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Chapter 4: The Challenge in the Rain
The mist was thicker now, curling low over the courtyard stones as if the ground itself was breathing.
Ye Tian sat on the thin mat in his quarters, the faint hum of the Origin System in the back of his mind.
The warmth from the newly integrated Cultivation Accelerator spread evenly through his meridians, every breath feeding his body a fraction more strength than the one before.
[Minor Cultivation Accelerator fully merged]
[Projected daily improvement: significant]
It felt steady… patient… like a drumbeat that would never falter.
Given enough time, it would push him far beyond anyone around him, and they would not even understand why.
His eyes closed for a moment.
Another hunt tonight would mean two systems integrated in less than a day.
It would paint an even larger target on his back, but it would also cement his name in the minds of everyone watching.
The choice was simple.
---
The door slid open without warning.
A shadow filled the frame, tall and narrow, the faint hiss of rain behind it.
"Chen Mu," the boy said, his voice too loud for the quiet of the hour. "Come outside. The seniors want to see something."
Ye Tian opened his eyes. "The seniors?"
The boy smirked. "Zhao Wei was one thing… Luo Ming was another. People are wondering if you can do more than pick on easy prey."
Ye Tian rose without hurry.
The boy stepped back to let him pass, and over his shoulder Ye Tian saw lanterns burning in the outer yard.
Figures were gathering there despite the rain.
Outer disciples in plain robes stood beside inner courtyard members whose finer cloth shone faintly in the light.
The air was charged, the kind of anticipation that came before storms or duels.
---
As Ye Tian stepped into the yard, the murmur of voices swelled and shifted.
"They say he beat Luo Ming in three moves."
"He will not last against Su Jian."
"Watch his eyes. They are different now."
At the far end of the space, under the shelter of the eaves, stood a tall figure with a long training staff balanced across his shoulders.
He had the kind of build that came from years of drills, his stance loose but ready.
His eyes were pale in the lantern glow, fixed on Ye Tian with measured interest.
"Chen Mu," he called. "I am Su Jian. I hear you have had a good day. I thought we might test if it was luck."
The Origin System's voice came at once.
[Target: Su Jian]
[System: Minor Body Reinforcement]
[Function: Increases physical durability and striking power by fifteen percent]
[Integrity: 65 percent]
Fifteen percent in raw durability and power was not as rare as cultivation speed, but in a fight… it was the difference between standing after a heavy blow or falling to the ground.
It was worth taking.
---
Ye Tian stepped closer. "Three moves?"
Su Jian shook his head. "Three moves are for boys playing in the outer yard. We go until one of us cannot stand."
The whispers grew sharper, threading with excitement and disbelief.
Some inner courtyard disciples leaned forward slightly, curious.
Others folded their arms, ready to see an upstart put in his place.
Ye Tian's gaze stayed on Su Jian. "Very well."
They moved to the center of the wet stone.
Rain tapped steadily in the spaces between the crowd's breathing.
The air smelled of wet wood and the faint tang of oil from the lanterns.
---
Su Jian moved first.
The staff swept low, quick for its size, aimed to take Ye Tian's legs out from under him.
Ye Tian stepped in instead of away, letting the sweep pass behind as his palm shot forward toward Su Jian's chest.
[Proceed with Seizure?]
"Yes."
The thread of blue light leapt between them.
Su Jian's grip on the staff tightened instinctively as the first pull of weakness touched his limbs.
[Seizure complete]
[Acquired: Minor Body Reinforcement]
[Integrating…]
---
Su Jian's recovery was fast.
The staff came up in a wide arc toward Ye Tian's ribs, the kind of strike that could bruise deep and slow a man's breathing.
Ye Tian caught the shaft with one hand, twisting it aside.
The integration spread quickly, a new weight settling in his muscles, his stance feeling just a little more rooted.
The next strike came overhead, heavy with force.
Ye Tian stepped under the arc, gripping the staff near the center, pulling sharply to break Su Jian's balance.
His knee rose, stopping just short of the other boy's ribs.
The crowd reacted at once, a ripple of gasps and murmurs.
[Devotion +5]
---
Su Jian stepped back, his breathing heavier now, his eyes narrowing.
"You are faster than I thought," he said.
Ye Tian did not answer.
The fight was already shifting.
He could feel it in the way Su Jian's stance lost a fraction of its weight, the way his eyes flicked too quickly between Ye Tian's hands and feet.
The next exchange began with a feint from Su Jian, the staff dipping low before snapping toward Ye Tian's temple.
Ye Tian's hand shot up, catching the wood mid-swing.
His other palm pressed firmly to Su Jian's chest, a controlled push sending him back several paces.
Water splashed underfoot.
The staff hit the ground with a hollow thud.
Su Jian steadied himself, then let out a slow breath. "You win."
---
The yard was filled with murmurs.
Some eyes held respect, others resentment.
A few of the inner courtyard disciples exchanged glances that spoke more clearly than words — this was no longer a simple curiosity.
The Origin System's voice came softly.
[Minor Body Reinforcement integrated]
[Overall combat efficiency increased by approximately fifteen percent]
[Nearby systems detected: two]
Ye Tian turned from the center of the yard.
He walked through the parting crowd, the whispers following him into the rain.
In the shadows at the far edge, someone watched from under the cover of a cloak.
The figure spoke quietly to another beside them.
"Two victories in one day. This will draw attention."
"It already has," the second voice replied.
Ye Tian did not hear them, but he could feel the weight of eyes on his back.
Every step forward was a step deeper into open challenge.
And that was exactly where he wanted to be.
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