Li Tian stepped through the towering Inner Sect gates, and the heavy weight of countless eyes immediately pressed upon him. The gates were carved from jade and stone, golden dragons and swirling clouds twisting across the surface, their tips piercing the low-hanging mist.
Whispers rippled through the crowd of Inner Sect disciples.
"Is that… the mortal who absorbed Zhao Ming's attacks?"
"He's here already?"
"Even the elders are watching him."
Li Tian ignored them. His focus was on control, on survival. Every pulse of the Primordial Devouring Core inside him reminded him: power without mastery is death.
Arrival at the Inner Dormitory
An elder led him to a modest dormitory among the wing for new Inner Sect disciples. Two beds, a small desk, and a wooden chest were all the room offered.
Li Tian set down his belongings and looked out the window. Misty mountains stretched beyond, their peaks hidden by clouds. For most disciples, this view would inspire awe—but Li Tian's thoughts were on the Core.
"The Devouring Core… I must learn to control it," he muttered. "Even a single mistake could destroy me."
A soft voice broke the silence.
"You're Li Tian, right?"
He turned to see a young woman with silver hair tied in a high braid. Her robe was dark blue, embroidered with crescent moon patterns. Her sharp eyes scanned him curiously.
"I'm Han Xue," she said, offering a faint smile. "I'm not here to mock you."
Li Tian inclined his head. "Li Tian. Thank you for the greeting."
"Greeting?" she said, tilting her head. "Don't get used to kindness. Inner Sect is ruthless. Power rules, and you… you're different from anyone I've seen."
Her words were not mocking—they carried recognition. Li Tian felt a strange sense of reassurance.
The First Inner Sect Trial
The next morning, all new Inner Sect disciples were summoned to the Training Hall, a vast jade-and-stone arena. Statues of legendary cultivators lined the walls, their carved eyes seeming to follow every movement.
"The goal is simple," an elder announced. "Demonstrate your control over spiritual energy. Any disciple failing to meet standards will remain in the Outer Sect."
Li Tian's heart tightened. This was not for glory—it was survival.
The arena held five elemental statues: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightning. Each emitted a faint spiritual aura, testing sensitivity and control.
One by one, disciples approached. Flames erupted, vines whipped, stones levitated—but Li Tian stepped forward calmly.
He did not rely on normal meridians. He focused on the Devouring Core.
The Fire statue lashed its flames at him. The crowd expected disaster—but the flames were absorbed, refined by the Core, and dispersed harmlessly.
Water surged next. Streams of energy twisted around him. He let the Core draw it in, refine it, and release it in soft mist.
Step by step, element by element, he moved across the arena. The final Lightning statue crackled violently. Few disciples survived its strike.
Li Tian's heartbeat steadied. He stepped forward. The energy struck him—pain flared in his chest—but the Core absorbed it completely, emitting a soft black glow as it stabilized.
The arena trembled. Gasps echoed through the hall. Elders whispered among themselves:
"Unprecedented… a mortal controlling energy like this…"
Han Xue, who had watched silently, stepped closer. "Raw potential… but dangerous," she murmured. "If uncontrolled, this power will consume him."
Li Tian exhaled slowly. "Then I will master it before it consumes me."
Recognition and Rivalry
The trial concluded. Elders nodded, impressed but cautious.
Zhao Ming appeared, his shadow dark and threatening even from the outer section. Rage simmered in his eyes.
"No mortal should defy me. One day… he will regret this," Zhao Ming muttered under his breath, his voice sharp with barely restrained fury.
Training Begins
Over the next week, Li Tian began formal training within the Inner Sect. Han Xue occasionally guided him, teaching him meditation techniques and the basics of Qi manipulation.
Though he had no spirit root, the Devouring Core allowed him to absorb and refine elemental energy, creating a unique path of cultivation.
Other disciples avoided him—fear, jealousy, and curiosity all mixed. Some attempted to provoke him, only to have their attacks absorbed and neutralized by the Core. Li Tian realized quickly: power attracts attention—both admiration and hostility.
A Lesson in Caution
One moonlit night, Li Tian practiced alone in a small courtyard. A shadow moved silently behind him.
"Trying to show off, mortal?" Zhao Ming's voice hissed.
Li Tian turned calmly. "I'm not here to fight you yet. But if you insist…"
Lightning surged from Zhao Ming's hands, fire ignited in his palms—but the Devouring Core pulsed. Energy was drawn, refined, and returned in a controlled wave that knocked Zhao Ming back several steps.
"I won't forget this," Zhao Ming spat, his eyes burning. "You'll pay for humiliating me."
Li Tian exhaled, feeling the strain of the Core. He knew he had made a powerful enemy—but enemies were unavoidable in this world.
Glimpse of Destiny
Under the silver light of the moon, Li Tian gazed at the distant mountains. The Core pulsed like a heartbeat, a constant reminder of his destiny.
"I will grow," he whispered. "I will master this power. And one day… heaven itself will know my name."
Han Xue watched silently from the shadows. A faint smile touched her lips. "Bold mortal… perhaps you are worth watching."
The Inner Sect stretched vast and dangerous before him, full of rivalries, secrets, and challenges. Li Tian's path had only begun.