The sound was gentle, polite. A stark contrast to the way others banged on his door.
Lin Kai stood up, dusting off his robes. "Coming."
He opened the door.
Standing there, bathed in the dappled sunlight of the forest, was an old man with a hunched back and a kind, wrinkled face. He wore the green robes of a Healer.
"Master Feng," Lin Kai bowed respectfully.
Feng Xiu smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Young Kai. You look sharp today."
This old man was the only person in the entire realm who treated Lin Kai like a human being. He would bring medicinal herbs for Lin Kai's bruises, sneak him extra food during the winter, and sometimes bring books from the outside world.
"Are you ready?" Feng Xiu asked softly.
"As I'll ever be," Lin Kai replied, stepping out and closing the rickety door behind him. Xiao Bai jumped onto his shoulder, her golden eyes scanning the old man with a strange intensity.
"Walk with me," Feng Xiu said.
They began the trek from the Southern Quadrant toward the Central Plaza. The path took them out of the forest and onto the white marble bridges that connected the islands.
"Do not lose hope, Kai," Feng Xiu said as they walked. "I have seen many strange things in my long life. I once saw a man with no meridians become a Sword Saint through sheer will. I saw a woman with a water affinity swallow a volcano."
"You're trying to cheer me up," Lin Kai said with a wry smile. "But I know the reality, Master Feng. I'm fifteen. I'm still at the 9th Stage of Mortal Foundation. I haven't broken through in seven years."
"Cultivation is a marathon, not a sprint," Feng Xiu insisted, though there was a hint of sadness in his voice. "Today tests the Spirit and the Body. Perhaps your talent lies not in the blood, but in the bones."
They crossed the final bridge. The Hall of Potential loomed ahead.
It was a magnificent structure of white jade and gold, shaped like a lotus flower opening to the sky. The plaza in front of it was bustling with activity.
Dozens of fifteen-year-olds were gathered there. These were the same children who had stood with him seven years ago. Now, they were teenagers. Their auras were distinct. Most were already at the Aether Condensation Realm (3rd Rank) and a few broke through the Spirit Vein Realm (4th Rank), their bodies glowing with faint light.
When Lin Kai arrived, a ripple went through the crowd.
"He came."
"The Zero Grade."
"Look at his robes... they're so old. Does the clan not give him new ones?"
"Shh, don't look at him. Bad luck is contagious."
Lin Kai kept his head high, staring straight ahead. He felt the sneers like physical stinging nettles on his skin, but he let them slide off.
"Yo, Big Brother Kai!"
A mocking voice called out. Lin Kai didn't need to look to know who it was. Lin Bo. The boy he had tripped all those years ago. Now, Lin Bo was a hulk of a boy, broad-shouldered and arrogant, radiating the heat of the 3rd Stage of Aether Condensation.
"Still carrying that rat around?" Lin Bo laughed, pointing at Xiao Bai. "Maybe if you skin it, you can make a nice scarf for your fiancée. Oh wait... she's not here, is she?"
The group around Lin Bo snickered.
Lin Kai stopped. His hand twitched towards his side, but he forced it to relax. Xiao Bai let out a low, menacing growl, baring tiny fangs, but Lin Kai reached up and stroked her fur to calm her.
"Good morning, Lin Bo," Lin Kai said, his voice calm and devoid of emotion. "Good luck with your test."
He walked past them.
Lin Bo's smile faltered. He hated that. He hated how Lin Kai refused to break, refused to cry. It made bullying him unsatisfying. "Hmph. Just wait until the stone proves you're trash again. Then maybe the Clan Leader will finally throw you into the dog kennels."
Feng Xiu placed a hand on Lin Kai's shoulder, guiding him to the edge of the plaza, away from the main group.
"Ignore them," the old man whispered. "Their hearts are smaller than their dantians."
"I know," Lin Kai replied quietly. "I just want to get this over with."
He looked at the center of the plaza. There stood two new monuments.
One was a Prism of crystal (for Affinity). The other was a Bronze Bell (for Body Constitution).
The atmosphere was heavy with expectation. For many of these branch disciples, this was their second chance to prove their worth to the Main House.
Gong!
A reverberating sound silenced the chatter.
From the sky, a figure descended on a flying sword. It was a Deacon Elder, a middle-aged man with a goatee and sharp, impatient eyes. He wore the indigo robes of the Internal Affairs Hall.
He landed on the podium, sweeping his gaze over the teenagers. His eyes lingered on Lin Kai for a fraction of a second—a look of mild annoyance, like seeing a stain on a pristine carpet—before moving on.
"The Awakening of Potential has begun," the Deacon Elder announced, his voice amplified by Qi.