Li Wei stood in the vast, empty void, his mind racing. The voice that had spoken to him was gone, leaving only silence and the faint echo of its words.
"You are not alone, Li Wei. I will guide you."
The void was unlike anything he had ever experienced. There was no ground beneath his feet, no sky above, just an endless expanse of darkness. Yet, he felt a strange sense of calm, as if the void itself was alive and watching him.
As Li Wei explored the void, he noticed faint, glowing characters floating in the darkness. They were similar to the Divine Characters, but their energy felt different—older, more primal.
When he reached out to touch one of the characters, he felt a surge of energy, and a voice echoed in his mind.
"To understand the void, you must listen to its whispers."
Li Wei closed his eyes, focusing on the character's energy. As he did, he began to hear faint whispers, like distant voices speaking in a language he couldn't understand.
The whispers grew louder, and the void shifted. Li Wei found himself standing in a ancient temple, its walls covered in glowing characters. At the center of the temple was a massive stone tablet, similar to the Tablet of Ascension, but its energy was far more powerful.
A figure stood before the tablet, their back to Li Wei. They wore robes adorned with glowing characters, and their presence radiated an aura of immense power.
"The path to mastery is not easy," the figure said, their voice deep and resonant. "But those who listen to the void's whispers will find the answers they seek."
Before Li Wei could respond, the vision faded, and he was back in the void.
As Li Wei continued to explore, the void shifted again. This time, he found himself standing on a narrow path, surrounded by swirling darkness.
System Notification: Trial of the Void initiated. To pass, you must find the true path.
Li Wei took a deep breath and stepped forward. The path was unstable, and the darkness seemed to pull at him, trying to drag him into the abyss.
He focused on the whispers, letting them guide him. As he walked, the path began to shift, forming new patterns and directions.
The first challenge was a Shadow Beast, a massive creature made of swirling darkness. It roared, its eyes glowing with malice, and charged at Li Wei.
Li Wei focused on the First Character, Balance, channeling its energy into his brush. He struck the beast with a burst of golden light, but it barely flinched.
Realizing brute force wouldn't work, Li Wei changed tactics.
He used the character to create a shield, deflecting the beast's attacks. Then, he struck its weak point—a glowing symbol on its chest.
The beast roared in pain and dissolved into darkness.
The next challenge was a Maze of Illusions, a labyrinth filled with mirrors that reflected distorted versions of himself. Each mirror showed a different path, but only one led to the exit.
"To find the true path, you must see through the illusions," the whispers said.
Li Wei walked through the maze, studying the reflections.
He realized that the true path wasn't the most obvious—it was the one that showed his true self, flaws and all.
He chose the reflection, and the maze dissolved.
The final challenge was a Shadow Lord, similar to the one he had encountered in the Temple of Ascension.
But this one was far more powerful, its dark energy radiating with an intensity that made Li Wei's skin crawl.
"To prove your worth, you must defeat me," the Shadow Lord said, its voice cold and menacing.
Li Wei focused on the First Character, channeling its energy into a powerful strike. The Shadow Lord deflected the attack with ease, its dark energy growing stronger.
Realizing he couldn't win through force alone, Li Wei changed tactics.
He used the character to create a barrier, shielding himself from the Shadow Lord's attacks.
Just as Li Wei was about to be overwhelmed, the whispers grew louder, and the void shifted. He found himself standing before the massive stone tablet from his vision, its characters glowing with a calming light.
The figure from his vision stood before him, their presence radiating an aura of immense power.
"You have passed the trial," the figure said. "But the path ahead is fraught with danger. To ascend, you must embrace the void's whispers."
The tablet glowed, and Li Wei felt a surge of energy. The Characters around him began to shift, forming new patterns and meanings.
System Notification: Trial of the Void complete. New ability unlocked: Void's Whisper.
Li Wei's new ability allowed him to channel the void's energy, creating powerful effects that could manipulate reality itself.
As Li Wei absorbed the new ability, the void began to shift again. The figure from his vision stepped forward, their eyes glowing with a fierce light.
"The void is not your enemy, Li Wei," the figure said. "But there are those who would use its power for their own gain. Be careful who you trust."
Before Li Wei could respond, the void dissolved, and he found himself back in the garden.
But something was different. The garden was darker, and the characters on the tablet were beginning to twist and darken.
System Notification: Danger! Corruption detected.