The rain began around noon.
Blackthorn's floating sky barriers couldn't stop real weather—only redirect it. Gray clouds hovered low over the academy, trailing fine mist across the towering structures. Students scattered through the open-air bridges with their cloaks pulled tight or umbrellas flickering to life with spirit energy.
Lin Xuan didn't bother with either.
His eyes were fixed ahead as he walked back toward the dorms, his soaked uniform clinging to his skin.
He liked the quiet of the rain.
No one bothered him when it poured.
No whispers.
No looks.
Just silence.
Except today, he wasn't alone.
As he stepped into the upper courtyard, he felt it. A gaze.
Not hostile.
But… heavy.
Like he was being studied through a layer of fog.
He stopped.
There, under a large metal tree glowing with faint blue lines, stood a girl.
Slim. Still. Watching him.
She wore a high-collared version of the academy uniform, lined with deep green thread—honors class. Her long black hair was tied in a low braid that swayed with the breeze. A data tablet was tucked under one arm, and her eyes—gray like storm clouds—didn't blink as they locked onto his.
Lin Xuan said nothing.
She didn't move either.
The rain continued between them.
Then, finally, she stepped forward.
"Shen Yi," she said quietly. Her voice was calm. No trace of mockery. "You died last week."
He raised an eyebrow. "So I've heard."
"And yet here you are."
He shrugged. "People recover."
"People don't recover from spirit backlash with fully shut meridians."
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes.
She didn't sound suspicious. Just curious.
He glanced down at the badge pinned to her chest—slightly different from the others. Silver, with a blue crest.
Core Analysis Division.
One of the internal research arms of the academy. Technically students. Practically surveillance.
"Should I be worried?" he asked, voice low.
She tilted her head. "Only if you're hiding something."
A faint smile tugged at the edge of her lips. Not playful. Just... acknowledging the game.
"I'm Luo Yuhan," she added. "Top 3% in theoretical cultivation, top 10% in live combat, and the only person in this academy who watches everything and everyone."
Lin Xuan didn't reply.
She tucked her tablet under her arm and turned to leave.
But then she paused.
"I ran your energy signature," she said without looking back. "It's not Shen Yi's."
The wind stirred her braid.
Then she walked away.
Lin Xuan returned to his dorm and locked the door behind him.
He stood there in silence, dripping onto the tile floor.
She had seen through him—no, not through, but around him. Smart girl.
But dangerous.
He'd have to keep an eye on her.
He changed into dry clothes and sat by the window, watching the rain trail down the glass.
Luo Yuhan.
She hadn't shown hostility. But people like her didn't simply observe for fun.
She would dig.
And if she dug too deep…
He shook the thought off.
No use worrying about it now.
His plan hadn't changed.
Lay low. Grow strong. Disappear when ready.
But it seemed the world wasn't going to let him stay hidden for long.
His wristband buzzed.
A soft blue light projected upward.
[Training Notification]Instructor Ren has scheduled a mandatory aptitude reassessment for Shen Yi.Location: South Arena, 4:00 PM sharp.
Lin Xuan exhaled through his nose.
Of course.
Word had already spread.
The South Arena was one of Blackthorn's smaller arenas—less flashy than the Core Arena, but still equipped with full observation drones and training metrics. Normally used for one-on-one sparring or instructor evaluations.
By the time Lin Xuan arrived, the stands were already partially filled.
He saw familiar faces.
Wei Long.
Several of the top third-year students.
And sitting on the upper balcony—
Luo Yuhan, with her tablet in her lap, expression unreadable.
Instructor Ren stood at the center of the platform. Her cybernetic gauntlet hummed faintly with energy.
"You showed signs of reawakened qi pathways during private training," she said, arms crossed. "That alone doesn't clear you for continued attendance."
Lin Xuan stepped into the ring. "What do you want?"
"A simple demonstration. Show me you're not wasting our resources."
He nodded.
Ren turned to the audience. "System: activate Resonance Board."
A glowing grid spread across the floor, pulsing softly with golden lines.
"Step onto it."
He did.
Immediately, he felt resistance—like walking through water made of pressure.
The Resonance Board measured qi density, meridian flow, and core activity in real-time.
For a normal student with only two open meridians, the pressure would be overwhelming.
Lin Xuan didn't flinch.
Ren narrowed her eyes.
"Begin low-grade Spirit Circuit pulse."
A spark fired through the floor. The lines lit up with energy.
The board pulsed.
Students leaned forward.
Numbers flickered across the overhead screens.
Qi Flow: StableResonance: 74%Core Density: Unregistered
Gasps echoed through the crowd.
"What the hell?" someone muttered. "He's only got two open meridians—how is that even possible?"
"74% resonance? That's mid-tier Foundation level."
Ren's eyes flicked up toward the readings. Her expression didn't change, but her grip on her gauntlet tightened.
She turned toward the stands.
"Wei Long."
He straightened. "Ma'am?"
"You'll spar with him. Soft contact. First point wins."
Wei Long grinned like a man being handed a gift.
"With pleasure."
He stepped into the ring and cracked his knuckles.
The crowd buzzed with anticipation.
Everyone wanted to see how the cripple planned to survive this.
Lin Xuan didn't move.
He didn't shift stances.
Didn't even raise his hands.
Wei Long raised a brow. "Seriously?"
Lin Xuan blinked once. "Come at me."
It was an insult.
Wei Long exploded forward.
His foot hit the ground—qi flared from his core as his body blurred. A shoulder check aimed at Lin Xuan's ribs. Classic opener. Fast. Aggressive. No time to block.
Lin Xuan stepped forward.
Just one step.
But it was perfectly timed.
Wei Long's balance faltered—his forward momentum overextended by half a second.
Lin Xuan's hand shot forward.
Palm. Chest. Push.
Wei Long went flying backwards like he'd been thrown by a cannon.
The arena fell silent.
He crashed into the edge of the ring, groaning.
Point over.
Ren stared down at the boy now standing quietly in the center of the grid, eyes closed like nothing had happened.
"Enough," she said. "Reinstated."
She turned to leave.
But not before pausing for half a second.
"…And report to the Core Arena next week. You're entering the open bracket."
Lin Xuan opened his eyes.
Of course he was.
Later that evening, as the sun began to fall behind the clouds, Luo Yuhan stood on one of the floating bridges overlooking the South Arena.
She replayed the footage on her tablet.
Again. And again.
Frame by frame.
That step.
That palm.
That technique didn't exist in the academy archives.
No spirit-enhanced footwork. No recorded martial style.
No modern form of qi control she'd ever studied.
She frowned slightly.
Then saved the file into an encrypted folder and wrote a single line:
Shen Yi: Not who he seems.