As they approached the buildings, Elder Feng turned to address them. "These will be your quarters for the duration of the trials," he explained. "You'll find everything you need inside. Food will be provided in the common area, and there are meditation rooms available for those who wish to use them."

He pointed to a large building at the center of the complex. "That is where you'll gather for announcements and to receive instructions for the next trial. Make sure you're there at dawn tomorrow."

Kai nodded, taking in the layout of the area. Good to know. I should familiarize myself with this place, just in case.

"Now," Elder Feng continued, "get some rest. You've all earned it." With that, he departed, leaving the recruits to settle into their new accommodations.

Kai turned to Liu Wei. "Let's check out our rooms and then grab some food. I don't know about you, but I'm starving after that trial."

Liu Wei nodded eagerly. "Yes, Master Kai. I feel like I could eat an entire spirit beast!" He paused, glancing nervously at Zhi-Zhi. "Uh, no offense intended, of course."

Zhi-Zhi huffed. "As if a mere mortal like you could ever hope to consume a majestic being such as myself. Why, I once feasted on an entire mountain of spirit herbs, and it barely satisfied my godly appetite!"

Kai chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm sure you did, Zhi-Zhi. Come on, let's go."

As they made their way to their assigned quarters, Kai's mind was already working on strategies for the next trial.

I need to regain my qi as quickly as possible. Some food and meditation should help. I should also try to gather more information about what the other recruits faced in their trials. Knowledge is power, after all.

They reached a row of small, individual buildings. Each had a simple wooden door with a number carved into it. Kai found the one matching the jade token he'd been given earlier and pushed it open.

The room inside was sparse but comfortable. A bed, a small table with two chairs, and a cushioned mat for meditation. A window looked out over the misty mountains surrounding the sect.

"Not bad," Kai murmured, setting his pack down. "Definitely beats the little hut."

Liu Wei's voice called from next door. "Master, these rooms are amazing! I've never stayed anywhere so nice!"

Kai smiled at his follower's enthusiasm. "Enjoy it while you can, Liu Wei. I have a feeling we won't be spending much time here once the trials really get going."

Suddenly, Zhi-Zhi's voice piped up from further down the row. "Hey! Why is my door so small? Don't they know who I am?"

Curious, Kai stepped out and looked down the row. Sure enough, between his and Liu Wei's rooms was a much smaller door, perfectly sized for the spirit tortoise.

Kai walked over and peered inside. The room was a miniature version of his own, complete with tiny furniture. "Well, look at that," he chuckled. "They gave you your own place, Zhi-Zhi."

Zhi-Zhi puffed up with pride. "Of course they did! It's about time my greatness was recognized. Though I must say, this is rather quaint compared to my chambers in the Celestial Tortoise Palace."

Kai rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling. "I'm sure it is. But hey, at least you don't have to share with us 'mere mortals' anymore."

"Indeed!" Zhi-Zhi agreed, scuttling into his new home. "Now I can meditate in peace without your constant snoring interrupting my profound thoughts."

"I don't snore," Kai protested weakly, then shook his head.

After freshening up and changing into clean robes provided in the room, the three made their way to the common area.

The common area was a large, high-ceilinged hall with cloud patterns carved into the wooden beams above. Long tables of polished oak stretched in neat rows, already half-filled with chattering recruits. Along the far wall, a serving area bustled with activity as workers ladled out steaming dishes from large woks and cauldrons.

The aroma of sizzling meats, fragrant herbs, and sweet pastries filled the air, causing Kai's stomach to growl audibly. Liu Wei's eyes widened at the sight of so much food.

"I've never seen so many dishes in one place," he whispered in awe.

As they approached the serving area, Kai picked up a wooden tray and began selecting dishes. He spooned some rice onto his plate, then added a helping of stir-fried vegetables with tender strips of pork. A bowl of mushroom soup came next, followed by a small plate of delicate dumplings.

Zhi-Zhi looked down at Kai's selections. "Hmph! This is what passes for a feast in the mortal realm?" he sniffed. "Why, in the Celestial Tortoise Palace, we dined on ambrosia and nectar that would make your taste buds explode with joy!"

Kai rolled his eyes, adding a sweet bun to his tray. "Well, we'll have to make do with mortal food for now, Zhi-Zhi. Try not to be too disappointed." He picked up a small saucer and filled it with a variety of vegetable pieces for the spirit tortoise.

As Kai scanned the room, looking for a place to sit, he spotted Sun Jun and Lu Chen sitting at a table near the center of the room, surrounded by a group of admiring recruits. Sun Jun was gesturing dramatically, no doubt bragging about his performance during the trial.

Typical arrogant young master, Kai thought with a smirk. Always have to be the center of attention.

He and Liu Wei found an empty table near the edge of the room. As they sat down, Kai noticed Shen Yu entering the common area. The mysterious youth filled his plate quietly and then, to Kai's surprise, began walking in their direction.

"Mind if I join you?" Shen Yu asked, his voice as calm and emotionless as ever.

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Kai raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Be our guest."

As Shen Yu sat down, Liu Wei's eyes widened. "Um, congratulations on gaining first place in the trial."

Shen Yu inclined his head slightly. "Thank you. You did well to complete it as well."

An awkward silence fell over the table as they began to eat. Kai studied Shen Yu out of the corner of his eye, trying to glean any information he could from the other youth's behavior.

He's a hard one to read, Kai mused. No wasted movements, no unnecessary words. Is it all an act, or is this really who he is?

Suddenly, a translucent blue screen flickered into existence before Kai's eyes.

Name: Shen Yu

Level: ???

Cultivation: ???

The window flickered erratically, as if struggling to maintain a stable reading. For a brief moment, Kai caught a glimpse of numbers far beyond what should be possible for a new recruit, but they vanished before he could process them fully.

What the hell? Kai thought, his mind racing. Is my system glitching out, or is there something seriously weird going on with this guy?

After a few seconds of unstable flickering, the status window finally settled:

Name: Shen Yu

Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage 4

Qi: 75/75

Strength: 25

Agility: 28

Endurance: 26

Kai's eyes widened in disbelief. Qi Refining Stage 4? Already? But he only started training a few days ago. How is that even possible?

A part of Kai's mind, the part still stuck in gamer logic, wondered if Shen Yu had somehow found a way to gain XP and level up rapidly. But he quickly dismissed the thought. This isn't a game, Kai. People don't just level up here, only I level up... right? It’s more likely, he has already cultivated before.

Deciding to test the waters, Kai plastered on a friendly smile and spoke up. "Hey, Shen Yu, congrats on reaching Stage 4 already. That's really impressive."

Liu Wei's chopsticks clattered to the table. "Stage 4? But... but how?”

Zhi-Zhi, not to be outdone, puffed out his chest. "Hmph! Of course he reached Stage 4. I knew it all along. Why, in my day, reaching Stage 4 in a matter of days was considered slow progress!"

Shen Yu's eyes widened almost imperceptibly at Kai's words. He nodded, a hint of wariness in his expression. "Thank you."

Kai leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you break through so quickly? Any tips for the rest of us?"

Shen Yu made a gesture that almost looked like a shrug, his face returning to its usual blank mask. He didn't reply, instead focusing on his food.

Okay, he doesn't want to talk about it, Kai thought. Time to change tactics.

"Say, Shen Yu," Kai began, trying to sound casual, "there's something that's been nagging at me. When we talked earlier about the trial, you mentioned shadows. Did you pick the Darkness Element?"

Shen Yu stopped eating and looked up at Kai, his dark eyes unreadable. After a moment, he set down his chopsticks and spoke.

"I did choose the Darkness Element," Shen Yu said, his voice low. "If you want to finish the trial quickly, you need to face your fears. The Darkness Element doesn't necessarily mean you're afraid of the dark. It will pick something from your fears and have you face it."

Kai nodded, processing this information. "I see. So, what exactly did you face? When you said shadows, I thought-"

"It's not the shadow you are thinking of," Shen Yu interrupted, his tone final. He didn't elaborate further.

Interesting. He's willing to share some information, but he's clearly holding back. What kind of shadows could be so terrible that he won't even talk about them?

Aloud, Kai said, "I think I understand what the trials were testing now. It was about facing our weaknesses, right? Pushing us out of our comfort zones to see how we'd adapt."

Shen Yu regarded Kai for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "Your assumption is close," he said finally, "but it isn't accurate."

Kai's eyebrows rose. "Oh? How do you know if it isn't right?"

Shen Yu didn't reply, instead returning his attention to his meal.

He clearly knows more about these trials than he's letting on, Kai realized. But how? And why is he sharing anything at all?

Deciding to press his luck, Kai leaned in closer. "Say, Shen Yu, since you seem to know a lot about these trials... any idea what's coming next?"

Shen Yu paused, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth. He stared blankly at Kai for a long moment, as if weighing his options. Finally, he set his chopsticks down and spoke a single phrase:

"The Enlightenment Stone."

Liu Wei, who had been listening intently, couldn't contain his curiosity. "The Enlightenment Stone? What's that?"

Shen Yu sighed, as if resigning himself to explaining. "Everyone will be given a stone. The stone will find a technique that you have the most affinity for. You will then be expected to comprehend it."

"What if you've already learned the technique it chooses?" Kai asked, thinking of his own skills.

"The stone can tell from your qi which techniques you have used," Shen Yu replied.

Kai's eyes narrowed as he caught the specific wording. Used, not known. Interesting distinction. Could that mean...

Before Kai could pursue that line of thought, Liu Wei spoke up again. "But what about people who haven't cultivated before? How will they be tested?"

Shen Yu's expression softened slightly. "They will be given a different test. They'll be sent to a special meditation chamber, not the basic one here. It's a place designed to help a mortal become a cultivator. They will be timed and ranked according to who breaks through to the first stage of Qi Refining the fastest."

A place that can help mortals become cultivators? Kai thought, intrigued. I wonder how that works. Some kind of qi-rich environment, maybe?

As Kai pondered this new information, Shen Yu suddenly spoke again, his voice low and intense.

"I can tell from your performance that you want to be the Sect Master's disciple."

Kai hesitated for a moment before nodding. It was true, after all. Being chosen as the Sect Master's disciple would give him a significant advantage in this world.

Shen Yu leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. "A word of warning: I'd recommend you pick someone else."

With that cryptic statement, Shen Yu stood and walked away, leaving a stunned silence in his wake.

Kai's eyes narrowed as he watched Shen Yu's retreating form. What was that about? Was he threatening me? Or... warning me?

Liu Wei leaned in; his voice hushed. "Master, what do you think he meant by that?"

Kai shook his head, his mind racing. "I'm not sure, Liu Wei. But I intend to find out."

Zhi-Zhi, who had been uncharacteristically quiet during the exchange, suddenly piped up. "Bah! Don't listen to that upstart youngster. In my day, we didn't need warnings or stones or fancy trials. We became disciples through sheer force of will and the strength of our shells!"

Despite the tension of the moment, Kai couldn't help but smile at the little tortoise's bravado. "Is that so, Zhi-Zhi? And how many disciples did you take on in your illustrious career?"

Zhi-Zhi puffed up his chest. "Why, I'll have you know that I... that is to say... well, a true master doesn't need disciples! We're too busy with important celestial matters to bother with teaching!"

Liu Wei chuckled, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "Of course, Zhi-Zhi. We wouldn't want to distract you from your important duties, which is why we had to reject your offer of taking us as your disciples."

As the conversation lightened, Kai's mind continued to work, analyzing every detail of his interaction with Shen Yu.

There's definitely more to him than meets the eye. Those flickering stats, his rapid advancement, his knowledge of the trials... and now this warning about the Sect Master. What's his angle?

Kai glanced around the common area, noting the other recruits still chatting and eating.

I need more information, Kai decided. About Shen Yu, about these trials, about the Sect Master... about everything.

"Liu Wei," Kai said, turning to his follower. "After we finish eating, I want you to mingle with the other recruits. See what you can find out about their experiences in the trial. Anything unusual, any patterns in the challenges they faced. Anything they know about the sect. And anything they know about the number one prospect. Can you do that?"

"Of course, Master Kai. I'll be discreet."