A Song For The Ages

Feiyin awoke slowly.

His mind was clear, his breath steady, and his body radiated a gentle warmth from the orb of essence he had fully refined. The knowledge granted by the spirit still echoed in his thoughts, the chakra awakening, the advanced alchemy methods, the secrets of elemental infusion. And above all, the image of that runic shield.

He had spent hours studying it, not just with his eyes, but with his senses. The rune etched upon it did not simply represent defense. It embodied the very concept of Earth, steadfast, weighty, unyielding. Looking at it felt like standing at the base of a mountain.

If someone had to visualize the essence of the element itself, this was it. Pure, raw, and eternal. Normally, when a person associates a word with a concept, an image forms in their mind, different for each based on memory, culture, and experience. One might think of dirt, another of mountains, another of a vast plain.

But this rune bypassed that subjectivity. It was universal. The moment one laid eyes on it, the message was clear: this is Earth. Not as an idea, but as an absolute. The rune conveyed it with such depth that even the most abstract thinker would feel grounded, anchored by something deeper than thought. It was Earth, in truth and in weight.

"It fascinates you," the spirit's voice came softly.

Feiyin nodded, still seated. "This... is what Earth must feel like to the heavens."

"Correct," the spirit replied. "This is Earth, in its true unshaken state."

Feiyin was silent for a moment, then asked, "Was this used to teach intent?"

"You are sharp indeed. Such runic artefacts are rare, but some noble descendants and talented individuals could indeed access them to try and learn an intent, though it remains difficult, as an intent is a deeply personal reflection of willpower."

Then, the spirit raised its hand again, and a strange fragment appeared, shimmering faintly with gold and engraved with a mark unknown to Feiyin.

"What is this?" Feiyin asked.

"A key," the spirit said, "to a sealed trial beyond these ruins. It will only respond when you awaken your first Chakra. That trial holds techniques and treasures preserved by the last imperial generation, a reward for those I deem truly worthy."

Feiyin accepted it carefully. The shard melted into his spiritual sea with a resonant tone, like a bell chiming deep within his soul.

Then, the spirit hesitated. "It is unfortunate," it said slowly, "that you do not possess even a trace of the imperial bloodline. Had you carried that legacy, I could have granted you the cultivation method of the imperial clan."

Feiyin looked up. "Imperial cultivation method?"

"Yes. It allows one to shape a unique cultivation spirit that awakens at the eighth phase, Spirit Infusion. Only descendants of the royal line could form the complete foundation compatible for it."

Feiyin's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "I've seen some references to the cultivation spirit in the jade slip, but I focused more on Elemental Infusion to prepare properly. What exactly is it?"

The spirit nodded approvingly. "At that level, your essence qi and Spirit fully fuse, creating a cultivation spirit, a secondary consciousness that enhances your Spiritual Strength, Willpower, and Qi Control. With it, your techniques can be amplified several-fold, and your Essence Qi becomes more flexible, adaptable, and potent."

Feiyin smiled slightly. "Then I'll create one of my own. A spirit that reflects my path."

The spirit gave a soft chuckle, deep and resonant. "That is the heart of true cultivation."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Then it tilted its head slightly, observing him with ancient calm. "Tell me, Feiyin, what have you learned of the empire, of how it functioned?"

Feiyin paused, then answered, "That it was built on strength and purpose, but also care. It protected its people with systems that ensured not just survival, but growth. Even the commoners had paths forward. It valued those who contributed, and it crushed corruption when it surfaced. The empire had many flaws, but... it tried to serve its people."

"Would you not like to build something like it?" the spirit asked softly. "You seem to care for your loved ones deeply."

The question struck Feiyin harder than expected. He blinked.

Because even if he burned down the sect and destroyed the master who implanted those worms, what then?

He would search for his family, yes. But could he truly ensure their safety? Could they live freely? Would another sect or tyrant not rise to threaten them?

Would he simply hide forever?

No.

He remembered Yue, Mo, Ren, his companions who had pledged loyalty through hardship. He remembered Hui, who died before her dreams could bloom. He thought of the Runeweaver Circle, of how their desperation turned into dignity. And of the orphans in Hu Zhao's capital, left behind, forgotten by those who ruled.

Could he change all of that now? No. But did he want to? Yes.

The thoughts had been there before, scattered like seeds.

Start a sect? An organization?

But now, something clicked, not as a passing idea, but as a foundational shift.

The empire had reached great heights because, in many ways, it had done things right. Not through brute force alone, but by creating systems that gave people a place, a path, a future. That understanding filled something hollow in his purpose. He had always known he wanted to destroy the sect's corruption, to save those he loved.

But what came after?

He couldn't just run. He couldn't just hide his family. Because the world wouldn't stop turning, and it wouldn't stop hunting.

And now, with the memory of those he held dear, he understood. This wasn't just about revenge. He had the power to build.

Something greater. Something lasting.

So why couldn't he do better?

The spirit remained silent, as though it, too, recognized the shift in his heart.

Then it said, "The other trials have now ended. All survivors will be sent out directly, so that no one knows what the other may have gotten. This will also protect your gains."

Feiyin nodded gratefully.

Closing his eyes, he adjusted the flow of oscillation through his body, tuning his essence signature. His skin shimmered faintly, aura reshaping itself to resemble someone who had just reached the mid-stage of the Qi Flow realm.

Staying at the same level after such a trial would only invoque suspicions, since being alive meant that you passed the trial, and this usually led to rewards. Having a small increase in strength would make things much more believable.

The spirit extended a hand, and light enveloped him once more.

Feiyin reappeared in a wide, sun-drenched open mine, outside the ruins' final gate. Cool air swept across the open plateau, the sky above shifting with clouds that no longer carried the pressure of the trials.

One by one, others began to reappear in columns of light.

Ba Shanyue materialized nearby, exhaling slowly, bruised but steady. He looked around, then met Feiyin's gaze and nodded.

Jue Qingling emerged in a soft gust, Fenlan at her side. Her gaze scanned the group quickly. When she noticed Feng Liu's absence, her eyes lit with satisfaction. "Good riddance," she muttered under her breath.

Ruan Lianhua followed, spectral blade at her back. Her gaze passed slowly across the courtyard, eyes narrowing when she noticed Feng Liu's absence. Her stare lingered on the space where he should have been, then drifted to Feiyin. She said nothing, only studied him for a moment too long before folding her arms.

Hu Zhao arrived flanked by a few battered soldiers, their gear dented and dusty. He glanced around, took stock of the living, and muttered something about survival odds improving without Feng Liu around.

The Red Lotus mercenaries gathered instinctively around the inner disciples. Their formation was disciplined, wary. Each group clustered close to their allies, silent agreements already forming between them.

No one said Feng Liu's name aloud. But all noticed. All remembered. But none mourned, since this was their way of life, and he wasn't particularly liked among them.

As the atmosphere settled, cultivators began comparing experiences in hushed voices. Most had gained something, a fragment of knowledge, a jade slip, a sense of growth. Suspicion and curiosity simmered quietly.

Feiyin kept his posture relaxed, his aura restrained. His body language and spirit signature radiated the believable pressure of someone who had merely broken through to the mid Qi Flow realm. Nothing exceptional. Nothing suspicious.

Then, without warning, the gateway behind them shimmered and collapsed into dust.

The trials were over.