Chapter 8: The Blood Moon Pact
> "Even shadows bow before a rising flame."
The night sky burned crimson with the rise of the blood moon, a celestial omen unseen in centuries. Within the Ji household's outer shrine, Lin Ma stood before a cracked altar where forgotten deities once reigned. The temperature dropped, breath visible in the air, yet his body burned with a strange warmth.
Xiao Bai slithered around his neck, flicking her tongue. "You're not supposed to be here tonight. That altar's sealed for a reason."
"Then why do I feel like I was led here?" Lin Ma whispered.
As he placed his hand on the altar stone, the system chimed.
> Hidden Mission Triggered: Invoke the Pact of Flames under the Blood Moon. Warning: Success rate 3%. Failure may result in partial soul fragmentation.
He hesitated, but his thoughts drifted back to earlier that day—when Ji Yanyu slapped away the meal he cooked, eyes filled with disgust; when the elders declared he'd be removed from the registry if he failed the servant trials.
He was done being quiet.
He pressed down.
Flames erupted, not from the altar, but within him. Symbols formed in his vision—foreign, ancient, alive. Hei Gou appeared at the door, growling low.
"You're forming a Pact," the black dog muttered. "You're either suicidal or blessed by mad gods."
A fiery brand etched itself into Lin Ma's right palm. Pain lanced through his nerves. Xiao Bai hissed. The altar cracked further.
> Pact Accepted: Flame-Bound Heir. Passive unlocked: Ember Resistance (Lv. 1) Skill: Ignition Veins (Seal: 95%)
And with that, the room collapsed into silence.
Only the brand remained, pulsing like a heartbeat.
---
Chapter 9: The Ji Trials Begin
> "What they see as ashes, we forge into steel."
The following morning, the Ji household erupted with activity. Disciples and elders gathered in the central arena. It was time for the annual servant trials—tests to see which menial workers had potential to ascend into cultivation, or be discarded from the sect entirely.
Ji Yanyu stood tall in her lavender robes, arms crossed. Her gaze barely flicked toward Lin Ma, who wore threadbare gray.
"Don't embarrass me," she muttered as he passed.
He smiled faintly. "No promises."
The trials began with menial tasks—hauling spirit water, climbing stone steps with weights, controlling basic qi threads. Lin Ma, drawing on his honed body and the ember resistance newly granted, endured it all in silence.
By the second phase, combat trials commenced.
Lin Ma stood opposite his assigned opponent: a sneering disciple named Ji Feng, son of an inner elder. The boy was fast, cocky, and wielded a wind-enhanced blade.
The bell rang.
Ji Feng lunged.
Lin Ma ducked low, sweeping the leg and pivoting with his elbow to Ji Feng's ribs. Years of CEO boardroom stress-fueled gym sessions paid off. The disciple crumpled.
Gasps echoed. Lin Ma adjusted his collar.
The system chimed silently:
> Hidden Objective Complete: Defeat a Ji Bloodline Disciple publicly. Reward: Temporary unlock of Ignition Veins (10%).
His veins shimmered faintly beneath his skin, gold-red.
In the crowd, Ji Yanyu blinked. For the first time, she truly looked at him.
---
Chapter 10: Secrets in the Moonlight
> "Not all stars shine; some watch. Some wait."
Night fell. Lin Ma lay under the eaves of the outer quarters, staring at the half-full moon. The victory had gained him passage to the next phase—but more importantly, attention. Dangerous attention.
He heard the footsteps before Hei Gou confirmed it with a low growl.
Three men. Masked. Not disciples.
Assassins.
"Guess someone's afraid of your potential," Xiao Bai whispered.
The first blade glinted. Lin Ma rolled, catching the attacker's wrist and slamming his palm into the man's chest. The ember mark flared. A burst of heat shot forth, sending the man flying.
The other two circled.
Hei Gou leapt into the fray, jaws igniting with hellfire. Xiao Bai enlarged, wrapping around Lin Ma's arm and hissing with divine pressure.
In ten seconds, it was over.
Ashes remained.
Lin Ma staggered.
Then the panel blinked again:
> New Quest Unlocked: Survive the Underhanded Trials. Objective: Root out the traitor who ordered your death. Reward: Heavenly Eye (Lv. 0)
He looked at his companions. "This wasn't just the Ji clan. Someone else is watching."
From the shadows, far away, in a tower built of cold jade, an old man touched a crystal sphere.
"He awakens faster than predicted," he murmured.
A robed figure behind him asked, "Should we act?"
The elder shook his head. "No. Let the fire grow. The world needs a blaze again."