Morning broke over the Great Wilderness Mountains like molten gold spilling across a world carved from legend. Mist rolled through the valleys, wrapping the towering pines and jade-colored ridges in veils of breath. The land itself seemed alive — every rock, every gust of wind humming with the faint vibration of Yuan Power, the energy that bound heaven and earth.
At the foot of those endless peaks lay Qingyang Town, small but proud, home to one of the empire's ancient bloodlines — the Lin Clan. And today, the air around their manor burned with anticipation. It was the day of the Martial Test, the ritual that determined who among the young would walk the path of cultivation… and who would live their lives in the shadow of others.
The courtyard was alive with color and noise — banners embroidered with the Lin crest snapping in the wind, the clang of weapons echoing from the training grounds. Dozens of clan members had gathered in tiers around the stone arena, voices murmuring, eyes gleaming. The scent of incense and steel mixed in the air.
At the far edge of the crowd stood a boy of sixteen, his black hair uncombed, his robes patched at the sleeves. His name was Lin Dong.
He stood apart, his gaze fixed on the great testing pillar rising at the center of the courtyard — a monolith etched with runes that shimmered faintly with power. When touched by a cultivator's Yuan energy, it would respond with light — dim for the weak, bright for the gifted.
Around him, whispers stirred like wind over dry leaves.
"That's Lin Dong, isn't it?"
"The one whose father lost to Lin Langtian all those years ago."
"Shame runs deep in that branch of the family."
Lin Dong's jaw tightened, but he didn't look away. The memories of that duel — his father's defeat, the sneers, the pity — burned like old scars. He'd carried them for as long as he could remember.
Near the dais, the clan elders watched in solemn silence. At their center stood Lin Zhentian, patriarch of the clan — a man whose age had not dulled the authority in his voice.
Beside him stood Lin Langtian, the clan's brightest star — tall, composed, every inch the image of perfection. His aura shimmered faintly, controlled and confident. Even standing still, he drew eyes like a blade draws light.
When his name was called, Lin Langtian stepped forward.
He pressed his palm against the testing pillar. The runes exploded into radiance — a blaze of pure white that cast long shadows across the courtyard.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"Peak level six! He's advanced again!"
"A genius — born once in a hundred years!"
Lin Langtian turned slightly, his expression calm, but his gaze flickered briefly toward Lin Dong — a look that said everything words did not.
Then it was Lin Dong's turn.
He walked forward slowly, each step echoing in the sudden quiet. His palms were damp; his heart, a wild drum. He placed his hand on the cold surface of the pillar.
For a heartbeat — nothing.
Then another.
Still nothing.
The pillar stayed dark. The crowd began to murmur.
"No response at all…"
"He's still at level one? After all this time?"
Someone laughed — a sharp, cutting sound that rang across the courtyard. Lin Dong's throat tightened. He kept his hand there until it trembled, but the stone remained lifeless.
Lin Zhentian's sigh was almost imperceptible.
Lin Langtian turned away, bored.
The test master's voice was flat: "Lin Dong. Unranked. No measurable Yuan energy."
The crowd moved on. But Lin Dong stood frozen, staring at his reflection in the dark pillar — a boy with no light.
"Unranked…" he whispered, the word bitter on his tongue.
Then, turning sharply, he pushed through the crowd and left the courtyard without looking back.
The laughter followed him like a shadow.