Rain fell gently upon the Skyroot Peak.
It was the kind of rain that didn't chill but cleansed—soft droplets kissing the rooftops, trickling along the edges of carved tiles, and collecting in the grooves of old stone paths. Jin Nian stood at the edge of the eastern veranda, holding a teacup that had long gone cold.
Behind him, disciples bustled in silence, cleaning, sweeping, and meditating. Yet, Jin Nian's gaze remained fixed on one particular spot—the trial platform, where Bai Duyi knelt, unmoving.
It had been three days since Bai Duyi entered his Guardian echo trial. No words. No movement. Only a golden tether of spiritual light connecting his chest to the platform's core.
Jin Nian set the cup down and sighed. "This one's taking longer than usual."
Wu Ling joined him, her expression unreadable. "It's not just the Guardian's past. It's his own."
Jin Nian turned to her. "You think it's rejecting him?"
"No." Her eyes softened. "It's accepting him... too deeply."
---
The Trial
Bai Duyi stood alone in a world of ash and frost.
Mountains loomed in the distance, but the sky above them was cracked like glass. The sun was missing, replaced by a dull glow that gave no warmth. His feet crunched over bones and frozen roots.
A soft voice called to him.
"Will you bear the blade again, Bai Duyi?"
He turned. Before him stood a tall man in white, his eyes blindfolded, his voice calm.
"I am Xun Hao, once called the Blade of Kindness. I failed to protect the innocent. I linger now… seeking one who can finish what I could not."
Bai Duyi's lips trembled. "You're the one who died during the Eastern Rebellion."
Xun Hao nodded. "I protected a village, and died for it. But that wasn't enough. They still suffered. My spirit refused to ascend."
He pointed toward the northern ice field. "Beyond that horizon is a choice. You will be given the same sword. The same moment. A child cries. A demon approaches. You may act, or you may flee. If you flee… you survive. But so does your shame."
---
Bai Duyi walked toward the ice.
Every step cracked the memory beneath his feet. He saw flickers of his own past—a little boy hiding beneath the altar as bandits slaughtered his family. A nun pulling him from the rubble. A sword given, not with glory, but with trembling hands.
"You don't have to be brave," she had whispered. "Just be kind."
He clutched that memory as he walked.
When he arrived, the trial began.
A child stood, barefoot, in the snow. A beast with six eyes and jagged teeth leapt from the darkness. The sword appeared in Bai Duyi's hand.
He hesitated.
---
Outside
Zhang Mubo paced restlessly. "It's too long. We should force him out. What if he—"
"No," Jin Nian said. "He has to face it. That's the whole point."
"But—"
"Zhang Mubo." Jin Nian looked at him with rare seriousness. "When I faced my first Guardian echo, I saw an entire city that collapsed because of my cowardice. And I walked away."
Everyone went quiet.
"I walked away. Because I wasn't ready. But I remembered. And the second time… I didn't."
Zhang Mubo clenched his fists, then sat down. "Tch."
Wu Ling looked at Jin Nian. "You talk like you're not brave. But you always show up."
He shrugged. "That's the trick. Show up shaking."
---
The Trial (Continued)
Bai Duyi stood frozen, sword shaking.
The child screamed.
And he moved.
With a roar that tore through his throat like gravel, Bai Duyi charged. The blade in his hand glowed a brilliant silver, not with aggression—but with intent. He struck, not to kill, but to protect.
The beast roared back, breaking his shoulder. Blood poured from his side. He screamed and struck again.
The child was crying, but alive.
Bai Duyi stood over the child, his breath ragged.
The demon vanished like fog.
Behind him, Xun Hao stood with a faint smile.
"You are not strong," he said.
Bai Duyi flinched.
"You are not fearless."
He lowered his gaze.
"But you acted. And that is enough."
The Guardian stepped forward, placing his hand on Bai Duyi's forehead. A wave of memories, techniques, and sorrow flooded into him.
"Use my blade," Xun Hao whispered, "to build what I could not."
Bai Duyi collapsed.
---
Return
When Bai Duyi woke, the entire sect was waiting.
He opened his eyes slowly. Jin Nian knelt beside him, holding his wrist.
"You made it," the Sect Master said, smiling. "Took you long enough. I was going to charge you rent."
Bai Duyi chuckled weakly. "I… saw everything."
"You don't have to explain."
"I saw him die… protecting people who forgot his name."
Jin Nian's smile faded slightly. "That's the job, sometimes."
Wu Ling approached, handing him a cup of hot broth.
"You carried him," she said. "And now… he rests."
Zhang Mubo snorted from the back. "I bet your sword's gonna glow now. Lucky."
But Jin Nian saw it: Bai Duyi's eyes had changed. Softer. Deeper. Braver.
---
That night, the Sect lit paper lanterns and floated them over the river.
Each lantern bore a name — not of the living, but of the forgotten.
Bai Duyi stood at the edge, holding a lantern with no name at all.
He whispered to the wind, "For the nun who gave me the sword. For the monk who gave me courage. For the child I once was."
He released the lantern.
It floated.
Beside him, Jin Nian stood silent.
"You did well today," he said finally.
"I only survived."
"Sometimes," Jin Nian said, watching the lantern drift, "that's the bravest thing of all."
---