The Hidden Truth

"Kneel before the elders."

The elder's voice rang across the courtyard, calm yet commanding.

I forced myself to move despite how my body was feeling somehow numb. 

 The golden light had faded, and the Life Stone.. now cracked, stood silently behind me.

I could feel the eyes of the sect disciples, the elders, and the masters. Some were shocked. Some were afraid. Most were suspicious.

No one had ever seen the Life Stone react this way.

I swallowed hard and lowered myself to my knees.

The selection ceremony was supposed to be very straightforward. Every disciple would touch the Life Stone. The stone would glow in different colors, revealing their potential and their place in the sect.

Blue meant they had weak talent.

Green meant average.

Red meant great potential.

And gold, which appeared only once every hundred years, meant they were destined for greatness.

But mine…

Mine had broken the rules.

The murmurs had died down, but the heavy silence still remained. The elders sat in a grand row on the stage, their expressions tense, they all fixated their gaze on me with their expressions unreadable 

Sect Leader Yan Zhaoxuan stood at the center, his face didn't show any expression at all, He hadn't spoken since he announced his decision.

Elder Jian Rong finally cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"The Life Stone… has shown an unusual reaction." His voice was steady, but I could sense the unease beneath it. "Such an occurrence has never happened before."

I lowered my gaze, waiting for their judgment.

Would they reject me? Would they see me as a threat?

Then, Yan Zhaoxuan moved.

He stepped forward, his long robes moved behind him and his silver hair was reflecting the sunlight as usual, making him look like a god. 

"The Life Stone's reaction," he said slowly, "is not a cause for concern."

The murmurs started again. I stiffened, looking up at him in confusion.

Not a cause for concern? But the stone had cracked.

Yan Zhaoxuan turned his gaze toward the elders, his tone calm but firm.

"The stone's glow was bright, golden in color. That alone tells us what we need to know," he continued. "She has immense talent, beyond the level we have seen in recent years."

I held my breath.

Was he… hiding the truth?

Elder Jian Rong hesitated. "But the stone.." 

"Cracks in the Life Stone have appeared before," Yan Zhaoxuan interrupted smoothly. "It is rare, but not impossible. The stone simply reacts strongly to a powerful soul."

Lies.

I knew it. The elders knew it.

But who would dare question him?

Sect Leader Yan Zhaoxuan was the strongest cultivator in Jinghua Sect. His words carried more weight than the stone itself.

Slowly, the murmurs died down.

Elder Jian Rong gave a slow nod, though his expression remained tight. "If the Sect Leader believes so, then we shall not question it."

And just like that… the truth was buried.

A New Identity

Yan Zhaoxuan turned his gaze back to me.

"You will be granted the title of Core Disciple."

A gasp spread through the disciples.

Core Disciples were the most elite of the sect. Normally, only those with red or golden glows were chosen. But never had someone skipped the ranking system entirely.

He continued, "From this day forward, you will train directly under me."

I inhaled sharply.

Everyone froze. Even Elder Jian Rong looked startled.

Direct disciples of the Sect Leader were rare. Only one had existed before and he had become the strongest cultivator of his generation.

This was more than just an honor.

This was power.

The other disciples were staring at me with a mix of surprise and resentment. Some looked furious. Others… afraid.

But I couldn't focus on them. I bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Sect Leader," I said quietly.

He didn't respond.

"Rise," Elder Jian Rong ordered.

I obeyed, feeling my knees shake slightly.

Yan Zhaoxuan turned away,

 his robe fluttered as he walked toward the temple's inner halls. And he said one more time without looking back, with a voice full of authority and power. 

"Come."

I hurried after him, my heart still racing.

Where to? Obviously his grand palace, he had lived there alone for centuries. 

The path to the palace was steep and winding. It was located high above the sect, just adjacent to a floating mountain 

No one was allowed here except him.

But now, I will stay here too.

As we reached the top, the grand doors opened silently before us. The air was thick with power, as if the walls themselves were alive.

I hesitated. Was I really allowed here?

Yan Zhaoxuan walked ahead without waiting.

I followed, stepping onto the polished stone floor. The palace was vast yet simple. No unnecessary decorations, no gold or jewels.

Only serenity and power.

At the end of the hall, he stopped.

"Your quarters will be across from mine," he said. "You will train under me directly."

I nodded, still unsure what to say.

Then, for the first time, he turned to face me completely.His gaze had an intensity which made my breath stop for a moment. 

"You must never speak of what happened with the Life Stone," he said.

I swallowed.

So he really had hidden it.

"But… why?" I asked.

He was silent for a long moment. Then.. 

"The sect is not ready for the truth," he said simply.

I shivered.

What did that mean?

Was I dangerous? Was there something inside me that should never have been revealed?

"Rest for now," he continued, turning away. "Training begins at dawn."

I bowed slightly. "Yes, master."

As I entered my new room, my mind was filled with unanswered questions.

But one thing was clear.

Yan Zhaoxuan had chosen me.

And now, my life would never be the same.

No it cannot remain the same. 

Later That Night

I couldn't sleep.

The palace was so quiet, but the power inside me wouldn't settle. I pressed my palm against my chest, feeling a strange warmth there.

The Life Stone had awakened something.

And Yan Zhaoxuan… he knew what it was.

I sat up.

Maybe I wasn't ready to know the truth yet.

But soon…

I would find out.