Invitation to the Inner Circle

Xiao Lian stood before the elder, her heart steady but her mind racing. The invitation to the inner circle was both an honor and a challenge. Those who entered were given access to high-level sect techniques, the kind of knowledge that could make or break a cultivator's path.

"Xiao Lian," the elder's voice was calm but commanding. "You have shown remarkable growth in a short time. But strength alone is not enough to earn a place among the elite. You must prove your worth by mastering the sacred techniques of our sect."

She bowed respectfully, her fingers curling at her sides. "I understand, Elder."

The room was dimly lit, the scent of burning incense thick in the air. Around her, several disciples of the inner circle watched with unreadable expressions. Some observed with mild curiosity, while others concealed their hostility poorly. Xiao Lian was not oblivious, she knew that many here had trained their entire lives for the honor she was being given. To them, she was an outsider, a mere cast out daughter who had somehow clawed her way into their world.

"Your first test is a formation array," the elder continued. "You will arrange the elements correctly and manipulate the flow of Qi without brute force. This will determine if you are worthy of learning the higher techniques of our sect."

A scroll was handed to her, its contents revealing a highly complex pattern of energy pathways. Xiao Lian studied it carefully. The array required a precise balance between offense and defense, with Qi flowing through designated points in a controlled cycle. The wrong placement could cause an imbalance, rendering it useless or, worse, self-destructive.

The disciples whispered among themselves as she stepped forward.

"She won't get past the first step," one murmured.

"She relies on luck," another scoffed. "True talent takes years to develop."

Xiao Lian ignored them, her focus entirely on the array. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the flow of energy in the room. Every formation had a rhythm, a heartbeat, and she needed to attune herself to it.

Slowly, she began placing the required elements, jade stones imbued with energy, small talismans that directed Qi, and golden needles that stabilized the structure. Each placement was precise, deliberate.

When she was done, the formation pulsed with a faint light, its energy flowing smoothly.

The elder observed her work with a neutral expression.

"Activate it."

Xiao Lian pressed her palm against the array and willed her Qi into it. The symbols on the floor glowed brighter, the lines connecting them humming with power. The energy didn't explode outward like a novice's work would have, instead, it folded inward, compacting and strengthening itself.

A perfect balance. Gasps filled the chamber.

"Impossible."

"She did it on her first try?"

The elder lifted a hand, silencing the murmurs. "You have passed the first test," he declared. "Now, for the second."

A new scroll was unrolled, revealing another technique, one that required her to shift the Qi around her into a defensive shield.

This time, Xiao Lian felt the tension in the room grow heavier. Even the most experienced disciples struggled with this technique. It was one thing to manipulate Qi within oneself, but to control the surrounding energy without dispersing it required absolute precision.

She crouched, pressing her fingertips against the cold stone floor. She could feel the traces of energy woven into the sect's walls, in the very foundation beneath her feet.

Gently, she reached out, not forcing the Qi, but coaxing it, guiding it. She shaped it into a barrier around her, feeling the massiveness of it settle like an invisible cloak.

The elder stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tested her defense with a pulse of his own Qi. The energy wavered but did not break.

His expression, unreadable before, now held the barest hint of approval.

"Enough." He withdrew his power. "You have proven yourself."

A murmur spread through the inner disciples, their reactions mixed. Some looked impressed. Others seethed in silence.

Xiao Lian rose to her feet, sweat dampening her brow. She had done it. She had secured her place in the inner circle. But she knew that the real battle was only beginning.

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The days following her acceptance into the inner circle were far from peaceful. Rumors spread like wildfire through the sect.

"She must have cheated."

"Maybe she seduced the elder to earn his favor."

"No one learns that quickly, she's hiding something."

Xiao Lian kept her head high, refusing to be drawn into the whispers. But the tension was unavoidable. Where once she had been merely overlooked, now she was outright resented. Some disciples refused to acknowledge her presence. Others sought to challenge her at every opportunity.

One evening, as she walked through the training grounds, a group of disciples blocked her path.

Leading them was Liu Cheng, a senior disciple known for his arrogance. And also the first girl who badmouthed her the day she stepped her feet here.

"You think you're special?" he sneered. "That you belong among us?"

Xiao Lian met his gaze steadily. "I don't think anything. I simply prove myself with my actions."

His smirk twisted into a scowl. "Then prove yourself now."

With a flick of his wrist, a surge of Qi shot toward her, a test, but an aggressive one.

Xiao Lian reacted instinctively. She shifted her weight, guiding the incoming energy away from her body rather than blocking it outright. The Qi dispersed harmlessly, leaving her untouched.

The watching disciples gasped. Liu Cheng's face darkened. "A lucky trick. Try blocking this."

He attacked again, this time faster, with sharper intent. Xiao Lian didn't falter. She wove her energy into a counter-pattern, redirecting his force away. Her own Qi snapped back at him, forcing him a step backward.

Humiliated, Liu Cheng glared at her. "Tch."

He turned and stalked away, his followers trailing behind him. The encounter had proven one thing—She was no longer an easy target.

Though the hostility around her grew, Xiao Lian refused to be cowed. She poured herself into training, mastering each technique given to her with relentless dedication.

Ji Ren noticed.

"You're pushing yourself harder than ever," he remarked one evening as they sparred in the courtyard.

Xiao Lian wiped sweat from her brow. "They think I don't belong here."

Ji Ren's gaze softened. "They're fools if they can't see what I see."

She smiled faintly, but the size of the rumors still lingered.

"Then prove them wrong," he said simply. "Not with words. With results."

Xiao Lian clenched her fists. He was right. She wouldn't waste time arguing with those who doubted her. She would rise so high that they would have no choice but to acknowledge her. And one day, they would see that She wasn't just another disciple. She was a force they could never hope to suppress.