The first courtyard greeting him after entering was quiet, though not empty. The wind passed by him as it rustled the paper banners tied to bamboo poles, decorating the path leading into the Hollow Song Sect. Looking at them, he could see that they were all decorated with a different portrait of an animal, be it a fox, a turtle, a bear, or a raccoon, ‘dancing’ around a swirling motif. As for what they meant, he couldn't actually tell, but he was sure it was related to spirits. Although unsure, Siu already knew that the Hollow Song Sect had a specialization in taming and controlling the spirits of animals. Which was usually meaning that they tended to have a creature of the land, usually tamed by the cultivator, maybe capture it, before connecting to their spirits, linking the cultivator and the animal via a special bond... Only, it wasn't something that could be done carelessly, in case the creature outgrows its master and turns against them.

  Thinking about it, walking past the banners, he was sure the images on the banners probably represented some of the more famous spirits in the Sect's long history. Reaching a satisfying conclusion, he also reached the end of the road, causing him to stand in line with a few dozen other applicants beneath the open morning sky. Being the last to make it, the other youngsters eyed him curiously, causing Siu to just smile in the most friendly way possible at them, enjoying the crisp air that was slowly being mixed with a sweet scent of incense coming from somewhere further in. He flexed his fingers once, shaking off the stiffness in his joints, realizing that the smell itself acted as a refresher, refilling any energy they may have spent while completing the first test.

  Without overthinking it, he let it flow through his lungs, his eyes moving around the inner sanctum of his future home.

  The Hollow Song Sect's lands were sprawling, to say the least. There were multiple courtyards connected by open bridges running over rushing water. He could notice different towers bearing the sign of being home to meditation halls, and then there were barren, open fields for nothing but sparring. As for how deep it went, he couldn't tell, but he could see multiple roads leading further up the mountains, leading to who knows where.

  "If it is similar..." He thought, remembering something from years ago, but he didn’t pursue the thought. Just by thinking of it, he was sure that where they stood now was the lowest level of the Sect. Only the... entrance. It was for the weakest members of the Sect, where now dozens of new arrivals stood on painted stones, including him.

  "Close the gates!" A sudden shout arrived, with a sharp clap, coming from further away, up from the mountains.

  Glancing back from where he came, Siu saw how a ripple in the air manifested for a brief moment before becoming invisible to the naked eyes. It happened just when the sun finally rose up, right as the recruitment had ended, and the entrance would no longer be visible to further arrivals. Anyone still trekking would have to find their way back down on their own, even if they reach the gates of the sect.

  Turning his head back toward the source of the voice, he watched as a group of people arrived, coming down stone stairs from a road leading higher into the mountains. Elders. However, most of them wore it as a title and did not represent it literally, as not all the elders looked ancient, which was a surprise for him. Still, he kept his face calm, lookin at the broad-shouldered man walking as second of the group, who looked no older than thirty. Then, there was a tall woman at the back, head and shoulders taller than any of the others, with long, flowing black hair and a face that made her look like she was only a teenager... Maybe she was, but Siu didn't believe in that probability.

  Of course, there were others who wore their age openly, gray hair and wrinkles around their eyes, not hiding behind a facade of a long-past stage of their lives. Still, the powerful didn't age like the rest, only in their eyes. As the elders began to spread out, they started examining the new arrivals, testing their aptitudes, sometimes in groups and sometimes in one-on-one sessions.

  Siu didn't have to wait long either. Even being the last to arrive, it seemed that there was already a predetermined way they approached certain recruits. He wasn't surprised. He knew that the whole process was decided by the Sect's leaders ahead of time, so being singled out and to be amongst the first to be tested was something he expected.

  "You, step forward," the tall female elder said, pointing to an open space before her. Of course, Siu didn't make her wait or say it twice, nodding and walking before the woman, whom he had to lift his head to be able to look at her face. Being close to her, the woman’s posture exuded a kind of flow that was reminiscent of a creek running down the side of a mountain. She looked young, but her eyes were… experienced. Old even. Yes, she was elegant and youthful, but her gaze betrayed her actual age. "Name?" she asked when he arrived before her.

  "Siu. Just Siu," he repeated, the corner of his mouth slightly twitching, hoping there won’t be any more stupid jokes about that part. "I am from a family that has not made a name for itself. We were too insignificant to have a title."

  "I see. Well, that may change later." She smiled for a moment, nodding at him. "You can call me Elder Yan." She gestured to the painted stone on the floor right next to her. "Stand there. We will begin your aptitude test now."

  Taking his place, his test began with observation.

  She circled him slowly, eyes scanning his frame. There was unmistakable judgment in her eyes, grading his looks, posture, and eye movement, maybe even the way he was breathing in air. She was more like a craftsman inspecting a blade for imperfections than anything else. As Siu watched, her hand never moved, but he felt subtle waves of energy brushing against him, a kind of pressure that was pressing onto specific parts of his body, like invisible hands and fingers prodding him. It was beginning to feel... embarrassing.

  "Raise your arms." Came the order, and there was no time to think, only to follow her words."Roll your shoulders. Flex your fingers. Again. The other hand. Kick out. Hmh. Left-handed punch."

  Whatever she asked for, Siu obeyed, each motion smooth and precise to the best of his abilities. Then, the pressure on him began intensifying while her orders kept flying out, even when it became so high that his joints began creaking. Regardless... His posture remained steady, even as his movements became sluggish.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "Drop into a low stance. Knees wide. Hold."

  Sweating, he bit into his lower lip, and Siu sank into a basic martial stance, holding it without complaint. There was a slight tremble in his legs, but there was no shifting of weight, besides the one that Elder Yan was constantly putting on him. Then, as if knowing she reached the limit of Siu's current capabilities, the pressure stopped mounting... but it didn't go away. Still, she waited. Five seconds. Ten. Thirty. A minute.

  By now, Siu's breathing had stabilized, the trembling stopped, and his mind had adjusted, regaining a certain serenity. He knew what happened… a minor breakthrough, right here, right now. Maybe it was because this was not the first time… The test was different, but he felt a sense of familiarity. He was ready to be tested once again.

  "If I fall asleep like this, do I get bonus points?" He suddenly asked, forming a small smile, glancing at Elder Yan.

  His words made some of the other disciples and elders look towards him, quickly checking his posture, but Elder Yan didn't smile. Well… not openly, that is, but something in her eyes flickered. A moment later, she stepped back and tapped her finger once in the air, summoning a circular, golden formation beneath Siu’s feet. It quickly began rotating, and its color changed, becoming red and silver, flickering like a flame.

  "We will begin your resonance testing now," she said. "Remain still."

  Then, the formation activated, flooding his body with raw essence. It was as if water was rushing against his body as if he were standing in a river trying to sweep him off his legs. Yet, Siu just exhaled slowly, accepting the essence into his body and absorbing what he could refine from it. The issue was that it was someone else's already refined essence... It tickled at his bones, traced his muscles, and attempted to measure the limits of his flesh.

  For most, this step caused extreme strain… But… It was also a boon. The pressure built up gradually until it matched the weight pressing on from the outside, tempering his physique. Still, it was forcing the body to respond involuntarily, which included shaking, swaying, and some may even start vomiting as their blood began churning. However, adjusting to it perfectly, Siu just blinked his eyes, getting used to it the same way he got used to the 'weight' on his shoulders. It helped him solidify the minor breakthrough he had made earlier. No… breakthrough was not a proper word. It was that his body finally opened up, making him take the first step on a road he had eyed for years now.

  By then, Elder Yan frowned lightly and increased the pressure once again. She wasn't surprised by the fact that Siu was withstanding it... But by the fact he seemed to consume some of her essence, her refined essence... which should not be possible... She had to be mistaken. To be sure of that, she increased her output, and the formation turned brighter at once. The flow of essence became harder, denser, so much so that the air warped slightly between her and Siu.

  "Oh..." Siu smiled, feeling the change. "Feels like a hot bath. Not bad."

  More than a few heads turned after his comment this time around... By now, one of the other Elders had begun paying attention to him, besides Elder Yan, eying him curiously. At the same time, Elder Yan didn't speak, but she raised her hand again, and a second layer of formation flared to life above the first. It was an internal scan formation that sent pulsing threads of light into Siu's limbs like piercing needles. By now, she looked focused, and Siu did flinch, his left knees almost buckling, but he kept himself upright. As she was exploring Siu's body, she read the flickering glyphs silently and then again sent forth another volley of 'needles' just so her brow began twitching ever so slightly.

  "You've never cultivated before?"

  "No, not really." He answered, and although it was the truth, it was... a half-truth. He didn't cultivate, but others wanted him to...

  "You aren't lying..." She muttered, as right now, she could easily tell if he did. But there was something different in him… something that should not be present in someone who was nameless. A reaction like his, with adaptability and an understanding of what his body was feeling, and choosing the perfect response to those feelings... It all pointed towards someone who had experience with cultivation. Or, had someone as a teacher or parent who was a proper cultivator… Someone with power… Someone who prepared him well.

  "I wouldn't dare, Elder Yan," Siu answered. Although he looked fine, his voice was beginning to sound strained, and his face was starting to glisten from sweat. "I had nothing but honest food, some exercise, and the world's most sarcastic mentor."

  "And you are fifteen." Elder Yan nodded, feeling that Siu had just given an answer to her inner questions. So, she slowly began easing the pressure on him, both externally and internally.

  "Correct."

  "Mhm." She stepped back, folding her arms and gradually canceling her spells.

  "Your bone density is higher than most entry-level disciples. Then, your joint flexibility is also exceptional. Hm... Nerve response is at its peak. Your muscle elasticity is... frankly, absurd."

  "Thanks. I stretch."

  "Sure," Elder Yan's eyes narrowed, and a slight smile crept up her face. "You know what this means, don't you?"

  "I think," Siu nodded, shrugging, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. "I've been waiting... Waiting until I wouldn't break halfway into training."

  "Someone cared for the boy..." The second, watching the elder, finally spoke up, giving an understanding nod. "Most boys who try to prepare without formal aid burn out or deform their channels… Smart choice, kid! You didn't. That's rare… Someone loved you, eh?"

  "Rare's good, right?" Siu grinned as the other newcomers looked and listened with great interest, trying to glean more information from the elders' discourse. “I know what I can do, and I was taught that I can’t do it… Not unless I reach the proper age.”

  Listening to him, Elder Yan didn't answer. Instead, she looked at the other elder, exchanging quick notes through an unknown method before she gestured toward the steps to her right.

  "Go wait by the west alcove. We will review your results, and then you'll be called again."

  As Siu turned to leave, he noticed that a few robed figures stood along the edges of the courtyard, also present to watch the 'ceremony.' If he had to guess, they had to be other disciples, older than him by a few years at least, with some of them having silver sashes across their robes. One even had a... golden one, while some were without them, all of them gathering in their own little circles. As for what it meant, for now, he remained patient, trying not to look at them too much. He knew that all would be explained when he reaches the correct level. Yet, even where he stood, he could see how one of them, a tall young man with close-cropped hair and arms folded across his chest, leaned over to another and whispered, not bothering to hide it, which was a mistake because Siu could easily read his lips.

  "He didn't even flinch. That formation would've rattled half our juniors... Seems like we got someone interesting this time around."

  "I agree," another disciple, a girl perched on a low railing with a silver flute and a silver sash in her lap, chuckled softly. "Elder Yan actually looked impressed! That alone is a first."

  "And?" One of the others scoffed. "Let's see how long that composure lasts."

  "Still," the flutist added, tapping the edge of her instrument thoughtfully, "he's got a good shape... Might be fun to watch."

  Siu caught it all, finally looking away, not wanting to get bogged down in Sect politics right from the start. Instead, he just smiled to himself... This time around, such nonsense won't get the better of him.