Four days before the Summit Trials.
The air within the Azure Sky Sect buzzed with tension—like the moment before a storm breaks. Whispers danced between pavilions. Shadows lingered a little longer around corners. The disciples, both outer and inner, moved differently. Warily. Alert.
Because a name now echoed through every courtyard and training ground, again and again, like a drumbeat building toward crescendo.
Lin Feng.
The crippled boy from the mountain village. The one who wasn't supposed to amount to anything.
Now a Foundation Realm cultivator… and a killer of three top-ranked inner sect disciples.
Sect Inner Courtyard – Northern Pavilion
Beneath a blooming sky tree, a circle of elite disciples stood in tense silence.
Zhou Han, the top-ranking inner sect disciple, leaned on his jade spear as he listened to the hushed report from a kneeling subordinate.
"…The entire attack team is confirmed dead. The last watcher says Lin Feng entered Foundation Realm. Clean breakthrough. He killed them without using a single talisman. No visible spirit artifact. No help."
Zhou Han's brows furrowed. "You're certain?"
The disciple nodded. "One hundred percent, Senior Brother."
Zhou Han stood upright. His long robes flowed as he turned his back on the group.
"Then it's no longer just about pride," he muttered.
The others exchanged glances.
"Should we—?"
"No." Zhou Han cut him off. "Let him come to the trials. Let him shine. The brighter the light, the longer the shadow."
He looked over his shoulder.
"I'll extinguish both."
Sect Library – Hidden Vaults
At the heart of the Azure Sky Sect's mountain lay a series of sealed chambers where only elders and specially permitted disciples could enter.
Elder Xuan, the Sect Archivist, stood before an ancient mural—one that predated the founding of the sect. He ran a wrinkled hand over a worn carving: a figure wrapped in cosmic flame, standing atop a thousand shattered stars.
And beneath it, glowing faintly in spiritual ink:
"He who bears the Astral Core shall shake the heavens and rend fate asunder."
A sharp knock echoed.
Xuan turned.
The door creaked open. Elder Bai entered.
"It's confirmed," Bai said without preamble. "Lin Feng's core… it's not normal. His body nearly disintegrated during the breakthrough, but he pulled through. His meridian channels reformed themselves in crystalline threads."
Elder Xuan closed his eyes. "The prophecy. It's beginning again."
"You think he's the one?"
"I don't know. But the signs align. And if he is… then the sect is both blessed and cursed."
Bai looked concerned. "Should we intervene?"
"No," Xuan replied slowly. "Let destiny unfold… for now."
Lin Feng's Quarters – That Evening
The quiet hum of cultivation resonated in Lin Feng's room.
He sat cross-legged, wrapped in a cocoon of spiritual energy. Threads of astral light curled around him like drifting fireflies. His aura pulsed steadily—firm, balanced, but ready to strike at any moment.
The Astral Core within him had begun rotating on its own.
It drew in qi without effort, without resistance.
But more than that—it whispered.
Not in words, but in impulses.
Feelings.
Go deeper. Push further. Do not stop.
[System Update: New Feature Unlocked – Astral Resonance Detection]
– Host may now detect rare astral affinities in materials, beings, and techniques.
– Unique reactions may occur when interacting with astral-imbued objects.
– New system quests will become available upon activation.
Would you like to enable this function?
"Yes," Lin Feng said aloud.
The moment he accepted, something clicked in his mind.
And the world…
Changed.
He Saw It
Not with his eyes.
With something else.
A subtle glow shimmered around objects in his room—his sword, his storage ring, even the cracked stone floor. But most of all, the faintest trail of astral energy drifted in the air itself, like stardust caught in the wake of some long-forgotten power.
[Passive Ability Activated – Astral Perception (Tier 1)]
You are now able to detect latent astral energies and celestial signatures in your surroundings.
Lin Feng slowly stood.
And he smiled.
"This… this is real power."
He was only at the early Foundation Establishment Realm.
But it didn't matter.
Because already, he stood above others in ways they couldn't see.
Not yet.
The Inner Sect Assembly Grounds – Three Days Later
On the third day before the trials, a public announcement was made.
Every disciple was required to attend.
The arena, usually reserved for sect-wide ceremonies or life-and-death challenges, was packed with disciples, elders, and honored guests. Banners of blue and gold fluttered from the surrounding balconies.
Elder Qian, the head of the inner sect, stepped forward.
"The Summit Trials will commence at dawn in three days. As always, the top ten performing disciples will earn advancement to the Core Disciple ranking."
A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Qian raised his hand.
"This year, there will be one difference. One rule changed."
He turned, and his gaze settled directly on Lin Feng—who stood at the back of the crowd, his expression unreadable.
"For the first time in twenty years… outer disciples will be allowed to participate."
Gasps filled the air.
Shocked faces turned toward Lin Feng.
Some with awe.
Many with hatred.
A few with fear.
But Lin Feng did not flinch.
Instead, he stepped forward.
And met every stare head-on.
Later That Night – Summit Peak Training Grounds
Lin Feng stood atop one of the highest cliffs within the sect's territory.
The wind howled around him, whipping his robes like dragon wings.
In front of him stood a massive obsidian monolith—a trial stone that tested spiritual pressure. It was rarely used, reserved for late-stage Foundation cultivators.
He extended a single palm.
Astral energy surged through his body.
Boom.
The monolith cracked.
A second pulse.
Crack—shatter.
The stone exploded into fragments, vaporized by the sheer force of his spiritual will.
[System Notification: Optional Objective Completed – Demonstrate Power Before Trials]
Reward: Astral Technique – Comet Step (Tier 2 Movement Skill)
– Compresses astral qi into a burst pattern, allowing for momentary teleportation within a limited range.
– May be used twice before cooldown.
– Mastery Increases with Use.
Lin Feng's grin widened.
"Let them come."