Ren did not dwell on it for long.

  The thread stretching toward Kurotsuki Ridge remained in his thoughts, faint but undeniable. Someone had left a mark there, something deliberate enough that even the weakened remnants of his perception could sense it.

  But chasing shadows tonight would accomplish nothing.

  Ren exhaled slowly and stepped away from the window.

  Without thinking much further, he lay down.

  Sleep did not come easily.

  "Although I have a mind older than a hundred and fifty years, this body still needs sleep to recover."

  His thoughts lingered on the ridge for a while longer before exhaustion finally dulled the edge of his awareness.

  Eventually, the night passed. The house stirred before sunrise.

  Servants moved through the halls with quiet urgency, preparing meals and arranging the courtyard. The atmosphere carried an unusual tension, subtle but unmistakable.

  Today was the day of the Talent Test.

  For most families in the town, it was the first glimpse of a child’s future.

  Ren stepped into the dining room just as the table was being set.

  His uncle and aunt were already seated.

  “Good morning,” his aunt said, forcing a polite smile.

  Ren nodded and sat quietly. One chair remained empty. His uncle glanced toward it.

  “Shiro should return soon,” he said. “His training in the neighboring town was meant to prepare him for today.”

  Ren listened without reacting. Training could sharpen discipline.

  But talent itself was not something that could be trained.

  It simply existed.

  The distant sound of wheels echoed through the courtyard.

  A carriage had arrived.

  Moments later, hurried footsteps approached. The doors opened and a boy stepped inside, brushing dust from his sleeves. He looked slightly older than Ren, his posture confident and his gaze bright with anticipation.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Father. Mother.”

  His aunt immediately stood.

  “Oh , that's shiro !"

  The boy grinned slightly.

  “The instructors said there was nothing more to teach before the test.”

  His eyes shifted toward Ren.

  Curiosity flickered there.

  “So this is cousin Ren.”

  Ren

  met his gaze calmly.

  “Yes.”

  Shiro studied him for a moment before sitting down.

  “I heard you’ve been practicing thread control,” he said casually.

  Ren took a sip of tea.

  “A little.”

  The conversation moved on quickly after that, shifting toward the test itself. His uncle spoke about the gathering of the clans and the officials overseeing the event.

  This town was not ruled by a single authority. Instead, three major clans maintained the balance.

  The Kurose Clan.

  The Akamine Clan.

  And the Shirakawa Clan.

  Each held influence, resources, and their own rising generation of cultivators.

  The talent test was more than a ceremony. It was a quiet battlefield of potential. After breakfast, preparations began.

  Children from every household were gathering.

  Ren and Shiro stepped into the courtyard alongside his uncle and aunt. Carriages lined the road, carrying families toward the same destination.

  The Test Arena stood near the center of the town.

  By the time they arrived, the plaza surrounding it was already crowded.

  Parents whispered among themselves. Children stood nervously beside them.

  Clan elders watched from elevated platforms.

  Ren observed everything calmly. The air was thick with expectation.

  At the center of the arena stood a large crystal pillar. It shimmered faintly under the morning light.

  The crystal Pillar.

  One by one, children would place their hands upon it. The crystal would reveal their spiritual affinity and thread potential.

  The officials began calling names. Some children stepped forward confidently.

  Others hesitated.

  The results varied.

  “Low Grade.”

  “Middle grade.”

  "High grade.”

  Occasionally, the crowd murmured when someone achieved something better.

  Then the atmosphere shifted.

  A boy stepped forward wearing the crest of the Akamine Clan. His posture carried quiet arrogance, as if he already knew the outcome.

  When his hand touched the pillar, the crystal flared brilliantly. A deep golden glow surged through its core.

  The crowd erupted into whispers.

  “High Grade Talent!”

  “From the Akamine Clan…”

  “A prodigy.”

  The boy withdrew his hand slowly, a faint smirk crossing his face.

  His gaze swept across the other children before briefly stopping on Ren.

  Just a moment.

  Just long enough to acknowledge him.

  Then it moved on. Ren remained still. A rival did not need to be declared.

  Sometimes the future simply recognized itself. More names were called.

  Eventually—

  “Kurose Ren.”

  The arena quieted slightly. Ren stepped forward without hesitation.

  He placed his hand on the pillar. For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then a dim glow formed within the crystal.

  Weak.

  Unimpressive.

  The official glanced at the result and announced plainly:

  “Low Grade Talent.”

  The reaction was immediate.

  Whispers spread through the crowd. Some children laughed openly. Shiro looked stunned. His aunt’s face tightened in disappointment.

  His uncle sighed quietly.

  “So little…?” someone murmured.

  “A waste of expectation.”

  Ren withdrew his hand calmly. None of the reactions mattered.

  Talent tests only measured potential. They did not measure knowledge. They did not measure experience.

  They did not measure a mind that had once stood at Rank Seven.

  He returned to his place silently.

  Mockery continued around him, but he did not acknowledge it.

  After a while, he spoke softly to himself.

  “People worship talent as if it decides everything.”

  His eyes remained calm.

  “But rivers carve mountains not because they are strong…”

  “…but because they never stop flowing.”

  The test continued for the remaining children.

  Eventually the officials announced the end. Families began leaving the arena.

  Ren walked quietly beside his uncle and aunt as they made their way back toward the carriage.

  The noise of the crowd slowly faded behind them.

  Then—

  A voice called from behind.

  “Ren.”

  He stopped.The voice was unfamiliar.Ren turned slightly .