Chapter 40 – The Weight of Power
The courtyard was silent.
Jian Ren stared at the broken remains of his sword. His hands trembled, not from pain—but from fear.
Akari could feel it.
The same unease rippled through the watching disciples. Even the elders, who usually masked their emotions, exchanged wary glances.
She had shattered a core disciple’s sword with her bare hand.
That shouldn’t have been possible.
And yet… it had happened.
Tsubaki shifted on her shoulder, her golden eyes darting between the sect elders. “You should leave,” she whispered.
Akari agreed.
She turned to go—
“Wait.”
A voice cut through the silence. Deep. Unyielding.
The Sect Master.
Lord Fushin stood from his pavilion, his robe shifting like flowing ink. His presence weighed on the entire courtyard. Even the strongest disciples stiffened as his gaze settled on Akari.
She met his eyes and felt it—
A pressure that pressed against her soul.
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> He’s testing me.
His spiritual energy wrapped around her like invisible chains, attempting to probe into her cultivation.
Akari’s qi stirred.
A pulse of something else—something from beyond the gate—surged to the surface.
The Sect Master’s eyes narrowed.
Then, just as quickly, the pressure vanished.
“…Interesting.” His voice was calm, but his gaze was sharp. “Come with me.”
A command. Not a request.
Akari exhaled and followed.
She had no choice.
---
Summoned to the Forbidden Hall
The Forbidden Hall was reserved for matters of great importance—and grave punishment.
Akari stood before the elders, her back straight. Tsubaki perched silently on her shoulder, wings slightly fluffed, a sign of her unease.
Lord Fushin studied her for a long moment before speaking.
“Explain what happened to you.”
She hesitated. Should she tell them?
About the gate? The entity beyond it?
> No.
She didn’t trust them.
Not yet.
“I had a breakthrough,” she said simply. “During my cultivation.”
A lie.
One of the elders scoffed. “A breakthrough that lets you break a refined spirit sword? You expect us to believe that?”
Another elder, a woman with silver hair, studied her closely. “Your qi… it feels different. Tainted.”
The word sent a ripple through the room.
Tainted.
That was a dangerous accusation.
It implied something forbidden.
Akari’s fingers curled slightly. “I am still me.”
The Sect Master’s expression remained unreadable. Then, he spoke.
“You will be tested.”
Silence.
Then the elders nodded in agreement.
A test.
Not just to determine her strength—
But to see if she was still human.
---
The Trial of Purity
By nightfall, the preparations were complete.
Akari stood in the center of a ritual circle, its markings glowing with golden light. Around her, the elders watched in solemn silence.
Lord Fushin raised a hand. “Begin.”
A surge of pure spiritual energy crashed into her.
It was meant to cleanse impurities. If she was truly tainted… it would destroy her.
The golden light enveloped her.
For a moment, there was nothing.
Then—
Something inside her fought back.
A shadow pulsed beneath her skin.
The glow flickered.
The elders murmured in concern.
Akari gritted her teeth as pain seared through her veins. She could feel the entity beyond the gate, stirring, its presence watching.
The golden light dimmed.
The ritual was failing.
She clenched her fists.
> I will not be controlled.
Summoning every ounce of willpower, she pushed the darkness down, forcing it into submission.
For a breathless moment, the world hung in silence.
Then—
The golden glow stabilized.
The light faded, leaving Akari standing in the circle, unchanged.
The elders exchanged wary looks.
Lord Fushin studied her for a long moment before nodding.
“She has passed.”
Relief washed over her—
Until he spoke again.
“But she is no longer an ordinary disciple.”
His gaze was sharp. “From this day forward, Akari will be placed under direct observation.”
A cold feeling settled in her chest.
She was being watched now.
They didn’t trust her.
And deep down—
She wasn’t sure she trusted herself either.
