The Sword Hall was unusually busy that morning. Banners flapped in the wind, and the air was thick with the mingling scents of incense and spiritual qi. Lin Yuan had barely begun his warm-up when the Elder's voice rang out across the courtyard:
"All new disciples, report to the Central Hall immediately. Today marks the first of the mandatory joint missions. Every disciple from each hall must participate."
Lin Yuan's heart stirred—not with anxiety, but with quiet anticipation. Joint missions were rare opportunities to test skill, judgment, and composure, and today he would see disciples from other halls for the first time.
He arrived at the Central Hall, the massive structure carved from white stone and engraved with intricate runes. Inside, the seats were already filling with newcomers from the Sword Hall, Spear Hall, Blade Hall, and Shadow Hall. The elders from each sect stood at the front, their gazes sharp, assessing every disciple.
From the Spear Hall, a tall, lean youth with dark hair and a confident aura stepped forward. His spear gleamed faintly, resonating with spiritual energy.
"This is Ji Han," one of the Sword Hall disciples whispered. "His spear technique is already refined, even for a first-year disciple."
From the Blade Hall came a girl with silver hair and piercing green eyes, her blade strapped across her back. Her calm, almost cold demeanor gave her an air of untouchable precision.
Lin Yuan simply observed quietly, noting the subtle ways they moved, how their auras reflected skill and discipline. None of them seemed like rivals yet—they were simply… capable.
The Elder cleared his throat. "Today's mission is to investigate the Whispering Valley—a spiritual forest several miles beyond the Outer Mountains. Reports indicate an unusual surge of high-tier spiritual beasts and rare spiritual artifacts. Every new disciple must participate. Your task: survive, gather data, and return with proof of skill and composure."
A murmur ran through the halls. The Whispering Valley was infamous, its beasts unpredictable, its terrain difficult, and its spiritual energy nearly overwhelming for novices. Even higher-level disciples treated it with caution.
Lin Yuan's pulse quickened. Finally, a challenge worthy of his skill.
Groups were formed quickly, mixing disciples from different halls. Lin Yuan was paired with Ji Han (Spear Hall) and the silver-haired Blade Hall disciple, Mei Lian.
Ji Han grinned, twirling his spear. "You must be from Sword Hall, right? I've heard your sect emphasizes discipline and precise strikes. Should be interesting."
Mei Lian's green eyes assessed him coolly. "Let's just get through this mission efficiently. Mistakes in the valley are… costly."
Lin Yuan simply nodded. "Agreed. Efficiency and control first. Let's move."
The journey to the Whispering Valley was tense. Mist swirled around ancient stone pillars, and the faint scent of spiritual qi made every step heavy. Birds and small forest creatures fled before them, replaced quickly by signs of larger beasts lurking unseen.
Ji Han moved with his spear at the ready, every strike calculated. Mei Lian's blade traced faint arcs in the air, the tip leaving a shimmering trail. Lin Yuan kept pace, testing multi-skill combinations, integrating Thunder Slash and Lightning Body into fluid, precise movements.
Within minutes, a pack of three Mist-Horned Predators appeared, eyes glowing with intelligence. The team moved as one:
Ji Han struck with long, sweeping spear attacks, forcing two predators to stagger back.
Mei Lian moved in, her blade precise, cutting cleanly at weak points.
Lin Yuan flowed between them, chaining Thunder Slash → Lightning Body footwork → Thunder Barrage, striking with precise arcs and controlling the battlefield's rhythm.
By the time the fight ended, all three predators were incapacitated, and the team stood unscathed. The synergy between the new disciples was natural, almost instinctive.
Ji Han clapped Lin Yuan on the shoulder. "Not bad. You move… different from the rest, but it works."
Mei Lian inclined her head. "Skillful. Your control over your strikes is impressive. Keep this up."
Lin Yuan smiled faintly. "We work as one. That's all that matters."
After clearing the initial threats, the trio pressed deeper into the Whispering Valley. Faint glows hinted at rare artifacts hidden in the undergrowth, and strange roars echoed from the mist-shrouded cliffs above. The mission was only beginning, but Lin Yuan already sensed: this would be the perfect place to test every skill he had mastered over the last five months.
Somewhere above the forest canopy, the Sword Hall Elder's eyes glimmered faintly. "Good. Let them see… the boy's skill. Let him show what true mastery looks like… before the world tests him further."