In the cold weather Shī Héng Yì moved ignoring the cold, The hill was not particularly steep, but the path was uneven, littered with loose stones and overgrown roots.

  Shī Héng Yì moved with practised ease, his bare feet skimming over the terrain as though he had traversed it a thousand times before.

  The morning air was crisp, carrying with it the faint scent of damp earth and wildflowers. Birds chirped in the distance, their songs a stark contrast to the tension coiled within him.

  spider web villager:

  As he neared the top, the sound of voices reached his ears. The village square was already bustling with activity. Parents stood in clusters, their faces a mix of hope and anxiety, while children his age milled about, some nervous, others brimming with confidence.

  The centre of the square was dominated by a raised platform, upon which stood a large, crystalline structure—the Spirit Testing Stone.

  Shī Héng Yì slowed his pace, his expression unreadable as he approached the gathering. He received a few curious glances, but most ignored him. He was used to being invisible, a shadow in the periphery of their lives. His tattered clothes and scarred body marked him as an outsider—a beggar even.

  A tall, stern-looking man stepped onto the platform, his presence commanding immediate silence. Elder Mo, the village’s spiritual guide and the overseer of the aptitude tests, surveyed the crowd with a critical eye.

  “Today,” he began, his voice resonating with authority, “you will all undergo the Spirit Aptitude Test. This is a pivotal moment in your lives. Your results will determine your path forward—whether you will remain here, toiling in obscurity, or ascend to greater heights, harnessing the power of the spiritual essence that flows through our world.”

  The children exchanged nervous glances, their earlier bravado fading under Elder Mo’s imposing gaze. Shī Héng Yì, however, remained impassive. He had long since learned to mask his emotions, to bury them deep inside his heart.

  “We will begin shortly,” Elder Mo continued. “Line up in an orderly fashion. Each of you will step forward, place your hand upon the Spirit Testing Stone, and channel your spiritual essence into it. The stone will reveal your aptitude.”

  The crowd shuffled into a rough line, the children jostling for position. Shī Héng Yì hung back, content to wait at the rear. He watched as the first child, a boy from a wealthy family, stepped onto the platform. The boy placed his hand on the stone, his face scrunched in concentration. The crystal glowed faintly, then emitted a soft, blue light.

  “Low-grade aptitude,” Elder Mo announced, his tone neutral. The boy’s shoulders slumped, but he stepped down without complaint. The next child, a girl, followed suit. Her result was the same—except she wasn’t as accepting of the results as the first boy.

  “Low-grade? This can’t be right,” she said, her attitude distasteful. “How can I, Wang Li, have low-grade aptitude? This crystal is clearly broken!”

  Elder Mo’s brow furrowed slightly. There hadn’t even been that many people tested yet, and someone was already complaining?

  His eyes bearing a slight pressure, he looked at the girl. “Oh? Then are you calling *me* incompetent, since I was the one to handpick this crystal?”

  Elder Mo’s voice deepened slightly.

  But before Wang Li could answer, a voice from the back could be heard. It was Wang Li’s father, Wang Hao.

  “No, no! We wouldn’t dare say that, Elder Mo!” The man rushed forward, frantically shouting. Reaching her, he quickly grabbed his daughter’s head before forcing her to prostrate alongside him.

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  “Elder Mo, please forgive my daughter for her slight outburst,” Wang Hao said, his body shaking. “She’s still a child, you see. Please don’t be too harsh on her.”

  Elder Mo watched this scene in silence. “Very well, Wang Hao. I will let this matter slide for now. But remember—there will be no next time,” he said, his voice growing deeper.

  “Yes, Elder! Yes, Elder!” Wang Hao said, quickly bowing three times before leaving the platform.

  Elder Mo watched them for a brief moment before shifting back to the crystal. [Sigh. I really cannot stand wealthy children and their attitudes. They are always so arrogant.] He looked at the rest of the children lined up. “Next!”

  One by one, the children took their turns, the results varying only slightly. Most were low-grade, with a handful achieving mid-grade. The crowd’s initial excitement waned, replaced by a sombre realisation of their limitations.

  Finally, it was Shī Héng Yì’s turn. He stepped onto the platform, his movements deliberate and unhurried. The crowd’s murmurs grew louder, their curiosity piqued by the boy who seemed so out of place.

  Though the aptitude test wasn’t restricted to anyone—the only qualification being that one had to know how to circulate spiritual essence—it was still surprising to see a beggar from the streets able to manipulate their spiritual essence. Though surprising, it wasn’t rare.

  Elder Mo’s gaze remained neutral as Shī Héng Yì approached the stone. “Place your hand on the stone and channel your essence,” he instructed, his voice tinged with scepticism.

  Shī Héng Yì nodded, his hand hovering over the crystal for a moment before making contact. He closed his eyes, focusing on the faint thread of spiritual essence within him. It was weak, almost imperceptible, but he had spent years honing his control over it.

  The stone remained inert for a long moment, the crowd’s murmurs growing into outright laughter. “Looks like he’s got no aptitude at all!” someone jeered.

  But then, a flicker of light. The crystal began to glow, faintly at first, then brighter, the light shifting from blue to a deep, vibrant purple.

  Elder Mo’s eyes remained neutral as he read the scores. “Low-grade aptitude,” he said, unsurprised at all.

  The crowd erupted into chaos, their laughter spreading like a wave. Shī Héng Yì opened his eyes, his expression still calm, though a bit disappointed—it didn’t concern him too much.

  Shī Héng Yì himself had never really concerned or cared much for what aptitude level he might get. Heck, he was even slightly relieved that he had gotten a low-grade aptitude.

  He had only come to confirm if he could cultivate.

  Ever since he became able to control his spiritual essence, he had practised diligently for the past four years, continuously circulating it around his body to the point where he could move all of it to a certain spot to increase its capabilities.

  Meagre in its amount, it was also how he managed to run up the hill without stopping. Otherwise, he would have to stop every so often, possibly missing his chance to test his aptitude.

  Even though he did not understand much about the cultivation world, he still remembered quite a few novels he had read back in his past life. And if there was one thing he remembered from most of them, it’s that a world with cultivation was filled with endless possibilities.

  So even if someone like him was born with a low-grade aptitude, what was stopping him from finding or using a technique to snatch someone else’s talent?

  After all, that was what he had planned to do if the results he got from the test weren’t good.

  Elder Mo turned around, directing Shī Héng Yì to the place where those with low-grade aptitudes were gathered, before then disappearing.

  [Sigh. It seems like the heavens are on my side today,] Elder Mo thought as he appeared above everyone.

  “Twenty-six A-grade, fifty-six B-C grade, and eighty-nine D-grade. Hmm. There’s more A-grade aptitude users compared to last year’s,” he mused, stroking his beard.

  Garnering everyone’s attention, he spoke, his voice loud but calm.

  “In front of you all are gates. These gates are based on your aptitude level—A-grade being green, while D-grade being grey.

  “Once you step through these gates, you will have to test your skills to see if you are worthy to join our sect.

  “Those with A-grade aptitudes have no need to worry about this. Once they enter the gate, they will be sent straight to the sect, where they will be given cultivation manuals to learn from.”

  “However, the rest of you—” Elder Mo said, smiling towards Wang Hao, “—will not be as fortunate.”

  “Once you pass through those gates, you will have to make your own way to the sect, proving yourselves.”

  “If you are unfortunate, you will die. If you are fortunate, you might make it to the sect with your body intact, where you will receive medical attention—for a small fee.” His smile widened as he turned back towards the children.

  “You have a month to get there. After which, the sect’s doors will be closed, and any more attempts to enter will be futile.”

  Saying those final words, the man disappeared, walking through the green gate.