The morning sun cast long shadows across the Wu family courtyard.
Zhen Wu stepped out of his room, adjusting his robe. They were the same worn garments from yesterday, but tomorrow he would receive inner sect attire.
His mother waited by the gate.
Wu Mei was a woman in her early forties, though cultivation had preserved her appearance well enough that she could pass for thirty. Her face was kind but weathered, marked by years of hard work.
She looked at her son with an expression that mixed pride and concern.
"Ready?" she asked softly.
Zhen Wu nodded.
They began walking toward the academy together. The path wound through the outer sect residential district, passing rows of modest courtyards similar to their own.
Wu Mei was silent for the first hundred zhang
Then she spoke, her voice careful.
"I know everything has changed very quickly. The elders say you have exceptional talent now. That our family will be moved to the inner sect."
She paused, choosing her words.
"But I need you to remember something. Power changes people. I've seen it happen before. Disciples who gain strength suddenly forget where they came from. They become arrogant. Cruel."
Her hand reached out, touching his arm gently.
"Promise me you won't become like that. Promise me you'll stay humble, no matter how strong you become."
Zhen Wu turned to look at her, his expression soft and sincere.
"I promise, Mother. I won't forget our family or where I came from. Power doesn't have to corrupt."
Wu Mei smiled, though her eyes remained worried.
"Good. That's all I needed to hear."
She squeezed his arm once, then released it.
They continued walking in silence.
Internally, Zhen Wu scoffed.
'Stay humble. Don't become arrogant. As if humility ever helped anyone survive in this world.'
The thought triggered something else. A memory trying to surface.
His mother. Not Wu Mei. His real mother from...
He forcefully shut down that line of thinking.
He pushed the thoughts away, focusing instead on his surroundings.
People were staring.
It started subtly. A disciple glancing over while sweeping his courtyard. An elderly woman pausing mid conversation to look. A group of sect disciples stopping their morning exercises to watch him pass.
The stares intensified as they moved deeper into the residential district.
Zhen Wu's appearance drew attention like a flame drew moths. His pure white hair caught the morning sunlight, seeming to glow. His pale gray eyes stood out starkly against his young face.
Originally, Zhen Wu had been above average in appearance. Pleasant features, decent bone structure, nothing remarkable.
But now, with his transformed coloring and refined features from the re-awakening, he looked almost otherworldly. Like young nobility from some ancient bloodline, carrying the bearing of someone destined for greatness.
A pair of young girls, twins no older than five or six, stood by the roadside with their mother. They both had matching pigtails and wore identical sect family robes.
One of them pointed at Zhen Wu as he passed.
"Mama, why is that big brother's hair white? Is he very old?"
"Shh!" Her mother pulled her hand down quickly, face flushing with embarrassment.
But the other twin was already speaking, her voice carrying with childish innocence.
"But Mama, you said only old people have white hair! Is he a grandpa? He doesn't look like a grandpa!"
Zhen Wu turned his head slightly in their direction.
His expression softened. A faint, genuine smile touched his lips.
The twins both froze, suddenly shy under his attention.
It lasted only a moment. Then Zhen Wu retracted his gaze and continued walking.
Behind him, the twins' mother was bowing repeatedly, her voice barely audible.
"Forgive them, young master. They meant no disrespect. Children don't understand..."
But Zhen Wu was already too far away to hear clearly.
Wu Mei glanced at her son, noting the brief smile with quiet satisfaction.
'At least that hasn't changed. He's still kind to children.'
More stares followed them.
Some disciples whispered behind their hands. Others pretended to be busy with tasks while stealing glances. A few bold ones simply watched openly, expressions ranging from curiosity to envy.
Zhen Wu's eyes swept the surroundings constantly. Not just ahead, but to the sides. Behind him. Scanning faces, noting positions, cataloging details.
This behavior could perhaps denote anxiety. A young disciple overwhelmed by sudden attention, paranoid about threats.
But Zhen Wu's true purpose was different.
'The elders assigned someone to watch me. A guard. Probably following at a distance.'
His eyes traced rooftops, shadowed doorways, clusters of disciples that might conceal an observer.
'Hehehe, I don't expect to actually spot them. If the sect assigned a proper surveillance expert, they'll be invisible to someone at my current realm. But searching gives me something to do. And if I do happen to notice them, that's useful information about their competence level.'
He continued scanning as they walked, treating it as a mental exercise.
The academy building came into view after another three hundred zhang.
It was a large structure, three stories tall, constructed from white stone that gleamed in the morning light. Statues were carved into the walls at regular intervals, their role both decorative and functional.
Inner sect disciples moved through the grounds, heading to various classes. Their robes were noticeably finer than what Zhen Wu wore, marked with silver threading that denoted their status.
Several of them noticed Zhen Wu approaching.
They tried to be subtle about it. Glancing from the corners of their eyes while pretending to talk to companions. Turning away as if looking at something else, then looking back moments later.
But Zhen Wu caught the stares anyway.
Some looked at him with admiration. Others with envy. A few female disciples regarded him with something else entirely, their gazes lingering on his features with undisguised interest.
The gossip would start the moment he was out of earshot. He knew that much.
Wu Mei stopped at the academy entrance.
"I'll leave you here. I need to return home and start preparing things so that we can move to the inner sect."
She hesitated, then pulled him into a quick embrace.
"Study hard. Make us proud."
"I will, Mother."
She released him and turned to leave, walking back the way they'd come.
Zhen Wu stood alone before the academy entrance for exactly three seconds.
Then a figure appeared.
Not from inside the building. Not from the pathway.
The man simply materialized beside the door, as if he'd been standing there invisible and had chosen to reveal himself.
He was tall and lean, perhaps in his mid thirties in appearance. His robes marked him as an inner sect guard, dark blue with silver trim. His cultivation aura was suppressed but noticeable to anyone paying attention.
Peak of the fourth realm at minimum. Possibly early fifth realm.
The guard reached out and opened the academy door with a smooth motion, holding it for Zhen Wu.
Disciples nearby turned to look. Their reactions were varied but unreadable from Zhen Wu's position. Shock? Respect? Fear? The distance and angle made it difficult to determine.
Zhen Wu looked at the guard, his mind working quickly.
'So that's how you look like.'
He smiled warmly, the expression reaching his eyes.
"There's no need for you to lower yourself to my level, senior. The gap in cultivation between us is vast. Though I appreciate the gesture."
His tone was perfect. Slightly emotional, as if genuinely touched. Humble but not servile. Respectful without being obsequious.
The guard's expression shifted immediately, warming.
"Young master is too kind. With me around, you don't have to fear anything. I was tasked personally to keep young master safe and sound."
He smiled, the expression professional but genuine.
Zhen Wu's smile widened slightly.
"May I know senior's name?"
"This one is called Zhao Lin, young master."
"Brother Zhao, then. Thank you for your protection."
These words made Zhao Lin freeze for a split second. 'Thank you for your protection? Did he knew I was already on the lookout? No, it can't be, he is just a seventeen year old.' Zhao Lin quickly dispersed this thought.
The informality of addressing him as 'brother' rather than 'senior' was deliberate. It suggested Zhen Wu saw him as an equal despite the difference in spiritual root quality, a subtle show of respect that implied good future potential.
Zhao Lin's smile grew.
"Young master is too polite."
Zhen Wu nodded once and stepped through the doorway into the academy.
What neither of them noticed was the figure standing in a shadowed alcove thirty zhang away.
An elder, deeply concealed.
He had heard every word of the exchange.
His expression was thoughtful as he watched Zhen Wu disappear into the building.
Then he too vanished, flickering out of existence like smoke in wind.
The classroom was located on the second floor, in the eastern wing reserved for the most talented inner sect disciples.
Zhen Wu entered to find twenty other disciples already seated. They all turned to look at him. Some had curious expressions. Others showed poorly concealed envy.
He chose a seat near the middle, neither too forward nor too far back.
Moments later, the instructor arrived.
She was a middle aged woman in appearance, though her actual age was likely far greater. Her features were refined, almost aristocratic, with high cheekbones and sharp eyes. She moved with the kind of natural grace that came from centuries of cultivation.
Despite her apparent age, she was remarkably beautiful. The kind of beauty that transcended youth, composed of perfect proportions and an aura of absolute confidence.
She stood at the front of the classroom, surveying the students with a sweeping gaze.
"I am Instructor Qing Yue. Fourth realm, Nascent Soul stage. I expect attention, discipline, and effort. Nothing less will be tolerated."
Her voice was clear and commanding, carrying easily through the room without need for volume.
"Today's lesson covers the fundamentals of cultivation. Even those of you who think you understand these concepts will benefit from my teachings." Her tone slightly arrogant.
She turned and began writing on a large slate board behind her, characters flowing from her brush in elegant script.
"A cultivator functions through true will. This is the fundamental energy that permeates all of existence. It exists in the air, in the earth, in water and fire and metal and wood. It is everywhere, always, waiting to be harnessed."
Zhen Wu listened, his expression attentive.
Qing Yue continued.
"True will's form and appearance differs for every cultivator. This is because true will is not merely energy, it is interpretation. Your understanding of the Dao shapes how true will manifests within you. Two cultivators can absorb the same true will from the environment and produce entirely different results based on their comprehension."
She drew a diagram showing meridians and a dantian.
"True will is continuously absorbed into the body through breathing and circulation techniques. It flows through your meridians and collects in your dantian. When your meridians are full, you must condense and refine the true will to eventually break through to the next layer."
Several students took notes. Others simply watched and listened.
"Higher grade spiritual roots provide significant advantages. First, meridians are physically larger in diameter, allowing for greater capacity. Second, they condense true will more efficiently, meaning more can be stored in the same space. Third, they enable faster absorption rates."
She paused, letting the information settle.
"However, higher grade roots also require more effort to fill. A first grade root might absorb true will twenty times faster than a fourth grade root, but it also requires more effort while cultivating. The net result is still advantageous, but not without cost."
Zhen Wu filed the information away.
Most of it he already knew, though her explanation of the efficiency ratios was more precise than his previous understanding. In his past life, spiritual root grades had been described differently, with less mathematical clarity.
'She's a good teacher. Clear explanations. Concrete examples. No unnecessary mysticism or vague philosophical rambling.'
The lesson continued.
Qing Yue covered meridian structure, dantian capacity, breakthrough thresholds, and common cultivation pitfalls. Her explanations were systematic and thorough.
An hour passed.
Then another.
To Zhen Wu, it felt much faster. The content was familiar enough that he didn't need to concentrate heavily, allowing his mind to work on multiple levels simultaneously.
Finally, Qing Yue set down her brush.
"That concludes today's fundamentals review. Tomorrow we will begin practical exercises in true will circulation. Dismissed."
The students rose and began filing out.
Zhen Wu stood and moved toward the door.
"Zhen Wu. Please remain."
Qing Yue's voice stopped him mid step.
He turned back, expression politely curious.
The classroom emptied. The last student closed the door behind them.
Then it opened again.
Two figures entered.
Supreme Elder Feng and Elder Yun.
Both wore expressions of warm approval as they looked at Zhen Wu.
"Young master Zhen Wu. I hope the lesson was informative?" Elder Yun spoke first, his tone friendly.
"Very much so, Elder Yun. Instructor Qing's teaching style is excellent."
"I'm pleased to hear it." Elder Yun gestured toward a side door. "Please, come to my office. We have matters to discuss."
The office was adjacent to the classroom, spacious but not ostentatious. Bookshelves lined three walls. A large desk dominated the center, covered with papers and cultivation manuals.
Supreme Elder Feng and Elder Yun both took seats. Zhen Wu sat across from them.
In his mind, Zhen Wu's thoughts were cold.
"Hehehe, look at them. Look at how they behave and act. If I had a fourth grade spiritual root, they might instead look through me. Power truly changes one's perspective on another, but that is to be expected."
Outwardly, his expression was perfectly composed. Respectful. Slightly emotional, as if honored by their attention.
Elder Yun stood after a moment.
"I need to retrieve something. Supreme Elder, please continue."
He exited through a side door, leaving Zhen Wu alone with Feng.
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
Zhen Wu's expression became more emotional, eyes slightly wider, posture more uncertain.
Then, like a switch flipping, his demeanor changed. The uncertainty vanished, replaced by charm. Confidence without arrogance.
Supreme Elder Feng noticed the transition. His eyes sharpened with interest.
"Zhen Wu, I want to assure you of something. As long as you remain loyal to the Primordial Domain Sect, no one will harm you or your family. You have my personal guarantee."
At the mention of family, Zhen Wu's expression shifted involuntarily. Just a flicker, a brief tightening around his eyes, a slight tension in his jaw.
Supreme Elder Feng caught it.
His lips curved into a small smile.
'So. His family is one of his weak points, good to know.'
"Additionally," Feng continued, "you will receive cultivation resources befitting your potential. I personally enjoy developing young talent. Watching promising disciples grow into pillars of the sect brings me great satisfaction."
"This disciple is deeply grateful, Supreme Elder." Zhen Wu's voice carried genuine sounding emotion. "Your generosity exceeds anything I could have hoped for."
His charm was working. Feng could feel his opinion of the boy growing more favorable with each exchange.
'Polite and intelligent. Knows how to show proper respect without groveling. And that moment of vulnerability about his family, he cares about them. That's good. It means he has something to protect, something that could bind him to the sect.'
The side door opened.
Elder Yun returned, Instructor Qing Yue walking beside him.
"Zhen Wu." Elder Yun said warmly, "I'd like to formally introduce your personal instructor. Qing Yue has agreed to take you as her direct student."
Supreme Elder Feng spoke next.
"We chose Instructor Qing for two reasons. First, she is an exceptional teacher, as you've already witnessed. Second, she is remarkably talented as a cultivator. She reached Nascent Soul realm at age seventy-three, nearly a century ahead of typical progression. We believe you'll be able to relate to someone who understands what it means to possess exceptional potential."
Zhen Wu and Qing Yue looked at each other.
She offered a polite smile, professional and measured.
He returned it with warmth, his expression open and grateful.
"This disciple is honored to learn from Instructor Qing."
"I look forward to working with you, Zhen Wu."
Neither of them noticed Elder Yun and Supreme Elder Feng exchanging a brief glance. Satisfied smiles touched both their faces.
Zhen Wu exited the academy half an hour later, his mind working through everything that had transpired.
Zhao Lin materialized beside him again, falling into step without a word.
Zhen Wu walked slowly, appearing deep in thought.
His expression was contemplative, distant.
Inside, his mind was calculating rapidly.
'Qing Yue as my personal instructor. That's both an opportunity and a surveillance measure. They want someone close to me at all times, someone talented enough to relate to my supposed genius but also loyal enough to report everything back to the elders. But I can't shake the feeling that she has an additional role, her demeanor was totally different from the class, but didn't seem fake...'
'Supreme Elder Feng's mention of protecting my family was interesting. He watched my reaction carefully. And that involuntary response I showed seemed to fool Supreme Elder Feng, at least that was the impression he gave me.'
He continued walking, Zhao Lin a silent shadow beside him.
His eyes swept the academy grounds one more time before leaving it.