The Aftermath and the Marks
The sterile white light of the transfer chamber dissolved, replaced by the familiar, muted tones of the Spirit Pagoda's observation deck. The profound silence of the simulated forest gave way to the hum of soul equipment and the rustle of anxious movement. Yao Xuan's body registered the shift with a wave of dissonance—the phantom pains from shattered scales and the deep, soul-deep fatigue were real, but the imminent, crushing threat of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was gone.
His mind, still operating on the razor's edge of combat focus, swiftly cataloged the reality. 'Killing it is impossible. Not now.' The analysis was cold, clinical. The bear's power, easily at the peak of the six-ringed Soul Emperor tier, its resistance to his draconic suppression, and its horrifying speed painted a clear picture. Surviving three blows had been a triumph of evasion, bloodline defense, and the Ancestral Dragon Shattering Void Step pushed to its absolute limit. It had drained over eighty percent of his reserves.
Yet, as he blinked, adjusting to the light, no discouragement settled in. Instead, a quiet, fierce anticipation kindled. 'The second bloodline limit break. The Soul Elder rank. That will be the threshold.' The gap, while vast, was not infinite. It was a mountain to be climbed, not an uncrossable chasm.
"Brother Xuan, are you alright?"
Tang Wulin's voice, thick with concern, was the first to break through his reverie. The younger boy was at his side in an instant, eyes wide.
"Boss, what were you thinking?" Xie Xie exclaimed, though his usual levity was undercut by genuine alarm. "Standing your ground against that? My heart's still trying to restart!"
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi crowded close, their expressions a mix of awe and residual fear. "We thought you were paste for sure, Captain."
Before Yao Xuan could formulate a reassuring reply, a gentle, cool presence intercepted his senses. Gu Yue had stepped forward. She didn't push through the boys; they simply made way for her, as if her quiet intensity commanded it. Her silver eyes, usually pools of composed observation, were now scanning him with a laser focus that missed no detail—the pallor of his skin, the subtle favor of his right arm, the shallow, controlled rhythm of his breathing.
Wordlessly, she reached out. Her fingers, slender and cool, brushed against the back of his left hand—the one not hanging stiffly at his side—not in a dramatic grip, but in a brief, firm press of connection. It was a gesture of grounding, of silent confirmation that he was truly here, whole. Her touch was a balm and a spark, cutting through the post-battle fog with startling clarity. In her eyes, he saw the storm he'd glimpsed from the platform: fear, now receding, replaced by a deep, analytical concern and a question.
"I'm fine," he said, his voice rougher than he intended. He directed the words to everyone, but his gaze held Gu Yue's for a heartbeat longer, offering silent reassurance. "Just… needed to test a limit."
"Yao Xuan!" Long Hengxu's approach was less subtle, the administrator's face etched with stern reproach. "That was recklessness of the highest order! You recognized the Terrorclaw Bear! The spiritual feedback from a 'death' against such a entity could have fractured your foundation!"
Yao Xuan met his teacher's gaze, contrition blending with unshakable certainty. "I know, Teacher Long. I apologize for the worry. But… my bloodline. It wasn't just impulse. There was a… pull. A challenge it demanded I face. I judged the risk to my spirit was within my capacity to bear." It was the closest to the truth he could offer without exposing the system.
Long Hengxu's frown deepened, caught between frustration and fascination with the mysteries of a top-tier bloodline. Gu Yue, however, gave an almost imperceptible nod. The explanation aligned perfectly with her own theories—the Dragon God's legacy within him stirring, seeking to confront powerful challenges to accelerate its awakening.
"Consider this a severe warning," Long Hengxu sighed finally, the anger bleeding into weary concern. "Your life and potential are not currency to be gambled lightly. Now, let's get you all checked over."
As they turned to leave the debriefing level, their path was intercepted. A group of Spirit Pagoda officials in dignified robes approached, their demeanor a blend of professional polish and keen interest.
"Teacher Long, Teacher Wu," the lead supervisor began with a courteous nod. "We observed the assessment feed. Extraordinary performances, truly. The Spirit Pagoda is always seeking promising talent. We would be deeply interested in discussing future recruitment possibilities with these outstanding students."
Long Hengxu adopted a politely regretful mask. "My apologies, Supervisor. These students are under exclusive long-term development contracts with our academy. Their paths are currently committed."
The supervisor was undeterred. "Perhaps a letter of intent, then? Preferential resources, guaranteed access to our advanced Spirit Ascension Platforms—it would be a significant support to your academy's own expenditures."
Before Long Hengxu could formulate another refusal, a wave of palpable, icy aura emanated from Wu Changkong's still form. The temperature in the corridor seemed to drop several degrees.
"They are children," Wu Changkong stated, his voice flat and final as a sheet of glacier ice. "Their focus should be on growth, not contracts. The discussion is over."
The supervisor paled, the words freezing in his throat under the silent, crushing pressure of a high-rank Soul Master's displeasure. With stiff nods, the group retreated.
Back in the familiar classroom, the atmosphere shifted to one of tense expectancy. Wu Changkong stood before them, his gaze sweeping over each student, lingering on Yao Xuan's still-tense posture and Gu Yue's attentive silence beside him.
"Now," he began, "for your performance evaluation."
"Yao Xuan." His eyes locked onto the captain. "Leadership: exemplary. You coordinated the team, prioritized collective growth over personal gain in distributing the spiritual energy, and made strategic decisions that ensured survival and success. For these aspects, a flawless score is warranted."
He paused, the weight of his next words filling the room. "However, a Soul Master's greatest strength is a disciplined mind. In the final encounter, you allowed an external influence—even one from your bloodline—to override tactical judgment. You engaged an enemy you had zero probability of defeating, risking catastrophic spiritual injury. Power must be mastered, not allowed to master you. For this lapse in control: a deduction."
Wu Changkong's gaze was not angry, but relentlessly instructive. "First assessment score: 95."
Yao Xuan absorbed the score without protest. It was fair. The 300 Evolution Points were a secret victory, but the lesson was a necessary one.
"Gu Yue." Wu Changkong's tone shifted, a hint of approval beneath the coolness. "Vice-captain. You provided seamless battlefield control, adapted your role between support and offensive force multiplier without instruction, and demonstrated composure under extreme pressure. Your performance showed minimal flaws. Score: 98."
A near-perfect score. Gu Yue inclined her head slightly, but Yao Xuan saw the flicker in her eyes—not pride in the grade, but a quiet satisfaction in the accurate assessment of her capabilities.
The evaluations continued, each a capsule of sharp observation. Tang Wulin's steadfastness despite his lower power (80). Xie Xie's agile, disruptive tactics (85). Zhang Yangzi's solid, reliable defense (83). Wang Jinxi's improved positioning and follow-through (85).
"We all passed!" Tang Wulin whispered, a grin breaking through his serious expression.
"Do not celebrate prematurely," Wu Changkong cut in, his voice dousing the budding relief. "This was only the first subject. The second will be substantially more demanding. You have one week. In that time, you will fully integrate the insights and power from your evolved soul spirits. Dismissed."
The group filed out, the buzz of conversation starting up—about scores, about the terrifying bear, about the strange recruitment attempt.
Yao Xuan hung back slightly, the aches in his body more pronounced now. As he stepped into the hallway, he found Gu Yue waiting, her pace matching his as they fell behind the others.
"Your assessment of Wu Changkong's evaluation?" he asked quietly, making it a shared intellectual exercise.
"Accurate in its logic," she replied, her voice low. "Though it undervalues the data gained from confronting an extreme variable. The risk carried its own strategic worth." It was the Gu Yue analysis.
Then, after a moment of silence where their footsteps were the only sound, she added, her voice softer, "The crack on your ulnar scale cluster… is the subluxation reduced?"
It was the Na'er-infused concern, remembering his old injuries from Aolai City, now applied with precise anatomical knowledge.
"It's healing," he said, offering her a tired but genuine smile. "The 'data' was worth it."
A faint, almost invisible curve touched her lips in response. No hand was held, no dramatic gesture made. Just two figures walking side-by-side down the academy corridor, bound by shared trials, silent understanding, and a promise of challenges yet to come. The first trial was over. The next awaited.