Chapter 10: Ripples in the Crowd
Tap… tap… The sound of impatient feet echoed across the stone floor. The crowd at the Iron Vein Spirit Palace buzzed like a hive, restless and hot under the noon sun. Somewhere near the back of the line, Yin Zhe stood beside the tall man he'd just met, the one who looked more like a walking mountain than a person.
The man grinned with a wide mouth that could scare kids and said, "Name's Hu Dun… but people call me Dumb Tiger."
Yin Zhe blinked. "Dumb Tiger?"
Hu Dun chuckled, voice rough like sandpaper. "It's practically what my name means anyway." Heh heh.
System notification blinked in Yin Zhe's mind.
> Liked RP +1
Yin Zhe smirked inwardly. Guess I just made a friend.
He looked at Hu Dun again, shaking his head slightly. His parents must've been crazy, he thought.
After what felt like an eternity, the line crawled forward until Yin Zhe finally reached Elder Chen Niao's station. The air around the old man was sharp and calm, like a sword drawn halfway out of its sheath.
"Name?" Elder Chen asked without looking up.
"Yin Zhe," he replied, bowing slightly. "Here to register for the Shattered Star Competition."
The elder's lips curved into a faint smile as he raised his head. His gaze was steady, full of old warmth mixed with curiosity.
System flashed again.
> Appreciated RP +1
Yin Zhe's eyes twitched. So he's grateful someone showed up, huh? Poor guy must've been bored out of his mind.
Elder Chen leaned forward. "Good lad. What's your cultivation level?"
Yin Zhe straightened, rubbing the back of his neck. "Stage two of the Root Awakening Realm, Elder."
His mind drifted back as he spoke. Turns out I could cultivate even in my sleep, he thought proudly. With the Nine Breaths Circle Reactive Technique, all I have to do is breathe. I already finished one of three quarters of the spirit essence pills. Two breakthroughs in one night… maybe I'm a rare genius without enough time to show off.
Before his ego inflated any further, Elder Chen spoke again. "Have you ever considered being a swordsman instead of just a cultivator? Or both?"
Yin Zhe opened his mouth, but the elder was already speaking. His tone grew deep, his voice steady.
"The sword isn't a tool, it's a path. It's discipline, patience, and clarity. It listens to no one but the heart."
For the first few minutes, Yin Zhe listened, nodding seriously. Hmm. The speech was inspiring, at first. But then it kept going. And going.
Snore. His brain went blank halfway through.
"…and that is the difference between cutting air and cutting intent," Elder Chen concluded proudly.
"Ahhh… right," Yin Zhe said, blinking fast to look awake.
Then the elder reached behind him and brought out another sword. The blade shimmered faintly blue, light rippling along its edge.
"This," Chen Niao said, "is a 12th-grade sword called Roaring Cat."
Shing! The sword made a soft sound like wind slicing silk.
Yin Zhe nearly laughed out loud. Hehehe… why not just call it Roaring Pussy… sorry,
Pussycat? he thought, biting his tongue to hold back the grin.
[Cursed RP +1]
Without another word, Elder Chen pushed the sword into Yin Zhe's hands. The weight hit him like a rock. Thud.
"You can have it," Chen said calmly. "I hope to see you again."
The crowd nearby gasped. Hah?! Huh?! Heads turned, whispers spreading like wildfire.
System exploded with notifications.
> Mocked RP +23
Suspected RP +17
Envied RP +8
Yin Zhe blinked fast. "Eh?" His eyes widened. Wait… I'm getting points for this?
The crowd's murmurs grew louder.
"Did that elder just give him a 12th-grade sword?"
"He's probably the elder's secret disciple."
"Bah, look at his weak aura, Root Awakening stage two!"
"He must've cheated somehow!"
Yin Zhe hid a grin. So I don't need to fight or get hit… as long as people react to me, I get RP. The system feeds on emotions. That's why it's called the Reactive System. Catchy.
New messages flashed nonstop.
> Envied RP +34
His eyes widened again. It's increasing?!
The crowd's noise turned into chaos. Dozens more joined Elder Chen's empty line, desperate to impress him. Some even knelt, others argued about sword technique in front of him.
Elder Chen's calm face softened. He looked pleased, his station suddenly crowded.
Yin Zhe realized what had happened. Smart old fox, he thought. He used me to draw attention.
Still, he wasn't angry. I got the RP and the sword. Everyone wins.
When the notifications finally stopped, he sheathed Roaring Cat at his waist and turned away, ignoring the stares. His RP total glowed in his vision, jumping every second before it finally settled.
He left the palace with a relaxed grin. Heh. His boots thudded against the stone path.
---
Later that evening, Yin Zhe sat in a crowded tavern. Clink, clink. Cups hit tables, laughter filled the air.
He was at the corner table, going through his pile of scrolls and books. Flip. Flip. His eyes scanned fast, but the more he read, the more bored he became.
"Hmmm…" He leaned back, stretching his arms. Then, without thinking too much, he tossed all the scrolls into the nearby bin. Thud. Flap. Crackle.
The entire tavern went silent for a breath.
Dozens of eyes turned his way.
System buzzed again.
> Cursed RP +9
He grinned and sipped his drink. Hehehe. It's fun doing random things in public just to get points.
Then, Ahh-choo! He sneezed. Hard. Snort dripped from his nose. He sniffed loudly and dragged it back in with a disgusting snrrrk.
The reaction was immediate.
> Disgusted RP +6
Resented RP +8
A group of men nearby muttered, "Gross." One woman covered her face with a napkin.
Yin Zhe chuckled softly, tapping the table. Thud thud. "The refresh rate's too low here. The palace crowd gives more reactions. Guess I'll farm properly tomorrow."
He checked his RP count. The numbers glowed faintly, 636 RP. Not even enough for a single golden ticket or new skill.
He sighed. Tch. Still broke.
Outside the window, the sky was already fading to dark purple. The lanterns on the streets below flickered to life, and the sound of vendors cleaning up drifted through the night.
Yin Zhe stood, stretched again, and headed out. His robe rustled softly, the Roaring Cat sword bumping lightly against his leg.
Back at the inn, he checked in again. Clack. The wooden key dropped on the counter. The innkeeper gave him a look of annoyance, but Yin Zhe ignored it and went upstairs
.
He lay on the bed, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling. "Tomorrow," he murmured, "I'll make RP rain."
The faint hum of spirit lamps lulled him to sleep While he sniffled spirit essence pills.
---
The next morning, dawn exploded over the Iron Vein Spirit Palace. The vast courtyard was unrecognizable, banners hung everywhere, spiritual energy buzzing like electricity. Crackle. Crackle.
Twenty massive arenas had been built overnight, their surfaces glowing faintly with protection arrays. Each one was surrounded by stands filled with spectators, thousands of them shouting and cheering.
From the main stage, a massive panel of judges sat, their robes fluttering in the wind. Among them were familiar faces, Elder Xuan Yi, Elder Chen Niao, and several other highly
ranked masters.
Every arena had its own five-judge panel. Attendants stood at the corners, holding jade tokens.
Woosh. An attendant raised one of the tokens high, and a blue array lit up in the sky. Buzz… crackle…
The light spread outward until a huge glowing screen appeared above the arena. Then another. And another. Soon, twenty floating screens hovered above the palace like spirit mirrors, each one showing a different battleground.
The crowd roared. Boom!
The place looked like a massive stadium, energy swirling through every corner. The smell of dust and spirit fire filled the air.
Names began to echo across the field as attendants read them out. One after another, cultivators stepped forward, each face shining with pride or fear.