Chapter 10: The Grand Hall's Judgment
After Li Xiao fell unconscious to the ground, silence descended upon the training grounds. Then, as if a dam had burst, a roar of applause and cheers erupted from the crowd. It was for Duan Liyang, for the 'Level 0' boy who had brought a 'Level 4' cultivator to his knees. In the eyes of the outer disciples, there was now respect, awe, and even a hint of fear. Ren Hao's face had turned pale; he knew what awaited him now. The chubby boy was shedding tears of joy and disbelief, while a deep faith shone in Xiang Rui's eyes.
Duan Liyang stood there, his fist still clenched, the wind subtly swirling around him. He looked at Li Xiao's unconscious body, then at the crowd, and finally up at the sky. His journey had just begun.
From amidst the crowd, an experienced elder with a solemn face entered the arena. This was Xiang Rui's grandfather, who typically oversaw the cultivation examination room. He approached the unconscious Li Xiao and began to examine him carefully. He took Li Xiao's wrist and checked the flow of his internal energy, and his face went numb when he discovered that Li Xiao's cultivation meridians were shattered.
Just then, two more Xiao family elders, their faces filled with surprise and concern, advanced towards the arena from the edges of the crowd. Several inner disciples and guards accompanied them. It was clear that the news of Li Xiao's defeat and his severe injury had spread with lightning speed.
An elder, with a long white beard and deep-set eyes, looked directly at Duan Liyang. His voice held an unspoken authority. "Duan Liyang!" he called out. "Come with us to the main hall immediately. You have been summoned for another cultivation examination. This is not a request."
Duan Liyang nodded without blinking. He knew this was inevitable. He looked at the crowd, who now stood a little further away, their whispers a mix of respect and fear. Ren Hao, standing in a corner, flinched and backed away as Duan Liyang's gaze swept over him.
The chubby boy rushed to Duan Liyang, his eyes still filled with worry. "Duan Liyang," he whispered. "Be careful. They might punish you... Li Xiao's injuries are very severe."
Duan Liyang patted his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry."
He looked at the elders. They were scrutinizing him, their eyes full of countless questions. Duan Liyang began to walk with them, his steps calm and firm. The crowd parted, making way for him. Everyone stared at the small boy who had brought down one of the most talented youths of the Xiao family.
The Xiao family's main hall was a vast and grand chamber, adorned with intricately carved wood and ancient paintings. This hall was typically used only for important gatherings and decision-making. In the center of the room, a larger, more complex crystal pedestal glowed compared to the previous one. Around it, several more elders sat, their faces serious and expectant. Their number was far greater than before – at least seven or eight, all appearing powerful in their respective positions.
An elder pointed Duan Liyang towards the pedestal. "Duan Liyang, place your hand." His voice held no emotion.
Duan Liyang quietly placed his hand on the pedestal. He closed his eyes, focusing on the energy within him. He felt that his cultivation foundation was now stronger and clearer than ever. The blue particles swirled in his eyes, and he could hear the flow of energy within him.
The crystal immediately reacted. It glowed with an intensely bright blue light, illuminating the entire hall. A vortex of energy swirled around the pedestal. It seemed as if all the power within the pedestal was concentrating at one point.
The elders' eyes widened. Some of their mouths hung slightly open. This was an unprecedented and incredible reaction for a standard cultivation level examination. They had never seen such a glow before.
Slowly, a number emerged on the pedestal. It was a faint '0'.
A hush fell over the entire hall. All the elders' eyes were fixed on Duan Liyang, their faces filled with utter disbelief. How was this possible? The pedestal had glowed so intensely, displayed such power, yet the result was still 'Level 0'! A Level 0 disciple who had defeated and crippled a Level 4! This defied all rules!
The elder with the longest beard, who was Xiang Rui's grandfather, stared at the pedestal. His voice held disbelief. "This... how is this possible? Level 0...?" He looked at Duan Liyang, whose eyes remained calm and mysterious. Countless questions swirled in his mind. Duan Liyang was a unique enigma in the history of the Xiao family.
Just then, one of the elders, who seemed to have a fiery temperament, raised his voice. "What nonsense is this?! A Level 0 child cannot defeat a Level 4 like that! This pedestal is faulty, or this child has used some hidden trick!"
Other elders also began to question, their voices overlapping. "We must thoroughly investigate this child!" "He must possess some secret art!" "Li Xiao's meridians... this is no ordinary injury!"
Xiang Rui's grandfather raised his hand, and his voice silenced the ongoing debate in the hall. "Calm yourselves!" he commanded. His eyes held a deep understanding. "It is true that such a phenomenon has never been seen before." He looked at Duan Liyang, then at the pedestal. "But sometimes it can happen that one's internal energy increases, the quality of their power grows, but the cultivation level does not."
Another elder asked doubtfully, "Are you saying that the quality of his energy has become so 'thick' (dense) that he can defeat a Level 4, while still being at Level 0? That is inconceivable!"
Xiang Rui's grandfather shook his head. "Yes. The quality and purity of his energy are so extraordinary that they have transcended the lack of quantity." He looked around the hall. "This world is vast. Who is to say we have seen everything? There are many things in the universe that we still do not know about."
Doubt still lingered in the elders' eyes, but Xiang Rui's grandfather's wisdom and authority compelled them to silence. Duan Liyang stood there, listening to their debate, his face devoid of emotion. He himself was as surprised by this result as everyone else. He knew that something within him had changed, that his power had grown, but the fact that he was still 'Level 0' was an unresolved mystery even to him.
The elder with the longest beard, who had spoken first, looked at Duan Liyang. "Duan Liyang," he said, his voice now calm but firm. "Your abilities are mysterious. According to the rules of the Xiao family, Li Xiao will be punished for his challenge, and you defended yourself. However, his injuries are severe." He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the hall.
"You will no longer be an ordinary outer disciple from now on," another elder stated. "You will be placed under special supervision. Your daily chores will no longer be the same. You will be assigned a new task – to oversee the outer grounds of the Xiao family."
Duan Liyang's eyes widened slightly. Overseeing the outer grounds? This was a task usually given to disciples who were at least Level 2 or 3, or who possessed exceptional skills. It would grant him access to the outer, less-populated parts of the family compound, where he could perhaps practice with more freedom.
"And Ren Hao..." the elder with the longest beard said in a stern voice. "He abused his position and helped instigate Li Xiao. He will be deprived of all monthly allowances for three months and assigned the most arduous physical labor tasks."
Joy flickered in the eyes of some outer disciples, who were peeking from outside the hall, upon hearing Ren Hao's fate.
Li Xiao's unconscious body was carried away. A wave of concern about his injuries spread deeply within the family. Whispers suggested that powerful factions within the family would now pay attention to Duan Liyang, perhaps attempting to win him over or viewing him as a potential threat.
Duan Liyang was permitted to leave the main hall. As he stepped out, his gaze fell upon the chubby boy in the crowd. The chubby boy rushed to him, his eyes now filled with excitement and relief. "Duan Liyang! You did it! You defeated him!"
Duan Liyang smiled. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine!" the chubby boy exclaimed, still in shock. "But you... you're still Level 0! How did you defeat him? Even the elders were surprised!"
Duan Liyang shrugged. "I don't know either, Fatty. I just felt like my internal energy... was different." He kept the mystery of the blue particles in his eyes and the strange changes after each headache to himself. This was a secret he couldn't share with anyone yet, not even his best friend.
From that day forward, Duan Liyang's life changed. His daily routine was no longer tedious. He had been assigned the task of overseeing the outer grounds, a responsibility that granted him access to parts of the family compound he had never been to before. This would provide him with the opportunity to practice his unique cultivation in greater secrecy, and perhaps, a new path to discover the source of his hidden power.
He knew that he would still face many unresolved mysteries and dangers. His true identity, his past, and the origin of the unique power within him – all these puzzles still remained to be solved. But today, he knew that he was no longer just 'Level 0 trash.' He was a boy who had achieved the impossible, and his journey had just begun.
End of Chapter 10