Lin Xuan's breath came in steady waves as he advanced toward the fourth marker. The storm around him intensified, winds howling like furious specters. Every step felt heavier, as if an unseen force was pressing down upon him, testing his endurance, his will, his very soul.

  With gritted teeth, he pushed forward. Each step was a battle against the relentless pressure, but Lin Xuan knew that stagnation was the true enemy. The fourth marker loomed ahead, flickering with ethereal energy, challenging him to claim it.

  His body screamed for respite, muscles aching under the invisible force. But he had come too far to falter now. He took another step—then another. The air rippled around him, a surge of resistance surging from the ground. It was as if the very mountain was rejecting his ascent.

  Suddenly, an overwhelming force crashed into him like a tidal wave, sending him skidding backward. His feet dug into the rocky ground as he barely managed to steady himself. His eyes sharpened. This wasn’t just natural resistance—it was a willful suppression, as though the mountain itself sought to test his limits.

  He activated the Heavenly Script, letting its profound energy flow through his meridians. His skin glowed faintly with golden light, his spiritual power acting as a buffer against the crushing force. Slowly, he took another step.

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  A cracking sound filled the air.

  Lin Xuan’s eyes widened as the ground beneath him began to shift. The fourth marker’s energy pulsed violently, and then—a voice.

  “Only those who defy the heavens may proceed.”

  The words weren’t spoken; they resonated directly within his mind. He could feel an ancient presence woven into them, a challenge that stretched beyond time itself.

  Without hesitation, Lin Xuan pressed forward.

  The force increased exponentially, his bones groaning under the strain. He coughed up a mouthful of blood but refused to stop. His hands clenched into fists, his veins bulging as he summoned every ounce of strength within him.

  “Is that all?” he growled, his voice thick with defiance.

  With one final step, the pressure around him shattered like glass. The force that had been weighing him down vanished in an instant, leaving only a quiet stillness. The fourth marker flared with light before embedding itself into his body, merging with his cultivation foundation.

  Lin Xuan gasped as a rush of newfound strength coursed through his veins. His meridians expanded, his dantian swelling with untapped energy. He had done it—he had reached the fourth marker.

  But just as he was about to catch his breath, the sky above him darkened. A faint whisper echoed in the wind, chilling him to the core.

  “You are not alone.”

  Lin Xuan’s heart pounded. He turned swiftly, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He could feel it—something was watching him. Something ancient. Something powerful.

  A flicker of movement in the distance.

  His grip on reality tightened.

  The trial was not over.

  The true challenge was about to begin.