The Trial of Strength was in three days.
For most disciples, that meant three days to prepare, to refine their techniques, to ensure they wouldn't be among those cast out.
For Xian Ye, it meant three days to ensure he survived.
Because this wasn't just a test of strength—it was a trap.
The elders weren't just looking for weak disciples to remove. They were searching for something. And if they had even the slightest suspicion that Xian Ye had been involved in the ruins beneath the sect, they wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him.
He needed to be ready.
The First Step: Understanding His Power
Xian Ye sat in his training quarters, cross-legged on the cold stone floor.
His fingers brushed against his chest, where the sigil still pulsed faintly beneath his skin.
The Unseen Step.
The heightened senses.
The combat instincts that shouldn't exist.
Whatever had been returned to him wasn't just memory—it was ability. A fragment of who he had been before.
But how much of it could he actually control?
He closed his eyes.
And willed the sigil to respond.
Nothing.
He exhaled, steadying himself. It had awakened in battle before—when his life had been at risk.
"Maybe I need to push myself to the edge again."
He stood, his breath slow and measured. If his body held remnants of forgotten strength, then he needed to force it to the surface.
And he had the perfect way to do it.
The Forbidden Training Ground
While most disciples trained in the sect's designated sparring arenas, Xian Ye had no interest in being watched.
Instead, he ventured into the mountain forests beyond the Outer Sect grounds.
This place was dangerous—infested with spirit beasts, natural hazards, and remnants of past battles. A place where only fools or the desperate trained.
Which made it perfect.
He walked deeper into the trees, feeling the weight of the air change as he left the safety of the sect behind. Here, the world was raw and untamed, the Qi in the air less refined, more chaotic.
Then, he stopped.
The ground beneath him shifted.
And a moment later—
A spirit beast lunged.
Battle in the Wilds
It moved fast, a blur of muscle and razor-sharp claws.
A Crimson Fang Wolf.
Not the strongest beast in the mountains, but deadly enough for an Outer Sect disciple.
Xian Ye's body reacted before his mind could.
The wolf struck first, its claws tearing toward his throat.
Xian Ye's breath slowed.
Everything else sped up.
His feet shifted—Unseen Step.
The world blurred as he moved, his body twisting just enough for the claws to miss him by a fraction of an inch.
The wolf landed, its momentum carrying it forward—
And Xian Ye countered.
He pivoted on his back foot, bringing his fist down like a hammer onto the back of the wolf's skull.
Impact.
The beast collapsed, its body hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Silence.
Xian Ye straightened, staring down at the unconscious creature.
His heart was steady.
His breath controlled.
Not a single drop of Qi had been used.
And yet—he had just overpowered a spirit beast with nothing but technique.
His fingers curled into a fist.
"It's real."
"This power… It's mine."
He wasn't just remembering who he used to be.
He was becoming him again.
A Watchful Presence
As Xian Ye turned to leave the training ground, something caught his attention.
A presence.
Someone was watching.
His instincts screamed at him to be cautious, but he didn't react—he kept walking, making it seem as though he hadn't noticed.
But deep down, he knew.
He wasn't the only one preparing for the Trial of Strength.
And someone—perhaps even the elders themselves—was already keeping an eye on him.