The sun had barely begun to crest over the jagged peaks surrounding Spirit Springs City when Hanyuan vaulted out of bed. Despite only sleeping a few fitful hours, adrenaline coursed through his veins like wildfire. This was the day that would define the rest of his life.
The Main Plaza of the Bai Clan was a sea of white robes. Roughly thirty youths, all around ten years of age, stood in uneasy lines. Some were praying silently, others were hyperventilating, and a few stood with chests puffed out, trying to hide their terror.
"Ughhh, I think I'm going to throw up," a voice groaned beside Hanyuan.
Hanyuan turned to see a thin boy who stood nearly a head taller than him, though his slouch made him look smaller. It was Bai Minghan, the grandson of Elder Ling. Despite his height, he looked like a leaf shivering in a gale.
Hanyuan reached out to pat his friend's arm. "Relax, Minghan. You've been practicing your forms perfectly. Your spirit is ready."
"Move it, Monkey."
A sharp shove from behind sent Minghan stumbling. A young girl with sharp features and cold, piercing eyes stepped between them. She smoothed her silk robes, her gaze lingering on Hanyuan with a mixture of disdain and intense rivalry.
"Don't get too comfortable, Hanyuan," she said, her voice like cracking ice. "Status doesn't give you talent. I'll be the one the ancestors look down on with pride today, not the Patriarch's pampered son. I'll definitely have a better talent than you."
With a huff, she marched toward the front of the line.
"Uh... why is Xueling so mean to me?" Minghan sighed, rubbing his shoulder dejectedly. "I didn't even do anything."
Hanyuan gave a mischievous grin, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't mind her. And to be fair, Minghan, you do look a bit like a monkey when you're nervous."
"Hey!" Minghan pouted, but the tension in his shoulders eased slightly.
"Silence!"
The chatter died instantly. A hunchbacked figure emerged from the back of the pavilion, leaning heavily on a black walking stick made of Spirit Wood. This was Elder Zhang. His face was a map of deep wrinkles, but his eyes were sharp and clear, radiating the terrifying pressure of the Mortal Core stage. He had overseen the awakening of three generations of the Bai Clan.
Elder Zhang cleared his throat, the sound echoing unnaturally loud across the plaza. "I will call each of your names individually. Step forward, clear your mind, and place your hand upon the Testing Steel. Your potential is your gift from Heaven, but remember—even those with lesser talent can serve the clan with honor as workers and guards. There is no shame in a steady heart."
He squinted at a scroll in his hand. "First... Bai Minghan."
Minghan turned pale, his knees knocking together as he shambled up the stone steps. His hands were shaking so violently it took him two tries to actually touch the crystal slab.
The moment his palm met the surface, a soft hum filled the air. A vibrant, swirling green light ignited within the steel. Five stars began to glow in a vertical line.
"Five-star Wind element," Elder Zhang nodded, a flicker of approval in his old eyes. "Not bad at all. You have the potential to reach the late Qi Refining realm, perhaps beyond if you are diligent. Next!"
The line moved steadily. Most of the youths walked away with sighs of relief or tears of disappointment. Many had no elemental affinity at all, showing only one or two dim stars—destined to be the clan's logistical backbone.
"Bai Xueling!" Elder Zhang called out.
The girl stepped forward with practiced elegance. She cast one last smug look back at the crowd before pressing her hand firmly against the steel.
The reaction was instantaneous. Instead of a hum, the steel let out a sharp ping. A deep, freezing blue light flooded the plaza, so bright that the youths in the front row had to shield their eyes. One, two, three... seven stars ignited with a fierce, chilling brilliance.
"A 7-star Water affinity!" Elder Zhang cried out, his voice cracking with shock. He straightened his back, his eyes wide.
The crowd erupted in hushed whispers and gasps. In the Bai Clan, a 7-star affinity was legendary—it was the mark of a future pillar of the sect, the same level as the Patriarch himself.
"Haha! Good, good!" Elder Zhang laughed, his weary face brightening with genuine joy. "Little lass, you have a grand path ahead of you. If you ever find your cultivation stalled or need guidance on techniques, come to my private residence. I will teach you myself."
"Thank you, Elder Zhang," Xueling said, bowing deeply with a composed grace that hid her soaring ego.
As she walked down the steps, the crowd parted for her like she was already a queen. As she passed Hanyuan, she stopped for a brief second, a cold, triumphant smirk playing on her lips. She didn't say a word, but her eyes said everything: Match that, if you can.
Elder Zhang settled his excitement, his gaze falling back to the scroll. A heavy silence descended as he read the next name.
"Bai Hanyuan. Step forward."
The plaza fell into a hushed, expectant silence as the Patriarch's son stepped onto the stage. Hanyuan felt the weight of hundreds of eyes on his back—disciples, elders, and the jealous gaze of Xueling. If he failed to show talent today, the shame wouldn't just be his; it would stain his father's reputation as the leader of the Bai Clan.
He wiped his sweaty palms on his white robes, took a deep, grounding breath, and pressed his hands against the Testing Steel.
At first, nothing happened. Then, a sharp crackle broke the silence.
A flash of deep, jagged purple light erupted from the center of the stone. Five runes ignited with the ferocity of a thunderstorm.
"Hoo? A 5-star Lightning Affinity!" Elder Zhang murmured, his eyebrows lifting. "The element of Destruction and speed. Very aggressive. Not bad at all, Hanyuan."
But the light didn't fade. The purple began to swirl with a misty, crystalline white. The temperature on the stage plummeted, and a thin layer of frost crept over the surface of the crystal. Six more stars flared to life, shining with a cold, pale brilliance that seemed to drink in the surrounding light.
"Ice? A dual affinity!" Elder Zhang let out a surprised bark of laughter, vigorously stroking his goatee. "A 5-star Lightning Affinity and a 6-star Ice Affinity! Truly the heavens are favoring the Bai Clan today. To possess two elements with such high grades... your flexibility in battle will be terrifying, lad!"
A dual affinity was rare. While Xueling's 7-star Water talent meant she would likely possess more raw power and faster absorption, Hanyuan's combination allowed him to use specialized techniques that fused the piercing speed of lightning with the restrictive power of ice.
Below the stage, Xueling's face twisted. Her 7-star talent was no longer the sole focus of the morning. "Hmph," she whispered to herself, crossing her arms. "Dual affinity or not, a 7-star grade is still superior. Hard work can't bridge a gap in heaven-sent quality. You'll see."
Hanyuan stepped down, his legs feeling like jelly but his heart soaring. As he stood next to Minghan, the taller boy nudged him with a grin. "Lightning and Ice? You're going to be a walking blizzard, Hanyuan!"
Elder Zhang stepped to the center of the stage, striking his walking stick against the stone to regain control. "Silence! The results are clear. Listen well: Those with 1 to 3-star affinities will be moved to the outer clan to be trained as workers, artisans, or guards. Your roles are vital to the clan's survival, so do not lose heart."
His eyes sharpened as he scanned the smaller group of high-potential youths. "The rest of you—those with 4 stars and above—are now official disciples of the Great Training Ground. You will be overseen by our clan veterans. And mark my words: at the end of every year, we hold the Clan Competition. Your rank in that tournament determines your resources—pills, spirit stones, and secret techniques. If you are lazy, even a 7-star will be surpassed by a hardworking 4-star. You are dismissed!"
The crowd broke apart. Hanyuan practically sprinted home, where his parents were already waiting in the courtyard.
"Lightning and Ice! Haha, that's my boy!" Bai Feng bellowed, scooping Hanyuan up in a bear hug that nearly cracked his ribs. "Just like your old man—always full of surprises!"
"Let him breathe, Feng," Lin Ruo chided, though her blue eyes were misty with pride. "Come, you've earned a feast tonight."
The evening was a blur of celebration and stories of the clan's history. By the time Hanyuan retreated to his room, his body felt heavy with the weight of the Spirit Meat and the sheer emotional exhaustion of the day. A single lamp flickered on his bedside table. Slowly, the wick burned out, plunging the room into darkness as Hanyuan slipped into a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, Hanyuan didn't wait for the sun to rise.
He arrived at the Great Training Ground just as the morning mist was beginning to lift. This place was far more intense than the private courtyard he was used to. Thousands of square meters of paved stone were filled with hundreds of disciples. The air was thick with the smell of sweat and the hum of Qi. To his left, a group of fifteen-year-olds was practicing a synchronized palm technique; to his right, two older disciples were Sparring with wooden swords, their movements so fast they were a blur.
Hanyuan felt a surge of competitive spirit. He navigated through the crowds until he reached the weapon racks. His hands bypassed the gleaming steel spears and reached for a familiar, weighted wooden spear.
He found an empty training dummy near the edge of the grounds and took his stance.
Thwack!
He swung the spear down with all his might. The impact sent a vibration through his arms, but he didn't stop.
Thwack! Thwack!
"Focus on the transition," he muttered to himself, recalling his father's advice. "The spear is an extension of the soul."
"Early as always, I see."
Hanyuan froze mid-swing as a familiar, cold voice sounded behind him. Xueling stood there, a real steel longsword sheathed at her waist. She looked at his wooden spear with a smirk. "A peasant's tool for a dual-element genius? Let's see if that wood can keep up with me by the end of the month."