ermilion Pagoda had not just changed Lin Feng—it had shattered the fragile illusion that his system was a mere artifact of fortune. The truth was far more dangerous.
He hadn't stumbled into power.
He had inherited a burden.
Still, power was necessary. No truth, no matter how cosmic, would matter if he couldn't defend himself in the here and now. If he was to walk the path toward the Cradle of Stars, he needed strength—much, much more of it.
And Mistwind Sect, in its rigid hierarchy and crumbling traditions, had only one way for an outer disciple to claw their way upward:
The Crimson Flame Trial.
Two Days Later – Outer Sect Grounds
Word had spread like wildfire. Lin Feng, the crippled boy who had somehow risen to Qi Condensation Stage 6 in a single month, had registered for the sect's most infamous internal trial.
A gauntlet through flame and spirit beasts. A death sentence for most outer disciples.
Only three had ever survived it.
Now, a fourth had dared to try.
"He's gone mad."
"Or he's just arrogant."
"I heard he defeated Inner Disciple Wei Chen with a single move!"
"Nonsense. He bribed someone, clearly. That kind of progress is impossible."
Lin Feng ignored them all as he approached the trial grounds. He wore plain robes, unadorned. His spirit was calm, his eyes sharp. He walked like a man entering the storm, not fearing it, but embracing it.
The Crimson Flame Trial gate loomed ahead—an arched construct of volcanic stone, etched with flame runes. At its base stood two elders in red robes. They gave him a once-over.
"You may still withdraw," one said, voice thin. "This is not a test. It is a crucible."
Lin Feng bowed. "I understand. I am ready."
The elder's gaze lingered, then he nodded. He pressed a glowing talisman against the gate. The runes flared.
With a thunderous rumble, the gate opened.
Lin Feng stepped through.
The Trial Grounds – The First Circle
The world changed immediately. The air turned thick and oppressive. The heat was stifling. A wide canyon of cracked, scorched earth stretched before him, its edges glowing with magma rivers. The sky overhead was dark, smoke-choked. Distant roars echoed off the canyon walls.
[System Notification: Crimson Flame Trial – Tiered Challenge Accepted]
Trial Format: Solo
First Circle Objective: Survive 10 Infernal Beasts
Timer: 30 Minutes
Failure Condition: Death or Forfeit
Bonus Quest Activated: Slay all Infernal Beasts within 10 Minutes for Reward.
The moment the system finished speaking, the ground trembled.
The beasts emerged.
Ten of them, hulking and grotesque—Infernal Flamehounds, their bodies composed of molten stone and living flame. Their eyes glowed like ember cores. They fanned out in a semicircle, blocking all exits.
Lin Feng's heart pounded.
Not from fear—but anticipation.
[Active Skill: Astral Pulse – Ready]
[Passive: Elemental Resistance (Tier I) – Active]
[Bonus Modifier: Fire Affinity Suppression – Enabled within Trial Zone]
He exhaled slowly, drew a breath, and then—
Moved.
His figure blurred, dashing to the left as one Flamehound lunged. He ducked beneath its jaws, palm glowing with golden light.
[Skill: Comet Palm – Activated]
BOOM!
The blow connected with the beast's flank, sending it skidding across the scorched stone. The others roared in fury.
They attacked as one.
Claws, fire, and fangs.
Lin Feng flowed between them like wind through grass. He countered each strike with precision, ducking, weaving, striking back only when necessary.
He wasn't just fighting. He was studying.
Weakness: Flame Core near sternum. Low structural density around rear leg joints.
The system's battle-assist module overlaid glowing indicators on the beasts' forms.
In less than a minute, he had analyzed their patterns.
Now he began the real fight.
Eight Minutes Later
Lin Feng stood amidst a ring of scorched, unmoving corpses. His robes were torn, his arm burned from a glancing strike, but he stood tall.
[Bonus Objective Complete.]
[Reward: Infernal Essence (x3), Fire Resistance Upgrade (Tier II), Skill Unlock Token (Unassigned)]
He barely had time to catch his breath before the next challenge appeared.
Second Circle: Trial of Endurance – Lava Labyrinth.
Objective: Escape the Labyrinth within 15 Minutes.
Hazards: Lava Geysers, Fire Spirits, Shifting Walls.
A new path opened—a twisting tunnel of obsidian rock, glowing with heat.
Lin Feng took a breath.
Then entered.
Second Circle – The Lava Labyrinth
This was no mere endurance test.
The maze changed as he moved—walls shifted, floors cracked to reveal boiling pits. Lava geysers erupted without warning, forcing him to leap and roll.
And the fire spirits...
They weren't strong individually—floating wisps of flame with malicious intent—but they were relentless. Dozens swarmed him at every turn.
He summoned his spiritual energy, crafting a defensive shell of qi to protect himself.
[Skill Learned: Flame Suppression Field – Tier I]
"Good," he muttered through gritted teeth, pushing forward.
Every step was a test.
But Lin Feng's mind was sharper than his body.
He began to trace patterns. Mark where the geysers exploded. Feel the vibrations of the shifting walls.
Five minutes in, he had a mental map.
Twelve minutes in, he reached the heart.
Final Gate Locked – Fire Key Required.
He looked around. There—embedded in a column of flame, suspended by three hovering spirits.
Lin Feng didn't hesitate.
He burst forward, fists glowing with qi, and leapt into the fire.
Final Circle – The Flameheart Guardian
He emerged into a dome of black stone. At its center stood a massive armored figure—twice the height of a man, wreathed in flame, eyes burning with crimson light.
[Boss Encounter: Flameheart Guardian – Core Spirit of the Crimson Flame Trial.]
"Another outer disciple," the guardian spoke, voice like crackling coals. "You will die screaming."
Lin Feng raised his fists.
"I've heard worse threats."
[System Sync Complete – Initiating Battle Assist Protocol.]
The battle began.
The guardian moved with surprising speed, hammer-like fists crashing down in waves of heat. Lin Feng danced between them, counterstriking only when an opening appeared.
Each blow he landed drained his energy faster than any previous battle. The guardian's armor was layered with flame-reinforced qi. His normal strikes were nearly useless.
But the system adapted.
[New Skill Suggested: Spirit-Sundering Strike – Construct from Comet Palm + Astral Pulse]
[Would you like to synthesize? Y/N]
"Do it!"
The two skills fused in a blinding flash.
[Spirit-Sundering Strike (Tier II) – Acquired]
Lin Feng's fist shone with pure astral gold as he charged.
The guardian roared and met him head-on.
BOOOOOM—
The entire chamber trembled.
When the smoke cleared, Lin Feng stood panting, his fist embedded in the guardian's chest, its core shattered. Flames sputtered and died.
The guardian collapsed.
[Trial Complete.]
[Crimson Flame Trial Cleared – Ranking: S-Tier]
Rewards Granted:
– Title: Flame-Endurer
– Spirit Artifact: Emberforged Gauntlets
– Cultivation Resource Pack (High-Grade)
– Access Unlocked: Inner Sect Candidate Trials
Lin Feng walked out of the trial gates bloodied, burned, and victorious.
Gasps filled the air.
Even the elders who had doubted him now looked on with unreadable expressions.
He met their eyes with quiet defiance.
"I'm ready," he said. "Bring on the next trial."