The walk to the Main Hall was short, but it took them past the central training grounds—the heart of the Bai Clan's power.
Hanyuan's eyes widened as he watched the older disciples. These were youths between the ages of fourteen and twenty, all of whom had already successfully broken through the threshold of the Body Refining realm. Here, the air felt different; it hummed with the vibration of Qi. He saw a young woman thrust a steel spear, its tip glowing with a faint blue light that left a trail of frost in the air.
"One day," Hanyuan whispered to himself.
"The Potential Testing Day is a turning point for every cultivator," Bai Feng said, noticing his son's lingering gaze. "Tomorrow, you'll find out which path Heaven has laid out for you. Whether you follow the path of our ancestors or blaze your own."
They entered the Main Hall, a grand room supported by pillars of carved redwood. In the center sat a large table laden with steaming dishes. A middle-aged woman with graceful features, long chestnut-brown hair, and striking blue eyes looked up as they approached. This was Hanyuan's mother, Lin Ruo.
"Mother!" Hanyuan shouted, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. He lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Ruo smiled warmly, stroking his hair, but her eyes quickly sharpened as she noticed the dirt and sweat caked onto his white robes. "Hanyuan, did I not tell you to wash up before coming to the table? Look at your sleeves; the Ice Phoenix crest is practically grey!"
Hanyuan shrank back slightly, offering a sheepish grin. "I was just so focused on my training, Mother..."
"It's not a bad thing," Bai Feng intervened, sliding into his seat with a hearty chuckle. "It just means our son has the spirit of a true warrior. He doesn't have time for a little dust."
Lin Ruo turned her icy blue gaze toward her husband. "And I suppose the Patriarch doesn't have time to enforce the house rules?"
Bai Feng's laughter cut off abruptly. He cleared his throat and busied himself with the chopsticks, choosing to remain silent in the face of his wife's pointed stare. Hanyuan quickly sat down, hiding his snickering behind a bowl of rice.
The meal was not ordinary food. On the platter before them was thick, marbled meat seasoned with rare herbs. "Spirit Meat," Hanyuan muttered, his eyes sparkling. It came from a Tier 1 Spirit Beast—a creature that had reached a level equivalent to the Qi Refining realm. For a boy still in the Body Refining stage, every bite was like swallowing a small burst of pure energy, helping to harden his bones and temper his muscles.
As Hanyuan shoveled a large slice of meat into his mouth, he looked up at his father. "Father? Can you tell me how the Potential Testing Day was for you? I… I can't stop thinking about tomorrow. I'm so nervous."
Lin Ruo sighed softly, her irritation melting into maternal concern, but she didn't stop Hanyuan from his undignified wolfing of the food.
Bai Feng set his chopsticks down, his expression becoming nostalgic. "I was no different from you, Hanyuan. My hands were shaking so much I almost tripped on my way to the pedestal. The process is simple, yet it decides your destiny. You will stand before the Testing Steel—a massive slab of ore mined from the deepest spirit veins. When you press your hands against it, you must clear your mind. Then, the runes will appear."
He held up his own hand, visualizing the memory. "The runes tell of your Elemental Affinity, ranked from one to nine stars. Naturally, there are legends of geniuses with potential beyond nine stars, but those are found in the great empires and ancient sects, not here in Spirit Springs City."
Hanyuan leaned in, listening intently.
"The higher the stars, the faster you can sense and absorb the Qi of that specific element," Bai Feng explained. "A two-star fire affinity can absorb fire Qi twice as fast as a one-star. Those with only one or two stars usually peak at the Qi Refining realm and never go further."
Bai Feng smiled, a hint of pride touching his face. "I remember it like it was yesterday—forty years ago. I pressed my hands to the steel, and at first, three runes lit up with a crimson glow. A 3-star Fire Affinity. I felt a pit in my stomach, thinking I was destined to be mediocre. But then, the steel began to tremble. A second set of runes ignited—bright, heavy, and golden-brown. I had a 7-star Earth Affinity."
"Seven stars!" Hanyuan gasped.
"In our city, a seven-star affinity is exceptionally rare," his father said. "It is the reason I was able to reach the Mortal Core stage and lead this clan. Your mother, as well, is a genius in her own right, possessing a 6-star Water Affinity."
Hanyuan looked from his father to his mother. He felt a surge of pressure, but more than that, he felt a burning curiosity. The Bai Clan was known for its frost-based techniques, hence the Ice Phoenix crest, but his father had been a dual-elemental surprise.
What will I have? Hanyuan wondered, gripping his knees under the table. Will the runes stay dark, or will I light up the sky?
"Rest well tonight, Hanyuan," Lin Ruo said softly, reaching out to pat his hand. "Whatever the result tomorrow, you are our son. But the more you sleep, the clearer your spirit will be when you face the steel."
Hanyuan nodded, though he knew sleep would be a distant stranger tonight.