The arena was still ringing with echoes of Lin Xuan's victories. Though the stone platform had been cleared, the whispers refused to fade, carried like embers on every disciple's tongue.
"Four challengers, four defeats…""Not even the Core-backed could topple him.""Lin Xuan is… something else."
Lin Xuan walked back to his small courtyard under the weight of those whispers. His steps were steady, but inside, the System pulsed quietly.
[Reputation: Elevated.Warning: Visibility increasing beyond optimal.]
He ignored it. Visibility was inevitable now.
Waiting at the gate were Wu Ming, the timid girl, and the lanky boy. They hadn't cheered like the crowd. Instead, they had waited, silent, eyes wide with relief when they saw him return uninjured.
Wu Ming rushed forward first, voice breaking with excitement. "Senior Brother! Four in a row! Did you see their faces? Ha! They looked like chickens discovering soup!"
Lin Xuan gave him a dry look. "You cheered loud enough for ten."
Wu Ming beamed. "A loyal brother must cheer, even if his throat explodes."
The timid girl stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Senior Brother Lin… from today onward, I pledge myself to follow you. You shielded me in the gorge. You've guided me here. Let me repay that debt, however small."
The lanky boy hesitated only a moment before kneeling. "Me too. I was nothing before, an extra name on the sect rolls. But under you… I feel purpose. Let me fight and train at your side."
Lin Xuan studied their faces. Not flattery, not fear — conviction. Quiet, but real.
He exhaled softly. So the seeds sprout.
That night, they sat around the courtyard table, the lantern casting long shadows across their faces.
Wu Ming was already talking as he chewed steamed buns. "Senior Brother, this is how sect legends begin! A circle of loyal brothers and sisters, led by a calm spear genius! All we need now is a glorious name — 'The Heavenly Spear Squad'? Or perhaps 'Wu Ming's Brave Companions'?"
The timid girl nearly choked on her tea. The lanky boy gave him a deadpan stare. Lin Xuan raised a brow.
"Your companions?"
Wu Ming coughed. "A minor suggestion, easily ignored!"
Laughter rippled across the small courtyard, even from the usually silent girl. For the first time since arriving at the sect, it felt less like a battlefield and more like… a home.
From the shadows beyond the courtyard wall, a figure watched — Yue Shuang, her white robes catching a sliver of moonlight.
Her eyes lingered on Lin Xuan's calm expression as he listened more than he spoke, guiding his companions with the barest words, yet anchoring them effortlessly.
"So low-key… yet so magnetic," she murmured softly. "No wonder the Outer Sect stirs like bees around him."
Her lips curved faintly. "Interesting. Very interesting."
She slipped away before her presence could be noticed, but the thought lingered in her heart: This one may climb higher than any expect. Perhaps even higher than he dreams himself.
In the Core Pavilion, Meng Zhao listened to the newest reports, face shadowed.
"They gather to him," one Core disciple whispered."Even the weak pledge themselves to his name," said another.
Meng Zhao swirled his wine cup, then set it down with a sharp click.
"Then we will feed this rumor. Let the elders believe he is forming a faction too quickly. Let them feel threatened."
His smile was cold. "And when the elders debate whether to suppress him… we will make sure the answer is yes."
As the night deepened, Lin Xuan closed his eyes in meditation. His new companions slept nearby, loyal hearts binding themselves to him without chains.
The System chimed.
[Hidden Quest Complete: First Circle Formed.][Reward: Enhanced Faction Growth — allies' cultivation speed improves when training with Host.]
Lin Xuan opened his eyes, faint surprise flickering in his calm gaze. So even the System plants seeds of growth. Good. Then let them grow strong beside me… for storms lie ahead.