The sky above the Scattered Sky Ruins wept stars.
They fell like glowing tears, silent and slow, drifting past floating islands and into the void. Beneath that celestial rain, Lin Xuan stood before the colossal gates of the Shifting Star Temple—a structure carved into a mountain suspended in space.
Two obsidian statues guarded the entrance—each depicting a robed figure holding a timewheel and a broken sword.
Their eyes glowed faintly as Lin Xuan approached.
---
[System Prompt]
Location: Temple of the Second Pillar (Sealed)
Status: Temporal Lock Active
Challenge: Three Trials of Time – Past, Present, Future
Primary Objective: Awaken the Second Nexus Pillar
Penalty for Failure: Memory Collapse / Soul Decay
---
Lin Xuan placed his palm on the stone gate.
Chaos energy rippled outward.
The ground trembled.
And then… the gates opened with a thunderous groan.
---
The First Trial – Shadows of the Past
Inside the temple, the air grew thick—not with dust or qi, but with memories.
Illusions swirled before his eyes.
Suddenly, he stood not as himself, but as the man he had once been—the Chaos Sage, on the day of his betrayal.
Surrounded by celestial lords and sword saints, bound in golden chains, he watched as his own sect condemned him.
His old master approached, voice cold.
> "You are a mistake. Chaos is not the Dao of this world."
They pierced his core.
They shattered his mind.
Lin Xuan watched it all—and smiled.
Because now, he remembered the pain not with fear… but power.
He stepped forward and spoke:
> "I am not the man you killed. I am the man you awakened."
The illusion cracked and shattered.
The Trial of the Past was complete.
---
The Second Trial – Blades of the Present
He stepped into the next chamber—lit by silver lanterns that burned without fire.
Suddenly, dozens of spectral warriors formed from starlight burst into existence.
They were versions of his current self.
Each wielding chaos techniques. Each mimicking his strength. His mistakes. His weaknesses.
This was not a test of power—it was a test of refinement.
Lin Xuan took a stance.
Star-Forged Palm. Chaos Step. Veil Blade Strike.
He struck them down one by one—but learned from each counterattack.
With every strike, his form became more efficient. Sharper. Cleaner.
He wasn't just surviving.
He was evolving.
Finally, the last specter bowed—and dissolved.
---
The Third Trial – Echoes of the Future
The final chamber was empty.
Silent.
Then… a mirror appeared.
Within it: a version of himself older, cloaked in stars, eyes glowing with chaos and sorrow. But he was alone. Everything behind him was ash.
> "Is this who I become?" Lin Xuan asked.
The reflection smiled sadly.
> "If you walk forward, you will have power unmatched. But it will cost you. Friends. Hope. Perhaps even your soul."
Lin Xuan clenched his fist.
"I would rather burn in truth than live in illusion."
He punched the mirror—shattering the image, rejecting fate.
The room trembled.
And the Second Pillar of the Nexus emerged from the floor—tall, glowing with constellations, and wrapped in a halo of bending time.
---
Awakening the Pillar
Lin Xuan approached and pressed his palm to the smooth stone.
The Chaos Core reacted instantly.
Starlight poured into him. Visions flooded his mind—of other pillars, other worlds, a machine buried beneath existence that once governed chaos and order alike.
The Nexus Engine.
It wanted to be whole.
And Lin Xuan… was its key.
---
[Nexus Pillar Resonated – 2/7]
[System Update:]
– Core Evolution: 93% → 98%
– Chaos Step Upgraded → Dimensional Chaos Step (Can phase through space within short range)
– New Skill: Temporal Brand – Briefly manipulate local time for evasion or illusion
– Title Earned: Bearer of the Second Light
---
A Warning in the Wind
As the power settled, a whisper filled the temple—not from the Nexus… but from beyond the veil.
> "You awaken forces the gods sealed. Turn back, or the Tribunal will burn your world."
> "Or…" another voice whispered, more ancient, more chaotic—"…unleash us all."
Lin Xuan stood tall, eyes glowing like twin stars wrapped in darkness.
"I will awaken the truth. Let the heavens tremble."
---
Far Above – Celestial Alarm
In the Celestial Realm, an ancient gong rang for the first time in ten thousand years.
Heavenly lords looked skyward as the Nexus Pulse echoed through their realm.
The Tribunal's Eye began to open.
---
[Next Quest Unlocked: Escape the Ruins Before Dimensional Collapse – 72 Hours Left]
New Threat Detected: Tribunal Tracer – Manifesting Within 3 Days
Bonus Quest: Seek the Soul Anchor and Merge Chaos With Temporal Energy]