The Outer Sect training grounds were a sea of movement that morning. Rows upon rows of disciples stood in formation, their breaths syncing with the instructor's barked commands. The air was heavy with the scent of sweat, dust, and faint traces of medicinal herbs carried from the alchemy hall nearby. In this corner of the Grand Azure Sect, no one could afford idleness — survival itself depended on it.
Lin Xuan's wooden practice sword struck against a fellow disciple's blade with a crisp thwack. He moved with fluid precision, each motion refined from countless repetitions over the past month. To the untrained eye, his strikes looked ordinary, but those watching closely might notice something odd — his blade always arrived a fraction of a heartbeat earlier than expected, as though he anticipated his opponent's move before it happened.
Only Lin Xuan knew the truth.
The Void Spirit Bead nestled deep within his dantian pulsed faintly, feeding tiny threads of perception into his senses. It wasn't dramatic — no sudden surge of power — just an awareness, a feeling of space and timing that was sharper than before. But Lin Xuan kept this secret buried, showing nothing but the face of a diligent, struggling Outer Disciple.
"Again!" barked Instructor Meng, a burly man whose eyes could pierce through laziness like arrows.
"Yes, Instructor!" the disciples chorused.
Around Lin Xuan, training pairs shifted, swords clashing again. Some groaned in frustration; others gritted their teeth and pushed through. The Outer Sect wasn't glamorous. Most here were the lowest tier in the sect's hierarchy — those without background or exceptional talent. They were given meager resources, long training hours, and the faint hope of promotion to the Inner Sect through trials that broke more spirits than they elevated.
It was exactly in such a place that predators thrived.
Not far away, Han Qiang watched Lin Xuan with a faint smirk. Han's two lackeys — short, rat-faced Liu Fang and broad-shouldered Guo Fei — stood close. They weren't here for training; they were here to watch.
"You see the way he's moving?" Han whispered, his voice low but dripping with disdain. "Thinks he's improved a lot lately. Let's see how he fares in the combat trial tomorrow."
Liu Fang snickered. "We could help make sure he doesn't fare too well, senior brother."
Han's eyes narrowed. "Exactly. But not today. Let him feel confident first… it'll be more satisfying when he falls."
---
After training, Lin Xuan walked back toward his modest quarters at the far edge of the Outer Sect. The wooden huts there were weather-beaten, their walls patched with mismatched boards. The richer disciples lived closer to the sect's center, where the paths were paved and the air seemed somehow cleaner.
On the way, he passed a group of fellow disciples murmuring about tomorrow's trial. The annual Combat Evaluation was the Outer Sect's main chance for promotion — or demotion. The top performers could earn Inner Sect positions, better resources, and the right to learn advanced cultivation methods. The lowest performers often found themselves cleaning latrines or being expelled altogether.
For Lin Xuan, this trial wasn't just about status. He needed better access to cultivation resources if he wanted to survive, let alone grow stronger.
His hut was bare but tidy. Inside, a bamboo mat, a low wooden table, and a single oil lamp were all he possessed. Sitting cross-legged, Lin Xuan closed his eyes and began circulating his Qi through the Mysterious Stream Technique, the Outer Sect's basic cultivation art.
The Void Spirit Bead's influence stirred again. It didn't inject energy into him — that would be too obvious. Instead, it smoothed his Qi flow, dissolving minor blockages almost effortlessly. Lin Xuan's breathing deepened, and the faint hum of energy in his meridians grew steadier.
He frowned slightly. This thing… it's not just helping me cultivate faster. It's… guiding me. But why?
There was no answer, only the slow, rhythmic pulse in his core.
---
The next day, the Combat Evaluation grounds buzzed with anticipation. A raised platform stood in the center, flanked by two smaller arenas where simultaneous bouts could take place. Disciples ringed the edges, some leaning forward in excitement, others whispering predictions.
Elder Wu, a thin man with a sharp gaze and a voice like steel on stone, stepped forward to address the crowd. "Outer Sect disciples! Today, you will prove your worth! Victory is not just strength — it is will, skill, and the resolve to stand even when beaten to the ground. Begin!"
The first matches started immediately, pairs of disciples stepping onto the platforms. Wooden swords clashed, Qi flared, and the audience roared.
Lin Xuan's match was in the third round. He watched quietly, gauging the movements of each fighter. His mind noted weaknesses, hesitation, overextensions — all the tiny mistakes born of nerves and fatigue. This observation wasn't new to him, but now it felt sharper, as if the Void Spirit Bead was silently highlighting each flaw in others' movements.
Finally, his name was called.
"Lin Xuan vs. Guo Fei!"
So Han had made his move early. Lin Xuan stepped onto the platform, meeting Guo Fei's smirk with calm eyes. Guo Fei's arms were thick as tree trunks, and his stance screamed brute force over finesse.
The match began with a sharp strike from Guo Fei. Lin Xuan parried, letting the force slide off his blade rather than meeting it head-on. The crowd murmured at his composure.
Guo Fei attacked again, this time with a sweeping horizontal slash meant to drive Lin Xuan back. Instead, Lin Xuan stepped inside the arc, letting his wooden sword tap Guo Fei's exposed wrist — not enough to end the match, but enough to make Guo Fei grunt in surprise.
"You've improved," Guo Fei muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing.
Lin Xuan didn't reply. His focus was absolute now. The bead's subtle hum synchronized with his heartbeat, and the world around him seemed… slower.
Guo Fei launched a heavy overhead strike. Lin Xuan sidestepped at the last instant, bringing his blade up in a controlled counter. The crack of wood meeting wood rang out — and Guo Fei's sword flew from his grip.
The match ended in Lin Xuan's victory.
---
Han's eyes darkened in the crowd. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He'd expected Lin Xuan to struggle, not win decisively. But the day wasn't over — there would be more matches, and Han himself was seeded to face Lin Xuan later.
"Enjoy it while you can," Han muttered to himself.
Lin Xuan stepped down from the platform, his breathing steady. He had no illusions that the road ahead would be easy. But for the first time in years, he felt something stir in his chest — not just ambition, but possibility.
And deep within his dantian, the Void Spirit Bead pulsed again, almost… approvingly.