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CG C48: Eye of Veiled Truth
🕑 Added 2024-07-19 19:42:25 +0000 UTCKai's eyes snapped open, his heart racing. Instead of the void he'd usually appear in after his "death," he found himself back in the common area of the trial quarters. He blinked, taking in the scene around him.
Zhi-Zhi was curled up in his shell, seemingly asleep. Liu Wei stood frozen beside Kai, eyes closed as if in a trance. Glancing around the room, Kai realized all the other participants were in similar states - motionless, eyes shut, suspended in time.
A wave of relief washed over Kai. So it really was just a trial, he thought, letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
Before he could attempt to wake up Liu Wei, movement caught his eye. Kai tensed, turning sharply - only to relax as he saw the Sect Master materializing in the room.
The Sect Master's eyes crinkled with a smile. "Congratulations, you two," he announced. "You both completed the Trial of Heart at exactly the same time - five minutes."
Kai's brow furrowed in confusion. You two? His gaze swept the room, landing on Shen Yu, who was regarding him with an unreadable expression.
Of course, Kai thought. Why was I even surprise? He likely already knew that it wasn't real and decided to play the hero, just like me.
A flicker of worry passed through Kai as he remembered the disappearance of his system during the trial. Subtly, he attempted to bring up his status screen. To his relief, it flickered into view.
Name: Kai Thorn
XP: 100/4000
Level: 8
Qi: 250/250
Strength: 60
Agility: 63
Durability: 67
Intelligence: 30
Wisdom: 29
Titles:
· Novice Instructor
Elemental Affinities:
- Lightning: 20%
Skills:
Qi Condensation (Level 4)
Basic Cultivation Technique (Level 3)
Unarmed Combat (Level 2)
Deception (Level 4)
Iron Skin (Level 3)
Swift Wind Step (Level 4)
Flame Palm Strike (Level 3)
Mental Fortitude (Passive)
Spirit Beast Communication (Level 1)
Qi Concealment (Level 1)
Qi Detection (Level 1)
Iron Rebound (Level 1)
Rock Hard (Level 1)
Lightning Step (Level 1)
The trial was likely created by the Sect Master or some immortal treasure, Kai mused. For it to hide the system from my senses... that's concerning. Clearly, the system isn't as overpowered in this world as in other novels. Immortals seem to have some degree of protection against it.
Putting on his best "confused newcomer" face, Kai looked at the Sect Master. "Excuse me, Sect Master, but... what exactly happened? It all felt so real."
"What you experienced was the Trial of Heart," the Sect Master explained. "We were testing your core values, your true nature when faced with difficult choices."
He gestured to Kai and Shen Yu. "You both chose to sacrifice yourselves for others, even those you had no particular attachment to. This shows that, at your core, you possess righteous values."
Yeah, right, Kai thought, suppressing a snort. If I'd known it was real, I would've been more than happy to watch Sun Jun get taken down a peg or two. No way I'd waste a respawn on that guy. And I bet Shen Yu feels the same.
But out loud, he simply said, "The illusion was incredibly lifelike. How did you create such a convincing scenario?"
The Sect Master's smile widened as he produced a small white crystal from his robes. At its center, Kai could see what looked like a miniature golden eye. "This," the Sect Master explained, "is one of our sect's treasures – the Eye of Veiled Truth. It's an immortal-level artifact capable of weaving incredibly realistic illusions."
From the corner of his eye, Kai noticed Shen Yu's eyes widen almost imperceptibly. Interesting, he mused. Looks like our resident mystery man recognizes that little bauble.
"It seems unusual to use such a powerful artifact for disciple selection," Kai ventured, probing for more information.
The Sect Master's expression grew serious. "Many sects have been betrayed by disciples they thought they could trust. This allows us to see beyond cultivators' masks and into their true hearts." He then shook his head. "Besides, in times of peace, the poor thing doesn't get much use otherwise."
As if on cue, Zhi-Zhi's head popped out of his shell, eyes wide with terror. "Great heavens!" the spirit tortoise cried out. "How am I still alive? I saw death itself!"
Kai placed a hand on Zhi-Zhi's shell. "It's okay," he said. "It was just the trial. None of it was real."
Zhi-Zhi shook his head vigorously. "But... but I saw them die!Even my mother's sacred life-preserving leaf didn't work! I...I felt my own essence fade away..."
Kai's eyebrows shot up in surprise. For Zhi-Zhi to "die" in the illusion, he must have exposed himself instead of just hiding…or the opponents he faced were capable of breaking through his shell.
Before he could respond, Liu Wei's eyes snapped open. The former bandit's hand flew to his throat as he gasped for air. "Master!" he cried out. "My family...died! They all died!"
Kai patted Liu Wei's shoulder. "It's alright," he said, fighting back a sigh. "It wasn't real."
"You four have completed the trial in remarkable time," the Sect Master cut in. "While the others continue their tests, you may return to your quarters to rest and reflect."
He paused, his gaze moving between them. "Tomorrow morning, we will announce the results for all participants. Those who have succeeded will be allocated their positions within the sect."
"Thank you, Sect Master," Kai gave a bow and then guided Liu Wei and Zhi-Zhi towards the door.
As they left, he noticed Shen Yu heading towards his own quarters, the youth's face once again an unreadable mask.
***
Kai settled Liu Wei and Zhi-Zhi in his room, taking a deep breath to center himself. Time to play counselor, he thought. Let's see what these two really went through.
"Alright," Kai said gently, "I know that was intense. But we're safe now, and it's over. Let's talk through what happened. It might help to share our experiences."
Zhi-Zhi, still trembling slightly, poked his head out of his shell. "You... you really want to know what I saw?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically small.
Kai nodded encouragingly. "Of course. Why don't you go first, Zhi-Zhi?"
The spirit tortoise took a shaky breath, then began to speak:
"It... it was terrifying! I found myself back at the Celestial Tortoise Palace. But it wasn't the peaceful paradise I remembered. It was under attack!"
Zhi-Zhi's eyes grew wide as he continued. "Demon beasts were everywhere, their dark qi corrupting the very air. And my family... they were fighting for their lives."
His voice quivered. "They called out to me, begging me to use my legendary wisdom to save them. But I... I didn't know what to do!"
Zhi-Zhi looked down, ashamed. "I wanted to run, to hide in my shell where it was safe. But I knew if I did, everyone would die. So I... I forced myself to stay."
He took a deep breath. "I'm not wise or powerful. Not really. But I realized I could still help. I used my shell to shield the younger tortoises. It wasn't much, but it was something."
Zhi-Zhi's eyes met Kai's. "In the end, there were too many demons. They... they broke through our defenses. I saw the others fall, one by one. And then... then they came for me."
His voice dropped to a whisper. "I felt my shell crack..."
Kai listened intently, surprised by Zhi-Zhi’s honesty, this was not a part of the tortoise he saw often.
"Zhi-Zhi," Kai said softly, "you…you did well."
Zhi-Zhi sniffled, then puffed up slightly. "Well, of course! The great Zhi-Zhi always rises to the occasion... even if it's scary."
Kai turned to Liu Wei, who had been listening silently, his face pale. "What about you, Liu Wei? What did you experience?"
Liu Wei swallowed hard, then began to speak:
"Master, it... it was like reliving my worst nightmare. But this time, it was different."
He took a shaky breath. "I was back in my village, with my family. We were poor, struggling to survive. Then the bandits came."
Liu Wei's hands clenched into fists. "Their leader, he... he gave me the same choice as all those years ago. Join them, become a bandit, and my family would be spared. Refuse, and we'd all die."
His voice cracked. "I saw my little sister, Liu Ling. She's only eight, always smiling despite how hard things were after my father passed away. And my mother, she always worked day and night to keep us fed."
Liu Wei looked up at Kai, his eyes full of pain. "In the real past, I... I joined them. To save my family. But this time, in the trial, I refused."
Kai's eyes widened in surprise. He chose to die? Even thinking it was real?
Liu Wei continued, his voice barely a whisper. "They... they killed my mother first. She told me she was proud of me, even as she died."
Tears streamed down Liu Wei's face. "Then they turned to Liu Ling. She was so brave, Master. She didn't cry. She just hugged me and said it would be okay."
He shuddered. "When it was my turn, I felt... at peace. I'd chosen to die rather than become a monster. The bandit leader, he looked... confused. Angry. He asked me one last time if I'd join them."
Liu Wei's voice grew stronger. "I spat in his face. Told him I'd rather die a thousand deaths than become like him. That's when... that's when he cut me down."
"Liu Wei," Kai said, "what you did... that took incredible courage. You faced your greatest fear and made an unimaginably difficult choice. You’re exactly what this sect needs."
And exactly what I need in a follower. Someone who'll put principles above self-preservation could be incredibly useful... if those principles align with my goals.
"It’s thanks to your guidance, Master,” Liu Wei nodded.
Kai smiled, but inwardly he felt a twinge of... something. Guilt?
"We've all grown stronger together," he said. "Now, let's have some rest. We’ll find out how we did tomorrow.”
***
Kai lay on his bed that night, staring at the ceiling as his thoughts turned to tomorrow.
Okay, let's break this down. Quest objective: Become the Sect Master's disciple. What are the win conditions?
He began to mentally list the factors that might influence the decision:
- Performance in the trials. Check. I aced those.
- Potential for growth. With my system? Definitely check.
- Character and values. Well, I faked that pretty well in the last trial.
- Unique abilities or backgrounds. Isekai protagonist so I think I got that covered.
But then there's Shen Yu, Kai mused. He beat me in the trials. And there's definitely more to him than meets the eye. He could be serious competition.
Kai's thoughts drifted to Shen Yu's warning about the Sect Master. Should I play it safe and aim for another elder as a master? He pondered for a moment, then shook his head. No, the benefits of being the Sect Master's disciple are too good to pass up. Besides, Shen Yu's motives are unclear. He's already proven he doesn't care if I live or die.
His eyes fell on the trident mark on his wrist. Worst case scenario, I always have my trump card. If things go south, I can respawn.
Kai's thoughts then turned to the small crystal the Sect Master had shown them. That artifact... it could see through my system, or at least interfere with it. I need to be careful. If they find out I'm from another world...
He shook his head, refocusing. No use worrying about what-ifs. I've done what I can. Now it's time to see if it pays off.
With that thought, Kai closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep. Tomorrow, he would find out if he did enough to catch the Sect Master’s eye.
