The doors shut behind him with a whisper—too soft for their weight, too quiet for what they sealed off.
Chen stood alone.
The chamber stretched out infinitely—black marble beneath his feet, velvet shadows above. Mirrors floated in the air, suspended by nothing, each one reflecting a different version of him: triumphant, broken, cruel, innocent… and something else. Something godlike.
Then the voice came.
Smooth as silk, layered with hunger and command.
"Welcome, God of Yang. Welcome to the theater of yourself."
Twelve veils of mist descended, swirling into humanoid shapes. One by one, they stepped forward. Each was masked. Each radiated overwhelming beauty. And each was part of the Matriarch's plan.
[System Alert: Trial Initiated][Objective: Endure the Masks. Discover the Truth. Resist or Embrace.][Warning: Some illusions may not be illusions at all.]
The Mask of Longing
The first stepped forward—tall, robed in moonlight, wearing a delicate porcelain mask etched with tears.
She looked like Ye Yue. Sounded like her too.
"Did you really think our bond could survive the heat of lust?" she asked. "Or did you simply use me… like they all have?"
Chen's breath hitched. Her hands found his face, soft, trembling. She kissed him, and it felt real—memories of their first union flashing behind his eyes.
[Lust Resistance Check: 72% passed.]
He stepped back, eyes hardening. "She's stronger than that. So am I."
The mask cracked.
The Mask of Power
The second came with crimson eyes and hair like wildfire.
She was Lanmei—and more. She wielded a blade, dressed in warrior silks, a goddess of conquest.
"Why play the lover," she asked, circling him, "when you could rule them all? Take me, and I'll help you burn every court to ash. Make them kneel."
She pressed her body against his, panting with battle-lust. Her sword dropped to the floor. "Make me yours. Conquer me."
[Willpower Check: 81% passed.]
Chen kissed her cheek… then whispered, "You'd never give in that easily. You'd dare me to fight harder."
The illusion faltered—shattering in a burst of sparks.
The Mask of Innocence
The third was small, soft, and weeping.
She looked like Mei—the girl he left behind. Except now she was naked, vulnerable, lying on silk sheets, whispering:
"You broke my heart when you left me… Will you break me again? Or stay?"
She reached out, drawing his hand to her chest.
[Emotional Stability Check: 67%... failed.]
Chen hesitated.
A single tear slid down his cheek. He knelt, cupped her cheek, and whispered:
"I will never leave you again."
She smiled—and dissolved into mist.
[Mask Passed: At Cost.]
[Consequence: Emotional Vulnerability +10%]
The Mask of Truth
The final mask stepped forward. No form. No identity. Just a mirror.
And within it—Chen saw himself.
Naked. Tired. Afraid. Angry. Glorious.
"You want to become a god of lust," it said in his voice, "but you don't even know what that means. How much will you give? How many will you break before you break yourself?"
Silence.
Chen stepped forward, stared himself down, and answered:
"All of it. If it means becoming worthy of their love. I'll give everything—except the core of who I am."
The mirror shattered.
The Matriarch Watches
Far above, hidden behind a thousand veils, the Matriarch of Dusk leaned forward in her throne.
Her fingers tapped the armrest. Her lips curled.
"He passed… most."
A hooded figure beside her whispered, "He saw through them all."
"No," she said. "He felt through them. Even better."
She stood.
"Send in the real test."
[Trial Update: FINAL STAGE UNLOCKED][A Mask Without Form – The Matriarch's Avatar Arrives]