"Do you still not know what kind of man I am?"
The voice beside the Sect Master was sharp, brimming with pride.
The Sect Master chuckled dryly, never taking his gaze from the glowing crystal mirror.
"I know, I know," he said, coughing lightly. "His perception is quite extraordinary."
"Hmph! When have my eyes ever deceived me?"
On the crystal surface, the image shifted — revealing a new scene.
Another youth sat cross-legged in the forest, still and silent as an ancient pine.
"Feng Yan…" someone murmured among the crowd.
Murmurs rippled through the spectators.
"What's going on? Another one's meditating?"
"Are these brats too scared to hunt?" or "Is this a nap contest?"
Laughter spread for a moment — then faltered.
The crystal mirror continued to change, showing one student after another doing the same: sitting in meditation, unmoving, cultivating.
The laughter died completely. Even the elders looked uneasy.
Until they overheard the faint voices of the Sect Master and the man beside him.
"There are quite a few good seedlings in this batch," the Sect Master said softly.
The man only gave a single nod. His silence carried more weight than words.
Meanwhile, deep within the forest, some of the impatient students had already gone hunting.
At first, the forest seemed calm — too calm.
Not a single roar, not a rustle.
When night fell, the forest remained eerily still.
On the second day, the wind changed.
Faint roars echoed in the distance, and a cold, unseen energy began to stir.
Those still wandering failed to notice the invisible miasma creeping through the air — a subtle force gnawing at their minds, dulling their senses, feeding their impatience.
They chased after illusions and shadows until exhaustion claimed them.
When the first beasts finally emerged from the trees, their strikes were slow, their reflexes dulled.
Five talismans flared red almost instantly — five students expelled from the trials.
The arena erupted in shocked murmurs as the crystal screens flashed crimson.
At the dawn of the third day, the silence broke.
Those who had chosen to meditate opened their eyes.
The fog within their consciousness had lifted.
Their breathing was calm, their qi smooth and radiant.
When they rose, the forest seemed to tremble with their clarity.
The true trial had begun.
From that moment, the examination ground became a battlefield.
Swords and roars filled the air.
Students clashed with beasts, qi flaring like bursts of light across the screens.
In one image, Feng Yan's sword danced gracefully — a streak of moonlight cutting down a raging boar.
On another, Qin Hao's spear moved like lightning, striking down two gale wolves in one breath.
By midday, the number of participants had been cut by more than half.
Chu Feng's sword slashed through another blood wolf. Its crimson core dimmed in his hand.
He exhaled slowly, frowning. "Why are they all blood wolves…?"
While moving through the forest, he saw a student locked in battle with a tier-two flame boar.
The youth's movements were flashy but wasteful.
Chu Feng sighed after watching for a few seconds, stepped forward, and with a single strike, severed the beast's spine.
The student stumbled up, gasping. "Thank you, Brother! The core—"
Chu Feng waved a hand. "Keep it. I helped because your fighting reminded me of something."
The youth grinned, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I'm Jìn Bǎo — 'Precious Wealth,' as my name says. My fighting's all about style and treasure! Regrettably, a bit useless when my treasures are banned."
He sighed dramatically, then pulled a small talisman from his sleeve. "Still, I've got plenty! Take one as thanks!"
Chu Feng shook his head. "No need."
But when he gave his name, Jìn Bǎo froze.
"Wait… Chu Feng? The Dark Knight?"
He looked at Chu Feng again, eyes gleaming. "Hah! Seems I've picked the right side this time."
Chu Feng narrowed his eyes. "What side?"
"Nothing!" Jin Bǎo coughed. "Say, how about we team up? I've got enough defensive talismans to block a mountain."
After a brief pause, Chu Feng nodded. "Fine. Don't fall behind."
Together, they swept through the forest, complementing each other's styles.
By evening, their satchels were filled with beast cores.
Just as they sat to rest, a roar split the heavens.
A massive shadow stepped out of the trees — a tier-four demon tiger, its crimson eyes burning with malice.
At the same time, the other surviving students faced similar trials — each pitted against a foe far beyond their realm.
The audience gasped as the screens zoomed in.
One student was struck down and teleported out, his talisman blazing.
Only a handful of names remained lit: Qin Hao and Feng Yan fighting together, two hooded figures moving as one, and Chu Feng alongside Jìn Bǎo.
The battle was chaotic.
Chu Feng's blade clashed with the tiger's claws, the impact shaking the ground.
As the fight was still going on, he kept muttering...
Master's words… what did he say again?
"Your cosmic soul, even if mutated, is your foundation.
It is born of two halves — when they merge, your path shall be revealed."
The tiger roared and lunged again. Chu Feng raised his runes, forming a glowing barrier.
The claws shattered it in an instant.
"Integrate…" he whispered through gritted teeth. "How do I integrate…?"
Above, the Sect Master's gaze hardened.
Down below, Chu Feng steadied his heart.
A verse from an old text drifted into his mind:
"All things arise from unity, divide into two, dance among the myriad, and return to the One."
Chu Feng gave a low shout for Jin Bǎo to set up multiple defences before sitting in meditation. After a few breaths
His eyes snapped open.
"Seeing the One within the Two… the Dao within the myriad."
He took a step forward. His movements flowed like water.
The tiger lunged
In that instant, the world seemed to still.
Runes flared around him, swirling like twin dragons.
His sword moved with the rhythm of heaven and earth.
In that instant, something deep within him broke — and reformed.
Chains shattered in his mind.
Light erupted from his body, spreading to all corners
Two half-broken souls — rune and sword — merged into one.
A Rune Sword Soul was born.
Its form was ethereal and divine, black and white qi spiraling together in perfect harmony — like the Taiji of creation itself.
The tiger's roar was drowned in the explosion of light.
When the light faded, the beast was gone — scattered into dust.
Even Jin Bǎo was sent out of the trial ground lying listless
Silence engulfed the arena.
The Sect Master stared, his eyes trembling.
"He… merged duality into oneness…"
The man beside him said calmly, "He has entered enlightenment. No one is to disturb him."
Then he vanished.