Chapter 2: System's Whisper, Elder's Folly
The cold glint in Xiao Tian's eyes was like the moon's, a stark contrast to the weak, gaunt figure it shone on. He was a ghost of his former self, a mere shadow of the Martial Sovereign, yet within him a fire burned hotter than any celestial furnace. Elder Wei. The name itself was a burning coal in his chest, fueling his resolve. This wasn't just a task from the System; it was the first taste of revenge he craved with every fiber of his being.
"Public humiliation," Xiao Tian whispered, the words a low rasp. "Oh, Elder Wei, you have no idea the depths of humiliation I have known. You're about to get a very small, very painful lesson in it."
The Heaven-Defying System's voice echoed in his mind, a constant, ethereal hum. "Host, current cultivation is insufficient for direct confrontation. Strategic application of future knowledge is advised."
"I know," Xiao Tian replied internally, a sardonic smile on his lips. "I spent millennia learning to manipulate, to plan, to dismantle. Brute force is for the witless."
He moved with purpose, his weak limbs still complaining, but his mind clear. He knew Elder Wei's schedule intimately, every pompous routine, every petty indulgence. The elder's morning tea ceremony was when most outer disciples would be gathering, heading to their assigned chores. Perfect.
The next morning, the outer sect courtyard was bustling with the usual pre-dawn activity. Young disciples, their faces still sleepy, hurried about, preparing for their daily tasks. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of dew and freshly turned earth. Xiao Tian blended into the background, observing. He positioned himself near the well, where a group of older, more experienced outer disciples often gathered to gossip and share news. Among them was Elder Li, a minor disciplinary elder known for his strict, if somewhat pedantic, adherence to sect rules. He was also known for his quiet disdain for Elder Wei's over-the-top displays of authority.Elder Wei arrived exactly at Mao, sauntering into the courtyard with an air of grandeur. He was a fat man, his silk robes stretched tight across his belly. His long, thin beard quivered with each step. Two junior disciples scurried behind him, carrying a lacquered tray with a teapot and delicate cups.
"Good morning, my hardworking disciples!" Elder Wei bellowed, his voice a little too loud for the morning. He plopped himself down on a low stone bench, puffed out his chest. "Come, come, have some tea. A small token of my concern for your spiritual health."
A few nervous disciples approached, bowing and taking the tea. Most, however, kept their distance, wary of Elder Wei's lectures.
Xiao Tian watched, his eyes narrowed. This was it. He moved quietly, edging closer to Elder Li who was studying a stack of cultivation scrolls by the well.
"Elder Li," Xiao Tian began, his voice low and respectful, but with a hint of concern that got the older elder's attention. "Forgive me, but I overheard something yesterday… troubling."
Elder Li, a thin man with sharp eyes, looked up, a frown on his face. "Speak plainly, disciple. What's the problem?"
"It's about the basic spirit stones for the outer disciples," Xiao Tian said, choosing his words carefully, weaving in details only someone with inside knowledge – or future knowledge – would know. "I was talking to a senior brother and he mentioned the new batch of Jade Dew Spirit Stones for this month seemed… lighter than usual. He even recalled Elder Wei told the quartermaster, Elder Bao, to log them under a different, older allocation code, 'Azure Serpent Cache-7′, which is used for repairs to the outer sect's defensive array, not for basic disciple resources."
Elder Li's eyes, usually calm, sharpened. "Azure Serpent Cache-7? That's an unusual code for general allocation. And Jade Dew Spirit Stones are for new cultivators to aid in Qi Condensation." He stroked his chin, a thoughtful, suspicious look in his eyes. "Elder Wei is in charge of spirit stone disbursement for the outer sect. Are you saying… embezzlement?"
Xiao Tian feigned alarm, shaking his head vigorously. "Oh, Elder Li, no! Of course not! I just thought it was a mistake, a simple accounting error. My senior brother was very upset, you see. He felt it was strange that his monthly allowance was so meager, especially when we're told to cultivate higher. He even wondered if the spirit stones were of lower quality or if they had been… diverted to another project without notice." He trailed off, letting the unspoken accusation hang in the air, for Elder Li to fill in the blanks.Elder Li's frown grew deeper. He was a stickler for the rules. Embezzlement, especially of resources for foundational cultivation, was a serious offense, punishable by demotion or even expulsion. And "Azure Serpent Cache-7" was an old, rarely used code, used only for emergency repairs. He looked over at Elder Wei, who was now smiling as more disciples reluctantly approached for tea.
"Thank you, disciple Xiao Tian," Elder Li said, his voice serious. "You have brought a big problem to my attention. I'll look into this now."
Xiao Tian bowed, a small almost imperceptible smile on his face as he walked away. The seed of doubt had been planted. Elder Li would start his quiet investigation. Elder Wei's house of cards was about to get very shaken.
Later that morning the real confrontation began. The daily assembly of outer disciples was mandatory, a short period for announcements and assignments. Elder Wei as usual presided, basking in the glow of his own self importance.
"Listen up, disciples!" Elder Wei boomed across the courtyard. "Your diligence reflects on the sect's honor! And as for those who slack off…" He scanned the crowd, his gaze lingered on Xiao Tian for a moment. "…they will find their path to advancement closed quickly."
Xiao Tian who had positioned himself near the front, just within earshot of Elder Wei, stepped forward. His heart was racing, a mix of adrenaline and cold anger coursing through him. This was it.
"Elder Wei!" Xiao Tian called out, his voice surprisingly clear and steady despite his lingering weakness.
Elder Wei turned, his face a mixture of annoyance and condescension. "What is it, disciple Xiao Tian? Is there something so urgent it can't wait for the proper channel?" He clearly expected a humble apology or a request for a small favor.
"It's a matter of truth, Elder," Xiao Tian said, his voice gaining a small edge. He held up a small worn pouch. "Yesterday after my training session I found that my small pouch of Spirit Dust was missing. I had left it in my quarters, as always. It was a small amount, barely enough for one breakthrough, but it was all I had."
A murmur went through the disciples. Petty theft among outer disciples was common, but rarely brought before an elder. Elder Wei bristled. "And what does this have to do with me, boy? Am I to be blamed for every lost trinket in the sect?""No, Elder," Xiao Tian said, his voice respectful but firm. "But as I was getting ready for meditation this morning I found this." He reached into his robes and pulled out a small intricately carved jade pendant. It was a common accessory among the wealthier disciples and elders, worn as a status symbol. "This pendant was in my quilt, as if it had fallen out of someone's pocket when they… went through my belongings."He held it up for all to see. It glowed faintly in the morning light. A few disciples gasped. Many recognized the pendant. Elder Wei had one almost identical to it, only his was bigger and better.
Elder Wei's face, which had been a mask of boredom, turned red. "What absurd accusation is this, you impudent young one?! That is my pendant! I must have dropped it near your quarters yesterday when I was inspecting the living conditions!" His voice rose, defensive.
Xiao Tian remained calm. "Perhaps, Elder. But what's truly strange is that on the back of this pendant, clearly visible now, are the characters for 'Wei Fang'. Isn't that your nephew's name, Elder?" He tilted the pendant slightly so the sunlight caught the small inscription.
Elder Wei's eyes popped. He snatched the pendant from Xiao Tian's hand, his fingers trembling. The other disciples whispered. Wei Fang was his name. He's a spoiled brat and always got special treatment.
"This is… this is an outrage!" Elder Wei stuttered, his eloquence deserting him. "A lie! A filthy lie!"
"A lie, Elder?" Xiao Tian pressed, his voice still calm but now with an icy tone. "Or a moment of carelessness? Maybe you were just… retrieving something you thought was yours and accidentally dropped your nephew's trinket? It was a tiny amount of Spirit Dust, Elder. Not worth the fuss."
The implication hung in the air: Elder Wei, a powerful elder, had stooped to stealing a small amount of cultivation resources from an outer disciple. And not just any elder, but the elder in charge of resource allocation. The very idea was scandalous.
Elder Li, who had been watching from afar, stepped forward slowly, his face grim. He had already started his quiet investigation on the Jade Dew Spirit Stones. Xiao Tian's timing and his own suspicions sealed the deal.
"Elder Wei," Elder Li said, his voice quiet but firm, cutting through the murmurs. "This is a serious accusation. Disciples, you are dismissed for your duties. Elder Wei, disciple Xiao Tian, a word, if you please."
The courtyard emptied quickly, disciples glancing at Elder Wei with disgust and curiosity."Elder Li, this is a plot to ruin my reputation!" Elder Wei spluttered, sweat dripping from his forehead. "This boy is a troublemaker!"
"The pendant, Elder Wei," Elder Li said, his eyes unblinking. "And the missing Spirit Dust. Although the amount is small, the idea of an Elder doing such a thing… is serious. Especially with the recent Jade Dew Spirit Stones issue." He let the last part hang in the air, a silent threat.
Elder Wei's face turned whiter. The Jade Dew Spirit Stones. Had that little brat Xiao Tian found out about that too?
"I… I just took it to inspect its quality!" Elder Wei stuttered, panic in his voice. "And the pendant… my nephew must have lent it to me! He's careless, that boy!"
"Whether that's true or not, Elder Wei, your actions have caused a lot of trouble among the disciples," Elder Li said, his tone a judge delivering a verdict. "And the sect's reputation relies on the unquestionable integrity of its elders. Given the circumstances and the small value of the disputed item, I won't report this to the Sect Master right away. But as a disciplinary measure, you're hereby forbidden from overseeing spirit stone allocation for one full month. Your duties will be temporarily transferred to Elder Ming. And you will publicly apologize to disciple Xiao Tian for the trouble you caused with your… 'inspection' of his belongings."
Elder Wei gasped, his mouth agape. Banned from resource allocation? For a full month? That was a public slap in the face, a direct hit to his power and influence! And to apologize to Xiao Tian? The humiliation was unbearable. His face contorted, a mix of anger and helplessness.
"Apologize, Elder Wei," Elder Li said, his eyes cold.
With a Herculean effort, Elder Wei forced the words out, his voice choked with suppressed rage. "Disciple Xiao Tian… I… I apologize for bothering you." The words were bitter poison on his tongue.
Xiao Tian simply bowed, a blank expression on his face. "Thank you, Elder Wei. I appreciate it." He knew the deeper wound had been inflicted. Elder Li's investigation into the larger embezzlement scheme would continue quietly, and the sect's trust in Elder Wei's integrity was now irreparable.
As Elder Wei stormed off, his face a storm cloud, Elder Li looked at Xiao Tian for a long time. "Disciple Xiao Tian, you're… surprisingly clever for your age."
"I just try to be diligent, Elder Li," Xiao Tian said, meeting the elder's gaze without flinching.
Elder Li just nodded and walked away, already lost in thought, no doubt planning his next move to expose Elder Wei's financial misdeeds.
Xiao Tian turned and walked back to his quarters, a small smile on his face. Petty, yes. Minor. But it was a start. He had struck the first blow.
As he closed the door behind him, the ethereal blue panel of the Heaven-Defying System lit up in front of him, shining brighter than before.MISSION COMPLETE: REVENGE – MINOR VICTORY ACHIEVED
Reward: Heaven-Defying Cultivation Manual - [Primordial Chaos Scripture] UNLOCKED
A scroll of shimmering light appeared in the air, slowly unrolling. It was not physical, but a projection of pure spiritual energy, exuding incredible power. The characters on it glowed with an inner light, too deep for mortal eyes to fully comprehend. But Xiao Tian, with his memories of the Martial Sovereign, knew its profundity. This was beyond anything he had ever cultivated.
"Host, the Primordial Chaos Scripture is being absorbed into your soul. Prepare for cultivation transformation."
A flood of spiritual energy, vast and ancient, poured into Xiao Tian's lower dantian. It wasn't the tiny trickle he was used to with his Qi Condensation. This was a river, a storm, tearing through his meridians, purifying his very essence. His Qi Condensation Stage 1 cultivation shattered, reformed, expanded at an impossible rate. His dormant spirit roots, once common, began to hum with a bright green light, awakening to a power he never knew existed.
Pain, sharp and sweet, coursed through him, but it was a pain of rebirth, of purification. His body vibrated with power he hadn't felt since he was the Martial Sovereign, but this felt… cleaner. More fundamental. He could feel his meridians opening, his spiritual sea expanding, his very bones and flesh being remade by this primal energy.
He grunted, a guttural sound torn from his throat as the transformation intensified. The air around him rippled, distorted by the spiritual pressure emanating from him. The weak, frail body of the outer disciple Xiao Tian was being remade, molecule by molecule, into something amazing.
The surge continued, building, expanding, pushing past his physical form. He felt his cultivation base soaring, bypassing Qi Condensation, breaking into Foundation Establishment, then rising further, faster than any cultivator had ever dared to dream. The Primordial Chaos Scripture was not just a cultivation manual; it was a divine catalyst, rewriting his very being.
Then, just as he thought he would burst from the power, the surge stopped. A deep stillness fell over him, a sense of total control and unlimited energy. He opened his eyes and the world seemed to glow. He could feel the flow of spiritual energy in the air, in the earth, in every living thing around him. He felt… connected. Infinite.
*"Cultivation complete. Host has entered the Primordial Chaos Realm. Initial power is Core Formation."*Xiao Tian looked at the System panel, his mind spinning. Core Formation Stage? In one moment? It was unheard of, impossible even for the most talented geniuses! And "Primordial Chaos Realm"? He had never heard of such a cultivation stage. This was power beyond his previous life, beyond the Martial Sovereign realm.
He clenched his fists, feeling the unlimited, pure energy in his veins. This was just the beginning. Elder Wei was just a small obstacle. The real targets, Tianlong and Ling Xi, were still out there. But the journey had started. And it would be a journey of blood and fire.
As the System panel flashed, a new message appeared, faint at first, then growing stronger.
CRITICAL ALERT: SECT INFILTRATION DETECTED.Threat Level: IMMINENT.
Xiao Tian's smile disappeared, replaced by cold fear. Infiltration? Now?.
WARNING: YOUR POWER SIGNATURE HAS BEEN DETECTED BY AN ANCIENT ARTIFACT WITHIN THE SECT'S FORBIDDEN GROUNDS. IT IS ACTIVATING. IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED.
Before Xiao Tian could even think, his small room shook violently. Dust fell from the ceiling. A faint, red glow began to seep from beneath the floorboards, growing brighter by the second, accompanied by a low, guttural rumble that vibrated through his very bones. The air was thick with ancient malice.
"Host, you have been detected. An ancient enemy stirs. You must choose: Hide or Fight. The choice will determine your immediate future and the fate of the Azure Sky Sect."
The red glow intensified, the rumble growing louder. Xiao Tian felt a primal fear, unlike anything he had felt even in his final moments as the Martial Sovereign. This wasn't betrayal from a man, but an ancient evil. The floorboards creaked, splitting beneath him. The air crackled with dark energy.
He was powerful now, yes, but he was also exposed. And whatever was stirring beneath the sect… it felt ancient, and evil. He had just started his path of revenge and already an unexpected, terrifying enemy had shown up. What was this artifact? What did it want? And could he, a newly reborn Core Formation cultivator, really stand against it? The red light pulsed, a heartbeat of fear, threatening to consume him.