire lower body, unseen beneath the folds. It was comparable in size to the boy. The skeleton added: "Be careful of your dangers, you who are destined to risk yourself." He passed through the place and found an open book. He touched it, instinctively knowing how to navigate through the dark place.
Meanwhile, Sheng Yan, after carrying the lamp, reached a massive tree with large roots and branches. When he arrived, he found Sheng Jin, and the two were astonished and greeted each other. Sheng Yan said: "I'm curious, we have passed through this place without any evidence or sign until now." Suddenly, the shadow of a strange man with white hair appeared. They were surprised, but as he approached, it turned out to be Sheng Xue, appearing older with a body broader, taller, and more massive—about six feet two inches.
Sheng Jin turned his head and looked at Sheng Xue with suspicious eyes, raising one eyebrow and lowering the other. He asked: "Are you Sheng Xue or a guide?" Before he could finish, Sheng Yan jumped at him and kicked him. Sheng Xue replied: "You fool, is your brain in your behind? If it were me and you, Sheng Xue should logically be with us since our areas are not far apart, and we were attacked by the same dragon." Sheng Xue had a swollen purple eye, making speech difficult. Sheng Jin was on the verge of tears from this provocation. Suddenly, as Sheng Yan scolded him, Sheng Xue watched the advice like a cinematic display while eating popcorn.
Three doors appeared. Each of the youths stood before one door. They entered, arriving in a world resembling a starry realm of breathtaking beauty. Sheng Jin said: "Each of us has passed through trials regarding motivation and drive. This only occurs in the world of introspection but should appear only to those who have reached the peak of sword integration or ascension." Sheng Jin added: "If I am correct, either way, we reach the level of sword integration or its peak, but this is uncertain. Let us go out and see which is correct. If enlightenment occurs, we will gather at the massive tree on the mountain to defeat the dragon."
Sheng Xue added: "I agree, and we will use the dragon's hide to our advantage. Its meat is said to be very delicious." Sheng Jin, smiling mischievously, said: "I agree with you, younger brother. It seems it will be tasty." Sheng Yan raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself: "I doubt these two are at a level that allows rational thought. It seems they placed their brains in their behinds."
After waking, the three found their bodies renewed, muscles stronger, several centimeters taller, with a sudden expansion of their aura and dantian. Each reached the peak level of sword integration. Sheng Xue was surprised by his own body, which had become more massive than usual. He took his sword and headed to the gathering point. The three joined together and advanced toward the dragon.