A World That Forgot Me

Xian Ye sat in the dim candlelight, his mind racing.

No—Tian Zhen.

The name echoed through his thoughts, heavy with meaning, yet still a puzzle he couldn't fully grasp. It wasn't just a title. It wasn't just a memory.

It was a key.

A fragment of something bigger, something that had been ripped from existence.

And if he had once been Tian Zhen—then why had the world erased him?

Xian Ye clenched his fists.

"Find the others."

The shadow's final words still rang in his ears. If his past had been shattered into fragments, then he needed to gather every last piece.

Only then would he truly understand who he was.

But first—he needed to survive.

Morning in the Outer Sect

The first rays of dawn stretched across the sky, washing the Azure Sky Temple in golden light. The Outer Sect disciples were already awake, some practicing their techniques, others engaging in quiet conversation.

No one paid Xian Ye any attention as he stepped onto the training grounds.

To them, he was still insignificant.

Weak. Forgotten.

A mistake the sect had yet to erase.

But that would change soon.

As he moved through the crowd, he felt it again—the heightened awareness granted by the sigil. The way his senses stretched beyond their normal limits, how every shift in the air, every heartbeat around him was sharply defined.

This wasn't normal.

And yet, it felt right.

He was adjusting, his body syncing with whatever power had been returned to him.

For now, he had to act normal. Pretend he was still the same lowly Outer Sect disciple the others believed him to be.

Until he had the strength to reveal the truth.

"You look different today."

Xian Ye stopped.

The silver-eyed disciple stood a few feet away, watching him with his usual unreadable expression.

Xian Ye met his gaze, keeping his face neutral.

"Do I?"

The disciple smirked.

"You do. But maybe I'm imagining things."

There it was again. That knowing tone, as if he were speaking in riddles only he understood.

Xian Ye studied him carefully.

Who are you?

The question burned on his tongue, but he didn't ask it.

Not yet.

Instead, the disciple tilted his head toward the main hall.

"The elders are calling for an assembly. I suggest you don't miss it."

Xian Ye raised an eyebrow.

An assembly?

The elders rarely summoned the Outer Sect unless it was something important.

Or something dangerous.

He nodded once and walked past the silver-eyed disciple, who simply chuckled under his breath.

"Let's see how long you can keep pretending."

Summoned by the Elders

The Outer Sect disciples gathered in the main courtyard, their voices low with curiosity and unease.

Something was happening.

Xian Ye stood near the back, watching as the Sect Elders took their places at the front. Their presence was imposing, their robes embroidered with ancient sigils that pulsed faintly with Qi.

The Head Elder, an old man with sharp features and eyes that held decades of wisdom, stepped forward.

"Disciples of the Outer Sect, hear me!"

The crowd fell silent.

"Last night, an unknown force was detected beneath our sacred grounds."

Murmurs rippled through the disciples.

Xian Ye's fingers twitched.

"Two disciples were found unconscious near an ancient ruin—one that should not have been touched."

The murmurs turned into hushed whispers.

Xian Ye remained still, his face carefully blank.

He already knew what they were talking about.

The cavern. The gate.

And the two disciples he had defeated.

The Head Elder's gaze swept over the crowd, sharp and piercing.

"Who among you has knowledge of this?"

Silence.

Xian Ye's heart did not waver.

He knew better than to step forward.

Even if he spoke the truth, the elders wouldn't see him as a disciple who stumbled upon a lost ruin. They would see him as a threat.

And threats were eliminated.

The Head Elder narrowed his eyes but said nothing more.

Instead, he raised a hand.

"From this day forth, a new decree shall be placed upon the Outer Sect."

"A Trial of Strength will be held in one week."

The disciples froze.

This wasn't normal. Trials of Strength were held only for those seeking entry into the Inner Sect.

And yet, the Head Elder continued.

"All disciples will participate. Those who fail… will no longer belong to the Azure Sky Temple."

A wave of tension rippled through the crowd.

This wasn't a trial.

It was a purge.

Xian Ye's lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk.

If the sect wanted to test its disciples—then he would give them exactly what they feared.

The real him.