Gene's reply—"I want nothing"—fell into the solemn Soul-Pacifying Hall like a stone dropped into a still lake, sending ripples of surprise through the gathered cultivators. Their eyes held shock, puzzlement, even suspicion.
At the head seat, Ji Lianyu's brows flickered with surprise before settling into a deeper, probing calm. His voice remained measured:
"Doing good without seeking reward is commendable. Yet, how can the world allow good deeds to go unrewarded? Think carefully."
Gene shook his head, his voice weary but firm. "If it had been anyone else, I'd have saved them too. Lady Ji is a good person, and the Soul Alliance acts justly. My wounds are mostly healed—soon, I'll be on my way."
Once again, he made clear his desire to leave, drawing a line between himself and the Alliance.
Ji Lianyu gave a slight nod, then after a pause, asked again: "Do you seek to join the Soul Alliance?"
Gene shook his head. After Feng Tianyu's hunt and the silent pressure he had felt in the grand hall, he had no fondness for this place.
"Do you have a personal request?" Ji Lianyu pressed, clearly hinting at Ling Yue.
Once more, Gene's refusal was firm. His feelings for Ling Yue were real, but he would never use her as a bargaining chip, nor would he put her in a difficult position.
Ji Lianyu's eyes lingered on him, then he asked the crucial question:
"Tell me then—do you wish to learn martial cultivation?"
This time, Gene did not immediately shake his head. What youth had not dreamed of sword in hand, roaming the world? His hesitation did not escape Ji Lianyu—or anyone else in the hall.
"The Flame-Arrow Sect possesses nine tiers of cultivation arts," Ji Lianyu said, his tone brooking no refusal. "The True Fire of Samadhi is the highest—ranked ninth, a supreme art. If you are willing, I shall grant it to you, in recognition of your valor."
Murmurs rippled through the hall. Many cultivators wore complex expressions: awe, envy, but above all—a trace of pity.
Gene's heart tightened. He had heard of this legendary art, and also of its reputation: near impossible to master.
"The True Fire of Samadhi?" he echoed, weighing the choice. To refuse would seem ungrateful before so many witnesses; to accept, he would be taking on a burden no one had carried to success in centuries. This reward was less a gift than a blazing brand—a dangerous hot potato.
Ji Lianyu did not allow him long to ponder. Seeing Gene's hesitation, he struck the gavel of decision.
"So be it. I hereby grant you the Flame-Arrow Sect's supreme art—the True Fire of Samadhi. May it reward your hardship and honor your courage."
From his sleeve, he drew a neatly folded silk scroll and sent it floating through the air. It drifted weightlessly until it landed before Gene.
"It is not that I withhold guidance," Ji Lianyu added, his tone layered with meaning, "but this method is too abstruse. I have studied it for decades without progress. To advise rashly would only harm you. You must comprehend it yourself. Take care—never rush for quick results."
Gene accepted the scroll with both hands. It felt heavy in his palms, weighted with more than ink and silk. Looking down at the legendary art, he felt no joy—only pressure, and the absurdity of being handed a burden disguised as reward. He bowed. "My thanks to the Alliance Leader."
The matter settled, Ji Lianyu gave no further words. After ordering Ling Yue to a period of reflection, he dismissed the assembly.
Tian Tongzi led Gene back to his quarters, his demeanor softer now, tinged with genuine sympathy. Gene followed silently, the scroll weighing like iron in his hands.
Back in his courtyard, he unrolled it. Dense ancient characters filled the silk, diagrams of energy flows complex beyond reason, each line radiating an ancient, fiery aura. He tried to follow the opening verse, nudging his breath along the suggested path. At once his blood felt blocked, his chest stifled, comprehension utterly beyond him.
No wonder no one had ever mastered it. This True Fire of Samadhi was less a gift than a polite way to push him to the margins of the Alliance.