As the door creaked open, Xuan squinted into the dimly lit room. A group of kids his age sat cross-legged on mats arranged in neat rows. Their heads turned toward him at the sound of the opening door, their faces a mix of curiosity and wariness.
Among them, Xuan's gaze snapped onto someone familiar—a girl with pale features and dark, piercing eyes. Recognition struck like lightning. It was the same girl from the wagon, the one who had whispered to him about Jin's daughter.
His thoughts spiraled in confusion.
She's alive?
Xuan blinked, half-convinced his eyes were playing tricks on him. But when he opened them again, she was still there—pale features and dark, piercing eyes staring back at him. How was this possible?
He rubbed his eyes, his thoughts a whirlwind.
I thought they killed her. I thought…
His gaze darted to Master Shen, confusion etched across his face.
Catching Xuan's questioning look, Master Shen let a faint smile curl his lips. "Ah, I see you recognize some of them," he said, his voice smooth, almost teasing. "Surprised, aren't you?"
Xuan glanced back at the group, his eyes darting from face to face. His breath caught as he recognized others—kids from the same wagon. Some had failed the first test, others the one-month test.
He swallowed hard, his voice hoarse as he spoke. "I thought… I thought they failed the test. The screams…"
Shen's smile widened, his voice taking on a hint of pride. "Yes, the screams," he said, his tone almost smug. "Quite convincing, wouldn't you agree? We worked hard to track down a creature known as the Screeching Serpent. Its cries are… unsettlingly human when it's hurt."
"Why?" Xuan asked, his voice tinged with frustration and confusion. Once again, he had been fooled. But this time, it was a deception he could almost be grateful for—the others had survived. "Why would you go through all that?"
„To motivate you," Shen replied. "When people are on the edge, when they believe they're staring into the abyss, they work harder. They'll do anything to avoid falling." He stepped closer to Xuan, his gaze piercing. "Fear sharpens resolve. It pushes you to your limits."
Xuan's chest tightened as the weight of Shen's words settled over him. "But that's cruel," he muttered.
„Perhaps," Shen admitted. "But necessary," He continued smoothly, his tone taking on a hint of firmness. "We want warriors who are strong and resilient, not weaklings who crumble at the first sign of pressure. The fear, the urgency—it pushes you to fight harder, to survive.
Xuan's gaze dropped, his thoughts churning. This wasn't about cruelty for its own sake—it was a sect trying to forge strong disciples, no matter how harsh the methods. He felt a strange mix of relief and bitterness. At least they didn't just outright kill them. "I guess I should be glad they didn't kill them…" he muttered, the words escaping his lips before he realized it.
A flicker of amusement crossed Shen's face as he caught the muttered words. It looked kind of amusing in contrast with his almost skeletal appearance. His voice softened, almost carrying a note of reassurance. "We may be an evil sect, but there's a line we don't cross. We don't slaughter children mindlessly. We are not monsters."
As if to prove his point, Shen continued, his tone measured. „Those who failed the tests, were given a second chance."
Xuan blinked, a flicker of relief crossing his face. They weren't all slaughtered, after all. He glanced around the room, taking in the faces of the children seated on the mats. But as his gaze swept over the group, his relief gave way to unease. There weren't nearly as many as he had expected. Some were missing.
His brows furrowed, and he hesitated before speaking. "But… what about the rest? Where are they?"
Shen's expression didn't falter, but his tone grew colder. "Well, we're not a charity."
Xuan's chest tightened at those words. The bluntness of it struck a chord, his lips parting slightly in shock. Not a charity? What did that mean?
Meanwhile, Shen's thoughts drifted briefly. They had allowed those who wanted to leave to do so. But considering how far the sect was from any village, and the dangers of bandits and beasts in the wilderness, he knew most, if not all, would never make it back home. The odds were stacked against them, and Shen knew it well. After all, as he had said, they were not a charity.
He glanced at Xuan for a moment, the boy's calm demeanor belying the turmoil that likely churned within him. Shen remembered how dismissive he had been at the start—just another crippled child, someone he hadn't expected to survive long. But everything had changed the moment the mark's authenticity was confirmed. Now, his tone held a trace of warmth, his words more measured when he addressed Xuan. He couldn't afford to look down on him anymore. At least not openly.
Shen clapped his hands sharply, his voice cutting through the lingering tension. "Enough of this." His gaze shifted toward the children seated on the mats. "Make way."
Hurriedly the children scrambled out of the way, and soon the center of the room came into view.
At the center of the room stood a raised platform, and on it rested several crystal spheres mounted on an ornate pedestal. Each orb pulsed faintly with life, swirling with elemental qi—red for fire, blue for water, green for wood, yellow for earth, and silver for metal. Arranged beside these were additional orbs, each infused with rarer types of qi like wind and other unique elements, their faint glow casting shifting colors across the platform.
Master Shen stepped forward, his hand sweeping toward the display. "This," he announced, his tone steady and imposing, "is our talent-testing mechanism. It evaluates two critical aspects of cultivation potential: your qi absorption rate and your elemental affinity."
"Qi absorption rate is straightforward—it measures how quickly your nodes can draw qi from the environment. The faster you absorb, the more efficient your cultivation will be. But elemental affinity…" He paused briefly, letting the tension build. "Elemental affinity is critical. It determines the type of qi your dantian refines most easily—fire, water, wind, earth, or metal. Your affinity will shape the cultivation method best suited to your strengths."
Xuan's brow furrowed. This was new to him—something he hadn't encountered in the cultivation manual the sect had given him, which stopped at unlocking the dantian. He hadn't had time to consult his parents' manual either. "My dantian refines qi?" he asked, his voice quiet but audible.
"Yes," Shen replied, his tone patient. "When you absorb qi from the world, it's wild and unrefined. Your dantian transforms it into a form you can use for cultivation. The stronger your affinity for an element, the faster and easier your dantian refines that type of qi."
The Headmaster stepped forward, nodding as he added, "That's why understanding your affinity is critical. A cultivation method must align with your strengths. For instance, a fire-based technique draws heavily on fire qi. If your fire affinity is low, you'd struggle to refine enough fire qi to make meaningful progress."
The crystal's glow drew Xuan's attention again. "So this will show my affinities?" he asked, his voice tinged with cautious curiosity.
The Headmaster nodded with a faint smile. "Yes, alongside your efficiency of qi absorbtion. Here's how it works." He gestured toward the glowing orbs. "When you place your hand on an orb, you'll absorb the elemental qi stored within it—fire, water, earth, or the like. The first measurement will indicate how fast your nodes can absorb that qi. A glowing letter will appear—'D' for the slowest, all the way up to 'S' for exceptional speed."
Xuan's brow furrowed, taking in the explanation. "And what about the elemental affinity?" he asked.
"That's the second part," Shen interjected, stepping forward. "After you've absorbed the elemental qi, you must guide it to your dantian. There, your dantian will refine it, turning the wild qi into a form suitable for cultivation. Once the refinement is complete, guide the refined qi back into the orb. The orb will then display a number, representing your refinement speed—'1' for the slowest and '9' for the fastest."
The Headmaster's voice remained steady as he continued, "It tests both aspects—how quickly you absorb the elemental qi and how efficiently your dantian refines it. These two abilities together determine your cultivation potential."
Shen continued, his tone firm yet instructive. "Let's begin with fire." He gestured toward the red orb. "Place your hand on it and focus on drawing the qi inside. Let it flow through your nodes and guide it to your dantian. Once it's refined, send it back into the orb."
With a hesitant breath, Xuan stepped closer. His palm hovered over the fiery red orb, the faint warmth radiating from it tickling his skin. Slowly, he pressed his hand against its surface. A low hum reverberated through the air, and a surge of heat coursed into his hand.
The sensation was wild and unrestrained, like a flame licking at his skin. Xuan gritted his teeth, focusing intently as he guided the chaotic energy inward, feeling it thread through his nodes and inch toward his dantian.
The red orb glowed faintly, and then a golden letter appeared on its surface: "S."
Shen's brow lifted. "That's the highest absorption rate," he murmured. "As expected of the mark-bearer."
The qi surged further into Xuan's body, reaching his dantian. There, it slowed, as though being drawn into a vortex. His dantian pulsed rhythmically, refining the wild, elemental fire qi into a smoother, purer form. The process felt instinctive, yet Xuan could sense the effort it required, like grinding rough stone into polished glass. Once the qi felt stable, he guided it back toward the red orb.
The moment it reentered, the golden letter vanished, replaced by a glowing number: "9."
Shen nodded approvingly, though a hint of disbelief flickered in his expression. "Absorption: S. Refinement: 9. A pinnacle fire affinity."
The Headmaster's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Let's test the others," he said warmly. Fire techniques were abundant within the sect. This was great.
He gestured toward the next orb, a vibrant green sphere swirling with wood qi. "Let's continue."
One by one, Xuan moved to the remaining orbs, repeating the process with each element. As he absorbed and refined the qi, the orbs lit up with the same results:
Wood (Green): Absorption: S, Refinement: 9.
Earth (Yellow): Absorption: S, Refinement: 9.
By the time Xuan reached the fourth orb, Shen's calm demeanor had shifted, his arms crossed tightly as he exchanged glances with the Headmaster. The two men had expected talent from the marked boy, but this? After three maximum readings, unease had crept into their confidence.
Shen finally broke the silence. "Could it be malfunctioning?" he asked quietly.
A flicker of doubt crossed the Headmaster's face, his furrowed brow hinting at deeper concerns. "It's possible," he admitted slowly. „Is there someone else here, who has just unlocked his dantian?"
After a brief pause, Shen shook his head. "No, but I can fetch one of the less talented disciples to verify," he said. "It's better than nothing." With that, he turned swiftly toward the door.
While waiting for Shen to return, Xuan continued testing. The metal orb had just confirmed another flawless result when the door creaked open. Shen entered, leading a young disciple who followed hesitantly, his discomfort evident in the heavy atmosphere of the room.
"We need to confirm the device is functioning properly," Shen said, his voice cutting through the tension. "Test the earth orb."
With a quick nod, the disciple stepped forward and placed his hand on the yellow orb. Silence fell as the orb flickered to life, glowing faintly. Moments later, a golden letter appeared: "C." Then, a number followed: "7."
"It's not broken," the Headmaster muttere.
Meanwhile Shen dismissed the disciple with a slight nod. His gaze lingered on the retreating figure as his thoughts drifted. He had chosen this particular disciple deliberately—new, inexperienced, and still in the early stages of cultivation. The boy's initial test had scored him at "C" and "6," so seeing a slight improvement to "7" wasn't surprising.
Shen knew why. The disciple had recently unlocked his qi channels, an advantage that allowed him to guide qi through his body more smoothly. This allowed qi to travel to and from his dantian more quickly, naturally inflating his affinity scores. The improvement was minor but expected. More importantly, it confirmed the crystals were functioning properly, meaning Xuan's extraordinary results weren't a fault of the device.
"Proceed," the Headmaster said, pulling Shen from his thoughts. Xuan stepped forward, ready for the next test.
Xuan approached the water orb now, the only primary element left to test. His hand trembled slightly as he pressed it against the glowing blue surface. Instantly, a surge of qi flooded into him, wild and turbulent like a raging river. His dantian responded instinctively, refining the qi with such speed that Xuan barely had time to process the flow.
Then something strange began to happen.
The moment the qi was refined, his dantian sent it back into the orb—while he was still absorbing more. The orb flickered violently, the golden letter "S" appearing briefly, only to switch rapidly to the number "9." It flashed back and forth, unable to keep up with the simultaneous absorption and refinement. Soon, the vibrations intensified, cracks splintering across its surface, until—
*Boom!*
The orb shattered explosively, fragments scattering across the room. A stunned silence followed, broken only by gasps from the watching children.
"What just happened?" Shen muttered, stepping forward to inspect the shards. His voice carried disbelief, his usual composure slipping.
The Headmaster's expression was frozen in shock, his gaze fixed on Xuan. "He refined it while still absorbing," he said shakily. "I've never seen such efficiency before."
He paused, his thoughts racing. No wonder the orb failed. The devices were designed to measure talent, but this… this was beyond anything the sect had accounted for. They weren't equipped for someone who could simultaneously refine and absorb at such speeds. Xuan wasn't just surpassing the standard—he was breaking it entirely.
Regaining some of his composure, the Headmaster turned to Shen. "Bring out the rarer elemental orbs. I want to see how far his talent extends."
Shen moved quickly, shaking a bit as he stepped toward the pedestal. With practiced ease, he lifted the remaining primary elemental orbs—fire, wood, earth and metal—from their sockets.
From the carefully arranged set of orbs beside the platform, he selected several of the rarer ones: a faintly glowing purple orb for lightning, a cyan orb for ice, and a translucent, shimmering one for wind. Each was carefully mounted onto the pedestal, their unique colors casting soft, ethereal hues across the room.
Most cultivators excelled in one of the five primary elements. Exceptional prodigies sometimes displayed an affinity for multiple primary elements or one of the rarer types, but to show consistent talent across multiple primary elements and rare elements? That was almost unheard of. And yet, everything so far suggested Xuan was more than just exceptional.
"Begin," Shen said curtly, while stepping aside.
Xuan approached the lightning orb, the faint crackle of energy almost audible as his hand hovered over its surface. With a deep breath, he pressed his palm against it. A surge of qi, sharp and electrifying, flowed into his body. The process felt no different from before: absorb, refine, and return. Within seconds, the orb flashed:
Lightning (Purple): Absorption: S, Refinement: 9.
Undeterred by the result Xuan swiftly continued, placing his hand on the cyan ice orb. He felt a biting chill seep into his palm. The energy was brittle, like shards of frozen glass, but he guided it smoothly to his dantian. Moments later, the results appeared:
Ice (Cyan): Absorption: S, Refinement: 9.
Shen's sharp eyes flickered to the Headmaster, the disbelief in his gaze matched by the Headmaster's. Rare elemental affinities of this caliber were almost mythical, yet Xuan was demonstrating them as if they were ordinary.
Soon Xuan approached the wind orb, its glow shifting like a restless breeze. He pressed his hand to it, and immediately the qi surged into his body. The process began like the others, but then the orb flickered violently.
The golden letter "S" appeared, followed by the number "9," switching back and forth in rapid succession. Vibrations ran through the orb, cracks spreading rapidly across its surface.
"Not again…" Shen muttered under his breath.
*Boom!*
Shards of the shattered orb rained down, the sound reverberating through the silent room.
"Those are expensive… Damn it." Shen muttered irritably, but his tone shifted as realization dawned.
"This isn't just talent," the Headmaster murmured, his voice low and filled with awe. "This is something far beyond what we can measure. This child… he's a monster."
Shen nodded, his grim expression giving way to a spark of excitement. "We'd need high-grade orbs to even begin testing him properly," he said, pausing for a moment as his eyes lit up. "But even without those, it's clear. His talent is extraordinary—especially with water and wind."
For a brief moment, Shen allowed himself to imagine what this could mean for their branch. His mind raced with possibilities, his excitement barely contained.
"You're right," the Headmaster said. A faint smile flickered across his lips as he turned to Xuan. But as his gaze swept over the room, his expression subtly hardened.
He noticed the other children in the room. Reminded, that they had been watching the entire time too. Their wide eyes betrayed their shock.
Meanwhile, Xuan remained lost in the glow of his results. Pride warmed his chest as he glanced at the shattered remains of the last orb. Shen's acknowledgment and the Headmaster's awe—it all felt like a step toward reclaiming something he'd lost. For the first time since his life had spiraled into chaos, he felt... happy?
Then the Headmaster leaned closer to him, his face only inches away. "Xuan," he said softly, "tell me… is there anyone here you consider a friend? Someone you're familiar with?"
The question caught Xuan off guard, his thoughts stumbling. His gaze flicked to the group of children seated on the mats. Confusion churned in his mind, but after a pause, he hesitantly pointed to the pale girl with piercing eyes. "Her… I know her from before."
The Headmaster's eyes followed the direction of Xuan's finger, and he gave a small nod, as though satisfied. "Is that all?" he asked.
Xuan nodded again, unsure where this was leading.
Straightening, the Headmaster turned to Shen. His voice, when it came, was light and almost casual.
"Kill the rest."