A few hours later, higher up on the mountain, four elders gathered around a circular stone table in a surprisingly quiet chamber. Even though its sides were open, forming hollowed-out arches, letting the cold blow through it, the passing wind didn’t make any noise. The chamber was one of the main sanctums of the Hollow Song Sect as it was built high up on the side of one of the five peaks of the sect, designed so that one could track the sun's travel through the horizon at every point of the year.

  The meeting within its walls was held by the same people who conducted the examination not that long ago. Elder Yan sat with her hands folded before her, gazing at her fingers as she listened to the others' reports. Her expression remained composed, even when it was her turn to speak.

  "I do agree that the last batch of applicants completed their testing and are at an acceptable level to be recognized as disciples," she said, slightly straightening her back. "All of them have the required potential. But we all noticed it… One of them does stand out."

  "This Siu," Elder Lin, one of the older-looking men with silver hair tied into a loose knot, murmured, his voice carrying a bit of uncertainty. "I sent word through our associates, along with the image of his face, and so far… nothing. The boy comes from nowhere."

  "Nowhere from our territory, at least." Another voice cut in, "Fifteen years old, hm?" It was Elder Mei, a short but stocky woman with sun-darkened skin and heavily carved, blocky features. She tapped her iron-like nails against the stone table while speaking, almost leaving marks on its surface. "No documented cultivation... No formal training... But those are only his words. I don't like it. Especially because he somehow possesses peak physical aptitude across every other tested youngster."

  "Sounds too good to be true," Elder Baat growled in agreement, being the hulking, broad-chested man that Siu also noted along with Elder Yan, "He has perfect muscle structure, elite joint control, and responsive nerves? He could even withstand Elder Yan's test…"

  "Don't look at me like that; I put the proper amount of force into it." She shot back without looking at him, closing her eyes while speaking.

  "That's my point," Baat snorted again, "All that, and he just strolled up a mountain on its hardest route and breezed through illusions that trip up those who have already started cultivating? Yet it did not bother him?"

  "It is indeed strange. But shouldn't we be happy that we have a surprising talent in our Sect?" Yan raised a brow while asking, reopening her eyes, "He is just as good as I was when joining. And that was two hundred years ago..."

  "Yes, but your past could be verified!" Elder Lin warned her, "Back to seven generations!"

  "And this one stinks of outside planning," Baat said bluntly. "Tell me I'm wrong, but doesn't this scream of grooming? It's too clean! No scars, no injuries, no missteps! People with talent, especially those like him, usually can't wait. They began training early; people like him always try to excavate what should be nurtured carefully… They do it in one go... People like him carry issues because of rushing! But the boy is clean. It's like he's been raised by someone who knew exactly what to avoid."

  "He was raised by someone wise," Yan said simply, not denying the obvious. She also agreed; of course, she did. The boy had to have a master, someone who understood that cultivation can't be rushed. The body can't be trained while it is in its rapidly growing state, or it would deform under duress. It was the biggest pitfall for talented and gifted people. It was what ruined 99% of powerful men and women, damning them to be mediocre nobodies. It was why so many sects never grew to be anything, ultimately harming their students and prioritizing quick gains over long-term profits. "Him being cared for... That much is obvious."

  "And that's why we can't be so sure to accept and nurture him!" Baat snarled, but Yan knew his anger came from the fact that such a talent would be thrown out... Such a waste. “If we put our resources into him, just so that he can betray us later… It would be catastrophic… It would be cuckoo.”

  "I agree." Elder Mei shrugged, shaking her head, "He could be a spy from one of our rivals, nurtured and then sent here to be a pawn in the long game. The boy shows talent that would easily allow him to become a core disciple and learn our secrets…"

  "Careful, Elder Mei! Accusation without proof is just suspicion," Elder Lin warned her gently. “I also doubt that our rivals would sacrifice a talent just to get to us. Are we really that important?”

  "His presence is already proof that they just may!" Baat slammed his palm on the table. It was not hard enough to break it, but it was enough to make it rattle.

  "..." There was only silence for a moment, but then Elder Lin, the oldest of the four, spoke again in a measured voice, trying to bring his five hundred years of experience into the conversation.

  "I say we test him. Let's give it a try and treat him like a normal recruit. Then, we can throw special tests in his way, examine his preexisting knowledge and the way he moves, and look for signs that tell us which other Sect may have sent him here. If any... They may erase clues in the outside world, but they won’t be able to account for any habits a child’s body has. Also… I agree with Elder Yan. Such talent comes at every one or two centuries only, and we can not give up on the chance to have someone like him amongst our ranks."

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  "We can also approach it from a different direction," Yan said, suddenly smiling. "Sure, let us agree he was sent here as a spy. So? He is here now; he is ours. Let's turn him! Which side would such a boy choose? Would he stay loyal to a group that didn’t raise him, or would he switch sides if we could give him a glorious future amongst us? We can be his sure option, while the place he comes from would only offer it… In words at best. Maybe not even that. I know which route I would choose in his shoes."

  After her words, the room went still, sending all the others into deep thought.

  "Let's vote on it." After a pause, Elder Lin lifted a hand. "We don't need division between us on the first day of a new year, do we? I agree with Elder Yan's suggestion."

  "I can see the logic behind it," Elder Mei added after thinking about it. "So be it, I concur."

  "Yes, yes, sure thing," Baat said, also raising his hand and shaking his head, "Just... exercise caution when handling him. No special privileges, no accelerated mentorship, and especially no access to guarded knowledge, not until we can be sure who he is. Not even if he is talented... Let him walk with the others and show us who he is."

  "On that note," Elder Yan said, looking at the four raised hands, "we agree."

  With that, the mood suddenly shifted among the elders, becoming much more relaxed, as if their worries had been tossed away; their discussion returned to something simpler.

  "What of the others?" Yan asked, visibly in a much better mood.

  "It is not a bad harvest." Old Lin nodded. "Of those who reached the mountain, there were even two who arrived before the moon's turning, completing their trip before anyone else. They demonstrated powerful potential, and if we can develop their talents, we may elevate them into future leaders. Who knows, with enough time, they may join us here. Amongst the rest..." He closed his eyes, remembering, "Three have a minor affinity for illusions. One already communicates with a fledgling spirit beast, so we have a natural-born talent to carry on with our traditions."

  "With the tests over, we will begin integration tomorrow," Elder Mei declared. "We will start their rotations into basic techniques, formation study, and spirit bonding theory."

  "And Siu?" Baat asked.

  "He will receive no more and no less than the others," Yan said, reaffirming the agreement they had just made.

  "I understand; I am asking about our involvement." He explained.

  "We will only watch," Yan answered, looking at the three with serious eyes. “Don't try to act, either! If he turns out fine, he is my disciple."

  "Sure, sure," Baat raised his two hands with a slight smile.

  The meeting ended without much ceremony. Each elder drifted out of the room in silence, their thoughts drifting to multiple other essential news items related to the outside world, especially with the subsequent Tribute drawing closer.

  ...

  ....

  .....

  The new initiates gathered once more in the training square below the mountains, while a disciple with a silver sash stepped forward, greeting them. He was a tall young man with close-cropped hair, standing among those who had been watching Siu earlier, talking with the girl with the flute. His posture was relaxed, but his gaze swept over the group, visibly measuring them and ranking them one way or another.

  "Alright, fresh little sprouts," he said, chuckling, "We are done with your welcome. Don't expect it to get gentler from here on because even though you got in, that was the easy part. The challenge is to stand out among other geniuses! For starters, my name is Dui, and I'll be your lead coordinator for the first phase of integration. Better remember my face and name as I make the moves amongst the outer disciples like you. That also means when you mess up, I get to deal with it... And I HATE dealing with it… Of course, when you do well, I get to pretend I trained you myself, ahaha!"

  The group let out a few chuckles as they listened to him, although it was hard to tell if he was serious… or not.

  “Well,” Dui pointed toward a narrow walkway that curved along the inner cliffside. "For now, follow me. We will head to Dormitory Hall Three. You don't get private quarters until you prove you're worth the trouble! Fresh blood like you can’t afford it anyway. For now, you'll share it with others, four to a room. You'll live, train, eat, and breathe alongside each other and... If that makes you uncomfortable, you'll just have to get used to it. Want to get out? Demonstrate talent and gather resources to afford moving out. Those who don’t work don’t eat, got it?"

  He started walking, and the group followed, for they could not afford not to. Amongst them, Siu kept to the rear, silently observing the murmurs and energy of the others. It felt nostalgic, although back then, he was at the front, with wide eyes sparkling as one of the youngest, barely reaching the others' waistlines.

  Arriving, Dormitory Hall Three turned out to be a large, tiered structure built partially into the cliffside, with stone floors and wooden doors. Simple but clean, and it was better than anything Siu had actually grown up with. Those buildings, back at home, were more like… made of mud and straw. While walking, a handful of disciples lounged in front of the entryway, shooting appraising looks at the newcomers, but all of them were without any colored sashes. It wasn’t hard to tell it meant some kind of rank… and Sui’s guess was, for now, that those with one were inner disciples.

  "Go to your rooms," Dui said calmly. "You'll find your names inscribed on the doors. Don't argue with the order; it was done by the Elders. And don't break anything! You break it, you fix it! And you can’t afford it yet."

  Then… Just as he left, he paused and glanced back at Siu.

  "You. What was your name again?"

  "Siu. Just Siu."

  “Sure…” Dui squinted. "Right… Don’t make trouble for me, kid."

  “Well, I’ll try.” Siu nodded. "But, I make no promises."

  “Oh?” Dui blinked, then grinned, patting his shoulders with enough force to make someone who had never been trained buckle, but Siu only trembled, pushing against it right before his hand made contact. "Good... You'll fit in just fine."