The Snow God's voice rang out. "Good and evil in this world have always been separated by a single thought."
"The Five Trials of the Snow God: witness the lives of these nine people, then decide whether to pass judgment on them—or, rather, what kind of judgment to pass."
Before Qian Lingche could react, the first screen of light suddenly flared to life, its dazzling radiance pulling his consciousness inside.
His vision blurred. It was as if he had crossed through time and space into a strange world.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing on a desolate battlefield.
Smoke billowed, corpses littered the ground, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and death.
At the center of the battlefield, a general clad in armor raised his sword high, commanding his soldiers to charge into battle.
Qian Lingche's gaze settled on the general. He understood that this was the first person he had to witness—Qin Wuya.
As he watched, Qin Wuya's life unfolded like a slowly unrolling scroll.
Qian Lingche saw that Qin Wuya had been born into a family of military generals. He had received strict training from a young age, possessed extraordinary talent, and become the empire's youngest general at just twenty.
His countless military achievements had made his name renowned far and wide, earning him the title of "Invincible War God."
Yet Qin Wuya's heart was not as bright as his outward appearance suggested.
He was wildly ambitious and craved power above all else. He was even willing to sacrifice his soldiers' lives to win glory for himself.
In one battle, though he knew his forces were vastly outnumbered, he still ordered a direct assault, sending tens of thousands of soldiers to their deaths on the battlefield.
He, meanwhile, seized the opportunity to claim credit before the empire and win himself an even higher position.
The scene shifted, and Qin Wuya's ambition swelled further.
He began secretly colluding with the powerful, eliminating his rivals and even plotting a coup to overthrow the emperor and crown himself king.
In the end, however, his plot was exposed, and the emperor ordered his execution.
As he faced death, Qin Wuya threw back his head and howled, his eyes brimming with regret and resentment.
Watching this, Qian Lingche furrowed his brow. Qin Wuya's ambition and cruelty had long since led him away from his original purpose. He had become a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
Just then, the scene changed again. Qin Wuya's soul did not vanish; instead, it was drawn by a mysterious force into a place filled with darkness and pain.
There, he was forced to relive, again and again, the suffering and despair of the soldiers who had died because of him, until he finally repented.
Qian Lingche's consciousness was pulled from the screen of light, returning to the space before Qian Shangyi.
He fell silent for a moment, his decision already made.
Qian Shangyi's voice sounded beside him. "Qian Lingche, what is your judgment of Qin Wuya?"
Qian Lingche raised his head. "Qin Wuya was ambitious and cruel, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals and causing countless innocent people to die."
"His crimes are unforgivable. Let him continue repenting in darkness and pain. That is my judgment."
Qian Shangyi said nothing. She merely watched Qian Lingche with calm eyes. Her silence was tacit approval of his verdict.
Just as Qian Lingche felt a slight weight lift from his heart, the second screen of light suddenly flared to life, and its dazzling radiance pulled his consciousness inside once more.
This time, when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a bustling town.
People came and went along the streets, hawkers' cries rose and fell, and the air was filled with the warmth of everyday life.
On a street corner, a ragged boy squatted on the ground, holding a hard, dry steamed bun and nibbling at it cautiously.
Qian Lingche's gaze fell on the boy. This was the second person he had to witness—Lin Xiaoqi.
As he watched, Lin Xiaoqi's life appeared before his eyes.
He had been born into a poor family, and his parents had died when he was young. He had survived by begging and stealing.
Though life was hard, he had a kind heart and always shared the food he stole with other homeless children.
Yet fate showed him no mercy. One day, Lin Xiaoqi was caught stealing by a wealthy merchant and beaten until he was covered in wounds.
In pain and despair, his heart filled with hatred for the world. Just then, a mysterious person appeared and took him into the dark underworld, teaching him to become an assassin.
Lin Xiaoqi had extraordinary talent and soon became the most feared assassin in the underworld.
Though his hands were stained with blood, deep inside he could never escape his guilt and anguish.
The scene shifted. During one mission, Lin Xiaoqi encountered an innocent little girl.
Her smile reminded him of the person he had once been.
He let the girl go, but in doing so exposed his identity and was hunted by the organization.
In the end, Lin Xiaoqi died while fleeing. As he drew his last breath, his eyes were filled with relief and regret.
Watching this, Qian Lingche felt conflicted. Lin Xiaoqi's fall had not been entirely of his own choosing; fate and circumstance had forced him down that path.
The scene changed again.
Lin Xiaoqi's soul arrived in a place filled with light and warmth.
There, he saw his younger self, as well as all the people who had died because of him.
He fell to his knees, weeping bitterly, his heart full of regret and self-reproach.
Qian Lingche's consciousness was pulled from the screen of light. He fell silent for a moment, his decision already made.
"Lin Xiaoqi's fall wasn't entirely of his own choosing. Let him atone to those people in his next life, then start again in the light."
As the last screen of light slowly faded, Qian Lingche's consciousness returned to the space before Qian Shangyi.
Nine judgments, nine lives. He had seen the complexity and contradictions of human nature, and the truth of how good and evil intertwined.
With every judgment, through weighing and choosing, he had found an answer of his own.
Qian Shangyi spoke slowly. "Good and evil in this world both begin with a single thought."
"Good and evil have no fixed answers. You judged them as they deserved, with a just heart."
"The Fifth Trial of the Snow God, Judging Good and Evil, is complete."
"Reward: Soul Power Level increased by two levels; all Soul Rings' ages increased by 5,000 years."
As her voice fell, the entire space suddenly lit up. Pure power of ice and snow converged from every direction and surged into Qian Lingche's body.
Qian Lingche closed his eyes and absorbed this power. He had passed the Fifth Trial, bringing him one step closer to becoming a true god.
When he opened his eyes again, Qian Shangyi's figure had already grown indistinct.
"Qian Lingche, the road ahead will be even more difficult. But no matter what trials you face, stay true to your heart and protect everything you hold dear."
Qian Lingche bowed solemnly. "God Ancestor, the path I choose will never go against my heart."
The space around him began to twist, and Qian Lingche gradually returned to reality.
When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the Snow God Hall.
He looked up at the Snow God Statue. "I've completed the Five Trials of the Snow God. Now it's time to face the Sixth Trial."