Capítulo 28: The Unexpected
As Lin Fei stepped near the podium and rested his palm on the rock, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. What he was about to do took intense concentration.
Using his Essence Understanding, Lin Fei pulled strands of Essence from a portion of his Qi. The energy unwound, losing properties that it had once latched onto, until only a single Essence thread remained.
He channeled that portion of Qi through his meridians and out of this palm.
The stone glowed, but not the color they had been expecting.
Brown!
GASP!
The elder standing beside drew a sharp intake of breath. His eyes staring daggers at the glowing stone. He slowly turned his gaze to Lin Fei. "You... You have comprehended Earth Essence?"
Among those gathered, no one could hold back the look of astonishment that washed over their features.
This...! This was too surprising!
What was more astonishing was not Lin Fei being able to comprehend an Elemental Essence, but his status as a Trial Disciple.
What did that mean? He had been a mere Mortal Foundation Cultivator when he accomplished such a feat!
Even if he had the support of an inscription master, comprehension was something that was entirely dependent on one's innate talent. What was even more baffling was just how bright the light emitted by the stone was.
Elder Su was once more left bewildered, but then nodded his head in understanding. "I see, I see..."
He seemed to have connected the dots once more.
It made sense after all. If Lin Fei displayed such talent and potential, then he was certainly deserving of the attention from a Core Elder.
Off to the side, Yan Mei's eyes widened in surprise. Others might have assumed he was her junior brother, but she knew the truth. It made her wonder if he was really that talented or if he had already chosen a master.
Suddenly a gust of wind whipped in the hall, drawing attention from those gathered. As the wind settled, it revealed the form of a young woman wearing a bright green robe with golden embroidery.
She had a mane of silvery white hair, and her eyes were golden in color. Her face was covered by a veil, but anyone could infer that she was a gorgeous woman beneath. While her curves lacked the explosiveness Yan Mei's had, she nonetheless cut a tantalizing figure.
Her arrival stirred a frenzy of murmurs, and even Elder Su seemed to have grown stiff. Whenever he was near this woman, he had always felt a palpable sense of danger. And he trusted his intuition.
"Master!" Qin Rui's arrival might've ranged in emotions from others, but Yan Mei only felt elation. With her master, she had always felt that intoxicating sensation of control. As if nothing could truly stand in their way.
Qin Rui glanced at her disciple, then at those gathered. Her gaze briefly stopped at Su Nian, but she soon rounded on the only figure standing near the podium, looking at her with a hint of vigilance.
She smiled, though that mesmerizing expression was hidden beneath her veil so none had the opportunity to appreciate her beauty. She moved her step forward, and suddenly she was standing right before her object of interest.
While Qin Rui had no idea of the assumptions that elders had made, she knew that there was at least someone standing behind this young man.
Her heart skipped a beat as she took in his features. This close she could make out his sword-like brows, his unique grey eyes, and features that could only be described as perfect. No wonder Yan Mei was showing such interest. I know I would—NO! Can't think about that right now.
In an effort to distract herself, she glanced at the still glowing piece of the rock. Earth, she observed, but not just Earth.
A spark of curiosity was roused in her heart. She glanced back at Lin Fei without disguising the interest sparking in her eyes.
Lin Fei stood with a calm expression, but a hint of solemnness had rooted in his heart. His mother had also stopped laughing, now slightly concerned as the plan continued to spiral off into the unknown.
The very act of possessing Elemental Essence meant your being was tainted by the colors of reality. It was like your existence was a sieve from which these colors bled into you. And they could not be removed. At least, not fully.
That was what Lin Fei was betting on.
Show a hint of his true talents, and others would appreciate it. But showing his entire talents, people would dread it.
When he separated other Elemental Essences from that strand of Qi, he hadn't removed it entirely. A very tiny portion had still slipped through. And that was not a problem. Not really.
Everybody would be enamored by the dazzling brown color; no one would even notice that other colors were also present. Why? Because those colors would be so faint that unless you were a high-ranked cultivator, it would be impossible to see.
Unless you were the leader of the Void Sword Sect?
Or the Vice Head?
Or this woman before him?
It was a mistake, his mind reasoned.
No! Lin Fei cried inwardly. I did everything as best I could.
As his mother used to say: Make a plan, control whatever you can, and know that you cannot control everything.
Except the unexpected.
And this woman was unexpected.
She has a sovereign rank physique. His mother stated. And she knows you've one too. Though probably not at what rank.
Qin Rui took a fleeting glance around the room. Although she had no idea how the situation had unfolded, she could make a guess.
Su Nian's presence had surprised her, but she had already been expecting someone to hound the boy. She just hadn't expected the Core Elder himself to show up.
She glanced back at Lin Fei and smiled. "Congratulations on passing the exams. If you wouldn't mind, can I see your hand?"
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder