Chapter 8 – Whispers of the Elders
The training grounds were still buzzing with shock. Even long after Chen Liang stepped down, the disciples whispered his name like it was a curse or a miracle.
"Did you see that? The stone lit up brighter than Senior Liu's strike!"
"No way, it must be a mistake. Chen Liang was always trash!"
"But the elder himself looked surprised…"
Chen Liang sat quietly at the edge of the field, his fist still tingling with faint heat. Beneath his calm face, his heart was racing. He clenched his jade pendant. The Codex… it's real. I wasn't dreaming.
From above, Elder Jian narrowed his eyes, stroking his beard. That strike… for a boy who never even passed the basic breathing stage? Impossible. Unless… His gaze lingered on Chen Liang for a moment longer before he turned away.
The assessment continued, but few paid attention. The moment Chen Liang walked away, the balance in the sect shifted ever so slightly.
---
Later that evening, Chen Liang returned to his small courtyard. It was quiet, lonely, the same place he had cursed so many times. But tonight, it felt different.
He lit a small lamp and opened the Codex within his mind. Ancient flame-like characters danced before his eyes. The words burned into his soul:
> "The weak flame flickers, but when nourished, it shall ignite the heavens."
The energy inside him stirred once again, hotter, purer. He began cultivating, drawing breath slowly. This time, instead of failure, he felt the flame flow into his dantian.
Hours passed. Sweat dripped from his brow. His body screamed in pain, yet he endured. At last—
BOOM!
A faint spark of fire appeared within his dantian. Small, weak, but alive. Chen Liang gasped. I've… broken through. I'm no longer the same as yesterday.
He collapsed onto the floor, smiling faintly despite exhaustion. For the first time in years, hope bloomed in his heart.
---
Far away, within the elder's hall, a council gathered.
"This boy… Chen Liang. What should we do with him?"
"He was a waste yesterday, and today he shakes the trial stone? It is suspicious."
"Perhaps he discovered a hidden manual."
"Or perhaps," Elder Jian interrupted, "he carries something… far more dangerous."
The room fell silent.
Unaware of the storm gathering above him, Chen Liang drifted into sleep, the tiny flame inside him flickering gently. He had no idea—his journey had just begun, and every step forward would draw eyes, allies, and enemies alike.