The sky opened above the Withered Forest, releasing sheets of silver that crashed down like a thousand tiny daggers. Thunder rolled over the mountains in the distance, a deep growl echoing through the trees. Lightning flashed, illuminating the twisted trunks of ancient giants and the skeletal branches clawing at the sky.
In the heart of the storm, Ren Zian stood drenched, his body trembling—not from cold, but from anticipation.
"Again," the Silent Hermit said, his voice cutting through the storm like a blade. He stood beneath a large, moss-covered tree, utterly untouched by the rain. Not a single drop seemed to land on him. His eyes were closed, but his presence was suffocating.
Ren wiped the rain from his eyes, gasping as he raised his arms into the stance the Hermit had taught him.
"Form is mind. Breath is soul. Channel through both. Now... Strike."
Ren exhaled sharply and moved.
His foot slid forward across the soaked earth, his arms flowing in a circular motion. He gathered the energy in his core, guiding it along the pathways he had only just begun to sense. It burned—soft at first, then fiercer—as if coaxing flame from tinder.
[Basic Cultivation Technique: Ember Form – Attempting Execution...]
[Error. Incomplete Flow. Energy Leakage Detected. Efficiency: 42%]
The burst of force he released fizzled out, barely strong enough to disturb the grass before him. The energy scattered uselessly, and Ren collapsed onto one knee, panting.
The Hermit opened one eye. "Again."
Ren gritted his teeth. His clothes clung to his skin, soaked and heavy. Mud caked his knees and elbows. His muscles ached, and his breath came in short, ragged bursts.
But he stood.
He had to. This wasn't just about power.
This was about survival.
And more than that—it was about control.
The Hermit watched in silence as Ren tried again. And again. And again.
Hours passed. The rain never stopped. Night began to fall, and still, the Hermit did not call a halt. Not until Ren, barely able to stand, executed the form once more.
This time, something changed.
The energy pulsed more smoothly through his body. The burn was sharper but more focused. As he thrust his palm forward, a ripple of force shot out—a clear wave, slicing through the rain and slamming into a distant stone. The impact cracked the rock.
[Technique Executed: Ember Form. Efficiency: 63%.]
[Breakthrough: Basic Energy Manipulation Achieved. Pathways Cleansed: 12%. New Passive Skill Gained: Energy Flow Recognition.]
Ren fell to the ground, breathless. His vision swam.
But he smiled.
The Hermit approached, his expression unreadable. "Acceptable."
Ren coughed. "That it? Just acceptable?"
The Hermit's lips twitched—barely a smirk. "You did not die. That counts for something."
Ren laughed weakly. The rain finally began to lighten.
They returned to the Hermit's dwelling, a small shelter nestled between two massive tree roots, protected from the elements by layers of woven vines and ancient leaves. Inside, a small fire crackled. Not wood-fed, but powered by pure energy.
Ren stared into the blue flame. It hummed.
The Hermit sat across from him, brewing a bitter-smelling tea. "The Void Seed inside you is not a gift. It is a burden—and a target."
Ren frowned. "Target?"
The Hermit poured the tea into two rough clay cups. He handed one to Ren.
"Those who sense its power will seek it. Some to control. Others to consume. Few to protect."
Ren sipped the tea. It burned his tongue and throat but sent warmth through his limbs. "Why me? Why was I chosen?"
The Hermit shook his head slowly. "Chosen? No. You were... claimed."
Ren stiffened. "By who?"
The Hermit did not answer. Instead, he stood and placed a hand over Ren's chest.
[System Triggered: Soul Trace Analysis Initiated.]
[Fragment Detected: Unknown Entity. Signature Incomplete. Risk Level: High. Protective Measures Suggested.]
Ren's heart pounded. He could feel the Void Seed react to the Hermit's touch, vibrating with barely-contained force.
"You are a vessel, Ren Zian. But whether you remain hollow or become filled with your own flame—that is your choice."
Ren's grip tightened on the clay cup. "Then teach me how."
The Hermit turned away, his silhouette outlined by the soft blue light. "Then we begin the true training tomorrow. If you survive."
Ren didn't sleep that night.
The next morning brought a silence thicker than the storm. Mist wreathed the forest, curling like ghostly serpents between the trees. The Hermit led Ren deeper into the woods, where the air shimmered with ambient energy.
They arrived at a circle of standing stones—each marked with ancient runes that pulsed faintly.
"This," the Hermit said, "is the Trial of Flame."
[New Quest Received: Survive the Trial of Flame. Time Limit: 6 Hours.]
[Warning: Trial Difficulty – Intermediate. Failure may result in permanent damage.]
Ren stepped forward without hesitation.
The moment his foot touched the circle, flames erupted.
But these were not ordinary flames—they burned cold. Pale blue and white, they clawed at his soul more than his skin. His clothes smoldered, his skin seared, and his mind screamed.
[System Defense Engaged. Soul Protection Field: 34% Integrity.]
The Hermit's voice echoed from outside the ring. "Breathe. Control the flame. Let it in—but do not let it devour you."
Ren fell to his knees, the fire burrowing into his very core. But even as it tore at him, he could feel something...
Resonance.
A rhythm. Like a heartbeat within the flame.
He focused. Slowed his breath. Matched the rhythm.
And the fire stopped hurting.
It danced around him now, moving in tandem with his breath. He stood, hands open.
[Trial Phase One Complete. Flame Resonance Achieved.]
[Initiating Phase Two: Internal Flame Awakening.]
His vision dimmed. The world around him vanished.
He stood now in darkness—no longer the real world, but within himself.
And in front of him... the Void Seed. A sphere of swirling black and silver, pulsing with unknowable power.
He reached out.
And the seed flared.
[Warning: Void Seed Awakening Premature. Stabilizing...]
Energy surged through him. A vortex of pain and power.
Ren screamed—but he did not pull back. He embraced it.
The seed fractured.
And from within, a spark.
His spark.
The flames turned gold.
Outside, the Hermit watched as the standing stones cracked.
Blue light became gold.
Then white.
Then silence.
When it cleared, Ren stood alone at the center, his eyes glowing faintly.
[Trial Complete. Flame Core Formed. Cultivation Realm Unlocked: Foundation Realm – Stage One.]
[Passive Skill Gained: Inner Flame Fortitude. Active Skill Unlocked: Flame Pulse.]
The Hermit approached slowly, nodding. "You have taken your first true step."
Ren's voice was steady. "Then let's take the next."
The Hermit chuckled. "You may yet live long enough to regret those words."
But inside, Ren Zian smiled.