The Ancestral Hall buzzed with urgency.
Core disciples filed in, whispers of excitement and apprehension echoing through the high ceiling chamber. A pale, flickering formation glimmered above the floor—a portal to the Realm of Hidden Origins, a secret realm said to test perception, instinct, and survival.
Li Chen stood at the edge of the hall, calm as ever. Xu Ming trailed behind him, wooden sword at his back, brows furrowed.
"You're not going," Li Chen said quietly.
Xu Ming froze. "What… why? I thought—"
"You're not a core disciple," Li Chen interrupted. "This realm is for those who hold sect privileges and responsibilities. If you go, you'll die before learning anything."
Xu Ming's face fell. "But… I want to help…"
Li Chen's gaze softened slightly. "This is how you help me." He crouched and placed his hands over Xu Ming's shoulders. "I'm leaving you here. Alive. That is your role."
Xu Ming's chest tightened, but Li Chen was already moving toward the portal, his steps calm, deliberate.
Before he stepped through, Li Chen placed several jade slips and devices around the residence.
"These formations will protect you," he explained. "Spirit suppression arrays, motion detectors, traps for intruders, and layered concealment. No one can enter without triggering at least five warnings. Even sect elders will hesitate if they try to breach."
Xu Ming looked around in awe. The courtyard, which had always felt quiet and contained, now shimmered faintly with spiritual energy, subtle but unmistakable.
"I… I don't know if I can—" Xu Ming began.
"You can," Li Chen interrupted firmly. "You need to cultivate while I'm gone. Strengthen your body, harmonize your five elements. If you survive here, you will be ready when I return."
Xu Ming swallowed. "I'll do my best."
Li Chen stood, eyes scanning the protective arrays one last time. "Good. I want zero mistakes. If anyone—anything—approaches, these formations will buy you enough time. But don't rely on them forever. Cultivate, grow, and learn to survive."
Xu Ming bowed deeply. "Yes, master. I will."
Li Chen's lips curved faintly, almost imperceptibly. "Remember… the stronger you become, the fewer surprises you'll need to fear."
And then, without another word, he stepped into the portal.
The Ancestral Hall shimmered briefly, then Li Chen and the other core disciples vanished, leaving the lower courtyard in perfect silence.
Xu Ming exhaled slowly, his eyes scanning the new protective arrays. The wind seemed sharper, the shadows deeper, and every corner hinted at danger.
He touched the nearest jade slip. Its energy pulsed gently, reassuring yet commanding.
So this is my trial, Xu Ming thought. Not in a secret realm, but right here. Survive, grow, and be ready.
The courtyard, now a small fortress, hummed quietly with protective energy. For Xu Ming, it was no longer a simple residence—it was a battlefield of preparation, a cage forged by his master's foresight.
And somewhere deep inside him, the pulse of his five-element Chaos Physique flared, ready to harmonize with the challenges to come.
For now, Li Chen's absence was a reminder: survival was not optional—it was the first lesson.