Chapter 8: Elder Qiu’s Interview

The spiraling path up Elder Qiu's peak was quiet, lined with lantern-lit pine trees swaying under the starlight. Lin Ho walked alone, each step deliberate. The pressure of dozens of powerful auras pulsed from the mountaintop, but none unnerved him.

The moment he reached the courtyard, a powerful yet calm voice rang out.

> "Enter."

Lin Ho stepped through the grand wooden doors and found himself in a simple room. A low table, two meditation cushions, and a tall old man in white robes sat cross-legged, sipping tea.

Elder Qiu of the Qingye Sect. A Soul Transformation cultivator with the title of "Wind Watcher."

> "Sit."

Lin Ho did as asked.

The elder regarded him for a long time, then finally spoke.

> "You shattered the crystal during the root test. Your movements and Qi—unfamiliar, unnatural. Tell me, where did you learn to cultivate?"

Lin Ho met the gaze without flinching.

> "My cultivation technique was passed down from my grandfather. Lin Tianzhen."

At that name, Elder Qiu blinked. A ripple of respect entered his expression.

> "The War Sage… one of the Fifteen Heroes. I see. That would explain a few things."

> "Yes, Elder. He raised me after my parents vanished in a secret realm."

The old man nodded, but his eyes remained sharp.

> "And your bloodline? There is… something ancient in it. Are you aware of its nature?"

Lin Ho lowered his gaze slightly, voice calm.

> "I don't know, Elder. I only awakened it when I turned fifteen. It responds to my cultivation, but I have no idea what it is."

That wasn't a lie. It was a calculated truth.

Elder Qiu studied him another moment, then let out a long breath.

> "...Very well. Keep your secrets. We all have them. The sect does not ask what cannot be answered — only that its disciples remain loyal."

He lifted a scroll and passed it over.

> "This is your token. From today, you are an outer disciple of Qingye Sect. Due to your special circumstances, you've been granted a solitary residence near the Mistfire Pavilion. You may begin cultivating within sect grounds immediately."

Lin Ho bowed respectfully.

> "Thank you, Elder."

As he turned to leave, Elder Qiu added one last thing:

> "Beware of envy, Lin Ho. Those with unclear roots and strange power often draw fire. Cultivation is as much survival… as it is advancement."

---

Later That Night – Mistfire Pavilion Outer Residences

Lin Ho stood on a wooden balcony overlooking the distant mountains. Mist curled along the stone paths like living silk.

He sat down cross-legged, the token beside him, and activated his cultivation technique again.

The Chaos Spiral in his core responded instantly, drawing spiritual Qi into his body—not from one direction, but from all around him, like a maelstrom absorbing reality itself.

His meridians expanded slightly again. Not enough for a full breakthrough, but enough to push him to the peak of Early Meridian Forging.

> "I'll catch up to them. No… I'll surpass them."

---

Meanwhile – Unknown Location, Far Beyond the Sect

In a sealed cavern beneath a dead volcano, a cloaked figure holding a jade scroll slowly opened his eyes.

> "Lin Tianzhen's grandson… has entered the sect."

Another voice behind him rasped like stone scraping glass.

> "Then the game begins. If he truly holds what we suspect… the heavens will shift."

> "He must never awaken fully. Not before we are ready."