Eternal Tower: Atreia Era

As Gavin's words fell, the central illusion array erupted with light, a dazzling golden halo enveloping the entire training ground. Dense ethereal power surged within the array, transforming into a hazy mist that obscured the view within.

"This entrance trial will take place within this Etheric Illusion." Instructor Gavin's calm and powerful voice reached the ears of every new student. "Within the illusion, the things you fear most and are most obsessed with will be conjured up, and basic combat tests will also appear. You need to rely on your own will and the power of the ether to break through the illusion and reach the light gate in the center of the illusion. That is how you pass the trial."

He paused, his tone suddenly turning stern: "Remember, everything in the illusion is illusory, but the damage you suffer will be truly reflected on your soul. If your will collapses, you will be kicked out of the illusion and considered eliminated; if you struggle for your life, you will damage the foundation of your soul and be unable to cultivate the power of ether for the rest of your life. Do you all understand?"

"clear!"

Hundreds of freshmen responded in unison, their voices filled with tension, but also with a do-or-die determination.

Everyone knows that this trial is the first hurdle to overcome on the path to becoming a Guardian. Success means a bright future, while failure means being completely ineligible for the Guardian role and even risking damage to one's soul. There is no room for carelessness.

"Now, step into the illusion array one by one!"

Instructor Gavin waved his hand, and the new students began to line up in an orderly manner, stepping into the light mist one by one. Each time someone entered, the light of the magic circle would flicker slightly, completely engulfing them and making them disappear from everyone's sight.

Lynn and Lina stood side by side in the line, slowly moving forward.

Lina's small hands gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, her face slightly pale, clearly very nervous. She turned to look at Lynn, her voice trembling slightly, "Lynn, I'm a little scared. What should I do if something I'm afraid of appears in the illusion?"

Lynn looked at her with a firm gaze and gently comforted her: "Remember your mentor's words, all illusions are illusions. Guard your true self, strengthen your will, and control the etheric power within you. No matter what you encounter, don't panic. You will definitely get through it."

His words were calm yet powerful. Looking into his resolute eyes, Lina's previously panicked heart gradually calmed down, and she nodded vigorously: "Yes! I can do it!"

Soon it was Lynn's turn.

Before stepping into the magic circle, the blond-haired boy Karen, who was in line ahead of Lynn, deliberately turned back to glance at him with disdain and provocation in his eyes, as if to say, "You will never pass the trial." Then he turned around and stepped into the illusion with his head held high.

Lynn ignored his provocation, took a deep breath, and suppressed all distracting thoughts.

His deepest obsession was the tragedy of Luofeng Village. The image of his parents and villagers dying tragically was an eternal pain in his heart, and also his weakness that was most easily exploited by the illusion.

He knew very well that the illusion would most likely conjure up a blood-red scene of Falling Wind Village, which would be the cruelest test of his character.

To pass the trial, the first hurdle to overcome is the one's own inner conflict.

"Keep your mind calm and stay true to yourself."

Lynn silently warned himself, then stepped into the golden mist before him.

The moment their feet touched the ground, the surrounding scenery instantly changed.

The once magnificent training ground has disappeared, replaced by familiar brown hills, wild grass swaying in the wind, and the small village nestled deep in the hills—Luofeng Village.

The setting sun was still blood-red, casting its last rays upon the village, just as it had on the day of the tragedy.

A strong stench of blood gradually filled the air, and familiar roars came from the mountains behind the village. One after another, scaled beasts rushed out of the mountains and into the village, slaughtering indiscriminately. The cries and screams of the villagers echoed in their ears once again.

Lynn's pupils suddenly contracted, his heart felt like it was being gripped tightly, and his blood froze instantly.

Everything before his eyes was too real, so real that he felt as if he had returned to that desperate evening, witnessing once again the destruction of his home and the tragic deaths of his loved ones.

"Father! Mother!"

He saw his father being swatted away by the scaled beast, his mother being stared at by the ferocious beast, and his familiar village turning into a sea of ​​fire, with blood staining the soil beneath his feet. Scene after scene, knife after knife, tore at his heart.

An overwhelming surge of hatred and grief overwhelmed him, clouding his judgment. The etheric power within him began to surge uncontrollably, and golden light burst forth from his body. He instinctively wanted to rush forward, to fight the Scaled Claw Beast once more, and to protect his family.

But just as he was about to take a step, Gavin's words suddenly echoed in his mind: "Illusions are all illusions, guard your true self!"

Lynn suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, and the intense pain instantly cleared his chaotic mind.

This is an illusion! It's not real!

His parents have passed away, and the tragedy in Luofeng Village has already occurred. He can no longer dwell on the grief and hatred of the past. If he is controlled by the illusion, his will will collapse and he will be completely eliminated!

His mission is revenge, to become stronger, to become a guardian against the dragons, not to be trapped in the illusions of the past and stop moving forward!

"This is fake! None of it is real!"

Lynn roared, using all his strength to dispel the grief and hatred in his mind, forcibly stabilizing the restless ethereal power, closing his eyes, calming his mind, and discarding all illusions before him.

He constantly reminded himself to stay true to himself, not to be misled by illusions, and to transform all his emotions into a firm will and the motivation for his spiritual practice.

One minute, two minutes, five minutes...

Time passed slowly, and Lynn kept his eyes closed the whole time. The etheric power around him gradually became gentler and finally calm. The distracting thoughts in his heart were completely cleared away, leaving only an unwavering will to move forward.

When he opened his eyes again, there was no longer any grief or hatred in them, only clarity and determination.

The illusion of the Luofeng Village massacre before my eyes shattered instantly, like a broken mirror, turning into specks of light that dissipated into the air.

Breaking free from the illusions of inner demons, the first test has been passed!

The surrounding scenery changed again, turning into a vast ethereal battlefield. Dozens of scaled-claw beasts formed from illusory ether appeared before him, roaring as they pounced on Lynn, their auras identical to those of real scaled-claw beasts.

Having just undergone a test of his will, Lynn's resolve was now unbreakable, and he showed no panic in the face of these illusory scaled beasts.

Following Professor Cecil's method of ether manipulation, he calmed his mind and guided the etheric power within his body to flow rapidly along his meridians, concentrating it all at the fingertips of his right hand.

Golden ethereal light gathered at his fingertips, transforming into a sharp blade of light.

After a night of cultivation, his etheric power was more refined and stronger than when he was at the Fortress of Light, and he could control it more easily.

Facing the first Scaled Claw Beast that pounced on him, Lynn moved slightly, using his agility to dodge the attack by turning to the side. At the same time, he instantly swung out a light blade from his fingertips, precisely slicing towards the Scaled Claw Beast's throat.

With a soft "pfft!"

The Scaled Claw Beast formed from the illusion was instantly slain by the light blade, turning into particles of light and dissipating.

Lynn moved nimbly through the beast horde, avoiding direct confrontation with the scaled beasts. He relied on his speed to maneuver, waiting for the right moment to condense an ethereal blade and deliver a fatal blow.

His fighting skills were still not very proficient, but he possessed a calmness and composure far beyond his peers. Every move he made was incredibly precise, and every strike was aimed directly at the vital points without any unnecessary movements.

The practical experience accumulated in the bloody battle of the Fortress of Light was put to full use at this moment.

In just a quarter of an hour, he killed dozens of illusionary scaled beasts, turning them all into particles of ethereal light and disappearing into nothingness.

The second battle test was easily passed!

Having overcome two layers of illusionary trials, the space ahead gradually distorted, and a golden light gate slowly appeared in sight—the end of the trial.

Without pausing, Lynn strode toward the portal, his steps steady and his eyes resolute.

Just as he was about to step into the portal, the surrounding aether suddenly stirred again, and an unexpected figure blocked his way.

That's the demon boy, Kairo!

Dark purple eyes, black wings, and a sharp aura of shadow ether around him—exactly the same as when he was in the Fortress of Light.

Kairo stared at him coldly, his tone icy: "You rookie from the Celestial Clan, you and I are mortal enemies. Today, let's settle everything here!"

After saying that, he condensed Shadow Aether and pounced on Lynn with fierce attacks and killing intent.

Lynn paused, but instead of panicking, he instantly became clear-headed.

Although he and Kylo were opposing forces among the Heavenly Demons, they fought together against the Dragon Clan at the Fortress of Light. Kylo even saved him twice. Their relationship was not just one of hatred and killing. The scene before them was merely the final test conjured up by the illusion using the Heavenly Demons' millennia-long grudges.

Lynn did not retaliate. Instead, he stood still, his ethereal power contained, and calmly looked at the approaching illusion of Kairo. He said, word by word, "You are not him. The grudges between the Heavenly Demons cannot be distorted by illusions. I will not be fooled by you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kylo's figure froze instantly, and then, just like the illusion before, shattered and dissipated.

The final test of obsession has been completely broken!

Without further hesitation, Lynn stepped into the golden portal before him.

The light enveloped his entire body once more, and when his vision returned to normal, he was back in the central training ground of the Guardian Academy.

In the center of the training ground, the gate of light slowly opened, and one by one, the new students who had passed the trial emerged from the illusion. Some looked exhausted, some were filled with relief, and some were still immersed in the fear of the illusion, trembling all over.

Lynn looked around and soon spotted Lina, who had also just emerged from the illusion, not far away. Her face was slightly pale, but she had a smile of relief on her face. When she saw Lynn, she immediately waved.

Not far away, Karen also emerged from the illusion. When he saw Lynn unharmed, a hint of surprise and resentment flashed in his eyes. He clearly hadn't expected that this boy from the border would actually pass the trial.

Those freshmen who failed the trial were directly teleported to the martial arts arena by the illusion, completely losing their qualification to become guardians. They could only leave the academy forever with regret and disappointment.

Instructor Gavin stood at the front of the training ground, looking at the hundreds of new students who had passed the trial. He nodded slightly, his expression finally softening: "Congratulations on passing the entrance trial. From this day forward, you are officially students of the beginner's program at the Celestial Guardian Academy!"

A cheer erupted from the audience, all the freshmen were excited and their eyes were full of hope for the future.

"Next, the academy will assign you individual mentors to begin formal courses in etheric cultivation, combat techniques, ancient history, and racial knowledge. Here, you will gradually transform into true guardians of the Celestial Race," Mentor Gavin continued. "A week later, the academy will hold its first student ranking competition to determine the rankings of the initial academic division. The top-ranked students will receive more cultivation resources and the qualification to enter the library to consult advanced cultivation techniques. Be prepared!"

After speaking, Instructor Gavin waved his hand, signaling the new students to follow the instructors who had come to guide them to their respective classrooms to begin their formal training.

Lynn and Lina were assigned to the same class and, following their guide, headed to the teaching hall of the beginner's department.

Walking towards the classroom, Lina was still beaming with excitement: "Lynn, we passed the trial! We're officially students now! Good luck in the ranking matches too!"

Lynn nodded slightly, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes.

The entrance exam is just the beginning.

To become stronger, to become a true guardian as soon as possible, and to avenge Luofeng Village, he must seize every opportunity to obtain the best cultivation resources and win his own ranking in the ranking competition.

Karen, walking past Lynn, deliberately stopped and said provocatively, "Kid from the border, don't think you're so great just because you passed the trial. In the ranking matches a week from now, I'll show you just how big the gap is between you and me!"

Lynn raised his eyes to look at Karen, his gaze calm and composed, yet carrying an aura that could not be underestimated: "On the field, we will see who prevails."

These eight simple words conveyed not a hint of timidity, but rather a strong sense of confidence.

Karen snorted and turned to leave, secretly determined to crush this arrogant border boy in the ranking matches.

Lynn ignored Karen's provocation and looked up at the sky outside the teaching hall. The sunlight in the heavens was holy and warm, and the etheric power in the air was rich and pure.

The formal training for Guardians officially begins today.

Ether condensation, wing transformation, combat techniques, ancient secrets, grudges between heavenly demons, dragon clan conspiracies... countless unknown things await his exploration and learning.

The ranking competition a week later will be his first chance to prove himself at this academy.

He gripped the student token in his hand, feeling the etheric power flowing slowly through his body, and stepped firmly into the teaching hall.

His path of cultivation as a guardian has officially begun. The road ahead is long, with war and opportunity coexisting. He will overcome all obstacles and grow stronger step by step until he stands at the pinnacle of Atreia, personally destroys the dragon race, and uncovers all the long-buried truths!