Word of the Scripture Hall spread before dawn.
By sunrise, the entire Blood Moon Demon Sect was on its knees. Disciples bowed toward the mountain, chanting the new legend:
"The Heir who revived the Hall, bearer of the Mirror Blood Scripture."
Lin Qing hadn't even had breakfast.
He sat in a pavilion overlooking the inner valley, watching crimson mist drift across the peaks. The air was thick with incense smoke and awe. Everywhere he looked, people were kneeling.
Li Chun knelt too, tray shaking in his hands. "Heir Lin Qing, please, at least drink this before the trial! The Elders said your cultivation has already surpassed the mortal shell!"
Lin Qing took the cup. "Tea before public execution. Fitting."
Li Chun blinked. "Execution?"
"Figure of speech." He sipped and frowned. "Also possibly literal."
---
Down in the valley, gongs boomed. Red banners rose over the ceremonial platform — a ring of carved stone that pulsed with buried light. The Blood Altar.
Elder Hei met him at the stairs leading down. "The Sect gathers to witness your trial, Heir Lin Qing. You must prove your body and soul are one with the Blood Moon. The altar will judge truth."
"That word keeps coming up," Lin Qing said. "I'm starting to hate it."
Hei didn't react. "No Heir has survived this trial without awakening divine resonance. If the altar rejects you, your body will—"
"Explode?" Lin Qing guessed.
"Dissolve," Hei corrected.
"Comforting."
The Elder placed a black jade ring in his hand. "This anchors you to the altar's qi flow. Focus your mind, not your fear."
"Noted. I'll focus on regret instead."
---
The path down to the altar was lined with thousands of disciples. Some shouted blessings; others wept openly.
Saintess Yao stood at the platform's edge, veil lowered, her voice cutting through the noise.
"The Blood Heir steps into the altar of truth. Let Heaven and Earth bear witness."
She met Lin Qing's eyes as he passed. "Are you prepared, Heir Lin Qing?"
"Not remotely," he said.
She smiled faintly. "Honesty. A rare start."
The altar was a circle of runes carved into stone older than history. At its center, a pit of scarlet light pulsed like a living heart.
Lin Qing stepped in. The air turned heavy; the symbols flared one by one.
Elder Hei's voice carried across the valley. "Offer your qi to the Blood Moon. Let it judge your worth!"
Lin Qing exhaled. The Heavenly Insight Divine Body flared awake on instinct.
Silver light danced in his pupils; every rune around him unfolded like a diagram.
[Comprehension: 0% → 100%]
[Formation: Blood Resonance Array — purpose: absorption and purification of demonic qi.]
"So it's a giant energy filter," he murmured. "Great. I can work with filters."
He matched the array's rhythm, letting his breath sync with the pulsing runes. The crimson light hesitated, then twisted, flowing toward him instead of through him.
Gasps echoed through the crowd.
Saintess Yao's eyes widened. "He's… reversing the flow."
Lin Qing felt the pressure spike. The altar resisted, then broke — energy surging into him like a tide. Every Mortal Vein in his body roared awake, devouring the power like it had been waiting centuries.
A pillar of red light erupted skyward. The clouds turned crimson.
[Qi Assimilation Complete.]
[Realm: Spirit Sea — Early Stage.]
The energy settled. Lin Qing stood at the altar's center, robes whipping in the wind, silver and red light still flickering across his skin.
Silence fell. Then the valley erupted in chants.
"The Heir ascends!"
"The Blood Moon lives again!"
Elder Hei dropped to one knee. "Your comprehension defies Heaven itself."
Saintess Yao's expression was unreadable. "The prophecy said the Blood Heir would drown the world in blood. Yet you stand untouched."
Lin Qing exhaled. "Maybe Heaven got tired of drama."
The Saintess tilted her head. "Or perhaps it simply hasn't started yet."
Hours later, after the ceremony, Lin Qing returned to his quarters.
The sect outside was still roaring with celebration. The air shimmered with collective qi.
Li Chun followed, trembling with excitement. "Heir Lin Qing, you broke through in one breath! The Elders say the Blood Moon's blessing has returned to the world!"
"Perfect," Lin Qing said. "Now I'm responsible for world events I don't understand."
He sat down, the air still humming inside his chest. For the first time, the power didn't feel foreign. It felt like it was waiting for him to catch up.
He looked toward the window, where the crimson light of the moon filtered through the mist.
"If this is what faking it feels like," he whispered, "what happens when I stop pretending?"