"Remember, true strength comes from the resolve to protect." Ace clenched his fists.
"Wisdom and courage must go hand in hand. Only then can you go farther." Anailis nodded.
"Don't forget us, but don't let the past bind you either," Titan said at last.
The five figures gradually faded, but the trust and hope in their eyes were etched deep in Lin Ye's heart.
The crimson Courage Door slowly opened, warm light spilling out from beyond it.
Lin Ye took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway.
When he emerged in the temple, Seraphina and Astria immediately noticed the change.
The Genesis Star Sword's light had become purer, no longer tinged with anger and hatred.
There was a new maturity and resolve in Lin Ye's gaze, as though he had been tempered by life and death.
"You have passed the first trial." Astra's voice held approval.
"You have found true courage."
"Now, prepare to face the challenge of the Wisdom Gate."
Lin Ye walked toward the blue Wisdom Gate, with Seraphina and Astria close behind.
When all three stepped through the doorway together, the sight before them left them awestruck.
They stood in an enormous circular chamber more than a kilometer across.
The walls, floor, and ceiling were all made of deep blue crystal, their surfaces densely engraved with constellation runes.
Even more astonishingly, the runes were not still.
They flowed slowly across the crystal surfaces, forming intricate diagrams of celestial motion.
The flame runes of Aries intertwined with the earth markings of Taurus, while the wind patterns of Gemini encircled the rippling water patterns of Cancer.
Twelve different runic systems shifted constantly throughout the chamber, forming a three-dimensional Star Map Maze.
"These are the research records of the First-Generation Guardians." Seraphina studied the runes on the wall.
"They