The trial concludes.

"Dammit, I've been walking for so long," Oasis thought as he moved through the endless passage.

"I've met myself a dozen times, but it doesn't end," he mused, feeling a blend of frustration and determination.

Oasis kept moving forward, not knowing how long he had been walking or how many trials he had passed. Yet, his resolve had not wavered.

"Huh! Another me. Let's get this over with," Oasis muttered, spotting another version of himself in the endless passage and rushing toward him without hesitation.

His other version evaded the attack, leaving afterimages behind and a trail of blue flames.

"Dancing Phoenix!" Oasis thought, recognizing the technique.

"This is me when I entered this passage. I'm certain of it."

"Dammit, it means we are equal in strength. This trial doesn't end. What am I doing wrong?"

Oasis wondered, recalling all the versions of himself he had fought and defeated after reaching this place.

Oasis and his other version fought on equal footing, exchanging blows and using various techniques.

Oasis saw his own techniques and strength from a third-person viewpoint.

They exchanged their techniques, from Blazing Dragon Fist to different magic spells, evading attacks using Dancing Phoenix and Blazing Mirage Steps.

It was like facing a mirror, and the battle went on for hours, turning into days without a victor.

Huff! Huff! Huff!

"Dammit, I can't win. I'm almost exhausted," Oasis thought.

!!!

"Wait, before I entered this place, I had never used the Scorching Crescent Blade."

"I've practiced it several times since I was in this place and mastered most of its forms," Oasis realized, recalling his training.

Oasis had been in the endless passage for so long that he had been practicing the Scorching Crescent Blade technique.

His other version, being his version from when he entered the passage, meant that Oasis was slightly stronger now.

"But still, I've been here long enough to master almost all the forms of the Scorching Crescent Blade. Wait…"

Oasis muttered, remembering the voice saying he might get out of here as an old man.

Master Renald had told him it could take up to ten years to master the Scorching Crescent Blade.

"Dammit, when I think about it, I'm a bit taller than him," Oasis thought, looking at his other version.

"How long have I been here?" He felt a pang of fear as his heart raced slightly.

"Mirror! Mirror!" Oasis thought.

He removed his sword, 'Kaze no Kagutsuchi', from his bracelet storage and used it as a mirror.

Phewww!!

"At least I'm not old, but I'm slightly different from him," Oasis noted, seeing his hair longer and messier. He was definitely slightly older and taller.

"No, no, no. What if I become older for real in this place?" Oasis thought, terrified.

At the same time, his other version started attacking him again while he held his sword.

Just before his other version could attack him using the Blazing Dragon Fist, Oasis leaped up.

"Scorching Crescent Blade, Fifth Form: Searing Dance," Oasis whispered.

Blue flames moved through his sword as he countered and attacked his other version.

His other version managed to block the attacks by creating a wind magic barrier.

"Wow, this sword is cool," Oasis thought.

"But what if I've been doing things the wrong way?" Oasis wondered, putting his sword away.

"This place attacks my conscious realm and my mind," Oasis thought as his other self attacked him again, rushing toward him.

"Phoenix Glaze!" Oasis unleashed a spiritual technique, recalling the techniques that Azura had left him.

His other version was caught off guard as oppressive spiritual energy erupted, rendering him immobile and kneeling down.

"CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE CONCLUDED THE TRIAL," the voice echoed.

As the voice echoed, the space around him changed from white walls to a beautiful garden.

The version of himself disappeared, and the surroundings transformed into a garden with a small pond of creamy water.

A big open field filled with herbs, and a small building made of planks with a tiled roof.

As Oasis looked around the garden, he saw a man in the distance, gazing at the cloudy sky.

Oasis approached him.

"Young one, you finally completed my trial, and you deserve a reward," the man said.

"A reward? Ahh, old man, how long have I been in that passage?" Oasis asked curiously.

"Young one, you have been in the passage for about 780 days. Outside, it has been about 15 days," the man replied.

"I am Fenris, one of the guardians of Tir na Nog, or used to be before we ascended to the higher realm," he explained.

"This is my remnant spirit, waiting until someone passed my trial."

"What is this old man talking about?" Oasis thought.

"What if I am dead and about to be judged? Is this the way to heaven?" he wondered.

"As you were undertaking my trial, I managed to look into your thoughts and memories ever since you were young," Fenris said.

"You are strong, considering your age, but that is mostly due to your bloodline," the man continued.

"That pendant you are wearing is one of the 'Ten Heavenly Treasures', the 'Phoenix Claw Pendant'," Fenris said.

He touched the pendant on Oasis with his finger, injecting a small amount of mana into it.

"There we go," Fenris said.

Oasis's pendant glowed with energy and changed shape, becoming slightly smaller and resembling a claw.

"Your pendant was made thousands of years ago using the claws of the ancestral phoenix divine deities," Fenris explained.

"Huh?" Oasis scratched his head in confusion.

"This pendant is part of your mana reserves. It can also hide your cultivation level and protect your conscious realm," Fenris said.

"It is a heavenly-grade artifact," he added.

Oasis absorbed the wisdom from Fenris as he explained and guided him on his cultivation path...

They spoke for hours, enriching Oasis's understanding of the martial world.

"Here, young one," Fenris said, handing Oasis a small clear ball with a miniature version of the garden inside it and a scroll.

"These are your rewards for passing my trial," Fenris explained.

"This is the 'Celestial garden Sphere'. It will allow you to enter a realm once every five years."

One day in your original realm is a year inside this artifact realm, so you can train here," he said.

"And this is the 'Heavenly Slicing Technique manual'," he continued as he slowly faded away.

The place transformed from a garden to an empty room with a door that seemed to be the one Oasis used to enter.