Chapter 4: Aptitude Test
The square of the powerful sect was unusually crowded. Today, the sect was conducting the Heaven Fire aptitude test, a trial that determined who among the young generation had the potential to cultivate. The flames of the Heaven Fire roared, blue and gold, their heat radiating across the courtyard, testing every hopeful soul.
Jihan, now eleven, stood quietly at the edge of the crowd. His dark eyes were calm and calculating, as always. To the outsiders, he was just a clever boy — but inside, Jihan's mind had already begun dissecting the world's true rules.
Before Jahin, thirteen young cultivators had stepped into the flames. Every single one had perished, unable to endure the fire. Their screams and failures were still fresh in the sect's memory, a grim reminder of how deadly the trial was.
Finally, it was Jahin's turn. At fifteen, her reputation for talent had already reached the elders' ears, but none expected what was about to happen. She stepped into the roaring flames with calm confidence.
Time passed. Ten seconds… twenty… thirty…
Her posture never wavered, her breathing steady. Jihan observed every movement of his sister: the way her body absorbed the heat, the rhythm of her Qi circulating through her veins. With Rank 7 aptitude, Jahin's body was far above ordinary mortals. She could easily cultivate to Foundation Building, and her potential to form a Golden Core in the future was undeniable.
Minutes passed, and the crowd held their breath, remembering the thirteen lives lost before her. Finally, Jahin emerged from the fire, unharmed.
A stunned silence fell over the sect. Even the elders, who had seen countless geniuses, were shocked. "Rank 7…" the chief elder finally whispered. "A true genius. She… she survived flawlessly!"
The villagers and disciples around the square stared in disbelief. Jahin hadn't just survived — she had proven herself above most of the young disciples in the sect, her aptitude marking her as an exceptional talent.
Jihan's dark eyes remained calm. To him, it wasn't surprising — it was data. Rank 7 meant Jahin was strong, adaptable, and capable of mastering cultivation with far less effort than others. Observing her movements and reactions, Jihan began to analyze the patterns of the Heaven Fire, the cultivation stages, and the connection between aptitude and Qi refinement.
Strength is life. Weakness is death.
Even as the sect erupted in amazement, Jihan's mind was already working ahead. The system was dormant, but knowledge alone was power. By understanding aptitude, survival patterns, and Qi cultivation, he could plan strategies, predict growth, and prepare for the awakening of the system.
The Heaven Fire measures aptitude. Aptitude determines cultivation potential. With Rank 7, she can reach Foundation Building easily and may even form a Golden Core. And I… I will control everything beyond that.
Jihan's dark eyes remained calm, calculating, and precise. While the world celebrated, he silently prepared, every thought focused on mastering cultivation, aptitude, and the system itself.