The runes gathered around Lin Mu, circling him in ever tightening layers. Each rune moved with purpose, slotting into place with a precision that suggested a will behind them. Lin Mu remained still, observing, allowing the process to unfold without resistance.
Within monts, the density of the runes increased to such an extent that the elders standing behind him disappeared from view. It was as if a veil had been drawn between them. The space around Lin Mu grew brighter, the runes overlapping and interweaving until they ford a shimring cocoon.
The cocoon did not remain static.
It compressed.
Slowly at first, then with increasing speed, the countless runes converged inward.
Their chaotic motion settled into order as they condensed into a do shaped structure that enclosed Lin Mu entirely. From the outside, his figure could still be seen, faintly outlined within the translucent shell of symbols.
From within, however, the world beyond had vanished.
Lin Mu could no longer sense the elders.
He could no longer perceive the boundaries of the Dao Forge.
Instead, he felt as though he had been placed in a separate layer of reality, one that existed parallel to the physical world but was governed by entirely different rules.
He did not panic for he understood, this was the trial.
Without hesitation, Lin Mu sat down cross legged within the do. The runes surrounding him continued to shift, but they did not interfere with him. They simply existed, watching, waiting.
Lin Mu closed his eyes.
He began to chant the Calming Heart Sutra.
The familiar rhythm of the sutra flowed through his mind, its presence like a steady stream washing away distraction and noise. The intensity of the surrounding energy faded into the background as his thoughts grew clearer, sharper. He allowed his breathing to slow, his heartbeat to settle, and his awareness to expand inward.
Ti lost aning.
There was no asure of seconds or minutes, no indication of how long he remained in that state. The only thing that mattered was the gradual deepening of his focus. His mind beca still, like a calm lake untouched by wind.
Eventually, sothing shifted.
Lin Mu opened his eyes.
The world around him had changed.
The do of runes was gone. The Dao Forge realm was gone. Even the sense of his physical body felt distant. In its place was an endless expanse of emptiness. There was no ground beneath him, no sky above him, and no direction that could be defined.
It was a void.
Yet it was not truly empty.
Lin Mu imdiately recognized what this was. It was not a physical space, but an illusory construct, a realm of perception created by the Dao Forge to guide his consciousness.
He also understood what he needed to do.
There was no hesitation.
"Fire," Lin Mu said.
The mont the word left him, the void responded.
A tremor passed through the space, subtle yet unmistakable. The darkness began to recede, replaced by a growing glow. The temperature rose rapidly, the air itself seeming to shimr with heat.
Flas erged.
At first they were distant, flickering at the edges of perception. Then they surged forward, filling the space with a roaring sea of fire. The void transford into a blazing realm, where waves of fla stretched endlessly in all directions.
The heat was imnse.
Even though Lin Mu knew this was an illusion, the sensation was real enough to affect him. The fire pressed against his senses, testing his endurance. His completed fire core allowed him to withstand it, but the intensity was still enough to make him aware of its presence.
He remained calm and his will did not waver.
"Now then," Lin Mu muttered softly, his gaze sweeping across the fiery expanse. "What will you show ?"
The flas answered.
SHUA
They stirred, shifting in response to his intent. From the vast ocean of fire, a small portion detached itself. It gathered, condensing into a single point before drifting toward him.
The fla took shape.
It transford into a flower.
The flower hovered in front of him, delicate yet radiant. It had four petals, each one glowing with a warm orange hue. At its center burned a deeper red, like a heart of concentrated fla. Despite its simplicity, it carried a distinct presence.
Lin Mu's eyes narrowed slightly.
He recognized it imdiately.
"The Four Directional Fla Flower Dao Embryo," he said.
The knowledge surfaced naturally in his mind.
This was a mid ranked Fire Dao Embryo, one that specialized in control and precision. Its ability lay in the manipulation of cardinal flas. Any target that fell within the defined directions of north, south, east, or west could be affected with absolute certainty.
It was a reliable and versatile Dao Embryo.
For many cultivators, it would have been an excellent choice.
Lin Mu studied it for a mont.
He could feel its potential, its structure, the way it interacted with the surrounding flas. It resonated faintly with him, acknowledging his presence and offering itself as a possibility.
But that was all.
A possibility.
Lin Mu shook his head slightly.
"This is not it," he said.
He did not reject it harshly. There was no disdain in his voice. It was simply a statent of fact.
The flower responded.
It drifted backward, its glow dimming slightly as it returned to the sea of flas. It did not disappear entirely. Instead, it lingered in the distance, waiting.
Another movent followed.
A new cluster of flas detached from the surroundings, gathering more forcefully this ti. They twisted and folded into a different form, taking shape before Lin Mu.
This ti, it was a fan.
The fan hovered in the air, its body a deep crimson that seed to pulse with heat. The handle was dark brown, simple in design, and the fan itself lacked any visible ribs or blades. It appeared almost like a solid piece, smooth and refined.
Lin Mu's gaze sharpened.
"Fla Inciting Fan Fire Dao Embryo," he said.
He understood this one as well.
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