The air was thick with tension in the training grounds of the Azure Cloud Sect.
Lian Ren's heart pounded—not from exertion, but from the stares of the other disciples.
His pale, slender frame was no match for the robust youths surrounding him. Whispers floated through the air like daggers. "Useless... no talent... freak."
The training was brutal, designed to weed out the weak. Qi manipulation, martial forms, and endurance—all were measured and compared.
Lian Ren struggled to focus, his Qi faint and uneven compared to his peers, a constant reminder of his lowly birth.
A group of older disciples, led by a burly, sneering youth named Han Jun, circled him. They pushed him down, mocking his weak Qi and clumsy movements.
Their fists landed hard, but Lian Ren never struck back.
Instead, his eyes caught sight of a small child, the sect leader's nephew, trapped near the edge of the training grounds, about to be crushed by a falling training dummy knocked loose by the scuffle.
Without hesitation, Lian Ren shoved Han Jun aside and dove forward, catching the dummy mere inches before it could hit the child.
"Get lost, freak!" Han Jun spat, furious at being interrupted. But Lian Ren ignored him.
The child looked up at Lian Ren with wide, grateful eyes. For the first time in this place, Lian Ren felt a spark of warmth—something he hadn't felt since before the fall.
As he stood, a sudden shift stirred within him.
His heart thumped wildly, and a blinding light flared behind his eyes. Visions flashed—fragments of divine battles, betrayal, and power long lost.
A voice echoed in his mind, deep and ancient:
"Your compassion breaks the chains, Lian Ren. Embrace the path of balance. Only then will the heavens listen."
A new message appeared before his eyes, shimmering in ethereal script:
[Soul Fragment Acquired: Echo of Divinity]
[New Skill Unlocked: Heaven's Breath Palm (Locked - Usage costs lifespan)
Lian Ren staggered, breath heavy. His body felt light, but his soul heavy with newfound burden.
This was no ordinary cultivation breakthrough. It was a call back to the divine, a reminder of the god he once was—and the path he must now walk.
Lian Ren's sudden glow drew gasps from the gathered disciples. Han Jun's sneer faltered, replaced by suspicion and fear.
"What trickery is this?" he growled, stepping back.
But Lian Ren didn't answer.
His mind raced, sorting the fragments of memory, the divine voice, and the heavy price whispered alongside the gift:
Heaven's Breath Palm—a technique so powerful it demanded years of lifespan with every use.
The training ground fell silent.
The sect elders, drawn by the commotion, arrived swiftly.
Their eyes narrowed, wary of Lian Ren's sudden aura.
Cultivation was a dangerous game, but to harness a godly technique was unheard of in mortals.
An elder spoke gravely, "Lian Ren, this power—do you understand its cost?"
"I... I do," Lian Ren replied, voice steady despite the turmoil within. "I will use it only when the moment calls."
Whispers spread like wildfire. Some envied him; others feared the change.
But the true trial had just begun. The karmic system embedded within Lian Ren stirred, sensing his choice to show mercy instead of violence.
A glowing bar appeared before him:
Karma Shift: +5 Compassion
Karmic Resonance: 1/100
Hidden Quest: Mend the Will of the Heavens – Progress 0.01%
His cultivation path was no longer just Qi and strength—it was intent, choice, and balance.
The heavens had set the rules.
Lian Ren would have to walk this tightrope, wielding divine power while resisting the cruel temptations of wrath.
As the sun set over the sect, Lian Ren stood alone, feeling the weight of a god's promise pressing down—and the fragile hope of redemption shining faintly within.
The following days felt heavy, as if the very air around Lian Ren thickened with unseen eyes. The sect buzzed with rumors, and even the youngest disciples kept their distance, casting furtive glances his way.
Training resumed, but Han Jun's hostility hadn't waned. He sneered openly during drills, throwing harsh words and subtle jabs meant to provoke.
Yet each time, Lian Ren held his tongue, recalling the divine warning: "Rise without cruelty."
One afternoon, during a sparring session, Han Jun's blade aimed straight for Lian Ren's head.
The strike was swift, brutal—a chance to humiliate and break him.
But just before the blade struck, time seemed to slow. Lian Ren's senses sharpened, every sound and motion magnified.
Echo of Wisdom activated.
In that heartbeat, Lian Ren sidestepped gracefully and swept Han Jun's legs out from under him. Silence blanketed the courtyard as Han Jun hit the ground hard.
"Are you alright?" Lian Ren asked quietly, offering a hand.
Han Jun stared, caught off guard by the compassion, before scowling and refusing the help.
"Don't think this changes anything," Han Jun spat, grinding his teeth.
But the shift was already underway. The elders watched closely, impressed by Lian Ren's control and restraint.
Later that night, as moonlight bathed the training hall, Lian Ren meditated deeply. The Divine Echo Interface flickered:
Karmic Resonance increased by +2. Current: 3/100.
Soul Fragment unlocked: Vision of the Forgotten Realm.
Images flooded his mind: swirling cosmic battles, ancient temples bathed in starlight, and faces he couldn't place but somehow knew.
A voice whispered softly, "You walk the path of balance, Lian Ren. But beware—there are those who will seek to bend your will."
His heart pounded. The trial was just beginning.
But within the shadows of his soul, the embers of a forgotten god began to glow brighter.
The next morning, whispers of the previous day's incident spread like wildfire. Lian Ren found himself the subject of both admiration and quiet suspicion.
The sect elders, however, called him to a secluded courtyard, their expressions grave.
"Lian Ren," Elder Zhou began, "you possess a rare strength—not just in body but in spirit.
To withhold your power when provoked is a lesson many never learn."
"But," Elder Zhou's eyes narrowed, "this path you walk is perilous. The Karma you cultivate is fragile, and the world around you will test your resolve endlessly."
Lian Ren nodded solemnly, feeling the weight of the elders' words.
The Divine Echo Interface pulsed faintly at the edge of his vision, a reminder of the unseen forces at play.
Later, during the midday meal, a commotion erupted near the training grounds.
A small child had wandered too close to the edge of a cliff, slipping and losing footing. Panic rippled through the crowd.
Without hesitation, Lian Ren sprinted toward the danger, heart pounding. Reaching out, he caught the child just as the earth crumbled beneath their feet.
The gathered disciples gasped. Even Han Jun's sneer faltered, replaced by a grudging respect.
That evening, as Lian Ren sat beneath the ancient pine tree, the Divine Echo Interface glowed brightly.
Karmic Resonance increased by +5. Current: 8/100.
Soul Fragment activated: Memory of the Divine War.
New Technique Unlocked: Heaven's Breath Palm (Locked – Costs lifespan to use).
A chilling whisper filled the air: "Choose your path wisely, for power bears a price."
Lian Ren clenched his fists, feeling the weight of his rebirth and the daunting road ahead. The Karmic Trial had truly begun.
The loud jeers and taunts echoed through the training grounds like thunderclouds gathering before a storm.
Lian Ren's chest tightened as the group of cultivators surrounded him, fists clenched and faces twisted with cruel amusement.
Their leader, a burly youth named Han Tao, sneered, "Hey, weakling! Can't even land a single punch! Maybe you should just quit and save us all the trouble."
Lian Ren kept his gaze steady but said nothing. His fists twitched, muscles aching to respond—but the weight of the curse anchored his fury.
"To reclaim your throne, you must rise without cruelty." Those words burned in his mind like a brand, a warning from the heavens.
The crowd closed in. One of Han Tao's companions shoved him roughly. "Show us your 'divine power,' then! Or are you just some pathetic mortal?"
A spark flickered inside Lian Ren's soul, a familiar but distant flame of power begging to break free.
But with it came memories—visions of the divine realm, of the betrayals, the cataclysmic battles, and the curse that shackled his wrath.
No. Not yet.
Suddenly, a frightened cry pierced the air.
From the edge of the crowd, a small child, barely ten years old, stumbled into the path of a charging beast released for training—an aggressive, snarling beast, its eyes wild and sharp claws aimed to maim.
Time slowed.
Without hesitation, Lian Ren surged forward, every muscle and nerve alert.
His body moved with the grace of a seasoned cultivator, though his Qi was weak. His hands formed a fleeting palm strike before the beast could tear into the child.
The strike was swift but not forceful—more a breath than a blow.
Yet, as his palm brushed the beast's flank, a shockwave pulsed outward, slowing the creature's advance. The beast snarled, confused, before retreating.
The crowd fell silent.
In that moment, a ripple passed through Lian Ren's soul—the Karma shifted.
Vision flashed—fragments of his former godly self flooded his mind: battles fought with thunderous power, celestial light shimmering in endless skies, voices whispering of betrayal and redemption.
His body trembled as a new power awakened within him.
"Heaven's Breath Palm: Locked."
A cold voice echoed inside his mind.
"Use at the cost of your lifespan. Choose wisely."
The weight of the choice pressed down on Lian Ren. Each breath he took now carried the burden of time itself.
From the sidelines, a few students whispered in awe, while Han Tao's expression darkened, mingling anger with fear.
"You… how did you do that?" Han Tao demanded, his voice trembling.
Lian Ren said nothing. He could feel the eyes of everyone on him, some filled with admiration, others with envy and suspicion.
The rest of the day passed in a blur, but inside Lian Ren, the war between restraint and power raged fiercer than ever.
That night, as he lay beneath the sparse roof of his humble home, the vision returned. A fragment of his godly soul whispered ancient words:
"Mercy is your cage, but cruelty is your chains.
Walk the path of the karma, Lian Ren. Only through balance can you ascend."
His fingers curled into fists, knuckles white.
The Karmic Trial had begun.