The bamboo forest glowed faintly under the moonlight, its leaves whispering softly in the night wind. Liu Xin stood before Lin Xuan and Yue, still shaken by everything that had happened… yet something inside him had changed.
But before the training began.
Lin Xuan was still quietly laughing to himself.
Not outwardly, but in his thoughts.
"How entertaining."
His mind replayed the scene at the marketplace earlier that day.
The arrogant Young Master Yuwei humiliating Liu Xin.
The boy's despair.
The white-haired Yue's terrifying aura exploding.
And Liu Xin clinging to dignity by a thread.
Lin Xuan's eyes gleamed with amusement.
"What a classic protagonist setup… bullied young master, betrayed, talent suppressed. Then encounters a mysterious expert. This… this is interesting."
His immortal heart, dull for millions years, flickered with excitement.
For the first time in centuries, he felt alive.
"So this Liu Xin is the protagonist of the city, hm?"
A fallen young master.
A hidden past.
Enemies everywhere.
A perfect seed of destiny.
He almost burst out laughing.
"Good… good! Watching his comeback might finally cure my boredom."
And if he wanted Liu Xin's story to unfold properly…
He would need to help him.
A lot.
Like providing a golden finger.
Or perhaps… a few cheats.
Lin Xuan turned back to the boy, face composed again.
"Before we begin, let's introduce ourselves."
Liu Xin blinked. He certainly didn't expect formality now.
Lin Xuan tapped his chest lightly.
"Lin Xuan."
Yue stepped forward with elegance, bowing slightly.
"Yue."
Liu Xin swallowed and lowered his head.
"L–Liu Xin. I-It's an honor, Master."
Lin Xuan smiled faintly.
"I already knew your name. That Young Master Yuwei of the Han Family shouted it plenty of times at the market. And you are quite famous."
Liu Xin stiffened at the memory, shame flickering in his eyes.
But Lin Xuan waved his hand casually. "Forget him. We're moving forward."
Then, Lin Xuan raised his hand.
"First, an assessment."
A strand of qi swirled around his fingers before plunging into Liu Xin's body.
The boy jolted, gasping as foreign energy scanned his meridians, bones, bloodline, and spirit.
After a moment.
Lin Xuan frowned.
Yue frowned harder.
"…Master," she said, her voice unnaturally flat, "his aptitude… is at the bottom level. Even weaker than normal mortals."
Lin Xuan nodded slowly.
"I see."
Liu Xin trembled at their expressions. "…A–Am I really that bad?"
Yue didn't soften her words.
"If you cultivate outside normally, even with complete dedication… it would take you a hundred years to reach Golden Core. If not a thousand."
Liu Xin's heart sank.
But Lin Xuan didn't look disappointed.
In fact, his expression brightened.
"Perfect."
Liu Xin blinked.
Perfect?
What part of that was perfect?!
Lin Xuan flicked his fingers, and Yue obediently produced a jade scroll.
"Here," she said. "A cultivation manual suited for your fragile meridians."
Lin Xuan instructed calmly, "Memorize it. Then begin cultivating immediately. Yue and I will observe your progress."
"Yes!" Liu Xin said, kneeling and taking the scroll with both hands.
He sat cross-legged beneath the bamboo canopy and began cultivating.
Hours passed.
Eight long hours.
Yue's expression darkened to pure deadpan.
She turned toward Lin Xuan.
"Master… this boy has shown slow progress. Almost no progress at all. His aptitude is truly low."
Liu Xin flinched, face pale.
But Lin Xuan only rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"If he cultivates like this… It would take a hundred years just to reach Golden Core Realm. Maybe more."
He chuckled softly.
"But does that matter?"
Liu Xin looked confused.
Lin Xuan's eyes gleamed with a dangerous, thrilling idea.
"Yue."
"Yes, Master?"
"Your Void Domain, time flows slower inside, correct?"
"Correct," Yue answered. "One thousand years inside my domain is equivalent to one day outside."
A smile tugged at the corner of Lin Xuan's lips.
A mischievous smile.
"Excellent."
Liu Xin's eyes widened. "W–Wait… Void Domain? One thousand years?!"
Yue nodded calmly.
"You will not age inside. Think of it as… intense training."
Lin Xuan clasped his hands behind his back, excitement sparking in his gaze.
"This solves everything. Liu Xin, your low aptitude no longer matters. Your cultivation can catch up to geniuses no, surpass them."
Liu Xin's heart pounded.
One thousand years of training in one day?
That was…
Impossible.
Terrifying.
A miracle.
Then, Yue suddenly remembered something and turned toward Lin Xuan.
"Master… during my patrol in the city, I overheard news. The Azure Spirit Sword Sect will be arriving in Phoenix Crest City in the coming months. They plan to hold a grand trial to recruit disciples."
Liu Xin stiffened.
Lin Xuan froze.
Then slowly… he smirked.
"A protagonist's perfect stage."
The dramatic return.
The public face-slap.
The shocking talent revelation.
The collapse of his enemies.
Lin Xuan could practically taste the excitement.
"This is perfect. Absolutely perfect." His voice trembled slightly. "Liu Xin, your comeback… I will make sure it shakes the entire city."
Yue nodded with rare approval.
"A suitable platform for him to reveal himself."
Liu Xin stood, overwhelmed. "M–Master Lin, I… I don't know if I—"
Lin Xuan cut him off.
"You swore to follow me, did you not?"
Liu Xin closed his mouth, then nodded firmly.
"Good." Lin Xuan turned to Yue.
"Activate your Void Domain."
Yue raised her hand. A swirling vortex of darkness and starlight opened beside her, like a door to another universe.
Winds howled. The air trembled.
Liu Xin stared at it, feeling the weight of a thousand years pressing down on him.
Lin Xuan placed a hand on his shoulder.
"How far you progress inside will depend solely on your determination. But whatever fate holds inside that domain… face it."
Liu Xin swallowed hard.
Yue extended her arm.
"Come. Your training begins now."
Liu Xin stepped forward.
The vortex swallowed him whole, dragging him into a timeless void.
Lin Xuan watched the portal close, a wild grin forming on his face.
"Show me, Liu Xin… show me how a protagonist rises."
His heartbeat quickened with excitement.
Because this is the excitement Lin Xuan wanted.