Atop a sleek, obsidian-grey sword, Karma and Administrator Zhao whizzed through the sky, parting clouds and frightening avians with impunity.

Sparing Karma a sideways glance, Administrator Zhao said, "Oh? I see your cultivation has entered the peak of the Qi Formation's fourth stage. Good timing."

"Good timing for what?" inquired Karma, idly observing the passing scenery.

"Ah? You don't know?" Administrator Zhao lightly shook his head. "Juniors these days—such poor attention spans.

"Of course, it's due to the opening of Schrödinger's Crucible! You're lucky—most of your peers have long awaited this day with bated breaths."

"And Schrödinger's Crucible is ..."

Administrator Zhao flicked his sleeve. "Elder Li will explain it to you shortly. To summarize: your advancement to the Embryonic Inquisitor realm hinges on your upcoming performance."

"I see. So, was this Schrödinger's Crucible named after a renowned Daoist Schrödinger's?"

"What?" Administrator Zhao asked quizzically, his nostrils scrunching. "No—it was named after a species of yin-yang cats. Don't ask any more stupid questions."

"Oh."

...

"What were the cats named after?"

"... Shut up."

**

Verdant hills and fluorescent pastures soon made way for buildings of wood and stone. Karma and Administrator Zhao's conjoined shadow streaked directly below—a testament to the sun's ascent to its zenith.

Under Administrator Zhao's meticulous control, they soon veered toward a familiar courtyard.

"I've notified Elder Li of our imminent arrival," said Administrator Zhao, piloting his sword down to the smooth pavement. "He will distribute your mission reward, as well as elucidate your next steps."

"Mm," replied Karma.

Hovering a finger's width atop the lecture grounds, Administrator Zhao's spiritual energy wrapped Karma's figure and guided his descent. "We'll separate here. Oh, and Junior?"

"Yes, Administrator?"

"Nicely done—you were the first to succeed."

Clasping his hands, Karma intoned, "Junior is immensely grateful for Administrator Zhao's magnanimity and wishes farewell."

Nodding, Administrator Zhao blurred into the azure vault overhead, turbid squalls billowing in his wake.

**

"Heh—last to leave, first to arrive. What will Sister Lin do when she finds out I've beaten her once more?" wondered Karma aloud while tapping his chin. "Stomp in a circle like an elephant? Harumph until she's out of breath?"

"I imagine a bit of both, barring the hyperbole," chortled an erudite timbre. Foggy wisps converged at the lecture hall's center, gathering into a human-esque frame. Vitality and color heralded the transformation's end, revealing a sagacious elder whose pensive eyes were framed by lengthy, silver brows.

"Junior Lin is nothing if not tempestuous. Such is the nature of passion—the duality of impulse and tenacity. Exciting, is it not?"

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Karma bowed deeply. "Greetings, Elder Li!"

Rising with a poorly suppressed smile, Karma replied, "From my experience, whether passion is impulse or tenacity can only be found in hindsight."

Elder Li stroked his patriarchal beard. "And, in this case, what has your passion begotten?"

Mischievously avoiding the elder's gaze, Karma solemnly declared, "Impulsive!"

"That it was!"

Karma's perception warped—discombobulated by a plethora of overlapping imagery. When his disorientation finally abated, he found himself seated across from Elder Li in a quaint cabin. Its timber walls were bereft of decoration, furnished only by two embroidered cushions.

I've got to say: Elder Li is simply too cool. I don't dare attempt to spy on his thoughts. My intuition doesn't just caution against doing so—it upbraids my stupidity outright.

"Now then, we have much to discuss. First and foremost, your prize."

Elder Li flourished his sleeves, producing a midnight blue spheroid the size of a lychee. Invisible currents shuttled the artifact forward, leaving it floating before Karma's chest.

Karma, studying the purported Euclidian Anchor, queried, "Does it come with a manual?"

Nodding, Elder Li sent Karma a scrap of parchment scribbled with a tiny font.

"Huh, that's convenient," Karma exclaimed, squinting at the microscopic text.

Eat me.

Befuddled, he flipped the parchment to its backside.

Eat me.

...

Why does this seem familiar?

"If you insist," said Karma with a shrug.

Gulp.

An electric sensation accompanied the Euclidian Anchor's journey through his digestive tract. Karma felt the bauble dissolve throughout his system, permeating every iota of flesh. With a jolt, he discovered something akin to a metaphysical organ, its workings entirely foreign.

"How was it?" inquired Elder Li.

"Hmm, kind of like a charred blueberry with hints of saffron."

"Ah, I don't believe I've sampled that particular blend."

"If you do, I suggest complimenting it with a cup of lemongrass tea. That way, the acidity can cut through the smokey sweetness."

Elder Li angled his head sideways. Snapping his fingers, a tea set materialized between them.

...

Placing his steaming cup beside him, Elder Li began, "Let's move on. As Administrator Zhao has likely informed you, this year's opening of Schrödinger's Crucible is fast upon us."

Following Karma's nod, he continued, "First, the historical context: Schrödinger's Crucible is a natural formation of Heaven and Earth. Ever since its discovery three millennia prior, it has fallen under the joint ownership of four major sects."

Pausing to sip his tea, Elder Li resumed, "The Abyssal Crow Sect, Cittamātra Sect, Penumbra Effigy Sect, and the Winged Bellicosi Sect.

"Over the years ..."

...

"A time dilation of 8:1, for a total of four months ..."

...

"Rife with political intrigue, economic warfare, and bloody battle ..."

...

"Understood?"

Stifling a yawn, Karma assented, "Yes!"

"Wonderful. We've established the what; now, let's establish the why. This concerns your cultivation for the latter half of the Qi Formation realm—do not doze off."

Karma's posture straightened as he leveled an intense stare at Elder Li.

"In Shrödinger's Crucible, you will undergo a process known as Attunement."

Karma's eyebrows quirked. "I thought spiritual energy was fundamentally pure? How can it be attuned?"

"Good questions, both of which are irrelevant. Attunement applies—not to spiritual energy—but to the Spirit Aperture. The procedure is as follows:

"First, you form a contract with Schrödinger's Crucible consisting of two parts: a Request and a Promise.

"The Request can be any affinity imaginable, regardless of abstraction. You will receive 1/5 of each Request, in addition to a bump in minor realm, from Qi Formation levels 4–9.

"In exchange, the Crucible will demand a Promise. You must fulfill five of such Promises to complete Attunement, thus prepositioning a breakthrough to Embryonic Inquisitor."

"And what if you fail?" asked Karma.

"Then you wait until next year," said Elder Li, he and the cabin beginning to fade. "That marks the end of our discussion. Good luck; you leave at sunrise."

Pop!

Blinking away rainbow-colored cataracts, Karma was reintroduced to a barren courtyard.

Well, of all my conversations, that was most definitely one of them.

Arching his back, Karma bemoaned, though—some lumbar support would've been nice; my back is killing me!

**

After navigating past bustling streets of avid shoppers, restocking his steam bun inventory, and avoiding the heated gaze of a certain stall owner, Karma arrived at the Dragon Dwelling Inn's front desk.

"Hi! I'm looking for an irritable fella about yay high going by the name: Lance ..."

Karma proceeded to prattle on a host of colorful language, all the while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with an auburn-haired gentleman in a dark-brown robe.

"... easily prone to anger, psychopathic tendencies, identical to the man standing beside me. Ring a bell?"

"I think I know who you're describing," intruded a harried voice.

Beaming, Karma pivoted on his heels. "Lorenzö! Lovely to see you again. So, you say you have a lead?"

Lorenzö blanched before slowly creeping backward. "Well, sort of ..."

"He's behind me, isn't he?"

"And very much prone to anger!" enthusiastically added the concierge.