Chapter 269 - 1-

Chapter 1: Awakening to a Broken Soul

The first thing Han Wei felt was pain.

It wasn't the sharp, immediate kind of pain that comes from a cut or a burn. No, this was deeper, more insidious - a throbbing ache that seemed to radiate from the very core of his being. His head pounded, his chest felt like it had been hollowed out, and his limbs were heavy, as if weighed down by invisible chains.

He forced opened his eyes, blinking against the pale, diffused light that filtered through the paper windows of a room he didn't recognize. The air smelled faintly of incense and old wood, and the faint sound of wind chimes echoed in the distance. He tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness forced him back down onto the hard wooden floor.

"Where… am I?" he muttered, his voice hoarse and unfamiliar.

Memories - fragmented and disjointed - flooded his mind. He remembered a normal day in the office, he remembered slacking off by planning out what vegetables he wanted to plant in his garden, and then… nothing. 

But now, he was here, in this strange place, in a body that didn't feel like his own.

He looked down at his hands. They were calloused and weathered, the hands of an old man. Panic surged through him as he touched his face, feeling the lines and wrinkles that shouldn't have been there. His heart raced, and he struggled to breathe, the pain in his chest intensifying.

Calm down, he told himself, forcing his breathing to slow. Think. What's the last thing you remember?

The memories came in flashes. A technique - a soul awakening ritual. He had been trying to… what? Ascend? Break through to a higher realm? The details were hazy, but he remembered the moment it had gone wrong. The searing pain, the feeling of his soul being torn apart, and then darkness.

How do I remember this? It made no sense to him, twin memories overlaying and contradicting. Both full of holes. Who was he? Was he Han Wei the office worker, only a few years into his career? Or was he Elder Han, the nearly four hundred year old guest elder of the Silvermist Ravine Sect?

The idea seemed absurd and completely natural all at the same time. He couldn't seem to bring the two ideas into harmony. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. He had been isekai'd - reincarnated into the body of a cultivator.

But something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

He closed his eyes, automatically reaching inward towards his cultivation to assess his condition. It was easy to do something he had done hundreds of thousands of times over the years - no that wasn't correct. Something the previous Elder Han had done hundreds of thousands of times - not him. He wasn't Elder Han, he was just Han Wei.

Inside his dantian - the spiritual home of his cultivation - was a disaster. His Golden Core was just gone, and cracks spiderwebbed through his foundation. His spiritual energy was erratic, like a river dammed and overflowing, each natural cycle of the chaotic qi pulsing through the damage preventing any natural healing. 

His cultivation had regressed, falling from the Core Refining stage all the way back to the peak of Foundation Consolidation. Over two major stages. It was a catastrophic drop, if the sect were ever to find out it would mark him as a cripple. 

His position as a guest elder was precarious enough, if he didn't even have the cultivation strength to back it up then he would be done for. He would lose the protections of the sect and that would leave him vulnerable to… 

He lost the thought, a blank emptiness where the information should be. Vulnerable to what? Or who? He had no idea, nothing but a vague sense of threat and unease.

Instinctively he reached for his cultivation technique to slow the chaotic qi rampaging through his meridians. Pain shot through him, so intense that he blacked out for a second and found himself sprawled on the floor once again.

Dread shot through him. His soul itself was damaged. 

He could feel it now as he gently reached out to it - the outermost layer of his soul had been shredded. Even this gentle awareness nearly overwhelmed him again as agony pulsed the very core of his being with every breath he took. 

The only saving grace was that no large pieces seemed to be missing - though terrifyingly there were a number of pieces hanging on by the frailest of connections.

If he could not heal this then he was crippled truly. His dharmic cultivation technique relied on the harmony of body and soul, and was worse than useless in this state. It was designed to leverage the power of a righteous soul to aspect and draw qi into his spiritual body, trying to use it in this state would simply make the soul damage worse - and that would definitely kill him. 

He couldn't advance, couldn't even begin to heal his foundation, until his soul was whole again. 

"This is bad," he muttered, running a hand through his long hair, both surprised by its length and comforted by its familiarity all at once.

In the cutthroat world of cultivation sects, weakness was a death sentence. As a guest elder, he was barely given the benefits and respect of an elder. If the other elders discovered his condition, he would be dismissed - or more likely, eliminated. He couldn't even blame them for it, as an elder he had access to a wealth of sect information and techniques - not that he had ever bothered to learn them.

He had to hide this. At least until he could find a way to heal himself.

With a groan, he pushed himself upright, and looked around. The room was sparse, with little more than a wooden desk, a few scrolls, and a small altar in the corner. Everything was clean and ordered, except for the mess of papers that he had clearly knocked over when he collapsed.

"My quarters," he murmured, piecing together the fragmented memories. "...Elder Han's quarters."

He stood, his legs trembling beneath him, and shuffled over to the desk. A small mirror lay among the clutter, and he picked it up, staring at his reflection. The face that stared back was that of an old man, with sharp features and worn lines that gave him a naturally stern expression. His hair was streaked with gray, and his eyes - deep, dark pools - bore the weight of years of hardship.

"This is me now," he said, setting the mirror down. "Elder Han."

He needed a plan. First, he had to stabilize his condition - allowing himself to worsen would be a death sentence. Then, he had to find a way to heal his soul and rebuild his foundation. 

But how? He had no knowledge of soul cultivation, beyond the bare fact of its existence and even with incomplete memories he was sure the previous Elder Han had never practiced it.

He turned to the scrolls scattered around the desk, unrolling one with trembling hands. It was a complex ritual manual, filled with diagrams and instructions in a dizzying mix of temporary array building, soul cultivation, and alchemy. Revulsion boiled in his stomach as he recognised the technique that had done this to him, but it gave him an idea.

"The sect libraries," he muttered, the Silvermist Ravine Sect was a minor power in the grand scheme of things, but they prided themselves on their accumulation of knowledge and techniques. My only chance at finding a way to heal my soul is there.

But simply getting to the library wouldn't be an easy task. He was weak, much weaker than he should be, and the sect was full of gossip, prying eyes, and invasive spiritual senses. He needed a way to hide his condition, to mask his cultivation level so that no one would suspect the truth.

He rifled idly through the desk, searching for anything that might help. His fingers brushed against a small jade pendant, and as he picked it up, a dim memory surfaced - a rare technique Elder Han had learned long ago, a way to conceal one's cultivation.

"The Veil of Mortality," he whispered, clutching the pendant. It was a technique he had learned to disguise himself in emergencies when hunting down demonic cultivators. And wasn't that a terrifying thought.

It was perfect. If he could remember the full technique then he could hide his weakened state, even from the other elders. But there was a catch - using the Veil of Mortality technique would prevent him from using his divine sense or any external techniques at all. He would be effectively cut off from the spiritual world, unable to sense or manipulate energy outside his body.

It was a steep price to pay, but he had no choice. Any lesser technique would be seen though by anyone above his current cultivation strength and that was something he could not risk.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, tucking the pendant into his belt for luck, and began to channel what little spiritual energy he could muster. The technique was complex, requiring precise control over his now chaotic energy, and his damaged foundation made it even harder. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he focused, his hands trembling with the effort.

Finally, after what felt like hours, he felt the technique take hold. Looking outward from his dantian showed a faint shimmer surrounding him, and when he opened his eyes, he could feel the difference. His spiritual energy was hidden, locked away deep within his body. To anyone who looked, he would appear as nothing more than a mortal.

"It's done," he said, breathing heavily. Now, to the library.

He stood, his legs still unsteady, and made his way out of his quarters and through the large courtyard outside. It was all familiar, and yet he couldn't help but frown at how spartan and bare it all was. Nothing extra, no comforts, it was as if he had done nothing with the place since the building complex had been assigned to him.

As he stepped outside, he was snapped out of his thoughts by the sight of the Silvermist Ravine Sect in all its glory. The sect was built into the side of a mountain, with towering pagodas and winding stone paths. The air was thick with spiritual energy, and the sound of distant waterfalls echoed through the valley.

He was struck dumb by the beauty of the view for an instant before he felt himself dismiss it as nothing particularly special or out of the ordinary. Catching himself before he turned away, Han Wei forcefully suppressed the instinct that had turned him away and let himself enjoy the view.

It was truly breathtaking. Even without his spiritual senses he could see the spirituality in the air carried by sparse wisps of the silverlight mist that the sect was named for, curling around buildings and verdant greenery. 

The entire view seemed to gleam, from the impossibly tall pagodas to the sprawling training courtyards to the farm plots where the outer disciples grew spiritual food for the kitchens and herbs for the alchemists.

Han Wei had never seen anything like this in all his past life and in that moment made a promise in his heart that he would always try to appreciate the wonders of this new world. Elder Han had become immune to it, and he supposed after several hundred years it would become normal. But it was beautiful and the fact Elder Han had lost sight of that made him inescapably sad.

Eventually he conceded that he needed to move on and turned to the path that led towards the Technique Pavilion.

As he made his way through the sect, he made a conscious effort to move at a slower pace than the disciples around him, but to also move with purpose. As if he were a lower realm cultivator moving briskly rather than a peak Foundation Consolidation realm moving with no rush at all.

He assumed that he was doing rather well at avoiding attention as no-one was yet gawping at the mortal that had infiltrated the inner sect.

Finally, he reached the Technique Pavilion, a grand repository of the cultivation scriptures, sutras, and techniques, that stood proud near the centre of the inner sect. He walked casually inside and had to force himself to keep walking normally and not gawp in shock as he took in the towering shelves filled with scrolls and books.

This was only the first floor. The floor of the lesser and commonly known techniques. He hoped to the heavens that the second and third floors - all that he had free access to as a guest elder - would have a more curated selection. Otherwise he would be here for weeks.

He started on the second floor. There were still a huge number of texts here, but they looked mercifully organised and he would only need a few moments to figure out what each section was devoted to.

But just as he found the small section on soul techniques, an unmistakable pressure descended upon him. It was subtle, barely enough to knock a mortal unconscious and practically a polite tap on the shoulder to an elder in the Core Refining stage. Which he was not.

Forcing himself not to react at all Han Wei calmly looked up from the book he was examining and met the eyes of the source.

"Elder Mei. Can I help you?" his voice neutral and polite, betraying none of the tension he felt in the face of the woman's scrutiny.

Elder Mei, the revered sect elder of alchemy, was a figure of enigmatic grace and timeless beauty. Outwardly, she appeared to be a youthful woman in her mid-twenties, with porcelain skin, delicate features, and flowing ink-black hair that cascaded like a waterfall. 

Her eyes, however, betrayed her true age - deep pools of amber that shimmered with the weight of centuries.

It caused a moment of dissonance in Han Wei's mind to remember that despite her youthful face she was far older than he was. But at the same time the part of his mind that was Elder Han found this completely normal.

"I'm merely surprised to see you here." She answered with a cutting smile. "You've been a guest elder here for what? Five years? And I do believe this is the first time I have seen you enter here."

Han Wei's expression remained impassive. "Then perhaps it was time for that to change," he replied evenly, his tone giving nothing away.

Elder Mei stepped closer, her movements graceful and deliberate. She glanced at the book in his hands, her sharp eyes catching the title before he could even think to obscure it. "Soul cultivation techniques," she mused aloud, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. 

"An unusual interest for someone in your position. Most elders focus on growing their cultivation directly. The soul is… a delicate matter."

Han Wei met her gaze, his own steady. "One must explore all paths to grow," he said simply, refusing to rise to her bait.

Elder Mei tilted her head, her smile softening into something almost contemplative. "True enough. Though the path of soul cultivation is fraught with dangers. It requires not only talent but also guidance. Without proper instruction or aid, one might… falter." Her words hung in the air, heavy with implication.

Han Wei's expression did not change, but he felt the weight of her words. She was hinting at something, though he could not yet discern her full intent. "Guidance is indeed valuable," he acknowledged, his tone still neutral. "But one must also be cautious about where they seek it."

Elder Mei's smile deepened, and she took another step closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "Caution is wise, but so is recognizing opportunity. There are those who might be willing to offer their assistance… if the right conditions were met."

Han Wei's mind raced. She was offering something - help with soul cultivation, perhaps - but at what cost? He kept his voice calm, refusing to show any sign of eagerness. "Conditions can be… complicated," he said carefully. "One must weigh the risks against the rewards."

Elder Mei's eyes gleamed with approval, as if she had expected his measured response. "Indeed. But sometimes, the rewards far outweigh the risks. Especially when one's goals align. 

"Though perhaps we could discuss it further in a more private setting." Her smile turning almost predatory at the invitation. "The archives are not the place for such conversations. I shall send you an invitation to tea after the disciple selection ceremony - I do hope you will accept."

As Elder Mei walked away, Han Wei let out a tight breath. He was walking a tightrope, and one misstep could send him plummeting into the abyss.

He forced himself to calm, his mind already working through the implications of their conversation. Elder Mei was dangerous, but her alchemical knowledge was unparalleled in the sect and whatever she knew of soul cultivation could be invaluable. The question was whether the price of her help would be worth it.

Then the impact of her parting words finally hit home sending his thoughts spiralling once more. The disciple selection ceremony! He was supposed to select disciples and he had no idea how long he had left to prepare.

The timing couldn't be worse. Not only would he have to feign his strength to the other elders in passing, but he would have to figure out how to guide and teach disciples too. Things just kept getting more and more complicated - but he had no choice. He had to find a way to heal himself, to rebuild his strength. And to do that he needed to keep his place in the sect.

He glanced down at the book in his hands, the weight of it suddenly feeling heavier. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: he would need to tread carefully. And if he wasn't ready, it wouldn't just be his life on the line - it could be that of his future disciples too.

Chapter 2: A Home Grown Solution

The days blurred together as Han Wei buried himself in the sect's libraries. The Technique Pavilion became his second home, its towering shelves filled with scrolls and tomes offering both hope and frustration.

He forewent rest and sleep, and only occasionally ate, relying on his remaining cultivation base to support him. He returned to his quarters only briefly, to take care of his appearance and make sure he still looked the part of his old self.

Luckily for him his robes were self-cleaning, and his past self wore only a plain ivory ring as adornment, so his appearance took very little maintenance.

He had found what he was looking for by the end of the second day, but there was a catch that kept him researching further.

Whispering Willow Soul Blossoming Sutra was the cultivation method that he was resting his hopes on. A weak, but all encompassing, soul cultivation method that no-one would choose as their primary cultivation method.

It was a gentle, restorative practice that relied on harmonizing the soul with the natural flow of spiritual energy in a carefully cultivated environment. The technique was far from perfect for him, but it didn't clash with any of his existing cultivation. And, more importantly, it didn't require him to strain his damaged foundation or risk further harm to his soul.

The catch, however, was the environment. The technique required a space with strong positive feng shui, a place where spiritual energy flowed freely and harmoniously. Han Wei's spartan courtyard, with its bare packed earth and lack of all but the smallest traces of life would not serve at all.

But his courtyard was all he had. His building complex was the only place with privacy formations strong enough to allow him to let down his Veil of Mortality technique and cultivate. He was determined to make it work.

Han Wei was truly shocked at the speed that he could race through the scriptures. They were a mix of flowery poetry conveying truths that couldn't quite be put into words, and dense technical language on qi use.

The Han Wei of his previous life would have struggled to get through a single text in a full day but Elder Han found himself breezing through them - and more, remembering every detail.

Marvelling over the phenomenon sparked a memory. A treasure he consumed. A rare Soul Structuring Vitality Yarrow Root that he had eaten decades ago to refine his soul in an effort to increase its effect on his cultivation technique.

He could remember dismissing the improved memory as merely a useful side-effect.

This was far more than a side-effect to the new Elder Han. This was a miracle. This would allow him to simply memorise everything he was missing, to actually stand a chance at being a successful mentor to the poor disciples who would have to suffer him as their master.

Of course memorisation of a text is not understanding. And that is something that Han Wei found to be even more true of the cultivation world that it was in his old life.

Half of every technique and scripture was based upon understandings that could not be truly explained but only be comprehended through bursts of enlightenment and deep meditation.

But he didn't need to understand everything. He just needed to understand enough.

He scoured every text he could find on soul cultivation, cultivation theory, feng shui, formations, and natural arrays, snatching up knowledge from every relevant source he could find in the hopes that a solution would occur to him.

Most of it was fascinating in its own right, even without the time to meditate on the koans and poetry, but any reference to talismans seemed… basic.

It was frustrating and confusing, but it was when he found himself about to correct a manual on talisman creation that memories slammed into him with all the grace and delicacy of a freight train.

The feeling was indescribable, like a phantom dislocated shoulder popping back into place, like his spiritual organs were tearing under the weight of the memories. Like something was being put right and killing him all at once.

Head swimming, eyes watering, and desperately hoping that no-one entered this section of the Occupation Library while he was holding himself upright against a bookshelf. This was how he remembered that he was a talisman artist.

It took him nearly an hour until he felt recovered enough to continue reading. By no means was he well - but he already knew that his soul was damaged. What else could he do but continue? His newly rediscovered knowledge of talismans and spiritual calligraphy was interesting, yes - but it offered no new solutions. He had to power forward.

As Han Wei pored over the ancient texts, his mind began to make connections that felt almost instinctive. The more he read about feng shui and natural arrays, the more he realized how closely they mirrored the principles he had used in his past life as a hobby gardener.

The idea of optimizing space for growth, of creating an environment where plants could thrive - it wasn't so different from cultivating spiritual energy. Both required an understanding of balance, flow, and harmony.

He remembered the small balcony garden he had nurtured in his old apartment, how he had carefully arranged pots and planters to maximize sunlight and airflow. He had experimented with companion planting, pairing species that benefited each other, and had even dabbled in hydroponics, creating a self-sustaining system that required minimal intervention.

Those experiences had taught him the importance of designing a space that worked with nature, not against it. Now, as he studied the intricate diagrams of spiritual formations, he saw the same principles at play.

The texts spoke of ley lines and energy nodes, of how the natural flow of spiritual energy could be harnessed and directed. Han Wei realized that his courtyard could be transformed into a kind of spiritual ecosystem, where every element - every stone, plant, and body of water - played a role in cultivating and circulating energy.

Excitement flared within him at the idea. It was as if the fragmented knowledge he had been gathering suddenly clicked into place, forming a coherent vision.

A cultivation garden, no, a cultivation grotto. An artificial recreation of the legendary cultivation caves and sacred sites from the ancient tales.

He began to sketch out a design, his hand moving almost of its own accord. The central feature would be a spiral formation of stones, each inscribed with talismans to stabilize and channel energy. Around it, he would plant willow saplings, their roots drawing in spiritual energy from the earth and their leaves releasing it into the air.

Shallow trenches would encircle the grotto and wind through it, catching rain water when it fell and acting as a conduit space for energy flow, while spiritual herbs and flowers would fill the space with vibrant life. Even the minor spirit beasts he had seen in the sect's gardens - insects and birds - could play a role, their presence adding to the natural harmony of the space.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized how his modern gardening techniques could enhance the traditional cultivation methods. Companion planting, for example, could be adapted to pair spiritual herbs that complemented each other's energy.

His knowledge of hydroponics could inspire a system for circulating spiritual energy through the grotto, creating a closed cycle. Even his experience with optimizing small spaces could help him make the most of the courtyard's limited area, ensuring that every inch contributed to the overall flow of energy.

It was a revelation, a fusion of ancient wisdom and modern ingenuity. For the first time since his rebirth, Han Wei felt a sense of purpose. He wasn't just trying to survive in this new world - he was creating something unique, something that drew on the best of both his lives.

The grotto would be more than just a cultivation space; it would be a testament to his resilience and creativity, a sanctuary where he and his disciples could grow together.

But planning out his cultivation grotto was the easy part. After returning to his courtyard and looking at his plans with the space in front of him, he felt his stomach drop at the scale of the task in front of him.

And he couldn't even hire help, he had finally remembered that he could check his sect token for his contribution points and found that his past self was flat broke. It seemed like he had done the bare minimum as a guest elder and had been rewarded accordingly.

No wonder he was being forced to take on disciples.

The first step was to change the courtyard's layout. He dug trenches along the edges, and wove them together towards the courtyard's centre. These would act as the core energy pathways of the array, theoretically at least.

With his disguise technique active, he was still cut off from external techniques so was forced to dig the trenches by hand, only using old mortal grade tools he found in a storage cupboard.

Luckily he still had the physical benefits of his cultivation base. If he was limited to the strength and endurance of a mortal Han Wei would have despaired. As it was, once he began, he worked without rest or pause - at the ninth major stage he could push off sleep and rest for weeks.

Next he needed to enrich the soil. The courtyard was filled with hard packed dirt, pressed down so strongly that it was closer to rock than the rich loam he required. He needed to fill the soil with nutrients, micro-organisms, fungi, and enough yin energy to feed to the strong yang growth he was aiming for.

He began by breaking up the compacted soil, using a simple hoe to turn the earth. Each strike of the tool sent vibrations through the ground, loosening the tightly bound dirt and allowing air to penetrate its depths.

He had done this before and remembered it being back breaking work that had taken days - having to restart the process if it rained and recompacted the soil again. But again what was hard labour for a mortal, was a relaxing pastime for a cultivator.

Satisfied by how his courtyard was progressing, Han Wei fetched a small spatial pouch from his desk and picked up his hand mirror to check his appearance. Quickly wiping away any trace of dirt or exertion he was ready to head out for supplies.

Again he lamented his past self's lack of effort in gaining contribution points with the sect. Even a small amount for an elder would have let him hire a cadre of outer disciples to do the labour and buy in the spiritual materials he needed. Still, there was no use lamenting the past, he had to make the best of it.

He strode confidently out of the sect boundaries, projecting serenity as hard as he could, and entered the untamed forest that covered the mountainside. While Han Wei could remember that this was an area of fairly low spiritual density, and therefore shouldn't contain anything that could threaten him (even as he was), he couldn't remember what treasures or resources the area was known for.

He had managed to skim an alchemy treatise on identifying spiritual herbs and plants so he wasn't flying completely blind, but nor did he have any confidence on successfully finding true spiritual herbs. Especially with his spiritual senses currently blind.

Han Wei paused and mentally shook himself. He had to keep a watch on himself to keep from falling into the mindset of the former Elder Han. He didn't need to find treasures, right now all he needed was compost.

Holding the spacial pouch lightly, he started throwing in organic debris mostly at random. Simply touching piles of leaves, moss, and fallen branches and making them vanish into its interior. He made a game of it, seeing how far he could stretch the minor treasure without his external qi and found himself seeing if he could pick up bark by nudging it with his food.

It turned out he could though the few drops of qi required caused an unpleasant burning in his chest in a sensation not unlike heartburn.

Just as he was musing on whether there was a way to manage the feat using less qi, he heard something. Voices? He pushed forward in that direction without thought.

Peering through the foliage, he saw three figures - a young man in the robes of an outer disciple, flanked by two lackeys, confronting another outer disciple. The one standing alone was a slight boy with a nervous demeanor who clutched a small pouch to his chest, his face pale but defiant.

"Hand over the spirit stones," the lead disciple demanded, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You don't need them anyway. Someone like you will never amount to anything."

The boy shook his head, his voice trembling but firm. "I earned these stones. They're mine."

The two disciples flanking both chuckled, their laughter harsh, mocking, and fake. Their leader stepped closer, his expression darkening. "You don't get it, do you? In this world, the strong take what they want. And you? You're nothing."

Elder Han's jaw tightened as he watched the scene unfold. His first instinct was to intervene, to put a stop to this blatant bullying. But then he hesitated. He was far weaker than he should be and on top of that his qi was locked deep inside his spiritual body.

How could he intervene without revealing his weakness? And even if he did intervene, sect elders were not supposed to meddle in the affairs of outer disciples. If word got back to the sect it could raise questions and questions were not something he could afford right now.

But as he watched the lead disciple shove the boy to the ground, something stirred within him. This wasn't just about strength or weakness - it was about justice. The boy being robbed had done nothing wrong. He was simply trying to survive in a world that favored the ruthless. If Elder Han turned a blind eye now, what did that say about him?

Not intervening wouldn't just be cowardly, it would be unrighteous.

Even recognising that this feeling came from the previous Elder Han and not from him, Han Wei was powerless to stop himself from stepping into the clearing.

His presence immediately silenced the bullies and the lead disciple turned, his sneer faltering as faint recognition flickered in his eyes.

"E-Elder Han!" he stammered, quickly bowing. His lackeys followed suit, their bravado evaporating under the elder's piercing gaze. Thank the heavens he recognised me!

The boy on the ground looked up, hope flickering in his eyes. "Elder…?"

Elder Han nodded to the boy, his expression still fierce. "Are you hurt?"

The boy shook his head, clutching his pouch tighter. "No, Elder. Thank you."

Dismissing him and turning his attention to the lead disciple, Elder Han's voice was calm but laced with authority. "What is your name, disciple?"

The young man hesitated, his face pale. "I… I am Zhang Wei, Elder."

"Zhang Wei," Elder Han repeated, his tone measured. "Do you believe that strength gives you the right to take from others?"

Zhang Wei shifted uncomfortably, his lackeys glancing at each other nervously. "Elder, I was only teaching him a lesson. The strong take from the weak - that's the way of the world."

"Is it?" Elder Han asked, his gaze unwavering. "And what happens when someone stronger than you decides to take from you? Will you accept it as the natural order of things?" He paused to let his words sink in before continuing.

"I am stronger than you. Would it be right for me to take from you?"

Zhang Wei opened his mouth to respond but found no words. His lackeys looked down, their earlier confidence replaced by unease.

Elder Han stepped closer, his voice low but firm. "We are not beasts fighting for scraps. To cultivate is to rebel against the fate that the heavens have ordained for you. It is to seek to reach the heavens themselves. To ascend and to declare 'I am worthy' for all the planes to hear.

"A cultivator who preys on the weak is no better than a common bandit. Is that what you aspire to be?"

Zhang Wei's face flushed with shame, his bravado crumbling. "No, Elder."

"Then reflect on your actions," Elder Han said, his tone final. "Return to the sect and consider what it means to be strong, what it means to be a cultivator. If I hear of you bullying others again, there will be consequences."

The disciple bowed deeply, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, Elder."

As Zhang Wei and his lackeys hurried away, Elder Han turned back to the boy, who was still on the ground. At his raised eyebrow the young disciple scrambled to his feet and bowed.

"Thank you, Elder," the boy said, his voice filled with gratitude.

"You stood your ground," Elder Han said flatly, trying and failing to gentle his tone. Something inside him demanded that the bullying juniors be punished and not simply left to go free. "That took courage and determination. Both traits that will take you far in cultivation if you nurture them."

The boy nodded, his eyes shining with newfound determination. "I will, Elder. Thank you."

As the boy left the clearing, Elder Han watched him go, a sense of unease passing through him. Yes he had made the right choice and it was satisfying to stand up for what is right.

But the sense of… righteous fury that had come upon him was not solely his. And he didn't think that it was just a remnant of the old Eldar Han echoing in his psyche.

No, this felt like some kind of cultivation deviation. And worse, one that had been going on far longer than his injuries. He tried and failed to not worry about this as he finished his gathering and headed back to his courtyard. This is a long term problem, he kept saying to himself. I have immediate problems that I must solve first.

Pushing his dark thoughts to one side by sheer force of will he began to empty his pouch and fold everything into the earth. Piles of decaying leaves, heaps of harvested grasses, fallen branches, and clumps of moss - all tilled into the soil to enrich it.

He held some back, enough for a layer of leaves, grass, and bark pieces to serve as both a protective blanket and a source of future nourishment for the soil, locking in moisture and encouraging the growth of microorganisms and fungi.

As worked, he couldn't help but visualize the network of life it would foster - tiny creatures breaking down the organic matter, fungi forming symbiotic bonds with future plant roots, and the soil itself becoming a living, breathing entity.

But he couldn't rest even as the sun dimmed and another day ended. He pulled out a large selection of stones he had gathered and after sorting them by size began the slow process of inscribing each of them with a complex talisman glyph designed to help stabilize and guide spiritual energy.

It was painstaking work, and his hands trembled from the effort that such precision required. But he pressed on, driven by necessity.

And once he was done he placed them reverently in a spiral throughout the courtyard, saving the largest for last to sit in the exact centre. This last stone had the most complex calligraphy - it was practically a small array by itself - but he was confident that it would work as intended.

The bones were there, now he just needed to fill it.

He planted willow saplings in lines along the lines of the trenches. He may have gone overboard with the willow hedging, but willow was just so easy. The tree was so fertile all he had to do was stick a long cutting in the soil and it would more likely grow than not - and that was in his old world, the spiritual energy in this one would only boost this further.

With slender branches swaying gently in the breeze, these miniature trees would serve as anchors for the array I was working on. Their roots would draw in spiritual energy from the earth and release it from their leaves into the air and their leaves would draw in spiritual energy from the air and release it into the earth.

Activating the qi gathering array on his residence finally gave him the privacy to let down his disguise technique and use his divine sense again. It felt like removing shackles and he hated the thought that he would have to reactivate the technique soon - the privacy the array afforded him was on a timer.

The gathering array was efficient and worked by forming a barrier that qi couldn't leave from while also slowing its passage through the material realm, but it still needed spirit stones to run and he didn't have any to replace the ones currently installed.

He had calculated that if he only activated it for a few hours a day then he could just about run it until he got his disciples, and with them his contribution points. Contribution points he could spend on more spirit stones.

With his divine sense finally free, Han Wei quickly scanned the plants he had haphazardly gathered, and mentally sorted them by spiritual aspect and how they would fit into his plans. He planted ferns and undergrowth gathered from the forest, grasses from clearings, a small clump of what he was sure were wild strawberries, and many more plants that he couldn't easily identify.

Planting them in tight clusters to encourage competition and growth left many empty spaces for further plants, but even so the transformation was startling. He knew that seasons of growth would be needed for it to fulfil its true potential, but even so he could start to see what it would be.

He added rotting wooden logs covered in moss, lichen, and mushrooms in a careful pile. A place for beetles and bugs to breed - a place for yin energy to gather above ground. Everything was carefully and meticulously planned, but planned to grow wild and free.

A manicured garden would never work for the grotto he imagined. Of course a lot of maintenance would still be needed but he hoped that the natural design would truly balance the energies here. It would be his own personal sanctuary.

His final task saw him gently pouring water into the dug trenches from a huge barrel he had found behind his property. The trenches would hold the water and let it seep slowly and evenly into the ground. Soon they would be filled by rain, but until the wet season came he would have to ensure enough moisture was added to the soil.

It was only the end of his second week in his new life and the courtyard was unrecognizable. What had once been a cold, lifeless expanse of stone was now a thriving cultivation grotto, brimming with spiritual energy.

Han Wei stood at the center, breathing in the fresh, invigorating air. For the first time since his rebirth, instead of fear he felt hope.

But his work was far from over. The grotto was only the beginning. He still needed to master The Whispering Willow Soul Blossoming Sutra and begin the slow, arduous process of healing his soul.

And then there were the disciples - young cultivators who would soon look to him for guidance. He had no idea how he would manage it all, but he had no choice. He would find a way.

Chapter 3: Lingering Scars

The sun dipped below the jagged peaks of the Silvermist Ravine, casting long shadows across Han Wei's newly completed cultivation grotto. The air was thick with the scent of fresh earth and the faint hum of spiritual energy.

Han Wei stood at the center of the grotto, inspecting a small willow sapling he had planted days ago for signs of growth. Its few leaves shimmered faintly, catching the last rays of sunlight.

He was immensely proud of the grotto, it was a testament to his ingenuity - a fusion of his modern gardening knowledge and the ancient cultivation techniques he had scavenged from the sect's libraries.

The formations were unorthodox, blending feng shui principles with spiritual arrays to create a space where natural qi was perfectly tailored to be absorbed by human cultivation. As he stood there, lost in thought, a voice broke the silence.

"Elder Han," the voice called, smooth and measured. "I must say, this is… unexpected."

Han Wei felt a spike of fear at the interruption, but managed to hold himself still. Thankfully his disguise technique was already active, hiding his cultivation level, but he couldn't help the pervasive fear that his injury would be discovered.

Han Wei turned slowly, mentally adopting the calm demeanor of Elder Han, to see Elder Feng's reed thin form standing at the entrance to the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back. The elder's sharp eyes scanned the grotto, taking in the formation pathways and lush greenery.

"Elder Feng," Han Wei greeted, giving the slight half-bow appropriate to his station. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I heard rumours of activity at your home," Feng answered, his voice polite but laced with an undercurrent of skepticism. He did not return the bow. "I thought it best to investigate. After all, it's not every day that a guest elder transforms their courtyard into… whatever this is."

Han Wei forced a slight smile, his mind racing. He had hoped to keep his work hidden, at least until he was ready to reveal it. But Elder Feng's unexpected visit had thrown a wrench in his plans.

"It's a cultivation grotto," Han Wei explained, keeping his tone light. "I thought it might be beneficial for my disciples. A space where they can cultivate in harmony with nature."

Elder Feng raised an eyebrow. "A noble goal," he said, though his tone suggested he wasn't entirely convinced. "Though your methods are… unconventional. I've never seen formations like these before. They're not from any of the sect's approved texts."

Han Wei kept the slight smile on his face through sheer force of will. "I've always believed in adapting techniques to suit one's needs. These formations are a blend of principles I picked up in my travels, designed to harmonize natural spiritual energy with human cultivation."

"Experimentation can be dangerous, Elder Han. Especially when it comes to cultivation. The wrong technique, the wrong formation… it can lead to disaster."

There was a weight to his words, a subtle warning that sent a chill down Han Wei's spine. He met Elder Feng's gaze, his expression calm but guarded.

"I appreciate your concern, Elder Feng. But I assure you, I have experience in this."

Feng's expression remained impassive, but his eyes narrowed slightly. "Adaptation is one thing, Elder Han. But straying too far from the established path can lead to… complications. Especially for someone in your position."

An unspoken implication hung heavy in the air. Han Wei's heart skipped a beat, but he kept his composure. Did he mean my position as a guest elder? Or does he suspect I have an issue with my cultivation? He couldn't possibly know about my mind being a messed up blend of two different lives could he?

Heavens above I have too many problems.

"Again, I appreciate your concern." Han Wei barely held onto his composure. "But surely you can sense that the energies here are harmless. I do know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Feng stepped closer, his voice dropping. "Elder Zhang has been asking questions about you. He's not one to let… irregularities go unnoticed." He eyed Han Wei meaningfully before continuing.

"I am aware of the heavy demands of your type of cultivation, and I hope you intend to be careful in your methods, when training disciples. The sect will brook no harm coming to our own while you are still a guest elder."

Han Wei's stomach churned, but he nodded. "Thank you for the warning. I'll keep it in mind." He knows about the strange cultivation deviation I sensed! Desperate for more information and yet completely unable to ask, Elder Han just waited quietly - outwardly projecting a calm he did not feel.

Elder Feng studied him for a moment longer, then turned to leave. "Good fortune, Elder Han. I suspect you'll need it."

As Feng's figure disappeared into the twilight, Han Wei let out a shaky breath. The warning was clear: Elder Zhang was watching him closely, and his unusual methods were drawing unwanted attention. But he couldn't afford to stop now. His survival depended on stabilizing his cultivation, no matter the cost.

But he couldn't afford to dwell on it. He had work to do. The disciple selection ceremony was only two more weeks away, and he needed to be able to properly use his qi by then. With a deep breath, he turned back to the grotto, his resolve hardening.

That night, Han Wei activated the qi gathering array to give himself some privacy once more and sat cross-legged in the centre of the courtyard. A faint glow illuminated the garden from the bleed off of the spiritual energy being guided through the grotto.

He closed his eyes and, with a quiet breath, began the Whispering Willow Soul Blossoming Sutra. It was a weak method, totally unsuitable as a main cultivation technique, but its gentle healing nature made it ideal for his damaged soul.

As he focused, he felt the familiar tug of his shredded soul, like a frayed tapestry being pulled back together. The pain was excruciating, a searing ache that radiated through his entire being, but he clenched his teeth and endured.

He wanted to say that it was the worst pain he had ever endured, but that prize went to when he had first tried to cultivate after his injury. Unfortunately, this pain lasted. Every second he cultivated was an agony that washed over him in a never ending torrent.

Slowly, excruciatingly, he guided the torn pieces of his soul back into place. Hours passed, and the pain gradually lessened. It was still worse than anything he had experienced in his previous life, but it was no longer on the edge of unbearable.

Han Wei opened his eyes, his body drenched in sweat. He could feel the difference - his soul was already more stable. The fraying edges pushed back together, even if they were not yet healed.

He still needed vastly more work to begin truly healing the damage, but the first step was taken. And now he needed to rest. Even if physically he could ignore fatigue, mentally was a different story and he was exhausted from that first cultivation session.

He shut down the gathering formation, trying to note where the qi was bleeding into light in the courtyard - he would need to fix that in the morning. But first, bed.

Over the next week, he continued to work on his grotto between cultivation sessions. Optimising the energy pathways, adding more plants, trying to tempt some of the small spirit animals to take up residence, until he could feel the energies becoming so well aspected that they began to seep into his body every time he let down his disguise technique.

This passive boost to his body cultivation foundations was not something he had expected. But even after careful examination he determined that it could only provide benefits. Infinitesimal benefits to be sure, and ones that would only show if he ever took up body cultivation, but he couldn't afford to dismiss any possible advantage.

For several days, he focused solely on the Whispering Willow Soul Blossoming Sutra, slowly but surely mending the fragments of his soul. But a thought began to gnaw at him - a thought he had been too afraid to entertain at first.

What if I tried my primary cultivation technique again?

The idea was both thrilling and terrifying. His primary technique, the Celestial River Refinement Method, was a powerful dharmic cultivation art that had once allowed him to channel vast amounts of spiritual energy. His soul was still damaged, true, but if it was healed just enough to cultivate again then perhaps he could heal his foundation.

Perhaps he could step back into the golden core realms.

If he could heal his foundation, then he could step forward from the peak of the Foundation Consolidation realm. Passing the first great divide to the Core Building realm would be a huge boost to his power and to his ability to stay with the sect.

It would prove he wasn't a cripple and that this was just a temporary set back. It would change everything.

It was risky, his soul was nowhere near healed, and yet, as he sat there, feeling the steady hum of his spiritual energy, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was ready. Or at least, ready to try.

Han Wei took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly as he formed the first seal of the Celestial River Refinement Method. The familiar motions came to him instinctively, like muscle memory. As he began to channel his spiritual energy, he braced himself for the pain, for the inevitable backlash that would come from pushing his damaged soul too far.

But to his surprise, the pain didn't come. Instead, he felt a gentle warmth spreading through his body, like a river of light flowing through his meridians. His spiritual energy, once chaotic and fractured, now moved with a sense of purpose, guided by the familiar rhythm of his primary technique.

Han Wei's eyes flew open, his heart pounding with a mixture of disbelief and joy. "It's working," he whispered, his voice trembling. "It's actually working!"

Hope soared in his chest. His soul was still scarred, yes, but it was stable enough to handle his primary technique. He could feel the cracks in his cultivation foundation beginning to mend, slowly, achingly slowly, but inevitably - the spiritual energy flowing more smoothly than it had in weeks.

He closed his eyes again, focusing on the technique with renewed determination. The Celestial River Refinement Method was like an old friend, its rhythms comforting and familiar.

But as the initial rush of joy began to fade, a new realization dawned on him. While his foundation was healing, it was healing far far too slowly. It was obvious what the reason was - his cultivation technique relied on the strength of his soul and the conviction of his way. And his soul needed to be in much better shape to advance.

The days blurred together as Han Wei continued his relentless pace.

Each morning, he would rise before dawn, his body stiff and aching from the previous night's cultivation. The Whispering Willow Soul Blossoming Sutra was gentle, but the toll it took on his spirit was undeniable. The pain in his soul not fading for hours after he had finished cultivation and only partially helped by forcing himself to sleep.

He would work on his martial forms in the morning - combat was a core part of the cultivation world and he had to ensure that he fully retained the skill of the old Elder Han even with his lowered strength.

After that he would spend time in the libraries, reading anything and everything from martial arts manuscripts to butchering guides.

In the afternoon he would work on his grotto. He would refine it like a treasure, each small improvement would give a boost to the Whispering Willow Soul Blossoming Sutra and speed the healing of his soul.

As the sun was setting he would activate the privacy and gathering formations once again, and start to cultivate for as long as he could bear.

His routine started with the Celestial River Refinement Method, this way he could measure how his progress was affecting it and continue repairing his foundation at the same time. After a session of spiritual cultivation he would then switch to soul cultivation. Enduring the intense agony with a determined grimace until the benefits began to taper off.

Then he went to sleep once more to recover and allow his soul cultivation to settle. And, before the break of dawn, would begin again.

His intense routine bore fruit, it was only the end of his third week in this world and already the cracks in his cultivation foundation were nearly invisible to his senses. But something wasn't quite as he had hoped.

While his soul was definitely healing, the scars from where it was damaged remained. They were like deep fissures in a mountain, impossible to ignore. It wasn't the fault of the technique - the technique was still healing some of the damage and was now starting to strengthen his soul directly. No, it was simply that there were small slivers of his soul missing.

Soul damage could heal - given enough time - but missing pieces? That was beyond his technique.

And adding insult to injury, he still couldn't use the full strength of his primary cultivation method.

He opened his eyes, staring up at the endless sky as the weight of his realization settled over him. "I can't advance," he murmured, his voice heavy with resignation. "Not until my soul is fully healed."

The gap between the peak of the Foundation Consolidation realm and the first steps of the Core Building realm was called the great divide for a reason. Without the full power of his method there was no way he could pass that bottleneck.

That evening, as he sat in his usual place at the centre of the grotto to cultivate, the weight of his situation finally crashed down on him. The realization that he might never regain his former strength, that he might forever be trapped in this weakened state, was a bitter pill to swallow. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as frustration and despair threatened to overwhelm him.

"Is this it?" he muttered, his voice trembling. "Am I just going to be hiding my cultivation until I get discovered? Until I get thrown out of the sect?" He couldn't remember what danger awaited him outside the safety of the sect, but the certainty that it would kill him - weakened as he was - was bone deep.

For the first time since his rebirth, Han Wei allowed himself to truly feel the weight of his despair. He slumped against the large stone he had so lovingly carved only a week ago, his shoulders shaking as tears streamed down his face. The memories of his past life - mundane but safe - flashed before his eyes.

He had been an ordinary man, content with his garden and his quiet existence. Now, he was thrust into a world of danger and deceit, his very survival hanging by a thread.

"Why me?" he whispered, his voice breaking. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't want this."

But even as the words left his lips, he knew they were hollow. He had asked for this, in a way. Elder Han was as much him now as simple Han Wei, and Elder Han had sought power. He had reached for something greater, and it had cost him everything. And now, Han Wei was left to pick up the pieces.

The next morning, Han Wei woke with a start, his body stiff and his mind foggy. He had fallen asleep still in the courtyard, his face streaked with dried tears. The grotto was bathed in the soft light of dawn and still glowing with the hints of spirituality from the gathering formation he had left active all night.

The air was crisp and filled with the scent of dew. For a moment, he simply sat there, simply taking in the quiet beauty of what he had created.

Then, something caught his eye. A sprout, no taller than half the length of his palm, had appeared near the base of one of the willow saplings. It was delicate, its leaves trembling in the morning breeze, but it was alive. Han Wei frowned, leaning closer. He hadn't planted it. It shouldn't have been there. It was far too early for volunteer plants to appear in a garden.

As he studied the small unexpected growth, a thought began to form in his mind. The Whispering Willow Soul Blossoming Sutra was gentle, yes, but it was also persistent. It worked slowly, steadily, bolstering the material of his soul like the slow growth of a tree. And just as a tree grew stronger over time, so too could his foundation.

Han Wei's breath caught as the realization dawned on him. He couldn't advance - not yet. The scars on his soul were too deep, too severe. But that didn't mean he was powerless. He could still cultivate. He could still deepen his foundation, strengthen his soul, and still search for treasures.

He wasn't trapped, only delayed. And if he kept trying then one day he would advance again - just as long as he didn't give up.

The thought was like a spark in the darkness, igniting a fire within him. He scrambled to his feet, his exhaustion forgotten, and began to pace the grotto. His mind raced as he pieced together the implications.

If he couldn't yet move forward, he would dig deeper. He would refine his foundation until it was unshakable, until it was so firm that he would be able to step into the next realm regardless of his cultivation technique.

"It's not about how fast you climb," he murmured, echoing a lesson from his past life. "It's about how strong the ladder is."

Over the next few days, Han Wei threw himself into his cultivation with renewed vigor. His goal now was not advancing his realm, but on perfecting the one he was in. He alternated between soul and spiritual cultivation techniques determined to improve in all aspects.

The pain was still there, a constant reminder of his limitations, but he no longer saw it as a burden. Instead, he embraced it, using it as a gauge for his progress. Each time he pushed through the pain, each time he felt his foundation grow a little stronger, he felt a sense of accomplishment that fueled his determination.

As the days passed, Han Wei's resolve only grew stronger. He began to see his situation not as a curse, but as an opportunity. The scars on his soul were a reminder of his past, but they were also a guide for his future. And with each passing day, that foundation grew a little stronger, a little more unshakable.

One evening, as he sat beneath the willow tree, he felt a shift in his spiritual energy. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there. The cracks in his foundation were gone as if they had never been. His foundation was as good as it was two hundred years ago when he was first in this realm.

Han Wei smiled, a genuine smile that reached his eyes for the first time in days.

He wasn't yet satisfied - he would keep refining and deeping his foundation until he found a new path forward. But when the time came to advance, he knew that he would be ready.

Chapter 4: A Test of Discipline

The morning sun cast a golden hue over the Silvermist Ravine Sect, its rays filtering through the dense mist that clung to the towering peaks. The air was thick with anticipation as the sect's central plaza filled with newly accepted disciples, their faces a mix of excitement and nervousness.

Today was the day they would be chosen by the elders, a moment that could define their future in the world of cultivation.

Han Wei, now fully inhabiting the role of Elder Han, stood among the gathered elders, his expression calm but his mind racing. The disciple selection ceremony was a pivotal moment, not just for the disciples but for him as well.

His position as a guest elder was precarious, and his choice of disciples would be scrutinized by the other elders, especially Elder Zhang, whose gaze felt like a dagger at his back. Never had Han Wei felt quite so much like a fraud as he did now - waiting to select disciples who he would have to deceive.

Elder Liu was the first to approach him. His countenance blank, but Han Wie could see lines of tension in his well muscled form. Elder Liu's voice was smooth, but the edge of suspicion was unmistakable. "Elder Wei, it is unusual to see you so... restrained. One might think you were hiding something."

Han Wei smiled faintly, his expression serene, having expected to be questioned far earlier than this. "Elder Liu, your concern is noted. But I assure you, there is no need for alarm. I am merely tempering my spirit."

Elder Liu leaned forward, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Tempering your spirit? Surely, a cultivator of your standing and reputation has no need to do such a thing."

Han Wei chuckled softly, the sound carrying a faint note of self-deprecation. "Even the tallest tree must bend in the storm. Recently I found myself on this cusp of attempting a technique that was... beyond my current grasp. It was only at the last moment that I realised the danger I was in.

"It was a humbling experience, one that reminded me of the dangers of arrogance and the importance of humility."

Elder Feng gave up his pretense of not listening and approached with a thoughtful expression on his gaunt face. "A technique beyond your grasp? That is unlike you, Elder Wei. What could have driven you to such recklessness?"

Han Wei's gaze grew distant, as if recalling a painful memory. "Arrogance of course. And ambition. In this period of restraint I hope to temper myself to prevent from falling to such follies again."

The two elders fell silent and exchanged glances. Elder Liu leaned back, an unreadable expression on his broad face, but Elder Feng nodded slowly, his eyes softening with understanding.

"Humility is a rare virtue among cultivators," Elder Feng said. "It is commendable that you would choose this path, Elder Wei. Many would claim that the certainty required of cultivation precludes such things and I believe that they would be wrong."

Elder Zhang stepped forward at that lip curled in irritation at the sentiment. "A noble sentiment, Elder Wei. But let us not forget that in cultivation strength and reputation are paramount. Humility may temper the spirit, but it will not protect the sect from our enemies."

"Ah," Interrupted Elder Liu, "It looks like the ceremony is about to start. Perhaps we might discuss philosophy at a later time?"

The gathered elders all seem to realise the same thing as their conversations ceased. Quiet swept over the entire plaza at some unseen signal.

Sect Master Wu stood at the center of the plaza, his very presence commanding respect. His voice boomed across the square, silencing the murmurs of the crowd.

"Today, we witness the future of our sect. Though newly accepted, you have all already proven themselves to be cultivators worthy of our sect - so do not despair if fate is not with you today.

"You will face a series of trials designed to test your cultivation, your spirit, and your resolve. These trials will determine your future within our sect. Perform well, and you may earn the privilege of becoming a direct disciple, perform poorly, and you will be relegated to the outer sect.

"Wherever you are placed, I am sure you will all find your own path on the road to ascension and make our sect proud."

The disciples exchanged nervous glances, their determination hardening. Despite the sect master's encouraging words the stakes were clear. And none were willing to falter.

While the new disciples were instructed in the tests, the elders retired to a large room in the nearby pagoda. Han Wei quickly realised why as an array came to life displaying real-time images from the trail areas. Jade slips were handed round containing both the disciples' estimated cultivation talent and their comprehension level from the entrance exam.

It quickly became apparent to him that it would be impossible to watch all the trials. All of them were happening all at once, and each one could support at least a dozen disciples attempting the test at the same time. With his divine sense suppressed and lowered cultivation, there was no way he would be able to keep up.

The disciples could apparently sign up for as many trials as they wished, but they could only attempt each one once. So Han Wei supposed the idea was that if a disciple was worthy enough they would be seen succeeding at something by at least a few elders.

That or the depressing notion that they were leaving it up to fate.

Han Wei observed quietly as the trials started, his mind working overtime to compensate for his blocked spiritual senses. He relied heavily on the jade slip in his hand, but it was a poor substitute for the spiritual insight he once possessed.

The first trial Han Wei watched took place in the Field of Echoes, a huge courtyard filled with ancient stone pillars engraved with intricate arrays. The disciples were tasked with channeling their spiritual energy into the pillars so that they would resonate and the arrays would light up.

It was a trial of both qi strength and control, as a pillar would only resonate if they could guide their qi through the hidden channels correctly. And as far as Han Wei could tell, each pillar was a unique maze.

Han Wei watched intently as the disciples stepped forward. Only one, a young noble by the look of her, strode forward with any confidence. She placed her hand on the pillar, her spiritual energy flaring brightly. Within seconds the glyphs began to light up in a dazzling display, the resonance strong and clear.

Elder Wei quickly glanced at the identifier for her - Chen Yue, according to the records she had high grade spiritual roots, excellent comprehension, and was already in the last stage of the Qi Gathering realm. He dismissed her as a potential disciple immediately. Someone that talented would be snapped up quickly by the other elders.

He had to focus instead on those who performed above average. Good enough to not be outdone by typical inner sect disciples, but not good enough that another elder would select them before he had a chance.

He watched as the next few groups attempted the test noting down names of those who might be a potential option. One boy had excellent control but little strength behind his qi, a girl had the strength to push her qi far up the pillar, but her control was so poor only a third of the glyphs lit up.

He saw a boy placing his hand on the pillar, with a grim expression as if this were a test of endurance. The runes lit weakly where the resonance clearly faint, and the glowing runes were scattered across the pillar at random not even making it half way up.

But Han Wei noticed something - the faint glow of the runes didn't waver, even as the boy's - Tie Zhu's - energy faltered. There was a stubbornness in his spirit, a refusal to give up, it may be nothing but it caught Han Wei's attention enough to look up the boy's potential.

With a sigh he dismissed that boy too. With his spiritual roots and mediocre comprehension, this was a boy destined for the outer sect.

After noting a few more promising disciples, Han Wei found himself moving on to watch the trial at the Garden of Endurance. He was less interested in the results of this test than he was in the array that was built into the manicured garden, but was disappointed when he figured out how it worked.

It wasn't anything like the cultivation grotto he had set up - the array was simply hidden beneath the garden and not integrated with the spirituality of the plants at all. The only point of interest to him was that the pathways themselves seemed to be an extension of the array not simply connected to it - something he could potentially copy in the future.

The formations beneath the elegant garden were designed to sap the spiritual energy of anyone who entered while applying a steadily increasing pressure to anyone that tried to reach the center. The new disciples were simply told to collect a flower from the garden and that the deeper into the garden that their prize came from the better they would be scored.

Any disciple entering must tightly hold onto their qi to resist it being drained from them while simultaneously using it to resist the pressure. It was an excellent test of endurance, focus, and ability to adapt under pressure.

The array that allowed Han Wei to watch projected a panoramic view of the garden, allowing him to monitor the disciples' progress in real time. Unlike the rest of the elders watching, his focus was not on how far these novices made it into the garden, but on the subtleties of their actions - how they handled exhaustion, how they strategized under pressure, and how they adapted to their mistakes.

The first disciple to catch Han Wei's attention was a young man who upon discovering the effects of the array immediately changed his strategy from cautious exploration to raw speed. Chen Hao went from entering slowly as if prepared for an ambush to a full sprint in a moment of decisive action.

Disciple Chen burst through the garden at full speed, his spiritual energy flaring as he sprinted down the pathways. Han Wei's brow furrowed as he watched the young man's reckless approach play out.

He's burning through his energy too quickly, Han Wei thought to himself. He won't last.

Sure enough, Chen Hao's flaring of his cultivation left him vulnerable to the garden's formations. As the enchantments sapped his energy, he began to slow, his movements becoming sluggish and uncoordinated.

Clearly realising this, he grabbed a nearby flower and turned to leave, only to stagger under the pressure. He pushed himself down the pathways, but even though the pressure was lessening as he tried to leave, it was too late. Han Wei watched him collapse from exhaustion, completely drained of his qi.

Han Wei sighed, shaking his head. The boy's impulsiveness was a glaring flaw, but there was potential in his boldness. If he could learn to temper his recklessness with patience, he might yet become a capable cultivator. For now, however, he was not the disciple Han Wei was looking for.

He made note of a few more potential options when watching this trial. A boy that walked with slow determination both into the pressure and back out, someone who clearly knew the boundaries of their own strength and had the wisdom to stay within them. And a girl who used a strange ribbon technique to snatch a flower from deeper into the garden than she could manage to go on her own.

She had used an innovative solution, but one that nearly caused her to collapse from qi exhaustion on the way out. The girl, Xiao Lan, walked out of the garden with the stiff movements of a puppet, and Han Wei suspected that the only thing keeping her upright was her pride.

Han Wei turned away from the garden trial at last and went to view one of the most esoteric trials known as the Mirror of False Reflection.

The Pavilion of Mirrors was a place of quiet dread for all disciples of the sect no matter how long they had been here. This was a place of spirit tempering and no amount of martial training or cultivation strength would help here, the challenge of the mirrors remained just as difficult no matter how many times one passed their test.

At first glance the test appeared to be composed of thirteen mirrors set on top of an array. But after devouring all of the information on arrays that he could access Han Wei could tell that the array was not controlling this challenge. No the array was simply providing qi to the treasure that he was beginning to suspect was just one mirror somehow split thirteen ways. Thirteen was the number representing growth through challenge after all.

Each disciple who stepped before a mirror was confronted by a reflection of themselves - not as they were, but as they could become. The mirror showed their deepest desires mixed with their greatest fears, and the paths they might take to get there.

The task was simple: step through the mirror.

The mirror wouldn't stop any of the disciples from stepping through, this trial was deeper than that. While this would serve as spirit tempering for the disciples, the elders watching would instead be looking at how they reacted to the realities of being a cultivator.

The elders might not be able to see exactly what the treasure reflected for each disciple, but they could judge strength of spirit and the array they were using to view the trial would relay some hints at what the disciples were seeing.

Han Wei watched as a young master strode up to one of the mirrors with a swagger, confident in himself. And saw his stride falter and his mouth open in shock and horror at what he saw. The characters representing his reflection showed 'losing face', 'following in their shadow', and 'severing the roots of heritage'

Whatever the boy actually saw, the image was clearly a direct challenge to his sense of self, and his face twisted in anger.

"No! This is nonsense!" he shouted, "I refuse to accept this!" He lashed out with his fist against the mirror, but it simply rippled as his fist passed through it easily.

The boy's bravado faltered, before he stepped through the mirror passing easily through it, his face flushed with shame and eyes wide. Han Wei sighed inwardly, That was not a good showing for him.

It seemed that a huge number of the disciples were attempting this trail. Perhaps out of the misconception that because everyone was able to pass through the mirror then everyone was able to pass?

Whatever the cause there was still a vast number of them waiting to take the trail even at this late stage.

Han Wei noted one boy who seemed terrified, even before he started. He stepped forward hesitantly, his thin frame trembling slightly as he approached one of the mirrors. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, and his eyes darted nervously between the mirror and the ground.

It seemed as if this one at least had the good sense to take the test seriously.

The boy - Lan Feng - nodded to himself in resolution, though his face was pale and it was clear he was unsteady. He took a deep breath and took the last step forward to stand before the mirror.

'The burden of un-asked for hopes', 'The solitude of the chosen', and 'The weight of eternity'.

Lan Feng's breath hitched, and he almost took a step back, his eyes wide with fear. But not surprise. Han Wei noted with interest. He expected this.

Lan Feng hesitated, his gaze fixed on the reflection - whatever he was seeing was clearly painful for him to view. But then, slowly, he straightened his shoulders. His hands unclenched, and he took a step forward through the mirror.

Han Wei nodded to himself. There is potential there, one the other elders might not see. And as he was musing on this his eyes fell upon another boy taking the trial.

Tie Zhu, the boy from the first trial he had watched. He approached the mirror with his jaw set and his eyes focused. The characters for his reflection barely had time to form on the array 'hardship', 'sacrifice', and 'relentless struggle' before he nodded and stepped through the mirror without any hesitation at all.

Han Wei's eyes narrowed at this. In a world where inborn talent often overshadowed character, Tie Zhu's determination was a rare trait indeed.

After hours of watching the trials take place and avoiding small talk with the other elders - something that they seemed to expect from him which was a relief - the event finally came to an end. They assembled in the sect's central plaza once again, this time though the enthusiasm of the new disciples was tempered with exhaustion.

Sect Master Wu stepped forward once more. "The elders that wish to select disciples will now announce their choices. Should you be selected your sect token will warm when your name is called so there is no mistake.

"After the selection, those invited to the inner sect will find their sect tokens will change colour to white. If you are not selected and your token does not change, do not despair. This is merely the first step in your journey. You should return to your accommodation and reflect on the lessons that you may have learned from today's trials.

"And now I invite the elders to step forward." He gestured magnanimous to the assembled elders behind him and more than half stepped forward.

Han Wei had a sneaking suspicion that half these so-called 'direct disciples' that would be selected would be instead trained by other disciples. There was no way this many elders could select disciples every year and still be able to train them individually.

The elders announced their choices by seniority, and there had been no private discussion beforehand on who would be choosing who. Elder Han suspected that instead of watching the trails some of the elders had simply been making deals on who could select who from the lists on the jade slip.

The first disciples chosen were all from the top ten of the talent measurement list confirming his suspicions. And when Elder Zhang's turn came he made no pretenses otherwise, his voice dripped with false modesty as he chose the two disciples with the very highest measured cultivation talent.

"I will take Li Ming and Zhang Wei," he declared. "Their potential is undeniable, and I am certain they will thrive under my guidance."

Han Wei wondered how many of these elders were simply choosing disciples to deny them from other elders. If he succeeded in keeping his place here, he was going to have to figure out the politics and factions of the sect before he got caught up in something deadly.

Elder Mei was the first to break from the trend, choosing two disciples with average spiritual roots, but who both had scored well on their comprehension tests. Presumably they had caught her eye in one of the alchemy related trials that Han Wei hadn't had time to watch.

Surprisingly Elder Feng also broke with the trend, choosing a single disciple from criteria that escaped Han Wei entirely. According to his jade slip that disciple he chose would only barely have qualified for the inner sect.

One by one, the elders made their choices, leaving Han Wei, as merely a guest elder, with the last pick. He had memorised a list of potential choices, disciples with good quality spiritual roots and high comprehension that might be overlooked and who had caught his eye in the trials. And one by one he saw his choices whittled down.

When it was finally his turn, Han Wei stepped forward, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew his choices would be scrutinized, and he had to be careful.

Han Wei took a deep breath and made his decision. "I choose Xiao Lan, Lan Feng, and Tie Zhu," he announced, his voice steady despite the dismayed murmurs that rippled through the crowd from those not chosen.

Sect Master Wu closed the ceremony with a few more words of encouragement before leading the elders and their direct disciples away from the plaza.

As they left Han Wei suddenly found himself walking beside Sect Master Wu himself. Before he could think of what to say the sect master turned to him with a serene expression on his ageless face.

"An interesting selection, Elder Han. Xiao Lan and Lan Feng are strong choices, but Tie Zhu… What made you select him?"

Han Wei met the Sect Master's gaze, his stern expression masking the worry that flowed through him. "Strength of will is the foundation of true cultivation. Talent can be nurtured, but determination is something that cannot be taught. I believe Tie Zhu has the potential to be a gifted cultivator."

The Sect Master nodded at the response, his expression as unreadable as ever. "Very well. May your disciples thrive under your guidance." And with that he stepped away to exchange words with some of the other elders.

Han Wei had to hold himself back from glancing back at his disciples. He had to trust that they were following and comporting themselves with dignity.

Elder Zhang approached him next with a smile as sharp as a blade. "A bold choice, Elder Han. I hope you are prepared for the responsibility. After all, strong mentorship is crucial for the growth of our disciples. Wouldn't you agree?"

Han Wei met Elder Zhang's gaze, his expression calm. "Indeed, Elder Zhang. Strength of leadership is as important as strength of will. I am confident in my choices."

He couldn't help but notice that Elder Zhang's eyes were flat and cold, totally divorced from the expression on his face.

"We shall see Elder Han." And he turned away. Han Wei watched him go, a sense of unease settling in his chest, what Elder Zhang had meant by that he had no idea. He was not sure why Elder Zhang had approached him at all, but after the warning from Elder Feng, Han Wei had to assume that he was hostile for some reason.

If only I could remember why! Han Wei thought with frustration. He could not afford to be dragged down by sect politics, not yet. Not until he had a way to recover his strength.

Before he knew it he had reached his doors to his courtyard, and Han Wei was forcibly broken free of his thoughts. He turned to his new disciples, and tried to soften his expression.

"Welcome to your new home. The path ahead will not be easy, but I promise to guide you to the best of my ability."

Lan Feng bowed deeply, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Elder Han. I will do my best."

Xiao Lan gave a formal bow, her expression was a perfect polite blank but somehow Han Wei still got the vague impression that she was judging him somehow.

Tie Zhu gave a martial bow, rising quickly - his eyes burning with determination. "I won't let you down, Master."