Five Trials of the Snow God: Judging Good and Evil

The voice of the Snow God resonated: "Good and evil in this world have always existed within a single thought."

"The Five Trials of the Snow God require you to observe the lives of these nine individuals and decide whether to grant them judgment, or rather, what kind of judgment to bestow upon them."

Before Qian Lingche could react, the first screen of light suddenly ignited, its dazzling radiance pulling his consciousness inward.

His vision blurred, as if he were traversing time and space to enter an unfamiliar world.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing upon a desolate battlefield.

Smoke billowed, corpses lay scattered across the plains, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and death.

In the center of the battlefield, a general clad in armor raised his long sword high, commanding his soldiers to charge into the fray.

Qian Lingche's gaze fell upon that general, and he understood in his heart that this was the first person he was to observe—Qin Wuya.

As he watched, the life of Qin Wuya unfolded slowly like a scroll.

Qian Lingche saw that Qin Wuya was born into a family of military officers; he had undergone rigorous training since childhood and possessed extraordinary talent, becoming the empire's youngest general by the age of twenty.

He achieved glorious military successes and won great renown, earning the title of the "Invincible God of War."

However, Qin Wuya's inner self was not as pristine as his outward appearance suggested.

He was ambitious and possessed an extreme craving for power, even going so far as to sacrifice the lives of his soldiers to secure his own merits.

During one campaign, knowing full well that the enemy outnumbered them, he still ordered a desperate assault, resulting in the tragic deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers on the battlefield.

Yet, he used this very opportunity to claim credit before the empire, attaining an even higher position of power.

The scene shifted, and Qin Wuya's ambition swelled further.

He began to collude with powerful officials in secret, purging those who opposed him, and even plotted a coup d'état in an attempt to overthrow the emperor and crown himself king.

However, his conspiracy was ultimately exposed, and the emperor ordered his execution.

Before his death, Qin Wuya let out a roar toward the heavens, his eyes filled with regret and unwillingness.

Seeing this, Qian Lingche furrowed his brows; Qin Wuya's ambition and cold-bloodedness had long since caused him to stray from his original intentions, turning him into a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

Just then, the scene changed once more. Qin Wuya's soul did not dissipate; instead, it was drawn by a mysterious force into a space filled with darkness and agony.

There, he was forced to experience the pain and despair of the soldiers who had died because of him, over and over again, until he felt true remorse.

Qian Lingche's consciousness withdrew from the light screen and returned to the presence of Qian Shangyi.

He remained silent for a moment, his decision already made.

Qian Shangyi's voice echoed in his ears: "Qian Lingche, what is your judgment for Qin Wuya?"

Qian Lingche raised his head and said: "Qin Wuya was ambitious, cold-blooded, and ruthless, stopping at nothing to achieve his ends, which led to the deaths of countless innocent people."

"His crimes are unforgivable. Let him continue to repent in darkness and agony; that is my judgment for him."

Qian Shangyi did not speak, merely watching Qian Lingche with those calm eyes; her silence was a tacit approval of his verdict.

Just as Qian Lingche felt his heart ease slightly, a second screen of light suddenly ignited, and the dazzling radiance pulled his consciousness in once again.

This time, when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a bustling town.

People came and went on the streets, the cries of vendors rose and fell, and the air was filled with the scent of daily life.

In the corner of a street, a ragged youth crouched on the ground, carefully gnawing on a piece of dry, hard steamed bun held in his hands.

Qian Lingche's gaze fell upon that youth; this was the second person he was to observe—Lin Xiaoqi.

As he watched, the life of Lin Xiaoqi appeared before his eyes.

He was born into a destitute family, his parents having passed away early, and he had survived since childhood by begging and stealing.

Though life was difficult, he was kind-hearted and always shared the food he stole with other homeless children.

However, fate was not kind to him. During one theft, Lin Xiaoqi was caught by a wealthy merchant and beaten until he was covered in wounds.

He was in pain and despair, his heart filled with resentment toward the world. Just then, a mysterious person appeared, brought him into the dark underworld, and taught him to become an assassin.

Lin Xiaoqi possessed extraordinary talent and soon became the most feared assassin in the underworld.

Although his hands were stained with blood, he could never escape the guilt and pain deep within his heart.

The scene shifted. During a mission, Lin Xiaoqi encountered an innocent little girl.

The girl's smile reminded him of his former self.

He spared the girl, but in doing so, he exposed his identity and was hunted by his organization.

In the end, Lin Xiaoqi died while on the run; before his death, his eyes were filled with relief and regret.

Seeing this, Qian Lingche felt conflicted; Lin Xiaoqi's fall was not entirely of his own volition, but forced by fate and circumstance.

The scene changed once again.

Lin Xiaoqi's soul arrived in a space filled with light and warmth.

There, he saw his former self, and he also saw those who had died because of him.

He knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly, his heart filled with remorse and self-reproach.

Qian Lingche's consciousness withdrew from the light screen, and he remained silent for a moment, his decision already made.

"Lin Xiaoqi's fall was not entirely of his own volition. Let him atone to those people in his next life, and then let him begin anew in the light."

As the radiance of the final light screen gradually dissipated, Qian Lingche's consciousness returned to the presence of Qian Shangyi.

Nine trials, nine lifetimes; he had witnessed the complexity and contradictions of human nature, as well as the reality where good and evil were inextricably intertwined.

In every trial, he had weighed the scales and made his choices, finding his own answers along the way.

Qian Shangyi spoke slowly, "The good and evil of this world all arise from a single thought."

"There is no fixed answer to good and evil; with a heart of justice, you have granted them the judgment they deserved."

"The Fifth Trial of the Snow God, Judgment of Good and Evil, is complete."

"Reward: Soul Power level increased by two, all Soul Ring ages increased by 5,000 years."

As her voice fell, the entire space suddenly brightened, and the pure power of ice and snow converged from all directions, surging into Qian Lingche's body.

Qian Lingche closed his eyes to absorb this power; he had passed the fifth trial, taking another step closer to becoming a true deity.

When he opened his eyes again, Qian Shangyi's figure had become blurred.

"Qian Lingche, the road ahead will be even more arduous, but no matter what trials you face, you must hold fast to your original intent and protect everything you cherish."

Qian Lingche bowed solemnly, "God Ancestor, the path I have chosen has never once betrayed my own heart."

The surrounding space began to distort, and Qian Lingche gradually returned to reality.

When he opened his eyes once more, he found himself back in the Snow God Hall.

He looked up at the Snow God Statue, "The Five Trials of the Snow God are complete; now, it is time to welcome the sixth."