The spring breeze carried with it the faint scent of cherry blossoms, dancing through the open training grounds of Azure Mist City. The petals swirled gently in the air, almost as if the world itself had chosen this moment to be soft, even as tensions continued to brew within the Kael household. Yet Kael, with his calm expression and composed posture, remained a mystery even to those closest to him.
His cultivation level still appeared dormant to the outside world. The Spirit Detection Talismans failed to show anything beyond the most basic aura. To many, Kael was a young man struggling to catch up—an embarrassment to his clan, a failed genius. But to Kael himself, this misperception had become a precious shield.
He walked silently through the cherry grove lining the east wing of his estate. Dressed in his training robes, the sleeves slightly longer than necessary, Kael exuded a certain elegance. Though only sixteen, his features had begun to sharpen. His hair, tied back in a neat ribbon, shimmered in the soft sunlight, and his eyes held a depth no one dared to peer too closely into.
Lin stood waiting at the end of the path. She had taken to practicing alone lately, often choosing secluded spots far from prying eyes. Kael had observed her from a distance for days, watching the way she trained, how she pushed herself harder with each session. Today, she wore pale lavender robes embroidered with silver lotus flowers, her long hair tied up with a pin shaped like a snowflake.
"Why are you here?" she asked the moment Kael stepped into the clearing.
"I noticed you've been training here often," Kael replied, his voice soft. "Thought I might join you today."
Lin looked at him for a long moment, her brows slightly furrowed. "You're wasting your time. You should focus on improving your own techniques."
Kael gave a faint smile. "That's what I'm doing."
With a sigh, Lin turned her gaze back to the wooden target dummy. She launched forward, her blade slicing through the air in a brilliant arc. Kael watched closely—not just her movements, but the flow of her spiritual energy. Her form was nearly perfect, but there were subtle flaws in how she shifted her weight before each strike.
"You lean too far forward when transitioning to the third strike," he said casually.
Lin paused. "What?"
"Your momentum falters because of that extra shift. Try adjusting your stance."
She narrowed her eyes. "And what would you know about swordplay?"
Kael didn't respond. Instead, he stepped forward, drew a training blade from the rack, and performed the same sequence of strikes she had just used. His movements were fluid, seamless, and more refined than most elders could manage. It was the first time Lin had ever seen him perform a technique so advanced.
"How…?" she whispered.
Kael returned the blade. "I practice."
"You've been pretending, haven't you?" she said, stepping closer. "All this time, everyone thought you were weak…"
Kael shook his head. "Let them think what they will."
Lin stared at him, her expression unreadable. Something about him made her heart race. His humility, his composure—even his refusal to boast about his strength—it all made her feel a strange mixture of admiration and confusion.
Before she could say anything more, the sound of footsteps approached. Two figures emerged from the grove—elder disciples from the Crimson Rain Sect.
"Kael of the Nightvale Clan?" one of them asked, his tone slightly mocking.
"That's me," Kael replied.
"We've been ordered to evaluate all candidates for the upcoming Spirit Exchange Tournament. You'll be participating."
Lin blinked in surprise. "You're joining the tournament?"
Kael gave her a quick glance. "I suppose I am now."
The taller disciple stepped forward. "You? With your non-existent cultivation? We were told to expect a few hopeless cases, but this is just embarrassing."
Kael didn't flinch. "Then you won't mind if I forfeit early, will you?"
The other disciple sneered. "You've got guts. Let's see how well you handle humiliation when it comes."
They turned and left, chuckling to themselves.
Lin looked at Kael. "Why didn't you refute them?"
"I'd rather show them later than argue now."
Lin stared at him, her chest tightening. "You're… really planning to win, aren't you?"
Kael didn't answer.
That night, Kael sat in his room with a scroll unfurled before him. It was a forbidden cultivation technique—Phantom Meridian Bloom, stolen from the archives of the Cloud Serpent Sect during a mission months ago. He had mastered it in secret, perfecting each meridian alignment until it allowed him to mask his true spiritual level completely.
With a deep breath, Kael activated the technique, sending waves of invisible spiritual energy through his body. His real cultivation level—early Spirit Foundation—was concealed once more behind a curtain of mediocrity.
The Spirit Exchange Tournament would begin in a fortnight, and Kael knew the sects would use it to scout talent. More than that, the nobles of Azure Mist City would attend, including the House of Stormveil, whose eldest son had recently made an offer of marriage… to Lin.
Kael's hands clenched.
The next morning, Lin arrived at the clan's council hall. Rumors were already spreading about the marriage proposal. Her father had not accepted it, but he hadn't rejected it either.
Kael stood outside, arms folded.
"Are you here to ask about the proposal too?" Lin asked.
Kael looked at her calmly. "No. I'm here to remind you of something."
"What?"
"You're not a prize to be won. You don't need to go where they send you."
Lin's eyes widened. "Why do you care?"
"I don't like seeing people being treated like chess pieces," Kael said. "That's all."
But Lin wasn't convinced. She saw the flicker in his eyes, the tension in his posture.
"I can make my own decisions," she said. "And I choose to trust you, Kael."
He blinked, caught off-guard by her sincerity. Before he could respond, a bell tolled from the city gates—the signal for an emergency assembly.
Something had happened.
A scout rushed into the hall.
"Elder Thorne has gone missing!" he shouted. "The scouting party near the Whispering Dunes was ambushed by rogue cultivators!"
The elders gasped, and the patriarch rose. "Prepare the young disciples. We must respond swiftly."
Kael's gaze narrowed.
The Whispering Dunes… that was no ordinary desert.
And someone was waiting for him there.