The shattered remnants of the crystal lotus continued to dissolve in the air, vanishing like scattered stardust. Theos and the examiner both stood motionless, silent, and utterly stunned.
He stared at his hand, still outstretched above the now-empty pedestal. 'Did I… break it? Because of my spirit root grade?' he thought, eyes narrowing. 'Primordial… It must be because of that. There's no other explanation.'
Theos had expected some kind of reaction—after all, his spirit root wasn't normal—but to break the artifact? That wasn't even within the realm of possibility.
The examiner, still reeling, finally took a long breath and straightened his posture. His face returned to a state of composed discipline, though his mind raced with unanswered questions.
"What is your spirit root grade?" he asked, voice calm but sharp.
Theos hesitated.
He quickly ran through his options. 'If I tell him the truth… what would happen? Would they lock me away? Experiment on me? Or worse… would someone try to eliminate me to prevent future threats?'
Still, he couldn't stall too long. He remembered what Xiphos had said earlier, how he had revealed a Mythical root.
"Mythical," Theos replied, voice firm.
The examiner studied him. His sharp gaze, trained through decades of watching cultivators lie, twist, and bluff, narrowed. He didn't react at first.
Then he stepped forward, his expression shifting.
"You're lying," he said bluntly.
Theos stiffened.
The examiner's brows drew down. "Is it Legendary then?"
Theos quickly lowered his head in respectful apology. "Sorry, sir… Yes. It's Legendary."
The examiner's eyes narrowed further.
He didn't move, didn't speak for several seconds—he simply watched. And in those seconds, the realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.
'He's lying again. And I'm absolutely sure his spirit root surpasses Heaven. I knew that before he even touched the crystal. But now… he lied about being Mythical… and then lied again, lowering it to Legendary?'
At first, he had assumed Theos was just arrogant, trying to stand out by exaggerating. But now, the pieces didn't fit.
'No one lies downwards like that. No one claims less than they are—unless… unless the truth is something even more unthinkable.'
A chill ran through his bones. Then, like a thunderclap in his mind, a terrifying thought bloomed.
'Is it possible… that his spirit root is higher than Mythical?'
He stared at Theos again, his composure faltering. 'No. That's… that's not possible. Is it?'
But still, the lingering weight of what he had just seen—the energy, the shattering of the artifact, the strange resonance in the air—it all pointed to one undeniable fact: this boy was beyond understanding.
Clearing his throat, he composed himself once more. "Alright. You may go. You can tell the others your spirit root grade is Heaven."
Theos blinked, confused by the sudden shift, but nodded slowly. "Understood." He gave a small bow and turned to leave, the strange silence of the room lingering in his mind.
The moment the doors sealed behind Theos, the examiner moved with purpose. He activated a communication talisman and whispered into it.
"Ruhan, come to Chamber 3. Now."
Within moments, a man in similar robes, slightly older and clearly familiar with the area, stepped into the room.
"You called? What's going on—"
"I'm sorry," the examiner cut him off, grabbing his arm. "I have something urgent. I won't be able to finish the rest of today's tests. You'll handle the rest. No questions right now."
The friend opened his mouth, confusion and concern painting his face. "Wait, what? What happened—"
But before he could utter another word, the examiner vanished in a ripple of energy, leaving only the fading hum of disturbed air behind.
Back in the waiting plaza, the atmosphere remained filled with quiet anticipation. The courtyard had settled into a low hum of energy and excitement. The spirit root examination was more than a formality—it was the threshold to their future. They knew that what happened in those chambers would define their path in the sect.
The disciples who had already completed their tests began filtering back into the waiting area one by one, guided through side exits that kept them from directly revealing what they had seen inside. Yet their expressions told half the story—confidence, relief, pride… or uncertainty.
When Lyra returned, her calm expression didn't change, but Selene immediately approached. "So? What was your result?"
Lyra glanced at her for a moment before answering evenly, "Heaven grade."
Selene blinked, then nodded, though her eyes were still searching. "I thought so."
Soon after, Xiphos emerged. Eryk raised an eyebrow. "You don't look surprised. Heaven too?"
Xiphos gave the faintest shrug. "That's what they said."
Arlen leaned in with a low whistle. "Man… I knew you two were strong, but to get Heaven grade? That's insane."
Lyra remained silent nearby, her gaze still thoughtful. She said nothing, but her lips were set in a firm line.
"I got Earth," Eryk added, puffing his chest slightly. "Same with Arlen. Not bad, right?"
"Earth's great," Selene said. "But Heaven… that's something else."
They continued talking in low voices, comparing their experiences and speculating about how the sect might treat those with high-grade spirit roots. Hushed excitement lingered around them, each quietly wondering where they now stood in comparison to their peers.
Occasionally, someone would glance toward the sealed door, as if hoping to glimpse the secrets behind it. A few younger disciples fiddled with their robes or sat on the steps, whispering among themselves.
Then the doors creaked open one final time.
Theos stepped out, calm and composed. His crimson eyes scanned the group before settling on the stone path.
All conversation died.
Selene took a step forward. "You're the last one… What did they say?"
Theos paused. "Heaven grade."
That was all he said.
No further explanation. No embellishment.
Everyone exchanged uncertain glances, but no one questioned it—especially not after the tension between Theos and Selene earlier. The air felt different now.
Though they didn't know it, something far more significant had just occurred behind that sealed door—something none of them could yet understand.
Far away from the waiting plaza, the examiner reappeared within the heart of the sect's core—an immense, dome-like structure known as the Starshroud Hall. The walls pulsed with flowing constellations, as if the night sky itself had been sealed into crystal glass. Dozens of glowing glyphs floated gently in the air like slow-falling feathers, and the scent of sacred incense filled the chamber with a cool, calming presence.
At the center of this majestic space sat an ancient stone throne, carved from pure star-essence ore, veined with glowing rivers of qi. Upon it rested an old man draped in white and silver robes, his long beard braided into twin spirals, and his eyes closed in serene contemplation.
The Patriarch of the Heavenly Star Sect opened his eyes slowly as the examiner knelt before him.
"Vaelin," the Patriarch said, his voice deep yet kind. "You arrive with the wind of worry at your back. What troubles you?"
Vaelin looked up, still breathless from his urgent teleportation. "Patriarch… I've just tested a boy… Theos Redheart. The crystal—" he paused, swallowing. "It shattered. Completely."
The Patriarch's brows furrowed faintly. "The crystal has stood unbroken for over three thousand years."
He paused, then leaned forward slightly, his voice thoughtful. "Theos Redheart… I've heard that name before."
Vaelin looked up, surprised. "You know of him, Patriarch?"
The old man nodded slowly. "During the entrance trial, I was observing from afar. A powerful Platinum-ranked beast had awakened into the test area. I considered intervening personally, but before I could arrive, the boy handled it alone."
His gaze sharpened, eyes gleaming faintly with memory. "Not many at his cultivation stage could have achieved that. I've had my eye on him ever since."
"I know," Vaelin whispered. "And that's not all."