The Whispering Pine Valley was unusually quiet that morning.
Mist drifted lazily over the grassy field, curling between ancient stones and bamboo stalks. The disciples of the outer court stood in neat rows, eyes forward, faces tense. Today was the start of the Refinement Trial—an annual assessment where participants entered a simulated spirit realm to collect Illusory Spirit Stones, which reflected their comprehension and control.
Shen Li stood near the back, as always. His bamboo walking stick leaned against his shoulder, and his gaze drifted across the crowd.
They saw him as nothing.
And so, they never noticed how carefully he watched.
Near the front stood Su Qingxue, radiant in white robes. Her presence calmed the younger disciples around her. Even in silence, she seemed to emanate grace.
And beside her—Lin Feng.
Of course.
Sword on his back. Robes crisp and uncreased. A soft, composed smile worn like armor. He greeted everyone with warmth, exchanged words with the elders, and carried himself as if the very world bent to accommodate his stride.
Most thought he belonged to the heavens.
Shen Li knew better.
The elders activated the trial formation, and with a low hum, the valley shimmered.
A soft golden glow spread beneath their feet. One by one, groups of disciples vanished—spirited away into a shared illusion of the old Mistwood Forest.
Inside the illusion, time flowed faster.
Challenges awaited: illusions, spiritual beasts, and the rarest prize—Illusory Spirit Stones. They were said to absorb one's intent, reflecting their heart and talent. The more stones one gathered, the higher their evaluation.
Shen Li's group materialized deep within the illusion forest. Birds called from treetops, and the scent of dew clung to the leaves.
He immediately fell into his role.
"Careful with that path," he murmured, pointing with his stick. "I think there's a pit trap ahead."
The others nodded, some offering awkward smiles. Shen Li was weak, but polite. Harmless. Forgettable.
Which made it easier when he slipped away unnoticed.
He wandered deeper into the woods, past the ruins of an old pagoda and into a grove of silverleaf trees—exactly where he'd planted something the night before.
Beneath a flat stone, half-buried in moss, was a carved talisman—a replica of a restricted formation used decades ago to manipulate trial results. Faint runes shimmered across its surface.
Most wouldn't recognize it. But those who did…
Shen Li smiled.
Back at the trial's entrance, time ticked slowly. Lin Feng stood with the supervising elders, calmly observing each group's performance through the scrying mirror.
One elder stroked his beard. "Your generation's doing well. Especially Su Qingxue. Look at that clarity of technique."
Lin Feng nodded modestly. "She trains hard. It's an honor to cultivate beside her."
His tone was humble. But his eyes flicked briefly to the mirror.
Until something changed.
A disciple stumbled into a clearing onscreen, holding a mossy stone in shaking hands.
"Elders!" the boy shouted through the mirror, panting. "We… we found a formation stone! One used to alter illusion trials!"
"What?" an elder frowned.
Lin Feng's smile froze.
The room fell silent as the scrying mirror zoomed in on the artifact.
The inscription was faint but real. Runes connected to illusion distortion—banned since the great scandal of Elder Ji two decades ago.
One elder narrowed his eyes. "Where was it found?"
"A glade in sector four," the disciple answered. "Near the silverleaf grove."
Lin Feng's fingers twitched.
He knew that area.
He had trained there. Alone. Years ago.
Whispers began.
"Isn't that where Lin Feng scored a perfect run in his first trial?"
"I thought that part of the forest was off-limits…"
"Wait, you don't think—?"
"No way. Lin Feng wouldn't need to cheat. Would he?"
Shen Li returned just as the mirror displayed the scene. He staggered to the observation circle, eyes wide, as if he'd heard the rumors from someone else.
Then he saw Su Qingxue, standing stiffly beside Lin Feng, brows furrowed.
He approached slowly, voice soft. "What's going on?"
She turned to him, uncertain. "They found… something. A formation stone. It could've been used to cheat."
"Cheat?" Shen Li echoed, blinking.
His voice cracked a little. Enough to sound confused. Hurt.
"But that place… I thought only the top disciples ever went there…"
Qingxue didn't reply.
He lowered his head. "Some of us fail no matter how hard we try. Others never fail, no matter what they do."
Her lips parted. "That's not true."
"Isn't it?" Shen Li said quietly. "When you shine too brightly, even your shadows look like light."
He didn't accuse. He didn't need to.
He just asked.
Later, the elders declared the artifact inconclusive—likely a relic from a past trial. No one was accused. No names were spoken.
But the whispers didn't stop.
And Lin Feng, for the first time, didn't smile when they looked at him.
That night, in the ruined shack he called home, Shen Li lit a single candle. The flame flickered in the silence, casting long shadows against the walls.
He stared into the glow.
System Update:Target: Lin Feng – Reputation Fracture InitiatedPublic Doubt Level: 14.6%Emotional Disturbance: 18.2% – Minor instability detected.Influence Level: 23.1%
Target: Su Qingxue – Trust Shift: +4.5%Moral Certainty: Slightly Weakened.Current Influence: 17.2%
New Quest Unlocked: "Tip the Scale"Objective: Engineer a moral dilemma where Lin Feng must choose between image and principle. Let the audience see the cracks.
Shen Li exhaled slowly.
He wasn't trying to destroy Lin Feng all at once.
He was making him question himself.
The world would see soon enough.
Even heroes bleed—If you cut deep enough.