By the time we finally forced our way into the cafeteria, it was already too late for order. Thanks to the upcoming tournament, the entire place had transformed into something resembling a spirit beast den immediately after feeding hour, and the result was pure, unfiltered chaos.
The hall was bursting at the seams. Voices collided louder than blades, arguments flaring and dying in rapid succession as bowls slammed against tables and chopsticks struck like weapons. Steam rose from countless dishes, curling through the air like battlefield smoke, thick with the scent of meat, spice, and spiritual grain.
Disciples packed every available space, guarding their tables with territorial intensity. Elbows flew, shoulders checked, and glares were exchanged with the seriousness of life-and-death grudges. If someone tossed even the smallest spark of qi into the room, Xuanyan was certain the entire cafeteria would erupt into open warfare over seating alone.
We managed to squeeze ourselves into the only remaining gap in the hall—a cramped corner table occupied by a lone stranger who was quietly eating his meal, shoulders relaxed, posture unbothered, as though the chaos around him existed in a different world entirely. He neither looked up nor acknowledged us, continuing to eat with steady, practiced motions, pretending that the cafeteria wasn't on the verge of collective madness.
I took the seat beside the stranger, the bench scraping faintly against the stone floor, while Ye Qingfeng settled across from me with his sister at his side. For a brief moment, none of us spoke. I let the noise wash over me, observing the scene as if from a distance rather than from within it.
For a moment, I didn't speak. I simply observed the bustling hall, the clatter of chopsticks, the overflowing spiritual aromas of cheap dishes pretending to be high-grade meals, and the general chaos of too many disciples forced into one space.
While we waited for the food to arrive, I let my gaze drift naturally toward the protagonist duo across the table. Ye Qingfeng sat as composed as ever, while his sister remained quiet beside him, hands folded neatly, eyes lowered as if trying to make herself invisible amid the noise.
With a faintly teasing smile tugging at my lips, I broke the silence.
"Brother Qingfeng," I said casually, "aren't you going to introduce her?"
Ye Qingfeng turned to me, clearly not expecting the question. Before he could respond, the girl beside him stirred.
"I—I am… Ye Qingyue," she said softly.
Her voice was a little awkward, slightly stiff, but there was an unmistakable sincerity beneath it. The words didn't come easily, yet she forced them out anyway, as if determined not to retreat once she had taken that first step.
Ye Qingfeng blinked in genuine surprise.
His precious little sister—who usually avoided speaking to anyone except him—had volunteered to introduce herself. For a brief moment, he glanced around, as if trying to identify the reason behind this sudden change, his gaze flickering between me, the table, and the chaotic hall beyond.
Finding nothing suspicious, he relaxed and gave a small nod, his expression settling into quiet acceptance.
Perhaps this is better, his face seemed to say.
At the very least, his master hadn't sensed any malice from Xuanyan.
I returned her introduction with a polite nod, keeping my tone easy and unthreatening.
"Awner Xuanyan," I said simply. "You can call me Brother Xuanyan."
Qingyue nodded in response—a small, careful motion that mirrored her earlier stiffness. Her expression didn't change much, but there was a trace of relief in her eyes, as if she were grateful the exchange had gone smoothly and hadn't demanded anything more from her.
Then Ye Qingfeng finally seemed to come back online.
The faint daze in his eyes cleared, and he turned toward Xuanyan, his posture straightening slightly. The casual ease he usually carried softened into something more focused, more deliberate.
There was a hint of seriousness in his gaze now.
"Brother Xuanyan," Ye Qingfeng said after a brief pause, his tone steady but earnest, "would you like to form a group with us? For missions, exploration, gathering resources, sparring… everything."
He didn't elaborate further, because he didn't need to. They both understood the unspoken truth beneath the invitation. In a sect like this, survival without support wasn't bravery—it was stupidity dressed up as pride.
Xuanyan blinked.
For a fraction of a moment, his mind stalled completely.
In the original novel, this wasn't how things were supposed to go. Ye Qingfeng formed his group much later, after reaching Qi Condensation Stage Six, and even then it was an unbalanced constellation of jade beauties orbiting him like celestial bodies bound by narrative gravity. His sister hadn't even been included at the start.
And now?
Now the invitation was coming early. Too early.
Am I changing the story too much? Xuanyan wondered uneasily. If I twist the plot beyond recognition, won't all my knowledge become useless? Shouldn't I be cautious? Careful? Rational?
For once in his life, all three thoughts arrived at the same time.
Then he blinked again.
And dropped the thought into the trash where it belonged.
Who cares, he muttered inwardly. That's a problem for future me.
Future Him :🤡
Xuanyan leaned back slightly, the tension draining from his shoulders as if he had just achieved some minor, extremely questionable enlightenment. A relaxed smile crept onto his face, equal parts confidence and irresponsibility.
"Alright," he said casually. "I don't have a problem joining you, Brother Qingfeng."
Relief flickered unmistakably in the protagonist's eyes, brief but genuine, before he quickly masked it behind his usual calm composure. Beside him, Qingyue lowered her head slightly, strands of hair slipping forward to hide what might have been the faintest hint of a smile—small, careful, and gone almost as soon as it appeared.
Xuanyan noticed both.
And then the real problem finally caught up with him.
So… what path should I choose? he muttered inwardly, the earlier recklessness giving way to something more measured.
In the original novel, Ye Qingfeng had chosen alchemy. It had been the most beneficial route for him by far. Under the guidance of his Rank Eight master, his progress had been terrifyingly fast, his talent blooming into something that reshaped the sect's future. He refined pills that no one else on the continent could reproduce—formulas thought extinct, methods long lost to time. Alchemy had become one of his greatest advantages, both in power and influence.
Xuanyan understood that clearly.
And that understanding came with weight.
He hesitated for only a moment.
Then he spoke.
"Alchemy