The morning sun had yet to rise when the Yuan Clan Estate was already awake.
Unlike previous mornings, no instructor’s voice echoed from the training grounds.
No disciples practiced sword forms.
No servants chatted while sweeping the courtyards.
An unusual stillness had settled over the estate.
Today…
Every child who had reached the age of five would stand before the clan and learn the path fate had prepared for them.
Or so everyone believed.
…
Yuan Tian slowly opened his eyes.
The first rays of dawn filtered through the paper window, painting faint golden lines across the wooden floor.
He remained lying quietly for several breaths.
Listening.
Wind brushed against the willow branches outside.
Somewhere in the distance, birds greeted the new morning.
The familiar sounds eased the strange weight in his chest.
He wasn’t frightened.
Only…
Curious.
A soft knock came from the door.
“Tian.”
Lady Yue’s gentle voice followed.
“Are you awake?”
“…Yes, Mother.”
The door slid open.
She entered carrying the neatly folded blue robe she had spent several evenings sewing.
Although Yuan Tian had already worn it once to ensure it fit properly, she still inspected every stitch before handing it to him.
“You’ve grown again.”
She smiled.
“I had to adjust the sleeves last night.”
Yuan Tian looked down.
“…I’m sorry.”
She blinked before laughing.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“…Because you had to sew it again.”
Lady Yue gently placed a hand on his head.
“If you stop growing…”
“That’s when I’ll start worrying.”
She carefully helped him put on the robe, smoothing the shoulders and straightening the collar.
When she finished, she stepped back.
“There.”
She nodded with satisfaction.
“My little Tian is becoming quite handsome.”
Yuan Tian lowered his head slightly.
“…Thank you.”
His cheeks warmed just enough for Lady Yue to notice.
She smiled to herself.
After all…
No matter how mature he sometimes appeared…
He was still only five.
…
The dining room felt quieter than usual.
Yuan Zhen was already seated.
A bowl of warm porridge rested untouched before him.
He had clearly been sitting there for some time.
“Good morning, Father.”
Yuan Zhen looked up and smiled.
“Morning.”
Lady Yue quietly took her seat.
No one spoke immediately.
Even Sister Lan, who usually chatted cheerfully while serving breakfast, moved about more quietly than usual.
Finally…
Lady Yue sighed.
“If all of you stay silent…”
“I’m going to become nervous too.”
Yuan Zhen laughed awkwardly.
“…Was I really that obvious?”
“You haven’t touched your breakfast.”
He looked down.
“…I suppose not.”
Yuan Tian quietly picked up his chopsticks.
“…Father.”
“Hm?”
“Didn’t you tell me…”
“…thinking is easier on a full stomach?”
For a brief moment…
The room became completely still.
Then Sister Lan covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
Lady Yue smiled.
Yuan Zhen blinked before letting out a hearty laugh.
“I did say that.”
“Then…”
Yuan Tian pushed the bowl slightly closer to him.
“…You should eat.”
Yuan Zhen stared at his son for several moments before smiling warmly.
“…You’re right.”
“I should.”
The heavy atmosphere quietly dissolved.
Sometimes…
Children comforted adults without even realizing it.
…
After breakfast, the family stepped outside.
The eastern courtyard was already filled with children dressed in their finest robes.
Some excitedly discussed what kind of talent they hoped to awaken.
Others remained unusually quiet, standing close beside their parents.
Yuan Hao spotted Yuan Tian almost immediately.
“Tian!”
He hurried over, nearly tripping over his own feet.
“I couldn’t sleep at all!”
Yuan Tian tilted his head.
“…Why?”
“What do you mean why?”
“What if I awaken terrible talent?”
“What if Grandfather sighs?”
“What if Father sighs?”
“What if everyone sighs?”
Yuan Tian considered the questions carefully.
“…That’s a lot of sighing.”
Yuan Hao stared.
Then burst into laughter.
“You always make everything sound so simple.”
“I don’t think it is.”
“No…”
Yuan Hao grinned.
“I guess it isn’t.”
A slightly older girl walked over and lightly flicked Yuan Hao’s forehead.
“You’ve been talking since sunrise.”
“When exactly did you find time to breathe?”
“Ow!”
Yuan Hao rubbed his forehead dramatically.
“Sister!”
“You hit too hard!”
She ignored him before looking toward Yuan Tian.
“My brother hasn’t bothered you, has he?”
Yuan Tian shook his head.
“…Not at all.”
“He asks many questions.”
She sighed.
“Trust me.”
“We’re all used to it.”
Yuan Hao crossed his arms.
“I ask important questions.”
“No.”
His sister replied immediately.
“You ask loud questions.”
Even Yuan Tian smiled.
The laughter eased much of the nervousness surrounding the younger generation.
Not everyone needed courage.
Sometimes…
They only needed someone to laugh with.
…
A deep horn suddenly echoed across the estate.
Woooom—
Conversations immediately stopped.
Clan members instinctively turned toward the central martial plaza.
One by one…
Families began walking in the same direction.
The atmosphere changed once again.
No one needed to announce it.
Everyone understood.
It was time.
Yuan Zhen looked toward his son.
“Ready?”
Yuan Tian looked at the long procession of disciples, elders, parents, and children moving toward the heart of the Yuan Clan.
Then he quietly nodded.
“…Ready.”
Father and son walked side by side.
Lady Yue followed beside them.
As they crossed the final stone bridge leading into the martial plaza…
Yuan Tian stopped for just a heartbeat.
Before him stretched the largest open space he had ever seen within the Yuan Clan.
Thousands of stone seats surrounded a vast circular arena.
Clan banners fluttered high above.
Elders already occupied the elevated platform.
Beyond them…
Visitors from the Luo Clan.
The Bai Clan.
Representatives from the City Lord’s Manor.
Even merchants and respected guests had been invited to witness the ceremony.
At the very center of the arena stood a massive crystal nearly twice the height of an adult.
Its surface shimmered like still water beneath the morning sun.
Yuan Tian couldn’t look away.
“…Father.”
“What is that?”
Yuan Zhen followed his gaze.
His expression grew solemn.
“…That…”
“…is the Heartstone.”
Yuan Tian continued gazing at the crystal.
Sunlight danced across its translucent surface.
At first glance, it appeared perfectly smooth.
Yet the longer he looked…
The more he felt countless faint streams flowing beneath its surface like rivers hidden beneath frozen ice.
“…It feels alive.”
He spoke so softly that only Yuan Zhen heard him.
His father looked at him in surprise.
“Most people only think it looks beautiful.”
Yuan Tian didn’t answer.
He wasn’t certain why.
He simply had that feeling.
The Heartstone wasn’t merely a crystal.
It was…
Waiting.
…
As more guests arrived, the martial plaza gradually filled.
The Yuan Clan occupied the eastern seating area.
To the south sat representatives of the Luo Clan.
Their robes were embroidered with silver plum blossoms that shimmered beneath the morning sun.
To the north sat members of the Bai Clan, easily recognized by the dark blue trim decorating their sleeves.
Although the three great clans had coexisted within Qinghe City for generations…
Competition had never truly disappeared.
Every examination.
Every tournament.
Every breakthrough.
The clans quietly measured themselves against one another.
Not through war.
But through the accomplishments of their younger generations.
…
A loud voice suddenly echoed across the plaza.
“The Patriarch has arrived!”
Everyone immediately stood.
Yuan Lie slowly walked onto the elevated platform.
The elderly Patriarch carried the same composed expression as always.
Years of responsibility had carved quiet authority into every movement.
He stopped before the Heartstone.
His gaze swept across the crowd.
Only after complete silence settled over the plaza did he begin speaking.
“Today…”
“…another generation takes its first step.”
“No matter the result…”
“…remember this.”
“The Heartstone does not determine your future.”
“It merely reveals where your journey begins.”
Many children nodded earnestly.
Several adults exchanged surprised glances.
Some had expected words praising talent.
Others expected warnings about bringing honor to the clan.
Instead…
The Patriarch spoke only of beginnings.
Yuan Tian quietly committed those words to memory.
…
A white-haired elder carrying a jade scroll stepped forward.
He was considerably thinner than Yuan Lie, yet his voice carried surprising strength.
“I am Elder Mo.”
“I will oversee today’s examination.”
He slowly unrolled the jade scroll.
“The rules remain unchanged.”
“Each child shall place one hand upon the Heartstone.”
“It will resonate according to your natural affinity.”
“The greater the resonance…”
“…the greater your compatibility with the Yuan Clan’s cultivation inheritance.”
Most children appeared confused.
One little girl timidly raised her hand.
“Elder…”
“…Will it hurt?”
Gentle laughter spread through the audience.
Even Elder Mo smiled.
“No.”
“The Heartstone has tested generations before you.”
“It has yet to bite anyone.”
The tension immediately eased.
Even Yuan Hao, standing nearby, released a breath of relief.
“I thought it might.”
His older sister immediately elbowed him.
“Only you would think a rock bites people.”
…
Several attendants carefully carried a low jade platform toward the Heartstone.
Upon it rested three crystal bowls filled with clear spring water.
Another attendant placed a bronze incense burner beside them.
The fragrance of sandalwood slowly drifted across the arena.
Yuan Tian watched every movement.
Nothing appeared random.
Everything followed an exact order.
Almost…
Like a ritual.
“Father.”
“Hm?”
“Why the incense?”
Yuan Zhen looked toward the platform.
“It has always been part of the ceremony.”
“…Why?”
His father smiled awkwardly.
“I don’t actually know.”
“I simply accepted it when I was your age.”
Yuan Tian quietly looked back toward the incense.
“…Then someone must have known.”
Yuan Zhen blinked.
“…That’s true.”
Sometimes…
His son asked questions that sounded obvious.
Yet…
No one had ever thought to ask them before.
…
A sudden stir spread through the guest seating.
Several people instinctively stood.
“The City Lord.”
A dignified middle-aged man dressed in dark crimson robes entered alongside several guards.
Unlike the clan leaders, he wore no clan emblem.
Instead…
A golden river was embroidered across his chest—the symbol of Qinghe City itself.
Yuan Zhen leaned slightly toward his son.
“That is City Lord Han.”
“He governs Qinghe City.”
Yuan Tian nodded.
The City Lord returned respectful greetings from all three clans before taking his seat.
He showed no favoritism.
Only quiet observation.
…
Not far away…
Among the Luo Clan’s younger generation, a familiar girl quietly sat beside her mother.
Luo Qing.
Her gaze wandered curiously across the Yuan Clan seating area.
For reasons she couldn’t explain…
She felt as though she had forgotten something.
Or perhaps…
Someone.
Then she noticed him.
The quiet boy from the marketplace.
He sat calmly beside his parents while everyone else whispered excitedly.
Their eyes met briefly.
Neither waved.
Neither smiled.
Yuan Tian simply gave a polite nod.
Luo Qing returned the gesture almost instinctively.
Then both looked away.
The moment passed as naturally as it had begun.
…
The examination platform was finally prepared.
Elder Mo slowly stepped beside the Heartstone.
He opened the jade scroll once more.
“The examination…”
He paused.
His calm gaze swept across every child gathered before him.
“…shall now begin.”
The first name left his lips.
“Yuan Ming.”
A nervous little boy froze.
His mother gently squeezed his shoulder.
“You’ll be alright.”
Taking a deep breath, Yuan Ming slowly stepped toward the Heartstone.
Every eye within the martial plaza followed him.
Yuan Tian did the same.
For reasons he couldn’t explain…
He wasn’t watching the boy.
He was watching…
The Heartstone.
Yuan Ming slowly climbed the jade platform.
His small hands trembled slightly.
Although only five years old, he understood the importance of this moment.
Everyone was watching.
His parents.
The elders.
The Patriarch.
Even the guests from the Luo Clan, Bai Clan, and City Lord’s Manor.
Taking a deep breath, he placed his palm against the Heartstone.
For a heartbeat…
Nothing happened.
Then—
A soft yellow light emerged from deep within the crystal.
The glow gradually spread before stabilizing.
Elder Mo nodded.
“Earth Affinity.”
“Moderate compatibility.”
A wave of applause spread through the Yuan Clan.
Yuan Ming’s shoulders visibly relaxed.
His parents smiled proudly.
Perhaps he wasn’t a genius.
But he possessed talent.
That alone was enough.
“Next.”
One after another, children stepped forward.
Some produced red light.
Others blue.
Green.
White.
Every resonance differed slightly in brightness.
Every result drew different reactions from the audience.
Some parents laughed with joy.
Others quietly accepted disappointment.
The examination continued at a steady pace.
…
Yuan Tian watched silently.
He wasn’t interested in the colors.
Instead…
He watched the Heartstone itself.
Every time a child touched it, faint ripples appeared beneath its surface.
The colors came afterward.
Almost as though…
The crystal asked a question.
Then answered it.
“…”
That thought lingered in his mind.
A question…
What question?
…
“Yuan Lei.”
A sturdy young boy confidently stepped onto the platform.
The instant his hand touched the Heartstone
Boom.
Brilliant crimson light erupted throughout the crystal.
The entire martial plaza gasped.
Even the elders leaned forward.
The crimson glow climbed nearly to the top of the massive crystal before finally stopping.
Elder Mo’s normally calm expression changed.
“Fire Affinity.”
“High compatibility.”
The crowd erupted into applause.
Yuan Lei’s father burst into laughter before proudly lifting his son into the air.
“Well done!”
“Very well done!”
Several elders quietly nodded among themselves.
“Excellent.”
“The child has potential.”
Yuan Tian noticed something else.
Yuan Lei never looked at the crystal.
He looked only at everyone’s reactions.
“…”
Interesting.
…
The examination continued.
Some children cried after poor results.
Others celebrated.
Several produced almost no response at all.
Not every child possessed the same starting point.
Yet throughout everything…
Patriarch Yuan Lie remained expressionless.
He congratulated no one.
He criticized no one.
He simply watched.
As though seeing something beyond what everyone else celebrated.
…
Time slowly passed.
The morning sun climbed higher into the sky.
The number of waiting children steadily decreased.
One by one…
The names upon Elder Mo’s jade scroll disappeared.
Yuan Hao nervously swallowed.
“…It’s almost my turn.”
His sister crossed her arms.
“You’ve been saying that for half an hour.”
“I’m serious this time.”
“I know.”
“…What if I fail?”
She gently flicked his forehead.
“Then you’ll train harder.”
“What if I’m average?”
“Then you’ll still train harder.”
“What if I’m amazing?”
She smiled.
“Then you’ll definitely train harder.”
Yuan Hao stared for several moments before laughing.
“…You’re impossible.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Yuan Tian quietly listened.
His cousin’s nervousness wasn’t unpleasant.
It was…
Honest.
…
“Yuan Hao.”
The cheerful boy immediately froze.
“…Already?”
His sister gently pushed him forward.
“Go.”
“And breathe.”
Yuan Hao nodded repeatedly before hurrying onto the platform.
The instant his hand touched the Heartstone
A bright green radiance spread throughout the crystal.
Not extraordinary.
Not weak.
Steady.
Healthy.
Elder Mo smiled faintly.
“Wood Affinity.”
“Above-average compatibility.”
Yuan Hao blinked.
“…Really?”
His father laughed loudly from the audience.
“You did well!”
His sister smiled quietly.
“I told you.”
Yuan Hao scratched the back of his head.
“…Maybe I worried too much.”
The atmosphere lightened once more.
…
More names were called.
The waiting line became shorter.
Soon…
Only a handful of children remained.
Yuan Tian looked toward the Heartstone once again.
Without warning—
His vision blurred.
The sounds around him became distant.
The crystal…
Changed.
For the briefest heartbeat…
He no longer saw colored lights.
Instead…
Countless tiny golden lines flowed throughout the crystal like rivers of light.
They twisted.
Separated.
Merged.
Almost…
Like an unimaginably complex formation.
Then—
Everything returned to normal.
“…”
He blinked.
Had anyone else seen it?
He quietly looked around.
No one reacted.
The examination continued exactly as before.
“…Was I imagining it?”
For reasons he couldn’t explain…
He didn’t think so.
…
Only three names remained.
The martial plaza gradually became quieter.
Even the children who had already completed the examination turned to watch.
Elder Mo slowly lowered the jade scroll.
His eyes swept across the remaining names.
Then…
He spoke.
“…Next.”
He paused.
“Yuan…”
Another brief silence.
“…Tian.”
The entire plaza instinctively turned toward the quiet little boy standing beside Yuan Zhen and Lady Yue.
Yuan Tian slowly looked up.
His parents smiled reassuringly.
Neither spoke.
Neither needed to.
He understood.
Taking one calm breath…
Yuan Tian stepped forward.
The Heartstone silently awaited him.