Chapter Ten: The Spirit Display
That night, when Ling Yu returned to the small room reserved for outer disciples, he sat on his mat, trying to calm his energy after the day's events. He was applying the Elder's technique to conceal his essence so as not to attract attention.
But as he closed his eyes and entered a state of meditation, he suddenly felt his body sink into an endless whirlpool.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a dark, boundless space, with stars twinkling around him like a distant sea.
Suddenly, a soft laugh echoed, faint at first, then loud, like a hollow bell:
"Hahaha… Is this the Master of the Book of Sages? A fifteen-year-old who doesn't know how to protect himself?"
He quickly turned around, only to see that mysterious woman again, her white robes torn, her black hair flowing without a wind. Her face was half shadow, half light, and her eyes held endless mockery.
"You…" Ling Yu muttered, frozen in place.
She leaned closer, laughing lightly.
"How ridiculous… that the book would give me a weak disciple like you. In this sect, the likes of you will be crushed before you even grasp the meaning of cultivation."
Ling Yu clenched his fist, but received no response.
She continued in a more serious tone, her smile fading:
"Kid… if you stay like this, you won't live long. You'll remain hidden, then die without a trace. As for me, I have an offer for you."
She leaned closer, until he could almost feel a strange chill piercing his bones:
"I intend to accept you as my disciple. I will teach you techniques that even the elders of this sect couldn't dream of. But… there is a condition."
Her voice whispered in his ear:
"Find my true body. I was separated from it long ago, and what remains here is only my consciousness in this book. If you want my power… let it be your mission to return me to my body."
Ling Yu shuddered. The offer was both tempting and terrifying. Immense power could take him beyond the confines of the sect… but the price was unknown.
The woman smiled again and said:
"Think carefully, child. Remaining as you are means a slow death. If you accept… I will make you walk a path from which there is no return."
Then everything faded away, and he suddenly found himself back in his room, sweat covering his brow.
He sat panting, his eyes staring at the ceiling.
> "A mysterious teacher… a missing body… If I accept, I will enter into a game I don't understand. But… do I have any other choice?"