In a vast, stone-paved square within the palace, nearly fifty children stood in rigid lines. Before them, a burly, armor-clad man stood like a mountain, his arms crossed over his chest. When he spoke, his voice boomed like a temple bell, a thunderous sound that sent a tremor through the square and drained the color from the children's faces.
"Do you know where you are?" he roared.
Silence. No one dared to utter a word. Some were genuinely bewildered, others paralyzed by fear, and a few, like Chen Guan, simply pretended to be ignorant.
"Let me tell you," the captain continued, his sharp gaze sweeping over them. "This is the palace of the Jia Ma Empire! You are standing here today because of the grace of His Majesty the Emperor. Remember this! It is His Majesty who has given you food, shelter, and a chance at a new life!"
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Of course, the palace is not a charity. We do not keep useless people. If you want to eat your fill every day, if you want to change your fate and never be bullied again, you must prove your worth! You must become useful!"
"An unprecedented opportunity now lies before you. His Majesty has granted you half a year. In these next six months, you have only one task: cultivate! Cultivate with everything you have!"
"For the next three days, I will teach you a Qi Method. You will memorize it until it is burned into your minds. But listen well—you are not to practice it yet. Your young bodies and undeveloped meridians cannot bear the strain. I will also teach you the secret to sensing Dou Qi. After that, your success will depend on your own fortune. In half a year, there will be a unified assessment. The results of that test will determine your future."
The captain's speech was a long and masterful piece of indoctrination, a blend of threats and promises designed to instill loyalty and ambition. Chen Guan, already aware of the royal family's true purpose, knew the man wasn't lying. Perform well, and he would receive better training and more resources. Fail, and he would likely be relegated to the life of a brainwashed, expendable soldier.
After nearly an hour, the promised Qi Method was finally distributed. Each child received a thin booklet, like a textbook from another life.
Chen Guan's eyes widened slightly as he read the cover. The grade was surprisingly high.
Soul-Guiding Art: A non-attribute, High-level Yellow Rank Qi Method.
High-level Yellow Rank! In a place like Wu Tan City, a Qi Method of this quality would be enough to cause a stir among the three major families. Yet here, it was handed out freely. The wealth and power of the royal family were truly on another level.
Chen Guan understood the logic perfectly. The children present were being groomed to become unshakably loyal assets of the empire. By investing in them generously from the start, the royal family ensured their allegiance. Once you entered these palace walls, the possibility of leaving was slim to none.
Unless, of course, you displayed a talent so immense that it transcended these initial bonds. But the royal family had accounted for that, too. If they nurtured a peerless genius, the gift of a mere Yellow Rank method would be a small price to pay for the favor and gratitude of a future powerhouse. In every scenario, the royal family never lost.
"Set the books aside and sit cross-legged," the captain commanded. "I will now teach you the technique to sense Dou Qi. This is the first and most crucial step of your cultivation journey."
"The method is not complex. You must simply concentrate and release your mind."
Acting immediately, Chen Guan was the first to settle into position. Following the captain's instructions, he closed his eyes, drawing his focus inward, silencing the world around him. He chased the emptiness, letting his mind go slack, becoming a still pond waiting for a ripple.
The sounds of the square faded into nothingness. He felt as though he were floating in a strange, isolated world where he was the only soul. Slowly, after an immeasurable moment, a pinprick of crimson light bloomed in the void of his perception. It pulsed gently, then another joined it, and another, until a swirling river of warm, red energy surrounded him, welcoming him like a long-lost kin.
This must be Dou Qi, he thought. Fire attribute.
The first suicide note had been correct.
Opening his eyes, Chen Guan suppressed the surge of joy in his heart and quickly glanced around. Many of the other children had already finished their first attempt, the looks of confusion on their faces a clear sign of their failure.
He was the only one. He had successfully sensed Dou Qi on his very first try. Even knowing his talent was good, the result still sent a jolt of surprise through him.
A few minutes later, everyone had completed their attempt.
The captain's expression remained unchanged, as if he had expected this outcome. "Do not be discouraged," he said calmly. "Sensing Dou Qi for the first time is no easy feat. In the entire Jia Ma Empire, you could count the number of people who succeed on their first attempt on one hand. A talent of that caliber could one day reach the Dou Huang realm! Rest for a moment, then continue."
He estimated that it would be a stroke of great luck if even two or three children succeeded by the end of the day.
Sitting in the ranks, Chen Guan hesitated. An internal battle raged within him. If he revealed his success now, he would immediately attract the attention of his superiors. He would receive better resources, better guidance—a head start on everyone else.
But there would be risks. The old proverb was true in any world: the tree that stands tallest in the forest is the first to be struck by the wind.
Pros and cons warred in his mind. In the end, ambition won. The strength of the Jia Ma royal family was undeniable. As long as a Dou Zong expert didn't emerge to challenge them, he should be safe. And by the time Yun Shan of the Misty Cloud Sect made his breakthrough, he would hopefully have enough strength to protect himself. To become stronger, some risks were unavoidable.
He tensed the muscles in his arm, preparing to raise his hand.
But just as he was about to move, a chillingly familiar sensation flooded his mind. He froze, already knowing what it was.
It was another suicide note.
Compared to the first, this one was brutally brief, stripped of all but the most essential details.
"I never expected that after learning of my talent, Jia Xing Tian would actually want to accept me as his personal disciple. I knew he was doing it to bind me to the Jia Ma royal family, but I agreed. I desperately needed a guide and the resources only they could provide."
"My talent was even greater than I imagined. In just two years, I reached the sixth stage of Dou Zhi Qi. But that was when the accident happened."
"That day, I was on my way to ask my master for guidance on a cultivation problem. I passed a group of palace guards but paid them no mind."
"And then, it was over. The captain of that guard squad stabbed me through the back. There was no saving me. My master arrived in a fury. In my last moments, I learned that the news of my discipleship had spread far and wide. It was a major event."
"I heard the assassin laugh as he revealed his identity. He was from the Izumo Empire. He had spent two years infiltrating the palace, waiting for just this opportunity. They had been targeting me for a long time."
After reading the note, Chen Guan used his left hand to firmly press down his right, which had been about to shoot into the air.
The wind truly does destroy the tallest tree.
He had considered threats from within the Jia Ma Empire, but had completely ignored those from the outside. The Izumo Empire… despicable. He silently etched their name into his memory, a debt to be repaid one day.
This incident was a stark reminder. It was better not to stand out too much. Stability was the key.
After a few minutes of rest, the group began their second attempt to sense Dou Qi. Chen Guan, however, was lost in thought, his mind racing.
The arrival of the second suicide note gave him a clearer understanding of his 'golden finger.' It couldn't grant him heaven-defying opportunities or priceless treasures. But its true value was something far greater. It allowed him to avoid fatal mistakes. It was a guide that showed him which paths led to a dead end.
And in a world this dangerous, that alone was enough.
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