Ye Tian left the Nexus chamber, the furnace in his bag emitting a faint hum of protest as if urging him to return. Outside the chamber, Shen leaned against a stone pillar, his arms crossed, watching Ye Tian with a knowing smirk.
"You're back sooner than expected," Shen remarked, his sharp eyes assessing Ye Tian's frustrated expression. "Let me guess—the orb didn't respond."
Ye Tian's brows furrowed, his irritation barely concealed. "It didn't even acknowledge me. I tried everything—Qi, meditation, connecting the furnace—but nothing worked. It's as if the orb doesn't care."
Shen chuckled, his laughter carrying a hint of amusement. "That's because it doesn't. The orb is ancient, older than this sect itself. It has its own will, and it won't yield to someone who isn't prepared to endure its trials."
"Trials?" Ye Tian asked, his voice laced with skepticism. "I've faced countless challenges. What more does it want?"
Shen's smirk deepened. "Persistence. If you truly wish to unlock the orb's secrets, you must stay in that chamber with the furnace for a month or more. Let the whispers grow until they become your reality. Only then will the orb recognize you and begin to resonate."
"A month?" Ye Tian repeated, his frustration giving way to thoughtfulness. "And if I fail?"
Shen's expression grew serious. "Then you'll either lose your mind or be consumed by the furnace's power. Many have tried, but few succeed. The path you've chosen isn't meant for the faint of heart."
Ye Tian nodded, his mind already turning over the implications. "I'll try again tomorrow," he said, his tone resolute.
Shen inclined his head. "Good. But remember—there's no shame in retreating if you find the burden too great. Survival is a strength in itself."
A Walk Among the Disciples
As the sun began to set, Ye Tian wandered through the Sect of Forgotten Shadows. The sect's architecture was a blend of dark elegance and foreboding power, with its towering spires and shadow-drenched halls exuding an aura of mystery.
He passed by groups of disciples, their laughter and banter filling the air. However, their demeanor shifted when they noticed him. Whispers spread like wildfire, and many of them shot him disdainful looks, their arrogance palpable.
"That's the one Shen brought to the inner sanctum," one disciple sneered. "Does he think he's special?"
"He's just another outsider," another added, her tone dripping with condescension. "Let him try to prove himself. He won't last."
Ye Tian's eyes narrowed as he approached a small group of disciples, their robes marked with intricate patterns denoting their high status within the sect. He smirked, his voice calm but laced with a subtle challenge. "It seems the Sect of Forgotten Shadows is filled with barkers. Is anyone here capable of a bite?"
The tallest among them, a disciple with an air of superiority, stepped forward. His Qi flared briefly, a display of power meant to intimidate. "And what would a newcomer like you know about that? Do you think you can handle even one of us?"
Ye Tian's instincts warned him to tread carefully. Though his pride urged him to put these disciples in their place, he could sense the depth of their cultivation. They weren't ordinary. For now, he decided to swallow his pride, turning away with a smirk. "Perhaps another time. I wouldn't want to embarrass you in front of your peers."
The disciples laughed, mistaking his retreat for cowardice. But Ye Tian's resolve only hardened. Let them think what they want. I have bigger things to focus on.
His footsteps echoed in the dim corridors as his thoughts churned. The orb's indifference gnawed at him. Shen's suggestion to spend a month in the chamber listening to whispers seemed ridiculous. A month of hallucinations? He wasn't a lackey willing to follow every instruction blindly.
But he couldn't ignore the orb's importance. He needed to control its power—not let it consume him or waste his time.
A Search for Clarity
The morning sun bathed the Sect of Forgotten Shadows in a cold, golden glow as Ye Tian walked the sprawling grounds. Disciples trained in various courtyards, their auras radiating determination. Each seemed focused, wielding artifacts with precision. Ye Tian's sharp eyes scanned the area, searching for answers.
He approached a group of disciples training in a stone yard, their Qi flaring in synchronized movements. One figure caught his attention: a wiry young man wielding a short stick inscribed with runes similar to those on Ye Tian's furnace.
The disciple stood before a cluster of jagged rocks, his brow furrowed in concentration. As Ye Tian watched, the young man poured his Qi into the artifact. The stick pulsed with energy, its size and length expanding until it resembled a spear. With a sharp cry, the disciple swung the weapon, shattering the rocks in a single strike.
But it wasn't just the strike's force that impressed Ye Tian—it was the stick itself. As the weapon struck the stone, it hardened visibly, its surface glinting like tempered steel. The rocks crumbled under its weight, but the artifact remained pristine, unyielding.
"Impressive," Ye Tian murmured under his breath.
Another disciple nearby clapped the wielder on the shoulder, grinning. "You've mastered the Hardening Stick, Jin. With that kind of control, you'll be unstoppable in the next sect competition."
Jin smirked, twirling the stick effortlessly. "It's all thanks to the orb's resonance. Once I attuned myself to its energy, this artifact became an extension of my will. Its power flows through me as naturally as breathing now."
Ye Tian's eyes narrowed, their words igniting a realization. The orb wasn't just a source of power—it was a conduit, transferring its energy to artifacts that could harmonize with it. The artifacts, in turn, reflected the wielder's Qi and intent.
If the orb's power can transform a simple stick into an indestructible weapon, then it must be capable of amplifying the furnace's potential, Ye Tian thought, his mind racing. But how do I establish that resonance?
A Revelation
The day's encounters played over in Ye Tian's mind as he returned to his quarters. He sat cross-legged, the furnace resting on the ground before him. His fingers traced its surface, feeling the heat radiating from its depths.
The furnace responds to me, but not the orb, he thought, his brow furrowed. Why?
He closed his eyes, replaying the scene of the disciple with the Hardening Stick. The artifact had only awakened when Jin poured his Qi into it, aligning his intent with its power. The orb, too, must require such synchronization.
It's not enough to just bring the furnace close to the orb, Ye Tian realized. The furnace must resonate with it. And for that to happen, I have to push it beyond its limits.
The thought sparked an idea—a reckless, dangerous idea. Ye Tian's lips curved into a sly grin.
Breaking the Rules
The next morning, Ye Tian returned to the Nexus chamber. The orb hung above the platform, its glow steady and indifferent. The furnace in his bag stirred, as if sensing what was to come.
Shen's warning rang in his mind, but Ye Tian brushed it aside. He wasn't going to spend a month waiting for whispers and hallucinations. He would force the orb to yield—on his terms.
Standing before the platform, Ye Tian drew upon his Qi, channeling it into the furnace. Its runes flared, casting a fiery glow across the chamber. The orb responded faintly, its light pulsing once, then returning to its placid state.
"That's not enough," Ye Tian muttered.
He poured more power into the furnace, pushing it to its limit. The artifact trembled in his hands, its heat searing against his skin. The orb pulsed again, more violently this time, as if resisting his intrusion.
With a roar, Ye Tian unleashed a powerful strike, his energy colliding with the orb in a deafening explosion. The chamber shook as cracks spread across the orb's surface. The furnace flared wildly, its resonance growing erratic.
"Break!" Ye Tian bellowed, pouring every ounce of his strength into a final blow.
The orb shattered, releasing a torrent of dark, viscous liquid that spilled across the platform. Ye Tian stumbled back, his chest heaving. The furnace in his hands quieted, its glow dimming. The furnace in his bag seemed to calm, its resonance fading into a quiet hum. He approached the pool of liquid cautiously, his mind racing. "So, this is the orb's essence…"
Ignoring the furnace, Ye Tian scanned the room for something useful. His eyes landed on a small, unassuming bracelet lying among a pile of discarded artifacts. Picking it up, he quickly identified its basic function—it was a low-tier artifact meant to store Qi.
"This will do," Ye Tian muttered, a sly grin forming on his lips. He tossed the bracelet into the pool of liquid. As expected, the bracelet began to absorb the essence, its surface glowing faintly as the liquid was drawn into its core.
The process was slow but steady, and Ye Tian watched intently. Let them think I need their methods. I'll carve my own path.
As the last of the liquid was absorbed, the bracelet emitted a faint hum, its power amplified by the orb's essence. Ye Tian slipped it onto his wrist, a sense of accomplishment washing over him.
"Now, let's see what this can really do," he said, his voice filled with anticipation.