Chapter 35 – Sect Selection (1)
The town did not calm down after the elder left.
If anything, it grew worse.
By the time Hao Tian returned from the square, the streets were already crowded with cultivators who had arrived too late for the announcement and were now trying to piece together information from rumors, witnesses, and secondhand accounts. Every inn was full. Courtyards were being rented at ridiculous prices. Even abandoned warehouses were being occupied by groups that clearly did not trust each other enough to share proper lodging.
The sect's arrival had turned the entire town into a boiling pot.
Hao Tian walked through it without slowing.
He did not eavesdrop.
He did not linger.
He simply memorized the atmosphere.
Too many eyes.
Too much tension.
Too many people who looked like they were already deciding who they would rob—or kill—once the trial began.
When he reached his small, dilapidated house, he closed the door behind him and bolted it.
Only then did he finally let out a slow breath.
"…So it starts tomorrow."
He did not sit down immediately.
Instead, he began to prepare.
Carefully.
Methodically.
He laid everything out on the table and the floor.
Dried rations.
Water skins.
Simple wound medicine.
The light armored battle changpao.
Spare clothes.
A small fire-starting kit.
His money pouch—now much lighter than before.
And finally—
His sword.
He checked the edge.
Cleaned it.
Wiped the scabbard.
Tested the balance.
Then he packed everything again.
Not once.
Twice.
Three times.
Not because he forgot what he had.
But because repetition calmed his mind.
When he was finally done, he stood in the middle of the room and looked around.
This place…
He might not come back to it.
That thought did not scare him.
But it did make something tighten slightly in his chest.
"…Let's survive first," he muttered.
He changed into his training clothes and picked up his sword.
The room was small.
But it was enough.
He practiced his sword technique, Formless Sword.
No wasted movements.
No unnecessary flair.
Just the technique.
Step.
Cut.
Turn.
Thrust.
Withdraw.
Again.
And again.
And again.
His mind was empty, only the sword existed; only the path of the blade.
Time passed without him noticing.
And then—
A familiar sound rang in his mind.
[System Notification]
Hao Tian froze mid-movement.
It took him a moment to realize what he had just heard.
"…The system?"
It had been silent for a long time.
Ever since his breakthrough, he had been too focused, too exhausted, too deep in the process to notice anything else.
He steadied his breathing and focused inward.
A familiar interface opened.
Formless Sword: Minor Accomplishment
Movement Technique: Amateur
Cultivation Technique: Amateur
He stared at the words.
Then slowly, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"…So it finally acknowledges it."
Minor Accomplishment.
Not a huge realm.
Not mastery.
But it meant something.
It meant his effort had been recognized.
Then something else caught his attention.
"…Wait."
He frowned slightly.
"I should have unlocked a system skill when I stepped into Qi Refining."
He had almost forgotten about that.
During the breakthrough, he had been so focused on not failing that he had ignored everything else.
He looked around the interface.
And then he saw it.
A new section.
New Skill Unlocked: Metric
He opened it.
A new panel unfolded.
Metric
Converts accumulated Karmic Fate into Fate Points.
Below it was a number.
Current Fate Points: 950
Hao Tian's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So that's what all of that was."
He had always known the system was absorbing something from his actions—something it called "karmic fate."
Now it had finally shown him the result.
He scrolled further.
Functions:
– Improve Comprehension (10 Fate Points per hour)
– Healing (Cost depends on injury severity)
– Item Purchase (Locked)
– Other Functions (Locked)
"So I still can't buy anything," he murmured.
But the other two…
Improve comprehension.
Healing.
He opened the description of the first.
Improve Comprehension:
Spend 10 Fate Points to greatly increase learning and understanding efficiency for 1 hour.
The second one only displayed:
Healing:
Cost calculated based on current injuries.
"…This is dangerous," Hao Tian thought.
Not because it was bad.
Because it was too useful.
He took a slow breath.
Then noticed another notification.
You have received a reward for reaching Minor Accomplishment in your first martial technique.
Reward: Harmonic Elemental Sutra (High-level Mortal Tier Cultivation Manual)
A new item appeared in his storage.
He took it out.
The moment he opened it, he knew—
This was not something that should exist in a small town.
The paper was not special.
The ink was not glowing.
But the content…
The structure…
The way the cultivation path was explained…
It was on an entirely different level from the cheap manual he had bought before.
The introduction alone made his heart skip slightly.
"…Can reach the early stage of the Domain Lord realm…"
He did not fully trust that claim.
But even if it was exaggerated—
Even if it only went half that far—
It was still absurd.
He read carefully.
The core of the Harmonic Elemental Sutra was balance.
It did not force a single attribute.
It drew in all five elemental Qi in equal proportions.
And each element served a different purpose:
Wood Qi strengthened stamina and recovery.
Earth Qi reinforced the body and defensive capability, including resistance to force and impact.
Water Qi improved resilience, recovery, and sustained endurance.
Fire Qi enhanced raw power and explosive bursts of strength.
Metal Qi refined control, stability, and penetrating force.
It was not a technique meant to create a specialist.
It was a technique meant to create a foundation that could support any future path.
Hao Tian closed the manual.
Then opened it again.
"…This fits me."
He did not hesitate.
He replaced his old cultivation method immediately.
And began cultivating the Harmonic Elemental Sutra.
The difference was obvious.
Not in sensation.
In efficiency.
The Qi he drew in was cleaner.
Denser.
More stable.
His circulation was smoother.
More complete.
What would have taken nine months before…
Would now take three.
Not because it was magical.
But because it was proper.
After finishing the first full cycle, he opened the system again.
He hesitated.
Then activated Metric.
Spend 10 Fate Points to improve comprehension for 1 hour?
"Yes."
60 Fate Points spent. Remaining: 890.
He used it carefully.
Four hours on cultivation.
One hour on the sword.
One hour on movement.
He did not waste a single minute.
The effect was immediate.
Not miraculous.
But undeniable.
His understanding deepened.
His mistakes became fewer.
His corrections became faster.
He discovered that channeling fire or metal Qi into Formless Sword noticeably increased its lethality.
And using water Qi in his movement technique made his steps smoother and more forgiving.
But even so—
The movement technique still refused to break into Minor Accomplishment.
He could feel it was close.
Painfully close.
But not yet.
"…Soon," he said calmly.
He was not frustrated.
He was… satisfied.
This was real progress.
Outside, the town did not sleep.
Shouts echoed occasionally.
Arguments.
Threats.
The sound of someone being beaten.
The sound of someone running.
The night was restless.
Hao Tian cultivated in silence.
When dawn finally approached, he stopped.
Packed everything.
Put on his armor.
Shouldered his pack.
Tied his sword.
And stood up.
He took one last look at the room.
Then turned.
And left.
Outside, the streets were already full.
No one talked much.
They all walked toward the square.
Toward the forest.
Toward the trial.
Hao Tian walked with them.
Calm.
Focused.
And very aware of one thing:
This time—
He was not walking in blind.
..........
The air changed the moment Hao Tian crossed the boundary.
It wasn't something he could see, not really. There was no wall, no mist curtain, no visible formation. Just a simple stone marker half-buried in the earth, carved with the emblem of the Crimson Furnace Sect, and beyond it… the forest.
But the moment he stepped past it, his breathing slowed without him realizing it.
The sounds of the outer forest—distant birds, insects, the faint rustle of harmless beasts—vanished as if someone had pressed a hand over the world's mouth or as if he passed through an invisible screen that separated two 'worlds'. What replaced them was a deeper, heavier silence. Not empty. Watchful.
Around him, the over 700 candidates that passes the first round stood in loose clusters, some gripping weapons too tightly, some forcing laughter, some staring straight ahead as if afraid their courage would leak out through their eyes.
Behind them, the sect's temporary camp stretched in neat, disciplined rows. Formation flags fluttered in the morning wind.
A line of Crimson Furnace disciples stood like statues, their expressions indifferent and at the front, the Third Elder sat on raised platform with afuton under him, seemingly in cultivation, robes unmoving despite the breeze; suddenly his eyes opened and everyone instinctively quieted down.
His voice was calm when he spoke, but it carried effortlessly to every ear.
"From this point onward, the sect offers no protection."
The murmurs died instantly.
"You have three days," he continued. "Live or die by your own ability. If you leave the forest early, you are disqualified. If you beg for help—there will be none."
His gaze swept across them, sharp as a blade.
"This is not a tournament. This is not a performance. This is a selection... and only 100 will be accepted "
A young man near Hao Tian swallowed audibly.
The elder's lips curved into something that was a smile and at the same time not quite a smile.
"Good luck."
With a flick of his sleeve, the formations activated.
A bright light engulfed the participants for a brief moment; and then, the world twisted...
Hao Tian felt the ground vanish beneath his feet for a split second before it slammed back into place.
When his vision cleared, the shouting had become distant, scattered across different directions. The forest around him was no longer the forest at the boundary.
The trees here were thicker. Older. Their canopies overlapped so densely that sunlight only fell in broken fragments. The air smelled damp, rich, faintly metallic but still somehow managed to get hotter, reminding them of what continent they were; not that they needed any reminders.
Somewhere far away, a scream cut off abruptly.
Hao Tian did not move.
He stood still for a long moment, listening.
Breathing.
Feeling.
This place was nothing like the outer forest he used to hunt in.
There, danger announced itself. Here, danger waited.
"So they scattered us…" he murmured.
He could already sense chaotic movement in multiple directions—groups rushing together, others fleeing, some… stalking.
A few dozen meters away, someone was already shouting.
"Wait! Don't go alone—!"
The words ended in a wet gurgle.
Hao Tian closed his eyes briefly.
This was not a place for casual hunting.
Even Qi Refining cultivators could die here.
He thought of the elder's words.
This is a selection.
Not everyone is meant to be selected.
He exhaled slowly and made his decision.
Instead of following the noise, instead of chasing the crowd, he turned and moved sideways, slipping between the trees, his steps light, his presence restrained.
"Let them fight first," he thought. "The impatient ones always pay the price."
An hour passed.
Then another.
Hao Tian moved like a shadow, not fast, not slow, always alert. Twice he saw distant figures clashing. Once he saw three people running together—until one suddenly attacked the other two from behind.
He did not intervene.
He did not hurry.
Finally, he smelled blood.
Not human.
Beast.
He stopped on a low ridge and looked down.
Below, in a small clearing, a massive boar-like creature was rooting through the earth. Its hide was dark and ridged, its tusks thick as a man's arm. The aura it gave off told him immediately—
Eighth stage Body Refining.
"Perfect," Hao Tian said quietly.
He did not rush in.
He watched it for a full minute, noting its movements, its blind spots, the way its left side seemed slightly stiffer.
Then he stepped forward.
The beast noticed him instantly and let out a furious squeal, charging like a landslide.
Hao Tian's hand moved.
The sword left its sheath in a smooth, almost lazy arc.
He did not meet force with force.
He stepped aside.
The blade flashed.
Formless Sword did not look impressive. No giant light, no roaring sound. Just a simple, clean line.
The boar stumbled, took two more steps, and then collapsed.
Its head slid off its shoulders a heartbeat later.
Hao Tian stood there for a moment, then let out a quiet breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"So this is what it feels like," he murmured.
Stronger.
Not invincible.
But… comfortable.
He cut open the beast's hide and soon found it: a small wooden token embedded near the spine, faintly glowing.
He turned it over in his hand.
"Wood token," he said, and allowed himself a small smile. "First one."
Body Refining beasts were no longer real threats to him.
That realization settled into his bones with a strange calm.
He did not go far before he heard voices.
Angry. Panicked.
"…I killed it! It's mine!"
"You're lying! You arrived after me!"
Hao Tian crouched behind a tree and looked.
Two young men, both body-refining cultivators, were standing over a corpse. A third person lay dead at their feet, eyes still open in disbelief.
One of them was bleeding from the arm. The other held a saber, trembling.
Between them, on the corpse, a token glinted.
"I said step back!" the injured one shouted.
"You think I'm afraid of you?" the other snapped. "You're already hurt!"
They both froze when a calm voice spoke from behind them.
"You're both making too much noise."
They turned.
Hao Tian walked into the clearing openly, sword in hand, expression indifferent.
The pressure he released was not violent.
But it was enough.
The two men felt their hearts tighten.
"Qi… Qi Refining…" one of them stammered.
Hao Tian looked at the corpse, then at them.
"You have ten breaths," he said. "Leave."
"Who do you think you—"
The man didn't finish.
Hao Tian took one step forward.
That was all.
They ran.
Hao Tian did not chase.
He walked to the corpse, took the token and the storage pouch, and then left.
"Humans," he thought, "are more troublesome than beasts."
Near midday, he felt it.
A pressure.
Different.
He slowed.
Ahead, something moved between the trees.
When it stepped into view, Hao Tian's eyes narrowed.
It looked like a wolf, but larger, its fur faintly shimmering, its eyes carrying a cold intelligence.
Qi Refining.
Early stage.
"So this is an Iron-level beast…"
The wolf did not charge.
It circled.
Hao Tian tightened his grip on the sword.
"This won't be as easy."
The fight was tense.
No wasted movement.
The wolf was fast. Smarter than the boar. It nearly tore his leg open once.
Hao Tian used Formless Sword, mixed with careful bursts of elemental qi. Fire for power. Metal for penetration.
Finally, with a shallow cut across its throat, it fell.
Hao Tian leaned on his sword for a moment, breathing slowly.
Then he retrieved the token.
Iron.
He looked at it for a long time.
"This," he said quietly, "is the real beginning."
He did not notice the man at first.
He was tired. Slightly. Just enough.
The attack came from behind.
A blade grazed his shoulder.
Hao Tian spun, eyes cold.
The attacker was young, wounded, desperate.
"Give me the token!" the man shouted. "I saw you fight! You're tired!"
They clashed.
It was not a long fight.
But it was ugly.
In the end, Hao Tian's sword went through the man's chest.
The man stared at him, lips trembling.
"I… just wanted…"
He fell.
Hao Tian stood there for a long time.
He did not feel guilt.
But he did not feel nothing either.
"So this is how it is," he said softly.
He took the pouch and left.
As night fell, Hao Tian hid and rested.
He checked what he had.
A few Wood tokens.
Two Iron tokens.
He looked at the dark forest.
"This is only the edge," he thought. "The real monsters… and the real people… are deeper."
In the distance, he felt a heavy fluctuation.
Fighting.
Strong fighting.
He stood.
"That's where the real competition is."
And he walked toward it.