A Path Unseen
Her words left me with an unsettling feeling, but I pushed it aside for the moment.
After taking a deep breath, I headed toward the sect's library.
The library stood as an ancient testament to time, its vast walls steeped in a history that seemed to echo through the air. Its aura was oddly calming, as if the wisdom of countless generations had been woven into the very stones that held it up.
Inside, the silence was overwhelming, broken only by the faint rustling of pages. An elder sat at the counter, his presence both commanding and serene—like a mountain that could not be moved.
I approached him, asking for books on the basics of cultivation and the history of this realm. He studied me for a moment, then pulled two books from separate shelves, handing them over.
"Disciple badge?" he asked, his voice low yet firm.
I retrieved the badge Master Jing Xuan had given me and showed it to him.
Upon seeing it, his gaze softened in surprise. He nodded in acknowledgment, and with no further words, he dismissed me.
With the books in hand, I made my way to my cave abode.
Inside, I sat down, the weight of the books grounding me. I had to understand the world I had entered.
The texts revealed more about the The Eternal Sky Realm, where cultivators and mortals coexisted, was ruled by four sects and three beast clans.
**The Four Major Sects:**
- Eternal Star Sect
- Mystic Dawn Sect
- Rising Sun Sect
- Frozen Moon Sect
**The Three Beast Clans:**
- Skyfire Phoenix Tribe
- Celestial Wolf Clan
- Azure Roc Tribe
Cultivation here was divided into six levels:
1. Body Strengthening
2. Essence Gathering
3. Energy Transformation
4. Core Formation
5. Rebirth Soul
6. Divine Body
Each level was divided into three stages: Low, Middle, and Perfect.
I was in the Mystic Dawn Sect, one of the top sects. The Sect Master, Jing Xuan, was renowned for her extraordinary powers and was known as a Creator—one of the rarest and most revered individuals. It was said she had reached the Immortal Level of cultivation.
The Mystic Dawn Sect was divided into five Peaks. Four were led by Peak Masters, each with their disciples, while the fifth was reserved for the Sect Master alone.
Creators, like Jing Xuan, were revered throughout the sects and beast clans for their ability to create cultivation techniques. Their status was second only to the Sect Master.
The more I absorbed, the clearer the picture of this world became. I was part of something far larger than I could have ever imagined.
As I finished the texts, I looked out the window. The sky had shifted from its usual azure blue to a cascade of gold, pink, and deep crimson. The sun sank toward the horizon, casting its final rays across the land. The clouds shimmered, brushed with burnished gold, as though painted by divine hands.
The air carried the earthy scent of dusk—wild herbs, flowers, and the cool promise of night. The wind, once warm, now held a chill, like the breath of ancient spirits. The world seemed to pause, taking a collective breath before the stillness of night took over.
I let myself relax, walking into the courtyard and sitting down. I closed my eyes, soaking in the tranquility. My thoughts drifted, and before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep, peaceful sleep.
**YAWNNNN**
I woke up with a stretch, the weight of my impending meeting with Master Jing Xuan stirring a nervous excitement in my chest. After a quick bath, I took one last look at my humble abode and steadied my thoughts with a deep breath.
As I made my way toward the peak, the desolation of the surroundings struck me. No disciples, no other masters—just trees and a few animals. The other Peaks housed their respective Peak Masters and disciples, but the Sect Master's peak was different—isolated, untouched.
It hit me then: my master wasn't just any cultivator. She was the Sect Master of one of the Four Major Sects, which explained the elder's surprise when he saw my disciple badge.
A surge of excitement rushed through me. I was both honored and terrified. Jing Xuan was an immortal-level cultivator, one of the most powerful beings in the realm. What did she expect from me? Would I simply be a peaceful disciple, or was there more? Would I need to rise in power, fight, and shape the world as she saw fit?
But then again, what choice did I have? Refusing her was like refusing my place in this world.
As these thoughts swirled in my mind, I arrived at the entrance to her abode. My heart pounded in my chest. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, trying to calm my nerves.
Would this meeting decide my fate?
I entered, and immediately, I was struck by the ethereal figure of my master, Jing Xuan. She sat cross-legged on a cushion of delicate lotus petals, her aura serene yet commanding, like a tranquil sea hiding immense power beneath.
Her robes, a cascade of jade greens, whites, and pale blues, rippled like water with every passing breeze. Celestial symbols and blooming lotuses shimmered in the dim moonlight, reflecting her extraordinary cultivation.
Her long, dark hair was pinned with ethereal ornaments that sparkled like distant stars, and her very being radiated an aura that transcended mortal comprehension. She was an embodiment of grace, power, and wisdom.
For a moment, I stood frozen in awe. She was even more magnificent than I had imagined—an almost divine presence. Her beauty and power were overwhelming.
Then, she cleared her throat, the sound cutting through the stillness like a sharp wind. My trance was broken, and I quickly lowered my gaze in respect, embarrassed by my staring.
"Come forward," she commanded, her voice both clear and firm.
I stepped closer, my heart racing. The air around her shimmered, distorting as though reality itself was bending in her presence. It felt as if her very essence was woven into the fabric of the world, her cultivation beyond anything I had ever imagined.
Her eyes opened slowly. Deep as the abyss, they glinted with a faint silver light. They locked onto mine, holding no warmth, only an inscrutable gaze that seemed to pierce through me, through every layer of my being.
"You've inherited this body," she said, her voice calm but tinged with authority. "Yet you carry the weight of a soul not from this world. Do you understand the significance of that, Yi Lian?"
I swallowed hard, uncertain how to respond. Her words confirmed my fears—she knew everything. My voice trembled slightly as I answered, "I… I don't fully understand, Master."
Her brow arched in slight disappointment. "You cling to ignorance. Unwise. In this world, ignorance is death. But perhaps you are not entirely to blame. You are like a seed scattered in a storm—lost, unrooted, and powerless."
Her words stung, but I remained silent, biting back any retort.
"The Mystic Dawn Sect is no sanctuary. The weak are forgotten, the useless discarded. Tell me, Yi Lian—are you either?"
She stood gracefully, her robes whispering against the floor as she approached. I found myself unable to meet her gaze, the air between us thick with unspoken tension."
"You possess something… unusual." Her voice softened, but the weight of her words made my chest tighten. "Your soul has been tempered, twisted by forces beyond my understanding. It should have torn you apart upon arrival. But you survived. That makes you… interesting."
A translucent screen flickered into existence before her. My breath caught. No—this couldn't be happening. My system… She could see it?Cold sweat prickled my skin. Did she understand what it was? What it meant? Would she try to take it from me?
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
[HOST: YI LIAN]
[CULTIVATION: NULL]
[PASSIVE ABILITIES: APPRAISAL, MENTAL LOCK]
She studied the screen intently before it dissolved into the air. 'This system of yours,' she murmured, 'is an anomaly here. It offers power, yes, but at a price. In this world, only the strong can bear such burdens.
My fists tightened at my sides, heat flushing my cheeks. 'I refuse to stay weak, Master,' I declared, my voice trembling yet resolute.
Her lips curved into the faintest of smiles, though it was empty of warmth. "Bold words. But here, words mean nothing. This world respects only action and results. Your resolve will be tested. Your limits will be pushed. And if you falter… I will discard you without hesitation."
She stood, robes cascading like flowing water, and raised her hand. The space around us shimmered, reality itself distorting under her will.
"Follow me," she said simply.
I obeyed, my steps faltering. We ventured further into the labyrinthine passages of her cave, the walls adorned with enigmatic, glowing runes. A chill seeped into my bones as the light waned, leading us to an imposing set of ancient doors.
The massive doors throbbed with an ancient energy, their surfaces etched with intricate symbols that writhed and shifted as if alive.
"What lies beyond these doors," she began, her voice soft but filled with weight, "will decide whether you live or die."
I froze, my breath catching in my throat.
She turned to face me, her expression unreadable but her eyes carrying an intensity that made my knees weak.
"Do not disappoint me, Yi Lian," she said. With a flick of her wrist, the doors groaned open, revealing an abyss shrouded in swirling darkness.
A force slammed into me, ripping me from the ground. The world blurred as I was hurled into the abyss. In my final glimpse, Jing Xuan's smile lingered—calm, knowing, as if she had already decided my fate.