The bells of the Azure Sky Sword Hall rang across the sprawling compound, their deep chime signaling the end of morning practice. Disciples sheathed their swords and dispersed, chatting quietly as they headed toward the dining hall. But Lin Xuan remained where he stood, calm and motionless, his gaze resting on the distant mountains beyond the outer training grounds.
His Dao perception lingered on the faint streams of Sword Intent flowing through the peaks. The mountains held secrets—old ones. The Sword Hall had been built here for a reason. Even without the System, Lin Xuan could sense that. But today, something else tugged at his attention. A presence that moved with graceful certainty.
Someone strong.
Someone approaching him directly.
Lin Xuan did not need to turn to know who it was.
A soft breeze rustled the leaves. The footsteps were light yet powerful, the kind that came from a seasoned cultivator who no longer needed to project strength to be noticed.
When he finally glanced sideways, a young man stood there—tall, calm, wearing the black-trimmed robes reserved only for Inner Hall elite.
Yan Ming.
First Core Disciple of the Azure Sky Sword Hall.
A prodigy praised throughout the Xuanyuan Realm.
The youngest person in the last decade to touch the Vein Awakening Realm.
His eyes held a depth that came from experience, but they also held curiosity.
"I've been watching you," Yan Ming said gently.
Around them, several outer disciples froze, jaws dropping. Some began whispering; others stared openly in disbelief.
Lin Xuan simply nodded. "I noticed."
Yan Ming's lips curved slightly—not in mockery, but in genuine interest.
"You are calm. Too calm for someone who just started training in the Sword Hall. And your movements…" His eyes narrowed. "They carry a sharpness that cannot be taught in weeks. Even months."
Lin Xuan didn't speak.
Yan Ming studied him quietly, the way one examined a rare blade.
"Your sword step this morning… that was intermediate Sword Precision."
He folded his arms.
"Outer disciples do not comprehend that. Even many inner disciples don't."
A murmur spread through the watching crowd. Some disciples looked shocked. Others looked jealous.
Lin Feng, hidden behind a group of boys, trembled.
Yan Ming stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly.
"I want to test something."
His hand moved slowly—not summoning a sword, not preparing an attack.
Instead, he extended his hand, palm open.
An invitation.
The surrounding disciples gasped.
"That's…!"
"He's inviting him!"
"Is he really—?!"
The whispers rose into a wave of disbelief.
Yan Ming's hand remained steady.
"Come to the Inner Hall training grounds with me. I want to see your potential firsthand."
Lin Xuan's lashes lowered. He expected attention eventually—his growth was too rapid to hide. But the First Core Disciple himself approaching this soon?
It was earlier than even he predicted.
[System Alert: Major Event Triggered]
[Inner Hall Invitation — Difficulty: High]
[Reward upon acceptance: +25% cultivation efficiency for 48 hours, Skill Evolution Chance unlocked]
"Do you accept, Lin Xuan?" Yan Ming asked calmly.
The disciples held their breath.
This was the kind of opportunity that could propel a disciple into the spotlight—or shatter them completely.
Lin Feng's face twisted in horror as the implications sank in. If Lin Xuan stepped foot in the Inner Hall, everything would change. Status, protection, resources, talent evaluations—Lin Xuan would skyrocket beyond anything Lin Feng could ever touch.
Lin Xuan looked at the extended hand.
Calm.
Silent.
Composed.
"I accept."
A ripple of shock swept through the disciples. Even Yan Ming's eyes brightened slightly.
"Good," he said simply. "Follow me."
As they began walking, the whispers intensified.
"Outer disciple Lin Xuan was invited personally—!"
"Does that mean he's going to be an Inner disciple?"
"But he's only been here for days!"
"That doesn't matter. Talent is everything…"
Lin Feng stumbled backward, his breath shaking.
No… no no no. This isn't happening. He was supposed to die from the poison. He was supposed to be humiliated, crippled—anything but this!
Lin Xuan didn't look back at him. He didn't need to.
Lin Feng's fear resonated clearly through the flow of Qi behind him.
The Inner Hall rose ahead—taller, broader, woven with powerful defensive formations. The moment Lin Xuan stepped across the threshold, his skin prickled with the sensation of stronger Sword Intent swirling in the air.
Yan Ming noticed his reaction.
"You feel it, don't you?"
He smiled faintly.
"The Inner Hall trains with true Sword Aura. Not imitation. Not diluted Intent."
Lin Xuan nodded. His eyes trailed across the courtyard—disciples trained here with far more precision, their movements sharper and more lethal than anything in the outer grounds.
Even without trying, Lin Xuan felt a subtle pull in his core, as if his Sword Dao resonated with the environment.
Yan Ming stepped forward and turned to him.
"Show me your sword."
Lin Xuan drew it silently. No trembling. No hesitation. The blade reflected the morning sun, but his aura remained quiet, controlled.
Yan Ming raised his hand.
"No techniques. No Qi."
His gaze sharpened.
"I want to see your Dao with one strike."
The air grew still.
Inner disciples paused their training to watch.
Lin Xuan inhaled slowly, letting the System synchronize with his senses.
[System Boost Active: +20% Dao Flow Perception]
[Recommended Action: Perform a pure Intent strike]
He stepped forward.
A calm step.
A precise grip.
A silent swing.
No sound.
No wind.
Just clarity.
The moment the sword moved, the entire courtyard trembled faintly—so faintly that only trained cultivators would sense it. Yan Ming's eyes widened a fraction.
Lin Xuan's sword cut the air in a clean arc, and for an instant, the morning light bent along the blade's path.
Yan Ming exhaled slowly, his expression unguarded for the first time.
"…Perfect form. Perfect balance."
His gaze deepened.
"And a hint—just a hint—of Sword Intent."
The surrounding disciples stiffened in shock. One whispered in disbelief:
"He's… a monster."
Yan Ming slowly nodded, as if confirming a suspicion he'd held all along.
"Lin Xuan," he said quietly.
"From this moment onward, you are no longer an ordinary disciple."
He placed his hand on Lin Xuan's shoulder.
"Welcome to the Inner Hall."