Chapter 9: The Trials
Recap: Fang Yuan stole a Lotus Gu from the Shang Clan greenhouse and was confronted by Shang Xin Yue herself. She told him to win the trials if he wanted to challenge her for the badge.
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The morning of the trials dawned clear and cold.
Fang Yuan stood at the edge of the Shang Clan training grounds, his grey robes blending with the shadows. Around him, hundreds of spectators had gathered—merchants, nobles, disciples, all here to watch the monthly spectacle. The air buzzed with anticipation.
At the center of the grounds, a platform of white stone rose above a wide pool of water. The pool was deep, fed by canals that ran beneath the city, its surface dark and still. This was where the trials would be held.
Water arena. Home advantage for the Shang Clan. They want challengers to fight on their terms.
He scanned the crowd. The other competitors were easy to spot—mostly young disciples, their robes marking them as Rank 1 or Rank 2. A few older cultivators stood apart, their faces hard, their Gu visible. One man, broad-shouldered and scarred, held a massive Crab Gu on his shoulder. Another woman, thin and pale, had three Water Flea Gu circling her head like a halo.
They're here for the prize. A Rank 2 Gu from the clan's reserves. They don't know about the Gym Leader. They don't know about me.
A horn sounded. The crowd quieted.
Shang Xin Yue stepped onto the platform, her Water Dragon Gu coiling at her feet. She was dressed in battle robes, blue and gold, her white hair braided with silver threads. She looked every inch the clan leader—powerful, untouchable, absolute.
"Welcome to the monthly trials," she said, her voice carrying across the grounds. "The rules are simple. One Gu per competitor. Knock your opponent into the water, and you win. Leave the platform, and you lose. The last one standing claims the prize."
She paused, her eyes sweeping the crowd. When they passed over Fang Yuan, they lingered for a fraction of a second.
"Let the trials begin."
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The first rounds were chaos.
Twenty competitors, twenty Gu, all fighting for dominance on a platform barely wide enough for ten. Disciples clashed with Water Flea Gu and Mudskipper Gu, their bubbles and mud splashing across the stone. The older cultivators held back, watching, waiting.
Fang Yuan stood at the edge of the platform, his hands empty, his expression blank. He had not released a Subject yet. He was waiting for the right moment.
A disciple lunged at him, his Water Flea Gu's bubble already forming. Fang Yuan sidestepped, and the bubble splashed harmlessly against the stone. He reached into his robe, pulled out a Pokeball, and released his Rock Skin Gu.
The creature materialized directly in front of the disciple, its rocky body blocking his path. The disciple stumbled, tried to turn, and his Water Flea Gu's next bubble struck his own feet. He slipped on the wet stone and tumbled into the water.
The crowd laughed. The disciple surfaced, sputtering, his Gu hovering above his head. An official pulled him from the pool.
Fang Yuan recalled his Rock Skin Gu and stepped back into the shadows. No one had seen him use the Gu. No one had seen anything.
Let them underestimate me. Let them think I'm lucky.
The rounds continued. The weak fell. The strong advanced. By the time the sun had climbed to its peak, only five competitors remained: the scarred man with the Crab Gu, the pale woman with her three Water Fleas, a young Shang Clan disciple with a Icefish Gu, a wandering cultivator with a Wind Bird Gu, and Fang Yuan.
The crowd had noticed him now. Whispers followed his movements.
"Who is that boy?"
"He's from Gu Yue Clan. I heard he beat their clan leader."
"He's just a child. Look at him. He hasn't even used a Gu yet."
The scarred man stepped forward, his Crab Gu clicking its claws. "I'll take the boy."
Fang Yuan said nothing. He stepped onto the platform, his hands still empty.
The scarred man laughed. "No Gu? You think you can beat me with nothing?"
Fang Yuan reached into his robe and pulled out a Pokeball. "I have all I need."
He released the Vine Gu.
The creature materialized with a hiss, its thorned body coiling, its tendrils reaching. The crowd gasped—they had never seen a Vine Gu in Shang territory. It was an outsider's Gu, a forest creature, out of place in this city of water.
The scarred man's smile faltered. "Grass. Against my Crab Gu? You think grass can beat a crab?"
Fang Yuan didn't answer. He raised his hand.
"Bind."
The Vine Gu's tendrils shot forward, faster than the scarred man could react. They wrapped around the Crab Gu's legs, its claws, its body. The creature thrashed, its claws snapping, but the Vine Gu's grip was unbreakable.
"Now," Fang Yuan said. "Pull."
The Vine Gu hauled the Crab Gu off its feet. The creature slammed against the platform, its shell cracking. The scarred man lunged for it, but the Vine Gu was faster. Its tendrils swung the Crab Gu like a flail, sending the man stumbling backward.
He hit the water with a splash.
The crowd roared. Fang Yuan recalled his Vine Gu and stepped back.
The pale woman with the three Water Fleas was next. She approached the platform cautiously, her Gu circling her head.
"You're strong," she said. "But grass is weak against water. My fleas will drown your vine."
Fang Yuan released his Wind Bird Gu.
The creature materialized in a whirlwind of feathers, its wings beating, its eyes sharp. The woman's Water Fleas shrank back—they had never faced a flying Gu before.
"Gust," Fang Yuan said.
The Wind Bird Gu's wings beat once, twice, three times. A vortex of air swept across the platform, catching the Water Fleas, scattering them. The woman cried out, trying to recall them, but the wind was too strong. Her Gu tumbled into the water, and she followed a moment later, her robes tangling in the vortex.
Fang Yuan recalled the Wind Bird Gu. Two competitors down.
The young Shang Clan disciple stepped forward, her Icefish Gu glowing in her hand. "You've beaten the weak ones. But I am Shang Xinyi's protégé. I won't fall so easily."
She released the Icefish Gu. It was beautiful—its scales blue-white, its fins trailing frost. The air around it grew cold, and the platform began to ice over.
Ice type. Water subtype. Strong against flying. Weak against fire.
Fang Yuan released his Fire Cricket Gu.
The tiny insect materialized, its body glowing like a coal. The Icefish Gu recoiled, its frost retreating.
"Ember," Fang Yuan said.
The Fire Cricket spat a stream of fire. The Icefish Gu dodged, but the heat was already melting the ice beneath it. The platform grew slick, unstable. The Shang disciple stumbled, her feet sliding.
She recovered quickly, her Icefish Gu forming a wall of frost to block the next ember. But the heat was relentless. The frost melted, reformed, melted again. The disciple was losing ground.
"Ice Shard!" she shouted.
The Icefish Gu launched a barrage of ice crystals at the Fire Cricket. They struck the insect's wings, its body, and it faltered. Its glow dimmed.
Fang Yuan recalled it just before the next barrage hit.
The Shang disciple smiled. "Out of tricks, little boy?"
Fang Yuan released his Lotus Gu.
The flower materialized in a burst of golden light, its petals open, its core glowing. The Icefish Gu froze—not from cold, but from fear. Grass type. Light type. A perfect counter to ice.
"Petal Dance," Fang Yuan said.
The Lotus Gu's petals spun, scattering golden light across the platform. The Icefish Gu was blinded, its frost melting, its scales cracking. The Shang disciple screamed, covering her eyes, and stumbled backward.
She fell into the water.
The crowd was silent. Then, slowly, the applause began.
Fang Yuan stood alone on the platform, his Lotus Gu hovering beside him. One competitor remained—the wandering cultivator with the Wind Bird Gu. But the man was already shaking his head.
"I yield," he said. "I've seen enough."
The crowd erupted. Fang Yuan had won.
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Shang Xin Yue stepped onto the platform, her face unreadable. The crowd quieted, waiting.
"You've proven yourself," she said, her voice low. "You've beaten every competitor. You've earned the right to challenge me."
Fang Yuan met her gaze. "Then I challenge you."
A murmur ran through the crowd. A Rank 1 disciple challenging the clan leader? It was unheard of. Insane.
Shang Xin Yue smiled. "Very well. Tomorrow at dawn. One match. No limits. No restrictions."
She turned and walked away, her Water Dragon Gu hissing.
Fang Yuan watched her go. The crowd was still buzzing, still whispering, but he didn't hear them. He was already planning.
Tomorrow at dawn. Water Dragon Gu. Icefish Gu. Probably a third Gu I haven't seen. I need a strategy. I need a counter. I need—
The creature stirred inside him.
You need me.
Fang Yuan's hand went to his chest, where the creature had merged with him. Its presence was cold, vast, waiting.
Not yet. Not until I know what you can do.
You know what I can do. You've seen it. In the dream.
Fang Yuan closed his eyes. He had seen it—a void, a darkness, a power that existed outside the system's rules. But he didn't understand it. Couldn't control it.
You will learn. Tomorrow, when you face her, you will learn.
He opened his eyes. The training grounds were empty now, the crowd gone, the platform silent. Only the pool remained, its water dark, still.
He turned and walked back to the inn.
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That night, he trained.
He released all his Subjects in the room—the Moonlight Gu, the Vine Gu, the Rock Skin Gu, the White Boar Gu, the Wind Bird Gu, the Fire Cricket Gu, the three Water Flea Gu, and the Lotus Gu. They filled the small space, their bodies pressing against the walls, their energies clashing.
He ran through combinations, strategies, counters. The Water Dragon Gu was Rank 3. Its hydro pump could crush any of his Subjects in a single hit. The Icefish Gu was Rank 2, fast, agile, capable of freezing the battlefield. And the third Gu—if it existed—was unknown.
I need to find its weakness. I need to find a way to win.
He studied the Lotus Gu. Its petals were open, its golden light steady. Against water, it was strong. Against ice, it was strong. But against a direct hydro pump, it would be obliterated.
I can't let her hit it. I need to protect it. Distract her. Divide her attention.
He turned to the White Boar Gu. Its body was massive, its tusks gleaming. A single charge could break the Icefish Gu, maybe even stagger the Water Dragon Gu. But it was slow. Predictable.
I need speed. I need something she can't predict.
He released the Wind Bird Gu. It circled the room, its wings brushing the ceiling.
Gust. Create a vortex. Disrupt her water attacks. Blind her with dust and debris.
He released the Fire Cricket Gu. Its glow was dim, its embers weak after the earlier battle.
Ember. Heat the platform. Melt the ice. Make her fight on unstable ground.
He released the Water Flea Gu. Three tiny creatures, weak, insignificant. But together, they could create bubbles—traps that could hold a Gu for seconds. Seconds were all he needed.
He trained until the moon was high, until his Subjects were exhausted, until his own body was trembling with fatigue. Then he returned them to their spheres and lay on his bed.
The cracked stone pulsed against his chest. The creature was awake.
Tomorrow, it whispered. Tomorrow, you show her what a demon can do.
Fang Yuan closed his eyes.
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End of Chapter 9