The forging of the Celestial Pact had woven a radiant thread of unity among the Order of the Jade Dawn, their shared vow under the stars strengthening Li Wei's resolve despite the persistent fever and throbbing pain that plagued his frail body. The hidden valley, with its shimmering pool, ancient tree, and glowing blossoms, pulsed with an energy that seemed to affirm the warmth in his dantian—a warmth he believed was his nascent Golden Core, nurturing a fledgling Nascent Soul. Azure Dragon, his scruffy spirit beast, remained a loyal companion, curled by the stone altar as Li Wei pored over the scroll, its worn bamboo slats a sacred guide through his trials. The scroll's latest passage unveiled a hauntingly familiar challenge: "The Demon's Resurgence, where the shadows of past fears rise anew, testing the cultivator's heart with unrelenting doubt."
In the cultivation novels Li Wei had devoured in Beijing, demonic resurgences were intense trials—recurring inner demons or spectral foes that challenged a cultivator's resolve with echoes of past failures. The scroll's description was more introspective but equally daunting: "The shadows return, whispering lies of weakness. Banish them with unyielding qi, for only the resolute ascend." Li Wei, tempered by lightning, betrayal, and moments of clarity, felt a surge of dread. His earlier battles with the Inner Demon and the Demon's Echo had been victories, but the betrayals of Wang Hao and Lin Tao, the hiker's mockery, and the lingering pull of Mei Ling's smile still haunted him. His body, ravaged by hunger, fever, and the throbbing infections in his hand and arm, ached with every movement, but the valley's mystical aura and the scroll's promise urged him to confront these shadows once more.
Li Wei prepared with the vigilance of a warrior facing a relentless foe. He reinforced his altar with smooth stones, their surfaces carved with star-like patterns inspired by the Starstone to channel the valley's qi. He placed the scroll, jade slip, Starstone, and stolen booklet at the altar's center, surrounded by the ancient tree's glowing blossoms, their light pulsing like a ward against darkness. Azure Dragon watched, head tilted, as Li Wei sipped the valley's crystal-clear water, its coolness a fleeting relief against his persistent fever. The scroll suggested a meditative trance to "banish the shadows," so he chose a moonless night, when the valley's darkness would amplify the challenge, to begin.
As midnight cloaked the valley in shadow, Li Wei sat by the altar, the Starstone in one hand, the jade slip pressed to his chest. He chanted the scroll's incantations, their rhythmic tones blending with the valley's whispers, which seemed to carry a mocking undertone, echoing his deepest fears. He focused on his dantian, visualizing his Golden Core as a radiant star, his Nascent Soul a glowing figure ready to face the resurgence. The scroll urged him to "stand resolute," so he imagined his qi as a blazing light, piercing the darkness of doubt. The warmth in his dantian pulsed, but as he sank deeper into the trance, his fever intensified, the pain in his infected wounds throbbing with each heartbeat.
The valley faded, replaced by a misty void where shadows swirled like storm clouds. Figures emerged—Wang Hao's sneering face, Lin Tao's cold betrayal, the hiker's mocking grin, his old boss berating his failures, and Mei Ling's smile, now tinged with pity. "You're nothing," they whispered, their voices a chorus of doubt. "Your scroll is a jest, your qi a delusion, your path a dead end." Li Wei's heart raced, the pull of Mei Ling's pity threatening to unravel his resolve, but he clutched the Starstone, its warmth grounding him. He chanted louder, his voice hoarse but resolute, visualizing his Nascent Soul wielding a radiant Star Blade, slashing through the shadows. "I am the Dao!" he shouted, his qi surging as the figures wavered, their whispers fading into silence.
The trance shattered as his body faltered, collapsing by the altar, gasping for breath. Azure Dragon whined, nudging his face, his warmth a quiet comfort. The Starstone felt warmer, as if infused with his victory, and the warmth in his dantian pulsed stronger, clearer, as if the Demon's Resurgence had been banished. Had he truly overcome the shadows, or was it another fevered vision? The scroll promised ascent through resolve, and Li Wei chose to believe he'd passed the test, even at a cost. He scribbled in his notebook, hands trembling: "Demon's Resurgence faced. Shadows banished, qi shines. Body falters, heart endures." The valley's whispers seemed to approve, their murmurs softening, the ancient tree's blossoms glowing brighter.
During the next video call with the Order of the Jade Dawn, Li Wei shared the ordeal, describing the shadowy figures and his radiant counterattack. Zhang Wei, eyes wide, called it a "divine purge," urging him to brew an elixir with the valley's water to fortify his qi. Liu Mei, her serene face lit by moonlight, praised his resilience but insisted he seek medical care: "The heart triumphs, but the body must endure." Chen Xiu saw it as proof of spiritual mastery, while Zhao Feng, skeptical, suggested it was delirium, sparking a heated debate that tested Li Wei's leadership. He hid his worsening fever and the throbbing pain in his wounds, fearing their concern might fracture the sect's unity.
As dawn broke, Li Wei sat by the pool, the Starstone warm in his hands, Azure Dragon snoring softly. The scroll promised that the Demon's Resurgence tested the heart, but also opened new paths. The valley's energy, his sect's support, and the scroll's guidance bolstered him, even as his body weakened. With his Golden Core and Nascent Soul pulsing as beacons, Li Wei felt ready to face the next challenge, his spirit fortified against the shadows of doubt, one radiant strike at a time toward immortality.