Time in Xu Yianzi's world turned over many seasons. The lush green leaves of summer gave way to the bareness of drought, only to bloom once more. The young man remained holed up in the small wooden room that had become his entire world. His pile of Yuan Stones had begun to dwindle, and the walls and floor were now a canvas of runic lines—some complex, some simple, some successful, some failed.
The jeers from the outside world still filtered in from time to time, but they no longer reached him. His focus was absolute, fixed on the script before him, the Yuan Stone in his hand, and the "voice" from the other side of the dream that whispered of the power of "Solen"—a power born from seeing the true essence of a soul, and of changing all things through unshakeable faith.
"It's not just about drawing… not just memorizing the shapes…" Xu Yianzi mumbled to himself. His eyes were locked on the rune ᚠ (Fehu), which he had drawn on an old wooden plank. The rune of wealth and life force. "Master Zen once said… it responds to 'a certain kind of energy'… and a 'power of the mind,' or a will that is firm enough."
He had lost his martial power, but what he had in abundance was "time" and the "determination" to forge his own path. Today, he chose one of the smallest Yuan Stones he had left. It was a low-quality stone, its energy so faint that almost no one in the clan would even glance at it.
Zen watched the scene from his observer's perch, his heart pounding with a mix of hope and anxiety. He saw Xu Yianzi's countless attempts, saw the failures that wore him down, but he also saw the flame in the young man's eyes that had never once flickered out.
Xu Yianzi placed the stone upon the ᚠ (Fehu) symbol he had drawn. He closed his eyes slowly, taking a deep breath, trying to follow Zen's guidance—to "see its soul." Not as a worthless scrap of rock, but as a "source of power," however small it might be.
He didn't try to "pull" the energy out as a cultivator would. Instead, he tried to "commune" with it through his unwavering will. His mind focused on the meaning of Fehu—life force, nourishment, growth. And at the same time, he recalled the Solen rune, Ƨ, imagining he could "see" the minuscule energy in the stone beginning to "reflect" his belief.
The images of the runes ᚠ and Ƨ slowly overlapped, like two universes beginning to resonate. One, the power of life. The other, the vision of the soul. The two merged… and became a new reality.
"Awaken…" He didn't voice the word. It was a silent wish, sent from his soul into the stone.
Silence…
Nothing happened.
A small bead of sweat formed on Xu Yianzi's hairline. Despair began to creep in. …but just before he could start over, a soft whisper reached him—not of words, but a warm flash of feeling that settled in his heart.
"Faith gives birth to power... Even if you cannot see it, you must believe it exists."
His eyes opened again—his gaze had shifted slightly.
He gathered his focus anew, his mind more resolute than ever. This time, he didn't just "think"—he "believed" with all his heart that the power in the stone was real, and that it would respond to his will. The images of ᚠ and Ƨ overlapped in his consciousness.
And then… like a small miracle, the Yuan Stone… began to glow.
It wasn't a bright light, easily visible in the day. It was a faint, greenish-gold luminescence that trembled from within the stone's core, like a tiny firefly slowly blinking its wings. The light was gentle, soft, and most importantly… it was real.
That light was not a mere reaction. It was the echo of his will—a perseverance so stubborn that nature itself had to answer. In that moment… it wasn't the stone that was glowing. It was the will of a human being, changing the world.
Xu Yianzi's eyes flew open, his heart hammering so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest. He stared at the flickering light, unable to believe what he was seeing. His trembling hand reached out to touch the Yuan Stone. It was still cold, but he could feel "something" different… a vibration of energy too subtle to be perceived by normal senses.
"It worked…" His voice was hoarse, but filled with an overwhelming sense of joy he could no longer contain. "I… I did it…"
From his side, Zen clenched his fists until they shook, a wide grin spreading across his face without him realizing it. "You did it… Xu Yianzi… you really did it!" Even though he knew the young man couldn't hear him, the joy overflowed.
It may have been just a tiny light from a low-quality Yuan Stone, but for Xu Yianzi, it was a light of hope that shone brighter than any sun. It was the proof that this unwritten path was a real possibility. It was faith born from a scrap of stone, and a will that could turn despair into power.
The young man stared at the light for a long time, tears of joy slowly streaming down his cheeks. He didn't wipe them away, but let them serve as a testament to the first steady step on a path he had created with his own two hands and a heart that refused to give up.
The world may not have seen his value yet, but today… Xu Yianzi saw the value in himself.