The sun was sinking when the group finally left the gates of the Imperial Heaven Sect. Ten disciples had initially signed the mission scroll, but only five now walked behind Instructor Pain, their faces pale with a mixture of determination and unease.
Pain himself looked better than he had days ago—though bandages still wrapped across his ribs, the instructor's presence radiated authority and the kind of sharp vigilance only veterans of countless battles carried. His dark eyes swept the group constantly, as if measuring who would break first.
Jace walked near the middle, his short mask hiding most of his expression. The mask was meant for anonymity, yet in truth, it made him more conspicuous. Others whispered about it, stealing glances at the lone wolf who never joined factions.
Beside him, Veyra Nightveil moved with the poise of a predator. Her long silver hair shimmered faintly under the light, her crimson eyes forward, giving little away. Some disciples stole wary glances at her too—it wasn't every day one traveled with the princess of the Nightveil clan.
The silence of their departure finally broke when one of the disciples, a stocky boy from the Azure Tiger Clan, muttered, "A million high-grade Qi stones. Worth the risk, right?"
"Depends if you come back alive," another snapped back.
Pain glanced over his shoulder. "Quiet. You'll need your breath in the wilderness."
The wilderness.
Even the word sent a small shiver through the air. Beyond the sect's protective barriers stretched forests, mountains, and valleys crawling with spirit beasts and unknown dangers. For cultivators, it was both graveyard and forge—where one either perished or emerged sharper, stronger.
Jace exhaled slowly, feeling the faint thrum of his system in the back of his consciousness.
[System Notification]
Special Mission Assigned: Investigate the Night Shadows Sect Hideout.
Requirement: Survive and gather intelligence.
Reward: Bloodline Awakening (Stage III) + One Random Devour Skill.
Penalty: Devourer Suppression (Unable to absorb essence for 60 days).
His chest tightened. That was no ordinary quest. The system clearly marked this mission as pivotal.
Stage III awakening… He clenched his fists. That was enough motivation.
---
By the time night fell, they reached the first stretch of forest. The air here was damp and heavy, filled with the cries of distant beasts.
"Form pairs," Pain instructed, halting under an ancient tree. "We rest for the night here. No fires. Keep watch in turns."
The disciples shuffled. None seemed eager to share space with Jace. After a moment of awkward silence, Veyra simply walked to his side, seating herself cross-legged on a fallen log.
Her crimson eyes flicked toward him. "You don't talk much, do you?"
Jace tilted his head, voice low. "Talking doesn't make you stronger."
A faint curve appeared at her lips, almost a smile. "But sometimes it makes the journey less dull."
He didn't answer. His focus was already turned inward, drawing on his Qi, sensing the shift after his recent breakthrough. His body still felt strange, his bloodline… hungrier. More alive.
As the others tried to rest, Jace slipped away a little into the shadows of the trees, making sure no one followed. He exhaled, summoning his Qi, focusing it through his chest.
A faint heat built in his lungs. His vision blurred, veins glowing faint red under his skin. Then—
"—Hah."
A stream of crimson flame roared out, scorching a patch of mossy ground black. The fire wasn't wide, but it was dense—pure destruction condensed. His chest ached from the force.
So this is Dragon Breath… it takes more control than I thought.
[System Notification]
Dragon Breath proficiency +1%
A quiet grin tugged his lips beneath the mask.
But he wasn't alone.
"I thought I smelled dragon fire," Veyra's voice murmured softly behind him.
Jace stiffened. Slowly he turned, finding her leaning against a tree trunk, arms folded. Moonlight painted her pale face in silver.
"You followed me."
"You're terrible at hiding your presence," she said simply. "And besides… I was curious. Dragon Breath, hm? That's not a skill Foundation cultivators normally get their hands on."
Jace didn't answer. He hated how her gaze seemed to pierce through him, as though she already knew more than she should.
But Veyra didn't press. Instead, she let her lips curl into a faint smirk. "Just don't burn yourself before the mission even begins." Then she walked away.
---
The following days were a march of endless tension. They trekked deeper into the wilderness, following Pain's lead. Beasts attacked—packs of shadow wolves, venomous serpent swarms, even a rogue earth bear. Each time, Pain gave minimal aid, letting the disciples fight for survival.
The losses mounted quickly.
One night, after a brutal encounter with a spirit beast, one disciple lay dead, his body broken. Pain didn't even look twice. "This is the price. If you fear it, turn back."
But no one turned back.
Jace fought in silence, deliberately holding back most of his strength. Yet every clash, every strike, fed his devourer. He absorbed fragments of essence from beasts, tiny pieces fueling his growth. None of the others noticed, but the hunger inside him grew sharper, demanding more.
At night, he practiced Dragon Breath in secret. By the third attempt, he could release it without backlash.
[System Notification]
Dragon Breath proficiency +15%
On the fifth night, while the group rested by a cliffside, Pain gathered them. His expression was grim.
"We are close," he said. "The hideout is said to lie beyond the Bloodmist Ravine. Few who enter come back. The Night Shadows Sect is not a simple enemy—they are experts of manipulation, blood sacrifice, and shadow puppetry. If you lose focus for even a breath, you die. Understand?"
His words cast silence. Even the strongest disciples shifted uneasily.
Veyra spoke first, voice cold and calm. "Then we keep our focus."
Pain's lips twitched into what might have been respect. His eyes swept to Jace, lingering a heartbeat longer, as if measuring the strange masked boy who had fought with precision yet never revealed his full depth.
Jace only nodded once. Inside, however, his system pulsed with urgency.
[System Alert]
Remaining Time: 2 Days.
Objective: Gather intelligence on Night Shadows Hideout.
Two days.
He clenched his fists in his sleeves. If he failed, sixty days of suppression would cripple him. But if he succeeded… his bloodline would ascend further.
And so, beneath the looming shadow of the ravine, with the scent of iron and whispers of danger carried on the wind, Jace tightened his resolve. This was no longer just a mission.
This was survival.
This was evolution.