Night blanketed the Celestial Sect in a deep, tranquil silence.
Most disciples slept, saving their strength for the coming sect evaluation. Lamps dimmed across the floating platforms, and even the wind seemed to move more quietly, as if the entire mountain range held its breath.
But inside a small outer-disciple room, Li Wei sat cross-legged, wide awake.
The faint glow of the System hovered before his eyes.
[Hidden Quest Active: Outsmart Your Rival][Main Quest: Pass Sect Evaluation][Time Remaining: 2 Days 14 Hours]
Li Wei exhaled slowly."Two days…"
Not enough time to grow stronger the normal way. Most disciples required months—years—to make meaningful progress.
But Li Wei didn't cultivate normally.
He optimized.
He leaned forward slightly, focusing on the System interface. A translucent diagram of his meridians and spiritual core appeared, glowing faintly with circulating energy.
[Current Cultivation: Early Foundation Stage][Bottleneck Detected: Inefficient Energy Circulation][Suggestion: Manual Adjustment Possible]
His eyes lit up."Manual adjustment?"
He had seen similar systems in games—skill trees with hidden optimization paths. If cultivators followed rigid traditional methods, maybe the System allowed something different.
He closed his eyes and focused inward.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Li Wei didn't just absorb spiritual energy—he analyzed it.
He visualized each strand of Qi flowing through his meridians like streams of light. Some paths were smooth and efficient. Others tangled and slow.
Inefficient.
"Alright," he murmured softly."Let's reroute."
Rewriting the Flow
Slowly, carefully, Li Wei guided the energy.
He didn't force it. That would damage his core. Instead, he nudged it gently, adjusting angles and circulation patterns like redirecting water through channels.
At first, nothing happened.
Then—
[Energy Flow Optimization: +5%]
His breathing steadied.
He adjusted again.
[Energy Flow Optimization: +12%]
A faint warmth spread through his body. Spiritual energy began moving faster, smoother.
Li Wei's focus sharpened.This was working.
He continued adjusting, testing patterns, refining routes. Minutes turned into hours. Sweat formed on his brow as the strain grew.
Suddenly—
A sharp pulse erupted from his core.
Pain shot through his meridians like lightning.
Li Wei gritted his teeth but didn't stop."Almost… there…"
[Warning: Overload Risk][Continue? Y/N]
He didn't hesitate."Yes."
The energy surged violently—then stabilized.
Everything went still.
For one breath.Two.
Then—
[BREAKTHROUGH DETECTED][Cultivation Advanced: Mid Foundation Stage][Stat Increases Applied]Strength +8 | Agility +10 | Spirit +15 | Intelligence +5
A wave of power exploded outward from Li Wei's body.
Wind burst through the room, rattling the walls and scattering loose papers. His robes fluttered as spiritual energy swirled around him like a miniature storm.
Then it settled.
Silence returned.
Li Wei slowly opened his eyes.
They gleamed faintly with renewed clarity.
"…Whoa."
He clenched his fist. Strength surged through his muscles—lighter, faster, more responsive than before. His senses felt sharper too, as if the world had gained extra detail.
[New Passive Skill Unlocked: Efficient Core]Effect: +20% Cultivation Speed][New Feature Unlocked: Skill Synthesis]
Li Wei stared at the notification."Skill… synthesis?"
A new tab opened in the System interface. Inside were faint outlines of abilities—movement techniques, combat styles, energy manipulation skills.
[Combine Compatible Techniques to Create Unique Skills]
His grin slowly widened.
"That…" he whispered, "is completely unfair."
Eyes in the Dark
Across the outer disciple quarters, a faint pulse of spiritual energy spread through the air.
Chen Hao, meditating in his room, suddenly opened his eyes.
"…What was that?"
He stood and stepped outside onto the platform. The night seemed normal. Quiet. Still.
But he felt it.
Someone had just broken through.Recently. Nearby.
His gaze drifted toward Li Wei's section of the quarters.
A faint frown formed."No…"
There was no way that weak newcomer could advance this quickly.
Still…An uneasy feeling settled in his chest.
Dawn of Confidence
Back inside his room, Li Wei stood slowly.
His entire body felt lighter. Stronger.Alive.
He picked up the Spirit Jade Staff and spun it once experimentally. The motion was smoother than ever, his control precise and effortless.
[Combat Efficiency Increased: +18%]
"Nice," he muttered.
He walked to the small window and looked out over the floating mountains. Dawn's first light crept across the horizon, painting the clouds in gold and pale violet.
In two days, the sect evaluation would begin.Chen Hao would try something.Maybe several things.
But now?
Li Wei wasn't the same weak disciple who arrived days ago.
He had a faster cultivation speed.A stronger core.And a System that kept evolving.
He smiled quietly.
"Let's see how shocked everyone looks… when I rank."
[Main Quest Updated: Pass Sect Evaluation][Bonus Objective: Enter Top 5][Special Condition Unlocked: Shock the Sect]
Li Wei chuckled softly."Top five, huh?"
His eyes sharpened with determination.
"Yeah… I think I can do that."
As sunlight spilled across the sect, illuminating the vast cultivation grounds, one thing became certain:
The evaluation would not go as anyone expected.
And Li Wei…Was about to become impossible to ignore.
Dawn arrived like a blade drawn across the sky.
Li Wei stood at the edge of the inner sect's massive arena, watching as the first rays of sunlight spilled over towering stone pillars and carved dragon statues. The entire mountain seemed to hold its breath.
Today was the evaluation.
Today… everything changed.
The arena stretched farther than he expected — a circular expanse of white jade tiles large enough to hold thousands. Tiered seating rose in perfect rings, already filling with disciples in robes of every color. Gold. Blue. Crimson. Silver. Each hue marked a different faction, a different lineage, a different level of power.
The air hummed with spiritual energy.
And tension.
"Move. Don't block the path."
Li Wei stepped aside as a group of inner disciples strode past him. Their robes shimmered faintly, threads woven with spirit silk. Their auras alone made the surrounding air feel heavier, as if gravity bent around them.
He kept his head slightly lowered.
Not out of submission.
Out of calculation.
Observe first. Act later.
The system flickered faintly in the corner of his vision.
[Main Quest Updated: Survive Sect Evaluation][Secondary Quest: Rank within top 100][Hidden Bonus: Top 10 unlocks exclusive function]
Li Wei nearly stopped walking.
Top ten?
There were thousands participating.
Outer disciples who had trained for years. Inner disciples returning to prove dominance. Even rumored personal students of elders.
And yet the system displayed it casually — as if top ten were merely a matter of effort.
"…You really don't understand the word 'impossible,' do you?" he muttered.
[System Response: Host survival probability increases with ambition]
He almost laughed.
The Arena of Ascension
A thunderous bell echoed across the mountain.
Every conversation died instantly.
At the center of the arena, the air distorted — then split open like torn silk. Three figures descended slowly, suspended above the ground without effort.
Elders.
The pressure that rolled off them wasn't just spiritual.
It was absolute.
Li Wei felt it press against his shoulders like an invisible mountain. Around him, several weaker disciples unconsciously knelt. Others gritted their teeth, forcing themselves to remain standing.
He stayed upright.
Barely.
A tall elder with silver hair stepped forward, his voice carrying effortlessly across the entire arena.
"Annual sect evaluation begins now."
No amplification technique. No shouting.
Yet every word landed clearly in Li Wei's ears.
"This evaluation will determine rankings, resource allocation, and inner sect advancement."
A ripple moved through the crowd.
Resources.
Advancement.
Those words alone were enough to turn allies into enemies.
The elder continued, calm and indifferent.
"Rules are simple. Strength determines position. Position determines future."
A wave of light surged from beneath the arena floor.
Lines carved themselves into the jade tiles, forming hundreds of numbered platforms. Each platform glowed faintly, humming with restrained power.
Li Wei's gaze sharpened.
Formation arrays.
High-grade ones.
If this entire arena was one massive formation…
"…They're serious," he whispered.
"Of course they are."
He turned.
A familiar figure stood a few steps away — tall, composed, dressed in deep blue robes with a sword resting at his hip. His expression carried that same quiet confidence Li Wei remembered.
Chen Yu.
"Didn't think you'd survive long enough to make it here," Chen Yu said lightly.
Li Wei smirked faintly. "I could say the same."
Their eyes met — not hostile.
But not friendly either.
Rivals acknowledging each other.
Chen Yu glanced toward the glowing platforms. "Top hundred advance to inner ranking. Top ten get direct elder attention."
"I heard," Li Wei said.
Chen Yu studied him for a moment. Then, almost casually:
"You're aiming for top ten."
It wasn't a question.
Li Wei didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
Chen Yu gave a quiet chuckle. "Good. It would be boring otherwise."
Assignment Begins
A beam of light shot from the sky, striking the arena's center.
The elder's voice echoed again.
"Step onto a platform."
"Your opponent will be determined by formation."
"Victory advances. Defeat eliminates."
Simple.
Brutal.
Fair.
Li Wei walked forward slowly, scanning the platforms. Each one pulsed with faint symbols — tracking formations that would monitor energy output, movement speed, and impact force.
Not just victory.
Performance mattered.
He stepped onto Platform 73.
The moment his foot touched the jade surface, light surged upward, forming a transparent barrier around the stage.
Across from him, another figure materialized — transported instantly by the formation.
A broad-shouldered disciple holding a heavy spear.
Late-stage Body Tempering realm.
Li Wei's current visible cultivation: early stage.
The opponent grinned when he sensed Li Wei's aura.
"Well, that's unfortunate for you."
Li Wei rolled his shoulders slightly, loosening tension.
First match. Don't reveal everything.
The system flickered.
[Opponent Analysis Complete]Strength: HighSpeed: ModerateTechnique: Basic spear arts]Threat Level: Manageable]
Manageable.
Good.
A gong echoed.
The match began.
First Clash
The spear user moved first.
Fast.
His weapon thrust forward like a streak of steel lightning, piercing toward Li Wei's chest with enough force to shatter stone.
Li Wei stepped aside at the last possible moment.
The spear grazed his sleeve, slicing cloth cleanly.
Gasps rose from nearby platforms.
"He's fast."
"Too fast for early-stage."
Li Wei didn't respond.
He shifted his stance, letting his breathing slow. Every movement of his opponent reflected in his mind — angle, weight distribution, muscle tension.
Prediction.
Timing.
The spear user attacked again — sweeping strike, followed by a thrust.
Li Wei ducked, pivoted, and tapped the spear shaft lightly with two fingers.
A small movement.
But perfectly placed.
The spear user's balance broke for a fraction of a second.
That was enough.
Li Wei stepped inside his guard and delivered a single palm strike to the chest.
Not flashy.
Not explosive.
Precise.
The opponent flew backward, sliding across the platform before crashing against the barrier.
Silence.
Then—
"Platform 73 — Victory: Li Wei."
The barrier dissolved.
Li Wei exhaled slowly.
One match down.
Hundreds to go.
Eyes Turning Toward Him
As he stepped off the platform, he felt it.
Attention.
Dozens of gazes now lingered on him — curious, assessing, cautious. A few elders on the high platform even glanced down briefly before returning to their observations.
Chen Yu stood nearby, arms crossed.
"Clean," he said.
"Efficient," Li Wei replied.
Chen Yu smiled faintly. "You're hiding a lot."
"So are you."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then the arena shifted again.
New platforms lit up.
Next round.
Li Wei looked toward the center of the arena — toward the highest platforms where the strongest disciples would soon clash.
Top ten…
The system pulsed faintly.
[Hidden Function Lock — Condition: Enter Top 10][Reward: Skill Creation Authority Level 1]
His eyes sharpened.
So that's what you're hiding.
A slow smile formed.
Then he stepped forward as the second round began.
This time…
He wouldn't hold back as much.