Han Lingyun’s breath was hurried.

The last rocks obscuring his vision of the summit gave way and he stumbled upon a wide crater of black rocks. Bright red shone from the zigzagging cracks that crossed the bottom of the pit.

Near the other side of the crater stood a shabby looking wooden house. Han Lingyun approached cautiously.

Sitting in a lotus position next to the house’s only wooden door was a muscular bald man. He wore a simple greyish cloak from which his bulging arms where escaping from. Every visible part looked made of pure muscle. His face was chiseled, his neck was extra wide and even his bare feet displayed sharp angles with large bulging veins. The discrete wrinkles on the corners of his eyes only reinforced the impression of dry hardness. The man’s current meditating position, eyes closed, wasn’t matching his appearance one bit.

At his feet, laid 6 small boxes. A bit further away, a group of young cultivators were facing the bald shredded man, each in their own silent meditation.

Han Lingyun’s eyes shone. All had reached the top 16 during the SCA 2nd year competition.

Out of the 6, only two disciples shared identical robes and were sitting noticeably apart from the 4 others. Dai Huiling and Mao Enlai from the Cheng Huang School. The two still had their sect robes, but they were covered in dry blood and mud.

‘Dai Huiling, she is the girl who reached the semi final of the SCA rankings. And Mao Enlai, I think he ended up in the top 8 but I also remember he had the highest score during the first phase. I guess they should be at the peak of qi condensation by now.

None of the 4 others were slouches either. Zeng Yiengjie from Peach blossom island also made it to the semis. Luo Mingyu is the number one disciple of the Ugly Duck Sect. I have less of an impression of the two remaining: Mo Nianzu from the Qiqing Sect and Cui Qingge of the Shaolin Sect.’

Han Lingyun examined the 6 and their reactions to his arrival. His memory was sharp, so he immediately recalled some basic details on those disciples that distinguished themselves during the SCA competition.

Dai Huiling opened her eyes and imperceptibly nodded to Han Lingyun before closing them right after. Mao Enlai didn’t even budge as he kept his cultivating stance, ignoring his surroundings.

Han Lingyun’s eyes were inexorably attracted to the one standing out from the rest: Luo Mingyu was the only one not in a lotus position but lying down on the rocky terrain, seemingly in a deep sleep. He held an empty jar in his left hand. Han Lingyun retracted his gaze from the Ugly Duck Sect’s disciple to evaluate the others.

Zeng Yiengjie struck Han Lingyun as a very attractive young man. He smiled to Lingyun with clear bright eyes that would have struck a heartstring if Han Lingyun had been of the opposite sex. His cascading black hair only added to his good looks. Out of everyone present, Zeng Yiengjie was in the best of shapes, only with slightly dirty clothes that didn’t upset his handsomeness. Those robes didn’t belong to the Peach blossom island though, it was clear he too had some adventures to get here.

Mo Nianzu was detachedly observing Han Lingyun. He gave off a frosty and unapproachable air. His clothes were in rags but he didn’t seem to notice or care. ‘He is indeed a disciple of the Qiqing sect, on his way to sever the seven emotions.’

Finally, Cui Qingge from the Shaolin Sect, looked the most unremarkable out of the 6 disciples. She was the only girl present apart from Dai Huiling. Her figure was pale to the point of making her appear sickly. Cui Qingge had her hair cut tight and was only wearing common mortal clothes. But she also showed the greatest response to Han Lingyun’s arrival by standing up and cupping her hands.

“Congratulations from making it to the training camp, Han Lingyun of the White Tiger School. You can call me Qingge, I am a disciple the Shaolin Temple.”

“Thank you, miss Qingge. I shall congratulate as well.”

Han Lingyun dropped his small box with the other 6 piling up in front of the bulky middle-aged man and sat down among the disciples, next to Cui Qingge. They all began cultivating.

Silence descended once again on the dry mountain. Han Lingyun hadn’t noticed it at first but the thought gradually dawned on him.

‘This absolute silence, I have never experienced it before. I can’t ever detect the faintest distant animal cry, a lost insect or even the trace of leaves rustling. Even the wind has abandoned this place. My breath, my heartbeat, they have never felt so loud!’

Han Lingyun couldn’t help but turn towards the other disciples. All seemed to be concentrating on cultivating, except for Luo Mingyu still laying on the ground. None were moving a finger. Han Lingyun felt a shiver down his spine and his head lightly buzzing. He retook his usual lotus position with a deep breath, taking in as much of the lacking O2 he could muster. Then his spirit sank in meditation. He hadn’t been able to calm his racing mind since being dropped off in the forest, alone and lost.

‘Water, Wood, Fire. Then I will incorporate Earth and Metal. And then what?’ The spirit image of Han Lingyun was sitting next to a pond in his spirit world, looking somewhat downcast. After the past 2 days, it was the first time he had the leisure to reflect, and many kinds of repressed feelings came crashing down.

‘I want to research this world but time and time again, I find myself being made to train, combat, to risk my life even. To murder.’

Han Lingyun’s image sighed. ‘This place isn’t suitable for my aspirations. There is no knowledge, no interest, no premade path for science. I understand now. I’ve been wasting my time playing with runes, arrays and with the nice problems elder Wen left me.

But the times don’t permit it. What isn’t increasing my strength immediately brings me closer to my demise. Once again, I’m not in control of my life. When it’s not the Black Rainbow Sect, it’s my own school. And even my own so-called Senior. I had some doubts about Old Li’s intentions for some time already. With the protector’s warning, I can now be sure he has some scheme. Perhaps some actually want to help me, but it doesn’t change anything. Anyway, they are all serving their own interest.

Since the SCA competition, rather than contemplating rune algorithms, if only I had learned a defensive martial art for example. My life wouldn’t have been so easy to lose then! Yet, how could I know back then, that I would be stripped of all my treasures and thrown in the wilderness?

Fight, fight and fight! But can I cultivate like this?’

A dark smirk suddenly on Han Lingyun’s visage. ‘Hehe, of course I can. The threat of death is truly a good source of motivation. Or I might as well continue playing with my toys while those great masters play with me to death.

I understand why this mysterious figure would want to live in such a remote place. On the deserted summit of a 20km high Volcano, hidden behind a powerful formation. But it seems even him, even with all his power, he cannot escape from being involved in the affairs of others. Or why would he willingly accept teaching some qi condensation disciples? From the kindness of his heart? I don’t believe it.

At least, I sense this arrangement has offered me a unique opportunity to make progress. I shall not waste it one single bit. NOT ONE!’

… Han Lingyun image mentally took a breath, calming the emerging flames in his heart.

‘This continent, perhaps even this whole planet, isn’t suitable for my path. Fine, I will just have to find a better place then. But for this, I’m forced to follow the rules, I need strength. So much for great plans and long-term goals. How can I dare to have these when I cannot protect my existence.

Even though I’ll temporally set aside my study of runes, I will persist with first merging the 5 elements with my spirit. I intuitively feel this is the correct path for me. Not only does it provide a great advantage in the diversity and profundity of rune inscriptions, it has greatly benefited my cultivation all around. However, I feel that I’m not using fully the advantage of my comprehension yet.

Next, when I come back to the school, I will be requesting the martial arts I should have taken long ago. At this time, progressing on the array path shouldn’t be an issue, as long as it increases my strength.

And for now, I will be taking advantage of this mysterious figure to form the best foundation possible.’

After an unknown amount of time, Han Lingyun was suddenly taken out from his considerations with the sound of the arrival of another disciple. He curiously glanced over.

***