Accidentally Reincarnated in Cultivation World
Chapter 40: Trials [2] - Spirit

Chapter 40: Trials [2] - Spirit

Yu Xuan waited in silence.

Time passed.

The golden glow around him had faded, but his body still pulsed with a dull ache — the kind that lingered after testing one’s limits.

Eventually, a flicker of light in the distance caught his eye.

One by one, people began to emerge from the fog-shrouded trial path.

But not many.

From the initial tens of thousands, now only a few thousand remained.

As they stepped past the hundredth line, most immediately collapsed, their bodies crumpling from exhaustion. Some lost consciousness on the spot. Others slumped down, gasping for air, trembling from the sheer toll the body trial had taken.

Then came the now-familiar golden glow.

It descended gently over the new arrivals, soothing them, numbing the pain. It didn’t heal — but it helped. They groaned in relief, too tired to speak.

Among the crowd, Yu Xuan spotted Lingluo.

She emerged slowly, her steps sluggish. When she crossed the final line, she didn’t even try to stand tall — she simply slumped down like a puppet with cut strings.

Yu Xuan’s eyes softened.

Without a word, he walked over, crouched down, and gently picked her up in his arms. Her breathing was ragged, but steady.

He carried her back to his original spot and laid her down with care.

Moments later, another flicker of light appeared.

This time it was Ming Tianmei.

She too walked forward... and as soon as she spotted Yu Xuan, their eyes met.

Her expression — serene, unbothered — flashed with something unreadable.

Then, like a professional actor, she let out a soft gasp and faked a stumble, collapsing dramatically.

Yu Xuan blinked.

He tilted his head slightly, confused.

’Is she... faking?’

For a brief moment, he thought about it — but dismissed the suspicion as his imagination playing tricks on him. Maybe it was just coincidence. Maybe she really was exhausted.

He sighed.

Then, just like before, he went over, lifted her up with ease, and brought her to rest beside Lingluo.

Despite everything, both girls looked peaceful — or perhaps mischievous in Tianmei’s case.

Scanning the thinning crowd, Yu Xuan spotted a few more disciples from the Yu Clan — boys and girls he vaguely remembered from the tournament or clan grounds.

Some were barely standing. Others crawled.

He helped gather them, one by one, and led them back to the same resting area.

When the others finally regained consciousness, they took notice of the situation. They had passed the first trial — that alone was a source of pride.

Though their bodies still ached, no one complained. Everyone had the same quiet resolve in their eyes.

And among them, Yu Xuan, unknowingly, had become the de facto leader.

He didn’t declare it. He didn’t ask for it.

But when people referred to him, they naturally began to call him "Young Master."

Perhaps because of his calmness.

Perhaps because of the way he had helped others without hesitation.

Or perhaps... simply because he was the one they all ended up looking toward when unsure.

Over an hour passed.

The crowd had mostly settled, recovering in silence under the soft sky.

Then—

With a soft hum, Tianling, the Artifact Spirit, reappeared.

He floated above the platform, still wearing that same carefree grin.

"Alright," he said cheerfully. "Time’s up!"

He looked over the crowd, then added with exaggerated pity, "To those who didn’t make it... well, you’re not fated with Mini HIS. I see... haha..."

He chuckled to himself and clapped his hands.

And in that instant — with no grand light or explosion — everyone who failed the first trial vanished.

Not in pain. Not with noise.

Just... gone.

Back in the worlds, all across different cities, sects, clans, countless disciples reappeared in the exact place they had vanished from.

Some returned in dramatic poses mid-strike.

Others fell face-first into someone’s food they were eating.

One unlucky soul reappeared directly in front of his sect’s bathroom — where he had vanished from — startling a poor disciple who was just about to relieve himself.

Chaos.

Hilarity.

Confusion.

The world, for those who failed the trial, resumed exactly where it had paused — leaving behind only rumors and the envy of those who knew they were almost part of something greater.

Meanwhile, high above — in the boundary between realm — those who remained, the chosen few, looked up toward the sky once more... waiting for what came next.

***

Tianling, the Artifact Spirit, hovered above the field of golden petals. His arms were folded, and that same sly smile curved across his face.

"Well done," he said, voice both amused and approving. "Those of you who stand here now... have proven that your bodies are worthy."

He raised his hand, and the shimmering starlit sky above pulsed like a living thing.

"But a strong body alone is meaningless. A cultivator’s spirit must endure despair, resist temptation, overcome confusion... and face truth."

He clapped once.

The ground trembled.

From beneath their feet, vast, translucent lotus petals bloomed — each one large enough to hold a single person. They glowed softly with spiritual light.

"One petal for each of you," Tianling said. "Stand upon it, and you will enter the Trial of Spirit."

Yu Xuan stepped forward alongside Lingluo, Tianmei, and few other disciples of the Yu Clan.

As soon as his feet touched the glowing petal — everything vanished.

No transition. No wind. No warning.

Just — silence.

***

Yu Xuan opened his eyes.

He was standing in his family courtyard.

The gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming herbs. His mother stood by the garden, watering spirit flowers with a content smile. His father meditated nearby, bathed in soft sunlight.

It was perfect.

He blinked. "What...?"

"Brother!" a small voice called.

He turned to see Lingluo, no older than eight, running toward him with an innocent grin. She hugged him tightly, laughing.

Behind her, a golden shimmer flashed — and Ming Tianmei appeared, arms folded and smirking. "Xuan’er, didn’t you promise to spar with me today?"

He froze.

A voice — soft, coaxing — echoed in his mind.

"Stay here, Yu Xuan. Let go of burden. Let go of ambition. Let go of struggle."

"You are loved. You are safe."

It was tempting. Almost heartbreakingly so.

A life of peace. No pressure. No future battles.

But then—

He chuckled.

"Stupid trial," he muttered aloud. "I met Tianmei after Lingluo awakened."

Just then, a system window appeared in his vision.

[Trait: Mental Resistance has been activated.]

The illusion cracked.

The smiles froze. His family’s eyes turned hollow, lifeless.

Their distorted laugh rippled across the melting courtyard.

"You’re clever," their voices snarled. "But what if this was real? Wouldn’t you want to stay?"

The scenery began to disintegrate, like paint washed off glass.

Yu Xuan stood firm.

"No," he said quietly. "If I accept a false paradise... I’ll never reach the truth."

The last fragments of the illusion crumbled into light.

A blinding radiance engulfed him.

And he stepped out of the trial.

’Wasn’t that... a bit too easy?’ he thought, raising an eyebrow.

Across the field of lotus petals, each disciple faced a different illusion.

Some were tormented by nightmares — betrayal, failure, the fall of their clans.

Others were offered everything — glory, power, beauty, immortality.

Some wept. Others broke.

And the petals beneath them slowly dimmed... and turned to gray.

Those who failed didn’t die — but they vanished, silently returned to their homes.

Only the strong minded remained.

The lotus petals of those who endured glowed even brighter, shining like stars.

One by one, figures emerged from the petals.

Yu Xuan stepped down, his eyes sharper, his breath steady.

Lingluo still knelt on her petal, her breathing ragged. But the glow beneath her was blinding.

Tianmei emerged with grace, dusting off her sleeves as if she’d just finished tea rather than faced a trial of the spirit.

Yu Xuan glanced at both but said nothing.

Then, Tianling appeared again, this time without his usual smirk.

With a wave of his hand, all those whose petals had faded vanished — removed without sound.

"Congratulations," he said, tone respectful. "Your spirits remain unbroken. You’ve passed the second trial."

The glowing lotus field began to fade beneath their feet, replaced by solid ground once more.

Tianling grinned again, his eyes twinkling.

"Now then..."

His voice turned deeper.

"Let’s see how strong your soul really is."