The day of the private evaluation dawned cold and overcast, as if the heavens themselves disapproved of what was to come.
Lin Feng spent the morning in careful preparation, reviewing techniques from the Void Emperor's memories that could be performed at levels below his true cultivation. The challenge wasn't power—he had more than enough of that. The challenge was restraint.
Show them a Golden Transformation technique performed with Mortal Awakening energy. Make it look like I'm punching above my weight through perfect meridians and ancient insights, not because I'm actually Divine Domain.
Around midday, Xiao Ling brought him food—a better meal than servants usually received, with spirit rice that contained trace amounts of cultivation energy.
"Everyone's talking about tonight," she said, setting the tray down. "They're saying the elders are going to test you personally. That Elder Shan wants to see if your body refinement matches your meridian quality."
"Where do people hear these things?"
"Servants hear everything. We're invisible to most cultivators—they talk freely around us." Xiao Ling sat across from him. "Lin Feng, what if they ask you to do something you can't? What if you fail?"
"Then I fail." Lin Feng picked up his chopsticks. "But I don't intend to."
"I wish I had your confidence."
If you knew what I was really hiding, you'd understand it's not confidence—it's carefully calculated deception.
The afternoon passed slowly. Lin Feng meditated, practiced subtle movements of cultivation techniques, and felt through the Dao Thread as Yun Qingxue went about her day. She was with Li Xian and his father, touring the sect's outer territories as planned. Through their connection, he sensed her polite disinterest in Li Xian's attempts at conversation, her carefully maintained mask of the dutiful fiancée.
One more day. After tomorrow's public examination, the Azure Sky delegation leaves. Then we'll have breathing room.
As sunset approached, Lin Feng changed into the cleanest robes he possessed—simple dark blue that marked him as neither servant nor disciple, appropriate for someone in transition. The Robe of Thousand Stars maintained its concealment function, continuing to mask his true cultivation.
He left the servants' quarters as the first evening stars appeared, making his way toward the Martial Hall. The path took him through increasingly restricted areas of the sect, past formations that would have repelled him yesterday but now recognized him as having legitimate business.
The Martial Hall stood at the base of the western peak, a massive structure of dark stone and steel. This was where the sect's warriors trained, where combat techniques were refined, where blood was regularly spilled in the pursuit of martial perfection.
At the entrance, an inner disciple waited—different from yesterday's messenger, this one a young woman with scars on her hands that spoke of serious training.
"Lin Feng? The elders are ready for you. Follow me."
She led him deep into the Martial Hall, past training rooms where disciples practiced forms, past meditation chambers where injured cultivators recovered, into the building's heart. They descended stairs carved into the mountain itself, going down and down until Lin Feng estimated they were at least a hundred feet below ground level.
Finally, they reached a massive door inscribed with formation arrays so complex that Lin Feng's inherited knowledge recognized them as master-level work. The door opened at their approach, revealing a chamber beyond.
The Underground Arena.
The space was enormous—a circular fighting pit fifty meters across, surrounded by tiered seating carved from the mountain stone. The ceiling was lost in shadow far above. Formation arrays covered every surface, their runes glowing with various colors: red for combat enhancement, blue for protection, silver for observation, black for suppression.
In the center of the arena stood the seven Grand Elders, arranged in a semicircle. Patriarch Cloud Eternal sat in the highest tier of seating, his ancient eyes watching everything.
"Lin Feng." Elder Shan's voice boomed through the chamber. "Welcome to the Testing Arena. This is where we evaluate disciples who show exceptional promise—or exceptional suspicion."
"Thank you for this opportunity, elders."
"Don't thank us yet," Elder Ming said dryly. "By the time we're finished, you may curse the day you caught our attention."
Elder Yuan stepped forward, holding a jade tablet. "The evaluation will consist of five trials. First, we will test your cultivation comprehension—your understanding of the principles that govern spiritual energy. Second, technique execution—your ability to perform martial and spiritual techniques. Third, combat capability—how you apply your knowledge under pressure. Fourth, formation knowledge—your understanding of arrays and their applications. Fifth, character assessment—how you handle adversity and make decisions under stress."
Five trials. Each one a chance to slip up, to reveal too much or too little.
"I understand, Elder Yuan."
"The first trial begins now." Elder Liu, master of the Grand Library, materialized a floating scroll covered in complex diagrams. "These are cultivation theory questions at various levels of difficulty. You will answer them verbally, explaining your reasoning. Begin with the first question."
Lin Feng approached the scroll. The first question was simple—basic energy circulation patterns for Mortal Awakening cultivators. He answered it quickly, explaining the principle of opening spiritual channels through gradual energy accumulation.
The questions grew progressively harder. By the tenth question, they were asking about Golden Transformation realm breakthroughs. By the fifteenth, about Nascent Soul cultivation theory.
"How does a cultivator stabilize their Nascent Soul during the formation process?" Elder Liu asked.
Lin Feng drew on the Void Emperor's memories, but carefully filtered the information to what someone who'd found an ancient jade tablet might know. "The key is balance between the three aspects—body, energy, and spirit. If any one dominates, the Nascent Soul will be unstable. The cultivator must..." He continued explaining, providing detailed but not impossibly advanced analysis.
Elder Liu's eyebrows rose steadily higher with each answer. By the twentieth question—which dealt with Divine Domain theory—even the usually stoic librarian looked impressed.
"Explain the fundamental difference between Divine Domain and lower cultivation realms."
"At Divine Domain, the cultivator stops simply using spiritual energy and begins to impose their will upon reality itself," Lin Feng said. "The domain is a manifestation of personal truth—a space where the cultivator's understanding of the Dao overwrites natural law. It's not about power anymore, but about conviction."
The arena was silent for a moment.
"Where exactly did you say you found this jade tablet?" Elder Liu asked quietly.
"In a sealed cave in the forbidden back mountains, Elder."
"That cave contained the insights of someone at least Immortal Emperor level. Possibly higher." Elder Liu dismissed the scroll. "Your comprehension is extraordinary. Not just memorization, but genuine understanding. I am satisfied with the first trial."
Elder Shan stepped forward next, his massive form somehow making the arena feel smaller. "Theory is well and good. Now let's see what your body can actually do. Technique execution begins now."
He gestured, and training weapons materialized from the arena's storage arrays—swords, spears, staffs, and more exotic weapons Lin Feng didn't immediately recognize.
"Demonstrate the Seven Stars Sword Form. Basic level."
Lin Feng selected a practice sword and moved into position. The Seven Stars form was a standard technique taught to outer disciples—seven attacks that flowed into each other like a constellation moving across the sky.
He performed it at Mortal Awakening level, his movements clean but not supernatural. The technique was correct in every detail, but executed with the power appropriate to his supposed rank.
"Good. Now the same form, but channel spiritual energy through it."
Lin Feng repeated the form, this time allowing energy to flow through his meridians and into the blade. The sword left trails of light in the air, forming the pattern of seven stars.
"Excellent control." Elder Shan nodded approvingly. "Now demonstrate the Rising Phoenix Strike. Golden Transformation level."
Here's where it gets dangerous. This technique is three ranks above my supposed cultivation.
Lin Feng shifted his stance, gathering energy carefully. The Rising Phoenix Strike was an advanced technique that required precise control and significant power. He couldn't perform it at Golden Transformation level—that would reveal too much. But he could perform it at Core Condensation level and make it look like he was struggling to reach higher.
He executed the technique, putting visible strain into his movements. The strike launched upward in a pillar of flame-shaped energy that reached twenty feet high before dissipating.
"Impressive," Elder Shan rumbled. "You performed a Golden Transformation technique at approximately Core Condensation level. With your current cultivation base, that shouldn't be possible."
"The jade tablet contained detailed technique breakdowns, Elder. I can understand the principles, but my cultivation limits the execution."
"Understanding is half the battle. Few cultivators grasp that." Elder Shan gestured to the weapons. "Choose any weapon and demonstrate a technique of your own choice. Surprise me."
Lin Feng considered his options. He needed something impressive but explainable. His eyes settled on a simple staff.
From the Void Emperor's memories, he selected a technique that was powerful but not void-specific—the Earth-Shattering Staff Art. It was an ancient technique that relied on perfect timing and force multiplication rather than raw cultivation.
He took the staff and began the form. Slow at first, each movement precise, building momentum gradually. The staff became a blur, striking points in the air that resonated with each other, creating a cascade effect. At the climax, he brought the staff down toward the arena floor—stopping just before impact.
The air pressure from the strike alone created a crater in the stone.
The elders were silent, staring at the crater.
"That technique," Elder Feng, the formation master, spoke slowly, "requires perfect understanding of resonance and force distribution. It's from the Ancient Era, hasn't been seen in three thousand years. Where—"
"The jade tablet, Elder. It contained many lost techniques."
"Lost for good reason," Elder Shadow interjected. "That particular technique was banned in several kingdoms because it was too effective at destruction. A cultivator at Nascent Soul could level a city with the full version."
"I only know the basic form, Elder Shadow. And I stopped before the final impact to avoid damaging the arena."
"Considerate of you." Elder Shadow's tone was sardonic. "But it raises questions about what else you learned from this mysterious tablet."
"The trial is technique execution, not inquisition," Elder Shan cut in. "The boy demonstrated exceptional skill. I am satisfied."
Elder Feng stepped forward next. "Combat capability trial. This will be more direct." He gestured, and from the shadows at the arena's edge, a figure emerged.
It was a puppet—not a training dummy, but an advanced combat puppet at Core Condensation level, its body made of spirit-infused wood and metal, its movements controlled by formation arrays.
"Survive three minutes against the puppet," Elder Feng said. "You may use any technique you know. The puppet will not kill you, but it will not go easy on you either."
The puppet activated, its eyes glowing red. It moved with fluid grace that seemed wrong for something made of wood, spinning a practice spear with deadly precision.
Lin Feng took a defensive stance, sword ready. The puppet attacked immediately, its spear striking with speed that would challenge most Golden Transformation cultivators.
I need to look like I'm struggling but competent. Win, but barely.
Lin Feng deflected the first strike, feeling the impact shudder through his arms. He gave ground, making it appear the puppet was overwhelming him. In reality, he was reading its movement patterns, analyzing the formation arrays controlling it.
The puppet pressed its advantage, spear strikes coming faster. Lin Feng blocked, dodged, occasionally counterattacking but never gaining the upper hand. To the watching elders, it looked like a desperate defense.
One minute passed. Two minutes.
At the two-and-a-half-minute mark, Lin Feng saw his opening. The puppet's movement pattern had a flaw—a fractional delay between certain combinations. He feinted left, drawing the expected strike, then rolled inside the puppet's guard and struck at its core formation with his sword.
The puppet froze, its controlling formation disrupted.
"Time," Elder Feng called out. "Three minutes and seven seconds. You survived—barely."
"That was Core Condensation level," Elder Yuan observed. "Most Mortal Awakening cultivators would have been defeated in seconds."
"My meridians allow better energy circulation, Elder. And the tablet taught me to read movement patterns."
"Taught you well." Elder Feng recalled the puppet. "You're resourceful. I am satisfied."
Elder Ming approached next, producing a jade bottle. "Formation knowledge. Examine this pill and tell me its composition, purpose, and potential side effects."
Lin Feng accepted the bottle. Inside was a complex pill that radiated three different types of energy. He extended his spiritual sense carefully, analyzing it.
"This is a Triple Harmony Breakthrough Pill," he said after a moment. "The composition includes Spirit Ginseng root at least three hundred years old, Phoenix Feather Grass essence, and Celestial Dew condensed under a full moon. Its purpose is to facilitate breakthrough from Nascent Soul to Divine Domain by harmonizing the three treasures—essence, energy, and spirit. Side effects include potential energy imbalance if the cultivator's foundation isn't stable, and a seven-day recovery period where cultivation is impossible."
Elder Ming's eyes widened. "That is... completely correct. How did you—"
"The jade tablet included extensive alchemy knowledge, Elder. The cultivator who left the inheritance was clearly well-versed in pill refinement."
"Well-versed is an understatement. That analysis was master-level." Elder Ming took the bottle back. "I am more than satisfied. I'm intrigued."
Finally, Elder Shadow stepped forward. His expression was unreadable, but Lin Feng's enhanced senses detected the tension in his posture.
"Character assessment," the elder said softly. "This trial is different from the others. I will place you in a scenario, and you will respond as you see fit. There is no right answer—only your answer."
He gestured, and the arena's formations activated. The world shifted, and suddenly Lin Feng stood in an illusion so perfect he couldn't distinguish it from reality.
He was back in the servants' quarters, fourteen years old again. Zhao Kun and his cronies surrounded him, their faces twisted with cruel amusement.
"The waste thinks he can cultivate," Illusion-Zhao Kun sneered. "Let's see how he likes cultivating in the mud."
They grabbed him, dragging him toward the waste pit where refuse was dumped. Lin Feng knew this memory—it had actually happened, seven years ago. One of his worst humiliations.
But this time, he had power. He could feel his cultivation, his abilities, all available if he chose to use them.
The illusion-disciples laughed, shoving him toward the pit. "Beg, waste. Beg and maybe we'll be merciful."
Lin Feng stood still, processing. This was the character test. Elder Shadow wanted to see how he'd respond with power at his fingertips. Would he take revenge? Would he show mercy? Would he reveal his true cultivation?
It's a trap. Whatever I do, Elder Shadow will use it to judge me. Probably to condemn me.
Lin Feng turned to face Illusion-Zhao Kun calmly. "I won't beg. And I won't fight you."
"Won't fight?" The illusion laughed. "You can't fight, waste. You're too weak."
"Perhaps. But strength isn't just cultivation level." Lin Feng met his eyes steadily. "You mock me because it makes you feel powerful. But real power doesn't need to humiliate the weak. Real power is knowing when not to strike."
"Philosophy won't save you from the pit."
"No. But my patience will." Lin Feng smiled slightly. "You can throw me in the pit today. Tomorrow I'll climb out, wash myself, and continue cultivating. And one day, when I'm stronger, I'll remember this moment—not with anger, but with understanding."
"Understanding?" Illusion-Zhao Kun looked confused.
"Understanding that you're not evil. Just insecure. Afraid that if you're not standing on someone else's neck, you'll be the one at the bottom." Lin Feng's voice was gentle, not mocking. "I pity you more than I hate you."
The illusion wavered, and Elder Shadow's voice cut through: "And if you had the power right now to stop them? To humiliate them as they humiliate you?"
"I would walk away," Lin Feng said to the air. "Revenge is a poison that hurts the one who drinks it. They're not worth damaging my cultivation or my conscience."
"Even knowing they'll likely never change? That they'll continue tormenting the weak?"
"Then I'll grow strong enough to protect the weak. Not to punish the strong." Lin Feng's voice was firm. "Power should be a shield, not a sword. Unless there's no other choice."
The illusion shattered, and Lin Feng stood once more in the arena. The seven Grand Elders were watching him with various expressions—surprise, approval, skepticism.
Elder Shadow's face was unreadable. "Pretty words. But words are easy. Actions reveal truth."
"Then judge me by my actions, Elder. In fourteen years as a servant, how many times did I retaliate? How many times did I use what little power I had to hurt others?" Lin Feng met his gaze steadily. "I endured because lashing out would only make things worse. That hasn't changed just because my cultivation has."
"Or perhaps," Elder Shadow said softly, "you endured because you had no choice. Now you do. Who's to say your nature hasn't changed with your circumstances?"
"Time will tell, Elder. But I believe we are what we choose to be, not what circumstances force us to become."
Patriarch Cloud stood from his seat, his ancient voice carrying through the arena. "Enough. I have seen what I needed to see."
He descended to the arena floor, his presence making even the Grand Elders seem small. The Immortal Emperor Level 3 cultivator stopped before Lin Feng, studying him with eyes that had witnessed empires rise and fall.
"Lin Feng. You have passed all five trials—not merely passed, but excelled beyond any reasonable expectation for someone of your supposed cultivation level. Your comprehension is at Golden Transformation standard. Your technique execution suggests Core Condensation capability. Your combat skills are refined beyond your years. Your formation knowledge rivals our specialists. And your character..."
The Patriarch paused, glancing at Elder Shadow.
"Your character shows either genuine wisdom or masterful deception. Time will reveal which."
"I hope to prove the former, Patriarch."
"As do I." Patriarch Cloud's expression softened slightly. "You remind me of someone I knew long ago. Another cultivator who refused to be defined by others' expectations, who found power in the most unlikely place and rose to shake the heavens themselves."
Lin Feng's heart skipped. Does he know? Has he guessed about the Void Emperor?
"Who was this person, Patriarch?"
"Someone dead a hundred thousand years." The ancient cultivator's eyes held secrets. "Or so I thought. But perhaps the dead sometimes leave echoes that resound through the ages."
Before Lin Feng could respond, Patriarch Cloud raised his voice: "The evaluation is concluded. Lin Feng is approved to take the public Outer Disciple examination tomorrow. Furthermore, I am personally sponsoring his advancement. Whatever he achieves, he does so under my protection."
The declaration rippled through the gathered elders. Personal sponsorship from the Patriarch was extraordinary—it meant Lin Feng was now under the sect's highest authority's direct protection and oversight.
"Patriarch," Elder Shadow objected, "with respect, we still don't fully understand this boy's background. His story—"
"His story is no more implausible than many others I've heard in two millennia," Patriarch Cloud cut him off. "Unless you have evidence of wrongdoing, Elder Shadow? Proof that he's a threat rather than an asset?"
Elder Shadow was silent, clearly wrestling with how to respond. Finally: "No, Patriarch. I have no proof. Only... suspicions."
"Suspicions are not sufficient grounds to deny talent its chance to flourish." The Patriarch turned back to Lin Feng. "You are dismissed. Rest tonight. Tomorrow's examination will be public and far less controlled than tonight's evaluation. Many people will be watching—some hoping for your success, others for your failure."
"I understand, Patriarch. Thank you for your faith in me."
Lin Feng bowed to each elder in turn, then followed the inner disciple back through the Martial Hall's corridors. His mind raced with the implications of what had just happened.
The Patriarch knows something. His comment about echoes, about someone who shook the heavens—he was talking about the Void Emperor. But does he know I'm the heir? Or is he just suspicious?
And his personal sponsorship—that's both shield and shackle. It protects me from people like Li Xian, but it also means the Patriarch will be watching me closely.
As they emerged from the Martial Hall into the cool night air, Lin Feng felt the Dao Thread pulse warmly. Yun Qingxue was back from her tour, had sensed his emergence from the evaluation.
A moment later, a messenger appeared—a different inner disciple, this one looking nervous.
"Lin Feng? Sacred Disciple Yun requests your presence at the Lotus Pavilion. She says it's urgent."
The escort from the Martial Hall frowned. "It's late. Surely the Sacred Disciple can wait until—"
"It's fine," Lin Feng said quickly. "I'll go."
The two disciples exchanged glances but didn't argue. Lin Feng made his way through the darkened sect toward the eastern gardens, his thoughts swirling.
Urgent. What could be urgent enough to risk meeting me again so soon after Li Xian's warning?
The Lotus Pavilion was empty when he arrived, but Yun Qingxue appeared moments later, her white robes ghostly in the moonlight. Her mask was firmly in place, but through the Dao Thread, Lin Feng felt her agitation.
"The Patriarch sponsored you personally," she said without preamble. "Do you understand what that means?"
"That I'm protected?"
"That you're trapped." She moved closer, her voice urgent. "Personal sponsorship means the Patriarch is investing his own reputation in you. If you fail publicly, it reflects on him. If you succeed too much, it draws attention he may not want. And if you do anything—anything—that brings shame to the sect..."
"I'll be removed. Permanently."
"Yes." Her ice-blue eyes held his. "I heard about your evaluation. They're saying you performed techniques three ranks above your cultivation. That you answered Divine Domain theory questions. Lin Feng, you're drawing too much attention."
"You told me to advance quickly—"
"Not this quickly! Not so dramatically that every major power on the continent will start investigating!" She took a breath, calming herself. "Li Xian heard about the evaluation. His father heard. They're planning something for tomorrow's examination."
"I assumed as much."
"No, you don't understand." Yun Qingxue's hand moved to her bracelet, which was pulsing with agitation. "They're not just planning to humiliate you or cause you to fail. Li Tianlong has given his permission for his son to 'remove obstacles.' That's a direct order for assassination."
Lin Feng felt cold settling in his chest. Not fear—calculation. "During a public examination? That would be obvious."
"Not if it looks like an accident. They're planning to tamper with the formation arrays in the trial grounds. Make it appear as if you died due to your own incompetence—reaching for techniques beyond your capability and suffering cultivation deviation."
"How do you know this?"
"I overheard Li Tianlong speaking with his attendants. They didn't realize I was within earshot." Her expression was bitter. "They're so confident in their superiority that they don't even bother to hide their schemes from 'weak' cultivators."
Lin Feng processed this information. An assassination attempt tomorrow, during the public examination, using tampered formations that would make his death appear accidental. It was actually a decent plan.
Except they didn't know what he truly was.
"I'll be careful," he said.
"Careful isn't enough! Lin Feng, I'm telling you they're planning to kill you, and your response is to be careful?" Frustration and fear warred in her voice. "Withdraw. Claim illness. Delay the examination. Something!"
"I can't. The Patriarch personally commanded my participation. To withdraw now would be an insult I couldn't recover from."
"Then—" She stopped, struggling with something. Finally: "Then I'll speak to my father. Ask him to pressure the Patriarch to postpone. Or I'll confront Li Xian directly, make it clear that any harm to you would—"
"Would reveal our connection," Lin Feng finished quietly. "Which would make everything worse."
Yun Qingxue looked away, her hands clenched. Through the Dao Thread, Lin Feng felt her turmoil—the desperate desire to protect him warring with the knowledge that doing so would destroy any chance they had for a future.
"I hate this," she whispered. "I hate that I can't simply—" She stopped, composing herself. "What will you do?"
"What I've always done. Survive." Lin Feng smiled slightly. "But this time, I won't be completely helpless. I know about the trap now. That's an advantage."
"Against a Sovereign Monarch's resources? Against Li Xian's connections and the examiners he's already bribed?"
"Against anyone who underestimates me." Lin Feng's voice held certainty he didn't have to fake. "They think I'm a lucky servant with good meridians. They don't know what I truly am."
"And what are you?"
Lin Feng met her eyes. For a moment, he considered telling her everything—about the Void Emperor, about Divine Domain Level 1, about the inheritance that could reshape the world. But something held him back. Not distrust, but awareness that knowledge was burden as much as power.
"Someone who refuses to die in a ditch because powerful people decided he should."
Yun Qingxue studied him for a long moment. Through the Dao Thread, he felt her emotions shifting—fear giving way to something else. Respect. Hope. And beneath it all, a growing warmth that neither of them had yet acknowledged aloud.
"You're different from anyone I've ever known," she said quietly. "Most people would run. Would prioritize survival over dignity. But you..." She smiled, small but genuine. "You walk toward danger because the alternative is letting them win."
"Fourteen years of practice."
"No. Fourteen years of proof." She stepped closer, close enough that he could feel the cold aura around her. "Lin Feng, I don't say this lightly. But if... when you survive tomorrow, I want you to know something."
"What?"
"The Dao Thread isn't just destiny. It's choice." Her eyes held his. "We could fight it, try to suppress it, pretend it doesn't exist. Many people in our position would. But I find I don't want to."
Lin Feng's heart beat faster. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that when you asked if being bound to you bothered me, I gave you a diplomatic answer. Let me give you the true one." She reached up, and for a moment, Lin Feng thought she might touch his face. Instead, her hand hovered between them, trembling slightly. "You are the first person in years who has looked at me and seen not the Ice Goddess, not the Sacred Disciple, not a political asset—just me. And I find I quite like being seen."
The moment stretched, both of them standing in moonlight, connected by threads both visible and invisible. Lin Feng felt through their bond the full weight of what she was offering—not just acknowledgment of destiny, but willing acceptance of it.
"After tomorrow," he said softly, "when I've proven I can survive their schemes, we'll figure out the rest. Together."
"Together." She lowered her hand. "I like the sound of that."
A sound in the distance—footsteps approaching. Yun Qingxue's mask snapped back into place instantly.
"Go. If we're seen meeting again, Li Xian will accelerate his plans." She turned away, facing the lake. "And Lin Feng? Don't die tomorrow. I would find it extremely inconvenient."
The words were cold, but through the Dao Thread, he felt her true meaning: Don't die. I'm not ready to lose you.
Lin Feng left the pavilion, navigating through shadows back toward the servants' quarters. His mind was clearer now, purpose solidified. Tomorrow would bring assassination attempts and political schemes. But he had advantages they didn't know about.
He was Divine Domain Level 1, wielder of the Inverse Void Dao, heir to an Immortal Emperor's legacy. The ones trying to kill him were dangerous.
But so was he.
The night deepened. Lin Feng returned to his small room and settled into meditation, drawing power from the void, preparing for tomorrow's trials. Through the Dao Thread, he felt Yun Qingxue doing the same in her distant quarters—both of them cultivating, both of them preparing, both of them refusing to accept the fate others had planned for them.
Tomorrow, the public examination would begin.
And the world would get its first glimpse of what the "waste" had truly become.
END OF CHAPTER 6
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 7: THE OUTER DISCIPLE EXAMINATION - PART 1