As Chen Yu ascended the floating staircase of shimmering light, the world below seemed to fall away. Each step pulsed gently under his feet, reacting to his Qi, as if testing him one last time before entry.
The Jade Snow Pavilion loomed ahead—elegant, ethereal. Unlike the grand martial halls of other sects, it resembled a serene temple built among clouds and starlight. Slender towers reached toward the sky, their roofs curved like petals of snow lilies, and crystalline bridges arched gracefully between them.
At the gate stood a woman in flowing robes of pale green and silver, her long hair tied with a single jade ornament. Her presence was quiet, but her cultivation was unfathomable.
"You are Chen Yu," she said, her voice like wind across a frozen lake. "I am Elder Shui Mei, one of the Four Pillars of the Pavilion. Your choice honors us."
Chen Yu bowed. "The honor is mine, Elder."
With a nod, she turned and began walking through the courtyard. "Here, we do not shout about strength. We refine it, like snow that falls without sound but buries mountains."
As they passed through the grounds, Chen Yu noticed the subtle difference from other sects—disciples were not sparring loudly or posturing. They were meditating beneath trees of blue crystal, writing Dao scripts on silk, or practicing slow, precise martial forms in silence.
"Here," Shui Mei said as they entered a quiet garden, "you will be taught by nature, silence, and self."
A figure appeared beneath a silver tree, sitting with his legs crossed, eyes closed. A gentle wind circled him without ever touching a single leaf.
"That is Senior Brother Yun Qian," Shui Mei said. "He has not spoken in three years, yet he once halted an invasion alone. You may learn more from his silence than from most men's words."
Chen Yu nodded, feeling the stillness seeping into his bones. It was unfamiliar—yet comforting.
> [System Alert: New Environment Detected — Cultivation Rate Boost +5%]
[Quest Progress Updated: Pavilion Integration — Stage 1/3]
Later that evening, in a chamber lit by floating lanterns, Chen Yu was given a simple robe marked with the Jade Snow emblem and a sealed scroll.
Inside the scroll, a message written in flowing calligraphy:
"Within this pavilion lies a secret buried by time. If you seek to become more than a cultivator, seek the Hall of Reflection under the third moon."
He narrowed his eyes.
A hidden trial?
> [System Notice: Secret Quest Triggered — "Truth Beneath Snow"]
Outside, snow began to fall, though the sky was clear.
Chen Yu looked up, letting the cold touch his skin.
The road of balance, clarity, and hidden strength had begun.