Chapter 34: The Silvermoon's Test: Blade Against Wind
The main training ground of the Silvermoon Sect hummed with latent spiritual energy. Disciples, clad in pristine white, practiced their 'Moonlight Arts,' their movements fluid and precise. All eyes, however, were now fixed on Liam and Disciple Feng. The challenge was clear, a direct test of Liam's rumored strength.
Disciple Feng, his face alight with a condescending smirk, drew a shimmering silver blade. It hummed faintly with spiritual energy, reflecting the moonlight even in the daytime. "Liam of the Outer Reaches," Feng scoffed, his voice carrying just enough to be heard by the surrounding disciples, "let us see if your 'pure core' is more than just a myth. Prepare yourself for the 'Moonlight Blade Arts'!"
Liam remained calm, his expression unreadable. His Golden Core Middle Stage pulsed, ready. He knew this spar wasn't just about winning; it was about demonstrating controlled power, enough to earn respect without revealing the cosmic depths of his true capabilities. Sael and Lyra stood at the edge of the training ground, their gazes fixed on Liam, Sael's eyes sharp with concern, Lyra's filled with unwavering faith. Elder Luna watched from a raised platform, her expression impassive, assessing.
"As you wish," Liam replied, his voice even. He didn't draw a weapon. His fists were his tools, and his 'Celestial Wind Arts' his true weapon.
Disciple Feng, taking Liam's lack of a weapon as an insult, snarled. "Arrogant fool! Then face my blade!"
With a burst of speed, Disciple Feng launched forward, his silver blade a blur of moonlight. His 'Moonlight Blade Arts' were swift and precise, each strike aimed at a vital point, cutting through the air with chilling efficiency. His Golden Core Middle Stage power channeled flawlessly into his blade, creating shimmering crescents of spiritual energy that tore through the very air.
Liam met the onslaught with his 'Celestial Wind Arts.' He moved like a phantom, his body weaving and flowing, dodging each razor-sharp strike by mere inches. He didn't just evade; he used the subtle currents of the wind, guided by his star-mark perception, to subtly alter Feng's attacks, making them miss their intended mark by the slightest margin. His movements were ethereal, effortless, making Feng's furious attacks seem clumsy in comparison.
"What?!" Disciple Feng roared in frustration as his precise blade strikes repeatedly found only empty air. He was faster, more agile than any Outer Reaches cultivator he had ever faced. "Stand still, coward!"
Liam, maintaining his calm, decided it was time to respond. He channeled his Golden Core into his fist, but instead of a direct 'Ocean Blast,' he infused it with a refined burst of wind energy. He let Feng's blade graze his shoulder (a superficial touch, barely registering), then, in that moment of contact, he unleashed a sudden, precise 'Wind Palm Strike' to Feng's solar plexus.
WHOOSH!
The strike was deceptively gentle, yet carried a powerful, focused force. Disciple Feng gasped, his eyes widening in shock as the wind energy precisely impacted his spiritual core, disrupting his circulation. He felt a sudden, sharp pain, and his 'Moonlight Blade Arts' faltered. He stumbled backward, dropping his blade, clutching his chest, his face pale. His cultivation didn't drop, but his internal spiritual energy was in complete disarray.
The surrounding disciples gasped. Disciple Feng, a renowned Golden Core Middle Stage expert of the Silvermoon Sect, defeated with a single, seemingly gentle, unarmed strike? It was unheard of.
Elder Luna, watching from above, felt a flicker of profound awe in her cold eyes. Liam's control, his precision, his unique integration of wind energy – it was artistry. He had defeated Feng without causing any permanent injury, merely disrupting his spiritual flow. This showed not just power, but mastery.
"Unbelievable!" one disciple whispered. "He didn't even draw a weapon!"
Disciple Feng, recovering slightly, glared at Liam, his face flushed with humiliation. "You... you tricked me!"
Liam merely offered a slight, knowing smile. "It was merely a spar, Disciple Feng. Your 'Moonlight Blade Arts' are indeed formidable, but perhaps rely too much on direct confrontation." His words, though polite, carried a subtle lesson.
Elder Luna descended from the platform, her gaze now intensely focused on Liam. "Remarkable, Liam," she stated, her voice devoid of its usual reserve, replaced by a genuine admiration. "Your control over spiritual energy, your agility, and your unique application of wind arts are truly exceptional. You handled Disciple Feng with both power and restraint. You have indeed proven your worth." Her eyes sparkled with renewed interest.
The surrounding disciples, their arrogance shattered, now looked at Liam with a new respect, even awe. He was not just an 'Outer Reaches barbarian'; he was a hidden genius, a true master of cultivation.
Over the next few weeks, Liam's status within the Silvermoon Sect shifted dramatically. He was no longer just an 'honored guest'; he was an enigma, a source of profound fascination. Elder Luna personally granted him access to more advanced sections of the sect's library, including texts on profound spiritual formations and unique energy manipulation techniques. She often sought him out for discussions, probing his insights, and subtly testing his understanding of cultivation principles. Liam, in turn, subtly absorbed her vast knowledge of the Silvermoon Sect's refined spiritual paths, adding it to his ever-growing understanding of the Star Emperor's Scripture.
He continued his cultivation, working diligently to overcome his Golden Core's subtle 'stickiness.' He now had access to higher-grade spiritual herbs and unique elemental ores from the sect's vast reserves. He tried various methods suggested in the Silvermoon Sect texts, attempting to 'soften' his core, but while they helped, they didn't completely resolve the issue. He realized his unique cosmic core required an equally unique solution, one that perhaps only the Star Emperor's Scripture truly held.
Meanwhile, Sael and Lyra also benefited greatly. Sael, with her deep combat experience, quickly impressed the Silvermoon Sect's combat masters, honing her whip arts and refining her Golden Core Middle Stage techniques. Lyra, with her profound knowledge of spiritual ores and energy, found herself working closely with the sect's artifact forging elders, sharing her insights and discovering new applications for the Azure Star Ore. Both women, however, never forgot their primary purpose: to support Liam in his ascent.
The unspoken dynamic between Sael and Lyra continued to develop. They were allies in their shared devotion to Liam, but a subtle, almost imperceptible competition for his attention simmered beneath the surface. Sael, with her fierce loyalty and direct personality, often hovered near Liam, her presence a protective shield. Lyra, with her gentle wisdom and quiet observations, often found more subtle ways to support him, bringing him specialized teas or sharing profound insights that only she understood. Liam, subtly aware of this dynamic, found himself appreciating both their unique qualities and their unwavering support.
Days turned into weeks, and Liam's power grew steadily. He had learned much from the Silvermoon Sect, consolidating his Golden Core Middle Stage to an unprecedented level of purity. Yet, the final barrier to Golden Core Peak Stage remained, a subtle whisper of resistance. He knew that to break through, he would need something truly profound, something perhaps even the vast Silvermoon Sect did not possess. His cosmic core yearned for a deeper connection to the universal essence, a level of understanding that lay beyond the conventional.
He began to feel a familiar, subtle pull from his star-mark – a distant call, far beyond the Silvermoon Sect's territory, beckoning him towards a place of ancient cosmic energy, a place of profound revelation. It was a call that hinted at the deeper mysteries of his lineage, a call that promised the true path to the Star Emperor's ultimate power. He knew his time in the Silvermoon Sect was drawing to a close. The next stage of his ascent awaited, beyond the familiar, towards the truly unknown.