Xiao Fan stood at the base of the second pillar, the Soul of the Slap. It pulsed with an ethereal, otherworldly glow, its surface shimmering as if alive. The air around it vibrated with the force of untold energies, a silent warning that this trial would be even more difficult than the last.
Fairy Lin Yue stood by his side, her gaze filled with concern. "The Soul of the Slap... this trial will test more than your strength, Xiao Fan. It will test the very essence of who you are. If your soul falters, the trial will consume you."
Xiao Fan smiled, his expression unshaken. "I've already faced my heart. There is no more fear in me. It's time to face my soul."
Without another word, he stepped forward, his hand reaching out to touch the glowing pillar. The moment his fingers brushed its surface, the world around him shattered once again. This time, the darkness that enveloped him was colder, more oppressive. The air was thick with a feeling of despair, and the ground beneath his feet felt like it was slipping away.
---
He found himself standing in a vast, empty expanse. The sky above was dark, filled with swirling shadows and distant flashes of lightning. It was a place devoid of life, yet filled with a heavy, oppressive presence.
Xiao Fan's eyes narrowed. He could sense that something was watching him—something ancient, powerful, and dark.
"Welcome," a voice said, echoing from all directions. "You seek the Soul of the Slap, but what do you truly know of your own soul?"
Xiao Fan stood tall, his expression resolute. "I know that my soul is forged in the flames of struggle. I know that it has been tempered by every trial I have faced. I know that it is mine."
The voice laughed, a cold, echoing sound. "Is it truly yours, Xiao Fan? Or is it the soul of someone else? Someone you have forgotten?"
Xiao Fan's brow furrowed, his thoughts racing. He knew his soul. It had been shaped by his experiences, by his ambitions, by his desire to break through the limits of the world. Yet the voice's words struck a deep chord within him, stirring up something buried within his mind.
Images flashed before his eyes—scenes from his past that he had long buried, memories of a life he had forgotten. He saw himself as a child, standing in the shadows of a grand city, surrounded by a family he could not remember. He saw his parents, their faces blurred and indistinct, their voices a whisper he could barely grasp.
"You have forgotten, Xiao Fan," the voice intoned. "You have forgotten who you truly are. Your soul is not solely your own. It has been shaped by others—by the world, by the people you've met, and by those who have influenced your path. You are not the man you think you are."
Xiao Fan shook his head, the images blurring and shifting as his grip on his identity began to waver. "No. This is just a trick. I know who I am. I've forged my own path. My soul is mine!"
The voice grew louder, more insistent. "Are you sure? Can you truly say you have never been influenced by the desires and ambitions of others? Can you say that every choice you've made has been your own? What happens when those who shaped you come for what they've given you?"
The air grew colder, and Xiao Fan felt his sense of self begin to crack. The ground beneath his feet trembled, as if the very fabric of reality was unraveling. For the first time, doubt began to seep into his mind. Could it be true? Was his soul not his own? Had he been a puppet all along, merely following a path laid out by others?
"Enough!" Xiao Fan roared, clenching his fists. "I am who I am. I will not be swayed by doubts or illusions. I know my soul, and I will defend it."
He closed his eyes, focusing inward. He felt the power of his will, the strength of his resolve. He had walked his own path, had faced countless trials and enemies, and had never once faltered in his pursuit of strength. His soul had been forged by his struggles, by the choices he had made, not by anyone else.
The shadows around him began to recede as his will surged forth. The voice grew silent, and the oppressive weight that had threatened to crush him began to lift. Slowly, Xiao Fan's vision cleared, and he found himself standing once again before the pillar—the Soul of the Slap.
But this time, the pillar was different. It glowed brighter, its light warm and inviting. The oppressive darkness that had once filled the air was gone, replaced by a sense of clarity and peace.
"You have passed," the voice whispered, now soft and distant. "You have faced the darkness within yourself and emerged stronger. Your soul is truly yours."
Xiao Fan's body relaxed, and he exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The trial was complete, and he had passed. His soul was his own, stronger for having faced the darkness within.
---
Fairy Lin Yue stepped forward, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and admiration. "You've done it. You've conquered the Soul of the Slap. Now, there is only one trial left—the Will of the Slap."
Xiao Fan nodded, his expression determined. "The hardest one of all. But I've come this far. I will not falter now."
They turned toward the third pillar, the Will of the Slap, which towered over them with an immense, unyielding presence. Its surface was a deep, swirling black, filled with crackling energy that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.
Xiao Fan's heart raced with anticipation. The trials of the Heart and Soul had tested him in ways he had never imagined. But the Will of the Slap—this was the final step. The last barrier standing between him and the power he sought.
As he stepped forward, Fairy Lin Yue placed a hand on his shoulder. "Remember, Xiao Fan. The Will of the Slap is not something you can force. It is a test of your inner strength, of your resolve. You cannot overcome it by simply slapping your way through it. You must prove that your will is stronger than anything the universe can throw at you."
Xiao Fan smiled, his eyes filled with fire. "I've been slapped by the heavens themselves. I've faced death, destruction, and despair. I will not be stopped now."
With those words, he reached out and touched the Will of the Slap.
---
The world around him shattered once again, but this time, Xiao Fan did not fall into darkness. Instead, he found himself standing in a vast, infinite space—an endless ocean of stars, stretching as far as the eye could see.
And standing before him was an entity unlike any he had ever seen. It was a being of pure light, its form constantly shifting and changing, as though it were made of the very fabric of the universe itself.
"I am the Will of the Slap," the entity spoke, its voice a thousand whispers in his mind. "You have come far, Xiao Fan. But the final trial is the hardest of all. To pass it, you must prove that your will is unbreakable. That no force, no matter how great, can sway you from your path."
Xiao Fan stood tall, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. "I have faced the darkness of my heart, the uncertainty of my soul, and the trials of the heavens themselves. Nothing will stop me now."
The Will of the Slap extended a hand, and the stars around them began to swirl, forming a vortex of unimaginable power. The very air crackled with energy, and Xiao Fan could feel the weight of the trial pressing down on him.
"You say your will is unbreakable," the Will of the Slap whispered. "Let us see if it is true."
With a single motion, the Will of the Slap struck. It was not a slap in the traditional sense, but a wave of energy so powerful that it felt as though the very fabric of reality was being torn apart.
Xiao Fan stood his ground, his eyes narrowing in focus. The energy crashed into him, and for a moment, it seemed as though he would be overwhelmed. But then, deep within, he felt the strength of his own will—the countless struggles, the unrelenting pursuit of power, the unshakable belief that he could overcome anything.
He pushed back.
With a roar, Xiao Fan's body erupted with energy. His will, unbreakable and pure, surged forward, meeting the power of the Will of the Slap head-on. The two forces collided, and the universe trembled in the aftermath.
When the dust settled, Xiao Fan stood victorious, his body glowing with the power of his unyielding will.
The Will of the Slap faded into the ether, its final words echoing in the air. "You have passed. You are truly worthy."
Xiao Fan looked up at the endless stars, a sense of peace settling over him. He had completed the trials. He had mastered the Heart, the Soul, and the Will of the Slap.
Now, nothing could stop him from achieving the power he sought—the Eternal Slap.
The path to the heavens was open. And Xiao Fan would walk it, hand raised high.