The rain continued long into the night.
Lin Mo remained standing on the hill, unable to move.
Everything that had happened felt like a dream—the frozen world, the Silent Interval, the mysterious Guardian, and the crimson eyes hidden beyond the cracks in space.
Yet the silver watch in his hand proved it had all been real.
Tick... Tick... Tick...
For the first time in his life, the watch was alive.
He carefully slipped it back into his pocket and hurried down the hill before anyone noticed his absence.
Qinghe Village was unusually quiet.
Most families had already gone to sleep after the storm. Lanterns flickered faintly through the windows, and puddles reflected the moonlight.
As Lin Mo approached his small wooden house, an elderly woman opened the door before he could knock.
"You finally came back."
Her voice was gentle, but worry filled her eyes.
She was Grandmother Yun, the woman who had raised him since his parents disappeared.
"I was about to organize a search party."
Lin Mo forced a smile.
"I lost track of time while gathering herbs."
She sighed.
"You always wander farther into the mountains than everyone else."
"One day those forests will swallow you whole."
Lin Mo lowered his head.
"If only you knew..."
That night, sleep refused to come.
He sat beside the small window, staring at the watch.
The Guardian's words echoed repeatedly in his mind.
"Never let them know you possess the Chrono Heart."
Who were "they"?
What exactly was the Chrono Heart?
And why had his parents left him with such a dangerous treasure?
Questions filled his mind.
Answers remained out of reach.
As dawn approached, Lin Mo noticed something strange.
Tiny streams of silver light floated through the room like drifting fireflies.
When he focused on them, they slowly gathered around him.
The moment they touched his skin, warmth spread throughout his body.
"So this is..."
"Spiritual energy."
He closed his eyes instinctively.
The breathing technique appeared naturally in his mind, as if someone had engraved it into his soul.
Inhale...
The silver particles entered his body.
Exhale...
Dark impurities escaped through his pores.
Hours passed unnoticed.
When he finally opened his eyes, the sun had already risen.
His vision had become sharper.
He could hear birds singing from hundreds of meters away.
Even the rustling leaves outside sounded crystal clear.
The world itself seemed different.
A loud knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Lin Mo!"
It was **Zhao Wei**, his childhood friend.
"Hurry up!"
"The Azure Cloud Sect is recruiting disciples today!"
Lin Mo froze.
"The Azure Cloud Sect?"
Every five years, one of the nearby cultivation sects traveled through the surrounding villages searching for talented youths.
For ordinary people, it was the only chance to enter the world of cultivators.
"I completely forgot..."
Within an hour, the village square was overflowing with excitement.
Hundreds of young men and women stood in neat lines.
Parents whispered prayers.
Children stared at the magnificent flying ship hovering above the square.
Its hull was carved from jade-colored wood, while enormous spirit beasts circled overhead.
For the villagers, it looked like something from the heavens.
Three cultivators descended gracefully onto the platform.
Their robes fluttered despite the still air.
None of them appeared older than thirty, yet the pressure they emitted forced many villagers to lower their heads.
The leader stepped forward.
"My name is Elder Han of the Azure Cloud Sect."
"We seek disciples with the potential to cultivate."
"Those who pass today's examination will leave with us immediately."
The crowd erupted into whispers.
One by one, the candidates stepped toward a crystal sphere placed in the center of the platform.
Most results were disappointing.
"No spiritual roots."
"Weak affinity."
"Rejected."
Tears quickly replaced hopeful smiles.
Only two candidates managed to pass.
Then...
"Lin Mo."
He walked toward the crystal.
His heartbeat quickened.
"What if they discover the Chrono Heart?"
The Guardian had warned him to keep it secret.
Taking a deep breath, he placed his palm on the sphere.
For a brief moment...
Nothing happened.
Then the crystal trembled.
A faint silver light appeared deep within it.
Elder Han frowned.
"I've never seen this attribute before."
The two disciples exchanged puzzled glances.
The crystal pulsed once more before returning to normal.
After several moments of silence, Elder Han nodded.
"Interesting."
"Although your spiritual root is unusual, your compatibility exceeds the minimum requirement."
"You pass."
The villagers gasped.
Grandmother Yun smiled through tears.
Zhao Wei laughed loudly.
"I knew you could do it!"
Lin Mo, however, couldn't celebrate.
He noticed something no one else did.
Among the crowd stood a man dressed in black.
Unlike the others, he wasn't watching the examination.
He was watching Lin Mo.
The stranger's eyes glowed faintly crimson for just an instant.
Then he smiled.
A cold shiver ran down Lin Mo's spine.
"The hunt has begun..."
The Guardian's warning echoed in his mind once again.
As the flying ship slowly rose into the sky with the new disciples aboard, Lin Mo looked back at Qinghe Village one last time.
He had dreamed of leaving ever since he was a child.
But now, he realized he wasn't simply beginning a journey toward immortality.
He was stepping onto a path where every second could mean the difference between life and death.