The morning sun cast a golden hue over the Silvermist Ravine Sect, its rays filtering through the dense mist that clung to the towering peaks. The air was thick with anticipation as the sect’s central plaza filled with newly accepted disciples, their faces a mix of excitement and nervousness.

  Today was the day they would be chosen by the elders, a moment that could define their future in the world of cultivation.

  Han Wei, now fully inhabiting the role of Elder Han, stood among the gathered elders, his expression calm but his mind racing. The disciple selection ceremony was a pivotal moment, not just for the disciples but for him as well.

  His position as a guest elder was precarious, and his choice of disciples would be scrutinized by the other elders, especially Elder Zhang, whose gaze felt like a dagger at his back. Never had Han Wei felt quite so much like a fraud as he did now - waiting to select disciples who he would have to deceive.

  Elder Liu was the first to approach him. His countenance blank, but Han Wie could see lines of tension in his well muscled form. Elder Liu’s voice was smooth, but the edge of suspicion was unmistakable. "Elder Wei, it is unusual to see you so... restrained. One might think you were hiding something."

  Han Wei smiled faintly, his expression serene, having expected to be questioned far earlier than this. "Elder Liu, your concern is noted. But I assure you, there is no need for alarm. I am merely tempering my spirit."

  Elder Liu leaned forward, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Tempering your spirit? Surely, a cultivator of your standing and reputation has no need to do such a thing."

  Han Wei chuckled softly, the sound carrying a faint note of self-deprecation. "Even the tallest tree must bend in the storm. Recently I found myself on this cusp of attempting a technique that was... beyond my current grasp. It was only at the last moment that I realised the danger I was in.

  “It was a humbling experience, one that reminded me of the dangers of arrogance and the importance of humility."

  Elder Feng gave up his pretense of not listening and approached with a thoughtful expression on his gaunt face. "A technique beyond your grasp? That is unlike you, Elder Wei. What could have driven you to such recklessness?"

  Han Wei's gaze grew distant, as if recalling a painful memory. "Arrogance of course. And ambition. In this period of restraint I hope to temper myself to prevent from falling to such follies again."

  The two elders fell silent and exchanged glances. Elder Liu leaned back, an unreadable expression on his broad face, but Elder Feng nodded slowly, his eyes softening with understanding.

  "Humility is a rare virtue among cultivators," Elder Feng said. "It is commendable that you would choose this path, Elder Wei. Many would claim that the certainty required of cultivation precludes such things and I believe that they would be wrong.”

  Elder Zhang stepped forward at that lip curled in irritation at the sentiment. "A noble sentiment, Elder Wei. But let us not forget that in cultivation strength and reputation are paramount. Humility may temper the spirit, but it will not protect the sect from our enemies."

  “Ah,” Interrupted Elder Liu, “It looks like the ceremony is about to start. Perhaps we might discuss philosophy at a later time?”

  The gathered elders all seem to realise the same thing as their conversations ceased. Quiet swept over the entire plaza at some unseen signal.

  Sect Master Wu stood at the center of the plaza, his very presence commanding respect. His voice boomed across the square, silencing the murmurs of the crowd.

  “Today, we witness the future of our sect. Though newly accepted, you have all already proven themselves to be cultivators worthy of our sect - so do not despair if fate is not with you today.

  “You will face a series of trials designed to test your cultivation, your spirit, and your resolve. These trials will determine your future within our sect. Perform well, and you may earn the privilege of becoming a direct disciple, perform poorly, and you will be relegated to the outer sect.

  “Wherever you are placed, I am sure you will all find your own path on the road to ascension and make our sect proud.”

  The disciples exchanged nervous glances, their determination hardening. Despite the sect master’s encouraging words the stakes were clear. And none were willing to falter.

  While the new disciples were instructed in the tests, the elders retired to a large room in the nearby pagoda. Han Wei quickly realised why as an array came to life displaying real-time images from the trail areas. Jade slips were handed round containing both the disciples' estimated cultivation talent and their comprehension level from the entrance exam.

  It quickly became apparent to him that it would be impossible to watch all the trials. All of them were happening all at once, and each one could support at least a dozen disciples attempting the test at the same time. With his divine sense suppressed and lowered cultivation, there was no way he would be able to keep up.

  The disciples could apparently sign up for as many trials as they wished, but they could only attempt each one once. So Han Wei supposed the idea was that if a disciple was worthy enough they would be seen succeeding at something by at least a few elders.

  That or the depressing notion that they were leaving it up to fate.

  Han Wei observed quietly as the trials started, his mind working overtime to compensate for his blocked spiritual senses. He relied heavily on the jade slip in his hand, but it was a poor substitute for the spiritual insight he once possessed.

  The first trial Han Wei watched took place in the Field of Echoes, a huge courtyard filled with ancient stone pillars engraved with intricate arrays. The disciples were tasked with channeling their spiritual energy into the pillars so that they would resonate and the arrays would light up.

  It was a trial of both qi strength and control, as a pillar would only resonate if they could guide their qi through the hidden channels correctly. And as far as Han Wei could tell, each pillar was a unique maze.

  Han Wei watched intently as the disciples stepped forward. Only one, a young noble by the look of her, strode forward with any confidence. She placed her hand on the pillar, her spiritual energy flaring brightly. Within seconds the glyphs began to light up in a dazzling display, the resonance strong and clear.

  Elder Wei quickly glanced at the identifier for her - Chen Yue, according to the records she had high grade spiritual roots, excellent comprehension, and was already in the last stage of the Qi Gathering realm. He dismissed her as a potential disciple immediately. Someone that talented would be snapped up quickly by the other elders.

  He had to focus instead on those who performed above average. Good enough to not be outdone by typical inner sect disciples, but not good enough that another elder would select them before he had a chance.

  He watched as the next few groups attempted the test noting down names of those who might be a potential option. One boy had excellent control but little strength behind his qi, a girl had the strength to push her qi far up the pillar, but her control was so poor only a third of the glyphs lit up.

  He saw a boy placing his hand on the pillar, with a grim expression as if this were a test of endurance. The runes lit weakly where the resonance clearly faint, and the glowing runes were scattered across the pillar at random not even making it half way up.

  But Han Wei noticed something - the faint glow of the runes didn’t waver, even as the boy’s - Tie Zhu’s - energy faltered. There was a stubbornness in his spirit, a refusal to give up, it may be nothing but it caught Han Wei’s attention enough to look up the boy's potential.

  With a sigh he dismissed that boy too. With his spiritual roots and mediocre comprehension, this was a boy destined for the outer sect.

  After noting a few more promising disciples, Han Wei found himself moving on to watch the trial at the Garden of Endurance. He was less interested in the results of this test than he was in the array that was built into the manicured garden, but was disappointed when he figured out how it worked.

  It wasn’t anything like the cultivation grotto he had set up - the array was simply hidden beneath the garden and not integrated with the spirituality of the plants at all. The only point of interest to him was that the pathways themselves seemed to be an extension of the array not simply connected to it - something he could potentially copy in the future.

  The formations beneath the elegant garden were designed to sap the spiritual energy of anyone who entered while applying a steadily increasing pressure to anyone that tried to reach the center. The new disciples were simply told to collect a flower from the garden and that the deeper into the garden that their prize came from the better they would be scored.

  Any disciple entering must tightly hold onto their qi to resist it being drained from them while simultaneously using it to resist the pressure. It was an excellent test of endurance, focus, and ability to adapt under pressure.

  The array that allowed Han Wei to watch projected a panoramic view of the garden, allowing him to monitor the disciples’ progress in real time. Unlike the rest of the elders watching, his focus was not on how far these novices made it into the garden, but on the subtleties of their actions - how they handled exhaustion, how they strategized under pressure, and how they adapted to their mistakes.

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

  The first disciple to catch Han Wei’s attention was a young man who upon discovering the effects of the array immediately changed his strategy from cautious exploration to raw speed. Chen Hao went from entering slowly as if prepared for an ambush to a full sprint in a moment of decisive action.

  Disciple Chen burst through the garden at full speed, his spiritual energy flaring as he sprinted down the pathways. Han Wei’s brow furrowed as he watched the young man’s reckless approach play out.

  He’s burning through his energy too quickly, Han Wei thought to himself. He won’t last.

  Sure enough, Chen Hao’s flaring of his cultivation left him vulnerable to the garden’s formations. As the enchantments sapped his energy, he began to slow, his movements becoming sluggish and uncoordinated.

  Clearly realising this, he grabbed a nearby flower and turned to leave, only to stagger under the pressure. He pushed himself down the pathways, but even though the pressure was lessening as he tried to leave, it was too late. Han Wei watched him collapse from exhaustion, completely drained of his qi.

  Han Wei sighed, shaking his head. The boy’s impulsiveness was a glaring flaw, but there was potential in his boldness. If he could learn to temper his recklessness with patience, he might yet become a capable cultivator. For now, however, he was not the disciple Han Wei was looking for.

  He made note of a few more potential options when watching this trial. A boy that walked with slow determination both into the pressure and back out, someone who clearly knew the boundaries of their own strength and had the wisdom to stay within them. And a girl who used a strange ribbon technique to snatch a flower from deeper into the garden than she could manage to go on her own.

  She had used an innovative solution, but one that nearly caused her to collapse from qi exhaustion on the way out. The girl, Xiao Lan, walked out of the garden with the stiff movements of a puppet, and Han Wei suspected that the only thing keeping her upright was her pride.

  Han Wei turned away from the garden trial at last and went to view one of the most esoteric trials known as the Mirror of False Reflection.

  The Pavilion of Mirrors was a place of quiet dread for all disciples of the sect no matter how long they had been here. This was a place of spirit tempering and no amount of martial training or cultivation strength would help here, the challenge of the mirrors remained just as difficult no matter how many times one passed their test.

  At first glance the test appeared to be composed of thirteen mirrors set on top of an array. But after devouring all of the information on arrays that he could access Han Wei could tell that the array was not controlling this challenge. No the array was simply providing qi to the treasure that he was beginning to suspect was just one mirror somehow split thirteen ways. Thirteen was the number representing growth through challenge after all.

  Each disciple who stepped before a mirror was confronted by a reflection of themselves - not as they were, but as they could become. The mirror showed their deepest desires mixed with their greatest fears, and the paths they might take to get there.

  The task was simple: step through the mirror.

  The mirror wouldn’t stop any of the disciples from stepping through, this trial was deeper than that. While this would serve as spirit tempering for the disciples, the elders watching would instead be looking at how they reacted to the realities of being a cultivator.

  The elders might not be able to see exactly what the treasure reflected for each disciple, but they could judge strength of spirit and the array they were using to view the trial would relay some hints at what the disciples were seeing.

  Han Wei watched as a young master strode up to one of the mirrors with a swagger, confident in himself. And saw his stride falter and his mouth open in shock and horror at what he saw. The characters representing his reflection showed ‘losing face’, ‘following in their shadow’, and ‘severing the roots of heritage’

  Whatever the boy actually saw, the image was clearly a direct challenge to his sense of self, and his face twisted in anger.

  “No! This is nonsense!” he shouted, “I refuse to accept this!” He lashed out with his fist against the mirror, but it simply rippled as his fist passed through it easily.

  The boy’s bravado faltered, before he stepped through the mirror passing easily through it, his face flushed with shame and eyes wide. Han Wei sighed inwardly, That was not a good showing for him.

  It seemed that a huge number of the disciples were attempting this trail. Perhaps out of the misconception that because everyone was able to pass through the mirror then everyone was able to pass?

  Whatever the cause there was still a vast number of them waiting to take the trail even at this late stage.

  Han Wei noted one boy who seemed terrified, even before he started. He stepped forward hesitantly, his thin frame trembling slightly as he approached one of the mirrors. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, and his eyes darted nervously between the mirror and the ground.

  It seemed as if this one at least had the good sense to take the test seriously.

  The boy - Lan Feng - nodded to himself in resolution, though his face was pale and it was clear he was unsteady. He took a deep breath and took the last step forward to stand before the mirror.

  ‘The burden of un-asked for hopes’, ‘The solitude of the chosen’, and ‘The weight of eternity’.

  Lan Feng's breath hitched, and he almost took a step back, his eyes wide with fear. But not surprise. Han Wei noted with interest. He expected this.

  Lan Feng hesitated, his gaze fixed on the reflection - whatever he was seeing was clearly painful for him to view. But then, slowly, he straightened his shoulders. His hands unclenched, and he took a step forward through the mirror.

  Han Wei nodded to himself. There is potential there, one the other elders might not see. And as he was musing on this his eyes fell upon another boy taking the trial.

  Tie Zhu, the boy from the first trial he had watched. He approached the mirror with his jaw set and his eyes focused. The characters for his reflection barely had time to form on the array ‘hardship’, ‘sacrifice’, and ‘relentless struggle’ before he nodded and stepped through the mirror without any hesitation at all.

  Han Wei’s eyes narrowed at this. In a world where inborn talent often overshadowed character, Tie Zhu’s determination was a rare trait indeed.

  After hours of watching the trials take place and avoiding small talk with the other elders - something that they seemed to expect from him which was a relief - the event finally came to an end. They assembled in the sect’s central plaza once again, this time though the enthusiasm of the new disciples was tempered with exhaustion.

  Sect Master Wu stepped forward once more. “The elders that wish to select disciples will now announce their choices. Should you be selected your sect token will warm when your name is called so there is no mistake.

  “After the selection, those invited to the inner sect will find their sect tokens will change colour to white. If you are not selected and your token does not change, do not despair. This is merely the first step in your journey. You should return to your accommodation and reflect on the lessons that you may have learned from today’s trials.

  “And now I invite the elders to step forward.” He gestured magnanimous to the assembled elders behind him and more than half stepped forward.

  Han Wei had a sneaking suspicion that half these so-called ‘direct disciples’ that would be selected would be instead trained by other disciples. There was no way this many elders could select disciples every year and still be able to train them individually.

  The elders announced their choices by seniority, and there had been no private discussion beforehand on who would be choosing who. Elder Han suspected that instead of watching the trails some of the elders had simply been making deals on who could select who from the lists on the jade slip.

  The first disciples chosen were all from the top ten of the talent measurement list confirming his suspicions. And when Elder Zhang’s turn came he made no pretenses otherwise, his voice dripped with false modesty as he chose the two disciples with the very highest measured cultivation talent.

  “I will take Li Ming and Zhang Wei,” he declared. “Their potential is undeniable, and I am certain they will thrive under my guidance.”

  Han Wei wondered how many of these elders were simply choosing disciples to deny them from other elders. If he succeeded in keeping his place here, he was going to have to figure out the politics and factions of the sect before he got caught up in something deadly.

  Elder Mei was the first to break from the trend, choosing two disciples with average spiritual roots, but who both had scored well on their comprehension tests. Presumably they had caught her eye in one of the alchemy related trials that Han Wei hadn’t had time to watch.

  Surprisingly Elder Feng also broke with the trend, choosing a single disciple from criteria that escaped Han Wei entirely. According to his jade slip that disciple he chose would only barely have qualified for the inner sect.

  One by one, the elders made their choices, leaving Han Wei, as merely a guest elder, with the last pick. He had memorised a list of potential choices, disciples with good quality spiritual roots and high comprehension that might be overlooked and who had caught his eye in the trials. And one by one he saw his choices whittled down.

  When it was finally his turn, Han Wei stepped forward, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew his choices would be scrutinized, and he had to be careful.

  Han Wei took a deep breath and made his decision. “I choose Xiao Lan, Lan Feng, and Tie Zhu,” he announced, his voice steady despite the dismayed murmurs that rippled through the crowd from those not chosen.

  Sect Master Wu closed the ceremony with a few more words of encouragement before leading the elders and their direct disciples away from the plaza.

  As they left Han Wei suddenly found himself walking beside Sect Master Wu himself. Before he could think of what to say the sect master turned to him with a serene expression on his ageless face.

  “An interesting selection, Elder Han. Xiao Lan and Lan Feng are strong choices, but Tie Zhu… What made you select him?”

  Han Wei met the Sect Master’s gaze, his stern expression masking the worry that flowed through him. “Strength of will is the foundation of true cultivation. Talent can be nurtured, but determination is something that cannot be taught. I believe Tie Zhu has the potential to be a gifted cultivator.”

  The Sect Master nodded at the response, his expression as unreadable as ever. “Very well. May your disciples thrive under your guidance.” And with that he stepped away to exchange words with some of the other elders.

  Han Wei had to hold himself back from glancing back at his disciples. He had to trust that they were following and comporting themselves with dignity.

  Elder Zhang approached him next with a smile as sharp as a blade. “A bold choice, Elder Han. I hope you are prepared for the responsibility. After all, strong mentorship is crucial for the growth of our disciples. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  Han Wei met Elder Zhang’s gaze, his expression calm. “Indeed, Elder Zhang. Strength of leadership is as important as strength of will. I am confident in my choices.”

  He couldn’t help but notice that Elder Zhang’s eyes were flat and cold, totally divorced from the expression on his face.

  “We shall see Elder Han.” And he turned away. Han Wei watched him go, a sense of unease settling in his chest, what Elder Zhang had meant by that he had no idea. He was not sure why Elder Zhang had approached him at all, but after the warning from Elder Feng, Han Wei had to assume that he was hostile for some reason.

  If only I could remember why! Han Wei thought with frustration. He could not afford to be dragged down by sect politics, not yet. Not until he had a way to recover his strength.

  Before he knew it he had reached his doors to his courtyard, and Han Wei was forcibly broken free of his thoughts. He turned to his new disciples, and tried to soften his expression.

  “Welcome to your new home. The path ahead will not be easy, but I promise to guide you to the best of my ability.”

  Lan Feng bowed deeply, his voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you, Elder Han. I will do my best.”

  Xiao Lan gave a formal bow, her expression was a perfect polite blank but somehow Han Wei still got the vague impression that she was judging him somehow.

  Tie Zhu gave a martial bow, rising quickly - his eyes burning with determination. “I won’t let you down, Master.”