Morning broke over the Great Wilderness Mountains like molten gold spilling across a world carved from legend. Mist rolled through the valleys, wrapping the towering pines and jade colored ridges in veils of breath. The land itself seemed alive every rock, every gust of wind humming with the faint vibration of Yuan Power, the energy that bound heaven and earth. At the foot of those endless peaks lay Qingyang Town, small but proud, home to one of the empire’s ancient bloodlines the Lin Clan. And today, the air around their manor burned with anticipation. It was the day of the Martial Test, the ritual that determined who among the young would walk the path of cultivation… and who would live their lives in the shadow of others. The courtyard was alive with color and noise banners embroidered with the Lin crest snapping in the wind, the clang of weapons echoing from the training grounds. Dozens of clan members had gathered in tiers around the stone arena, voices murmuring, eyes gleami

The first light of morning broke like a blade over the mountains thin, silver, merciless. Mist drifted through the pines, painting the valley in ghostly ribbons. Down by the river’s bend, Lin Dong knelt shirtless in the dew, the mark on his palm faint but still warm against his skin. His father’s words from the night before lingered in his mind, half-reproach, half-resignation: “You are my son, Lin Dong. But the world doesn’t spare those who fall behind.” He clenched his fists, feeling that warmth stir again like something alive, waiting. He drew a breath, remembering every exercise he’d ever seen others perform: the slow gathering of Yuan energy, the flow through meridians, the delicate balance of inhale and release. But this time, it was different. The light inside him answered. From the rune on his palm, a soft glow spread, trailing up his arm in thin threads of gold. He felt the world tilt the sound of the wind sharpened, the whisper of insects deepened, every heartbeat of

Morning unfurled fully across Qingyang Town, and with it came the murmurs. By the time the sun touched the marketplace roofs, word had spread like smoke: something had shaken the western ridge a burst of light, a flare of power no one could explain. Some said it was a rogue cultivator testing forbidden arts. Others whispered that the Lin Clan had unearthed an ancient treasure. But beneath all those rumors lay the same trembling curiosity: the balance between clans might be shifting again. At the Lin estate’s training yard, the younger disciples were restless. Wooden swords clacked, laughter rang too loud, and every conversation circled back to the same question. “Did you hear? They say a spirit beast was born out there.” “Nonsense. I heard it was the Lei Clan trying to probe our borders again.” “No, my cousin said a talisman lit up in the woods” The chatter died the moment Lin Langtian stepped into the yard. Tall, calm, and unbearably composed, Langtian was everything Lin Do

Night fell fast over Qingyang Ridge. Mist still coiled along the ground like breath from the earth itself, and the forest that had been green and humming by day now seemed alive with whispers. A single lantern bobbed through the darkness its light soft and deliberate. The stranger from before moved silently, cloak brushing damp leaves, boots making no sound. In his left hand, the sigil on his wrist pulsed faintly, echoing with the same golden hue Lin Dong’s talisman had flared with. He stopped at the mouth of a cave hidden beneath hanging roots. The air shimmered faintly at its entrance a barrier, cloaked with concealment magic. He lifted his wrist, the sigil brightened, and the air split open like a curtain. Inside, torches flickered along stone walls etched with runes of containment. In the center sat a man cross-legged, face half-hidden by shadow. His robe bore no insignia, yet power coiled around him like smoke. The stranger knelt immediately. “Master, I’ve confirmed it. T

Rain poured like shattered glass, slicing through the courtyard. The earth was already mud, the banners drenched and whipping in the wind. Lin Dong stood rooted in the center, golden light coiling around his palm like a living flame. He didn’t mean to summon it the rune simply answered the chaos around him, pulsing in rhythm with the thunder. Across the courtyard, Lei Li dismounted in a single, fluid motion. Lightning crawled along his arm like a serpent. His grin was sharp, predatory. “So it was you.” He stepped closer, boots sinking into the wet soil. “The boy with no standing, no cultivation worth naming and yet you dare touch a power like that?” Lin Dong’s pulse hammered in his ears. He could feel the Lin disciples gathering behind him, their fear like static in the air. He wanted to speak, to explain but his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. Lei Li raised his hand. The sky seemed to answer. “Let me show you what happens when lightning meets dust.” He thrust his palm