The morning began like any other: the sun shone, the disciples were shouting, and the sect chickens were attempting flight formation number seven.
Li Ming sipped his tea, enjoying the rare calm.
For once, no letters had fallen from the sky, no divine auditors appeared, and Bai Guo hadn't exploded anything since dawn.
It was a good day.
Until the mountain started screaming.
Not metaphorically — the mountain screamed.
A low, resonant roar echoed through the sect grounds as every formation rune along the stone flared with unstable Qi.
Lan Yue stormed into the courtyard. "Li Ming! The Spirit Testing Hall is—"
Her words were drowned by another boom.
Li Ming stood, eyebrows twitching. "Of course. Peace was too suspicious."
He, Bai Guo, and Lei Shan rushed toward the testing hall. Disciples were panicking everywhere — some glowing, some floating, one crying because his hair had turned into literal fire.
"What in the heavens—" Li Ming muttered.
