Chapter 3: Trial of the Beast Valley
The Cangyun Sect sprawled across the valley, its training fields dusted with noon's golden glow. Stone gates loomed at the entrance, carved with faded cloud sigils, while blue banners fluttered lazily in the breeze. Disciples shuffled through their drills some sparring with bamboo blades near the outer walls, their strikes slow and precise, others meditating by lotus ponds, drawing faint Qi threads from the still air. The sect was a serene refuge, its routine so ordinary it could bore a mountain to dust. For Noah, it was the ideal place to relax.
High on a cliff's edge, Noah slouched in his bamboo pavilion, jade-leaf tea steaming in a cracked cup. His silver hair caught the sunlight, and his tattered robes draped loosely, hiding the power of a Dormant Immortal King. A tea-stained shelf behind him sagged under jars of dried leaves, and the valley's distant clatter of training faded against the wind's soft moan. His jade pendant hung from a beam, its faint glow pulsing uneasily, as if it knew chaos was near.
Down in the valley, the Beast Valley Test was starting. Newcomers gathered at the edge of a misty gorge, where gnarled trees and jagged rocks hid spirit beasts, of-course low-grade ones, but enough to test Body Tempering kids. Lin Jian stood among them, chipped sword at his side, his torn robe still dusty from the gorge fight. His dark eyes burned with defiance, but each breath made his chest twitch, like his soul was scraping inside.
Noah sipped his tea, watching from his pavilion. "Brat's itching to swing that loud blade again," he said, voice low. "Hope he doesn't break himself."
DING!
A sharp chime stabbed his skull, like a gong tripped over by a clumsy monk. Golden words flared in his mind, mist curling around them:
[System Update: Disciple Lin Jian at Beast Valley Test. Host, Ensure Progress.]
'Nagging pest again?' Noah thought, rubbing his temples. 'Can't you let me sip my tea in peace?'
[Error: Tea Sipping Is Not Guidance. Host, Monitor Task Progress.]
'Pushy busybody,' Noah grumbled inwardly, but a golden panel flickered, glowing like a smug firefly:
[Progress Tracker: Lin Jian]
- Soul Seal: 5% Unsealed
- Sword Intent: Crimson Fang (1st Layer, 10% Mastered)
- Realm: Body Tempering (Bone Stage, 90% to Marrow)
- Task Status: Guide Lin Jian to unseal soul, survive sect trial. Deadline: Six days.
'Five percent?' Noah's mental scowl deepened. 'Kid's slower than a drunk ox. And disciple? Not my call yet, you nosy pest.'
Lin Jian's voice echoed from below, sharp and bold. "Get moving, or I'll cut through first!" The other newcomers flinched, but followed him into the gorge, their wooden spears trembling. Xiao Fan, stuck on spectator duty, whispered to nearby disciples, "That new kid's crazy. Bet he gets eaten."
Noah snorted, setting his cup down. "That brat's right. Let's see if that blade hums or screams."
The Beast Valley was a maze of mist and shadows, its air thick with beast roars. Lin Jian stalked forward, scroll tucked in his robe, eyes scanning for movement. A low growl rumbled, and a Iron Claw Wolf with Body Tempering (Peak) cultivation leaped from the fog, claws glinting. Lin Jian drew his sword, slashing a red arc that roared like a wounded beast. The wolf yelped, its flank gashed, but Lin Jian staggered, clutching his chest, face pale with pain.
'Told you, brat,' Noah thought, leaning on the pavilion's railing. 'Too loud, too soon.'
The crowd gasped as Lin Jian swung again, red sparks flaring. Another wolf lunged, and his Crimson Fang Intent carved through its hide, but his knees buckled, blood trickling from his lips. The soul seal was tearing at him, each swing pushing it closer to collapse.
DING!
[Warning: Disciple Lin Jian's Soul Seal at Risk. Host, Intervene or Guide.]
'Intervene? I'm not his wet nurse,' Noah scoffed mentally. But his fingers grazed the jade pendant, its glow flaring sharp as Lin Jian's red arcs wavered. A memory hit his old ally, sword humming like a soft breeze, slicing chaos without strain. The Heavenly Insight Token sparked, flooding Noah's mind with a clearer rhythm technique: align the soul's pulse with the blade's hum, not force it. Noah sighed, picking a leaf from his mat.
'Fine, kid,' he thought. 'Don't make me regret this.'
He flicked the leaf, and it shot through the air, slicing mist like an invisible blade. It tapped Lin Jian's sword mid-swing, sending a faint hum through the metal. The red arc softened, curling like a whip, and sliced the wolf clean in two. The crowd cheered, Xiao Fan's jaw dropping. "Did… did the new kid do that?"
Lin Jian froze, panting, staring at his blade. The hum eased his chest's pain, like a lock clicking open. He glanced up at Noah's pavilion, eyes narrowing, but Noah just sipped his tea, face blank.
'Don't look at me, brat,' Noah thought. 'Figure it out yourself.'
Lin Jian gritted his teeth and pushed deeper into the gorge, felling two more wolves with softer, humming strikes. Each swing hurt less, the scroll's symbols pulsing in his mind. But a louder roar shook the valley a Stone Fang Bear, Qi Gathering (Early), its hide like iron. The other newcomers screamed, fleeing, but Lin Jian stood firm, sword raised.
'Stubborn fool,' Noah thought, tea pausing mid-sip. 'You'll break if you scream now.'
Lin Jian's blade flared red, louder than ever, and he charged. The bear swiped, and his strike met its claw, sparks exploding. Lin Jian flew back, crashing into a rock, blood spraying from his mouth. His soul seal glowed through his robe, cracking like glass. The crowd screamed, Xiao Fan shouting, "He's done for!"
DING!
[Critical Alert: Soul Seal Collapse Imminent. Host, Act Now.]
'Damn it,' Noah cursed inwardly, standing. His jade pendant burned, and the Token's insight roared: the hum needed one final push, a soul pulse tied to Lin Jian's will. Noah flicked his sleeve, and a faint breeze swept the gorge, carrying a whisper only Lin Jian heard: "Make it hum, brat."
Lin Jian's eyes widened, hand trembling on his sword. He staggered up, the scroll's symbols blazing in his mind. He swung, and the blade hummed soft, steady, like a river's flow. The red arc lashed out, slicing the bear's chest, felling it with a thud. The valley fell silent, mist swirling around Lin Jian's shaking form.
The crowd erupted, Xiao Fan babbling, "He killed a Qi Gathering beast! At Body Tempering!" Zhang Wei, watching from the sidelines, scowled, his fist clenched.
Lin Jian limped out of the gorge, sword dragging. The System chimed:
[Progress Update: Lin Jian]
- Soul Seal: 20% Unsealed
- Sword Intent: Crimson Fang (1st Layer, 30% Mastered)
- Realm: Body Tempering (Marrow Stage, 10% to Qi Gathering)
- Task Status: Beast Valley Test Passed. Continue Guidance.
'Twenty percent?' Noah thought, smirking faintly. 'Not bad, kid. Still not enough to be my disciple, though.'
[Host, Progress Noted. Deadline: Five Days.]
'Nag all you want, like a granny,' Noah retorted silently, but his eyes lingered on Lin Jian, who clutched the scroll, sweat mixing with blood. The kid's fire burned brighter, like someone Noah once knew.
A deep voice cut through the cheers. "Impressive, newcomer." Elder Chen, a stern man at Foundation Establishment (Mid Stage), stepped forward, his robe embroidered with clouds. "You've passed the test. Prepare for the disciple selection in three days."
Lin Jian nodded, chest heaving. Xiao Fan whispered, "Elder Chen noticed him! He's gonna be big!" Zhang Wei's scowl deepened, his eyes glinting with malice.
Noah's tea paused, jade pendant glowing faintly. 'Disciple selection?' he thought. 'More headaches.'
Somewhere, a blade's hum echoed stronger.