The second gate opened before Chao Lun Hui had decided whether approaching it was sensible.
Pale-golden threads tightened around the path.
Shen Yan Ting moved closer, but the gate expanded across their vision and pulled both men forwards before either could test its boundary.
The crimson veil from the previous scenario still lingered at the edge of Chao Lun Hui’s thoughts.
So did the brief glimpse of a face resembling Luo Yanhe.
He had reached no useful conclusion except that fate possessed terrible manners and an alarming interest in Shen Yan Ting’s wedding arrangements.
Cold spiritual energy seized him.
Luo Yanhe : “Not again.”
The path disappeared beneath his feet.
Shen Yan Ting reached towards him, but the current split between them.
Chao Lun Hui fell through a bright tunnel with enough time to realise the trial had ignored his complaint.
Then his own scream followed him down.
Luo Yanhe : “Why is falling the trial’s favourite method of transport?”
The ground answered with hay.
Luo Yanhe crashed face-first into a large pile beside a wooden barn.
Straw burst across the yard.
One chicken flew onto a fence.
A second fled beneath a cart.
A third remained directly in front of him and stared as though his arrival had violated a personal agreement.
Chao Lun Hui slowly raised his head.
Straw covered his hair, shoulders and one side of his face.
His dignity had survived stone warriors, spiritual interrogation and a mysterious wedding only to die in agricultural storage.
The chicken stepped closer.
Luo Yanhe : “Do not.”
It pecked his forehead.
Luo Yanhe : “Ow!”
The chicken walked away with the calm satisfaction of a cultivator who had corrected a junior.
Five minutes later, Luo Yanhe sat beside the haystack, physically unharmed, emotionally insulted and surrounded by a village that looked far too peaceful.
Small tiled houses followed a winding road towards the centre.
Smoke rose from cooking fires.
Paper lanterns hung beneath the eaves, although the afternoon remained bright.
Farmers returned from vegetable plots carrying baskets, merchants arranged fruit beneath cloth awnings, and children chased one another around the village well.
There were no immortal mountains, ancient beasts or glowing weapons.
That made everything worse.
Normal things were dangerous in cultivation stories.
They were usually peaceful for half a chapter before revealing a buried corpse, an ancestral curse or a grandmother who secretly ruled the demonic realm.
Luo Yanhe : “This trial hates me.”
Golden writing appeared above the road.
『FATE SCENARIO TWO COMMENCING 』
『ROLE REVERSAL ACTIVE 』
『COMPLETE THE ASSIGNED LIFE 』
Chao Lun Hui stood and pointed towards the messages.
Luo Yanhe : “There you are.
Where is Master?”
No answer came.
Luo Yanhe : “What life?”
A rolled scroll dropped from above and struck him directly across the face.
He caught it before it reached the ground.
Luo Yanhe : “The trial has confirmed the personal grudge.”
The scroll opened by itself.
『ROLE ASSIGNMENT 』
『NAME: LUO YANHE 』
『STATUS: RESPECTED MASTER 』
『DISCIPLE: SHEN YAN TING 』
『INTERFERENCE PROHIBITED 』
Chao Lun Hui read the messages once.
Then again.
The third reading did not improve them.
Luo Yanhe : “No.”
The village breeze moved through the straw caught in his hair.
Luo Yanhe : “Absolutely no.”
Mountains could float.
Stones could remember forgotten history.
Fate could organise suspicious weddings and refuse all follow-up questions.
Even so, Shen Yan Ting becoming his disciple ranked among the least reasonable ideas Chao Lun Hui had encountered since entering this world.
A familiar voice came from behind him.
Shen Yan Ting : “Master.”
Chao Lun Hui went still.
He turned.
Shen Yan Ting stood beneath a tree in plain white disciple robes with pale-red edging.
His long hair had been tied simply, and he held a broom in both hands.
His expression remained calm, dignified and completely serious.
Luo Yanhe sat back down beside the haystack.
Luo Yanhe : “No.”
Shen Yan Ting approached.
Shen Yan Ting : “Master?”
Luo Yanhe pointed at him.
Luo Yanhe : “No.”
Shen Yan Ting studied the straw in his hair and the red mark left by the chicken.
Shen Yan Ting : “Master appears unwell.”
Luo Yanhe covered half his face.
Luo Yanhe : “That is because this disciple, no, this master, has witnessed something no human soul was prepared to endure.”
Shen Yan Ting considered the situation.
Shen Yan Ting : “Should this disciple fetch a physician?”
Chao Lun Hui stared at the great immortal master of Azure Cloud Sect, currently dressed as a junior disciple and holding a household broom.
Luo Yanhe : “You.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Yes, Master?”
Luo Yanhe pointed at the broom.
Luo Yanhe : “Why are you holding that?”
Shen Yan Ting glanced down.
Shen Yan Ting : “Master instructed this disciple to sweep the courtyard.”
Luo Yanhe : “I did not.”
Shen Yan Ting : “The scenario says you did.”
The heavens were testing Chao Lun Hui’s self-control.
He failed.
A laugh escaped before he could stop it.
Another followed.
Within moments, he had bent forwards, one hand against his stomach while the offended chicken observed from the fence.
Luo Yanhe : “Do not call me Master while holding a broom.”
Shen Yan Ting’s gaze narrowed slightly.
Shen Yan Ting : “Has Master entered qi deviation?”
That made Chao Lun Hui laugh harder.
Shen Yan Ting waited with the patience of someone who had survived centuries and could therefore survive one ridiculous master.
When Luo Yanhe finally recovered, Shen Yan Ting held out a hand and pulled him upright.
Shen Yan Ting : “The courtyard is this way.”
Luo Yanhe looked at the broom again.
Luo Yanhe : “This may be the greatest achievement of the Trial of Fate.”
Shen Yan Ting : “You were attacked by a chicken.”
Luo Yanhe : “That matter is confidential.”
The scenario had provided them with a simple courtyard house near the eastern edge of the village.
It contained two rooms, a small kitchen, a medicine shelf and a yard bordered by a damaged fence.
A bundle of firewood already rested beneath the eaves.
Chao Lun Hui tested his cultivation and found it restricted.
Spiritual energy still moved through Luo Yanhe’s meridians, but the scenario prevented techniques powerful enough to avoid ordinary labour.
The message was obvious.
They had to live through the assigned roles rather than solve the village with cultivation.
By sunset, Luo Yanhe had accepted this with poor grace.
Luo Yanhe : “Disciple.”
Shen Yan Ting, who had finished sweeping with insulting competence, looked towards him.
Shen Yan Ting : “Yes, Master.”
Luo Yanhe pointed at the firewood.
Luo Yanhe : “Collect more.”
Shen Yan Ting examined the pile.
Shen Yan Ting : “No.”
Luo Yanhe : “What?”
Shen Yan Ting : “No.”
Luo Yanhe stared at him.
Luo Yanhe : “A disciple can refuse?”
Shen Yan Ting : “Yes.”
Luo Yanhe : “Why?”
Shen Yan Ting : “There is enough firewood for three days.
Collecting more now would expose it to rain.”
Luo Yanhe pointed at him with rising outrage.
Luo Yanhe : “Master does this.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Who?”
Luo Yanhe pressed his fingers against his forehead.
Luo Yanhe : “You.
This exact behaviour.
You decide an instruction is unnecessary, refuse it and continue as though the person speaking has become decorative.”
Shen Yan Ting appeared to consider the criticism sincerely.
Shen Yan Ting : “Disciple does not understand.”
Luo Yanhe : “Of course not.”
Shen Yan Ting : “The instruction was inefficient.”
Luo Yanhe : “You are a terrible disciple.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Master assigned unnecessary work.”
Luo Yanhe : “That is beside the point.”
Shen Yan Ting : “It is the point.”
Chao Lun Hui finally understood what it felt like to argue with Shen Yan Ting from the position of authority.
It was exhausting.
The trial had not reversed their personalities.
It had merely handed Chao Lun Hui a title and allowed Shen Yan Ting to remain Shen Yan Ting, which was much more dangerous.
On the second morning, Luo Yanhe discovered that his medicine jars had been rearranged.
The healing powders now occupied the upper shelf, fever remedies had been grouped by strength, and three containers he had placed near the door had moved into the driest corner.
Luo Yanhe : “Disciple.”
Shen Yan Ting entered carrying two bowls of rice porridge.
Shen Yan Ting : “Yes, Master?”
Luo Yanhe pointed at the shelves.
Luo Yanhe : “Did you move these?”
Shen Yan Ting placed breakfast on the table.
Shen Yan Ting : “Yes.”
Luo Yanhe : “Why?”
Shen Yan Ting : “The original arrangement was inefficient.”
Luo Yanhe : “It was organised.”
Shen Yan Ting : “The fever medicine was beside sleep powder.”
Luo Yanhe : “They were both in blue jars.”
Shen Yan Ting : “That is the problem.”
Luo Yanhe looked from the jars to his disciple.
Luo Yanhe : “You have reorganised this master’s home.”
Shen Yan Ting : “The scenario assigned it to both of us.”
Luo Yanhe : “You found a legal weakness in the role assignment.”
Shen Yan Ting : “I found the breakfast.”
He pushed one bowl towards Luo Yanhe.
Chao Lun Hui sat down because refusing food during an authority dispute would only punish himself.
By midday, an elderly medicine seller asked them to deliver herbs to a farmer recovering from a leg injury.
Luo Yanhe carried the basket while Shen Yan Ting repaired the farmer’s loose door hinge without being asked.
The farmer tried to pay them with vegetables.
Chao Lun Hui accepted two radishes because refusing a sincere gift felt rude.
He had no intention of eating them, but the principle mattered.
On their way home, two villagers argued beside the well over a borrowed cart.
They saw Luo Yanhe and immediately requested judgement from the respected master.
Chao Lun Hui looked at Shen Yan Ting.
Shen Yan Ting : “Master should decide.”
Luo Yanhe : “Disciple could assist.”
Shen Yan Ting : “The cart was returned with a broken wheel.
The borrower should repair it.
The owner should stop shouting because the baby in the nearest house is sleeping.”
Both villagers went quiet.
Luo Yanhe : “That sounded like a decision.”
Shen Yan Ting : “An observation.”
The villagers thanked Luo Yanhe for his wisdom.
Chao Lun Hui watched them leave.
Luo Yanhe : “This master contributed nothing.”
Shen Yan Ting : “You allowed your disciple to speak.”
Luo Yanhe : “That is an impressive interpretation of events.”
On the third morning, Shen Yan Ting repaired the damaged courtyard fence.
Luo Yanhe found him tying back his sleeves and fitting a new wooden post into the earth.
The work looked almost domestic enough to be suspicious.
Luo Yanhe : “Disciple.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Yes, Master.”
Luo Yanhe folded his arms.
Luo Yanhe : “This master instructed you to rest.”
Shen Yan Ting returned his attention to the post.
Shen Yan Ting : “The fence is broken.”
Luo Yanhe : “That is not rest.”
Shen Yan Ting : “It is necessary.”
Luo Yanhe looked towards the clear sky, where patience had apparently chosen not to manifest.
Luo Yanhe : “This is exactly what you do outside the trial.”
Shen Yan Ting paused.
Shen Yan Ting : “Disciple does not understand.”
Luo Yanhe pointed at him.
Luo Yanhe : “You decide something is necessary, ignore every objection and continue as though the conversation never happened.”
Shen Yan Ting considered this.
Shen Yan Ting : “That sounds efficient.”
Luo Yanhe closed his eyes.
Luo Yanhe : “This master regrets explaining.”
Later that afternoon, Luo Yanhe attempted to repair the medicine seller’s leaking roof.
He placed three tiles correctly.
The fourth slid out of position.
The fifth caused the third to move.
By the time he adjusted the fifth, an entire section had developed a slope no responsible roof should possess.
Shen Yan Ting stood below with his arms folded.
Luo Yanhe : “Do not look at this master like that.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Like what?”
Luo Yanhe : “Like the roof has disappointed you personally.”
Shen Yan Ting : “It has.”
Luo Yanhe : “The roof is still attached.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Temporarily.”
Ten minutes later, Shen Yan Ting climbed up and repaired Luo Yanhe’s repair while Chao Lun Hui handed him tiles and protected his remaining pride.
The medicine seller praised Master Luo for teaching his disciple so well.
Luo Yanhe : “Naturally.”
Shen Yan Ting looked down at him.
Luo Yanhe : “Respect the scenario.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Hm.”
The children of the village soon decided that both cultivators existed for their education and entertainment.
They gathered outside the courtyard with branches and demanded sword lessons.
Luo Yanhe taught them how to stand without falling over.
Shen Yan Ting corrected the angle of every wrist with such precision that the children began calling him the finest senior brother in the village.
One little boy swung too widely and nearly struck a lantern post.
Shen Yan Ting caught the branch between two fingers.
Shen Yan Ting : “Control before speed.”
The boy nodded solemnly.
Luo Yanhe : “Disciple is stealing this master’s students.”
Shen Yan Ting : “They listen.”
Luo Yanhe : “Was that an insult?”
Shen Yan Ting : “An observation.”
During the next exercise, a little girl tripped while running towards them.
Shen Yan Ting caught her before she hit the ground and returned the sweet cake that had fallen from her hand.
Little Girl : “Thank you, Senior Brother Shen.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Walk carefully.”
The girl hurried away.
Luo Yanhe : “Disciple is surprisingly good with children.”
Shen Yan Ting watched the children return to their branch swords.
Shen Yan Ting : “They respond to clear instructions.”
Luo Yanhe : “That was definitely an insult.”
The villagers continued praising Shen Yan Ting as obedient.
Chao Lun Hui suspected the scenario had created them without the ability to recognise evidence.
Days passed.
Nothing attacked.
No curse emerged beneath the well.
The elderly medicine seller remained an elderly medicine seller.
The chicken stayed ordinary, although it continued to regard Luo Yanhe with professional disappointment.
The village settled into a rhythm that gradually stopped feeling like bait.
Each morning, Shen Yan Ting prepared tea before Luo Yanhe woke.
Chao Lun Hui began leaving the sweeter portion of breakfast beneath a covered bowl because Shen Yan Ting returned late from helping farmers reinforce irrigation channels.
Neither discussed the arrangement.
They divided tasks without planning them.
Shen Yan Ting handled repairs because allowing Luo Yanhe near roofs had already endangered one building.
Luo Yanhe carried medicine, negotiated with merchants and distracted villagers whenever Shen Yan Ting’s direct honesty threatened to create unnecessary despair.
At night, they returned to the same courtyard.
Sometimes they spoke.
Sometimes the only sounds were insects beyond the fence and the quiet movement of pages as Shen Yan Ting examined the village’s medical notes.
The silence no longer demanded an answer.
That unsettled Chao Lun Hui more than danger would have.
The villagers’ warmth could not prove anything about the real world.
They belonged to the trial.
Outside it, disciples still feared Luo Yanhe, elders still recorded his behaviour, and the forbidden-technique incident remained attached to his name.
Even so, being greeted without suspicion showed Chao Lun Hui the shape of something he had not realised he missed.
It was not forgiveness.
It was ease.
One evening, he returned carrying food wrapped in lotus leaves and found Shen Yan Ting repairing the courtyard lantern.
Luo Yanhe : “This master bought dinner.”
Shen Yan Ting descended from the stool.
Shen Yan Ting : “You bought enough for two.”
Luo Yanhe : “The seller refused to divide it.”
Shen Yan Ting looked at the two separate parcels.
Chao Lun Hui placed one in his hands.
Luo Yanhe : “The seller divided it afterwards.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Hm.”
They ate beneath the repaired lantern.
Shen Yan Ting did not mention that Luo Yanhe had remembered which filling he preferred.
Chao Lun Hui did not mention that Shen Yan Ting had left medicine beside his bowl for the bruise on his shoulder.
The routine had become natural before either man noticed it happening.
That was where the fear entered.
Chao Lun Hui did not know whether he wanted the peace himself or whether Luo Yanhe’s body recognised Shen Yan Ting beside him.
He could not tell whether accepting the comfort meant taking a life that should have belonged to the man whose name he carried.
The uncertainty did not make the courtyard feel less warm.
Near the end of the scenario, Luo Yanhe sat beneath an old tree overlooking the village.
Cooking smoke rose between the roofs.
Evening bells sounded near the well, and children’s voices drifted along the road before their families called them home.
Shen Yan Ting approached across the grass.
Shen Yan Ting : “Master.”
Luo Yanhe looked up.
Luo Yanhe : “Disciple.”
Shen Yan Ting sat beside him with enough distance to remain formal and close enough that neither had to raise his voice.
For a while, they watched the lanterns appear one by one.
Luo Yanhe : “Do you think this kind of life would become boring?”
Shen Yan Ting considered the quiet village.
Shen Yan Ting : “Perhaps.”
Luo Yanhe sighed.
Luo Yanhe : “Disciple could have lied.”
Shen Yan Ting : “No.”
Luo Yanhe : “A terrible disciple until the end.”
A brief quiet followed.
Shen Yan Ting : “Would Master dislike it?”
Chao Lun Hui looked towards the road leading back to the small courtyard.
He thought of tea prepared before dawn, repaired fences, shared food and arguments about unnecessary firewood.
Luo Yanhe’s body felt reluctant to leave.
The feeling came without a memory or explanation.
Chao Lun Hui could not decide where it began, but he knew the answer belonged to the person speaking now.
Luo Yanhe : “No.”
The word left him quietly.
Luo Yanhe : “This master thinks it might be nice.”
Shen Yan Ting’s gaze remained on the village, but some of the guarded tension left his shoulders.
Shen Yan Ting : “Hm.”
Luo Yanhe : “That response is insufficient.”
Shen Yan Ting : “It is honest.”
Luo Yanhe : “Disciple continues proving the title of this chapter.”
The sunset fractured.
A line of pale light crossed the sky.
The village bells stopped mid-note.
Below them, the lanterns dissolved from gold into white, and the villagers faded where they stood.
Luo Yanhe rose.
The old tree broke into drifting fragments behind him.
Shen Yan Ting stood at the same moment and turned towards the disappearing courtyard.
『SCENARIO DEVIATION DETECTED 』
Luo Yanhe : “What?”
『EMOTIONAL RESONANCE EXCEEDS EXPECTED LIMITS 』
Luo Yanhe : “What limits?”
The Trial of Fate did not answer.
Luo Yanhe : “Ancient communication has failed again.”
The road vanished.
The medicine shop dissolved.
The children’s branch swords became points of light scattered across the darkening air.
Chao Lun Hui turned towards Shen Yan Ting.
Neither man attempted to call the village real.
Neither claimed it had been their past or future.
That did not prevent the loss from hurting.
A final message appeared above them, quieter in its arrival than every announcement before it.
『EVEN FATE ONCE WISHED THE TWO OF YOU COULD SIMPLY LIVE PEACEFULLY 』
Chao Lun Hui read it once.
Beside him, Shen Yan Ting’s expression tightened by the smallest degree.
The message offered no explanation for who had wished, when the wish had existed or what had prevented it.
The village disappeared before either could ask.
Darkness closed around them.
The disciple robes, evening smoke and warm courtyard vanished, but the memory of several ordinary days remained.
Golden light formed beneath their feet.
『TRIAL OF FATE PASSED 』
The inheritance platform returned.
Chao Lun Hui landed upright beside Shen Yan Ting.
The sealed gates of Memory, Strength, Heart and Fate stood behind them, their light now quiet.
For several breaths, neither spoke.
Luo Yanhe still wore his black robes.
Shen Yan Ting’s formal white robes had returned.
The broom was gone.
Chao Lun Hui looked at his empty hands.
Luo Yanhe : “Master.”
Shen Yan Ting : “Hm?”
Luo Yanhe : “This disciple has reached an important conclusion.”
Shen Yan Ting waited.
Luo Yanhe : “Master was a terrible disciple.”
Shen Yan Ting : “You gave unnecessary instructions.”
Luo Yanhe : “The trial is over.
Master is no longer allowed to defend that behaviour.”
Shen Yan Ting : “No.”
Despite the hollow place left by the vanished village, Chao Lun Hui laughed.
Neither man discussed the final message.
Not yet.
The inheritance platform remained silent, waiting for whatever would enter next.
Chapter 18 has now been updated to the latest revised version.
I truly appreciate everyone who waited and continued supporting this story while I worked on improving it.
I hope this updated version gives you a smoother and more enjoyable reading experience.
Thank you for staying with me.
Happy reading!