The sky above Songhai City shimmered with a pastel orange hue as morning broke. High above, traffic pods drifted through invisible lanes, and automated drones zipped between skyscrapers, delivering breakfast to early-rising cultivators. In the year 4678, life moved in harmony with advanced spiritual technology, yet for Jiang Luo, each day felt no different than the last.
His alarm hadn't rung—he never needed it.
Jiang Luo woke up precisely at 6:30 AM, as always, eyes opening to the soft hum of the energy core embedded in his room's ceiling. The warm light adapted to his body temperature, dimming slightly when it sensed he was up. He sat up, running a hand through his black hair, and stared at the glowing runes etched into his walls.
He remembered the moment Xuan Yi had inscribed them for protection. Not that he needed it. But he had smiled anyway.
As he stood and stretched, a sharp pain flickered in his chest—quick, like a passing breeze. Not physical pain. Just... weight. The burden of restraint.
He washed, dressed in his clean black uniform, and prepared a light breakfast of soy broth and golden rice. Jiang Mu was already awake, reading the digital morning report.
"Morning, Luo," Jiang Mu greeted without looking up.
"Morning," Jiang Luo replied calmly.
Xuan Yi emerged a moment later, hair tied back in a messy bun, already busy listing off cultivation clinic appointments for the day.
"Eat fast, Jiang Luo. I made the rice just the way you like it."
He nodded, taking his seat.
The aroma of morning tea filled the apartment. The family didn't speak much over breakfast — a quiet tradition in their home. Everything flowed without effort.
By 7:10 AM, Jiang Luo was out the door, his school satchel floating behind him thanks to a low-grade spirit tether. He didn't take the sky pods today. He walked.
The city breathed around him. Spirit beasts in containment fields roared softly from neon-lit enclosures. A billboard displaying the rankings of top student cultivators buzzed overhead. Han Ruo's name sat comfortably at number five.
His own name, as always, wasn't there.
He didn't mind.
At 7:45 AM, he arrived at the towering gates of Songhai No. 5 Cultivation Academy. Today, the archway pulsed with brilliant blue light—an indicator that a guest lecturer was visiting.
He passed through the gates just as Han Ruo ran up beside him.
"You really walk here?" she asked, panting slightly. "You're such a weirdo. Normal people take sky pods."
"They're too fast," Jiang Luo replied.
"Too... fast? That's the point!"
"I like the walk."
Han Ruo narrowed her eyes at him. "You're a mystery. You really are."
"Or just boring."
She smirked. "No one boring wins three practice matches in a row."
Before he could respond, another voice interrupted.
"Hey, Jiang Luo!"
Zhao Ren appeared, energetic as ever, his martial robe slung over one shoulder. "You up for another round today?"
"No," Jiang Luo said.
Zhao groaned. "Man, you never want to spar."
"I just don't want to embarrass you again."
The group laughed — even Zhao, though his pride took a hit.
They entered the main building together, just as the academy's head announcer's voice echoed through the halls:
"All students report to the Grand Hall. Master Yi Shen will deliver today's guest lecture."
Han Ruo's eyes lit up. "Master Yi Shen?! The one from the Lightning Lotus Sect?"
"That's the one," Zhao replied. "He once split a mountain with a finger."
Jiang Luo remained silent.
As they settled into the massive Grand Hall, students buzzed with excitement. Floating crystal orbs transmitted energy readings while spiritual screens displayed lecture notes in real time.
Yi Shen was tall, dressed in radiant white robes embroidered with silver lotus patterns. His aura crackled with controlled thunder — a clear sign of high-tier Lightning Dao comprehension.
He began his lecture with a single line: "Power is not talent. Power is clarity."
Jiang Luo leaned back in his seat, folding his arms.
The lecture touched on spiritual resonance, Dao alignment, and the importance of inner stillness in controlling volatile elemental abilities.
At one point, Yi Shen paused, scanning the crowd.
"You," he said, pointing at Jiang Luo. "What's your Dao alignment?"
The hall grew silent.
Jiang Luo met his gaze without hesitation. "None."
Yi Shen raised a brow. "None? You have no affinity at all?"
"No confirmed one."
Yi Shen chuckled. "Then tell me: if you had to choose one thing that defines cultivation... what would it be?"
Jiang Luo answered simply: "Observation."
A few students snickered.
But Yi Shen didn't.
Instead, he smiled faintly. "Not bad. You're right, in a way. All cultivation begins with seeing things clearly."
The lecture continued, and Jiang Luo returned to silence.
After class, as students filed out, Yi Shen approached him personally.
"Young man," the master said, "you remind me of someone."
"Who?"
"A shadow of someone I once knew. He hid everything behind still eyes. Much like yours."
Jiang Luo offered no response.
Yi Shen narrowed his gaze for a moment longer before walking off.
That evening, back in the dormitories, Jiang Luo found a slip of paper under his desk — an anonymous note.
"I saw what you did during meditation. Energy doesn't ignore people. It only obeys higher laws."
He stared at it for a moment, then folded it neatly and slid it into a drawer.
The soft hum of dormitory lights buzzed faintly as night fell over Songhai No. 5 Cultivation Academy. The city glowed beyond the academy's walls, its spiritual towers lighting the horizon like sleeping titans. Inside Dorm Block C, Jiang Luo sat at his desk, the mysterious note still clutched between his fingers.
He turned it over once more.
The handwriting was elegant but strange—no name, no seal, just the cryptic line:
"Energy doesn't ignore people. It only obeys higher laws."
Someone had noticed something. But what? He'd done nothing during the lecture. Nothing obvious, at least.
He placed the note inside a compartment hidden beneath the desk, then closed the drawer. With a silent breath, he looked out the window.
From here, he could see the academy's sakura grove. A place usually empty at night, quiet and bathed in moonlight. A single figure stood beneath the blossoms.
Han Ruo?
He blinked once. It was her.
Jiang Luo stood and grabbed his coat. He didn't know why he walked toward the grove — maybe out of curiosity, maybe instinct. The stone path felt cold under his feet as he moved, the wind whispering between the branches like soft voices.
When he arrived, she was humming to herself, back turned to him. The petals drifted slowly around her.
"You hum off-key," Jiang Luo said plainly.
Han Ruo jumped, whirling around with wide eyes.
"Wha—! Don't sneak up on people like that!"
"You're in a public place."
"I thought everyone would be asleep."
He raised an eyebrow. "And why are you out here alone?"
She hesitated, looking away. "I… I come here when I can't stop thinking. The sakura makes it easier."
Jiang Luo stepped closer, hands in his coat pockets. "Thinking about what?"
She hesitated, then said, "Today. You. Yi Shen. That lecture."
"I didn't say much."
"Exactly," she replied sharply. "You never do. That's what makes it weird. You're quiet, polite, smart… but there's something about you that feels... too perfect."
Jiang Luo blinked. "Too perfect?"
"You know what I mean," she said. "People hide things. We all do. But you—you're like a stone in a river. The water flows around you, but you never move. Never crack."
He didn't reply. The wind rustled the petals above them.
"I'm sorry," she said, softer now. "I didn't mean it in a bad way. I just… wanted to say it."
"I don't mind."
She looked up at him. "Are you lonely, Jiang Luo?"
The question caught him off guard.
"No."
"Really?"
"Yes."
She smiled, though it seemed half-hearted. "I think everyone is a little lonely. Even the strong ones. Especially the strong ones."
"You think I'm strong?"
"Of course I do," she said. "You pretend you're average, but your posture says otherwise. Your gaze is too calm. Like nothing surprises you."
Jiang Luo gave a rare chuckle. "You observe well."
"I try."
A brief silence settled between them.
"Come here often?" he asked.
"Every week. It's the only quiet place left in the city."
"I see."
Han Ruo turned and looked up at the sky. "Do you believe in destiny?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It's lazy thinking."
She laughed. "Of course you'd say that. I don't know... I used to think I was destined to be something great. But I'm not sure anymore. Not when people like Yi Shen exist. Or… you."
"I'm not special."
"Liar."
She turned again and began walking back toward the dorms. "Come on. It's late. I'll walk with you."
As they walked, a shadow shifted high above on one of the watchtowers — someone watching.
---
The next morning, the academy was buzzing. Word spread that a special entrance exam was being held that afternoon — an opportunity for students to qualify for a cross-academy cultivation tournament.
"Only the top twenty can apply," Zhao Ren said, sliding into his seat beside Jiang Luo in homeroom. "And guess who's applying?"
"You?"
"Damn right!"
"What happens if you qualify?"
"You get a week of training with a Sage from one of the Five Major Sects!"
Han Ruo leaned forward. "That's a huge deal. You should join, Luo."
He shook his head. "I'm not interested."
"Why not?" Zhao asked. "Come on, it's the perfect stage."
"I don't like stages."
Zhao sighed and slumped dramatically in his chair.
That afternoon, the sparring grounds were converted into a temporary arena. Students gathered around to watch. The top contenders — including Zhao Ren and Han Ruo — stood lined up, ready for their turn.
Jiang Luo sat on the bleachers, sipping water from a bamboo bottle.
Match after match played out. Han Ruo won hers with precision, manipulating wind energy to dance around her opponent. Zhao Ren unleashed brute force in his match, overwhelming his challenger in seconds.
By sunset, the list of qualifiers was nearly complete.
"Jiang Luo," a voice called over the arena speakers.
The crowd fell silent.
He didn't move.
"I didn't apply," he said.
"You've been selected for a special challenge match," the speaker continued. "To fill the final wildcard spot."
Han Ruo looked at him, surprised. "Did you get recommended?"
Zhao gaped. "Dude… someone vouched for you?!"
Jiang Luo stood slowly.
His opponent was a tall, arrogant student from Class A — one of the top three cultivators on campus. He smirked, cracking his knuckles as Jiang Luo entered the field.
"Finally," the student said. "I've been wanting to test you."
The crowd murmured.
"Begin!"
The student lunged with explosive speed, launching a fire-infused strike at Jiang Luo's chest.
Jiang Luo moved—not back, not forward, but to the side. Smooth. Effortless.
His hand caught the wrist mid-air.
In a single graceful motion, he flipped his opponent onto the ground with no visible force.
A hush fell over the crowd.
The referee blinked. "M-match over! Jiang Luo wins!"
The other student stood up, dazed. "What... what just happened?"
Jiang Luo dusted his coat and walked away without a word.
Back on the bleachers, Han Ruo stared at him, eyes wide. "Okay… you're definitely not average."
He sat down and resumed sipping water. "Told you I don't like stages."
---
Later that night, Jiang Luo sat on the academy rooftop, watching the stars flicker above the glowing cityscape.
The wind brushed his hair softly.
From behind him came a voice.
"You really don't like to stand out, do you?"
It was Master Yi Shen.
Jiang Luo didn't look back. "No."
Yi Shen stepped beside him, his robe fluttering.
"I watched your match today. You barely used any Qi. Not even a technique."
"I didn't need to."
Yi Shen gave a low chuckle. "That's the problem with people like you. You're too cautious. Too hidden. But the world is changing. You can't hide forever."
"I'm not hiding. Just… waiting."
"For what?"
Jiang Luo turned his gaze to the moon. "The right moment."
Yi Shen's eyes narrowed. "You'll have to decide soon, Jiang Luo. Whether you want to live quietly… or step into history."
He turned and left.
Jiang Luo remained seated, eyes reflecting starlight.
He whispered to the wind, "History already knows me. I just don't care to meet it again."