The morning sun bathed the peaks of the Cloud Peak Sect in gold, illuminating mist that swirled like ethereal spirits. From the outer courtyard, the low hum of Qi clashed with the occasional shout of disciples sparring. Today was the Outer Sect Evaluation — a test for every disciple to prove themselves worthy of ascending to the Inner Sect.
Elias Kairen had never expected such attention. Or rather, he didn't care about attention. He stood silently in the back of the courtyard, arms folded, observing his peers.
Most of them were average, predictable — repetitive techniques, unrefined Qi control, the same tactical mistakes repeated year after year. To a traditional cultivator, these minor flaws might have seemed like weakness. To Elias, they were variables waiting to be exploited.
He shifted his weight slightly. His new body had no innate advantage — mediocre spirit root, average meridian width, weak Dantian. But he had something none of them did: precision thinking and Neural Core resonance.
Today, we see how theory fares in the field, he murmured.
The Outer Sect Gathering Hall was a colossal amphitheater carved into the mountainside. Stone terraces spiraled upward, forming natural seats where elders and instructors observed every disciple. A giant gong rested at the center of the arena.
"Disciples of Cloud Peak Sect," Elder Lin's deep voice boomed, vibrating with authority. "Today marks the Outer Sect Evaluation. Show your skills. Show your potential. Show the future of our sect!"
The gong struck. A reverberation of pure Qi surged through the courtyard. Disciples began forming pairs, preparing to duel.
Elias waited calmly, analyzing patterns like a chessboard. He noted his opponents' stances, Qi circulation speed, and habitual micro-movements. Every single one could be cataloged, measured, and predicted — if one had the right mind.
A lean boy with pale hair approached Elias, bowing shallowly. His reputation: "Average talent, fast reflexes, overconfident."
"Your turn, cave rat," the boy sneered.
Elias tilted his head. "I prefer experiments over words," he replied. His voice was calm, even amused.
The boy charged, forming a Qi blade that glimmered faintly in the morning sun. To an ordinary cultivator, it was a lethal technique; to Elias, it was a data set.
He closed his eyes, activating the Neural Core resonance. For a fraction of a second, time seemed to stretch — each thought elongated into infinity. He calculated trajectory, Qi density, and the timing of his opponent's strike.
Then he moved.
A single step to the side. A light push — almost playful. The boy's blade sliced through thin air. He stumbled forward, tripping over his own feet.
The elders murmured.
Elias opened his eyes, expression perfectly neutral. "Thank you for the demonstration," he said dryly.
By midday, Elias had faced three more disciples, each stronger, each more confident. One attempted to overwhelm him with brute Qi force. Another tried a deceptive feint. A third relied on an inherited family technique passed down through generations.
He defeated all without breaking a sweat. Not by strength, but by calculation, prediction, and the subtle manipulation of Cognitive Breathing.
Faster thought. Precise action. Maximum efficiency.
He could feel the Neural Core stabilizing. The mental oscillations synchronized perfectly with Qi flow.
Yet, as he observed the crowd, he noticed Mei Lin standing near the edges, eyes wide with curiosity. She whispered to another disciple, pointing at him occasionally.
Elias suppressed a smirk. He liked women. But research, theory, and discovery always came first. And yet… the faint warmth of her gaze was not unpleasant.
Focus. Keep your mind clear, he reminded himself, closing his eyes. Thoughts distract, data never lies.
Just as the sun reached its zenith, the final match was announced.
"Disciples, for the last evaluation — Elias Kairen, step forward!"
The arena stirred. Whispers rippled through the crowd. Most knew him as the cave rat — weak, invisible, unimpressive. Few expected him to advance this far.
Elias stood and stepped into the center. Across him, a tall, muscular youth appeared — Lin Hao, a prodigy from a neighboring branch, renowned for his lightning-fast techniques and aggressive spirit.
The rules were simple: defeat the opponent or survive ten minutes without being incapacitated.
Lin Hao laughed. "You? Step into the arena with me? I could crush you without effort."
Elias's expression didn't change. "Then I hope you enjoy observing experiments," he replied lightly.
Lin Hao struck first. A surge of Qi erupted from his palm, forming a blade that cut through the air. Most disciples would have dodged instinctively.
Elias, however, didn't move immediately. He calculated the exact velocity of the attack. Predicted its trajectory, rotation, and the impact of wind friction. By the time the Qi blade reached him, he had already sidestepped — an almost imperceptible movement.
Then, with a thought, he modulated his Neural Core frequency, generating a micro-acceleration in his Qi. The small adjustment was imperceptible to the naked eye, but it shifted the battlefield subtly: Lin Hao's next attack overshot.
Yes… just as predicted.
Elias allowed himself a small, amused smile. "Interesting… your attack efficiency is only seventy-two percent optimal. I wonder if it's conscious error or innate limitation."
Lin Hao's face twisted in frustration. He attacked with another technique — a whirlwind of Qi-infused strikes, fast enough to tear through wood and stone. But Elias' mind had already processed every microsecond of the assault. He applied Cognitive Breathing, channeling Qi in perfect resonance with thought. His body moved like a shadow, slipping between strikes.
A small sphere of silver light — his Neural Core resonance — flickered faintly in his chest, reacting to each strike.
Halfway through the battle, Elias realized he couldn't sustain Neural Core resonance indefinitely. The strain on his mediocre Dantian was approaching dangerous levels.
Time for improvisation.
He reached into his robe and pulled out fragments of spirit stones he had gathered earlier. Arranging them into a crude circuit, he carved a tiny spiral channel with his knife — a simple Qi conduit.
If the resonance can't be maintained internally, I'll amplify it externally.
He attached the small device to his forearm. The stones vibrated faintly, Qi flowing through the spiraled channels. The device emitted a soft, silver glow, subtly boosting Neural Core stability.
Elias adjusted his breathing. His oscillations aligned perfectly with the conduit. Suddenly, the Cognitive Breathing became sustainable for the first time in a prolonged combat scenario.
Trial successful. Neural Core supported externally. External Qi amplification — first invention complete.
Lin Hao paused, sensing a shift in Elias' presence. The silver light in his opponent's chest — subtle, almost invisible — was different.
Elias moved. Fast, precise, unerring. He didn't strike with brute force, but with perfectly calculated pressure points. Lin Hao stumbled, caught off guard by attacks that seemed predictive, anticipatory, almost unreal.
The arena erupted in whispers.
Elder Lin raised his hand, signaling the end of the session. Lin Hao, bruised and frustrated, retreated silently. Disciples murmured in awe, but no one understood why Elias had dominated.
He didn't boast. He didn't celebrate. Instead, he sat quietly, recording every detail of the battle in his notebook — timing, attack patterns, energy fluctuations, and the efficiency of his Neural Core.
Research first. Observation is everything.
When Mei Lin approached, curiosity burning in her eyes, Elias only nodded slightly.
"Did you take notes?" she asked.
"Of course," he replied calmly. "One cannot trust memory alone. Data must be recorded. Patterns analyzed."
She blinked, slightly taken aback by his serious tone. "Even… about people?"
He smirked faintly. "Even about people. Especially about patterns. Humans are… predictable, if observed correctly."
The faint warmth in her eyes didn't distract him. But Elias allowed himself a tiny joke.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Neural Core to refine before it explodes."
She smiled, shaking her head, and left him to his work.
As the sun dipped below the mountains, Elias surveyed the Cloud Peak Sect from his cave. He understood now how fragile the sect hierarchy was.
Outer Sect: Low-tier disciples, average spirit roots, limited access to techniques.
Inner Sect: Core disciples, better resources, secret texts, access to rare spirit stones.
Elder Council: Masters with Nascent Soul or higher, controlling the sect's secrets and politics.
Every disciple believed power came from talent and heritage. Elias knew the truth: knowledge, calculation, and innovation could surpass bloodlines.
He began sketching improvements for his Qi Amplifier, noting adjustments for longer sustained resonance. His mind raced with possibilities: small devices, automated meditation tools, energy storage units, enhancements to combat efficiency.
If I can gradually introduce these devices… I could advance cultivation itself. Slowly. Methodically.
A vision flickered in his mind: a world where science and cultivation merged, where disciples no longer relied solely on luck, inheritance, or talent, but could improve through methodical reasoning.
The thought made him chuckle softly.
The future… will be interesting.
As the night deepened, Elias reclined against the cave wall, silver light of his Neural Core flickering faintly within.
He thought of Mei Lin. He thought of the sect. He thought of the universe and its rules.
"A world of Qi, of Dao, of mysticism… and