The trial arena was carved into the mountain's spine—a massive coliseum of pale stone, surrounded by floating spectator platforms, cascading banners, and the weight of a thousand watching eyes.
Su Chen stood alone in the center, his black robe fluttering against the crisp mountain wind. Across from him, Ji Minghao smirked, arrogance etched into his expression like a birthmark.
"Still time to kneel," Ji said, unsheathing a gleaming crimson-inscribed blade. "Elder Mo said I could break three bones instead of five if you beg."
Su Chen didn't answer.
The arena's barrier pulsed to life—golden light sealing them in with a soft hum.
> [System Notice: Reset Checkpoint Established – Trial: 1 of 3]
Death will trigger Reset if System Energy is above threshold.
Current Status: STABLE.
Su Chen cracked his knuckles.
"Let's get on with it."
Ji Minghao blurred forward, sword flashing like lightning. His movements were sharp—refined, practiced, unmistakably trained by Elder Mo himself.
Su Chen twisted aside, catching the force with his palm. Impact vibrated up his arms. Ji's blade style was vicious and precise, each strike full of lethal intent.
Sparks flew as they clashed. Su Chen deflected one, two, five strikes—then took a shallow cut along his shoulder.
Ji grinned. "Not bad. But you're just delaying the inevitable."
"You talk too much," Su Chen said, stepping into a low sweeping kick.
Ji backflipped smoothly. "You fight like a beast—wild, instinctive. Not refined."
Su Chen smiled, but there was nothing friendly in it.
"You haven't seen wild yet."
The tide shifted on the thirtieth exchange.
Su Chen stopped blocking.
Ji's eyes narrowed. "Arrogant fool."
He lunged—a lethal thrust aimed directly at Su Chen's heart.
The blade pierced through.
The crowd gasped in unison.
Blood spilled from Su Chen's lips, but he didn't fall.
He met Ji's stunned eyes and whispered one word.
"Reset."
> [System Activated: Reset to Checkpoint]
Returning to Arena – Start of Trial 1.
Retained Data: Sword trajectory, style patterns, Qi fluctuation.
Light shimmered across Su Chen's form—and time reversed.
One moment, he was bleeding out.
The next—he stood unharmed, back at the arena's starting point.
Ji blinked. "What…?"
Too late.
Su Chen shot forward, catching the incoming sword with two fingers.
Ji's eyes widened. "How—?"
"You already showed me your moves."
With a twist, Su Chen shattered Ji's grip and launched a palm strike that sent him flying like a broken kite.
The lower platforms erupted in cheers.
Up above, Elder Mo sat frozen, his forced smile cracking.
"Impossible," he muttered. "He was dying a moment ago…"
Elder Tianxu, beside him, chuckled. "That boy… there's something very interesting about him."
Inside the barrier, Ji struggled to rise, coughing blood.
"You… you rewound time."
Su Chen approached slowly, calm as still water. "No. I rewound myself."
"Monster…"
"Wrong again." Su Chen raised his hand. Qi coiled like storm clouds around his fingers.
"This is just the beginning."
With surgical precision, he struck.
A focused jab of spiritual energy pierced Ji's dantian—not enough to cripple, but enough to send his cultivation spiraling out of control.
Ji screamed and collapsed.
> [Trial 1 Result: Victory – Opponent Defeated Without Kill]
Reset Hall Influence +5
Reputation: Controversial (High Attention)
System Energy: -32%
The golden barrier flickered and vanished. The announcer's voice boomed.
"Victory—Su Chen of the Reset Hall!"
Su Chen walked out slowly, his breath controlled, his wounds already healing under the system's influence.
Yue Ling waited just beyond the formation, arms crossed.
Her eyes swept him once, reading him like an open scroll.
"That wasn't just talent," she said. "You knew his moves before he made them."
He didn't answer directly. "First trial's done."
She handed him a flask. "You're burning through your energy too fast. Whatever that system is—it's not free."
He drank deeply.
"It's worth the price."
She leaned in slightly, eyes sharp. "Then make sure you win the next one—before the cost becomes too high."
Far below the sect's inner sanctum, in the depths of the stone halls, Elder Mo paced.
Before him stood a youth wrapped in pale fox-fur robes, eyes like glass, emotionless and cold.
"Ren Yujin," Elder Mo said. "You saw what Su Chen did to Minghao?"
Yujin said nothing. A silver fox curled around his shoulders stirred, baring sharp fangs.
"Good," Elder Mo muttered. "Then kill him."
Ren Yujin smiled slowly, voice light, almost playful.
"I don't mind. But I'll need compensation."
Elder Mo stiffened. "You'll get it when he's dead."
Yujin's smile deepened. "I don't need to kill him to break him."
Later that night, in the silence of his quarters, Su Chen sat beneath the moonlight.
His wounds were gone, but his thoughts weren't still.
He raised his hand, staring at his palm—the memory of pain, of death, of resurrection still echoing in his bones.
The system worked—but it was not perfect.
And the next opponent… wouldn't be a swordsman.
He would be a predator.
Su Chen exhaled.
"Trial Two," he whispered, eyes gleaming under the moon. "Come at me."