The first silver threads of dawn wove through the clouds, casting a cold light over the mountain ridge. A bell rang from the Azure Dragon Sect's outer platform, long and low.
It was the signal.
The trial would begin in two hours.
The courtyard was already stirring with life. Some were checking their spirit tools or inspecting their weapons; others were huddled in circles, whispering final strategies or comparing knowledge of spirit beasts. Steam rose from heated tea cups. Nervous energy clung to the air like mist.
And in the middle of it all, Dawn stood quietly beneath a pine tree, tying the leather straps of his simple travel boots.
He didn't flinch when Wei Feng approached.
"I expected to find you meditating," Wei Feng said, folding his arms. "But I suppose even quiet types feel pressure before a real battle."
Dawn didn't reply.
Wei Feng's expression sharpened. "You walk like a shadow, say little, and act like none of this matters. But don't think we haven't noticed."
His voice dropped just loud enough for nearby ears to catch. "Six pulses and violet will. No clan. No sect. No master. No history. Just a ghost wandering out of nowhere."
Still, no reply.
"You think strength lies in silence?" Wei Feng asked, stepping closer. "You'll learn soon enough—on the battlefield, the loudest roar silences the deepest thoughts."
"You talk a lot about silence," Dawn said at last, standing upright and dusting his palms. "For someone so afraid of it."
Wei Feng's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"
"You're noisy," Dawn said calmly. "And noise is what people make when they fear being forgotten."
Gasps sounded nearby.
Wei Feng's spiritual energy surged slightly—thin ripples of Qi Refining pressure danced along his sleeve, making his tunic flutter.
"I'll enjoy watching you run from the first spirit beast that bares its fangs."
Dawn's eyes turned to him fully for the first time. "You won't be watching."
A silence fell between them, weighty as thunderclouds. Nearby cultivators watched with bated breath. But Dawn merely walked away, stepping past Wei Feng without a glance back.
Wei Feng clenched his fists, jaw tight.
He wasn't used to being dismissed.
---
Near the sect gate, Mei Lin watched from a distance. She had seen the entire exchange, though she was too far to hear the words.
But she saw their eyes.
Dawn's were still, like deep water.
Wei Feng's were burning, full of motion and noise.
"I wonder which one breaks first," she murmured, adjusting the leather belt around her waist.
Another young man nearby—Zhao Ren, a heavy-spear user from Stone Brook City—glanced at her. "Trouble brewing?"
She smiled faintly. "Trouble already came. It just hasn't been recognized yet."
---
Above, several outer elders observed the interactions from a pavilion built into the mountainside.
"That one—Wei Feng—has solid foundation and a strong mind. But that black-haired boy…" one said, trailing off.
"Dawn," said another elder, looking down over his scroll. "No records prior to this year. His name only appeared on the Rising Sun Village recommendation."
"Strange."
The first elder nodded. "He doesn't feel like a Qi Refining cultivator."
"That's because he's not—at least, not in the way we measure it."
They fell into silence, watching as the youth began to gather near the gate.
The moment was drawing near.
---
Far below, in the forest beyond the sect walls, spirit beasts stirred. Wolves with ember-like eyes slunk between trees. A feathered serpent coiled lazily on a high rock. And something massive, armored in moss and bark, dragged itself from a deep pool, sending ripples across the land.
The hunt would begin soon.
And within that hunt, more than beasts would bare their fangs.
---
End of Chapter Seven