The woman's words hung in the air, heavy and dangerous.
Shen Chen's grip on Fang tightened. "What do you want?"
"I want you to prove yourself. To earn the right to continue walking the Path of Extremes." She produced a small, black stone from her robes, its surface smooth and cold. "I want you to retrieve something from the heart of this mountain. Something that has been lost for centuries."
He stared at the stone, his mind racing. "What is it?"
"A fragment of an ancient artifact. A shard of a sword that was forged during the Celestial Heaven Era. It is powerful, dangerous, and it belongs to me."
"If it belongs to you, why don't you retrieve it yourself?"
"Because I cannot. The path is sealed. Only one who walks the Path of Extremes can enter." She tossed the stone toward him. He caught it instinctively, his fingers closing around its cold surface. "This will guide you. Follow its energy, and it will lead you to the shard."
Shen Chen looked at the stone in his palm. It pulsed with a faint warmth, its surface smooth and dark. He could feel its power, ancient and potent.
"What happens if I refuse?"
She smiled, a cold, predatory expression. "Then you will leave this mountain. You will never speak of me or the Path of Extremes. And you will face your enemies alone, without the power you need to survive."
He was silent for a long moment, weighing her words. He had no reason to trust her. She was a stranger, a creature of shadows and secrets. But she had given him the scroll. She had given him a chance to grow strong.
"I'll do it," he said, his voice steady. "I'll retrieve the shard."
She nodded, her expression unreadable. "Good. You have three days. If you fail, you will die. And the shard will remain lost forever."
"Three days? That's not enough time—"
"Three days," she repeated, her voice cold. "Take it or leave it."
He had no choice. He would never survive the path ahead without more power.
"I accept."
She smiled, a thin, knowing expression. "Then go. The stone will guide you. And Shen Chen..."
"What?"
"Do not trust the shard. It has a will of its own."
She vanished into the shadows, her presence dissolving like mist. And Shen Chen was alone again, the stone pulsing in his hand, the weight of her words pressing down on him.
Three days. That's all I have.
I need to prepare.
The next morning, Shen Chen left the cave.
He had spent the night preparing, gathering supplies and sharpening Fang. His body still ached from the battle, but he had no time to rest. The stone pulsed in his pocket, its warmth guiding him toward an unknown destination.
The path led deeper into the mountains, through dense forests and across frozen streams. The terrain was treacherous, the cold biting at his skin. But he pushed forward, his determination unwavering.
I will survive. I will complete the test. I will grow stronger.
The day passed in silence, broken only by the sound of his footsteps and the whisper of the wind. The stone pulsed steadily, its warmth a constant reminder of his purpose.
As the sun began to set, he found a small clearing and stopped to rest. He built a fire, its light flickering against the darkness of the forest. The warmth was a comfort, a small reprieve from the cold.
He sat beside the fire, his eyes fixed on the flames. His mind drifted to the woman—her words, her warnings, her demands. He didn't trust her. He couldn't. But she had given him a chance, and he was determined to prove himself worthy.
I will not fail. I will not give up. I will survive.
The night stretched on, silent and cold. And in the distance, the mountains loomed, their peaks lost in the clouds. The path ahead was unknown, but he was ready to face it.