The academy bell tolled seven times, signaling the start of the third week since Lin Xuan's arrival at Blackthorn Academy. By now, most students had settled into their rhythm—training, competing, and socializing in the structured chaos of academy life.
But Lin Xuan wasn't like the others.
He had no social circle, no clan backing him, no instructors doting over him in public. Yet somehow, he was becoming the most talked about name in the advanced training group.
Not because of any loud declarations or showy performances.
But because no one could figure him out.
He never struggled in any lesson. He never looked tired after intense sparring. And he never asked for help.
Even the instructors began taking notes.
That morning, Instructor Yao Lin summoned the Advanced Special Group to a secluded canyon behind the academy. A large tunnel, carved deep into the cliff face, gaped like the maw of some ancient beast. A barrier shimmered faintly at the entrance.
The group of twelve students murmured among themselves.
"I heard this place hasn't been used in years."
"Yeah, wasn't this sealed after that incident with the void beast?"
"No way they're sending us in there…"
Instructor Yao Lin stepped forward, arms behind her back, eyes cold and sharp as ever.
"You've all been selected for this program because your potential exceeds the average. But potential means nothing if you can't perform under pressure. Today, you'll be entering the Subterranean Arena."
Gasps rippled through the group.
One student raised a hand. "Instructor, isn't that meant for third-year cultivators?"
She didn't smile. "Correct. But the world will not wait for you to grow up. Inside this arena, the formation simulates real-world combat conditions. Your task is simple—survive for one hour."
Lin Xuan looked at the barrier quietly.
He could already feel faint traces of formation patterns laced into the stone—a mixture of ancient symbols and modern programming code. The arena below would not be simple.
A test like this was not for show.
It was designed to break people.
One by one, the students were called in. Lin Xuan's name came last.
He stepped forward as the barrier parted for him with a low hum.
Inside, the temperature dropped instantly. Cold, damp air rushed past his face as the tunnel sloped downward. The walls glowed with dim blue lines—guiding lights etched into stone by cultivation tech.
As he reached the bottom, the ground opened into a vast underground coliseum.
The ceiling was lost in shadow. Giant stone platforms floated at varying heights, connected by narrow bridges and surrounded by abyssal drops.
A mechanical voice echoed through the air:
"Simulation Initiated."
"Begin."
Immediately, the air shimmered—and from the darkness emerged shapes.
Constructs.
They looked humanoid but moved unnaturally, their limbs jointed with sharp steel and glowing qi cores in their chests.
Three of them charged at once.
Lin Xuan didn't hesitate.
His body blurred.
He stepped between them in a half-spin, delivering a single palm strike to the lead construct's chest. The qi core inside it shattered like glass, and the construct collapsed.
The others adapted—firing beams of compressed energy.
Lin Xuan slid under one, leapt over the other, and struck with precision.
He was dancing.
Every move economical. Every breath controlled.
This wasn't just reflex.
This was mastery.
After ten minutes, more constructs spawned—this time faster, smarter, with elemental enhancements.
The system was learning from him.
Lin Xuan didn't mind.
He wanted pressure.
He allowed them to surround him, then tapped into the first layer of his hidden technique.
From within his dantian, a faint light swirled—a pure essence untouched by artificial influence.
The energy surged through his limbs, and his speed increased dramatically.
He disabled five enemies in under fifteen seconds.
The system responded by releasing a tiered boss-class enemy—an enormous construct over four meters tall, with dual axes and reactive armor.
It roared.
Lin Xuan didn't flinch.
So they want to test my limit.
He released another breath.
And pushed deeper into his technique—barely touching the second layer.
Only enough to speed up his qi cycle and sharpen his perception.
He stepped forward as the giant swung.
The ground shattered under the axe's impact, but Lin Xuan was already above it, striking down with both palms. His energy slipped through the gaps in the armor, targeting the core.
The construct twitched.
Then collapsed.
Silence returned.
And the mechanical voice echoed again:
"Simulation complete. Time elapsed: 64 minutes."
"Score: S-Rank."
"Exceeds required parameters by 300%."
When Lin Xuan emerged from the tunnel, the rest of the students had gathered outside, some sitting, others nursing bruises or burns. All of them looked toward the entrance when they saw him appear—calm, unscathed, not even sweating.
Even Instructor Yao Lin raised an eyebrow.
"You were in there longer than anyone."
"I got a little lost," Lin Xuan said with a straight face.
She stared at him for a few moments, then turned away.
"Everyone, return to your dorms. We'll review performance data tomorrow."
As the group dispersed, one of the students—a boy named Ren Wu, known for his arrogance—muttered just loud enough for others to hear:
"Bet he's using some sort of artifact. No way someone like that's real."
Lin Xuan glanced at him, eyes unreadable.
But said nothing.
He didn't need to explain himself.
Let them guess.
Let them invent stories.
The truth was too strange to believe anyway.
Later that night, in the instructor's private quarters, Yao Lin reviewed the footage from Lin Xuan's performance.
She zoomed in on his movements, frame by frame.
No hesitation. No wasted motion. Techniques that resembled nothing in the academy's archives.
Where did he learn this?
She ran the footage through the academy's database, hoping for a match.
Nothing.
No style, no master, no clan was credited with what she saw.
Not even the internal archives of ancient sects matched the energy flow.
That alone made him dangerous.
But also… fascinating.
Meanwhile, in Lin Xuan's room, he sat in silence, eyes closed, breathing steady.
His qi flowed in perfect harmony through his meridians.
The technique is adapting faster to this body than I expected. Even with limited resources, I've recovered thirty percent of my former core strength.
Still not enough.
But far ahead of anyone else his age here.
He stood and moved toward the window, staring out over the academy.
Beneath the polished floors and modern buildings, something dark was brewing.
He could feel it.
Politics, secrets, ambitions.
But he wouldn't get involved.
Not unless he had no choice.
He was here to grow stronger.
To understand this new world.
And to live freely.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.