Whispers floated through the wind, scattered among the trees and steps of the Immortal Living Pool Mountain, but none could silence the awe left behind by Kent’s ascent. His quiet defiance had not gone unnoticed. Among the many discussions swirling across the summit, one truth had settled deeply: Kent was no ordinary disciple.
After his miraculous arrival, the elder who had first announced the trial descended from the clouds once again, his white robes fluttering like a calm wave over a still pond. His voice was steady, though filled with a layer of intrigue, as he addressed Kent directly. “Disciple Kent. While others continue to struggle, you shall sit and meditate before the Stone Statue of the Water God. Absorb its blessings, and calm your mind. The true tests are yet to begin.”
Without resistance or question, Kent gave a short nod and turned away, his throne disappearing into motes of golden lightning. He approached the massive stone statue resting in the eastern portion of the summit—a serene depiction of the Water God with closed eyes and a hand raised in silent benediction.
As Kent neared it, a rush of life energy enveloped him. It was like stepping into a garden of mana. He could see the flow—threads of green, blue, violet, even golden mana gently swirling around the statue like curious spirits.
Sitting cross-legged, he entered the lotus position. His eyes slid shut without hesitation, and his breathing slowed until it became one with the rhythm of the mountain. He didn’t rush to cultivate. He simply watched. Observed. Let the natural world reveal itself.
Below and behind him, the climb continued. The mountain groaned with effort and will. Cries of exertion and flashes of light streaked across the steps as more disciples fought upward, pushing their last reserves of spirit energy to reach the summit.
Another day passed before the first wave neared its end. Blood stained many of their clothes, and faces were pale with exhaustion, but pride still shone in their eyes. Nine hundred disciples—each tested by soul and stone—had reached the top with grit.
Still, the elder had not spoken again. He simply waited, arms folded behind his back, face half-turned to the horizon. Three more days passed.
At the break of the third dawn, with the mountain veiled in a gentle mist and the air thick with anticipation, the elder raised his voice once more.
“You may rise, Disciple Kent,” he said firmly.
Kent opened his eyes slowly, still sitting at the feet of the Water God statue. He stood, nodded once again, and walked without a word to the gathered crowd, now grown to exactly eighteen hundred.
The elder swept his gaze across the assembly, his tone grave but commanding as he addressed them all.
“You are the one thousand eight hundred who have reached the summit. From tens of thousands who began, you stand here… bloodied, battered, but not broken. You have passed the first gate.”
A pause followed—long enough for everyone to take pride in their achievement—before the elder continued, and the sharpness in his voice returned.
“But let it be clear… the real test begins now. And only half of you will remain after it.”
A ripple of unease spread across the group. Several disciples shifted uncomfortably. A few scoffed under their breath. But most stood still, their ears keen, their hearts already steeling for what was to come.
“The trial will be divided into three phases,” the elder explained. “The first will test your cultivation aptitude, magical control, elemental affinity, weapon mastery, and any secondary talents you hold—whether alchemy, talisman-making, spiritual beast subduing, or weapon forging. You will be evaluated by the Mind Stone of the Water God, a divine relic birthed from the Immortal Living Pool itself.”
Murmurs broke out immediately. One disciple raised his hand, a boy with wide eyes and a shaky voice. “Elder, how does the stone evaluate so many traits all at once?”
The elder smiled faintly, pleased by the curiosity. “The Mind Stone is not a mere measuring device. It reads not your actions, but your potential. The mana within it recognizes your elemental resonance, calculates your spiritual control, your mental clarity, and even the compatibility of your talents with your destiny.”
Another hand shot up. This time a girl with a silver braid. “What if someone hides their abilities or holds back? Can the stone still see through that?”
“More than see through it,” the elder replied. “It will record such an attempt as an act of cowardice. Your score will reflect not your skill, but your intent.”
A tall youth yawned, trying to hide his boredom. The elder’s smile faded immediately.
“You there,” he said, pointing directly at the yawning disciple. “You may think yourself clever, or uninterested—but the mountain remembers. And the Water God does not favor the indifferent. Be warned: carelessness is its own punishment.”
The boy stiffened, eyes wide now with a fear he hadn’t expected to feel.
The elder turned back to the rest, his voice steady. “The second test will be fate reading. The Mind Stone will show a glimpse of your future—not for you to alter, but for the mountain to decide your worth. Many believe strength can override fate. But fate is not a rope. It is a river. You may swim faster, dive deeper, even build a boat—but you cannot stop it. Those whose fate is shallow or destructive will be cast out.”
A heavier silence followed. Fate was a subject most cultivators preferred to ignore. To be told that even their future would be measured—it was unsettling.
Finally, the elder raised his hand and spoke with finality. “And the third test will be combat. One elder… full strength… no restraints. You may use everything you have, but you will not hold back. If you fall, you fall. If you succeed, you earn your place on this sacred mountain.”
Kent, still quiet among the disciples, listened with calm focus. These tests had already been described to him by the lady at the Night Moon Inn. Yet hearing them now, seeing the pressure wash over the crowd like an unseen tide, stirred something different. He wasn’t worried. He was… curious.
He wanted to see the Mind Stone closely.
