Back at the pavilion, with the trial behind us, I sat cross-legged beneath the low evening sun, with my breath ragged and body heavy. The mutated beast's blood still clung to my robes, crusted and dry. Around me, the others nursed their wounds in silence.
Lu Shen arrived without a word. His eyes swept over us—not for weakness, but for signs of who learned and who merely survived.
"Su Lanyue," he said, "Your control of the Whispering Steel Whip was…precise and has increased as compared to last time,keep up the good work."
She nodded slightly, with her eyes still cold as usual.
"Zhao Wuqing," he continued, "You lack coordination under pressure. Your sword is fast, but your instincts lag."
Wuqing's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
Lu Shen's stern gaze turned to Fei Xuan. "You played the observer again."
Fei Xuan bowed faintly. "And saw everything. Isn't that valuable?"
Lu Shen's jaw tensed, but he moved on.
Then he looked at me. Longer. Not with pride—but with something close to concern buried beneath his usual steel. "You're reckless, Ling Ye. Too reckless. You'll die that way."
I met his gaze. "I'd rather die pushing forward than live on my knees."
For a moment, I thought he'd strike me. Instead, he turned away and said, softer than usual, "That's what your father said too."
The words hit harder than any slap. But he didn't wait for my reaction. He stepped forward and raised his hand.
"From this point forward," Lu Shen began, "you all will train under Stoneveil's Three Paths of Ascension. The outer sect only cultivates up to the Spirit Core Realm. Fail to reach that within six months… and you're dismissed."
Fei Xuan frowned. "Three paths?"
Lu Shen pointed to the air. "Path One: Martial Mastery. Physical combat, body refinement, weapons training."
He pointed to the spirit well behind him. "Path Two: Spiritual Command. Energy absorption, flame control, and domain crafting."
Finally, he pointed to the black mountain in the distance. "Path Three: Mind of the Heavens. Dao understanding, mental endurance, cultivation heart."
"The three together form the complete foundation," he added. "You master all three—you ascend."
That night, Yan Fei visited my chamber again. This time, she didn't throw scrolls or sarcasm. She sat on the edge of my table, arms folded, watching me wrap bandages over my ribs.
"You really pissed him off today," she said.
"Good," I muttered.
She shook her head. "No. Not good. You don't get it. He's hard on you because he doesn't want to bury another one."
I paused. "Wait…another one?"
"His first disciple. Kai."
The name rang hollow in the air.
"Died five years ago," Yan Fei continued, voice low. "Tried to save Lu Shen from an ambush during the Beastfall War. Burned half his own cultivation trying to shield him. Lu Shen never took another disciple… until you."
I sat back, breath caught between guilt and realization. "So this isn't about strength."
"No," she said. "This is about scars. His and yours."
The next morning, I joined the others at the Outer Ring Arena. Today's lesson is: Qi Stabilization. Elder Qian presided with his usual grim stare.
"Spirit Root Phase cultivators must balance external attacks with internal clarity," he barked. "Lose either, and you'll implode mid-battle."
He gestured, and two instructors stepped forward, dragging a beast in chains.
It was a Shadowmane Lizard—black scales, burning yellow eyes, venom dripping from its fangs. A mid-tier Tier 3 Spirit Beast, known for disrupting spirit energy through its roar alone.
"You will meditate," Elder Qian said. "While it screams."
We formed a circle. The beast was released. It roared, and the world spun.
Flames flickered behind my eyes. My blood pulsed unevenly. But I focused. I visualized my meridians. Stabilized the flow of qi through my dantian.
Su Lanyue trembled slightly but remained poised.
Wuqing gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his nose.
Fei Xuan… was humming.
I forced the noise out, dug into the silence of my core, and held.
By the time the beast collapsed from exhaustion, only four of us remained upright.
Elder Qian nodded. "Good. You're beginning to understand. True cultivation isn't about power. It's about control."