Chapter 4: Seeds of Doubt, First Slap
The applause and chatter from the plaza still rang in Xiao Tian's ears, but his mind was already elsewhere. Disciple Talent Exchange. It wasn't just an opportunity, it was a divine intervention, a perfect timing for his comeback. His current power, a secret thanks to Primordial Chaos Scripture, needed an outlet. And this was it.
"Domination," he whispered, a cold satisfaction in his chest. "That's what I'll give."
His goal was clear: not just to win, but to dominate. To break the image of the weak outer disciple. To prove that true power didn't come from lineage or connections, but from an unyielding will. And in doing so, he would make a statement, a ripple that would eventually become a tsunami, engulfing those who had wronged him.
The next morning, the outer sect was in a state of panic. Disciples were busy practicing, meditating or just freaking out. Xiao Tian was calm, quiet and unsettling. He knew what he had to do. He had to make his body accustomed to the constant flow of Primordial Chaos energy, so it would seem natural, not an impossible anomaly.
Just as he was about to head to the training grounds to do some light, non-revealing sparring, a familiar, sneering voice cut through the air.
"Well, well, if it isn't our rising star, Xiao Tian!"
Xiao Tian turned slowly. Elder Wei was standing there, flanked by his smirking nephew Wei Fang and a few other disciples who were clearly enjoying Elder Wei's temporary sense of power. Elder Wei's face was still red, a leftover from his recent embarrassment. His eyes, however, were full of petty malice.
"Elder Wei," Xiao Tian said with a flat tone, no deference whatsoever.Elder Wei's face turned red. He hated the lack of fear, the almost imperceptible smile in Xiao Tian's eyes. "Don't think your little trick with Elder Li has made you untouchable, boy. In fact, it has only brought more attention to your… unusual diligence." He sneered. "Since you're so eager to prove yourself, I've taken the liberty of assigning you some special preparatory tasks for the exchange."
Wei Fang stepped forward, a smug look on his face. "Yes, Uncle Wei thought you'd appreciate the extra 'training.' Think of it as character building!"
"First," Elder Wei said, his voice dripping with condescension, "the entire east wing of the outer sect dormitories needs its spirit-cleansing seals reapplied. A boring, tedious task, requires precision and patience. Then, the sect's communal herb garden needs to be entirely weeded by hand, every single Ghost-Thistle removed without damaging the surrounding spirit herbs. And finally, the training ground's stone dummies, all two hundred of them, need their protective runes re-carved. All before midday."
A gasp went through the few disciples who had gathered, drawn by the confrontation. These were not mere chores; these were incredibly time-consuming, back-breaking tasks designed to exhaust even a seasoned cultivator, let alone an outer disciple in mere hours. Elder Wei was clearly trying to sabotage Xiao Tian's preparation, hoping he would either fail miserably or be too spent to compete effectively.
Xiao Tian listened, his expression unchanged. Inside, a cold amusement spread through him. Elder Wei was playing a child's game.
"Is that all, Elder?" Xiao Tian asked, his voice calm, almost bored.
Elder Wei blinked, taken aback by the lack of protest. "Is that all?" he spluttered. "That is enough to break even the most determined spirit, boy! Perhaps you'll learn your place!"
"Very well," Xiao Tian said, nodding. "I shall complete these tasks. However, Elder, I noticed you omitted a crucial step for the spirit-cleansing seals. For true efficacy, one must first apply a thin layer of Purifying Moon-Dew to the cracks in the seals before re-applying the wards. Otherwise, the residual negative energy will simply re-accumulate within a few days, negating the effort."
Elder Wei's eyes widened. He had indeed forgotten that detail, a minor but essential step usually performed by inner sect specialists. He had assumed Xiao Tian wouldn't know. "Nonsense! That's an advanced technique, beyond your understanding!" he blustered, trying to recover.
"Perhaps," Xiao Tian replied, a subtle, almost imperceptible smirk playing on his lips. "But efficiency is key, is it not? Especially with so much to do." He bowed slightly. "I shall begin immediately, Elder."
He turned and walked away, leaving a sputtering Elder Wei and a confused Wei Fang in his wake.
"Did… did he just tell Uncle Wei how to do his job?" Wei Fang whispered, bewildered.
Elder Wei roared, "He's just showing off! Trying to make me look bad! He won't finish a single one!"Xiao Tian walked to the east wing dormitories. The ancient spirit-cleansing seals were cracked and faded, their energy barely visible. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small vial of Purifying Moon-Dew he had bought from the sect's general store on a whim. He had bought it easily; no one paid attention to what an outer disciple bought.
He moved with incredible speed and precision. His hands, guided by his refined spiritual senses, applied the Moon-Dew with ease, the faint glow of the liquid seeping into the stone cracks. Then he began to re-carve the intricate sigils of the spirit-cleansing wards. His fingers moved like a blur, each stroke perfect, infused with a flow of Primordial Chaos energy that far surpassed the ordinary spiritual energy used for such tasks. The seals glowed with new life, radiating a clean, pure energy that instantly cleared the stale air from the dormitories.
In less than an hour, the whole east wing was done, the seals humming with new power. A few passing disciples stopped, confused. They had never seen anyone work so fast and so well.
He then went to the herb garden. The Ghost-Thistles, those pesky weeds with tiny, poisonous spines, were notoriously hard to remove without damaging the spirit herbs. Most disciples used special gloves and even then it was a slow and painful process. Xiao Tian just knelt down, his bare hands moving with lightning speed. His Primordial Chaos energy acted as an invisible shield, protecting his skin from the thistles' venom. He plucked them out by the root, clean and efficient, leaving the spirit herbs untouched and thriving.
By the time he finished the herb garden, which usually took half a day, the sun was barely above the highest peak. He went to the training grounds where the stone dummies waited. Each dummy needed intricate rune re-carving, a tedious process that required intense focus. Xiao Tian approached the first dummy, his fingers tracing the faint lines of an old rune. He infused his fingertips with a precise burst of Primordial Chaos energy and with one fluid motion, traced the whole rune. The stone glowed and the rune solidified, perfect and beautiful. He moved from dummy to dummy, a blur of motion, carving runes with an otherworldly speed.
Around mid-morning, just as the outer disciples were gathering for the communal meal before the talent exchange, Elder Wei, still convinced Xiao Tian would be struggling, strolled towards the training grounds to gloat. He saw Xiao Tian standing by the last stone dummy, dusting his hands. The dummy glowed with freshly carved runes.
Elder Wei's eyes popped out. He quickly scanned the other dummies. They all glowed with the same energy. The east wing dormitories which he had checked minutes before now radiated a fresh spiritual aura. The herb garden which he knew from his previous inspection was infested.
"What… what is this?" Elder Wei stuttered, his bravado crumbling. "You… you finished?"Xiao Tian turned, a small smile on his face. "Yes, Elder. All done. And I applied the Purifying Moon-Dew to the seals as I said. The effect should be much better."
Wei Fang, who had followed his uncle, looked at Xiao Tian in shock. "But… how? Those tasks take days!"
"Maybe your definition of 'days' needs re-evaluating, Nephew Wei," Xiao Tian said, his eyes flicking to Wei Fang before returning to Elder Wei. "Elder Wei, you said re-carving the runes on these dummies is crucial for the talent exchange, right? For the disciples to practice their strikes?"
"Yes, of course!" Elder Wei snapped, still stunned.
"Then I must confess, Elder," Xiao Tian said, his voice dropping to a slightly disappointed tone, loud enough for the nearby disciples to hear. "I find your teaching rather… inefficient. When teaching disciples, one should emphasize the essence of the rune, not just its surface. For example," he walked to one of the dummies and pointed to a newly carved rune, "this 'Iron Skin' rune, as you've had it carved, only gives five percent physical resistance."
Elder Wei puffed out his chest. "It's a standard outer sect rune, boy! What are you talking about?"
"Yes, Elder," Xiao Tian said, picking up a discarded carving tool. "But if one understands the principle of qi redirection and resonance, one can achieve much more. Observe."
With a subtle and precise movement, Xiao Tian made a single, almost imperceptible change to a tiny intersection point within the rune. He didn't erase anything, didn't add new lines. He just adjusted a single curve, a single angle, with a speed that was almost impossible to follow.
As he finished, the dummy glowed with a brighter light. A hum resonated from within it, much stronger than before.
"Now, Elder," Xiao Tian said, stepping back, "try it."
Elder Wei, his face a mask of suspicion, reluctantly approached the dummy. He threw a punch, a simple Qi Condensation strike. Instead of the usual thud, his fist bounced off the dummy with a surprising resistance. His eyes widened. He threw another, more powerful strike. This time, he felt a tangible rebound, a spiritual feedback that sent a jolt up his arm.
"It… it feels… harder!" Elder Wei stammered, disbelief warring with anger.
"It's not just harder, Elder," Xiao Tian said politely. "The 'Iron Skin' rune, with that minor adjustment, now gives nearly ten percent physical resistance, a doubling of its previous effect. And the energy consumption is reduced by twenty percent due to the optimized flow. All from understanding the essence, not just rote carving. Imagine if all the runes in the sect were optimized this way. Our disciples would improve at a much faster rate."The disciples, who had been watching in amazement, gasped. Doubling the effect? Reducing energy consumption? With a single small change? This wasn't just showing off; this was a direct, public slap to Elder Wei's face. Elder Wei, who always preached about proper technique, had just been proven to be incompetent in his own field, by the very disciple he had tried to undermine.
Elder Wei's face turned purple. He sputtered, speechless, his eyes darting between the glowing dummy and the stunned faces of the disciples. His authority, his reputation, had been publicly dismantled, not with force, but with proof of his own inadequacy.
"This is… this is impossible! You… you cheated!" Elder Wei finally managed to roar, but his voice lacked conviction.
"Cheated, Elder?" Xiao Tian raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Or simply applied a deeper understanding? If guiding disciples with efficient methods is cheating, then perhaps the sect's principles are flawed."
Elder Wei was humiliated. He was a laughingstock, his carefully constructed facade of knowledge shattered. With a guttural sound of rage, he turned and stormed away, Wei Fang following him, casting a terrified glance back at Xiao Tian.
The disciples no longer looked at Xiao Tian with pity or disdain. Their eyes were a mix of awe, confusion and respect. The worthless outer disciple had just publicly embarrassed a powerful elder with proof of superior knowledge.
Hours later, the main arena of the Azure Sky Sect was buzzing with excitement. Thousands of disciples, inner and outer, filled the stands, their murmurs echoing through the hall. The first round of the Disciple Talent Exchange was about to start. Elevated platforms with banners and silk were reserved for the sect elders and VIPs.
Xiao Tian stood among the other outer disciples, relaxed, his senses on high alert. The hum of the Primordial Chaos Scripture was in his veins and the subtle tremor from beneath the sect was still there, a chill beneath the roar of the crowd.
Suddenly the hall fell silent. All eyes turned to the most luxurious platform. A procession of people entered, led by the Sect Master himself, followed by several grand elders. And then he appeared.
Prince Long Feng. He was younger than Xiao Tian remembered from his past life, maybe in his late twenties, but his presence was unmistakable. Tall, dressed in imperial robes of gold and blue, his good looks were set in a confident smirk. His aura was not as deep as the former Martial Sovereign but was formidable, the kind of inherent power and arrogance that came from a lifetime of privilege and unchallenged dominance. He moved with an otherworldly grace, his gaze sweeping over the disciples with a careless air, as if they were ants beneath his feet.
"Host, target detected. Prince Long Feng. Cultivation: Spirit Severing Peak. Threat Level: High." The System's voice was colder and more urgent than before in Xiao Tian's mind.
Xiao Tian's eyes narrowed. Spirit Severing Peak. A high level, far above Core Formation. He would have to be careful.
As Prince Long Feng sat down, a new message flashed on the System panel in Xiao Tian's mind, superimposed over the prince's smug face.
NEW MISSION: DOMINANCE
Description: Defeat Prince Long Feng in the Disciple Talent Exchange. Outdo him and you'll establish your dominance and shake the Imperial Dynasty's perception of sect power.
Target: Prince Long Feng
Reward: Void-Step Boots (Legendary mobility artifact, can manipulate short-range space and concealment).
Xiao Tian's breath caught. Defeat Prince Long Feng? The Crown Prince's brother, a peak Spirit Severing cultivator? In a public talent exchange? The System's request was outrageous. And the reward… Void-Step Boots. An artifact of legend, can manipulate space. That would be invaluable, not just for escape, but for infiltration.
A wicked grin spread across Xiao Tian's face. This wasn't just about humiliation anymore. This was about power. This was about sending a message, a shockwave through the very foundations of the Dragon Spirit Dynasty.
The head elder stepped forward, announcing the first trial. But Xiao Tian barely heard him. His eyes were fixed on Prince Long Feng, who sat there, oozing with confidence.
You think you're invincible, don't you, Prince? Xiao Tian thought, a cold determination settling in his heart. You think you're better. You think your brother's reign is eternal. You think the weak will always be weak.
He clenched his fists, the Primordial Chaos energy buzzing within him, eager to be released. The thrill of the challenge, the sheer audacity of it, electrified him. He was a Core Formation cultivator, disguised as a weak outer disciple, about to challenge a Spirit Severing powerhouse. And he would not just defeat him; he would surpass him.
As the elder finished his announcement and the first few disciples stepped into the arena, a sudden, sharp tremor ran through the ground, more intense than any before. It wasn't a natural earthquake. This felt… deliberate. The crimson hum from beneath the sect grew louder, more frantic, almost a wail."WARNING: The ancient artifact is responding to the high-level spiritual energy in the arena. Activation is accelerating. Host, be advised: Your presence here with multiple powerful cultivators is triggering it."
The warning popped up in Xiao Tian's mind, cold and dire. The ancient artifact. It wasn't sleeping. It was alive. And his being here, and showing off his power, was waking it up.
He looked around. No one else seemed to notice the slight shake, the faint buzz. They were too busy with the competition. But Xiao Tian felt it, deep in his bones, a dark power stirring beneath his feet.
He was torn between two immediate, deadly choices: defeat Prince Long Feng and get the Void-Step Boots or deal with the ancient horror beneath the Azure Sky Sect. The path to revenge was already proving to be way more complicated and way more deadly than he thought. The game had just started and the stakes had gone apocalyptic.