The morning sun broke over the jagged peaks surrounding the Outer Void Sect, casting pale gold light across the worn stone steps and scattered pine needles. The chill in the air still bit at exposed skin, but it was a welcome change from the endless gray mist of the night.
Su Yanzhou sat cross-legged on a flat rock near the training grounds, the Void Nexus stone warm in his palm.
His body still ached where the Reset had clawed through his spirit root, but beneath the pain, there was a strange new strength humming quietly. Like a hidden fire, cold and dark, ready to flare.
He swallowed and looked around nervously.
No one was paying attention to him — the Outer Sect disciples were either rushing toward the Entry Trial grounds or sneaking last-minute practice in corners. His usual spot by the well was empty.
Perfect.
He closed his eyes and focused.
Void Qi… The words felt foreign on his tongue.
He imagined a thread of darkness weaving through his dantian, swirling softly like ink in water.
A slow pulse responded.
A faint chill spread through his chest.
Su Yanzhou opened his eyes wide, startled.
Did it actually work?
He stretched a finger out and willed the energy to flow.
Nothing.
Frustration welled up inside.
"Come on… show me something."
His hand tightened into a first.
Out of nowhere, the air around his hand flickered, almost as if a breeze no one else could sense has passed through.
His eyes blinked fast.
"Did… did I just—?"
Before he could think further, a sharp shout broke through the morning bustle.
"Yanzhou! Get over here, slowpoke!"
Su Yanzhou jumped. It was Lu Fei — his childhood rival and constant thorn in his side.
Unlike Su Yanzhou, Lu Fei had it all: a natural talent, an undeniable charm, and a spirit root that literally flickered like silver fire. He was one of the few Outer Sect disciples genuinely set for the Inner Sect, and he always made sure Su Yanzhou understood where he stood.
With a tired sigh and an eye-roll, Su Yanzhou got to his feet, dusting off his worn, patched-up robe.
"Fine, fine. Coming."
He approached the Entry Trial grounds, where a significant crowd of Outer Sect disciples had gathered. Among them, a complex brew of fear, excitement, nervousness, and desperation simmered, clear on every face.
The Sect Elder in charge of the trials stood at the center, a stern-faced man with a long white beard and piercing eyes. He raised a hand, silencing the murmurs instantly.
"Today, you will test your spirit roots and basic cultivation abilities. The Entry Trial will determine who advances to the Inner Sect and who will be expelled. Those who fail will leave the sect forever."
A collective shiver ran through the crowd.
Su Yanzhou swallowed hard.
He wasn't ready.
Not yet.
The first test was simple — or so it seemed.
Each disciple had to meditate and attempt to ignite their spirit root, releasing Qi to fill the training grounds. The stronger the spirit root, the more visible the energy.
Lu Fei closed his eyes with a confident smirk. Within seconds, silver flames flickered around his palms, bright and fierce.
Cheers erupted.
Su Yanzhou clenched his fists.
He closed his eyes, focusing all his will on the Void Qi inside.
Nothing.
Just emptiness.
Frustration threatened to break him.
"Shit, Why isn't it working?"
A gentle warmth began to bloom deep within his dantian, subtly radiating outwards until it tingled at his fingertips.
A tiny thread of darkness — barely visible — curled around his right hand.
He gasped.
It's real.
A hush fell over the crowd as the faint shadow flickered.
Some disciples whispered, others scoffed.
"Is that a joke? A shadow spirit root? What kind of garbage is that?"
Su Yanzhou's cheeks burned.
He clenched his fist tighter.
"Just watch," he said.
The next test was more physical.
Disciples sparred in pairs, showing their combat techniques and control of Qi.
Lu Fei was a blur of silver flames and swift strikes.
Su Yanzhou faced his opponent — a stocky boy with a hammer-shaped spirit weapon. His wooden sword felt pathetic in comparison.
The fight began.
Su Yanzhou dodged clumsily, barely keeping pace.
The boy's hammer slammed down hard, narrowly missing his head.
No Qi, no speed, no skill.
But then something inside Su Yanzhou snapped.
A voice echoed in his mind:
[Activate Void Nexus: Phase One — Shadow Step.]
He blinked.
Before he could react, his body seemed to flicker — a momentary afterimage left behind as he vanished from his opponent's sight.
A breath later, he reappeared behind the boy, slashing with his wooden sword.
The boy barely had time to turn before Su Yanzhou's blade tapped his shoulder lightly — a harmless strike, but enough to win the round.
Gasps erupted around the training grounds.
Lu Fei's confident smirk faltered.
"What the hell?"
Su Yanzhou panted, eyes wide.
Did I just teleport?
His hand tingled where the Void Nexus pulsed.
He wasn't just a nobody anymore.
After the trial, Su Yanzhou slumped against a tree, heart racing.
His body was still weak, but the Reset had unlocked something… something beyond the mundane limits of spirit roots.
But at what cost?
A shadow flickered near the treeline.
A figure stepped forward — tall, cloaked, face hidden beneath a wide hat.
"You survived the Reset," the voice said softly.
Su Yanzhou straightened, wary.
"Who are you? Or What are you?"
The figure laughed quietly.
"A friend. Or perhaps a test."
They reached into their cloak and produced a small, ancient-looking scroll.
"This sect is not what it seems. Your path will cross with powers beyond your understanding."
Su Yanzhou frowned.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because the Void has chosen you," the figure replied.
"Prepare yourself, Su Yanzhou. The next trial will test more than your strength."
The figure dissolved back into the shadows and disappeared before Yanzhou had a chance to respond.
That night, Yanzhou lay awake, staring up at the cracked ceiling of his dormitory.
Void Qi pulsed quietly inside him, a secret heartbeat no one else could hear.
Tomorrow's trials would come.
But for the first time in his life, Su Yanzhou was ready to face them.
Not as a nobody.
But as a Void Seeker.