Chapter 4: Outer Sect Assessment
The morning of the assessment arrived, not with a roar but with the gentle, insistent chirping of mountain birds.
Mo Yuan woke long before the sun rose over the eastern spires. He felt light not like a leaf, but like a perfectly balanced blade.
He rose, his joints cracking like bamboo, but there was no stiffness or lingering fatigue. His body felt alive, every part coursing with the dense Qi of the second layer.
He walked towards the cave's mouth and splashed his face with the cold spring water.
The cold stung, each droplet sharp against his skin. Wiping his face with a rough cloth, he looked into the dark pool. His eyes felt different calmer, deeper, more focused.
"Mirror," he thought.
[ Qi Refinement: Stage Two ]
[ Qi Density: 100% (Heaven-favored) ]
[ Foundation: Absolute Perfection ]
He nodded to himself, a quiet satisfaction settling in his chest, then turned and began the descent toward the main peaks.
Halfway down the winding cliff path, a figure in a gray robe came rushing up.
It was Lin Xia. Her hair was messy, and dark circles under her eyes showed she had spent the night in intense cultivation.
She stopped when she saw him, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.
"Mo Yuan!" she gasped, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. "I came to wake you. I thought… maybe you had slept through the bell from exhaustion."
She paused, her eyes lingering on his face. Frowning, a look of confusion crossed her face. "You… look different. Did you do it? Did you break through?"
Mo Yuan gave her a small, calm smile. "I did. I reached the second stage yesterday."
Lin Xia exhaled in relief, shoulders dropping. "Thank the Heavens. Stage Two… it's the bare minimum, but it'll keep you out of the laundry pits for a while.
And I heard the Steward is in a foul mood today, don't give him any reason to be lash out."
Mo Yuan nodded calmly, a faint smile on his lips. "Don't worry. I'll stay out of trouble. And thank you, Lin Xia, for your concern."
She walked beside him, frowning slightly. "I don't get it. Everyone else after a breakthrough looks wild, like their energy wants to burst out of them. You… just look normal. Like nothing happened at all."
Mo Yuan replied calmly, "True power does not need to show itself."
Lin Xia chuckled, though a hint of nervousness showed in her voice. "You and your sayings. I broke through to the fourth layer last night, mid-stage qi refinement but I had to use three Qi-Gathering pills to control the surge. My meridians feel like they're on fire."
Mo Yuan looked at her. With his heightened senses, he could see the fire she spoke of.
A normal foundation, nothing unusual for outer disciples but against true geniuses, it would eventually show its flaws.
"You should rest after the assessment," Mo Yuan said gently. "Don't rush for the fourth layer for at least a month. Your body needs to recover from the pills."
"In this sect? Rest is a luxury for the dead," she sighed.
Mo Yuan frowned slightly. "Your ranking might drop, but it's better than forcing it and ending up with a weak foundation. Strength built on haste won't last."
She bit her lip, then nodded reluctantly. "I… suppose you're right. I just hate feeling like I'm falling behind."
As they reached the training grounds, the atmosphere changed.
A sea of gray robes stretched before them. Hundreds of disciples stood in neat rows, the air heavy with tension and the sharp scent of medicinal pastes.
In the center, massive obsidian testing stones bore ancient runes, meant to measure the "weight" of a disciple's Qi.
At the front of the plaza, on a raised wooden platform, the Sect Elders sat.
Steward Gao was among them, his face lined like crumpled parchment and eyes sharp. He held a long scroll with the list of disciples most likely facing demotion.
"Look who it is," a loud, arrogant voice rang out over the murmurs of the crowd.
Wang Wei stepped forward with a group of sycophants. His aura spread outward in waves, unrestrained.
He had reached the fourth stage of Qi Refinement and he wanted everyone to see it.
"The miracle of the Outer Peak has arrived," Wang Wei sneered, eyes on Mo Yuan. "Looks like you finally made it to the second stage… but you're still on that list. Let's see if you can avoid demotion."
The disciples around Wang Wei laughed. Lin Xia tensed, hand moving toward her practice sword, but Mo Yuan gently held her arm.
"It's a beautiful morning, Wang Wei," Mo Yuan said evenly, voice calm and unshaken. "Why waste it on shouting?"
Wang Wei's smile wavered for a moment. He had expected anger or at least some reaction.
Mo Yuan's calm indifference made him feel… small, like a child throwing a tantrum in front of an adult.
We'll see how long that calm mask lasts when you face the stone," Wang Wei hissed, stepping closer. "Stage Two is nothing. I've built a foundation that will carry me to the Inner Sect by year's end. What have you built?"
Mo Yuan glanced at the obsidian stones, then back at the arrogant youth.
"A foundation that will last, strong and unyielding, outlasting all who boast today and fail tomorrow," he said quietly, his voice firm with resolve.
A loud gong echoed across the training grounds, silencing the crowd. Steward Gao rose, his voice carrying through the air.
"The Monthly Assessment begins. Step forward when your name is called. Prove your worth to the Azure Mist or find another home."
Mo Yuan felt no fear, no rush. His gaze swept over the obsidian stones, then across the gathered disciples.