The observation chamber above the arena gradually returned to silence as the illusion dissolved. Transparent viewing panels reflected the figures of the judges standing in a wide circle, each bearing a different expression: astonishment, restraint, calculation, or unease.
On the large holographic display, the trial data remained suspended in midair:
[Duong Minh – Code #17]
Talent Synchronization: 98.7%
Execution Time: 5 minutes 12 seconds – 5/5 drones preserved
Live Combat Point 1: Primary contribution – shattered illusion array, destroyed spirit-gathering pillar
Live Combat Point 2: Primary contribution – endured Heavenly Lightning, protected research station
Live Combat Point 3: Primary contribution – contact with spirit-suppression platform leading to victory
Provisional Score: Pending special evaluation
Professor Volkov stood near the glass, hands clasped behind his back. He said nothing, yet his gaze remained fixed on Duong Minh below, who was leaning back in his seat on the arena floor, breathing still uneven but eyes composed.
Behind Volkov, the replay of the final sequence continued looping. The moment when Duong Minh's drone pierced the spirit barrier and touched the platform replayed again and again. Volkov had studied it several times already, narrowing his eyes each time the Spiritual Energy particles gathered in abnormal formation.
Beside him stood Master Tinh Khong of the Eastern Division. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were deep as still water, observing the faint residual fluctuations of Spiritual Energy lingering over the arena.
Instructor Mireya of the Western Division stood opposite them, arms folded. She had long advocated for deeper integration between neural synchronization and the Digital Ocean. There was a bright intensity in her gaze whenever she reviewed Duong Minh's data.
Also present were the segment judges:
Venerable Lieu Chan, specialist in illusions and formations.
Chief Engineer Arkos, head of battlefield simulation design.
Lecturer Tinh Han, observer of Spiritual Energy oscillations.
Silence stretched for several seconds.
Arkos broke it first.
"I told you," he said, tapping the console. "That triple-layered consciousness maneuver is unprecedented. He controlled drone navigation, barrier analysis, and Spiritual Energy interference simultaneously without auxiliary neural amplification. That is not talent. That is evolutionary potential."
Mireya inclined her head slightly. "His Cognitive Energy output remained stable even under high load. There was no sign of fragmentation. If properly cultivated, he could redefine the upper threshold of the Path of Intellect."
Venerable Lieu Chan exhaled slowly. "Or he could collapse into cognitive deviation. You all saw how thin that margin was. A miscalculation of 0.2 seconds and his mind would have shattered."
Arkos laughed lightly. "Progress always carries risk."
"Recklessness is not progress," Lieu Chan replied calmly.
Tinh Khong finally spoke.
"What concerns me is not his control of machines. It is what happened when he interacted with Spiritual Energy."
The room quieted immediately.
Tinh Khong continued, his tone measured.
"In the final second before the barrier broke, the Spiritual Energy surrounding the drone did not behave naturally. It responded to his intention. Not through Dao technique. Not through ritual seal. Through consciousness alone."
Mireya's eyes sharpened. "You believe he manipulated Spiritual Energy directly?"
"Yes," Tinh Khong replied. "And he did so without formal Path of Dao training."
Tinh Han nodded slowly. "The oscillation pattern confirmed it. The Spiritual Energy and his Cognitive Energy briefly synchronized. For a fraction of a second, they behaved as one system."
A silence heavier than before settled over the chamber.
Arkos broke it softly. "Dual-channel resonance."
Lieu Chan's brows tightened. "That term belongs to forbidden theory."
Mireya did not look away from the data. "Or to the next era."
Tinh Khong folded his sleeves. "The Path of Dao refines the body and spirit. The Path of Intellect refines cognition. If one mind can command both Cognitive Energy and Spiritual Energy, the balance between the two traditions shifts."
Volkov turned from the glass at last.
"And if that balance shifts too far," he said quietly, "who holds authority?"
No one answered immediately.
Arkos spoke first. "Authority is irrelevant if the academy produces the strongest generation in history."
Lieu Chan's voice hardened. "Strength without restraint has destroyed civilizations before."
Mireya responded evenly. "Restraint without growth has suffocated them."
The argument did not escalate, but the tension was unmistakable.
Volkov stepped toward the center of the chamber.
"Enough."
His voice was calm, yet the air seemed to tighten.
"No one disputes Duong Minh's capability. The question is whether the academy is prepared for what he represents."
He looked toward Tinh Khong.
"Do you believe he is already walking the Path of Dual Cultivation?"
Tinh Khong paused before answering.
"Not yet. But he stands at the threshold."
Mireya's lips curved slightly. "Then we ensure he steps forward properly, rather than forcing him backward."
Lieu Chan remained silent, but his expression darkened.
Volkov turned once more to the glass, watching Duong Minh below as medical staff completed their evaluation.
"For now," he said, "his rank remains provisional. We observe. We guide. And we do not allow external forces to claim him prematurely."
At the mention of external forces, several eyes flickered.
The Digital Ocean was vast. The Path of Dao had its own hidden sects. And somewhere in the mountains, Mandala was still awakening.
Volkov exhaled quietly.
"He is no longer just a candidate."
No one disagreed.
"He is a variable."
Outside the chamber, the arena lights dimmed slowly.
Inside, the debate had ended.
But the true struggle between the Path of Dao and the Path of Intellect had only begun.