Suwan claps her hands to get the attention of her disciples. “Right then, everyone gather round!” Gao Mu tears her gaze away from the gateway in front of her. Two pillars carved out of the side of a large boulder that blend into the rock at their edges frame a panel of blacks and dark blues that breaks the rectangular silhouette into a variety of shapes when viewed from a distance. So well does it mask the gate that Mu hardly even notices the fact that it curves into a semicircle at the top, the semi-opaque mass of shades being contained by an arch that seems more like normal stone than something carved to fit a shape.
All in all had they not specifically known what they were looking for they could’ve walked right by it without noticing it was ever there. A fitting location indeed for the legacy of an Immortal employing shadow arts, even simply locating the legacy trial is a test in itself.
"First off, does everyone know how these things work?"
Gao Mu enthusiastically nods while balling her fists in front of her and smiling widely. Yating nods as well and Suwan does not even bother to check Twelve's reaction. An and Zhi on the other hand seem less confident yet neither speaks up. Deciding not to put them on the spot Suwan starts from the beginning instead of asking what specifically they don't know.
"Alright, let me know if you've got questions about anything I'm saying. Long story short: on your immortal path you will eventually develop a spiritual palace. Nothing you need to worry about yet since that's still far away for all of you but I digress. Point is that you'll gain the ability to temporarily manifest parts of it to control the battlefield. Once you reach immortality you will be able to have your spiritual palace take physical form and even separate them from you entirely. This is oft used for the purpose of ensuring one's arts shall never be lost and to find a worthy successor by creating a legacy trial, albeit some use the ability to put rocks in a hot spring."
She finishes in an exasperated tone while aiming a pointed look at Twelve. To cut off a part of your spiritual palace and leave it behind weakens one's power so she was quite surprised when she realized the flat meditation stones did not dissipate after their stay and even more so when she inspected them with her spiritual sense. She can't help but think her reaction to it is the exact reason the doll did it.
"But I'm getting off track again. The point is that those legacy trials despite existing in reality do not necessarily follow the same laws. Always keep in mind they may change even between rooms. Yes, Zhi?"
"Dere a way dose laws are comm'nly enforced?"
"Pffft- Ow!"
"Don't laugh or I'll hit you again." Suwan glares at Mu while the latter pouts and rubs her head. "In this context I do not mean laws such as don't steal or killing is bad."
She could have worded her example more seriously of course but this way she has another excuse to land a chop on the petite girl's head when she snorts at her words. She makes a mental note to clarify to Zhi later that she didn't explain it this way to degrade her. Perhaps transcribing one of the more specialized texts on herbology within her library of jade slips would prove more efficient, the blonde speculates. Actions say more than words after all.
"It's an excellent question and indeed something I should have clarified. In this case I refer to the profound and natural laws. Things such as gravity, the force that pulls everything towards the bottom of the plane or true gravity, which is everything with mass pulling each other closer."
"Wait, do I pull things towards me?" Mu asks while holding her hands closer to An and squinting.
"No, you're too infinitesimally small for that." Suwan replies thoughtlessly eliciting another pout from Mu.
"Moving on it's important to remember things can act very differently in there. You might enter a room and fall upwards or sideways for example. No point trying to walk on the floor then cause it'd be akin to trying to make your way through by walking on a wall. Likewise fire might make things colder." She grimaces. "That was a nasty one. Ice cultivator with a legacy set in a snowstorm. Wanted to make sure no fire cultivator survived his trial so he set it like that, nearly froze to death before I figured that law out."
Her disciples tense at that. The portal suddenly looks far more ominous now that they know the wrong conditions could lay even a Nascent Soul expert low. They listen attentively while Suwan lists several more examples, each accompanied by a personal anecdote that makes the group wonder just how many of these trials she's taken. Mu's chest puffs looking at the inscription subtly carved into the doorway's arch. Only Qi Gathering cultivators can enter this trial. As the strongest among the three of them that means it is up to her to protect the others!
Screeeeech!
Mu stares with open mouthed shock as Suwan's blade rips a rent into the gate. She turns around with a raised eyebrow at her disciples' surprised looks.
"Well, are you all coming?"
"This one shall guard the perimeter." Twelve says and although it could be their imagination, the group swears her tone is even more emotionless than normal. The doll makes grabby motions at Yating who acquiesces to her demands without complaint. Sitting down with the doll atop her lap she clasps her hands and bows her head at the group.
"This one wishes you all the best of luck. We shall await your safe return here."
"Can't say splitting up again sits right with me." Suwan grumbles while crossing her arms. She deflates after a second and lets out a light sigh. "But I can't be sure I'll be able to keep everyone safe in there. Twelve, I'll shout if I need you."
"This one shall keep her fingers crossed thou doest not encounter another demon beyond thine ability to fight."
"...thanks."
Suwan's eyebrow twitches at the way Twelve's words make her disciples flinch. Would it kill the doll to leave her some face? Certainly she's been trying to instill a sense of caution in them but this risks tipping it further into fear instead. 'Ah well, what's done is done. Trial by fire and all that.' She claps her hands once more.
"On that note, don't expect me to bail you out if you get in trouble. Trials are meaningless if there's no risk to your life after all. Don't worry, I have full faith in each of you. I'm sure I'll still have all three of my disciples by the time we get out of there." Suwan raises her thumb and winks at them with a winsome smile.
Without further ado she casually saunters in, sword drawn but resting leisurely atop her shoulder. Mu takes a deep breath and nods encouragingly at her fellows before running after her like a chick after a hen. Clenching and unclenching her fists Zhi looks at the dark shapes with trepidation. Doubt overcomes her when she considers she might simply drag Mu down if she goes in there. She grits her teeth and takes a step forward only to be beaten to it by An who scoffs as she passes her by.
With long strides she angrily heads in making sure she passes through the gate just before An does. The sight that greets them is none at all. Complete and utter darkness. In the distance they can faintly see a light, a statue with glowing eyes several dozen meters away. Even the sound seems lessened within this place, their own heartbeat sounding muted in their ears. The atmosphere is broken entirely when a silhouette lights up in golden flames casting light upon the area around them. Suwan looks around for a moment before nodding to herself.
<This one seems fun, y'all can go first. I'll start once all of you are through. And remember: don't die.>
With that the flames once more die out and stillness returns. An unspoken agreement is reached between the three disciples and none of them make a sound nor try to find each other. Heading further into the trial the contrast between light and dark deepens yet blurs at the edges. Streams of light bend unnaturally creating lit paths through the air and illuminating the ground as they go. The further in the more streams criss cross through the air intersecting with each other and leaving fewer and fewer paths unlit.
More worrisome yet are the rotating statues spread throughout the vast chamber. Roughly a third have light spilling from their eyes revealing all within their gaze whereas the others merely turn and scrutinize all that leave the shadows. Shattered figures lay within the light and glowing eyes reveal scorch marks on the floor where they pass. The message is clear. Remain unseen. Already a small silhouette flits through the beams whenever the statues' eyes turn. Brief glimpses of the black mop atop her small stature, once messy yet now lovingly straightened, are visible the few times her path intersects with those of the curving rays of light.
Two cloth buns bounce atop a slightly taller figure’s head as Mu follows in her wake until the rotating statues force their paths to split. She can’t help but grumble when despite being a full nine stages above the girl she still fails to go through the trial faster than her. Once the statues increase in number and the streams of light increase in density Mu has no choice but to slow down lest she fail entirely. An seems to encounter no such trouble, flitting through gaps between the light Mu can’t fit through and passing through beams barely a quarter of a second before the statues would lay their eyes on her. At any other time Mu would be overjoyed that she’s too tall for something and even now she can’t help but feel happy about it but the joy is mixed with frustration. As one who’s been on the path of cultivation for more than half a decade it stings to see a child that awakened mere days ago best her in anything. Especially when it comes to speed.
Whereas the other two rush through the trial Zhi takes a more careful approach. Her helplessness when Mu was facing Cai Yin is still fresh on her mind and she wishes to make sure she doesn’t drag the group down again. She carefully observes the statues as they rotate, studying their speed and the way their line of sight overlaps at certain points and misses others entirely. Whenever she is certain there is a spot their gaze never enters she moves quickly and decisively before repeating the process anew. Out of curiosity she tosses one of the small stones she keeps in a pouch on her side into a beam of light spilling from one of the statues’ eyes. She gulps when it turns to sand and evaporates entirely before it has the chance to go out the other side.
Her eyes flick back and forth trying to spot any sign of Gao Mu or An and her breath catches in her throat when she just barely spots each of them avoid a similar fate. With a pounding heart she continues on just a bit faster than before. When she’s halfway through the exit becomes visible in the distance, a closed door with two scones burning at its side. Her progress starts to slow and halts entirely when she finds there are no more safe spots further in. She swallows and slaps her face. Taking a deep breath she closes her eyes as she inhales and opens them once more with renewed focus when she exhales. ‘I won’t fail here.’ Her brow sets and her shoulders square. ‘Not now, and not ever.’
