The vast training square of the Sea of Stars Sect pulsed with anticipation. Early dawn sunlight painted the jade tiles in molten gold, and tall banners embroidered with constellations fluttered against the morning sky. Hundreds of disciples gathered in orderly rows, their faces a mixture of excitement and nerves.
At the center of the square stood a massive crystalline orb, mounted upon a pedestal of black stone carved with star patterns. Veins of silver light ran through the orb's surface, and every few breaths it pulsed—sending ripples of spiritual energy through the air. This was the Spirit Orb, the ancient artifact that revealed the hidden truth of every disciple's Sea of Ocean.
Every youth in the sect had dreamed of this day. With their left hand, they would place their palm on the orb and infuse it with qi. The orb would then glow, showing the color of their Spirit Root—from the common red to the legendary black or white. With their right hand, they would awaken their destined path: whether as a mage, warrior, summoner, or, in the rarest cases, an alchemist.
The outcome would determine their future.
Elder Wu, his long silver beard stirring in the breeze, stood beside the orb in majestic star-embroidered robes. His presence was calm yet commanding, every disciple instinctively listening as he spoke.
"Today, disciples of the Sea of Stars Sect," Elder Wu began, "your fates shall be revealed. The Sea of Ocean within you shall awaken. Some of you will rise as warriors, brandishing weapons of spirit and steel. Others shall command flame, wind, or water as mages. Still others will bond with beasts, walking the path of the summoner. And a rare handful… perhaps one in a generation… will awaken as alchemists, balancing flame and earth to forge miracles."
A hush fell. Even the youngest disciples, usually restless, stood wide-eyed and still.
Elder Wu continued, his voice echoing like a temple bell:
"Your Spirit Root determines the strength of your foundation. Red is weak and unstable, orange stronger, yellow the first spark of potential. Green is steady, blue is genius, indigo shines brighter, violet is rarer still, and cerulean purple is brilliance few sects see in a century. Beyond them exist only two legendary roots—white and black. No living man has seen them, yet history records their bearers as figures who shook empires and bent fate itself."
The disciples' breaths quickened. Whispers darted through the crowd, some filled with envy, others with desperate hope.
Among them stood Li Shen, his heart pounding like a war drum. For two years, he had trained harder than anyone. Today would prove whether that effort had meaning. To his right, Zhao Feng stood with hands clasped behind his back, calm and confident, while Mei Lin nervously pressed her fingers together, her eyes flicking between the orb and the elder.
"Step forward one by one," Elder Wu said. "Let the truth of your Sea of Ocean be known."
The first disciples tested quickly: green, yellow, a single blue that drew admiring gasps. Then Elder Wu's gaze softened as it fell on Mei Lin.
"Mei Lin, step forward."
She inhaled deeply, smoothing her white robes, and walked to the pedestal. The murmurs died down; Mei Lin was beloved among her peers for her beauty and diligence.
Placing her left hand on the orb, she closed her eyes and sent her qi outward. For a moment, the orb was still—then woooom—it blazed with a brilliant blue glow, waves of light rolling across its surface like an endless sea.
The square erupted.
"Blue! Fifth-tier Spirit Root!"
"A genius! Mei Lin is truly blessed."
Elder Wu nodded with approval.
"A fifth-tier root. Remarkable. Mei Lin, your path will not be ordinary."
But the ceremony was not over. At his signal, she raised her right hand and channeled qi once more. A shimmer appeared in her palm—first, the cool flow of water, then a radiant beam of light. The two elements intertwined, pulsing in harmony.
Gasps rang out.
"Dual elements?!"
"Light and water—how rare!"
Even Elder Wu's usually serene expression flickered with surprise before softening.
"Dual elements… Mei Lin, you are a jewel of the Sea of Stars Sect. Work hard, and you may illuminate the path of many."
Mei Lin blushed as she bowed, pride glimmering in her eyes. But when she turned, her gaze sought Li Shen in the crowd, as though silently asking if he had seen her success.
"Zhao Feng," Elder Wu called.
The youth strode forward confidently, his expression calm, his aura steady as a mountain. Unlike Mei Lin's nervous grace, Zhao Feng exuded certainty—as if he already knew his destiny.
He placed his left hand upon the orb. Instantly, the crystal blazed with a dazzling violet light, brighter than any before. The crowd gasped as one.
"Seventh-tier! Violet Spirit Root!"
"A rare genius has appeared!"
Elder Wu's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Violet… a seventh-tier root. Zhao Feng, you are destined for greatness."
Zhao Feng's smirk grew as he raised his right hand. A shimmering sword of pure qi appeared in his palm, sharp and radiant.
"A warrior," Elder Wu declared. "And your spirit manifests as a sword—your path will be sharp and unmatched."
The disciples cheered wildly, some in admiration, others in envy. Zhao Feng bowed with perfect composure, then turned his head just enough to glance at Li Shen. His smirk deepened, his violet aura still flickering faintly—as if mocking Li Shen already.
---
The Shadow of Expectation
More disciples followed, but none rivaled Zhao Feng's brilliance or Mei Lin's dual awakening. Whispers spread like wildfire.
"Zhao Feng and Mei Lin… what a pair of geniuses."
"Didn't Mei Lin's engagement tie her to Li Shen? Poor boy. If his root is weak, he'll be nothing but a joke."
"Effort is meaningless before talent. Li Shen trains harder than anyone, but so what? Roots are heaven's gift."
The words struck Li Shen like arrows. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.
Then Elder Wu's voice rang out once more.
"Li Shen. Step forward."
The square grew deathly silent. Mei Lin's hands tightened nervously, her lips pressed together. Zhao Feng crossed his arms, violet light still faintly glimmering about him.
Li Shen swallowed hard. Every step toward the pedestal felt like dragging a mountain. Yet he raised his trembling left hand toward the Spirit Orb.
Li Shen stood before the Spirit Orb, his hand trembling above its glowing surface. All around, the courtyard of the Sea of Stars Sect fell into silence. Every disciple's eyes were locked onto him. Whispers died. Even the air seemed to still, heavy with expectation.
He had dreamed of this moment for two years. He had trained harder than anyone, endured sleepless nights, and pushed his frail body past its limits. He had believed, deep in his heart, that his efforts would shine today, that the heavens would not betray him.
But now, with Mei Lin's fifth-tier dual roots and Zhao Feng's seventh-tier violet root blazing in everyone's memory, the weight of comparison pressed down on him like a mountain.
"Go on," Elder Wu said gently, though his eyes betrayed no special expectation.
Li Shen drew in a shaky breath. He placed his left hand firmly on the orb and sent his qi forward.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened.
Gasps spread like wildfire.
"Non?!"
"He doesn't have a spirit!"
"How is that possible? He trained so hard…"
Laughter followed swiftly, cruel and sharp. Some disciples covered their mouths, others whispered openly.
Zhao Feng's smirk deepened.
"So this is the boy everyone thought might rival me? Pathetic."
Mei Lin's eyes widened in horror. Her lips parted as though to speak, but no words came. Her hands trembled at her side.
Elder Wu's brows furrowed, his voice laced with disappointment.
"No spirit no hope for cultivation."
The words echoed like thunder in Li Shen's chest.
But the ritual was not yet complete. "Show your path at least if you awakening a weapon you will be able to become a warrior," Elder Wu commanded.
Li Shen swallowed hard. With great effort, he raised his right hand, willing his qi to respond. His palm flickered weakly… then nothing. No flame, no weapon, no beast. Just emptiness.
The square erupted in cruel laughter.
"He didn't even awaken a path!"
"Spiritless and rootless. What future does he have?"
"To think Mei Lin was betrothed to him. What a waste."
Li Shen's vision blurred. His ears rang, drowning out the laughter, yet he could feel every mocking gaze piercing him like knives. His chest constricted, shame and despair twisting within him until he could barely breathe.
Elder Wu sighed, his voice flat.
"Li Shen, you may step back. With no spirit root, no awakening, your path will be bitter indeed. Whether you remain in the sect or return to your village… that is for you to decide."
The words shattered the last piece of Li Shen's fragile hope.
Stumbling back, he lowered his hands, unable to meet anyone's eyes. He had imagined becoming a mage, a warrior, perhaps even a summoner. He had dreamed of protecting his mother, of carving a place in the sect. Now, all of it crumbled like sand through his fingers.
In the crowd, Mei Lin's eyes filled with pity, but before she could step forward, Zhao Feng moved beside her. His violet aura shimmered faintly as he leaned closer to her and whispered something Li Shen could not hear. She froze, torn, before forcing a smile at Zhao Feng—one the entire square could see.
The sight pierced Li Shen deeper than the laughter.
His fiancée's smile, not for him, but for Zhao Feng.
His chest tightened until he thought he would suffocate. The cheers for Zhao Feng, the whispers about Mei Lin, the pitying glances—they all blurred together into a storm of shame and despair.
He clenched his fists until his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. Yet he felt nothing.
In that moment, Li Shen wished he could vanish.
But deep within, unseen by all, a faint pulse stirred in the depths of his Sea of Ocean. A soundless echo, ancient and patient. A whisper of something vast and hidden.