The morning sun warmed the courtyard, but Lin Xu barely noticed. His body still ached from the first attempt, but a spark of resolve burned within him. Today was the second attempt, the real test that would determine if he could move forward. Unlike before, there would be hazards designed to weed out the weak—traps, minor spirit beasts, and the unpredictability of the test itself.
He adjusted his stance and focused inward, recalling the countless hours of solitude in the cave. The Ledger had already done its work, subtly shifting his fate and awakening the feeble root. Now, there would be no guidance, no whispers, only his training, patience, and nerve. He drew in a deep breath, feeling the faint pulse of Qi awaken in his dantian. Weak, fragile, almost imperceptible—but alive.
Xian Yu, with his steady grey root, looked at Lin Xu and smirked. "Did you sleep well last night, Lin Xu? Don't worry—failure suits you better." Other candidates chuckled, some shaking their heads at the audacity of a feeble-rooted boy daring to compete. Lin Xu's pulse flickered, but he ignored the jeers. Survival mattered more than pride.
The second attempt began. Candidates had to navigate a shifting course, drawing Qi while avoiding small hazards—trembling rocks, rolling debris, and spirit beasts trained to test reflexes. For strong-rooted candidates, this was routine. For Lin Xu, each step was a battle against both fatigue and his own limitations.
A rock tumbled near his feet. He stumbled slightly, heart leaping. But the cave training had taught him timing and precision. With a controlled breath, he stabilized the tiny pulse of Qi in his dantian and shifted his weight just enough to avoid the falling stone. The warmth in his root flickered dangerously but held.
Next came a spirit beast—a small, wiry creature trained to pounce on those who wavered. Lin Xu dodged instinctively, but he did not move with superhuman speed. Instead, he relied on timing, positioning, and calm. The creature's claws scraped the ground near him, sending dust into the air. A sharp pang grazed his shoulder, but he remained upright, the pulse of his feeble root barely steady but alive.
Minutes stretched like hours. Sweat dripped down his face, muscles burned, and his lungs ached. Each small success was hard-won, but by sheer patience and endurance, he kept the fragile spark of Qi from collapsing. When the scouts finally approached, they noted the faint, barely visible pulse. To them, it was rare, yes—but not unprecedented. A borderline candidate, barely surviving, yet holding control.
"Survival counts," the head scout declared, moving among the candidates. "This boy's pulse is weak, yet stable. He has earned a grey fate." A hush fell over the crowd. Xian Yu froze, disbelief etched across his features. The smugness of prior moments vanished; he had underestimated Lin Xu entirely.
Murmurs spread among the candidates. Some hid smiles, others whispered quietly, all acknowledging the unexpected. Lin Xu allowed a small, quiet smile. No one saw the tremor of relief within him. He had survived where his original fate had promised death—and he had done so without intervention, relying solely on his own effort and the tiny spark of his feeble root.
The elder, observing quietly from the edge of the courtyard, gave a faint nod. The boy had survived, barely, but successfully, and that was enough. Lin Xu stepped aside, letting the scouts continue with the other candidates. He felt the faint warmth in his dantian—a grey pulse that marked him as officially recognized, yet still fragile.
Xian Yu's face burned with humiliation, but he quickly masked it with a scowl. Others glanced at Lin Xu with newfound respect, though it was tempered by disbelief that a boy with such a weak root could endure. Lin Xu's heart remained steady. Today, he had cheated death. Tomorrow, the true journey would begin.
For the first time, he felt that fragile spark of hope. The road ahead was long, filled with rivals, hardships, and challenges far beyond this courtyard. But he was alive—and that tiny victory was enough to push forward into the unknown.