"I see," Elder Yun said finally. " You can stay in the sect and if you want to cultivate further that will be good." His expression was plain even his words.

  I nodded.

  "Chen Wu for now, let's proceed with the entrance examination." Saying this he turned and walked back into the hall as Chen Wu gestured for us to follow. "Big Brother Chen..." Just then Lin asked nervously. "Wasn't the examination scheduled for tomorrow?" But Chen Wu didn't answer him.

  Shortly afterwards we entered the registration hall — a large open space with high ceilings where several examination stations were set up with cushions for meditation arranged in neat rows each facing a small floating pedestal..

  Upon each pedestal rested a Spiritual Soul-Jade, a rough stone of milky white that pulsed with a faint mysterious energy. This was the testing stone, used to evaluate the aptitude, potential, and spiritual roots.

  And about a dozen other new students were already there, mostly teenagers and all looking nervous.

  Elder Yun stood at the front of the hall. "Today you will undergo three tests. First we assess your spiritual root quality and your potential for cultivation. Second we test your current cultivation level, if someone is..." his tone became serious. "Third, we evaluate your character."

  He then gestured to the various stations. "You will proceed in order — those with higher spiritual root quality will receive more resources and attention in your training but remember, quality of root does not determine your final achievement since hard work and dedication matter more."

  "Begin,"

  The new students started moving toward the first station — a testing stone that apparently measured spiritual root quality as one by one they placed their hands on it and the crystal glowed different colors.

  The five kids from Greenbrook went through — Mei's crystal glowed a steady blue, decent quality, while Lin's was pale green and average with the others being similar. Nothing exceptional but good enough and they looked relieved. Then it was my turn and I approached the testing stone and placed my hand on the crystal.

  For a moment nothing happened — then it glowed a very faint yellow, barely visible.

  The examiner—a middle-aged woman sneered "Spiritual root quality: Low grade. Minimal cultivation potential."

  I pulled my hand back."I... I see," and just stood there looking dejected.

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  "Proceed to the second test,"

  The second station measured current cultivation level as each student sat on a cushion and circulated their qi while an elder observed.

  The Greenbrook kids went first and all were confirmed as Mortal Realm — no cultivation yet.

  Then it was my turn again and I sat on the cushion — genuinely nervous now. The examiner, an older man with a long beard, sat across from me. "Circulate your qi," he instructed. "Let me sense your cultivation base."

  This was the moment I'd been thinking about for days — how to hide my Foundation Establishment cultivation, and the reason was simple: hidden cards were always better to have.

  The Mask of Sincerity skill could help but would it be enough to fool an elder? Probably not.

  I'd need assurance like something more than just a skill — something physical and real that could hide or drop my cultivation to a lower level and so last night while the others slept I had made a decision.

  I'd hurt myself.

  Not externally but internally — using my own qi to damage one meridian out of eleven, something no cultivator would ever willingly do since these meridians were everything.

  I had created scarring in my cultivation channel that would block qi flow and make my Foundation Establishment cultivation appear broken and crippled, something that might heal in three or four years though I wasn't sure — but this was the only way.

  It hurt a lot like swallowing broken glass and feeling it scrape the whole way down as I'd bitten through my own lip to keep from screaming my lungs out.

  But my cultivation was damaged.

  Back in the registration hall I circulated my qi slowly and let the elder sense my damaged meridians — his expression shifted from neutral to sympathetic.

  "Oh," he said quietly. "Oh, you poor soul." I opened my eyes. "Is something wrong?" "Your cultivation... it's been damaged and your four meridians are scarred." He shook his head sadly. "Body Refinement, yes, but barely — and I don't think you'll be able to advance further in your whole life."

  Success.

  let my face fall. "Those evil bandits... they tortured me and used cultivation techniques to..." I trailed off, my voice breaking slightly.

  "Sigh, the world is cruel." Saying this the elder stood up and walked over to where Elder Yun was observing and spoke quietly — I saw Elder Yun's expression shift and then both approached me. "Chen Wu told me you were imprisoned but he didn't mention they'd damaged your cultivation."

  "I didn't want to burden him," I said quietly. "He'd already done so much by saving me."

  Elder Yun studied me for a long moment.

  "We have healing elders," he said finally. "They may be able to repair some of the damage.. but that would not be possible right now."

  I bowed deeply but no words came out as if my silence was pleading for me. He looked at me for a long moment then walked away.

  I sat down in a corner and not long after Chen Wu came over after the examination moved to the third stage. " Fu Yang, why didn't you.."

  "It's ok Chen Wu, I didn't want to… " I said. "You saved my life.."

  "Still — if I'd known I would have brought you to a healing elder immediately." He looked genuinely upset.

  Good.

  After that he promised to try his best to heal me and then both of us moved to the third station.

  The third test was simpler — a series of questions about character, dedication and willingness to follow sect rules, easy to pass since all I had to do was say what they wanted to hear and spout some righteous nonsense.

  All the new students passed and Elder Yun stood at the front of the hall again. "Congratulations — you've all been accepted as outer disciples of Clouded Peak Sect and you will receive your robes, living quarters and basic resources. Training begins tomorrow at dawn." The new students including the five kids from Greenbrook looked excited — this was it, they were really going to become cultivators.

  Right then — "Fu Yang," Elder Yun suddenly called me over and I approached him as Chen Wu followed. "Your situation is unusual," Elder Yun said. "You're not technically a new student since you already have cultivation even if it's damaged — but you're also not a formal disciple to receive the healing treatment…."

  "I understand Elder — I don't need special treatment, I just need somewhere to stay while I—"

  "For that you'll be assigned to the outer disciple quarters," Elder Yun interrupted. "Guest housing would be inappropriate for someone who wishes to continue cultivating — you'll have access to basic resources and can attend open lectures and if the healing elders can repair your foundation we'll reassess your status."

  "Thank you, Elder Yun. I'm grateful."

  He nodded. "Chen Wu, show Fu Yang to the outer disciple quarters then report to me."

  "Yes, Master…"