The New Year Festival was in full swing, filling the clan grounds with dazzling performances, ritualistic showcases, and spirited duels that tested the future prospects of young cultivators. The murmurs of excitement and solemn tradition interwove with the scent of burning incense, crafting a scene where destiny was decided beneath the watchful eyes of elders and clan leaders alike.
For Yinmo, this was more than a festival—it was a final test, one that held the key to his fate.
Draped in ceremonial robes, the clan leader stood at the grand observation balcony overseeing the arena, flanked by advisors and senior cultivators. Beneath him, younger disciples demonstrated their talents before the growing audience. It was during these trials that Yinmo was summoned to step forward.
"Yinmo," the clan leader called, his voice carrying a practiced authority. "State your current cultivation level."
Stepping into the festival arena, Yinmo steadied his breath, feeling the lingering remnants of his Qi gathering pill still circulating within him. Months of relentless training had pushed him to the edge of advancement, and in these final weeks, he had forced himself beyond his limits. He knew exactly what was at stake.
"Second Qi Gathering stage," Yinmo answered honestly, his voice strong but measured.
There was a pause, a murmur among the elders.
"You have reached the threshold," the clan leader mused, studying him with cold calculation. "With continued effort, you may advance in time. For that reason, you are hereby certified to attend the Foundations for All Academy."
Yinmo's fingers curled slightly at his side. The decision was official, but it wasn't the one he wanted. In his heart, he had always aimed for Celestial Academy—the place his parents had once been, the academy that might hold secrets about them. But he understood the grim reality. No academy would recognize his true aptitude; his progress had always defied conventional cultivation assessments. Celestial Academy, with its strict talent-selection methods, would never take him without a precise reading of his strength.
And so, despite the frustration bubbling beneath the surface, Yinmo lowered his head in respectful acceptance. Foundations for All Academy would be his only path forward.
Yet before his mind could fully settle into this resignation, a familiar voice rang through the arena.
"Since Yinmo is now certified for academy entrance, let's see if he's truly worthy!" Feng Tao declared, stepping into the ring with the same air of confidence he had always carried.
Gasps and murmurs erupted from the crowd. Another duel—a rematch between the boy who had previously faltered against the wind's supremacy.
The clan leader raised a brow but remained silent, watching.
Yinmo exhaled slowly. This was inevitable. After all the training, the secrecy, the nights spent refining his incantations—this duel would be the proving ground for everything.
Stepping forward, he met Feng Tao's gaze head-on.
"I accept."
The crowd roared in anticipation, the arena shifting in energy. As Yinmo took his stance, the months of preparation condensed into a single moment, where power, strategy, and defiance converged.
This time, he would not lose.