Seven days pass since the request to visit the forest. Today, Lu Yan is finally asked to prepare himself for the small tour. In the meantime, the Shadow Feet team has checked the surroundings of the forest. They return with a positive report, confirming that the area is safe. With the clearance, Lu Yan can now enter the forest without concern.

  As expected, his fourth uncle arrives to accompany him. Today, Lu Yan brings Lu Qui along for the tour. Only three people are allowed in this journey, making the expedition exclusive and cautious.

  The forest stretches endlessly before them, dense and tightly packed with countless types of trees. Its depth is unknown, even to the villagers who live at its edges. Not a single villager has ever crossed it in the village’s history. The forest is a mystery …. a place that harbors secrets untouched by human curiosity.

  Lu Yan walks just behind his fourth uncle, with Lu Qui on his other side. As always, he keeps his senses alert, ready to detect anything unusual. He quietly activates his unique skill to search for heavenly materials, scanning the environment with a subtle intuition only he possesses. Today, luck is on his side.

  Within a short while, he discovers four Black-level alchemy materials and two Qi Condensation-level materials. These rare flowers and fruits, highly valued in the market, are unknown to the villagers due to their lack of knowledge in alchemy. Lu Yan, however, recognizes them instantly. A faint smile plays on his lips….. his skill never fails him. He continues the journey, moving deeper into the forest.

  Hours pass, and the forest becomes increasingly shadowed. They travel for four hours, covering dozens of miles, and the silence grows heavier around them. Suddenly, Lu Yan spots a faint opening…. a cave concealed almost entirely by darkness. Even his fourth uncle does not notice it.

  He gestures subtly to Lu Qui and whispers, “Look, a cave.”

  Lu Qui nods, and together they request their fourth uncle to investigate. His face tightens with concern. “This place… it doesn’t feel right,” he mutters, agitated by the potential dangers.

  The three move cautiously. Curiously, the usual forest sounds are absent. No insects buzz, no birds call. Even the rustle of small animals is missing. The unnatural silence unnerves them.

  As they approach, Lu Yan notices an ancient formation surrounding the cave entrance. Its symbols are arranged in a way unfamiliar to him, a combination of patterns and characters that hum with an unknown energy. His fourth uncle steps forward, but the formation immediately responds. A tremendous pressure presses down on him, forcing him to halt. His face pales, sweat beading at his forehead.

  Lu Yan takes a careful step closer. The moment he nears the opening, he feels a suction…… powerful, instantaneous. Before he can react, he is pulled in. With a sharp jolt, he disappears from the forest.

  A severe headache explodes in his mind. When he opens his eyes, he finds himself floating in an empty space, suspended as if on a cloud. The forest is gone. The headache eases gradually, and then a voice rings in his head…..clear, calm, and authoritative.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Welcome to Trial No. 132756. Please identify the objects placed in front of you. You have twenty minutes to recognize them and document their names on the paper. Your time starts now.”

  Lu Yan scans the table before him. Surprisingly, he recognizes almost every object. The items include alchemy tools, formation components, talisman refining materials, artifact fragments, and items used in academic sessions. Though some are unfamiliar, most are known to him through previous experience.

  With focused determination, he begins to write. Seventeen out of twenty objects are correctly identified and recorded.

  “Congratulations. You have passed the first floor,” the voice intones.

  The surroundings shift immediately. The empty space dissolves into a well-lit room with a cauldron set on a stone pedestal. Beside it lie several heavenly materials…

  . flowers, fruits, and other rare substances. A paper with a prescription rests nearby. The voice speaks again.

  “Please make a pill for qualification.”

  Lu Yan examines the prescription carefully. The pill is a Foundation-level, middle-grade creation. He has never made one before, but he does not hesitate. With steady hands, he begins the preparation.

  He first turns the materials into liquids, carefully following the instructions. Then, he blends them according to the prescription, monitoring the reactions within the cauldron. Time passes. His concentration begins to waver after thirty minutes, but he persists, pushing his focus beyond normal limits.

  Finally, a single pill forms. Its aura is weak, an inferior-grade Foundation-level pill—but it is a success. Lu Yan breathes a quiet sigh of relief.

  “Congratulations. You have passed the second floor. Welcome to the third floor. Please conclude the chessboard,” the voice announces.

  The room changes again. A large chessboard appears in front of him, each square meticulously carved from jade and stone. Opposite him, a puppet sits upright, its expression neutral but oddly lifelike. Lu Yan examines the chess pieces with curiosity. Their design is unfamiliar—this is no ordinary chessboard.

  A mix of amusement and intrigue rises within him. His mind races, analyzing the possible strategies, testing his intuition, and considering the challenge ahead. The trial seems to escalate with each floor, designed to test not only knowledge and skill but perception, creativity, and composure.

  Lu Yan studies the pieces, noting their unusual forms. Some seem to represent elements of formations, others nod to mystical symbols he has encountered in his studies. Each move on this board could have multiple consequences, and the opponent, though a mere puppet, radiates an energy that is difficult to read.

  He positions his pieces carefully, considering not just the immediate threat but the broader pattern. His hands move with precision, eyes sharp, mind focused. This trial, like the previous ones, is more than a test…. it is an insight into a world of mysteries he has only begun to explore.

  The silence of the room presses upon him. Each movement of a piece echoes in the space, and Lu Yan senses that every decision carries weight beyond the board. He recalls his past experiences, the rare materials he has identified, the pill he has made, and the lessons learned in both observation and action. Everything contributes to his understanding of the trial.

  As he continues, he realizes that this third floor, like the first two, is designed to push him further. Knowledge alone will not suffice; creativity, perception, and the ability to adapt under pressure are equally necessary.

  Lu Yan leans slightly forward, eyes narrowing, as he contemplates the next move. The puppet watches silently, its gaze unsettlingly attentive. A faint pulse of energy seems to flow from the chessboard itself, testing his resolve, probing his skills, and guiding him toward a deeper understanding.

  The challenge has only just begun.