On the fifth floor, the Hall Masters sat side by side, staring at the Dust Valley Sect elders and the young man seated calmly beside them.
The youth, barely twenty years old, carried himself with composure far beyond his years.
Confusion etched itself across the Hall Masters’ faces.
They could not understand why someone so young had been allowed into such an important discussion, a place usually reserved for experts who had spent decades on their professions.
Watching their doubtful expressions, the Sect Master leaned back, a confident and proud smile tugging at his lips.
"Hall Masters, you don’t need to be surprised. My son is exceptionally talented in runes and artifact refining. His presence here may shed light on many of the questions troubling you."
The two Hall Masters widened their eyes in disbelief. How could such a kid possibly enlighten them?
They were respected figures in their professions, their words sought after by countless masters across the land.
When they spoke of their research, even seasoned masters struggled to follow their train of thought.
Yet... here was a boy, not yet past his youth, being placed before them as if his insights could compare to them.
"The Sect Master speaks the truth, Hall Masters. If you have any questions, please, speak your mind," Elder Bai said calmly, his tone steady and unshaken.
In the past, Elder Bai himself would have been overwhelmed by the chance to stand before such eminent figures.
He would have hung on their every word, eager to grasp even the smallest fragment of their knowledge.
But now... his vision has broadened.
What others thought to be the pinnacle of runes and artifact refinement, Dust Valley Sect had already surpassed it.
For them, those so-called "ultimate truths" were merely starting points. Their path was ahead trying to grasp the truth of the world.
Still unconvinced, the Rune Hall Master narrowed his eyes at Mo Jian and asked in a sharp tone, "Have you at least become a Tier-2 Rune Master?"
The Artifact Refining Hall Master, equally skeptical, leaned forward, his gaze locking firmly on the young man.
Mo Jian shook his head. "I am not a Tier-2 Rune Master..." His voice trailed off, and the two Hall Masters immediately sank into disappointment.
If he wasn’t even Tier-2, what right did he have to remain in the same room as them?
Even the Artifact Refining Hall Master had asked his most talented disciple to wait outside.
Yet this Dust Valley Sect had done the opposite, parading a mere kid before them.
Were they looking down on them?
Watching the conflicted expressions on their faces, Elder Luo Zhen and Elder Bai chuckled softly.
Mo Jian raised his head again. "Even though I am not a Tier-2 Rune Master, I am... a Tier-6 Energy Master."
The two Hall Masters blinked, clearly confused.
A Tier-6 Energy Master?
What kind of nonsense was that supposed to be?
Without giving them time to ask, Elder Luo Zhen leaned forward and explained patiently.
"In our sect, we do not use the common ranking system like everyone else. We grade not by tiers of mastery over runes, but by the level of energy one can control."
Their confusion only deepened.
"Yes. Since you came to learn from us, we will not mind sharing a glimpse of our knowledge," Elder Bai said slowly, his words deliberate.
"We all know what a rune is and how it functions. But have you ever considered—what exactly gives a rune its power?"
The Rune Hall Master answered quickly, almost reflexively. "Of course. A rune is the manipulation of spiritual energy."
"You are correct," Elder Bai acknowledged with a nod. "But have you ever truly stopped to consider—what is spiritual energy?"
The question stunned them.
They fell silent, caught off guard by the simplicity of the inquiry.
Spiritual energy was the very foundation of their work, yet they realized, with a sinking feeling, that they had no clear definition for it.
After several minutes of silence, the Artifact Refining Hall Master finally spoke, though his tone wavered.
"Spiritual energy is the energy of heaven and earth. It is the will of the heavens, the source of all creation. It gives birth to all things."
The elders of Dust Valley exchanged amused glances.
That answer was the most common explanation heard across the continent.
Yet, to them, it was incomplete, flawed, even.
Elder Bai leaned forward, his voice calm yet piercing.
"If spiritual energy is truly what you say, then why are there places abundant with it, while others remain barren? If it gives birth to all things, then why do places without spiritual energy still produce life? Does this not contradict your definition?"
He didn’t stop there. His questions rained down like hammer blows.
"Why can ordinary people hunt beasts with mere arrows, without the aid of spiritual energy? Why can you walk without stumbling, breathe without channeling qi? When a fruit falls from a tree, why does it come down instead of floating upward?"
The barrage left both Hall Masters speechless.
These were simple, everyday phenomena, questions so basic that they had never even considered them.
Yet, hearing them spoken aloud now, they realized how much they had overlooked. The very core concepts of their world had gone unquestioned for millennia. Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝔫𝔢𝔱
A heavy silence settled in the room.
Everyone turned their attention to the two Hall Masters, waiting for them to find their voices again.
Ten long minutes passed.
Finally, a flicker of inspiration crossed the Rune Hall Master’s face. His lips parted, his voice unsteady but hopeful.
"Perhaps... perhaps there are other energies that we do not yet know of."
The Artifact Refining Hall Master slowly nodded, his expression thoughtful. He too had arrived at the same conclusion.
"You are correct," Elder Bai said, his tone even. "There are indeed countless other energies and forces in the world."
"This is why, in our sect, we do not grade ourselves by how many runes one can learn or inscribe. Instead, we measure mastery by how many forces of the world one can comprehend, and how well one can translate those forces through runes."
He raised a hand and gestured lightly.
"For example, fire is not simply fire. It contains heat energy, light energy, and other hidden aspects. Truly mastering fire means commanding all of its manifestations. Only then can one wield it with complete freedom."
"This knowledge does not just deepen your understanding of runes and artifacts—it opens doors. With continued exploration, you may one day glimpse the very secrets of the world itself."
For the two Hall Masters, they were like kids hearing for the first time how the world truly worked.
Their rigid views had been shattered, their pride pierced, replaced with awe and a burning curiosity.