Time Until First Rift Appears: 5 Years, 1 Month, 24 Days.

As the voices floated around him, muffled like they were coming through a thick wall of fog, Rin’s eyelids fluttered. The heaviness weighed on him, pulling him back into a dark abyss each time he tried to reach the surface of consciousness. Bits of memory came back to him—flashes of cold stone walls, the echo of a monstrous roar, the blinding shimmer of blades slicing through shadows. And then, nothing but darkness.

“How is he doing?” The gruff voice echoed again, concern tightly woven into its rough edges.

“He’s still unconscious,” came the measured response. “Considering he came out of that cave alive with only this amount of injury, it's a miracle in itself.”

Rin strained to open his eyes, but they felt glued shut. His body throbbed with a dull ache, and every breath sent a ripple of pain through his chest. Eventually, he managed to pry his eyes open, blinking against the blurriness that clouded his vision. Shadows loomed over him, and slowly, the faces came into focus.

At his left Master Lu Ri stood his red eyes boring into Rin as if that alone would make the boy jump out of bed and be in full health, everything hurt his body felt like it was weighed down by lead Rin tried to strain his neck to see who the other person was in the room but failed horribly as his body protested vehemently noticing that Rin was stirring awake Master Lu Ri spoke "Well welcome back to the land of the living lad" he said as relief tinged his town he looked to Rin's right as he barked "Ooi the lad is awake go fetch the elder!" whoever was at the far end of the room squealed a brief "ah" and then the crashing of bottles and maybe utensils could be heard before the door was swiftly opened and even more swiftly closed

"Ugh scholars" Master Lu Ri said "So how does it feel boy," Rin wasn't sure what the old man was asking "How does what feel like?" Rin strained through gritted teeth "Surviving your first near death experience" the old man answered "And to think you did so without the so called assistance of qi" Rin wasn't sure how to feel about that although Rin never openly spoke about his problem his teachers especially master Lu Ri and his son Lu Ri jr. had some idea of what the issue was and his cheeks suddenly felt wet

Rin blinked rapidly, feeling a sudden sting of warmth around his eyes. He forced himself to swallow back any sign of weakness, masking his expression under a thin, stubborn grin.

“Surviving?” he murmured, voice hoarse, “Feels like I got tossed off a cliff, run over by an ox, and then maybe trampled by a few hundred olifants for good measure.” He huffed, though the movement pulled painfully at his ribs.

Master Lu Ri’s lip twitched into a smile. “That so, huh? Could’ve fooled me.” He leaned back, arms crossed over his chest. “From what I hear, you were in fine enough shape to leave a trail of dead beasts and a mountain of questions. The wardens practically had to shovel the stories out of your friends’ mouths.”

Rin smirked, despite the ache it pulled from every bruised muscle. “Guess I have a bit of a knack for surprises.”

“More than that, I’d say,” Lu Ri replied. He paused, his face shifting from its usual gruff humor to something more sober. His crimson gaze settled on Rin, measuring and unyielding. “Alright, lad. The time for games is over. You survived – but barely. And I need to know exactly what happened in there.”

Rin drew in a shallow breath, casting his mind back to the chaos of the cavern. The memories came back in flashes: jagged stone, the snarls of yetis, the icy breath of the Frostfang Wyrm.

Jiyan!!

His fingers twitched as he remembered the weight of the qi crystal, glimmering in his palm like a shard of midnight.

“It’s… hard to explain.” Rin shifted, wincing as the movement sent another bolt of pain through his side. “The trial was going alright as we were looking for a qi crystals as per the objective so we took a chance and went with the northern passes." Rin said Master Lu Ri frowned but did not saying anything else "After we started to ascend we decided to stop and rest for a while well my friends-" with that thought he cut himself off as his eyes went as wide as a plate "Linhua and Goruo are they okay" he said as he wanted to sit up and go look for his friends but white hot pain raced through his body which made him groan

"Easy there lad" Master Lu Ri said as he put his firm hand on Rin's shoulder "They are fine and resting in the other room" Rin stilled as he heard this he looked the older man in the eyes seeing that he spoke truth or that he at least wasn't lying Rin calmed down "Are they hurt?" he asked and Master Lu Ri smirked "Not any worse then you if thats what your asking they just suffer from qi exhaustion and some minor injuries they are fine lad" sighing in relief Rin nodded

Thank the heavens

"Now back to your story" the old man said his demeanor shifting once again to that of the Chief of the Cliffwarden's "You guys went up the northern passes and then?" he motioned for Rin to continue so he did

"We rested for a couple of minutes well Linhua and Goruo did while I went to go scout on ahead but before that, that crazy growl or howl echoed through the mountain. You probably heard it." Rin said

Master Lu Ri nodded, expression unreadable. “That howl reached halfway down the mountain. We thought the mountain spirit itself was roused. But we got no word from the trial monitors we just thought it was the beasts on the mountain vying for dominance over the qi crystals.”

Rin nodded as he recounted everything that happened after he saw the Yeti's take the qi crystal and they decided to follow them which lead to the predicament they were in.

Master Lu Ri was silent for a long moment before he spoke once more "So Yeti's that displayed intelligence without ascending to that of a mystical beast to top it all off the young ins couldn't cultivate as the what did you say the qi was-"

"It as they described it was combined yet not combined as if it was combined at the qi level not the elemental level" Rin answered as he now looked straight up at the wooden ceilings of the infirmary instead of trying to strain his neck for which some or other reason was one of the most painful areas of his body

"Ah yes that you mentioned a Young Master Jiyan?" the old man enquired I nodded

"Yes he said he was there on a family errand" Master Lu Ri frowned

"we checked the records there was no Jiyan of any family participating in the trial" master Lu Ri said but before I could say something he put his hands up forestalling any argument from Rin "Easy there lad I am not accusing you of anything I am simply saying whoever this person was we don't know who they might be or what their motivations were"

Rin thought about it for a minute and blurted "I think he wanted the egg" Rin said and Master Lu Ri's eyebrows rose

"What egg?" he asked

"That's what the Yeti's were collecting the Qi crystals for the Frostfang Wyrm was laying eggs or giving birth not really sure-" Rin was cut off as the old man rushed to his side

"How big was the egg boy!!" he bellowed a crazed look flashed in his crimson eyes, noticing the shock on Rins face he went back to his usual mischievous demeanor "Ah sorry lad...." He paused taking a deep breath and continued

"But how big was the egg a size of a pebble maybe a small rock..." he trailed off

Rin utterly confused by Master Lu Ri he simply said "No it was more the size of a small boulder at least larger then the wheel of the standard carts" at this Master Lu Ri fell silent, his face a study in alarm and intrigue. The faintest shadow of dread crept into his expression, barely noticeable but there, lingering in the furrow of his brow.

"Is that… possible?" Rin asked, his curiosity rising above his pain. “For a wyrm to lay an egg like that?”

Master Lu Ri didn’t answer at once. He paced a few steps, running a hand over his jaw, lost in thought.

" You dont have to worry about it I will speak with the sect elders about this and they will decide the course of action for the rest of sect"

"And the wardens?" Rin asked

"We have already cleared out that cave and we did not find anything amiss in there other then the remnants of the battle the Yeti's killed by you and your friends have all but turned into husks, and speaking of battles..."

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Master Lu Ri’s gaze sharpened, and his brows drew together, a storm of anger and concern brewing in his crimson eyes. “Speaking of battles, what in the infernal depths possessed you to go toe-to-toe with a Frostfang Wyrm, boy? Were you born without a sense of self-preservation?”

Rin held his gaze, refusing to let his own nervousness show, despite the older man's intimidating stance. “I wasn’t going to fail the trial,” he answered, his voice steady. “Better to face down a wyrm than come back empty-handed. I was not no would not fail the trial.”

“Is that, what Pride?” Master Lu Ri’s voice rose, his frustration raw. “What you almost brought was your own funeral, Rin. You think your friends wouldn’t rather see you in one piece than carting off some oversized rock?”

Rin bristled, his pride refusing to let him back down. “It wasn’t just about the test, Master. Linhua and Goruo were with me. I couldn’t leave them behind, and I couldn’t let them face that thing alone. If that wyrm had gotten to them, or if those yetis had broken through…” He clenched his fists, every muscle tense despite the pain. “I’d rather face the wyrm a hundred times over than abandon them. Even if it meant… well, this.” He gestured at his own bandaged body.

Master Lu Ri’s face softened for a moment, but his frown returned, deeper than before. He looked at Rin with a mixture of pity and admiration. “And what do you think would’ve happened to them if you’d been killed, hmm?” he challenged, his tone cutting. “You may think yourself self-sacrificing, boy, but charging into a fight you aren’t ready for is just plain reckless. No amount of courage will protect them if you’re lying dead at their feet.”

Rin opened his mouth to argue, but the weight of his mentor’s words stopped him. He closed his mouth, swallowing hard. “I… I didn’t think about it like that,” he murmured, the defiance draining from his voice.

Master Lu Ri sighed, a long, weary sound. “You’re a good lad, Rin, and brave—no one’s questioning that. But bravery without sense leads to nothing but grief.”

For a moment, the room went silent, Rin staring up at the Medicinal Hall ceiling, shame and frustration simmering beneath the surface. The stubborn determination he’d felt only moments ago began to dissolve under Master Lu Ri’s scrutiny, replaced by a creeping awareness of just how close he’d come to disaster.

But just as Lu Ri opened his mouth, ready to continue his lecture, the heavy sound of the door swinging open cut through the room, and Rin’s focus shifted to the two figures stepping inside. He recognized the first as the Medicinal Hall elder, a man in his later years, with a calm expression and hands still stained faintly from the herbs and potions he worked with. Beside him, though, was someone else, someone Rin hadn’t seen before but had heard plenty about.

The Penal Hall elder, stepped in with a graceful yet firm stride. She was shorter than most, her frame compact but powerful, like a taut spring ready to snap. Her face, though slightly weathered, held a beauty that age couldn’t dim. Her ash-black hair framed her features in a severe line, accentuating her sharp gaze that seemed to cut through any pretenses like a blade. There was no question about it—she was a woman who demanded respect simply by her presence.

The room seemed to chill slightly at her arrival, and even Lu Ri’s demeanor shifted, his posture stiffening ever so slightly.

“Ah, the boy is awake, then,” the Medicinal Hall Elder observed, his voice a smooth blend of professionalism and mild relief. He looked Rin over, his eyes keen as he took in the bruises, bandages, and signs of strain. “You’ve certainly been through the wringer, young man. How are you feeling?”

"It hurts" Rin said and the medicinal hall elder just simply smiled "Of course it does boy, you fought a wyrm that was so much higher in power that its a miracle that your alive" chuckeling the old man turned to the stout woman next to him "Now Elder Yao Yiling I believe you have some questions for the boy could you ask and leave you have already disturbed my and the patients under my care's peace" the old man said

The woman didn't even so much look at him she simply spoke to Master Lu Ri "So what is the report Chief of the Cliffwardens?" confused I looked at the old man "It is as the other kids said" is all that he said the woman nodded she glanced to Rin for a moment before turning and leaving the room

"Bloody woman" The elder of the Medicinal Hall said as she was long out of ear shot "You know she has been here everyday enquiring about the patients and the incident that happened in the cave its been driving me and my disciples mad" Lu Ri chuckled

"Aye she is...." he started but stopped himself "Now Elder how long is the young Rin going to be hold up in this place?"

The Medicinal Hall Elder cast a critical eye over Rin, his gaze lingering on the bruises and bandages wrapped tightly around his limbs. “Well, that depends on how much trouble he plans to cause me,” he replied, lips quirking in a sardonic smile. “But if he behaves and rests as he’s told, I’d say at least another week. The damage was… substantial.”

“A week,” Master Lu Ri mused, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a thoughtful look clouding his sharp gaze. “He won’t like that.”

“Who does?” the elder retorted, his voice laced with amusement. “I doubt there’s a single patient in here who’s truly grateful for my hospitality. But it can’t be helped. If he pushes himself too soon, he’ll end up right back here, and I’ve no interest in repeating this cycle.”

Rin lay there, trying to ignore the throb in his side as they discussed his fate like he was some stubborn animal that needed corralling. He hated feeling weak, the very air around him reminding him of every bruise and aching muscle, a silent testament to how far he still had to go. He forced himself to look away from the stern-faced elder, his mind drifting back to the strange events in the cave.

Well atleast I fought off the Frostfang Wyrm...Sort off and Jiyan he was strange to say the least no normal trial taker thats for sure. Rin Frowned

The boy had appeared like a specter, seemingly out of nowhere, with no family name, no history in the sect. He'd fought with ease, each movement precise and calculated as if he were dancing through the chaos of battle. A family errand, he’d said. But something about those words had felt hollow, like an echo rather than a truth.

Or maybe it was just a family errand, apparently that Wyrm egg was quite the treasure if I go by the old man's reaction earlier.

Rin's gaze settled on the faint flickering shadow cast by the morning's sun's rays filtering in through the many windows, his thoughts turning over like stones in a riverbed. He shifted his blanket to cover his shoulders just that simple action made white hot pain lance through his body.

"…though I’d have liked to study that strange energy you described," the medicinal elder mused, almost to himself. "A mystery indeed. Shame we’ve no way to observe it up close—no samples, nothing to examine."

Rin blinked, recalling the vial of blood he’d taken. "Actually…" he began, voice faint. The elder turned to him, eyebrows raised, his curiosity piqued.

The medicinal elder’s gaze sharpened, and he stepped closer, a look of genuine interest creasing his usually stoic face. "Actually?" he prompted, his voice dropping to a softer tone as though trying to coax words from a skittish creature.

“I… took a sample,” Rin said, his voice rough. “A vial of blood from the alpha yeti. I thought it might… help us understand whatever it was that made those creatures so different.” He left out the part where his actions had been more impulse than foresight, more a desperate attempt to claim something tangible from the fray.

Master Lu Ri’s brows rose slightly, but it was the elder whose reaction truly surprised Rin. The elder’s eyes widened, and he took a step forward, his interest so sharp it was almost tangible, his demeanor abruptly less clinical and more… curious. “You managed to collect a sample?” His voice dropped, filled with reverence as though Rin had just unveiled an ancient artifact.

“Yes,” Rin replied, uncertain of what to make of the elder’s reaction.

“It’s in my travel bag,” Rin said, fighting to keep his voice steady, “More a bottle than a vial, but… should still be there. If it didn’t break, that is…”

The elder didn’t wait for a second confirmation; he was out the door so fast Rin barely had time to blink.

“Oh, now you’ve done it.” Master Lu Ri let out a hearty chuckle, watching the old man tear down the hall in search of Rin’s travel bag. “You’ve got the old codger all fired up now.” He shook his head with a grin, then shot Rin a knowing look as he followed the elder. “Rest up, lad. And don’t think we’re finished with our conversation yet.”

Rin sighed, sinking deeper into his pillow. Thought I dodged that one… guess not.

“Yes, sir,” he drawled with a touch of mock resignation.

Master Lu Ri was just about to disappear down the hall when he stopped and called back, “Oh, and Rin—welcome to the Wardens.”

Rin felt a warmth spreading across his face as he murmured, “Thank you, sir.” He reached up to his cheeks, only to realize they were wet. What am I, a leaky bucket now?

Master Lu Ri’s voice echoed back, full of mischief. “And I haven’t told your teammates yet. I trust you know what to do.”

A grin spread across Rin’s face, an almost sinister delight lighting his eyes. Oh, this is going to be fun.