Dawn came to the Frozen Sky Sect with ethereal beauty—sunlight refracting through ice formations created rainbow patterns that danced across crystalline surfaces. Lin Feng stood at his window watching the spectacle while centering himself for the day ahead.
Combat assessment first. Show them what void cultivation can achieve. Demonstrate capability without revealing everything.
Strategic disclosure. Impressive but not overwhelming. Competent but teachable.
The balance that's defined my entire journey.
A knock at his door announced Elder Shuangxue's arrival. "Lin Feng. It's time. The evaluation committee awaits."
He followed her through the diplomatic residence and into the sect's inner territories. The path took them past training grounds where disciples practiced morning routines—their ice-element techniques creating patterns of frost and frozen spiritual energy that were simultaneously beautiful and deadly.
"You'll be assessed first by combat capability," Elder Shuangxue explained as they walked. "Three rounds against Frozen Sky disciples of increasing skill. First round: Divine Domain Level 3. Second round: Divine Domain Level 4. Third round: Divine Domain Level 5 with ice-element specialization."
"Three consecutive matches without recovery time?" Lin Feng asked carefully.
"Correct. We're testing not just individual combat ability but stamina, adaptation, and performance under accumulated pressure." Her tone was matter-of-fact. "Most evaluates fail during the third round when spiritual energy depletion compounds the opponent's power advantage."
They want to see me struggle. Want to test limits rather than just capability. This is about breaking points, not just skill demonstration.
They arrived at a private combat arena—smaller than tournament facilities but far more impressive. The floor was polished ice inscribed with formation arrays so complex they made Lin Feng's eyes hurt trying to analyze them. Viewing stands rose on one side where twelve elders sat in formal arrangement—the evaluation committee in its entirety.
Lin Feng recognized Elder Xuanbing immediately—he sat at the committee's left side, his expression already showing skepticism. Beside him, three other elders who Yun Qingxue had identified as initially sympathetic to his opposition.
On the right side, Grand Elder Bingxin occupied the position of honor. She appeared ancient—easily several centuries old—but her spiritual signature radiated Immortal Emperor Level 5 power that suggested vitality far beyond her apparent age. Her four identified supporters sat nearby.
The center position belonged to the Frozen Sky Patriarch herself.
Yun Qingxue's mother was stunning in ways that transcended conventional beauty. She appeared perhaps forty years old, though Lin Feng knew she was likely several centuries old. Her ice-blue robes seemed woven from winter itself. Her cultivation was Cloud Transformation Level 8—the highest power present in the arena.
And her eyes—ice-blue like her daughter's but harder, more calculating—assessed Lin Feng with intensity that felt physical.
"Lin Feng of Celestial Dawn Sect." The Patriarch's voice carried across the arena with perfect clarity despite normal speaking volume. "Welcome to your evaluation. I am Patriarch Bingfeng. You know why you're here."
"Yes, Honored Patriarch. To prove myself worthy of being Lady Yun Qingxue's Dao Companion." Lin Feng executed a formal bow with precise etiquette.
"Partially correct. You're here to prove you're worthy of our attention and resources regardless of relationship with my daughter." Patriarch Bingfeng's correction was subtle but meaningful. "If you demonstrate exceptional potential, we have interest in you independent of romantic considerations. Clear?"
"Perfectly clear, Honored Patriarch."
"Good. Combat assessment begins now. First opponent—Chen Bing." The Patriarch gestured and a Frozen Sky disciple entered the arena from the opposite side.
Chen Bing was perhaps nineteen years old, Divine Domain Level 3, his spiritual signature carrying the refined quality that came from years of specialized ice-element training. He bowed respectfully to Lin Feng before taking combat stance.
"Standard match rules apply," Elder Shuangxue announced from the arena's edge. "Victory by surrender, incapacitation, or referee judgment. Lethal techniques are forbidden. Permanent injury will result in immediate disqualification. Begin on my signal."
Lin Feng settled into ready stance, drawing his sword. The arena's formation arrays activated, creating barriers that would contain combat effects while allowing observers clear viewing.
"Begin!"
Chen Bing attacked immediately with "Frost Needle Assault"—hundreds of ice constructs shaped like needles that struck from all angles simultaneously. The technique was refined, efficient, dangerous despite the opponent's relatively modest cultivation level.
Lin Feng used Shadow Veil defensively, creating void-enhanced darkness that absorbed the ice constructs as they approached. To observers, it appeared he'd manifested a defensive technique using spatial darkness manipulation. In reality, he was consuming the attack's spiritual energy through void principles.
First exchange—demonstrate defensive capability without revealing true power. Let them see competence but not mastery.
He counter-attacked with spatial blades—void energy shaped and presented as advanced spatial cutting techniques. Chen Bing dodged three, blocked two, but the fifth struck his defensive formation and disrupted it significantly.
"First blood: Lin Feng," Elder Shuangxue announced the scoring technically even though no actual blood had been drawn.
The match continued for four minutes. Chen Bing employed increasingly sophisticated ice-element techniques—frozen domains that reduced temperature and mobility, ice constructs shaped like weapons and beasts, even a technique that created momentary ice armor around his body.
Lin Feng countered each approach methodically. Not overwhelming, not struggling—just competent performance from someone with solid foundation and diverse technique repertoire. He won decisively when Chen Bing overextended on an ambitious combination assault, leaving himself vulnerable to spatial lock and immediate yielding.
"First match: Lin Feng. Three minutes, forty-seven seconds." Elder Shuangxue recorded the result formally. "No recovery time. Second opponent—Liu Shuang."
The second Frozen Sky disciple entered immediately. Liu Shuang was female, early twenties, Divine Domain Level 4 with spiritual signature suggesting exceptional refinement. She carried two short swords made from what appeared to be crystallized ice.
"No formalities," she said coldly. "You're already tired. I'm fresh. Let's see how long you last."
The referee signaled and Liu Shuang exploded into motion.
She was faster than Chen Bing. More skilled. Her techniques flowed seamlessly from one to another—frost techniques mixed with physical assault, ice constructs serving as both distraction and genuine threat, domain pressure that made Lin Feng's movements laboriously difficult.
This is the real test. Divine Domain Level 4 against Divine Domain Level 4, but she's specialized in ice-element and I'm already somewhat depleted from first match.
Time to show them something more impressive.
Lin Feng manifested his Void Severance Field—not full power, but enough to push back against Liu Shuang's ice domain. The two domains clashed where they intersected, creating visible distortions in reality as void principles contested ice-element spiritual energy.
From the viewing stands, Elder Xuanbing spoke for the first time: "Domain manifestation at Divine Domain Level 4 is unusual but not exceptional. His void cultivation provides natural advantage against ice-element. This proves little."
Grand Elder Bingxin responded mildly: "Let the match conclude before analysis, Xuanbing. Premature judgment serves no one."
Lin Feng ignored the commentary, focusing entirely on Liu Shuang. She'd adapted to his domain presence and was now attacking through the overlapping space with techniques specifically designed to function within contested spiritual energy environments.
She's been trained to fight domain warfare. This isn't just power testing—it's technical evaluation.
He employed Void Step to create impossible movement angles, Shadow Veil to generate confusion about positioning, and spatial blades to force Liu Shuang into defensive reactions. The match became a display of technique mastery as both fighters demonstrated exceptional skill for their cultivation level.
Seven minutes in, Lin Feng was genuinely tired. Not critically depleted but approaching the point where efficiency would decline and mistakes would increase. Liu Shuang showed similar exhaustion—she'd been fighting at maximum intensity trying to overwhelm him quickly before his void advantages could accumulate.
Time to end this before I actually do exhaust myself dangerously.
He feinted with spatial blade assault, drawing Liu Shuang into defensive positioning, then used Void Heart Strike—the internal attack technique that had defeated Wu Chen. The technique bypassed her ice armor and external defenses, striking directly at her spiritual energy core.
Liu Shuang gasped as the internal attack disrupted her cultivation circulation. Not seriously injured but temporarily disabled from continuing combat effectively.
"I yield," she managed, recognizing defeat despite frustration at being outmaneuvered.
"Second match: Lin Feng. Seven minutes, nineteen seconds." Elder Shuangxue's tone carried slight approval—the performance had been impressive. "Third opponent—Wang Bingxin."
The third fighter entered and Lin Feng immediately recognized the challenge had escalated dramatically.
Wang Bingxin was Divine Domain Level 5—already a full level above Lin Feng's displayed cultivation. But more importantly, his spiritual signature carried density that suggested exceptional foundation and decades of ice-element specialization. This wasn't just power differential—this was skill and experience multiplier.
"You've fought well against my juniors," Wang Bingxin's voice was respectful but confident. "Let's see how you handle genuine pressure."
From the viewing stands, Elder Xuanbing's expression showed satisfaction. This was the match he expected Lin Feng to fail—exhausted from two previous battles, facing superior cultivation level with elemental disadvantage reversed (ice performed well in frozen environments while void was element-neutral).
Through the Dao Thread, Yun Qingxue's presence carried concern: Wang Bingxin is one of our sect's finest Divine Domain cultivators. He's won inter-sect competitions, fought against Cloud Transformation opponents successfully. Lin Feng, don't push too hard. Losing to him isn't shameful.
I'm not planning to lose. But I appreciate the concern.
Stubborn. You're absolutely stubborn.
It's part of my charm.
The referee signaled and Wang Bingxin manifested his domain immediately—"Eternal Winter"—a space where temperature plummeted toward absolute zero and ice-element spiritual energy became so dense it appeared as visible fog.
Within that domain, his power effectively increased by fifty percent while opponents suffered constant damage from ambient cold and reduced technique efficiency.
Lin Feng felt the pressure immediately. His Void Severance Field was compressed by the overwhelming domain presence. His movements became laboriously slow. Even breathing required conscious effort against the hostile environment.
This is what Divine Domain Level 5 with perfect environment advantage means. I'm outmatched in every measurable way.
Time to use Mei She's gift.
Wang Bingxin attacked with "Frozen Comet Strike"—a technique that combined massive ice construct with overwhelming spiritual energy investment. The attack was designed to be essentially undodgeable within his domain, forcing opponents to block and suffer crushing damage that would end the match.
Lin Feng activated Void Mirror.
The technique was exactly as Mei She had described—void energy manifested as spatial mirror that caught the Frozen Comet Strike at moment of contact, absorbed its momentum and spiritual energy, enhanced it with additional void power, and reflected it back toward the attacker with doubled force.
Wang Bingxin's eyes widened in shock as his own technique reversed trajectory and struck him before he could deploy defenses. The impact was devastating—his domain collapsed, his defensive formations shattered, and he was thrown backward twenty meters to crash against the arena's barrier formations.
Stunned silence filled the arena.
Even Elder Xuanbing looked surprised. The technique execution had been flawless, the strategic timing perfect, the result utterly decisive.
Wang Bingxin struggled to his feet, clearly dazed but not seriously injured. He stared at Lin Feng with mixture of shock and grudging respect.
"What... what was that technique?"
"Void Mirror. Ancient text, recently mastered." Lin Feng kept his explanation vague. "Useful for opponents who rely on overwhelming power assault."
"Useful is significant understatement." Wang Bingxin tested his injuries carefully, then shook his head in disbelief. "I yield. You've won this match through superior tactical awareness and technique diversity."
"Third match: Lin Feng. One minute, forty-three seconds." Elder Shuangxue's voice carried unmistakable surprise. "Combat assessment complete. Lin Feng has defeated all three opponents."
From the viewing stands, the twelve elders showed varying reactions. Grand Elder Bingxin smiled with satisfaction. The four undecided elders looked impressed. Elder Xuanbing's expression had shifted from skeptical confidence to frustrated acknowledgment.
And Patriarch Bingfeng... her face remained carefully neutral, but her eyes showed calculation that suggested Lin Feng had just exceeded expectations significantly.
"Impressive performance," the Patriarch announced. "You've demonstrated combat capability beyond typical Divine Domain Level 4 standards. The Void Mirror technique in particular showed remarkable strategic timing and technical mastery."
"Thank you, Honored Patriarch."
"However, combat is only first assessment component. You'll now proceed to foundation examination—our formation masters will evaluate your meridian quality, spiritual energy density, and cultivation foundation stability." Her tone made clear this was command rather than request. "Follow Elder Shuangxue to the examination chamber."
Lin Feng bowed respectfully and followed Elder Shuangxue from the combat arena. Behind him, he heard the elders beginning discussion of his performance—some voices approving, others skeptical, all engaged in analysis that would influence their final evaluation.
Through the Dao Thread, Yun Qingxue's presence flooded with pride and relief: That was brilliant! The Void Mirror technique—where did you learn that? It's not in any void cultivation text I've studied!
Gift from Mei She. She said to save it for critical moment. Seemed appropriate.
It worked perfectly. Even Elder Xuanbing can't dismiss that performance. You've passed combat assessment decisively.
One down. Three more components to go.
You'll do fine. You always do when it matters.
The examination chamber was located in a separate building dedicated to cultivation assessment. The room was circular, its walls inscribed with formation arrays so complex they hurt to observe. At the room's center sat a raised platform surrounded by monitoring formations.
Three Frozen Sky formation masters waited—all at Immortal Emperor level, their expertise in analysis and evaluation legendary throughout the Eastern Continent.
"Lin Feng," the senior formation master—an elderly man at Immortal Emperor Level 4—gestured to the platform. "Please sit in meditation posture at the platform's center. We'll be examining your cultivation foundation through formation analysis. The process is non-invasive but requires you to drop all concealment techniques and allow our formations access to your spiritual energy."
Lin Feng's heart rate increased slightly. Foundation examination was the most dangerous assessment component—if they analyzed too deeply, they might discover the Heart of Void, realize his displayed cultivation was concealing deeper reserves, identify capabilities he wanted kept hidden.
But refusing examination would end evaluation immediately with failure. No choice but to proceed and hope they only analyze what I allow them to see.
He settled onto the platform, dropping his concealment techniques partially—revealing Divine Domain Level 4 but keeping Level 3 hidden beneath, showing his perfect meridians but concealing the Heart of Void's presence.
The formation masters activated their arrays and Lin Feng felt spiritual energy analysis begin.
It was simultaneously fascinating and terrifying—their formations probed his cultivation with precision that left nowhere to hide. They examined meridian structure, spiritual energy circulation patterns, foundation stability, even soul strength and dao comprehension depth.
They're seeing everything I'm showing them. But can they detect what I'm hiding?
The examination lasted twenty minutes that felt like hours. Finally, the formations powered down and the senior formation master studied recorded data with expression that revealed nothing.
"Remarkable," he finally said, looking up at Lin Feng with genuine surprise. "Your meridian quality is perfect—literally without flaw. We've only seen three other cultivators in our sect's history with comparably flawless meridian structure."
The other formation masters murmured agreement, clearly impressed by the analysis results.
"Your spiritual energy density exceeds typical Divine Domain Level 4 by approximately thirty percent. Your foundation stability suggests breakthrough to Level 5 could occur within months rather than years. And your dao comprehension..." The senior formation master paused, reviewing data again. "Your understanding of void principles is sophisticated beyond your age and cultivation level. It suggests either ancient lineage or exceptional natural comprehension."
"Thank you for the assessment, Honored Masters." Lin Feng maintained humble tone while internally celebrating—they'd seen what he wanted them to see without detecting the deeper secrets.
"One question," the senior formation master's eyes narrowed slightly. "We detected some unusual spiritual energy patterns around your heart region. Almost like there's additional structure we can't fully resolve. Is this related to your void cultivation method?"
Lin Feng's pulse spiked but he kept his expression neutral. "Void cultivation creates unusual spiritual energy phenomena. The Heart of the Void technique I practice manifests void energy in that region. It's normal for my cultivation path."
The explanation was truthful while being deliberately misleading—yes, void energy manifested around his heart, but that was because the Heart of Void artifact resided there, not because of technique manifestation.
The formation master studied him for long moment, then nodded acceptance. "Understandable. Void cultivation is rare enough that unusual patterns should be expected. We've documented the phenomenon for future reference."
"We will report these findings to the evaluation committee," the senior formation master concluded. "Your foundation quality significantly exceeds expectations. Proceed to the philosophical examination chamber—Elder Tianxue awaits to assess your dao comprehension and intellectual depth."
Lin Feng bowed respectfully and left the examination chamber, his heart still racing from the close call regarding the Heart of Void's detection.
Through the Dao Thread: They almost found it. The Heart of Void. Their formations detected something unusual.
But they didn't identify what it was. Just noticed unusual spiritual energy patterns. Yun Qingxue's emotions through the bond carried relief. Lin Feng, your explanation was perfect. They accepted it as normal void cultivation phenomenon.
This time. But if they examine more thoroughly later...
We'll handle that challenge when it comes. For now, you've passed foundation examination with exceptional marks. Two assessments down, two remaining.
The philosophical examination chamber was completely different from previous assessment locations. Instead of combat arena or formation-inscribed room, it was a simple meditation garden with a small tea pavilion at its center.
Elder Tianxue waited at the pavilion, tea already prepared. She appeared middle-aged, Immortal Emperor Level 3, her presence radiating scholarly wisdom rather than combat power.
"Lin Feng. Sit, please." She gestured to cushion across from her. "This assessment is less formal than previous components. We'll discuss dao comprehension, philosophy of cultivation, and your understanding of fundamental principles. Consider it conversation rather than interrogation."
"Thank you, Elder." Lin Feng settled onto the cushion, accepting tea she poured.
"Tell me about void cultivation. Not the techniques or power—the philosophy. What does it mean to walk the path of void?"
And so began the third assessment—a discussion that would test not his combat ability or foundation quality but his understanding of cultivation's deeper meaning.
Lin Feng drew on everything he'd learned, every insight the Inverse Void Dao had provided, every conversation with Patriarch Cloud Heaven and meditation with Yun Qingxue.
The future of his relationship, his cultivation path, and perhaps his entire life rested on the wisdom he could demonstrate in this conversation.
He began speaking, choosing words with care that matched any combat technique for precision and impact.
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 37: PHILOSOPHY AND POLITICS