The chamber shifted.
Not physically.
But everything inside it changed.
The air grew dense, pressing in from all sides. The light from the carvings pulsed slowly, like a steady heartbeat.
Xu Tian didn't move at first.
He felt it.
This was not a normal fight.
It was controlled.
Measured.
A test.
"…Then come," he said quietly.
The figure responded.
It stepped forward.
This time, the movement was clear.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Precise.
Xu Tian focused.
Everything around him sharpened.
The figure raised its hand.
The air around Xu Tian tightened instantly.
Pressure.
From every direction.
Xu Tian's body reacted.
He shifted his stance, lowering his center.
The force pressed down.
Heavy.
But not crushing.
"…Holding back," he murmured.
The pressure increased.
Xu Tian took a step forward.
Slow.
But steady.
The ground beneath him remained intact.
The energy inside him responded again.
Clear.
Stable.
It moved with him.
Not against him.
Xu Tian took another step.
The pressure resisted.
But it didn't stop him.
"…So this is your test."
The figure didn't answer.
But the pressure changed.
It shifted from all directions to a single point.
Directly in front of him.
Xu Tian's eyes sharpened.
Then it struck.
Invisible.
But fast.
Xu Tian moved.
He stepped to the side.
The force passed him, distorting the air.
He countered immediately.
His arm moved.
The object in his hand reacted again.
A faint surge followed.
The space in front of him trembled.
The figure paused for a brief moment.
Xu Tian didn't stop.
He stepped forward.
Again.
And again.
Each movement felt more natural.
More controlled.
The pressure adapted.
Stronger.
Sharper.
But Xu Tian's movements adjusted with it.
Not resisting.
Flowing.
The figure raised both hands now.
The carvings flared with light.
The pressure returned.
Heavier than before.
Xu Tian's steps slowed.
His body tensed.
But he didn't stop.
"…Not enough," he said quietly.
The energy inside him surged.
Not wildly.
Not out of control.
Focused.
It spread through his body.
His movement changed.
Smoother.
Faster.
The next strike came.
Xu Tian didn't dodge.
He stepped into it.
His arm moved.
The object in his hand pulsed.
The two forces met.
A sharp distortion rippled through the chamber.
For a moment, everything went still.
Then the pressure broke.
The air returned to normal.
The light dimmed.
The figure stood motionless.
Xu Tian remained where he was.
Breathing steady.
"…So that's it," he said.
The figure didn't move.
But the feeling in the room shifted again.
Different from before.
Not testing.
Not resisting.
Acknowledging.
Xu Tian's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Passed?"
The faint presence remained silent.
But this time-
It didn't reject him.