Part 1
As the first light of dawn appeared, the outer sect martial arena of Azure Cloud Sect was already bustling with activity.
Dozens of outer sect disciples were engaged in their morning training. In the eastern corner of the arena, a thin figure was repeatedly practicing the Azure Cloud Sect's foundational boxing form—the Green Pine Fist.
Su Yan's movements were not fast, even somewhat unpolished, but each stance and strike was exceptionally precise. Sweat soaked his coarse clothes, yet he seemed unaware, his focus entirely on regulating his breathing.
"One hundred and eight times."
He drew back his fists and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. Deep in his dantian, a faint wisp of green spiritual energy lay quietly dormant—that was his superficial cultivation level, Qi Condensation Stage Three. But buried deep beneath that green energy, a dark mass of demonic qi coiled like an abyssal serpent, greedily devouring the scattered spiritual energy around it.
[System Notification: Devouring Demon Body functioning normally. Camouflage module activated. Current status: Perfect concealment.]
Su Yan lowered his eyelids, masking the coldness in his eyes. Next month was the Outer Sect Tournament; the top ten would qualify for inner sect admission. The System's mission required him to become an inner sect disciple within one month. The timing was perfect.
"Junior Brother Su!"
A clear female voice called from behind. By the time Su Yan turned around, his expression had seamlessly shifted to a gentle, slightly shy smile. "Senior Sister Chu."
Chu Yanran, dressed in a goose-yellow long dress, bounded over happily, carrying a food box in her hand. She had now reached Qi Condensation Stage Six, considered rapid progress among inner sect disciples. "You're out here practicing so early again?" She handed him the food box, her eyes bright. "Here, I had the kitchen make some spiritual rice cakes. They help with cultivation."
"Thank you, Senior Sister." Su Yan reached out to take it.
His fingertips accidentally brushed against Chu Yanran's hand. The young woman's cheeks flushed slightly, but she did not pull away.
Deep in his sea of consciousness, the System's voice sounded punctually—
[Target: Chu Yanran—Affection +3. Current affection level: 68 (Friendly).]
[System Analysis: Target has developed preliminary dependence on Host. Recommendation: Increase shared experiences to trigger emotional qualitative change.]
Su Yan's smile remained unchanged, but his heart was utterly unmoved. Chu Yanran's growing fondness had been part of the plan from the very beginning. The sect leader's daughter status would provide him with too many advantages to ignore.
"By the way, Junior Brother Su, I've taken a sect mission—collecting Moonlight Grass in the back mountains." Chu Yanran's voice pulled him back to the present. She bit her lip with a hint of embarrassment. "Moonlight Grass only blooms on the full moon tonight. But the Silverthread Python guarding it is a bit troublesome... Senior Brother Lin is in seclusion right now, breaking through to mid Foundation Building, so I don't want to disturb him. Would you come with me?"
Su Yan's mind stirred slightly. A Silverthread Python was a second-rank demon beast, equivalent to late Qi Condensation stage. Dangerous—but also an opportunity.
"Since Senior Sister needs help, Su Yan will do his utmost." He showed a perfectly calibrated expression—slight hesitation mixed with resolve. "I will protect Senior Sister."
Chu Yanran beamed.
Part 2
Night fell, and the back mountains of Azure Cloud Sect were bathed in silver moonlight.
Su Yan and Chu Yanran walked one behind the other along the mountain path. The System's map function unfolded in Su Yan's mind, marking every life sign within a hundred zhang as red dots.
"Stop." He suddenly reached out and stopped Chu Yanran.
At almost the same moment, three Silverthread Python hatchlings, each as thick as a bowl, burst from the grass ahead.
Su Yan did not speak. His iron sword became a flash of cold light. Using only the Azure Cloud Sect's foundational swordsmanship, fueled by his Qi Condensation Stage Three spiritual energy, he struck with surgical precision at each of the weak points identified by the System's scan.
In less than ten breaths, all three hatchlings lay dead.
[Killed Silverthread Python (hatchling) ×3. Obtained 30 points.]
Chu Yanran stared in disbelief. "Junior Brother Su, your swordsmanship... since when did you become so skilled?"
"Just luck." Su Yan wiped the blood from his blade. "Senior Sister, if the hatchlings are here, the mother python is likely at the bottom of the cliff. We need to be careful."
They arrived at the base of Wangyue Cliff. A python as thick as a water barrel coiled at the cave entrance, its silver rings gleaming coldly in the moonlight. A small protrusion was visible on its head—a sign it was on the verge of transforming into a Flood Dragon. A peak second-rank demon beast, its strength equivalent to early Foundation Building!
"Senior Sister, draw its attention from the front. I'll circle around to the side and collect the Moonlight Grass." Su Yan lowered his voice. "The flowering period lasts only half an hour. We must act fast."
"That's too dangerous! You're only at Qi Condensation Stage Three—"
"Trust me." He looked at her, his eyes sincere. "Senior Sister saved my life. I should at least do something to repay that debt."
This line had been precisely calculated. "Life debt" was the fastest catalyst for building bonds. Chu Yanran bit her lip, then finally drew her sword and charged forward.
Part 3
Although Chu Yanran had reached Qi Condensation Stage Six, she lacked combat experience. She was quickly driven into a desperate corner by the Silverthread Python. Caught off guard, she was struck on the shoulder by the python's tail. With a grunt, she staggered back several steps, a thread of blood seeping from her lips.
By this time, Su Yan had used the Shadowstep technique—purchased with his accumulated points—to scale the cliff face like a monkey. He collected the faintly glowing Moonlight Grass into a jade box.
By all logic, with the objective secured, he could simply withdraw. Whether Chu Yanran lived or died—what did it matter to him? Standing on the cliff wall, he looked down coldly at the girl struggling below.
Chu Yanran glanced back toward the cliff. Her eyes held no reproach for his delay in coming to help—only pure concern. She was checking whether he had safely collected the grass.
Su Yan's movement paused for a fraction of a second. A sudden image flashed through his mind: in his dying world, his emaciated mother had looked at him with those same eyes as she pressed the last sip of water into his hands.
"Damn it."
He muttered under his breath and leaped from the cliff wall!
Midair, a black pill appeared in his hand—an Explosive Qi Pill.
The pill dissolved in his stomach, and wild spiritual energy exploded through his body. Su Yan released his suppression of the demonic qi in his dantian—thirty percent, fifty percent, seventy percent!
A dark light shimmered over his iron sword. He descended like a black meteor, striking precisely at the python's reverse scale—the weak point at its seventh segment!
The overwhelming demonic qi surged through the blade and into the python, instantly destroying its life force. The Silverthread Python let out a piercing screech, its massive body thrashing violently as its tail slammed into Su Yan.
Su Yan was hurled against the cliff wall, blood spraying from his mouth, but he held the sword hilt firmly, refusing to let go.
Ten breaths later, the giant python collapsed.
[Killed Silverthread Python (peak second-rank)—exceeded rank. Obtained 200 points.]
[Detected intense emotional fluctuation in Target: Chu Yanran. Affection +20. Current affection level: 88 (Intimate).]
Su Yan knelt on one knee, gasping for breath. The side effects of the Explosive Qi Pill were setting in; his meridians burned with tearing pain. He endured it, forcing the trace of demonic qi that had escaped back deep into his dantian.
"Junior Brother Su!"
Chu Yanran rushed over and grabbed his arm. Her hands were trembling violently, tears streaming down her face.
"Are you all right? That energy you released just now—"
"It was an Explosive Qi Pill." Su Yan smiled bitterly, his face deathly pale. "A life-saving trump card I happened to acquire while fleeing. Senior Sister, please keep this a secret. If the sect found out I used a demonic pill that damages one's foundation..."
"I will never tell!" Chu Yanran gripped his arm tightly. "You risked all that to save me... how could you be so foolish!"
As the System's cold notification of "affection surge" sounded in his mind, Su Yan lowered his eyes, letting his pale face appear even more fragile. "Senior Sister, I got the grass. Let's go back quickly."
Chu Yanran took the jade box, looking at him with a voice thick with emotion but firm resolve. "Junior Brother Su, when we return, I will definitely beg my father to make an exception and take you into the inner sect!"
"No need." Su Yan shook his head, gazing toward Azure Cloud Sect's central peak. A gleam of determination flickered deep in his eyes. "I will earn my place through my own strength. I will take first place in the Outer Sect Tournament."
Part 4
On the way back, Chu Yanran held Su Yan's arm tightly, as if afraid he might disappear if she let go.
Halfway down the mountain, she suddenly stopped. Moonlight fell on her flushed cheeks and earnest eyes. "Junior Brother Su... please don't risk your life for me like that again. Your life is as important as mine."
Su Yan was silent for a moment. Then he smiled—a smile that, on his pale face, looked exceptionally warm. "To me, Senior Sister is truly very important."
This was a sincere statement. Because a tool with affection level 88 was indeed very important.
Chu Yanran's face reddened further. She lowered her head and gave a soft "mm."
It was late night by the time they returned to the outer sect quarters. Su Yan took healing pills and sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing. Feeling the demonic qi inside him, now somewhat stronger, his expression remained blank.
He opened the System interface and used the points earned tonight to exchange for an advanced Shadowstep technique manual.
By the time dawn broke in the east, he had already practiced Shadowstep to a preliminary level of mastery.
He pushed open the window. The morning breeze brushed his face. Su Yan gazed at the gradually brightening sky, his eyes betraying no fatigue—only the cold, mechanical focus of a machine.
First place in the Outer Sect Tournament. He would take it. The gears of Azure Cloud Sect's fate were accelerating beneath his feet.
Part 5
Meanwhile, in the cultivation cave on Azure Cloud Sect's central peak.
Lin Yue suddenly snapped open his eyes!
His breathing was slightly rapid, a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. In that moment just now, during his meditation, he had sensed something—an incredibly faint, yet deeply unsettling fluctuation of energy.
The energy had come from the direction of the back mountains. It did not belong to Azure Cloud Sect's righteous path, nor to the raw brutality of ordinary demon beasts. It was something else... a coldness so absolute it seemed capable of consuming heaven and earth.
As a sword cultivator who had honed the Azure Cloud Art through years of relentless training, Lin Yue's intuition far surpassed ordinary cultivators. He rose and walked to the cave window, his brow deeply furrowed as he gazed toward the dark back mountains.
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock came at the cave entrance.
Pushing aside the unease in his heart, Lin Yue opened the door. An outer sect disciple presented a folded note with both hands. "Senior Brother Lin, Senior Sister Chu asked me to send this to let you know she is safe."
Lin Yue unfolded the note. On it was Chu Yanran's crooked handwriting:
"Senior Brother, Junior Brother Su and I went to the back mountains to collect Moonlight Grass. We encountered a small problem, but everything went smoothly! Don't worry—focus on your seclusion!"
Lin Yue stared at the words "Junior Brother Su" on the paper. His brow relaxed slightly, but the unease in his heart was like a stone dropped into a lake, sending ripples through his thoughts.
That boy, so quiet he left no openings. Those eyes, deep as an unfathomable pool. And that fleeting, chilling ripple of energy from the back mountains just now.
Lin Yue folded the note carefully and tucked it into his robe.
The morning mist was clearing, the seven peaks emerging in the dawn light. Everything seemed as usual.
But he did not know that at the very moment he turned back to resume his meditation, in a small room in the outer sect, a young boy was also gazing toward the central peak.
The boy's lips curved slightly upward.
It might have been a smile. Or it might have been the expression of someone contemplating a deadly game of chess, with the first move already made.