The morning sun spread its golden hue across the Heavenly Blade Sect, shimmering against the glassy roofs and marble towers that reached into the skies. A gentle wind carried the faint scent of blooming spirit herbs from the gardens below, brushing past the courtyards where disciples were already beginning their early meditations. Amidst the tranquil rhythm of the sect, Zeref stood alone at the edge of the eastern training field — a vast stone platform etched with ancient inscriptions that faintly glowed under the sunlight.
He had spent a restless night thinking about the words of Miss Lin — her revelation about Aetherion, his identity as its heir, and the power that seemed to have recognized him. His heart still pulsed with questions he could not shape into words. When she had told him that she would begin testing him the next morning, he had barely slept, anticipation and uncertainty clashing within him like twin storms.
As the wind stirred his silver-black hair, he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, letting his spiritual energy flow through his meridians. He could feel it now — a faint hum, like the whisper of a distant star, responding to his heartbeat. It wasn't like ordinary spiritual energy. It felt ancient, cosmic, alive.
From behind him, a calm yet authoritative voice called out, "You're early."
Zeref turned. Miss Lin Zhiyao approached gracefully, her long azure robes flowing like water, her presence both ethereal and commanding. Her expression was calm, but her eyes — those piercing violet eyes — held an intensity that seemed to see through the layers of his soul.
"I couldn't sleep," Zeref admitted, trying to smile. "You said you'd test my potential. I guess I'm... anxious."
Miss Lin's lips curved faintly. "Anxiousness is good. It shows you care about what lies ahead. But remember, power without understanding is destruction waiting to happen."
Zeref nodded, swallowing hard.
Miss Lin stepped onto the platform beside him and lifted her right hand. With a single motion, the inscriptions beneath them began to glow brighter, forming complex patterns of light that pulsed like living veins across the stone floor. The entire ground seemed to awaken, responding to her command.
"This is the Celestial Gauge Formation," she said. "It's a formation that reads the resonance between your spirit and the essence of the world. For normal cultivators, it reveals their elemental alignment and potential level. But for you..." She paused, her gaze softening. "We may see something far beyond that."
Zeref stood at the center as the formation's light wrapped around him. Lines of glowing energy circled his feet, spreading upward in radiant streams. Miss Lin's fingers traced several symbols in the air, summoning runes that hung suspended like tiny stars.
"Focus your energy," she instructed. "Don't force it — let it flow. Allow Aetherion's essence within you to respond naturally."
Zeref closed his eyes again, placing his hand over his chest where the strange mark still faintly shimmered beneath his robe. He inhaled deeply and began to draw upon his inner energy. At first, it came hesitantly, like a stream breaking through ice. Then, suddenly, it surged.
The light flared.
Golden-white energy erupted around him, shooting into the air like an inverted pillar of light. The inscriptions underfoot blazed, and the floating runes shattered into motes of starlight. Miss Lin's eyes widened in astonishment.
This wasn't ordinary spirit energy. It carried weight — vast, unbounded, cosmic weight. The sky above darkened for a moment, clouds twisting into spirals as faint streaks of light, like stars, began appearing even in daylight.
Zeref gasped, feeling the force course through him, powerful and untamed. "It's... too much," he muttered, his knees trembling.
"Hold it!" Miss Lin commanded, her voice calm but firm. "Don't fight the flow — guide it. Remember what I told you about Aetherion — it's not a beast to control, it's a will to understand."
He steadied his breath, eyes glowing faintly with golden hue. Slowly, the energy around him began to settle. The pillar dimmed into a steady, pulsating aura that surrounded him like a mantle of starlight.
Miss Lin watched silently, her heart beating faster. So it's true, she thought. The Aetherion has recognized him fully. His energy surpasses even what the Codex described.
When the formation finally dimmed, Zeref exhaled heavily, sweat glistening on his forehead. "Did... did I pass your test?"
Miss Lin smiled faintly, though her tone carried a touch of awe. "Zeref Ying, your potential isn't something that can be measured by mortal formations. You've exceeded every known limit."
Zeref blinked, unsure how to respond. "Then... what does that mean for me?"
"It means you'll have to walk a path that no one has ever walked before," she said softly. "And that I must train you differently. If you cannot control this energy, it will consume you. But if you master it... you'll become the bridge between the mortal realm and the heavens."
He looked down at his hands, flexing them slightly, watching faint traces of light fade from his skin. "I never asked for this," he murmured. "I just wanted to find my place here."
Miss Lin approached him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "The heavens don't ask if you're ready, Zeref. They choose. All we can do is honor that choice."
For a long moment, silence settled between them — a fragile stillness filled with both fear and wonder.
Then, with a wave of her hand, Miss Lin conjured two floating orbs of energy that hovered between them. One glowed with pale blue light, the other deep gold.
"These are resonance spheres," she explained. "They will help you control the intensity of your Aetherion flow. Think of them as channels — one for your spirit, one for your body. You'll train by maintaining their balance."
Zeref nodded, his eyes fixed on the spheres. "Balance... between spirit and body."
"Exactly," she said. "Too much spirit and your body will collapse. Too much body and your spirit will dim. Remember this: Aetherion represents the equilibrium of creation itself."
As she finished speaking, she waved her sleeve, and the two orbs shot forward, surrounding Zeref. Instantly, the air around him thickened. It was as if the world itself pressed down upon him, testing his endurance.
He gritted his teeth, focusing, his aura flickering as the orbs spun faster. Sweat dripped down his temples, his muscles tightening, veins glowing faintly under his skin. Miss Lin stood silently, her gaze unwavering, watching as he struggled yet persisted.
Minutes turned into an hour. His body trembled, but he refused to yield. Finally, with a deep breath, he brought his hands together, merging the orbs into one perfect sphere — half blue, half gold — hovering before him.
A faint smile formed on Miss Lin's lips. "Very good."
The orb dissolved into light, sinking into Zeref's chest. He gasped as warmth spread through him, soothing the exhaustion that had weighed him down.
"You've taken your first step," Miss Lin said, her voice gentle now. "Your control will improve with time. Tomorrow, we begin the true cultivation — the Aetherion Harmonization Technique."
Zeref nodded, a quiet fire in his eyes. "I'll be ready."
Miss Lin looked at him for a long moment before turning away. As she walked toward the edge of the training field, her expression softened into something almost wistful.
The heir of Aetherion has awakened... but the world is not yet ready.
And as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a halo of gold over the sect's towers, Zeref stood beneath it, unaware that his light was destined to either save or shatter the world that had chosen him.
---
To be continued...