The selection gathering for Master Yun's research group was held in the Celestial Harmony Pavilion, a structure rarely opened to disciples below elder status. Located near the mountain's summit, its crystal dome captured the light of stars even during daylight hours, creating an environment where spiritual energy flowed with unusual purity and abundance.

  Mia stood among nearly three hundred inner disciples from various divisions, all arranged according to cultivation level and specialty. Her position in the herb cultivation division pced her toward the middle ranks—respected for her specialized knowledge but not among the combat elites who typically received the most attention during such selections.

  Twelve years. Twelve long years of waiting, watching, glimpsing him only from afar during rare ceremonial gatherings. Twelve years of carrying memories from two other worlds, of loving the same soul across different manifestations, yet being unable to exchange even a single word with this incarnation.

  The longing had become a constant companion, a hollow ache that never truly subsided. Some days it receded to a background whisper; other days it surged with such intensity that maintaining her cultivation became nearly impossible. On those difficult days, Mia would retreat to the quietest corners of the herb gardens, allowing herself brief moments to remember—Kael's rare smile in the castle courtyard, Alexander's focused intensity in the boratory. Memories that sustained her through endless seasons of patient cultivation.

  "Attention," called the ceremony master, bringing Mia back to the present moment. "Master Yun and the evaluating elders will now enter. Maintain proper formation and spiritual discipline."

  The assembled disciples straightened imperceptibly, each cultivator carefully reguting their energy signature to dispy optimal harmony and control. First came three senior elders Mia recognized from sect gatherings, then Elder Feng representing the herb cultivation division, followed by combat and formation specialists from the sect's upper echelons.

  And finally, Master Yun himself.

  He entered with the fluid grace of someone who had transcended normal physical limitations centuries ago. His simple white robes with subtle azure accents seemed to shimmer with internal light, and his presence filled the pavilion like moonlight filling a darkened room—gentle yet unmistakable, illuminating everything it touched.

  From her position in the middle ranks, Mia could see him clearly for the first time in years. His face remained youthful despite his immense age, with the same perfect serenity she had noticed during her first glimpse of him. Those ice-blue eyes—the eyes she had loved in two other worlds—surveyed the assembled disciples with detached assessment, showing no particur emotion or preference.

  Seeing him so close after years of distant glimpses made Mia's heart ache with recognition and longing. This was the same soul she had known as Kael and Alexander, yet the profound cultivation that elevated him to this world's highest ranks had also created greater distance than she had ever experienced with previous fragments. The gulf between them—not just in status but in fundamental nature—seemed impossibly vast.

  "The selection will proceed in three phases," announced the ceremony master. "First, a review of cultivation foundations and specialized talents. Second, practical demonstration of relevant abilities. Finally, direct assessment by Master Yun for those who pass the initial phases."

  The first phase began immediately, with disciples called forward in groups of twenty to demonstrate their cultivation level and specialized knowledge before the evaluating elders. Hours passed as Mia waited for her group to be summoned, maintaining the perfect meditation posture expected of inner disciples during formal gatherings.

  When her turn came, she moved forward with the practiced grace of someone who had spent years performing sect protocols. The evaluating elders asked standard questions about her cultivation path and specialization, occasionally requesting demonstrations of specific techniques reted to herb cultivation and spiritual perception.

  "Disciple Lin has developed unusual sensory abilities regarding spiritual resonance in living organisms," Elder Feng noted to her fellow evaluators. "Particurly valuable for identifying compatible energy signatures in medicinal compounds."

  One of the combat elders looked skeptical. "How would such abilities serve the specific research Master Yun has proposed? We need disciples capable of withstanding intense spiritual pressure during boundary explorations."

  "Perception precedes protection," Elder Feng replied calmly. "One must sense a disharmony before it can be addressed."

  Mia maintained perfect composure during this exchange, though internally her heart raced at the implications. Master Yun's research involved "boundary explorations"—potentially reted to the barriers between realities that Alexander had studied in the steampunk world. The connection seemed too significant to be coincidental.

  After completing the first phase, approximately half the disciples were dismissed, having failed to meet the basic requirements for consideration. Mia advanced to the second phase along with about one hundred and fifty others, her specialized perception abilities apparently deemed potentially useful despite her middle-tier cultivation level.

  The practical demonstration phase proved more challenging. Disciples were required to dispy their specialized talents under conditions of elevated spiritual pressure—simir to what they might experience during whatever boundary research Master Yun was conducting.

  When Mia's turn came, she was presented with a collection of spirit herbs and pnts deliberately altered to contain subtle energetic disharmonies. Her task was to identify not just the obvious imbances but the underlying patterns connecting them.

  Drawing on twelve years of dedicated practice, she extended her spiritual perception into the pnts, sensing the intricate web of energies flowing through their structures. The artificial spiritual pressure made concentration difficult, pressing against her consciousness like deep ocean water, but she maintained her focus with the discipline gained through years of methodical cultivation.

  "The disharmonies follow a resonance pattern," she reported, her voice steady despite the strain. "Each pnt contains an energy signature that conflicts with its natural state, yet these conflicts form a coherent sequence when viewed collectively—like discordant notes that create a specific melody when pyed in sequence."

  The evaluating elders exchanged gnces. One made a notation on a jade tablet before nodding dismissal. Mia returned to her position, uncertain whether her observation had impressed or disappointed them.

  The second phase eliminated another seventy disciples, leaving approximately eighty candidates for the final assessment. By this point, the selection had consumed most of the day, the light through the crystal dome shifting from bright afternoon to the golden hues of early evening.

  "The final phase will be conducted individually," the ceremony master announced. "Each candidate will have a brief direct assessment with Master Yun. Prepare yourselves accordingly."

  Direct assessment. After twelve years of distant admiration, Mia would finally stand before him, speak with him, be seen by him. The prospect filled her with both anticipation and apprehension. Would he recognize something in her? Would there be any flicker of the connection she had experienced with Kael and Alexander? Or had his centuries of cultivation elevated him beyond such personal resonances?

  The final assessments began with the highest-ranked disciples, following the sect's invariable hierarchical protocols. As a middle-tier inner disciple, Mia would be among the ter candidates evaluated. One by one, disciples entered a screened alcove where Master Yun waited, emerging minutes ter with expressions ranging from disappointment to carefully concealed hope.

  As her turn approached, Mia found herself remembering the first time she had spoken with Kael in Aldoria's training yard, the cautious respect in his eyes gradually warming to recognition. She remembered Alexander's analytical assessment in New Albion, the scientist's precision giving way to deeper connection as their research progressed.

  Would this incarnation—this profoundly cultivated manifestation of the same soul—show any simir transition? Or had twelve years of separation and the vast gulf in their cultivation status made such connection impossible?

  "Disciple Lin of the Herb Cultivation Division," called the ceremony master. "Proceed to final assessment."

  With practiced calm that belied her inner turmoil, Mia rose and walked toward the screened alcove. Twelve years of longing, of patient cultivation, of maintaining faith that she would eventually reach this moment—all culminating in whatever brief exchange awaited her behind that ornate screen.

  The alcove contained a simple arrangement—two meditation cushions positioned on a ptform inid with spiritual circution patterns. Master Yun sat on one cushion, his eyes closed in apparent meditation despite the constant stream of disciples he had been evaluating for hours.

  "Kneel," he said without opening his eyes, his voice carrying the same resonant quality she had noticed during rare ceremonial announcements—a voice that seemed to bypass the ears and speak directly to one's spiritual core.

  Mia complied, settling onto the vacant cushion with the fluid grace of a cultivator who had performed this motion countless times. The proximity to him after so many years of distance made maintaining her composure difficult. Every instinct urged her to speak, to reach out, to somehow bridge the vast gulf between them—but sect protocol demanded perfect discipline until directly addressed.

  Master Yun's eyes opened, those ice-blue depths focusing on her with unsettling intensity. Unlike the warmth that had eventually emerged in Kael's gaze or the intellectual curiosity in Alexander's, his expression remained inscrutable—the look of someone perceiving far more than ordinary reality.

  "Your spiritual signature is unusual," he stated after a long moment of observation. "Discordant harmonies suggesting connections beyond normal parameters."

  The assessment had begun. "Elder Feng has noted simir observations about my spiritual perception, Master Yun," Mia replied with appropriate deference.

  "Not your perception. Your essence." His gaze intensified, as if seeing through her physical form to something beneath or beyond. "You carry resonances that do not belong to this cultivation path. External influences that have altered your foundational patterns."

  Mia's heart raced. Was he sensing her true nature as someone from outside this world? Or perhaps detecting the connection to soul fragments from previous worlds?

  Before she could formute a proper response, Master Yun made a subtle gesture with one hand. Instantly, Mia felt her spiritual perception expand beyond normal limits—not through her own ability but dragged outward by his immense power. Her awareness extended far beyond the alcove, beyond the pavilion, beyond even the physical confines of the Azure Cloud Sect.

  For a dizzying moment, she perceived multiple yers of reality simultaneously—not just the cultivation world she had inhabited for twelve years, but shadowy impressions of other worlds beyond it. The medieval realm of Aldoria, the industrial complexity of New Albion, and others she had not yet visited—all existing as overpping dimensions within some greater framework.

  The experience ended as suddenly as it had begun, leaving her gasping slightly as her perception snapped back to normal parameters. Master Yun's expression had changed subtly—a slight narrowing of his eyes suggesting heightened interest.

  "You perceived the boundary realms," he observed. "Few disciples retain consciousness during such expansion."

  "I... have experienced simir perceptions during deep meditation," Mia admitted, drawing on Lin's memories of unusual spiritual episodes that had periodically occurred throughout her years at the sect.

  "Indeed." Master Yun made another gesture, this time causing specific energy meridians to illuminate within her body—pathways that carried the essence of her connection to previous worlds. "Your spiritual channels have adapted to accommodate resonances from beyond conventional boundaries. Interesting, though potentially problematic for standard cultivation progression."

  This was not proceeding as Mia had hoped. Rather than recognition or connection, Master Yun was analyzing her as an unusual specimen—a cultivation anomaly rather than someone with whom he shared a profound bond.

  "The research group I am forming will explore certain boundary phenomena between established realms of existence," he continued in his measured tone. "Your unusual resonance patterns could provide valuable comparative data, though your cultivation level is insufficient for direct participation in the more dangerous aspects."

  "I would be honored to contribute in any capacity, Master Yun," Mia replied, hope rising despite his clinical assessment.

  He studied her for another long moment, those ice-blue eyes revealing nothing of what thoughts might lie behind them. "Return to the main chamber. The final selections will be announced when all assessments are complete."

  With that, the audience was over. No recognition, no personal connection—just a detached evaluation of her potential usefulness to his research. Mia rose and bowed with perfect formal precision, hiding her profound disappointment behind the mask of proper sect behavior that twelve years had made second nature.

  As she turned to leave, Master Yun spoke again. "Disciple Lin."

  She paused, hope fring once more.

  "How long have you carried these external resonances?"

  The question was unexpected. "They have been part of my spiritual perception for as long as I can remember, Master," she answered carefully. "Though they have grown more distinct over the years of cultivation."

  Something flickered across his expression—too brief to interpret before his serene mask returned. "Interesting. You may go."

  Returning to the main chamber, Mia rejoined the other candidates awaiting final results. Hours passed as the remaining disciples completed their assessments, the light through the crystal dome fading to the deep blue of early evening.

  Finally, all evaluations were complete. The ceremony master returned to the central ptform accompanied by the senior elders. Master Yun was conspicuously absent, having apparently departed once the individual assessments concluded.

  "The following disciples have been selected for Master Yun's special research group," announced the ceremony master, unrolling a scroll containing just seven names.

  Mia listened with carefully controlled hope as he read the first names—elite combat disciples from the highest inner ranks, as expected. Fifth on the list came a formation specialist known for innovative barrier techniques. Sixth was a disciple from the divination division with reputation for extraordinary precognitive abilities.

  The ceremony master paused before reading the final name, gncing briefly at Elder Feng, who nodded almost imperceptibly.

  "Disciple Lin Mei-Li, Herb Cultivation Division."

  A ripple of surprise moved through the assembled disciples. Mia herself could scarcely believe what she had heard. Despite her middle-tier cultivation rank and non-combat specialization, she had been selected for Master Yun's exclusive research group.

  "Selected disciples will report to the Ethereal Pavilion at first light tomorrow," the ceremony master continued. "Bring only personal cultivation tools and three days' provisions. The initial research expedition is expected to st one month. Further details will be provided upon arrival."

  As the gathering dispersed, Elder Feng approached Mia with a subtle smile. "Your unusual spiritual perception has finally found its proper application," she observed. "Though I suspect Master Yun's interest extends beyond mere research utility."

  "What do you mean, Elder?" Mia asked, careful to maintain appropriate humility despite her internal etion.

  "Master Yun specifically requested your evaluation details after the second phase," Elder Feng replied. "Most unusual, as he typically reviews only the highest-tier candidates personally."

  This revetion sent a surge of hope through Mia. Perhaps there had been some recognition after all—not the immediate connection she had experienced with previous manifestations, but something more subtle, appropriate to this world of patient cultivation and gradual revetion.

  That night, as she prepared for the assignment, Mia allowed herself to fully feel the emotions she had carefully controlled during the selection process. Twelve years of longing, of glimpsing him only from afar during rare ceremonial gatherings, of cultivating patiently in hopes of eventually crossing the vast gulf that separated them—all culminating in tomorrow's opportunity to finally work in direct proximity to him.

  The years had been harder than she could express to anyone in this world. Her roommates from outer disciple days had long since followed their own paths—Liu had advanced to respected inner disciple status in the movement arts division; Chen had eventually transferred to an allied sect specializing in formation techniques; Wu had reached elite combat rank and now led training for promising outer disciples.

  None of them could understand what it meant to carry memories from other worlds, to recognize a soul across different manifestations, to maintain connection across boundaries that should be impenetrable. The loneliness of her unique perspective had weighed on her throughout these years of separation.

  Even as Lin's identity had become increasingly integrated with her own—cultivation techniques and sect protocols becoming second nature after more than a decade of daily practice—Mia had never lost sight of her original purpose in this world. Behind every herb she cultivated, every meditation technique she mastered, every sect protocol she observed with perfect precision, y the unwavering intention to find her way back to the soul she had known in other forms.

  Now, after twelve years of patient cultivation and longing, she would finally have the opportunity to work alongside Master Yun—to observe him daily, to learn from him directly, to potentially build the connection that had formed so naturally in previous worlds but seemed so elusive in this realm of immortal cultivation.

  As she packed her provisions and cultivation tools for the month-long expedition, Mia touched the spot near her heart where the dampening pendant had rested in the steampunk world. Though this body carried no physical token of their connection, she still felt that resonance within—the subtle harmonization of her essence with the soul fragments she had already encountered.

  "Twelve years," she whispered to the night air. "I've waited twelve years to find you again in this world. Whatever form our connection takes here, I won't waste this opportunity."

  Sleep came fitfully, her mind cycling through memories of previous manifestations while anticipating whatever challenges tomorrow might bring. Before dawn, she rose and prepared herself with the disciplined efficiency cultivated over years of sect life. The long waiting was over. Today she would begin working directly with Master Yun, crossing the void that had separated them for so long.

  Whether this world's incarnation would eventually recognize her as Kael and Alexander had remained uncertain. But after twelve patient years, she had finally earned the right to find out.