The days blurred together as Lin Feng continued his training. Each morning, he would wake early, pushing himself harder with every sword stroke, every technique he practiced. His mind was consumed by the desire to improve, to control the power within him that threatened to rise beyond his reach. The memories of the Trial of the Heart still lingered, but they no longer haunted him. He had learned to live with the darkness, not as an enemy, but as a part of his very being.
Yet despite the progress he made, something felt off. The nagging feeling in his chest had not gone away. The Divine Path System, the mysterious force that had brought him to this world, continued to hum within him. Lin Feng could feel its presence even in the quietest moments, always pushing him to grow, to learn, but also to question everything around him. Every step he took, every advancement he made in his cultivation, seemed to bring him closer to something. But what? And why?
It was during one of his evening training sessions that he felt it—the sharp, almost imperceptible sensation of someone watching him.
Lin Feng froze mid-strike, his sword held out before him as the familiar, unsettling chill washed over him. The courtyard was empty. The disciples who usually trained here at this hour had long since left. But Lin Feng's instincts were sharp, and he knew something was wrong. There was an energy in the air, thick and oppressive, as though the very space around him had shifted.
His eyes darted across the courtyard, searching for any sign of movement, but there was nothing. Just the usual tranquil setting—trees swaying gently in the breeze, the soft rustle of leaves, the distant hum of water from the nearby stream. But that feeling of being watched refused to leave him.
It's not just me, Lin Feng realized. His connection to the Divine Path was growing stronger, more attuned. The system seemed to be reacting to something. But what?
He tightened his grip on his sword, stepping cautiously toward the edge of the courtyard. His pulse quickened as he felt the sensation grow stronger. Someone—or something—was close.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows at the far end of the courtyard. Lin Feng tensed, his sword instinctively raised. The figure was tall, cloaked in a dark robe, their face hidden beneath a hood. They stood motionless, watching him, as if waiting for him to make the first move.
Lin Feng's heart raced, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. This wasn't a random encounter. This was something more.
"Who are you?" Lin Feng demanded, his voice steady despite the growing unease in his chest. "Show yourself."
The figure said nothing. Instead, they stepped forward, their movements fluid and silent, like a shadow moving across the ground. As they neared, Lin Feng's senses sharpened. There was an air of danger around this person—something dark, something powerful.
"I've been waiting for you, Lin Feng," a voice, cold and smooth, echoed from beneath the hood. It was unfamiliar, yet somehow it felt… like it had always been there, lurking just beneath the surface of his thoughts.
Lin Feng's grip tightened on his sword. "What do you want?"
The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, they stopped just a few feet away from him, tilting their head slightly. "I've been watching your progress, seeing how far you've come. The Divine Path System… you're not the only one it has chosen, you know."
Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
The figure chuckled, a soft, eerie sound. "The system is not a gift, Lin Feng. It is a curse. A tool for the ones who seek power beyond their control. You've been led here, just like the others. But unlike them, you still have a chance to escape."
"Escape?" Lin Feng echoed, his mind racing. The Divine Path System was his only link to understanding this world, to cultivating power. The idea of abandoning it seemed impossible. "You want me to give it up?"
The figure's gaze pierced him, even though their face remained hidden. "The system isn't just about power, Lin Feng. It's about control. Whoever controls the system controls the world. And that is something you cannot allow to happen."
Lin Feng felt a cold shiver run down his spine. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"
The figure finally moved, pulling back their hood to reveal a face Lin Feng had never seen before—yet one that seemed strangely familiar. The man was older than Lin Feng, with pale skin and eyes that glowed faintly with an unnatural light. His expression was inscrutable, but there was something cold about it, like a predator studying its prey.
"I am a messenger," the man said, his voice low and unsettling. "A servant of the true masters of the Divine Path. You are not the first to be chosen, and you will not be the last. But unlike the others, you have a choice."
Lin Feng felt a surge of unease. "The others? What others?"
The man's lips curled into a faint smile. "You think you are the only one being tested? There are others who have walked the same path you are now treading. Some have failed. Others… have succeeded. But none of them truly understood what they were becoming."
Lin Feng took a step back, his mind racing. The implications of the man's words were starting to sink in. This wasn't just about him anymore. There were others like him—others who had been chosen by the Divine Path System, others who were walking the same dangerous road. But what had happened to them? Why was he being singled out now?
The man's eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and something darker. "You will face your own trial, Lin Feng. A trial far more dangerous than any you've encountered. But you are not alone in this. The system has chosen you for a reason. And whether you accept it or not, you will play your part in what is to come."
"What do you want me to do?" Lin Feng demanded, the uncertainty in his chest growing.
The figure's expression hardened. "What I want is irrelevant. What matters is what the Divine Path demands of you. You are a piece in a much larger game, Lin Feng. And whether you like it or not, the game is already in motion."
Lin Feng felt the weight of those words sink into his bones. He was just a piece—a tool, a pawn in a game far beyond his understanding. His path, the path he had fought so hard to control, was not his own. The Divine Path was manipulating him, guiding him toward an end he couldn't yet see.
"Remember this," the man said, his voice a whisper in the wind. "You have been chosen, but you are not in control. Not yet."
And with that, the figure vanished, slipping back into the shadows from where they had come.
Lin Feng stood frozen for a long time, the stillness of the courtyard pressing down on him like a heavy weight. The sense of being watched never left him, but the figure was gone, leaving only the lingering echo of their words.
You have been chosen, but you are not in control.
The words echoed in Lin Feng's mind, and he realized with a sinking feeling that the true trial had only just begun.