The third test came the following morning.
She led him to a frozen lake, its surface covered in a thick layer of ice. A massive creature stood at its center—a bear, its fur white as snow, its eyes blazing with a cold, primal fury. Its cultivation base was at the Qi Condensation Realm (6th Level)—one level above Shen Chen's current cultivation.
"A Frost Bear," she said. "Slow, but powerful. One hit can shatter your bones. It will not tire easily. You will need to be precise."
Shen Chen stepped onto the ice, his blade drawn. The cold seeped through his boots, but he ignored it. His eyes were fixed on the bear, his body tense, his mind calculating.
The bear roared, a sound that shook the very air. It charged, its massive body closing the distance between them in an instant. The ice cracked beneath its weight, but it didn't slow. Its claws, each one the size of a dagger, swung toward his chest.
He dodged, his feet sliding across the ice. The bear's claws raked across the frozen surface, sending shards of ice flying. He attacked, his blade cutting through the creature's thick hide. The bear roared, a sound of pure fury, and swung its massive paw.
The blow caught him across the chest, sending him flying across the ice. He crashed against the frozen surface, his vision swimming with pain. He tasted blood in his mouth, his ribs screaming with agony.
"Get up," he growled, his voice cold. "Get up or die."
He forced himself to his feet, his body trembling with exertion. The bear was already charging again, its massive form filling his vision. He waited, his blade steady, his mind focused.
At the last moment, he dropped to his knees, sliding beneath the bear's massive frame. Shadow's Edge rose, the blade driving upward into the bear's chest.
The bear screamed, a sound of pure agony. Its body convulsed, its claws thrashing wildly. He held on, his muscles screaming, his blood flowing freely.
And then, it was still.
He collapsed beside the corpse, his body broken, his mind reeling. The pain was immense, but he had survived. He had won.
"You did not hesitate," the woman said, her voice flat. "Good."
She tossed him a pill—golden, its surface pulsing with a warm, radiant light. "You will need this. The next test will be the hardest yet."
He consumed the pill, his body aching, his spirit unbroken. The warmth spread through him, healing his wounds, replenishing his energy. But he knew that the next battle would push him to his limits.
The fourth test was a serpent.
It was massive, its body thick as a tree trunk, its scales gleaming with a faint, sickly light. Its eyes were yellow, its fangs dripping with venom that sizzled against the frozen ground. Its cultivation base was at the Qi Condensation Realm (7th Level)—two levels above Shen Chen's current power.
"A Venom Serpent," the woman said, her voice flat. "Its venom can kill a cultivator of the 8th Level within seconds. Its scales are tough enough to deflect most blades. One mistake, and you die. There is no room for error."
Shen Chen studied the serpent, his mind calculating. Its cultivation was higher than his, its defenses formidable, its attacks deadly. A direct confrontation would be suicide.
"I need to find its weakness," he murmured, his voice flat. "Every creature has a weakness. I just need to find it."
The serpent sensed his presence. It turned, its yellow eyes fixing on him. Its tongue flickered, tasting the air, and it began to move—slowly, deliberately, but with a lethal grace.
"You are the one who has been killing the guardians," the serpent hissed, its voice cold and ancient. "You trespass on sacred ground. You will die."
"I don't plan on dying," he said, his voice flat.
The serpent lunged.
Its speed was staggering. He barely had time to move before its fangs were upon him. He threw himself to the side, the venom splattering across the ice where he had been standing. The ice sizzled and melted, a testament to the venom's potency.
"Close," he muttered, his voice cold.
He attacked, his blade cutting through the air toward the serpent's flank. But the scales were too tough—his blade glanced off, barely leaving a scratch. The serpent hissed, a sound of pure contempt, and swung its tail. The blow caught him across the chest, sending him crashing against the ice.
His vision swam. His ribs screamed with pain. He struggled to his feet, his breathing ragged.
"Your attacks are useless," the serpent hissed. "You cannot harm me. You cannot defeat me. You will die here."
"We'll see."
He studied the serpent again, his mind working. Its scales were too tough for direct attacks. But its eyes—its eyes were vulnerable. If he could strike its eyes, he might have a chance.
But getting close enough to strike its eyes meant getting within range of its fangs. It meant risking death.
"I have no choice."
He lunged, his body driven by a cold fury. The serpent's fangs snapped toward him, and he dropped, sliding beneath its massive frame. He drove Shadow's Edge upward, the blade piercing through the serpent's eye.
The creature screamed, a sound of pure agony. Its body convulsed, its tail thrashing wildly. He held on, his muscles screaming, his blood flowing freely. The venom splattered across his arm, burning his skin, but he refused to let go.
He twisted the blade, driving it deeper. The serpent's thrashing grew weaker, its screams fading to whimpers. And then, it was still.
He collapsed beside the corpse, his body broken, his mind reeling. His arm was burned, his ribs shattered, his body covered in wounds. But he had survived. He had won.
"You have passed the test," the woman said, her voice flat. "You are stronger now than you were before."
She tossed him a pill—larger than the others, its surface gleaming with a brilliant, golden light. "Take it. It will heal you and accelerate your cultivation."
He consumed the pill, his body aching, his spirit unbroken. The warmth spread through him, healing his wounds, replenishing his energy.
"You have grown," she said, her voice flat. "But there is still more to learn. More to overcome. More to become."
"I know," he said, his voice cold. "I'm not done yet."