The weight of the Jade Dragon Gu egg in Feng Yin's hand was nothing compared to the weight of Meng Ru's words in his mind.
A prison is not meant to be broken from the outside. It is meant to be opened from the inside.
It was a perfect reflection of the silent, impossible vision he'd had. Coincidence? Feng Yin was a Rank three Gu Master; he had long since stopped believing in such things. In the world of cultivation, there were only causes, effects, and benefits. The boy before him was an anomaly that defied all conventional understanding. A genius was one thing; a mouthpiece for a hidden, profound truth was another entirely.
He stared at Meng Ru, the impassive disciple who had just handed him both a priceless treasure and an unsolvable riddle. To treat him as a mere inner sect disciple now would not just be foolish; it would be a catastrophic waste. A blade this sharp could not be left in a common scabbard. It needed to be wielded, controlled.
Feng Yin made a decision. It was a decision that went against sect protocol, a gamble that could elevate him to unprecedented heights or drag him into an abyss.
"The trial is over," Feng Yin announced, his voice low and resonant, creating a field of sound that dampened any prying ears. "You are the sole victor. Wang Lei and Li Chen were incompetent. They disturbed the entire snake pack and were devoured. That will be the official record."
Meng Ru's expression did not change. He simply inclined his head slightly, accepting the new reality Feng Yin had created. It was a logical outcome.
"You will not be just an inner sect disciple," Feng Yin continued, his eyes locking onto Meng Ru's. "An arrangement like that is insufficient for your talents. I will take you as my personal disciple. You will have direct access to my resources, my protection, and my knowledge. Your path will be cleared of all mundane obstacles."
Meng Ru's mind, a cold and silent abacus. 'Patronage from a Rank three elder. Value is high. Provides cover for my abnormal growth. Reduces low-level factional friction by nine out of ten parts. Increases access to critical resources like primeval stones and Gu recipes. The cost is fealty. A restriction on my actions.'
Meng Ru Think to himself. 'He sees my value and wishes to bind it to his own ambition. A standard political maneuver. The risk is that his ambition may conflict with my own. However, in my current weak state, the benefits far outweigh the risks. The bond can be reassessed when the power dynamic shifts.'
"Disciple respects Master.," Meng Ru said. Along with showing respect
"Good," Feng Yin said, a slow, grim smile touching his lips for the first time. "Then as my personal disciple, your first lesson is to solve this riddle. How do we open the prison?"
He held out the Jade Dragon Gu egg.
Meng Ru looked at the egg, his ancient eyes seeming to see the nascent life form slumbering within.
"A creature born of stone and wood essence is a paradox. It is trapped between two opposing natures," he explained. "To break it with force is to destroy that delicate balance. To open it, you must present it with a will that resonates with its own core desire."
"And what is that desire?" Feng Yin pressed, leaning in slightly.
"Freedom," Meng Ru answered simply. "It is a creature born in a prison of its own shell. It desires nothing more than to escape. You cannot open it with a will to conquer or possess. You must nurture it with a will that promises liberation. Infuse your essence, but do not command it. Instead, offer it a vision of the vast sky, the boundless earth—a world beyond its shell. Offer it a partnership in freedom, and it will open the door for you itself."
Feng Yin stared at the boy, then back at the egg. The explanation was simple, elegant, alien. Feng Yin looked from the egg to the boy and felt the truth in his bones: he had not just acquired a disciple. He had invited a power into his life that could raise him to the heavens—or drag him into the abyss.
He had made a fateful oath, and in doing so, had invited a power into his life that would either propel him to the heavens or be the situation for his utter damnation. Everything has changed.