The following day, the disciples gathered once more in front of the Runic Hall to hear the results of the exam. As expected, not a single one of them had failed. When the announcement concluded, Elder Liang Zhenyu stepped forward to address them.
"Congratulations to all of you—you've passed. According to the sect's rules, you will each receive sect contribution points," He then instructed the disciples to line up properly and prepare their sect talisman tokens, where the points would be recorded. After several minutes of waiting in line, Madara finally received his sect points. Stepping aside, he examined his sect talisman to check for any changes. On the back of the token, a new character had appeared, and beside it was numbers indicating the amount of contribution points he now had.
Once all the points had been distributed, Elder Liang spoke again. "I know many of you are wondering what sect contribution points are used for. These points allow access to various sect facilities—such as secluded training rooms, the Spring Qi Pool, or purchasing techniques using contribution points, among other benefits. You can only earn these points by completing sect missions." His explanation clarified things for the new outer disciples, who nodded in understanding.
"And now," he continued, "I'll be giving you a bonus challenge. This trial is meant to temper you into true cultivators. Naturally, there will be a reward—additional sect points." Upon hearing this, excitement stirred among the disciples. Most of them thought, "Extra points are still points—definitely worth it."
Following Elder Liang's command, the disciples moved together toward the practice platforms. Because of the large number of outer disciples, Liang Zhenyu combined nine empty practice platforms into one with just a single gesture. The platforms moved as if something beneath them was controlling their structure. When they connected and aligned into a perfect square, they formed a large, unified platform, spacious enough to accommodate all the outer disciples.
He then ordered everyone to step inside the new platform. Once they were all within, Elder Liang Zhenyu stood calmly at the edge.
With a smooth wave of his sleeve, he released a jade disk that floated beside him, softly pulsing with energy. Drawing forth his crane-feather brush, the tip glowing with a faint silver light, he dipped it into the air as though it were liquid ink and began to trace sigils in a slow, circular motion.
The air around him quivered. Moments later, a shimmering dome-like formation enveloped the entire platform. Ethereal chains of will be coiled around the dome like a cocoon, faintly pressing upon the hearts of all inside.
Then, Elder Liang finally spoke, his voice calm yet commanding:
"Now, the test begins."
Just seconds before the technique took full control, the disciples realized what their elder had used on them—the "Mind-Locking Array Formation Technique."
...
Mind-Locking Array (鎖心陣 / Suǒ Xīn Zhèn) is a formation technique that targets the willpower and inner fears of those trapped within. Rather than relying on physical barriers or elemental force, it manipulates a cultivator's mental state, awakening the fear, regret, or doubt buried deep in their heart.
...
As the technique took hold, Madara opened his eyes—only to find himself in a horrifying scene. It was nighttime, and his village was under attack by men dressed in black. Flames lit the dark skies, and chaos echoed all around.
In front of him, a pale, staggering woman limped toward him. Her body was soaked in blood, and a massive, gaping wound in her abdomen exposed her mangled entrails. Her jaw was shattered, as if crushed by a heavy blow, and her left eye dangled from its socket, the veins still attached. Maggots crawled through her flesh, and the smell of rot and death clung to the air around her.
As she limped closer, Madara recognized her—by her torn but familiar clothing. His face sank in sorrow.
"Sister Yun..."
The moment he uttered her name; she lunged forward and grabbed him by the collar. "Why didn't you tell me, Madara?! Why?!" she screamed, her voice raw with fury and pain. He didn't answer. He simply let her scream at him, even as blood dripped from her mouth and her breath reeked of decay. He endured it all in silence.
When he still gave no reply, she suddenly forced him to the ground and pinned him down. Now straddling him, her rotten body began to fall apart, chunks of decaying flesh peeling from her bones. She punched his face again and again—each blow carrying more agony than the last.
"Why didn't you tell me, Madara?! WHY?!"
But this time... the voice changed. It became deeper. Hollow. Like it echoed from the depths of the underworld.
As she raised her fist once more, Madara finally found an opening. He wrapped his arms around her with trembling resolve, embracing the disintegrating corpse of his sister.
His voice cracked as he whispered:
"Because I'm weak… and I couldn't protect you. If they found out I wasn't truly from this world, or if they saw me as a threat… they might've come for you instead."
...
Outside the formation, many disciples had already passed Elder Liang Zhenyu's rigorous test. Inside the shimmering dome, the remaining cultivators were still trapped, their emotions running wild. Some were crying, others were lashing out in anger, and a few even summoned their spiritual weapons, their frustration pouring out in various forms.
As the spectacle unfolded, Elder Liang Zhenyu's gaze was drawn to one disciple—still and silent. The disciple's expression shifted briefly, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared, like a fleeting shadow. "A sword cultivator, as expected," the elder whispered to himself.
...
He gripped Xiao Yun's decaying body even tighter as her fury surged with every heartbeat. Her howls tore through the silence like the cries of a tormented soul, their weight pressing against the air itself. But Madara did not flinch. He held her close—unshaken, sorrow etched deep into his face—and in a voice no louder than a breath, raw and trembling with regret, he whispered:
"If I ever get another chance… I'll tell you everything. No more secrets. No more lies."
With those words, the nightmarish scene began to unravel, the horrifying illusion fading into nothingness. His heart heavy with grief, finally broke free from the technique, the weight of his emotions lifted as the formation lost its hold on him.
Night had fallen by the time the challenge ended, and one by one, the disciples had managed to confront and overcome the emotional burdens buried deep within their hearts. Once the additional sect points were distributed, they all returned to their respective residences.
That evening, after finishing his training in his inner realm, Madara lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling of his room. "No progress at all with the Sword of Kusanagi: Longsword of the Sky technique, no matter what I try… Looks like I'll have to head to the training platform tomorrow and put the rest of my techniques to the test in combat."
The next morning, after completing his swordplay exercises and morning routine, he headed straight to the combat training grounds. But upon arrival, he saw that all open platforms were already occupied due to an upcoming sparring battle. With nothing else to do, he wandered around, hoping that by the time he returned, a slot would have opened up.
In the distance, he spotted the Contribution Exchange Pavilion, and without hesitation, he made his way there thinking he could buy some food as well, since he had run out of supplies in his storage ring.
Upon entering, he found the place bustling with fellow cultivators browsing the shelves lined with various goods—spiritual herbs, rare fruits, cultivation pills, and more. As he wandered through the aisles, the only thing he could afford was a yellow apple. He was just about to purchase it when he remembered to check back at the combat grounds for an open platform.
Returning to the area, he found that there were still no slots available. Just then, something caught his eye in the distance—a towering structure that rose like a sharpened spear into the sky. It was ten stories tall, each level slightly narrower than the one below, wrapped in a faint aura of war intent. The walls were forged from black stone, etched with ancient runes, and flanking the grand entrance stood two colossal stone guardians—one wielding a sword, the other a halberd. Silent and imposing.
According to those he had asked on his way, the structure was known as the Battle Pagoda, a place dedicated to combat training. Unlike typical arenas, it didn't require a sparring partner, as it housed a dummy puppet formation technique calibrated to match the user's current cultivation realm.
When he arrived, he found that the first floor was already occupied. He ascended the stairs to the second floor, then the third, and continued all the way up—but each level, up to the tenth floor, was already taken. With no other choice, Madara returned to the Contribution Exchange Pavilion to finally purchase the yellow apple, just enough to sustain him until the upcoming sparring battle. After all, he had no idea how many sect points he would need to use a secluded combat training room.
When he came back, there were still no available slots at the open platform arenas or in the first Battle Pagoda. So, he made his way to a second Battle Pagoda, and just as he arrived at the second floor, the cultivator inside had just exited. Without wasting a second, Madara rushed in.
Inside, the room was sealed within layers of spirit-forged stone, each surface—walls, ceiling, and floor—reinforced with ancient formation patterns. At its heart lay a circular combat platform, engraved with glowing martial sigils pulsing faintly with energy.
To the right, near the entrance, stood a stone tablet. As he approached, glowing text revealed itself:
Time Remaining:Opponent Difficulty Settings:Room Condition Status:Emergency Exit Formation (in case of injury or overload):
Below the text was a recessed slot, clearly meant for the insertion of a sect talisman token.
After inserting the necessary inputs into the stone tablet and placing his sect talisman token into the slot. Almost instantly, the doors sealed shut with a low rumble. A few seconds later, the martial sigils etched onto the platform began to rotate clockwise, glowing with alternating red and black light. With a sudden flash, eight yellowish wooden puppets appeared, each possessing the strength of a mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator, all locked in a combat-ready stance.
The moment they detected Madara's presence, they charged. In response, he calmly drew his sword from his storage ring, and in a fluid motion, infused it with sword intent—his eyes narrowing as the battle began.
...
...
Character Profile
Name: Uchiha Madara
Cultivation Path: Sword Cultivator
Sword Intent Level: 28% Early-Stage Basic Sword Intent
Cultivation Realm and Stage: Mid-Stage Qi Condensation
Techniques: (I didn't include the techniques that have reached perfected stages)
Sword Qi Slash >> Advanced StageWood Clone Technique >> Advanced Stage
Mystical Palm Technique >> Advanced Stage
Yin-Yang Qi Absorption Technique >> Foundation Stage
Great Fireball Technique (Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu) >> Foundation Stage
Chidori (One Thousand Birds) >> Initial Stage
Mayfly Technique (Aburano no Jutsu) technique used by Zetsu/White Zetsu >> Initial Stage
Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees (Mokuton: Jukai Kōtan) >> Initial Stage
Sword of Kusanagi: Longsword of the Sky (Kusanagi no Tsurugi: Kū no Tachi) >> No Progress