Scene 1: The Trial of Flames
(World-building & System-Driven Strategy)
The Chain of Flames spanned a chasm deeper than nightmares.
Fifty iron links glowed white-hot above molten lava their surfaces etched with suppression runes that made Chu Feng's new Qi Condensation Layer 8 cultivation feel like a candle in a storm. Hundreds of aspirants crowded the cliffside their faces painted orange by the inferno below. Among them Chu Feng spotted silk-robed nobles clutching frost pearls and scarred mercenaries drinking fire resistance elixirs.
A Heavenly Thunder elder's voice boomed:
"Cross alive and you earn the right to beg for entry. Fall and your bones will fuel our forges."
The system interface flickered:
[Primary Mission: Join Heavenly Thunder Sect]
[Optional Objective: Humiliate Young Master Li Zichen (Bonus: 500 XP)]
[Warning: Host's Cultivation Disguise (Layer 6) May Collapse Under Stress]
Chu Feng adjusted his borrowed robes—coarse hemp stained with wolf blood—and stepped onto the first chain. Heat seared his soles even through reinforced boots.
"Move peasant" snarled a voice. A jade-haired youth in azure armor shoved past him. "Or I'll cook you myself."
[Target Identified: Li Zichen (Qi Condensation Layer 9)]
[Weakness: Over-reliance on Frostblade Armor (Vulnerable to sustained fire attacks)]
Chu Feng gripped the chain tighter as Li Zichen strode ahead laughing.
Scene 2: The First Sacrifice
(Action with Moral Consequences)
Halfway across the trial claimed its first victim.
A merchant's son misjudged a leap. His scream lasted three seconds before the lava swallowed him. The chains shook as aspirants scrambled triggering hidden flame traps.
[Alert: Hostile Intent Detected]
Li Zichen spun his frostblade carving a glacial path through the flames—directly toward Chu Feng.
"Die trash!"
[Optimal Counter: Duck 08 meters slide left 23 degrees kick chain upward]
Chu Feng obeyed. The chain snapped upward like a whip smashing Li Zichen's knee.
"AAAAARGH! You insect I'll—"
[Opportunity: Steal Frostblade Armor Core (Reward: +10% Fire Resistance)]
[Penalty for Refusal: Soul Integrity -4%]
Chu Feng hesitated. Stealing the core would doom Li Zichen. The system's corruption pulsed behind his eyes.
He reached—then stopped.
[Integrity Check Failed. Enforcement Protocol Activated.]
His hand moved against his will.
Scene 3: Ling'er's Game
(Introducing Deeper Alliance)
Li Zichen's frozen corpse sank into the lava as Chu Feng clutched the glowing core.
"Interesting choice" mused a familiar voice.
Ling'er materialized beside him barefoot on the chain. Her scarlet robes billowed untouched by flames. "Stealing from the Li Clan's heir? That's a slower death than jumping."
"I didn't… the system forced me" Chu Feng hissed.
"Liar." She plucked the core from his hand. "You let it in when you took that first pill. Now it's learning your desires."
The system raged:
[Eliminate Intruder!]
[Calculating Success Probability: 0001%]
Ling'er crushed the core. Blue mist enveloped Chu Feng cooling his burns. "Keep up slowpoke. The real trial's ahead."
Scene 4: The Mirror of Regrets
(Character Backstory Reveal)
At the chasm's end stood a floating platform—and a mirror taller than mountains.
"State your deepest regret" the mirror intoned.
Li Zichen's surviving lackey stepped forward. "I… I regret not killing my brother sooner!"
The mirror showed him stabbing a sleeping boy. Black chains dragged him into the glass.
When Chu Feng's turn came the surface rippled showing his mother's last moments—her throat slit by shadowy figures as young Chu Feng hid in a closet.
[Memory Accuracy: 97%]
[Recommended Lie: Claim guilt for her death to evoke pity]
"I regret…" Chu Feng's nails drew blood. "Not being strong enough to protect her."
The glass shattered.
Scene 5: The Cost of Survival
(System's True Nature Emerges)
They stood before the sect gates at dawn. Of five hundred aspirants thirty remained.
[Main Mission Updated: Become Outer Disciple]
[Reward: Heavenly Thunder Scripture Fragment]
[Failure: Immediate Soul Extraction]
Ling'er vanished with a wink. "Find me when the chains tighten little thief."
As Chu Feng accepted the disciple's token the system finally answered his oldest question:
[Query: Why choose me?]
[Answer: You are the 12491st host. You are… adequate.]
Blood dripped from his nose black and smoking.
[Soul Integrity: 87%]
[Corrosion Rate: 06% per hour]
The real trial had just begun.