《I Can Do Anything?》 The World Is Perfect. "17 points, low-grade talent, Zi Rougang, pass." "23 points, medium-grade talent, Zuo Lingxin, pass." "Oh great heavens! 40 points! Superior-grade talent! Xun Shi, pass!" In the Great Whirlwind Sect, children around the age of 13 are gathered around a podium, waiting for the sect elder to call out their names and cultivation talents, seeing if they can pass their way into the sect. Xun Shi grabs his blue sect token with a smug grin, looking down at the rest of the awaiting kids with arrogance. "Brother Long, your son is absolutely incredible, showing immense talent in literacy and art from a young age, he was bound to have a high cultivation talent!" A crowd is formed behind the awaiting kids, made up of adults from clans, parents, invited guests, and rogue cultivators waiting to scavenge the useless children who didn''t make it in. In the front of the crowd, two cultivators from different clans discuss, the former being the one who just spoke, Liu Chen, and the latter, the one being flattered, is the father of Xun Shi, Xun Long. Xun Long smirks, clearly enjoying this praise, "Now now, brother Chen, my son is obviously a great talent, but let''s just wait for your son, I expect him to be an equal to my son." Liu Chen''s face falls secretly. "You bastard, you know damn well my son doesn''t match yours!" While on the surface, Liu Chen smiles warmly and continues praising Xun Long. An awaiting child at the back, around 13 years old with long dark hair and grey robes smiles widely at Xun Shi. "Yep, you''re definitely the protagonist of this world, superior-grade talent, really?" "Xuan Wu, 11 points, low-grade talent, barely passable." Xuan Wu nervously laughs as he steps up to the stage behind the elder, warmly greeting each cold-faced disciple seated on the stage. He takes a seat at the back, looking around before finally looking up at his Ultimate Cheat System. Xuan Wu wasn''t a native of this world, he actually came from earth, he was an ordinary man, working at an ordinary office job before he got struck down by a truck shaped lightning bolt, he ended up transmigrating to the Fire Haven World, where spiritual energy exists in the air, and practitioners can use this energy to cultivate, making their bodies stronger and lifespan longer. Arriving here was scary, he was a peasant of the Azure Blade Kingdom for about a few months, until he randomly acquired the Ultimate Cheat System. And just when he was about to check out the Ultimate Cheat System, a sect disciple showed up at the kingdom to find potential cultivators, using a talent stone. Now that he finally has a moment of peace, he can check out this Ultimate Cheat System. There were multiple tabs once he opened it. [Ultimate Cheat System] [You] [People] [World] The rest of the tabs were locked, ignoring that, Xuan Wu clicked on the ''You'' tab [Xuan Wu] [Title: None] [Age: 13/80] Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. [Race: Human] [Cultivation: None/Mortal] [Innate Talent/s: Trash-low grade cultivation talent] [Abilities: None] [Click to activate cheats] Xuan Wu''s face was very dark until he saw the last tab. "Click to cheat?" Ding! A loud sound was heard, the cold-faced disciples immediately stood up to see where it came from. The sect elder, who was appraising the last few kids, turned around and yelled at them to sit down. A single drop of sweat falls down Xuan Wu''s face. "How could you be so loud?" A shock was felt, Xuan Wu turned to the system, in which the cheats were now turned on. [Xuan Wu] [Title: Cheater. Effects: You are declared by the system as a cheater, people who lose against you will get the feeling that you cheated them, and will sometimes not accept their loss. Your providence and luck has shot down to the bottom.] [Age: 13/18. +/-] [Race: Human. +/-.] [Cultivation: none/Mortal. +/-] [Innate talent/s: Trash-low grade cultivation talent. +/-] [Abilities: None. +/-] Xuan Wu was confused before noticing the new plus and minus symbols. His breathing quickened as he click the ''+'' symbol next to cultivation. [Human Cultivation] [None, Qi Gathering, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core...] Xuan Wu nearly passed out at the sight of this. "I can have any cultivation I want!?" A child no more than 12 seated next to Xuan Wu raised an annoying eye at him. "No you cannot, idiot, you must cultivate diligently and obtain the opportunities the heavens grant you gratefully in order to raise your cultivation, are you a moron?" He raises his black glasses further up his nose, laughing at Xuan Wu''s antics. Dong Shui, the smug smartass suddenly decides it would be a good idea to let the other disciples know of this fool, lest they get caught up in his antics. "Hey, you know that confused looking fella over there? Yeah, don''t go near him...." Xuan Wu''s face turns red. "Why you, smartass bastards always jumping to conclusions, well lets just see if my system has anything for my vengeance!" Xuan Wu clicks out of the ''You'' tab, then goes into the ''People'' tab. [Scanning surrounding people, please wait.] [1%...][2%...][3%...][4%...][5%...][6%...][7%...][8%...][9%...][10%...][11%...][12%...][13%...][14%...][15%...][16%...][17%...][18%...][19%...][20%...][21%...][22%...][23%...][24%...][25%...][26%...][27%...][28%...][29%...][30%...][31%...][32%...][33%...][34%...][35%...][36%...][37%...][38%...][39%...][40%...][41%...][42%...][43%...][44%...][45%...][46%...][47%...][48%...][49%...][50%...][51%...][52%...][53%...][54%...][55%...][56%...][57%...][58%...][59%...][60%...][61%...][62%...][63%...][64%...][65%...][66%...][67%...][68%...][69%...][70%...][71%...][72%...][73%...][74%...][75%...][76%...][77%...][78%...][79%...][80%...][81%...][82%...][83%...][84%...][85%...][86%...][87%...][88%...][89%...][90%...][91%...][92%...][93%...][94%...][95%...][96%...][97%...][98%...][99%...][100%...] [Surroundings scanned.] After a couple of minutes, the system finally scans everyone within a kilometre. [Check People] [Activate Cheats] An evil laugh comes out of Xuan Wu as his gnarly finger touches on the ''Activate Cheats'' button. Another sharp ding comes out, this time being louder, thankfully everyone ignores it. Xuan Wu then clicks the ''Check People'' tab, opening up a list. People around a radius of a kilometre from Xuan Wu pops up in the tab. Their portraits are shown, with a name next to them [Xun Shi, Liu Huan, Jin Xia... Dong Shui] As Xuan Wu''s eyes scan the people, he eventually falls on Dong Shui''s portrait. "There you are!" "Liu Huan, 37 points, high-grade talent! Amazing, pass!" The elder calls out the last awaiting disciple, Liu Chen''s son. Xun Long laughs as the elder calls on Liu Huan, knowing from the start that his son was the best here. "Oh! Liu Chen, why the long face?" He laughs as he pats Liu Chen''s back, offering false consolation. "Look, high-grade talent is still amazing, sure it might be worse than my dear Xun Shi, but you need to see the good in life." Liu Chen clenches his teeth, forcing himself to nod at Xun Long''s words. Xun Shi carries a proud face as he follows the elder into the sect, along with all the awaiting disciples. The scavengers, rogue cultivators who take in wastes with trash-grade talents, already start to gather around the failed children. Parents depart, some with sad faces, some with wide grins. Invited guests and clan members follow another elder to hold the Disciple Ceremony, where disciples get chosen into different peaks and maybe even have a chance to get a master. Xuan Wu grins maliciously at Dong Shui, now in a friend group of 5, full of smug bastards. "My dear Dong Shui, today you will learn to never judge someone!" No Its Not. "My dear Dong Shui, today you will learn to never judge someone based on their words, hehe" Xuan Wu looks towards his system, already having the perfect plan for vengeance. "Senior brother Dong Shui, even if you aren''t my senior, I''ll still call you that!" A big man, 13, around 6''5 ft in height, praises Dong Shui. "Haha, Feng Zhi, the great man you are, always praising us" Lei Ming smirks, giving Feng Zhi a pat on the back. The group laughs together as they follow the sect elder. Xuan Wu looks around, it seems majority of the disciples have gotten into teams. He grits his teeth. "That damn Dong Shui, gossiping and starting rumors, look, everyone''s separated themselves from me!" Xuan Wu looks at the system. [Dong Shui] [Title: None] [Age: 12/80 +/-] [Race: Human +/-] [Cultivation: None/Mortal +/-] [Innate Talent/s...] Xuan Wu nods at the system. "It seems it''s similar to my stats, just has... more." He looks down. [Personality: Troublemaker, smartass... +/-] [Kinks: ... +/-] [Inventory: ... +/-] ... "Oh Dong Shui, you poor, poor soul. If you had just minded your own business, none of this would be happening! Well, guess you just had to do it, and now, I have to do this." Xuan Wu puts his hands together in praying, praying for Dong Shui. "The Heavenly Dao, if you can hear me, please have mercy on Dong Shui for what I''m about to do." Dong Shui minds his business, chatting with his friend-group, excited for the Disciple Ceremony. A gnarly, evil finger reaches towards the ''Kinks'' tab. "Hehe, system, you definitely knew what you were doing with this..." (+/-) [Kinks:] [None] "Hehe, first, let''s add a little humiliation kink." [Kinks:] [Humiliation] "Now, let''s alter his personality a bit." [Personality] [Troublemaker, Smartass...] "How about a little..." [Troublemaker, Smartass, Glutton, Disrespectful (Towards Elders)...] "Now, he''ll mess up before he knows it, and get kicked out... I don''t want to be too rude." Xuan Wu closes the system and continues walking, the group of disciples nearly having reached the Disciple Ceremony. Dong Shui suddenly feels a change, like he wants people to laugh at him, and also feels like smacking the back of the sect elder''s head. "Hehe, maybe my new friends will accept me a bit more if I do that... maybe at the disciple ceremony" Dong Shui giggles to himself, already having the perfect plan. The sect elder is probably low-ranking after all. Liu Chen, Xun Long, and the other clan members and invited guests arrive at the Ceremonial building. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The sect elder they''ve been following with a hood speaks. "Bow towards the sect leader." Each person, whether they are in a small clan or large, each bow towards the figure standing with his hands behind his back. The sect leader ponders, looking towards the three statues of each sect founder. "Oh ancestor, I thank you for rewarding us with a superior-grade talent..." He mumbles to himself. Outside, the group of disciples arrive at the Ceremonial Building. The sect elder speaks, staring at each disciple. "The first rule in the ceremonial grounds." "Be quiet." "The second." "Respect your elders." Dong Shui feels a shudder run through him, quickly dismissing it, as each newly admitted disciple enters the Ceremonial Building. The building from the outside looks like a pagoda, with the inside being a square hall. Tables are lined with dishes, and three large statues are placed at the front. With a stage in front of them. The balconies to the sides of the hall contain clan members and invited guests, drinking wine and chatting. Meanwhile the stage at the front contains 8 Peak Elders, presumably there to allocate each disciple into a peak. As the crowd of disciples gathers in front of the stage, a terrifying coercion is felt. THUMP Each disciple kneels, their heads hitting the ground. The supreme elder next to the sect leader presses the disciples down with his aura. BOOM The first disciple, Xiong Nuan, with medium-grade talent falls, giving up. Then the second. Then the third. A wave of disciples start falling. Xuan Wu struggles to keep his head up as the coercion progressively gets stronger. [Detected coercion threatening host, eradicate it?] "No... I... need to keep... being... low¡ª" Xuan Wu''s head crashes to the carpet. Then the coercion fades. The supreme elder nods. "We''ve got quite some talents here, I''d say." Xun Shi and Liu Huan both, with the highest talent stay with their heads up, blood flowing down their foreheads. "Arise." The sect leader commands, and each disciple feels a wave of healing power, erasing away the pain caused by the coercion. Xuan Wu grumbles as he stands up and swipes the dust off of his shoulder. "I could''ve eradicated your weak coercion, you''re lucky I''m being low profile." The sect leader turns around. He has a face taunted by time, long dark hair reaching his shoulders. Wearing commanding white robes. His eyes sparkle with a long lost thirst for battle. "Disciples. Welcome to your Disciple Ceremony." He raises his arms, and each peak elder introduces themselves. The first to step out is Lady Yi Na. She bows humbly towards the disciples, even though she is a far higher cultivation. The disciples already get excited, partly because of her good looks and the other part because of her modesty. "I am Lady Yi Na, the Peak Elder of Serenity Peak. We cultivate peacefully, unbothered by worldly affairs." Then the next introduces himself, Elder Lu Peng. And then the next. "...The Strength Peak..." "...Virility Peak..." After each Peak Elder introduces themselves, the sect leader continues. "You, you children will have to choose one. Whether you get accepted or not is up to the peak elder." The five children, including Dong Shui, each step up to choose their peak. Dong Shui, the leader of the friend group speaks. "We''ll go to the Clan Peak, a Peak specializing in friendship values and teamwork? Perfect for us!" Then the next group, a group of 4. "We''ll choose the Virility peak..." Eventually, the disciple numbers dwindle down as they go to their respective peaks. Xun Shi and Li Huan are some of the last to choose their peaks. Xun Shi shouts, "I''ll go to the Sword Peak!" Li Huan shouts, "I''ll go to the Spear peak!" Each at the same time, they depart to their respective elders. Xuan Wu humbly follows Xun Shi to the Sword Peak. "Better follow the supposed protagonist of this world if I want to keep a low-profile, maybe I''ll even become a side character!" Just as Xun Shi is about to enter the crowd behind the Sword Peak elder, Zeng Su, he puts out a hand in front of Xun Shi. With a smug frown. "Why should I let a low-grade talent into my Sword Peak?" Xuan Wu''s face turns red "Oh yeah? He wants to challenge me? Syst¡ª" "Let him in." Xun Shi says nonchalantly, cutting him off. "I see the potential in him." The Sword Peak Elder steps aside. "Whatever the superior-grade talent says, I suppose." He crosses his arms as Xuan Wu enters the crowd. "None of you get how hard it is restraining myself from using the Cheat System!" Xuan Wu grumbles to himself angrily, settling into the crowd of arrogant sword cultivating bastards. Li Huan and Xun Shi glare at each other, sparks floating as they have a mental battle. Dong Shui, the bastard speaks in the middle of intermission. "Haha, it seems the idiot got a free pass into the Sword Peak, how nice of them." He''s obviously talking about Xuan Wu. The Clan Peak Elder, Cao Qiu, grabs Dong Shui by the back of his head, lifting Dong Shui up to face him. "What are our core values?" He shouts in Dong Shui''s face. Being lifted in front of everyone like this, surely the victim would feel humiliation. But... Dong Shui suddenly blushes, submitting instantly to the Elder. "I-I''m sorry elder, our core values are t-to prioritise friendship and teamwork." He says shyly. Cao Qiu senses something wrong, but continues to show an example out of Dong Shui. "Well you disrespected those very values, calling your fellow sect member an ''idiot'', go kneel towards him!" A collection of gasps ring out. Xuan Wu grins. "I''m starting to like this elder, maybe I should give you an opportunity, hehe" Most, if not every disciples posed with that order would definitely try to get their way out of it. But not the recently-changed Dong Shui. Without even considering it, he runs up to Xuan Wu and gets on his knees, even kowtowing towards him. "I apologise, senior brother, please punish this idiotic junior!" Another collection of gasps, followed by murmurs of disgust ring out. Cao Qiu, already regretting making an example out of Dong Shui, floats over to him and picks him up, throwing him back into the Clan Peak crowd, where each disciple distances themselves from him, while he giggles to himself. "Damn it, did I pick up a kinky disciple or what!?" The sect leader abruptly turns towards the disciples, suddenly shouting. "DUCK¡ª" What Makes You Say That? ... "DUCK!" The ceiling suddenly collapses, shrapnel flying everywhere, while fire burns outside of the sect. Dark clouds loom ahead as each disciple stands up fearfully. The ones who were unfortunate were crushed by the falling ceiling. Li Huan takes a step back, trembling unconditionally. A cold sweat seeps down his pale face. "What''s wrong... Sect Master, w-what''s going on¡ª" CRASH! BOOM! A flash of red lightning descends, and a man dressed in dark red robes descends. His wild mane of red hair flings around, while his tongue slides over his sharp fangs glinting in the chaos. "Haha, old friend Gao Yong, or should I say sect leader of the Great Whirlwind sect?" He grins maliciously Sect leader Gao Yong''s eyes narrow, his feet leaving the ground as he slowly hovers to the mysterious trespasser''s height. "What is your business here, Zhan Qing, sect master of the Scarlet Blood sect. Why are you causing chaos in my sect?" "To pay a lifelong debt!" A red wave suddenly gets shot towards Gao Yong, resulting in Gao Yong throwing up a wall of gnarled tree branches, effectively blocking the wave. They engage in a terrific fight, with Gao Yong flying higher in order to avoid further destruction of the sect, Zhan Qing follows. Li Huan kneels on one leg, eyeing demonic beasts and disciples from the demonic sect flooding into the sect grounds, his vision getting blurry. Suddenly, he feels a cold hand on his back. It''s Xun Shi. "There''s no time for being afraid. Come on, we''re the leaders of this new generation, lets help our fellow disciples." Ignoring rivalries, they stand up together and start command their fellow disciples currently in chaos. "Get into groups, each of you, we''ll handle this orderly." Li Huan''s eyes flash as he takes note of Xun Shi''s leadership abilities. He joins in¡ªrounding the disciples up into groups. Disciples from the inner court arrive, along with sect elders. At the front is a heroic disciple wearing pure white robes, with long tidy hair and blue eyes. Following him is a cold beauty and a muscular brown-robed inner disciple. They ride swords as the arrive at the scene. The heroic disciple waves his right hand at the new disciples, his robes billowing in the wind. "There''s no time to explain, I am the top inner court disciple, Tian Baijie." The newer disciples eyes gleam at the sight of him, while some of the girls already start to fawn over him. Xuan Wu''s eyebrow raises as he hears a system notification. "Ah, I see." If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He dashes towards the exit of the pagoda while the sect is still in disorder. While the newer disciples get into groups, the demonic beasts and disciples break through. "Give me your life!" A man similar to Tian Baijie, yet the opposite of righteous, dashes up to Tian Baijie and engages in a battle. The top inner court disciples of the Scarlet Blood Sect start fighting the top inner court disciples of the Great Whirlwind Sect, and the inner disciples and outer disciples that have arrived fight the other party. The demonic beasts get ganged on by a couple of Great Whirlwind Disciples. "Blood!". "Guts!". "Bones!". Some of the Scarlet Blood disciples carry red war-flags, with souls of fallen Great Whirlwind Sect disciples getting sucked into them. "Damn it, damn it, I can''t do anything". Xun Shi struggles, his breaths coming in fast and short. He gets a pat on the back from Li Huan. "We may not be cultivators yet, but we can still help. We should be the role-models the other disciples want us to be, as we have the highest cultivation talent after all." Xun Shi''s eyes widen, seeing Li Huan in a new light. He grins, "Come on, help the panicking disciples.". Walking towards a group of pale-faced disciples, he turns to Li Huan "Me and you together.". Dong Shui stands at the front of his fearful friend-group, his black glasses cracked, tilting off one side of his face. A rabid demonic beast, a dog, foaming at the mouth corners them. Feng Zhi, the big and tall disciple, is seated at the back of the group, with a stone spike penetrating his stomach. Two friends are giving him care, while the last cowers at the back, he hugs his knees as he cries silently. "I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home.". He cradles himself, locking in a fetal position. Dong Shui stands, facing the rabid dog, holding a rock in his trembling left hand. "Y-you, if you step any closer, just know¡ªI''m not afraid to fight!" Meanwhile, a knife pierces an outer Great Whirlwind disciples heart, leaving him to fall onto the dusty ground in a pool of blood. The Scarlet Blood disciple pauses¡ªraising his eyebrow. "You... Aren''t you one of those new disciples?" CRASH! Tian Baijie falls to the earthy ground, vomiting blood. He wipes his mouth with his hand, getting back into position for his Seven Heavens Saber technique. "Tao Wu, you dare! Fourth Heaven stance¡ªVengeful Wolf!" Tian Baijie lowers himself to the ground, standing like a wolf looking down at his prey, before dashing quickly towards Tao Wu. BAM! Meanwhile, in another corner of the fallen pagoda, the two sect leaders battle it out. "Your tyranny ends here, Zhan Qing, let the innocent souls rest!" Zhan Qing, currently locked in a bundle of branches, groans as red veins pop up on his face. "NNNNNNNNNEVER!!!!" A wave of red light flashes through, breaking the branches. "Scarlet Demon Transformation! Purge this world of all good!" Zhan Qing suddenly transforms into a grotesque demon, standing at around 7 ft, with dark red skin, gouged out eyes, replaced by demonic horns, with a muscular build. In a flash of red light, he almost teleports to the Whirlwind Sect Leader, knocking the Sect Leader up into the sky, before pursuing him. The newer disciples successfully get into groups, the numbers dwindling into the 20s. Xun Shi takes deep, effective breaths as he counts. "Haah, majority of the disciples either died, betrayed us, or ran." He looks towards the exit of the pagoda, where he saw that one disciple he helped¡ªXuan Wu, run away. He spits on the barren ground. "Pussies." Li Huan laughs, trying to boost the groups morale. "It''s alright, as long as we''re alive, that''s all that matters. Now, just let our senior brothers and sisters finish the job and we''ll be oka¡ª" CRASH The ice cold senior sister from before hits the ground, sending a wave of dust towards the new disciples. She looks up with pleading, tearful eyes, shaking her head as a red spike impales her. Li Huan and Xun Shi tremble as they watch the life fade from her eyes. She was just in this world a few moments ago... A Scarlet Blood disciple laughs as he descends. "Pitiful whore, she couldn''t even take five hits from me!" He starts walking towards his body. "Don''t." Xuan Wu starts shaking. Li Huan shudders as he takes a step back. "You... weren''t you the one fighting elder brother Baiji?" He turns pale at the words he wanted to hear the least. "Him? Yeah, he''s dead." His knees fail, falling to the ground. "It''s over, it''s all over.". The scarlet blood disciple licks his lips as he eyes the cold senior sister''s body. "What a waste, she would''ve been a delightful treat." "YOU BASTARD!" Xun Shi dashes at the Scarlet Blood disciple, Fu Xia, not caring of the power difference. "Oh? What a courageous one, standing up for your fellow disciples, I commend you." PSSHT SQUELCH In a matter of seconds, Xun Shi explodes into blood mist, the wind pushing it all onto Li Huan. Li Huan, with wide eyes, slowly wipes the blood from his face. "You¡ª" PSSHT a bundle of guts hits the floor as Li Huan gets eradicated from this world. BOOM Sect Master Gao Yong hits the ground. His eyes are lifeless, and he has several limbs missing. There is a hole going straight through him where his heart is supposed to be. "That''s all?" Evil And Good, Agathokakological, Perfection Is Incommensurable ... "That''s all?" Xun Shi breathes in sharply, a cold sweat all over his body, his face is pale, like the face of a man who just experienced death. He looks around, all of the other recently-admitted disciples seem to also be awakening from a state of death. He looks towards the Spear Peak. Li Huan is just as shocked as him, visibly trembling while looking at his hands. Xun Shi stands up, slowly turning towards the sect leader. The sect leader, Gao Yong, is currently seated on a throne, sipping on tea calmly, like nothing even happened. "Really, that''s all?" Xun Shi proceeds to look at his surroundings, everything is perfectly fine¡ªthe ceiling is intact, the red carpet unmoving. It''s like it was all a dream... like it was all an¡ª "...illusion! It was all an illusion!" Xun Shi stutters out, subconsciously turning towards the sect leader again. The sect leader smiles. "That''s right, my child." He stands up from his stone throne, robes billowing and arms behind his back, looking like a true sect master. "S-so nothing really happened?" Xun Shi exasperated. The sect leader starts walking down from his throne. "Nothing ever happens." The other disciples still need time to recover, seeing as they all just experienced death for the first time. Sect leader Gao Yong presses his hands against the cold stone ground, a rumble sounds out before a twig grows from a crack in the stone. CRK The twig grows before Xun Shi''s very eyes, turning into twisted dark staff, with a drooping leaf at the end. He raises the staff with two hands, slamming it down softly onto the stone ground. A bright green circle weaves into existence around the slam point, then starts growing and expanding, covering every disciple in its area of effect. Every disciple feels like they''re floating, the memories of the illusion quickly getting tossed into the back of their memories. ... "Wah, I thought I died!" Zi Rougang hugs Zuo Lingxing, both of them crying. All of these newer disciples, after all, are 12-13 years of age. ... Dong Shui heaves a deep breath, looking at his friends. Then they all go in for a group hug. Feng Zhi, the tallest out of all the new disciples, touches at the spot where the stone spike penetrated his stomach. "Woah... it''s like... I can still feel it, like a phantom pain." Dong Shui smiles. "Same here." He flexes his left arm. "I could''ve swore that dog bit my arm off..." ... Xuan Wu blinks. Out of every disciple, he''s the one with the least of a reaction. That was because he knew all along... ... Xuan Wu''s eyebrow raises as he hears a system notification. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. [An Illusion is in effect, would you like to remove it?] "Ah, I see." Xuan Wu looks at the surrounding chaos with a smirk. "You idiots, this is obviously all an illusion!" Xuan Wu laughs, pondering. "Why not take this time to explore the sect?" He dashes towards the exit of the pagoda while the sect is still in disorder. The sect grounds are currently on fire, with chaos raging at every corner. Demonic beasts and demonic disciples rush towards the ceremonial pagoda. Xuan Wu runs right past them, without them even noticing. "I guess this is a planned illusion." Looking around, he dashes towards a distant short mountain. ... Arriving at the short mountain, Xuan Wu takes time to explore it, before eventually finding a cave. "Hm? Is this a secret area?" Stepping inside a cave, it feels damp, like being inside of a body of water. It''s warm... but cold at the same time. Reaching further into the cave, Xuan Wu takes a look at a skeleton seated there, all alone, in this damp and dark cave. A single light illuminates the skeleton. He reaches further, wanting to touch the skeleton. "You aren''t supposed to be here." The skeleton snaps its head up, looking straight at Xuan Wu. ... "So there''s a secret area? And a creepy old skeleton?" Xuan Wu rubs his hands together. "Hehe, treasures, although I could get anything with my Cheat System, it''s better to work hard for something, so you don''t get bored quickly." Xuan Wu looks towards the sect leader as he continues talking. "As you all know, this was all a test, an illusion. It was meant to test your response to an immediate attack." Sect leader Gao Yong nods at Xun Shi and Liu Huan, seeing as they took a leadership position in the chaos. Xun Shi and Liu Huan get visibly excited, obtaining praise from the sect leader. "The three tests of whirlwind. You may have heard of them before, you may have not." The crowd whispers. "The three tests of whirlwind? Never heard of them before." "Same... is sect leader talking about the test we just went through?" "This...! I''ve heard of them before, my father explained it briefly to me, but next exposed what was contained in them." A fatty named Ziu Wang brags about it. The crowd abruptly quiets down with a raise of one of the supreme elder''s hands. The sect leader continues walking down. He puts one finger up. "The first, cultivation talent. We use a talent stone to discover which one of youse has a spiritual root, then use the spiritual crystal at the sect examinations to evaluate your spirit root score and talent." He puts another finger up "The second, was supreme elder Peng Tao''s coercion." Sect leader Gao Yong nods towards a scary-looking supreme elder, with long white eyebrows and a messy beard. The supreme elder nods back. "It was a test of your willpower, seeing how easily you submit to threats." He nods to Xun Shi and Liu Huan once again. Now, Xun Shi and Liu Huan can brag to their kids when they get old all the time. ... "You know, the great sect leader once praised us two times. TWO TIMES! And you know how powerful he was?" Xun Shi and Liu Huan''s kids jaw''s drop at their grandparents, with Liu Huan and Xun Shi both laughing. ... The sect leader puts the final finger up, making a "three" finger sign. "And finally, the third test. I was a test of loyalty, seeing how you would do in a moment of chaos. Under supreme elder Hao Yan''s illusion, everything feels extremely realistic." He nods towards the other supreme elder, Hao Yan. "Now..." A total of seven disciples get lifted by tree branches out of nowhere, and get thrown towards the front. "Mind explaining yourselves?" A collection of gasps ring out. "These must be the traitors! Yeah, I know that guy, he started kissing the demonic forces feet!" Fatty Wang angrily points a finger at one of the kneeling traitors. The supposed one who tried to ''kiss the demonic forces feet'' tries to explain himself. "I- You know I didn''t¡ª" The sect leader responds in a solemn voice. "Harbouring bad intentions, betraying to another sect, it''s all wrong." He starts walking in circles around them. He glares angrily at the seven apprehended disciples, each one''s blood running cold, faces as pale as snow. "But." He stops. "I understand you. You were fighting a losing battle, of course you would try to side with the enemy forces." He strokes his long beard. "But, this... is still unacceptable." One of the apprehended disciples, Cheng Lian, tries to argue. "I-We''re sorry sect leader, I know what we did was unacceptable, and we take full accountability of that, if you would just let us have another chance..." The sect leader pauses, considering her words. The kneeling disciples all gasp, turning towards Cheng Lian and fawning over her. "Senior sister, you''re my senior sister now!" "What a great lady, you see, my brother is a rich man, maybe I could get you guys into contact?" "If we really escape this predicament, I''ll throw the biggest party for you!" Cheng Lian smirks to herself. She has blonde hair, wearing tight fitting black clothing, with a knife strapped to her waist, looking like an assassin. "Hmm... Cheng Lian, a girl from an assassin clan. Of course her first instinct would be to betray the sect... but stabbing a fellow disciple? Not even the others resorted to that." The sect leader ponders to himself. "Well, you''re all free to go. You do have a strike against you though, so leave with caution." He waves his right arm, and each apprehended disciple stands up, obviously happy. "Thank you so much, senior sister!" The other 7 continue fawning over Chen Lian, even as they walk down the stairs to their respective peaks. Fatty Wang eyes the ''feet kissing traitor'', his narrow eyes narrowing even further. "I''ll get you sooner or later, you traitor. His fat jiggles as he sharply turns his head and crosses his arms, like a cute tsundere girl. Xuan Wu strokes his chin, looking at the system panel that just popped up. "Interesting..." [Detected seal deeply implanted into your soul, would you like to eradicate it?] In My Eyes, The World Is Perfect. ... Deep under the sect, in a dark room, lit only by a few torches, the highest council of the Great Whirlwind Sect sit around a stone circular table. The Elites. "Gao Yong. You let those kids off too easily." An old hooded figure with a sagging face speaks. His voice is monotone, lacking emotion. Elite elder Ghoul Ru looks straight at sect leader Gao Yong with dark, hooded eyes, then turns his attention to the green-skinned Elder Xiang Lin. A muscular elder with green skin speaks. One of his eyes are shut, and the other eye''s pupil looks lost, moving from side to side. "Burp... I agree with Ghoul Ru, they were traitors, Gao Yong." He slams his palm on the stone table. "And you know what you do to traitors? Gurgle... gurgle... you massacre them." The sight of Elder Xiang Lin would make any person with a weak stomach throw up immediately, he is the epitome of grossness. Sect leader Gao Yong responds in a serene manner, his shut eyes unmoving as he sips some green tea. The room goes silent as Gao Yong speaks. "They were kids. It was the obvious thing to do, giving them a strike is enough¡ª" THWACK The sound of a palm slamming on the stone table echoes throughout the room, filling it with a sense of pressure and dread. Sect leader Gao Yong''s breath hitches in his throat, his hands trembling slightly, causing the tea to spill over¡ªwith the boiling hot tea falling on his skin, though he couldn''t care less compared to the sound he had just heard. Even Ghoul Ru, who normally shows no emotion, slightly shifts in his seat. In unison, the elite elders and sect master turn towards the source of the sound. There, sitting at the front of the circular table, is a man. Not no ordinary man. His wild mane of white hair spills all around him, his beard reaches all the way to his thighs, and his eyes are wide open, like his soul just got dragged out of his body. His palm is stuck to the stone table¡ªfor he is the one who just slammed his palm. Gathering everyone''s attention, he scans the room with his dilated pupils. He licks his dry lips, the cracks flickering as his tongue swipes over them. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "You... You five are. I remember now, you five are the elites, aren''t you?" Sect leader Gao Yong, the usually composed, now stands, trembling, as he gets down on his knees. His breaths come in short gasps, they are usually controlled, but not in the face of this... this monster. "I greet Master..." His forehead touches the cold stone ground as he gets into a kowtow position. THUD! THUD! THUD!... Over, and over, and over again did sect leader''s Gao Yong make that sickening sound as he slams his forehead onto the stone ground. His vision gets blurry, his mouth tasting metallic. A pool of blood gathers where his forehead impacts the ground. After 20 sickening kowtows... The master smiles. "What a good disciple, knowing how to respect his master." He strokes his thigh-length beard, pondering as he cradles his head back and forth. Each elite elder holds their breath, not daring to make a single sound. Suddenly. "Oh!" Master Xuelei abruptly stands up, disappearing into a mist, like he was never in the room. Each elite elder collectively lets the breath they''ve been holding out, regulating their breathing techniques back into order. Sect leader Gao Yong''s face is grim, blood dripping down his face as he dismisses the elites. "You may leave." ... [Full scan of Great Whirlwind Sect completed, loading leaderboard.] [1. Master Wang Xuelei. (Cultivation: Hidden) +/-] [2. Great Elder Zhuoren. (Cultivation: Hidden) +/-] [...] "Hmm, Zhuoren, not the strongest in this sect?" Xuan Wu ponders. A couple of hours ago, he traced the seal in his soul back to an old fart named Great Elder Zhuoren. Turns out he really wasn''t supposed to escape the illusion. "But to think... Master Wang Xuelei? Who could this great figure be?" Xuan Wu sits in his own abode, given by the Sword Peak. The ceremony was over, and each disciple returned to their peaks. [...Check Master Wang Xuelei information?] "Hehe, yes please." A portrait of Wang Xuelei shows up, with his name and title next to it. ''Weaver of Fear, Wang Xuelei.'' [Age: 32,021/33,000] [Cultivation: Unity Coalescence] [Cultivation Techniques: Ancient Whirlwind Arts, Brute Force Scripture] [Innate Talent/s: Nigh-Legendary grade cultivation talent, Green Whirlwind Body, Peril Ancestor Blessings, Birth of A Great Moon, The Stars Aligned, 1 Red Whirlwind, 2 Blue whirlwinds, 3 Green Whirlwinds] [Abilities...] Xuan Wu''s jaw drops, eyes wide open. "U-U-Unity coalescence, what the fuck even is that! And how, how, how many innate talents! Is this guy the protagonist of this world or what!" "And hundreds of abilities on top of that?" Xuan Wu gulps, opening up his own profile in the system, then configuring innate talents. [Innate Talent/s: Trash-low grade cultivation talent, Green Whirlwind Body] Xuan Wu looks around hesitantly, closing the system, then whistling to himself, hands in pockets. His door suddenly opens, and a fatty comes in. "AHHHHH!!" Xuan Wu leaps onto his bed, grabbing the beginner sword he received from his master off of the nearby table. "Demonic beast, go back to where you came from." Xuan Wu shudders, "This is my first fight, I know it, fuck it, I''ve got the Cheat System, even if I lose I can make it so I win!" The fat disciple standing there, Fatty Wang, blinks. then he slowly points at himself, tilting his head. "D-Demonic beast?" ... Fatty Wang sits in Xuan Wu''s abode, sipping tea. Xuan Wu nervously shifts in his bed, eyeing fatty Wang. "Oh, so you meant demonic beast as in very powerful? That''s what you''re saying?" For the past few minutes, Xuan Wu has been feeding this fatty lies, so he won''t eat him. "Yes, yes, that''s right. Well what did you come here for?" Fatty Wang laughs, reminding himself. "Oh yeah, that''s right, me and two other people are going on our first mission, every single disciple that was alone in the ceremony was in seclusion, except for you, so that brought me here!" Xuan Wu strokes his chin. "A mission? I like the sound of that." You Are Just A Frog Stuck In A Well. ... "Hey, hah, wait up! Hah." Fatty Wang pants as he struggles to keep up with Xuan Wu. After leaving Xuan Wu''s abode, the duo made their way to the Mission Pagoda. "Let me take one more break, okay." Fatty Wang bends over, putting his hands on his knees, holding his hand out. Xuan Wu turns around, annoyed. "This is the third time you''ve asked to take a break." Fatty Wang takes a deep breath, using a rag to wipe the sweat from his flushed face. "You¡ªhah, just wait a couple¡ªhah, minutes." He takes a seat on a nearby bench. "Haah." Xuan Wu angrily stomps. "Idiotic fatass, I''ll just give him a quick perk." [Ultimate Cheat System] [You] [Others] [World] [...] Xuan Wu quickly presses "Others", then selects Fatty Wang. [Fatty Wang] [Title: Fattest At Home. Effects: This title was awarded by his clan''s ancestor because he was the fattest in the clan, and that intrigued him. +50 kg, +1.25x fat gain, Increased density.] [Age: 13/80] [Race: Human] [Cultivation: Mortal] [Innate Talent/s: Medium-grade cultivation talent, Fat Toad Body] [Abilities...] [Personality: Glutton, Lazy, Respectful...] "Amazing, Fatty Wang, your profile isn''t too bad, better than mine." [Personality] [Glutton, Lazy, Respectful...] ... [Energetic, Glutton, Respectful...] "Consider this a gift from me, fatty." Suddenly, Fatty Wang stands up. "Woah, Xuan Wu, I suddenly feel like going for a run, hehe, this must be what they call the ultimate rest!" He starts running fast, faster than ever before. A tear falls from his eye as he starts running against the wind, building up speed. The tear leaves his eye just as quickly as it was formed, departing from Fatty Wang. The anguished cries of Fatty Wang are heard as he mourns the loss of his tear¡ªcombined with the energetic push that made him run faster than ever before. Xuan Wu smiles, watching as Fatty Wang disappears before the sunset. "I always knew you had it in you, fatty." ... At the Mission Pagoda. Outer disciples lounge around here, waiting for the right missions to be posted on the wall of missions. "Typically, cultivators from outside of the sect, or inside jot down information on paper, then send it to the mission department to find a worthy disciple to carry out the mission in exchange for rewards." This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "Usually, alchemists, who are seriously rich, will post missions related to gathering herbs. The herbs gathering mission is like the wild meat, while every outer disciple here is like a rabid dog." "They argue and fight over who gets to take that mission. Well, only if it pays right." Fatty Wang explains to Xuan Wu. Waving his arms around crazily to showcase how the "Rabid dogs" fight. Xuan Wu nods. "So what mission are we on exactly." Fatty Wang giggles, obviously excited about it. "It''s an initiate mission, the first mission disciples get when they enter the sect. It is always a group mission, we venture outside, letting opportunities come for us, helping us to build a solid foundation to start cultivating." He closes his eyes and lifts up his finger, explaining further. "A flower in a greenhouse can barely last outside, it breaks easily under the sound of a thunderbolt." He finishes explaining, taking a deep breath. "Understand?" Xuan Wu nods. "Kind of useless for me though. I can easily give myself a never-before-seen foundation using the system. But hey, if I want to see how far I can get without using cheats, so be it." Xuan Wu makes up his mind. "Let''s meet the other 2 people, come." Outside, the sect grounds are abuzz with outer disciples, the Mission Pagoda is located in one of the most populated areas of the sect. Two disciples in light green robes¡ªthe standard uniform for outer disciples pass by the Mission Pagoda. "Hey, Brother Guolu Ren, you''ve heard of the inner sect competitions right? I hear elder brother Wang Cheng contracted a rare illness and won''t be able to participate, that''s a big blow for the White Tiger Foundation..." "I did hear, and apparently senior sister Zhen Shun challenged elder brother Xian Li to a life and death battle because of a simple rumour! It seems she really loves elder brother Wang Cheng!" Xuan Wu looks in the direction the two disciples passed by. "What''s this about an inner sect competition." Fatty Wang jiggles, turning to Xuan Wu. "Eh? Those are matters for another time, hey, look! They''ve arrived." Both clad in light green robes, with the sects emblem on the back, a rotating whirlwind. The one on the left is Zi Rougang. Meanwhile, the one on the right is Zuo Lingxin. They both greet Fatty Wang and Xuan Wu. "Greetings, senior brother Fatty and junior brother Xuan" Fatty Wang nods. "We''re ready to depart. Check if you all have bug spray, bug repellent, spare underwear..." After checking for supplies, the group of four depart, looking for opportunities, and building their foundation. [Zi Rougang] [Title: None] [...] [Zuo Lingxin] [Title: Grandfather''s Pink Hex] Xuan Wu pauses. He was just checking their profiles out of curiosity, but one of them actually has a title? And it sounds pretty powerful? Xuan Wu stretches his finger, still walking with the group, and expands the title to view the meaning. [Title: Grandfather''s Pink Hex. Effects: In her past life, Zuo Lingxin was a pink hex cultivated by a crazy grandfather, his favourite one so he especially put effort into growing her. Sadly, the grandfather sacrificed his life in order to propel his favourite pink hex into the cycle of reincarnation. +300x Curse Cultivation aptitude, +1.5x bad karma, +2x bad luck, Wrath Of Yama (-3x luck, -50x providence, +13% chance of angering the heavens), +200x curse technique power + aptitude.] Yet again, Xuan Wu''s jaw drops from looking at someone''s title. "She is literally the epitome of bad luck! Something is definitely going to go wrong during this mission!" For a split second, Xuan Wu gets an idea. "Wait, can''t I just remove this title? That would save us the hassle of dealing with bad luck, as they say, if a jinx travels with you, consider yourself unlucky." The group reaches the exit of the sect before Xuan Wu can change her title. Fatty Wang perks up. "Alright guys, remember to be careful, and stick together at all times!'' "Yes, fatty", they all they in unison Continuing on their walk, now outside of the sect, Xuan Wu configures her title. [Title: Grandfather''s Favourite Pink Hex] [Would you like to remove this title from ''Zuo Lingxin''?] "Hehe, yes please." Xuan Wu thanks the heavens he checked the profiles of the two disciples. [WARNING!] The sudden warning message, along with a loud horn, makes Xuan Wu slip and fall. Fatty Wang eyes Xuan Wu suspiciously. "How can you call yourself a cultivator if you fall over your own leg." "PFFT!" Zi Rougang holds back a laugh. Zuo Lingxin lets out a giggle. "What''s wrong with you, junior brother?" ... Cold. A cold sweat drips down Xuan Wu''s pale face. He lies on the ground, not even trying to get up, his eyes are wide open, pupils trembling as he stares at the system panel. Suddenly, the birds chirping, the three group members bickering, the bugs chittering, even the sound of grass swaying, all fades into the distance, while a freezing cold darkness surrounds Xuan Wu. His breath doesn''t even come, it''s like he forgot how to breathe. He feels his consciousness slipping, the information he had just received was too much for a mortal. The ominous darkness surrounding him threatens to consume him, like a plague making its way through a human settlement. It''s tendrils grab onto his arms, to his legs, but still, he doesn''t move an inch, eyes focused on the system panel. Even with a cheat system, he feels bare, like he can''t even do anything. It''s like, if he just moved an inch¡ªa single inch, he''d do something even the Buddhas would regret. Huff... Huff... His breath starts coming back, but the pace starts getting faster. Huff... Huff... "...Xu...F...I...?" He hears a voice, but dismisses it as an inner demon. One choice. This once choice could potentially shift the direction this world is moving in, it could disrupt fate itself, it could anger the immortals themselves, the one who guide destiny and all things, just one choice is all it will take! Huff... Huff... It was never a "yes or no" question, it was more of a "Destroy this world or Keep it?" In a short burst of self awareness, Xuan Wu''s finger thrusts towards the system panel, like he just forgot everything the world had to offer him. He sees everything flash before his eyes, immortals creating this world¡ªcontinents being formed¡ªhumanity emerging¡ªthe first cultivation technique¡ªthe rise and fall of civilisations¡ªhe sees it all in one flash. ... ... [...] So What? ... ... [WARNING! This decision will interfere with karmic fate] [Would you like to proceed with this decision? Yes or No] ... Suddenly, Xuan Wu lets a sullen breath out, the darkness around him fading. He looks around, Fatty Wang, Zi Rougang, and Zuo Lingxin all have worried expressions on their faces. [Title Configuration decision cancelled.] Xuan Wu stands up, swiping the dirt off of his clothing. "Xuan Wu, are you okay?" Fatty Wang grabs Xuan Wu''s shoulders worriedly. "Yeah, I''m fine, it just hurt a bit." Fatty Wang lets a breath out. "Really? It looked like you were wrestling with death." Zi Rougang sneezes. "Come on, we only have 3 months, better make the most of it." He starts walking forward. Zuo Lingxin looks at Zi Rougang and Xuan Wu, then continues forward. Fatty Wang smiles. "Come on." ... Emerald Green Forest. The Emerald Green Forest is a forest nearby the Great Whirlwind sect, it got its name from how vibrant and green the trees and flora were. Elders in the Great Whirlwind sect say it was formed from the breakthrough of an old sect leader, with his spiritual energy reviving a dead forest, turning it into what it is today. Fatty Wang jumps over a log in the forest. He slaps the air around him. "Damn it, so many mosquitoes, so much for that bug repellent." Zi Rougang grabs a green bottle full of liquid and throws it on Fatty Wang. "Ah~ cold!" Fatty Wang breathes in sharply, the cold liquid splashing against his neck. Zi Rougang moves forward in a smug manner. "Come on Fatty, don''t be scared of a little bugs. We''re future cultivators aren''t we." Fatty Wang''s face flushes pink. "Why you, didn''t you get a low-grade talent!" "Talent is meaningless in pursuit of power." "Grr, why you!" A hand clasps Fatty Wang''s shoulder. "It''s okay, brother Fatty, ignore him, he just wants a reaction out of you." "Humph!" Zi Rougang turns his head and continues walking. Zuo Lingxin looks at the boys quarrelling with nervousness. "Ahh!" Suddenly, a rope tightens around Zuo Lingxin''s ankle, pulling her up. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "Zuo Lingxin!" Almost immediately, Zi Rougang runs towards the tree where the rope that pulled Zuo Lingxin is tied, and uses that momentum to jump up. He grabs Zuo Lingxin, untying the rope and letting her down safely. Meanwhile, Fatty Wang and Xuan Wu are frozen in place. Zi Rougang acts nonchalant, but once he passes to the front, he grins like an idiot. "Junior sister Zuo Lingxin, one day I''ll have your heart." Zuo Lingxin follows behind, on her face is a slight blush. ... "HAH!" Clank "HAH!" Swoosh, Clank "Gah!" A sweaty, tired Xun Shi falls to the ground, quickly using his sword to stand back up. "Come on, you disregarded your initiate mission to train with me, I''d say you should put some more effort." An inner disciple with his purple hair tied up speaks. He wears dark green inner sect robes. He carries a simple wooden sword. But he''s been defeating the Xun Shi wielding a proper iron sword with this simple wooden sword. Xun Shi breaths come in short and uneasy. "Senior brother, heh, are you trying to teach me that it doesn''t matter what sword you have, as long as you have the will to fight?" Senior brother Jian Ming claps his hands "You finally got it, junior brother, even if you had a spiritually forged sword, you still wouldn''t be able to win against this simple wooden sword." Xun Shi steps closer, getting into his clans sword stance. "But... I don''t get it, you limited your cultivation to nothing, we''re on the same level!" Jian Ming laughs, getting into a sword stance as well. This sword stance is unordinary, full of weak spots, yet it exudes a special intimidation. "When fighting with your sword, your cultivation doesn''t matter for the most part. What matters is your will, how much you believe in the sword." He swipes his sword, shifting positions. "As long as you see your sword as your blood, nothing can get in the way." ... A young boy is seen doing push ups. 1, 5, 20. His sweat pools on the ground in tiny puddles. "Xiao Huan, are you prepared to take your initiate mission?" Liu Huan stops his workout, standing up. He grabs a long spear off of a nearby table, smiling. "Yes, master!" ... BOOM! An alchemy furnace explodes, sending ash flying everywhere. Dong Shui coughs, his face covered with ashes. He groans. "This is the third time I''ve failed this week, alchemy is too hard!" Feng Zhi laughs, eating some snacks. "Why try so hard to learn alchemy then? You could get into formations like me and Lei Ming." Dong Shui looks at Feng Zhi, then exhales. "Our initiate mission?" "Let''s go." They both exit the building, then exit the Alchemy Peak. ... Emerald green forest. Fatty Wang is at the front, easily out speeding the rest of the group. "Hah, damn it, how are you so fat yet still fast!" Zi Rougang groans, struggling to keep up. Xuan Wu breathes in deeply, opening his system. [You] [Personality] [Coward, Determined, Lazy...] "System... am I really like this to you?" Xuan Wu sighs. "Well, I''ll add a little perk I guess." His finger hovers on the configuration tab. Cold darkness flashes through his mind, causing him to hesitate. "But what if... what if these personalities and titles are needed for fate, a mortal like me shouldn''t meddle in these matters." He stares at the personality screen, then takes a deep breath. [Added personalities: Resilient, Energetic, Thirst for Power] Suddenly, Xuan Wu feels like he could run for the rest of his life. He quickly overtakes Zi Rougang and Zuo Lingxin. Then passes by Fatty Wang like nothing. "What, suddenly I get passed by this guy! I should just end my life right here!" Zi Rougang cries out. He then gets passed by Zuo Lingxin. Now his jaw is clenched, face flushed, eyes dark. "Haha, if this is what cheating feels like, shouldn''t I just add more!?" Xuan Wu considers, before shaking his head. "No, I shouldn''t submit to cheating this easily." The group quickly makes their way out of the forest, panting together. "Hah, damn mosquitoes, I feel like a starfish!" Fatty Wang itches all over. "Damn, what vibrant forest, more like a breeding ground for bugs." Zi Rougang spits, clearly unimpressed by the forest. "I-I liked the forest, it was peaceful." Zuo Lingxin says timidly, her head down. "Aha, I agree, it was quite a beautiful sight." Zi Rougang changes his opinion immediately and quickly goes to comfort Zuo Lingxin. Fatty Wang grinds his teeth, his face flushed. "Bastard, changing sides so easily because of a girl, have some shame!" Xuan Wu sighs, moving forward. "Stop your bickering, like what brother Zi said, we only have 3 months." "Hehe, hello kids." Suddenly, a fat man dressed in jewellery and robes walks out of the clearing. Fatty Wang steps back. "Who are you, brother." The fat man laughs, rubbing his belly. "You five must be from the Great Whirlwind sect, how impressive, I sadly got rejected from the sect when I was a child." His head falls for a moment, then rises back up, his smile eerie. "Kids, why don''t I take you to the Dune Spire kingdom?" "I don''t tru¡ª" Just as Xuan Wu was about to decline, Zi Rougang steps to the front, clasping his fist and hand together in a salute and bows down. "Senior, please take us to the Dune Spire kingdom." Fatty Wang gasps, his head snapping towards Zi Rougang. "Are you crazy! This man is clearly lying to us!" Fatty Wang whispers. Zi Rougang takes a deep breath in. "But... the Dune Spire kingdom is said to be the best for mortals who want to start cultivating. They say the qi has a certain flavour there that widens your meridians." "Okay... if it can really expand our meridians, it''ll be worth it, and we can easily defeat this guy, we''re four and he''s one." The group turns towards the fat man, and they start following him. ... You Are Ignorant. ... "And you see, I only had trash-grade talent! So they just tossed me aside like nothing! Luckily, I got picked up by a scavenger..." The talkative fat man, introduced as Kong Jian, chats about his backstory, while walking with the group on a dirt path. "He did sell me to the Dunespire Kingdom, but he basically raised me, and that is a debt I will never forget! They don''t call me loyal Jian for nothing!" Zuo Lingxing gets an uneasy feeling in her gut. Xuan Wu squints his eyes. [Kong Jian] [Title: Deceiver Jian. Effects: +2x deception skills, -1.25% overall trust.] "Loyal Jian my ass!" Xuan Wu spits, then grins. "Let''s just follow this fatty, I''ll see if he shows his true side." Fatty Wang nods. "Scavengers might seem evil at first, but some well-known cultivators were groomed by said scavengers." Kong Jian claps his hands, still walking on the dirt path. "Exactly! Scavengers in reality are just rogue cultivators looking to pass on their legacy! They get shunned by other cultivators because of the ties between rogue cultivators and demonic cultivators!" He turns around, stomping his foot. "But they''re not all demonic! Just because they might do some not-so-good actions to get power, it doesn''t make them all demonic! Filthy self-righteous cultivators thinking they''re all so pure, I spit on them!" His face flushes red, heat emanating from it. "Always the righteous cultivators! All they do is judge! Infighting is literally a part of their ideology!" He continues complaining about them for a while. ... "Senior, it''s been 30 minutes, don''t you think we should continue to Dunespire kingdom?" Kong Jian, who was just waving a stick around, turns to Fatty Wang. "Oh, you''re right. I''m so sorry for wasting your time, come, come, let''s continue onwards." He spits on the ground, then continues forwards. "He seems to really hold hate for righteous cultivators." Xuan Wu mentions. "So what? Does that make him demonic?" Zi Rougang angrily responds. "Brother Zi, we are righteous cultivators." Zi Rougang pauses. "Y-you''re right" He gasps. "Was he just insulting us for the past 30 minutes!? How insolent!" Fatty Wang groans. "Relax, he was obviously talking about the hypocritical part of righteous cultivators, are we hypocrites? Do we fight amongst ourselves?" Zi Rougang nods his head. "You''re right, he wasn''t talking about us at all, our Great Whirlwind sect are pure righteous cultivators, absolutely no in-fighting, we''re like a big family" Zuo Lingxin follows behind quietly with her head down. A hand clasps her shoulder. She jumps up, terrified. Looking around, she doesn''t see anyone but her fellow group members in front. "Hello young girl." She looks around again, this time seeing a shadow person. Before she can scream, a shadow hand covers her mouth, while she continues walking. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "Don''t be scared, I''m your grandfather." "G-grandfather? My grandfather already passed away before I was born!" The shadow laughs, patting her head. "Not that grandfather... anyways, that fat guy at the front is up to no good." "You mean Kong Jian? But he was called Loyal Jian¡ª" "Haha, you''re still so na?ve. Loyal Jian? More like Treacherous Jian. I can see the deception radiating off of him." "R-really? But I don''t see anything..." The shadow laughs, taking his hand off of her mouth, then walking along side her. "You might not be able to see anything, but you feel something, right?" She looks towards Kong Jian yet again, and she gets that uneasy feeling once again. Zuo Lingxing gasps, her hand shooting up to cover her mouth. "D-do I tell my friends?" The shadow cackles. "There''s no point. You think they really believe that he is loyal? The only one I can see that truly believes that is the fatty there. That smug looking bastard only partly believes it, and the confused kid who''s been looking around this entire time definitely does not believe that Kong Jian is loyal." She tilts her head. "Xuan Wu knows that he''s lying? How come?" "I don''t know, maybe he just has a premonition, it happens..." The shadow continues walking alongside Zuo Lingxing. "Well, my little pink hex, it seems you''ve been quite unlucky these past few days." She nods. "That''s right, ever since the Disciple Ceremony." The shadow looks at Zuo Lingxing, it''s eyes softening. "It seems dying in the illusion awakened the effects of the pink hex. That supreme elder really has good illusion skills, even in that place people would kill for a technique as realistic as that..." His eyes narrow. "Great Whirlwind sect eh? Even that guys disciple is there." He shudders, the air around him going cold. His eyes narrow even further, into thin slits. Zuo Lingxing shivers, her breath coming out as fog. "W-why''d it get so cold..." Fatty Wang rubs his palms together. "Wasn''t this area supposed to be hot? Why''s it so cold!" Xuan Wu looks around. "It''s not supposed to be cold." He looks at the system. [Detected new most powerful person, would you like to check his profile?] Xuan Wu sharply breathes in, opening the guys profile. The portrait made him jump. The guy was extremely old, wrinkles all over his face, with long grey hair falling around his head. He has a long beard, reaching towards the bottom of his neck. [Name: Bai Yu] [Title: Grandfather] [Warning: Checking this profile may have consequences.] Once Xuan Wu heard the warning, he immediately closed the system. "Checking the profile may have consequences? What''s wrong with him, he can detect that?" Suddenly, the cold recedes, like it was never there. Fatty Wang groans. "I wasn''t complaining! Bring it back." Zi Rougang looks towards Bai Yu, who is still in his shadow form. "Was that you, grandfather? Did you cause the cold?" She feels drawn to this shadow, like she knew him in a past life. Calling him grandfather just felt so natural. The shadows eyes widen, then he smiles peacefully. "My apologies, dear, I was just reminded of something bad." ... In the Sword Peak. "You want to go on the initiate mission together." Xun Shi twirls a wooden sword in his hands, seated down on a mat with a powerful incense spread throughout his abode. Liu Huan sits opposite of him, holding a great golden spear. He shrugs. "My master suggested taking you, says I need to surround myself with people as strong as me." Xun Shi laughs. "As strong as you? Am I not more powerful." Liu Huan stands, towering over the nonchalant Xun Shi. "You may be a superior-grade talent, but it doesn''t mean anything in the dao of weapons." Xun Shi stands, tehn clasps hands with Liu Huan. "An initiate mission? What''s in it for me though. I already abandoned my initiate mission, if you take me, I won''t get any benefits." "I''ll give you half of my benefits. And the experience of this mission alone is enough to draw you in." Xun Shi guffaws. "Okay, deal. Let us leave." They exit the Sword Peak, going on their initiate mission. The last newly admitted disciples to exit the sect. As they walk out of the sect, a disciple nearby grins. "Xun Shi of the Xun clan... so excited for what?" Little do Xun Shi and Liu Huan know, they are currently being tailed by a fellow disciple. ... "The dunespire kingdom is within reach. The entrance is a mirage after all." Currently, the group of 6 is in a blazing desert. The Byurning Yellow Desert. It is one of the hottest mortal deserts. It was named ''Byurning'' because it was named by an illiterate idiot. Kong Jian elaborates. "We can just wait around here, and the entrance of the Dunespire kingdom will eventually appear." Fatty Wang''s jaw drops. "Really? It''ll just appear like that?" Kong Jian nods. "Well, that was quick" Xuan Wu laughs, commenting. Zi Rougang grins. "Really¡ª" "Hey, you six, drop everything you have." A burly horse pulls up, dragging along three carriages. Inside these carriages are tough, muscular men, dressed in brown robes. The leader, the most muscular and tough, walks out. "T-the hunky bandits!" Kong Jian nearly trips, getting down on his knees. "Please, please spare us, we''re just trying to get to Dunespire kingdom¡ª" "That''s fine, we''ll spare you if you spare your belongings. You can take either the easy way out, or the hard way out." Zi Rougang stands, staring them down. "Enough, we''re disciples of the Great Whirlwind sect." He puts his arms behind his back, standing with his chin up¡ªproud. The bandit leader turns around, looking at the band of bandits behind him, before turning back to the group of 6. "AHAHAHAHA!" He clutches his stomach, laughing till tears squeeze out of his eyes. "HAHAHA!" His gang joins in, with some even falling down, rolling in the sand. "I-I''m, sorry, the Great Whirlwind sect?" Zi Rougang''s face flushes red. "W-why aren''t you already k-kneeling?" He tries to save face. "How far away is the Great Whirlwind sect, would they even be able to avenge you? The desert is limitless." ... Ignorance Is Bliss. ... "How far away is the Great Whirlwind sect, would they even be able to avenge you? The desert is limitless." The bandit leader continues laughing, poking fun at Xuan Wu''s group. By now, Zi Rougang''s face is so red, you could even compare it to a tomato. "Y-you! Insolent! Obviously our sect would be able to avenge us!" The bandit leader stops laughing, quickly turning stern. "You think they''d care for 5 newly admitted disciples? Unless at least one of you has high-grade talent, good luck trying to flaunt around being a Great Whirlwind disciple." Xuan Wu''s eyes narrow. "This guy, his emotions change too fast. One moment he''s goofy, another he''s laughing, and now he''s serious." [Others] [Quan Cho] [Title: Hunky Bandit Leader. Effects: +2x strength, +6% leadership ability, +3x authority.] [Cultivation: Trained Mortal] [Personality: Multifaceted, contemptuous, gym-rat...] Xuan Wu''s eyes widen. "Trained Mortal? He''s above us than." Another muscular man steps up, flexing his muscles. "Boss, that girl there, hehe, can I have her?" The other bandits cackle. Zuo Lingxins eyes water, and she takes a step back. The searing heat mixed with the shock from the bandit''s words caused her to fall, her head feels light. Bai Yu''s eyes narrow dangerously. "You dare? Incompetent mortal, I''ll teach you to behave yourself." Suddenly, everything goes dark around the bandit who made that comment. "Huh? Boss!" He trips, falling to the ground. Xie Yun tries to get up, yet he keeps slipping. He tries yet again, yet he still slips. He has no idea why, but he just keeps getting back up and slipping. This goes on for what feels like hours. Until, he looks down at his hands. Xie Yun''s breath quickens, he shakes his head and desperately tries to believe that this is a dream. Looking at his hands, it''s as if he is a young child. He pinches himself, this is reality, not a dream. "Haha, Fang Lin, what are you doing sitting here alone?" He hears a voice coming from behind him. How familiar, it''s like he knows who the child who spoke those words are, yet it feels so indistinct. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! SMACK! Xie Yun feels a harsh pain, falling to the ground. His cheeks burns. The child behind him seems to have slapped him. He turns around, and his eyes widen. He knows who this child is. This child has been with him his entire life. That''s because this child¡ªis him. In the reflection of his child-self''s eyes, he sees who he currently is. Fang Lin! That''s right, he remembers now. That child he always used to make fun of, always bully. "How did I become Fang Lin!" Smack! He falls to the barren ground again. "What nonsense are you speaking?" The child Xie Yun laughs at him. "No, stop this!" Smack! "Please, stop!" No matter how Xie Yun pleaded, he kept getting smacked, over and over, till his cheeks bled and his face was disfigured. "Huh!" Xie Yun''s eyes open. In front of him is the group of 6, he remembers them. Was it all just a dream? Was it an illusion? No way, it was so... vivid. He looks at Zuo Lingxin, the young girl he made a comment about. He falls down, head hitting the sand, as he desperately tries to shuffle back. "No! No! No! Get away from me!" Tears spill from his eyes. "Xie Yun, what''s wrong with you!" The hunky bandit leader expresses concern in his eyes, clasping Xie Yun''s shoulders. All of a sudden, Xie Yun''s head drops. He saw a shadow behind Zuo Lingxin. His breath fades, his heart stops. "Did you do this?" Her heart quickens, someone died because of her. Her mind is in turmoil, internally begging for a ''no'' answer. "He got what was coming to him." The shadow turns its head around. Zuo Lingxin drops down, sobbing uncontrollably, her knees graze against the rough sand. Bai Yu looks at her with heartfelt eyes. "This was for you. Cultivators need to accept death." Zi Rougang rushes to Zuo Lingxin. "Hey, what''s wrong?" He hugs her. Fatty Wang puts his head down, looking right at the fallen Xie Yun. Xuan Wu spits. "How useless, are cultivators even supposed to cry? The enemy just died, why are you spilling tears for him?" Fatty Wang turns to Xuan Wu. "We cultivators are supposed to be strong¡ªand that''s a fundamental part of what makes a cultivator. But we aren''t cultivators just yet. If this is her first time watching someone drop dead, of course it''ll hit her hard." Xuan Wu nods, accepting Fatty Wang''s words. "Makes sense, though I would never cry for the enemy." He taps his foot on the sand. The hunky bandit leader looks at the fallen Xie Yun, then at the group of 6. "I-Immortals!" He quickly dashes off, along with the rest of his gang, leaving the carriage and bulky horse there alone. Kong Jian steps up, looting the carriage. "That bandit probably died of heat stroke. It happens, come, there''s free stuff in this carriage." "I knew this fatty was a sneaky rat!" Xuan Wu grumbles, helping Kong Jian loot the carriage. Most of it is supplies, some mortal currency. But there was one spiritual gem. Spiritual gems are a cultivators currency, they contain unfiltered spiritual energy. You can get way more efficiency cultivating using them rather than cultivating using natural spiritual energy in the air. ... "You''ve been following us for the last couple of days." Xun Shi and Li Huan sit around a campfire, eating roasted fish they caught. The mysterious disciple hops down from the tree she was watching them from, taking her hood off. "How''d you know?" Xun Shi turns his head around, licking his oily fingers. "Cheng Lian." ... "AHH!! I told you not to take the Brazen passageway!" Dong Shui, Feng Zhi, Lei Ming, and the other two friends run away from an angry brown bear. Feng Zhi grabs a rock, hurling it at the bear. "If we just work together, we''ll take care of this bear easily." Dong Shui''s stomach rumbles. "Yeah, then we''ll eat it." Xu Bo looks at Dong Shui suspiciously. "Dong Shui, lately you''ve been wanting to eat everything, what''s wrong with you?" "I''m just hungry!" Dong Shui lunges at the bear with his iron sword he obtained from the sect. Shing! The bear starts bleeding, and it gets even more aggrivated. "I''ll take care of it!" Feng Zhi jumps on a rock, getting on top of the bear, then he wrestles it down to the ground. Combined with the effort of five people, the bear successfully dies. "Hah, finally, stupid bear." Gu Feng kicks the dead bear, his sweat soaking his clothing. Dong Shui spits. "It was your fault we got chased by this bear Gu Feng! Why''d you have to go and provoke it!" Gu Feng turns around, about to start another argument when Feng Zhi interferes. "Enough, we don''t want any in-fighting, we took care of the bear, and that is enough." "Are we going to eat it?" Dong Shui licks his lips. ... Sect leader Gao Yong kneels before a statue. "Great elder... all of the newly admitted disciples have ventured out of the sect, accepting their initiate missions." A voice comes from the marble statue. "Good, this''ll weed out the weak disciples. You know, you''re really pathetic, allowing low-grade cultivation talent disciples into the sect." Gao Yong lowers his head. ... If Ignorance Is Bliss, Why Do The Ignorant Always Suffer? ... Xuan Wu, Fatty Wang, Zi Rougang, Zuo Lingxing, and Kong Jian sit around on large rocks, waiting for the Dunespire kingdom to appear. Fatty Wang giggles, reading a comedy novel. Zi Rougang, with his ever haughty expression, turns to Fatty Wang¡ª"What are you reading?" Fatty Wang drops the book, clapping his hands. "AHAHAHA! It''s one of those new ''novels'' that an outer disciple wrote, it''s just too funny!" The desert at night can only be described with one word¡ªbeautiful. The cold winds contrasts against the searing hot air at day, meanwhile the sands stretch out for kilometres. Kong Jian yawns, his arms stretching above his head. "When will the damn mirage appear¡ª" SSSPHINNKKK! Suddenly, the earth begins shaking. The group of six all stand up, raising their weapons. "Wait, put your weapons down, the mirage is appearing!" Nearby, the air starts shimmering, and a dramatically large quantity of spiritual energy starts being drawn there. The energy is so condensed that they move in little droplets. Usually, spiritual energy is in a plasma/gaseous form. The sound of wheels moving on sand comes closer, and a commotion is heard. "The mirage, the mirage is appearing!" A middle aged man drunk on wine spurs. "Haha, finally, quick, get to the front." A man dressed in brown, clean robes with a piece of golden battle armour on shouts. Zi Rougang eyes the approaching carriages, people, and chaos. He turns to Kong Jian. "What''s the meaning of this?" His eyes narrow. Kong Jian nervously laughs. "You see¡ªwhoever is first to enter the mirage, the price of entering the Dunespire kingdom will be reduced... so rogue cultivators, merchant bands, and mercenaries always fight to be at the front." Fatty Wang grits his teeth. "But we were here first." "It doesn''t matter. Let''s just fight these scumbags!" Zi Rougang barks, drawing his weapon¡ªa dark blue saber. The colours of chaos draw closer, with voices being more distinct. "Hey, look, there''s a group of kids!" The same middle aged man, now riding a horse speaks. "Haha, I say we rob them." A disfigured rogue cultivator shamelessly remarks. After only a couple of minutes, the chaos arrives, merchant bands park their carriages, and rogue cultivators get off of their horses. The most powerful person, according to this band of chaos, steps out of a golden carriage. He''s dressed in sparkly golden robes, wearing a jade crown, and gives off a noble feeling. "Prince Zeki!" "There he goes!" The middle aged man talks yet again. Prince Qin Zeki arrives right in front of the mirage, his golden robes billowing behind him. He reaches out his hand, then the mirage splits open. Hot air and sand is immediately blasted out, giving quite a shock to the group of six. "CHARGEEE!!!" The chaos of merchants, rogue cultivators, mercenaries, and others all rush to be the first to enter Dunespire kingdom. Due to the sandy fog from the entrance to Dunespire kingdom being opened, many people trying to get in stagger back. Zi Rougang grabs Zuo Lingxing, pushing against the sandy currents and enemies. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Within seconds, fights already start breaking out. "Pathetic!" A mortal merchant gets knocked back, falling onto a horse. "You mortals are nothing compared to us cultivators! As a first layer qi gathering cultivator, not even an ounce of my qi would be needed to take you down!" "Humph!" A huge amount of the sandy fog gets cleared, and a bulky cultivator dressed in red armour clasps his palms together. "Only at the first layer of qi gathering? I thought there were more terrifying opponents here, scram!" The first layer qi gathering cultivator''s face turns serious. "Are you trying to scare me? That won''t work on me." Both the cultivators lunge at each other, colliding. "Hurk¡ªGHHHRRK!" The first layer qi gathering cultivator vomits blood, getting knocked back into struggling mortals trying to fight, which causes the mortals to explode into blood mist. Each mortal around pauses, utterly shocked by the mortals who had just exploded. "I-Is this the true power of cultivators? RUN!" A young merchant screams, running away from Dunespire kingdom, which causes a lot of mortals to run away as well. The bulky cultivator grins, then turns towards Prince Qin Zeki. He bows down. "Your highness, you''re free to go." The middle aged merchant gasps. "A cultivator submitting to a mortal? What''s the reasoning behind this." "...Yeah, it seems too surreal." "Perhaps the cultivator wants to link with the royal family...?" Whispers of confusion spread, cultivators are normally many times stronger than a mortal, so a cultivator bowing to a mortal is akin to a human bowing to an ant. Prince Qin Zeki smiles, then heads inside Dunespire kingdom. The rest of the cultivators look at each other, then get into a line, with the most powerful cultivators at the front. Xuan Wu''s finger hovers over the ''Configure Cultivation'' button, he lets a breath out. "Though I was going to get killed! That was intense." Zi Rougang walks out, blood on his chest as he falls, kneeling on one leg. Zuo Lingxin has her arm around him, holding him up. Her eyes are tearful, conveying thousands of emotions without any words. "Grkk, hurk!" He throws up blood, the sand underneath turning crimson. "Well, we can enter now, right?" Fatty Wang mentions. ... After waiting for quite some time, they finally reach the border of Dunespire kingdom. Two guards block the entrance. "Pay fee." Kong Jian hands the guard 5 gold coins appropriately, then the group of 6 enter the Dunespire kingdom. Sprawling towers litter the kingdom, made with polished sand stone. The scent of various spices, roasted meat, and a deep, earthy smell permeate the kingdom. Commotion is heard all around, with the clothing of the citizens of the kingdom being a little different. They wear more loose robes, with majority of the men wearing turbans. "Exactly like I''d imagined it." Zi Rougang groans, still bloodied. "Come on brother Rougang, let''s get you to a doctor." Zuo Lingxin pleads. Zi Rougang spits on the ground. "N-no, I''m fine." She sighs, closing her eyes. Kong Jian wows at the surrounding buildings, taking it all in like this was his first time here. A hand clasps his shoulder. He turns around to see Xuan Wu looking at him sternly. "Now that we''re here, can you explain who exactly you are? Loyal Jian." Kong Jian gulps, straightening his robes. "I am a merchant, you can call me merchant Kong from now onwards." He beings walking through the Dunespire kingdom, beckoning to the group. "Come, I''ll tour you around." ... "...Here, you have the marketplace, one of the most well-known locations of the Dunespire kingdom, you know, we are known for our spices." He explains, finally ending up at a large building with a dome shaped roof. "And finally, this is the merchant guild, where I call home." He steps inside, prompting the group to step inside along with him. "Get them!" Suddenly, seven burly guards tackle the group of five disciples. "W-what is the meaning of this!" Fatty Wang sputters, obviously angry at this act of betrayal. Kong Jian turns around, arms behind his back, grinning ear to ear. "Why, we''ve captured a group of five delectable spiritual roots, master will be happy to hear of this!" Xuan Wu rolls his eyes. "You weren''t given the title¡ªDeceiver Jian for nothing, I''ll tell you that." His eyes flicker to each guards face. Most of them have battle-worn faces, riddled with scars. Zi Rougang growls, his eyes widening in pure rage. Humiliated. He feels humiliated. Pinned down on the ground by 2 guards, listening to the cackling of the man he once trusted, all he feels is humiliation. And that sparks a rage in him. He feels something break inside of him. "Gr! How dare yo¡ª" SLAM! His head gets slammed into the marble floor, and his nose breaks. Zuo Lingxin gasps, tears spilling out of her eyes. "Grandpa, do something!" Bai Yu''s fists clench, a darkness shrouding his face. "...I-I can''t do anything. Something, something horrible here is interfering with my spirituality, and-and I can''t do anything!" The shadow flickers, almost like it''s going to disappear. "Grandpa" Zuo Lingxin starts sobbing uncontrollably. BANG! Fatty Wang bangs his head on the marble floor. "I''ll kill myself before you perverts can touch me!" A guard grabs his head before he can bang it once again. The guards face is filled with utter disgust. "Who would want to touch a fatty like you?" "Huh?" ... Clang! Thud! A metallic door shuts close, locking the group of five up. Zi Rougang awakens, his mind foggy. "W-where am I?" Zuo Lingxin, who was holding him speaks. "We...We were detained." Fatty Wang clutches his heart. "And, and they insulted me, I feel so insulted!" Tears almost fall from his eyes, they hang right on the edge. "Took me for a fool!" He slams his fist against the cold stone ground. Xuan Wu lazily blinks, lying down. He stares at the system panel above him. [Configure Cultivation] [Qi Gathering, Foundation establishment...] "To configure or not, to cheat or not." He takes a deep breath in. "I''ll make a promise to myself. I need to earn my cultivation using my own skills! No need for cheats!" ... Because They Are Not Truly Ignorant. ... "Ah, who am I kidding?" Xuan Wu disregards the entire promise he had just made. "I''ll only use cheats if it doesn''t disrupt the heavens or karmic fate! The path to power is fraught with danger, and I will not risk it." Xuan Wu nods, silently pledging to himself. As long as the situation isn''t too dangerous, there is no need to expose himself¡ªand if he does, he would have to move continents and start a new life. After all, his entire premise is to live an eventful life. With his decisions made, Xuan Wu stands up. "Wait!" He quickly opens the system, the blue panel instantaneously popping up. Xuan Wu''s eyes flicker. [You] [Others] [Worlds] There! The worlds tab! Xuan Wu''s breathing quickens as he taps it. [Worlds] [Current world: Fire Haven World] ... "So this world is called the Fire Haven world? And I presume this tab is to configure this said world?" He taps his foot, considering for a couple of seconds, the weight of configuring the world presses irritatingly on his shoulders. Then, he shakes his head. "There''s no point in meddling with things that even immortals would be cautious with." Fatty Wang bangs his head on the wall. "I''ve had enough! These traffickers think they can just play around with sect disciples like this?" He walks towards the metal door, grabbing the bars. "Erughhh!" Fatty Wang pulls on the bars, trying to bend them. "There''s no point. We''re just mortals." Zi Rougang grunts from the pain, sitting with his head down. ... "Mm, this fish is just too good." Cheng Lian eats the roasted fish in about 3 bites, licking her lips. "So say it, why were you tailing us?" Xun Shi crosses his arms. "Well, no one wanted to be in my group, so I figured I''d just go with the strongest." She shrugs. "Don''t you have an entire fan club? Of traitors?" "Haha, do you really think I''d team up with them? Never! I''m an upper-high grade talent, are you serious?" Liu Huan blinks, suddenly running up to her, grabbing her shoulders. "Wait, you''re an upper-high grade talent!" She drops her roasted fish, surprised. "Y-yeah, what about it?" A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. She shuffles a little, her senses heightened. Liu Huan abruptly steps back, clenching his teeth. "So it turns out there was someone better than me... and I though Xun Shi was the only obstacle on my path to greatness." His head drops, heart broken by this revelation. Xun Shi stands, packing the supplies around the campfire into his bag. "You came into the sect secretly didn''t you? Was it because you were from an assassin clan?" Liu Huan gasps. "She''s from an assassin clan?" His eyes glint, feet slowly stepping back. Liu Huan''s arm bends towards his back, wrapping around his spear handle. The air itself felt heavy, charged. Cheng Lian sweats, nervously waving her hands. "No, no, just because I''m from an assassin clan doesn''t mean I''m an actual assassin, I was just born there!" She tries explaining. "Then tell me, would a non-assassin have such great tailing skills? To chase us this far? How brave." Xun Shi''s arrogance that he was trying to supress slips¡ªswordsmen should never be proud. "How could a tiny dagger compare to my large sword? How could a woman compare to a man?" A sharp glint, Cheng Lian''s breath hitches in her throat. Whoosh. Xun Shi withdraws his sword, the metal shining ominously¡ªcontrasting the dark night. It resonates with the stars above. He puts his right leg in front, with his left leg back, both aligned. Crouching down slightly, he points the sword forwards. "I''ve only been honed once or twice in the sect, but all the training at my clan wasn''t for nothing!" He breathes in deeply, and something about him... changes. "Lord Xun''s Minor Breath!" Liu Huan steps back, eyes narrowing. "So this is the Xun clan''s secret technique." Cheng Lian had stepped back so far, that her back was against a tree, the bark grinding into her. A shadow loomed over her, if she moved, she was dead. "What to do... what to do?" Cheng Lian''s teeth start clattering, a bad habit of hers since she was a child¡ªespecially for an assassin. There was no time to think, it was either do or die. She reaches into her waist, pulling out two daggers. "They''re going to fight? They''re really going to fight!" Liu Huan nervously paces around, not used to seeing fights, especially between two disciples. His breathing quickens. ... "Son, we Liu clan aren''t afraid of any fight." Liu Huan''s father, Liu Chen empathises, spinning his spear around. "Even if we were up against immortals, or buddhas, we still wouldn''t chicken out." "Hkk¡ªbut father, I don''t want to fight." "Disgrace! How could you dishonour our clan like this!" Thwack! With the end of the spear, Liu Chen wacks Liu Huan right in the shin. "Ahh! Father, why!" ... Liu Huan shudders. "G-guys, don''t fight!" Xun Shi, still in his stance, turns his head towards Liu Huan, eyebrow raised. "Why shouldn''t I fight her? She''s an assassin, coming for our heads." Liu Huan''s pulse pounded in his ears, his fingers started shaking. With a raspy voice, he lets out the most pathetic passage of words Xun Shi had ever heard in his entire 13 years of life. "Because... because I don''t like fights¡ªthey''re too violent!" His eyes tremble, vision blurring. Xun Shi breaks his stance, angrily turning towards Liu Huan. "How could you, as a cultivator, be afraid of fighting!?" Xun Shi takes a step towards Liu Huan. Liu Huan flinches when Xun Shi makes his move, falling over. His eyes widened as he felt heat. No! He wasn''t falling onto the ground¡ªhe was falling onto the campfire! A shudder ran through his spine as he hit the burning hot logs, the fire wrapping around him like the claws of death. "LIU HUAN!" Xun Shi''s grasp on his sword weakens. Clang. It falls to the grass, lying there silently as Xun Shi runs towards Liu Huan. "Argh! It burns!" Liu Huan instinctively rolls, trying desperately to pat himself of the fire. "Don''t move!" Xun Shi grabs the nearby water canister and dumps all the water on Liu Huan. But it was already too late¡ªthe flames had already scarred Liu Huan''s face, and his body. Liu Huan stands up, his eyes flickering to Xun Shi for a brief second. Then he runs away, into the trees. When he looked at Xun Shi, he didn''t see his rival, he saw a monster. A violent monster. "Liu Huan! Come back!" Xun Shi shouts, already knowing that his words are futile. Liu Huan was gone. And it was all his fault. Cheng Lian watches from a tree branch, her eyes narrowing. "How spineless." She shakes her head, hopping off the tree and then walking away. ... "He wants us to abolish the rule we made." "That old bastard, doesn''t he know about the story of Geng Hong? Wasn''t he born with a trash-grade talent? Now look where he is at, higher than that old fart." Sect leader Gao Yong looks into a mirror, his eyes sunken, too much has happened in the last few days. In the mirror, Gao Yong''s reflection stares back at him. This one doesn''t have an aura of serenity around him, more like an aura of conflict and constant tension. "I tell you what, you shouldn''t listen to him, isn''t he still recovering." Sect leader Gao Yong shakes his head. "He''s still a soul formation cultivator, he''s still stronger than any nascent soul realm.... unless my master interferes, which he probably wouldn''t, his brain must be mush by now." Sect leader Gao Yong sadly sighs, standing up and walking away from the mirror. "Gao Yong, you need to learn to accept your past, you can''t just keep running!" He closes the door behind him. "Gao Yong!" And What Do You Know? BOOM! Suddenly, Fatty Wang punches the stone walls of the cell, and it suddenly collapses. "WHAT THE FUCK FATTY!" Zi Rougang tries to run from the impending pieces falling. ... Ten minutes ago. "So this is it? Dunespire Kingdom?" A short bald man with a long moustache speaks, twirling his moustache, with a look of utter contempt on his face. "Hehe, yes sir Phoenix Prince. The Dunespire Kingdom''s royalty was, after all, about to collapse." "How disgusting, these odd smells irritate my nose, servant, let us destroy this place at once! I need to return to my palace immediately so I can meet my new concubine!" For a second, the Phoenix Prince eye''s roll back, tongue sticking out, an expression of pure lust. Then suddenly, he erupts into flames. "T-That man just caught on fire! Run!" A huge commotion is started, civilians of Dunespire Kingdom running away from the Phoenix Prince who is currently on fire. His servant smirks as he stands by, watching the mortals run like their lives depend on it. "Instead of helping a man on fire by bringing him water, you''d rather run away while he burns in despair? How foolish." He lets out a light chuckle, awaiting his master''s return. Kshh! Suddenly, the fire goes out, and gone is the old man with the moustache. In his place, a tall, handsome man with long brushed back red hair appears. He wears majestic red robes with a large phoenix imprinted around it. His eyebrows furrow. "I feel dirty, couldn''t elder sister have procured a better disguise?" His servant nervously laughs. "You see, Her Highness was in a rush, please don''t blame him Prince." The Phoenix Prince takes a few steps forwards, his right arm behind his back. "Well, I guess you''re right, she has been awfully busy these past few days." Suddenly, a bright flash of red light covers Dunespire Kingdom. "Burn for me, mortals, I will rid you of your selfishness, along with your lives." Instantaneously, each building collapses, the beautiful architecture of Dunespire Kingdom built over years of hard-work gone in a matter of seconds. Along with the collapse of buildings, each mortal that ran from the burning Phoenix Prince starts to engulf in flames, their "Selfishness" coming back for them. The Phoenix Prince waves his arm. "Let us go, servant, our job here is done." The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. His eyes narrow, glinting. "Tell father that Pan Mu is no more." Suddenly, he bursts into flames once more, turning into a phoenix. The servant also catches on flames, burning alive. Zoom. The phoenix flies away at speed mortals cannot comprehend. Currently, in the merchant guild, Kong Jian sips on tea, when¡ª Crash! The building collapses on itself, flattening Kong Jian. Down below¡ª Each person in the jail''s jaws are dropped. "F-Fatty Wang, how did you just break the stone wall." Fatty Wang looks at his fists, his eyes widening with a newfound self-respect. "I-I don''t know... I just... hit the wall with my fist." He looks up, where sunlight is now peeking through. He then turns to the group, standing heroically. "Fellow disciples! It is my duty as the pow¡ª" "AHHHH!!! SAVE ME!!!" Suddenly, from above, an arm on fire reaches into the collapsed cell. The person holding his arm out, a victim of the Phoenix Prince, jumps inside the cell, calling for help. "HELP ME!! ARGHH¡ª!" He burns into ashes. Zuo Lingxin stares, trembling. Xuan Wu gasps. Fatty Wang''s breath hitches. Zi Rougang sweats. "W-What was that?" Zi Rougang stands up, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "And why... why is it so hot?" Sweat beaded on his forehead, his throat went dry. Cold sweat dripped down Zuo Lingxin''s pale face. Suddenly, sound becomes clear. "SOMEBODY HELP!" "AGHHH!" "KGHHH!" A lightshow. If you had to use one word to describe the current scene. Hundreds¡ªno, thousands of mortals, all on fire, running around like their lives depended on it. Fatty Wang steps back, his stomach in knots from the sight. "A-A heavenly punishment! The heavens have punished this kingdom!'' "It''s the only explanation!" Fatty Wang drops to his knees, bawling. "We''re next! We-we''re next¡ª" SMACK! "Snap out of it!" Zi Rougang steps aside, looking at Fatty Wang who he had just smacked. "There''s a reason we aren''t on fire." Xuan Wu looks up, towards the exit. "We''re not apart of this. Let''s get out before the situation worsens." Fatty Wang takes a deep breath, steeling his nerves. "I got it." They move towards the exit, grabbing the fallen stone as support to make their way out. "Wait!" "Hmph?" Fatty Wang and Xuan Wu turn towards Zi Rougang. "Junior sister Zuo, damn it, she''s passed out!" He drops down, carrying her like a princess. Fatty Wang nods, a load of sweat covering his face. They all exit, running towards the border. Along the way, black ashes litter the roads, each building is collapsed. The once beautiful Dunespire Kingdom is reduced to ashes. "Damn it, what could mortals possibly have done to invoke heavenly punishment?" Zi Rougang shakes his head, gritting his teeth. Xuan Wu, still sprinting, contemplates. "It might not be heavenly punishment." Fatty Wang nearly trips. "What do you mean!" "A cultivator." "You''re saying¡ª" "Yes, a cultivator could''ve done this." "B-But how, I thought cultivators couldn''t¡ª" "I don''t know." Xuan Wu takes a deep breath. "But whoever that is, has to be a demonic cultivator." Fatty Wang looks away. "...How terrible." They finally exit the Dunespire Kingdom¡ªor whatever has remained of it after ten minutes. "To think..." Fatty Wang stands there, right in front of the fading mirage. "To think tens of thousands of innocent lives... in just one¡ª" "We don''t have to reflect on the past." Zi Rougang steps forwards, still holding Zuo Lingxin. "We should, however, focus on the future." Xuan Wu nods, silently agreeing. "As future cultivators, mortals will be like ants to us. Have you ever took time to notice how many ants you''ve killed?" Fatty Wang shudders. "Onto new horizons..." Zuo Lingxin looks towards the sunset. ... "The sunset is so beautiful, don''t you agree?" The Phoenix Prince laughs, flying high above in the clouds. "Phoenix Prince. The sunset is very beautiful." The servant from before, now seated on top of the Phoenix Prince''s true form comments. ... "Something... Something has happened." Sect leader Gao Yong stares at the sunset, his eyebrows furrowing. "But what? I can''t quite place my finger on it, my peace feels disturbed." He looks towards Serenity Peak. ... "Agahaha, big brother, the heavens are so quiet today! Aren''t they feeling a bit guilty?" A little girl sits atop a giant''s shoulder. "Mm... the Phoenix Lineage has been acting too arrogant lately, time I teach them a lesson." The giant cracks his knuckles, looking towards the sunset. ... "S-Sir, the fall of the Dunespire Kingdom, it has happened¡ªa-and not because of internal matters, the Phoenix Lineage interfered!!!!" A mouse reports with his head down in a kowtow. "That old bastard finally had enough? Spread the news, it''s time I repay an old debt." "Y-Yes sir!" A fat mouse in dark blue robes smokes a pipe, looking towards the sunset. "How could you be so calm?" ... ... ... The Secrets. Guuuurrrgglllee... A deep rumbling sound echoes from Zi Rougang''s stomach, like a hungry beast. Xuan Wu sighs. "We''re running low on rations." Xuan Wu comments, checking his empty bag. All that comes out of the bag is a fly. Fatty Wang nods, his fat jiggling satisfyingly. "Maybe we could hunt a wild beast, or gather berries." His fists clench, still believing he was the one who broke the stone wall with a punch. Zi Rougang laments, looking straight at Fatty Wang, then the still passed out Zuo Lingxin. "Not only are we running low on food, Zuo Lingxin is beginning to become a burden on us. How come she still hasn''t woken up?" Fatty Wang sighs, glancing at Zuo Lingxin''s peaceful resting face. "Maybe she was too traumatised from the events at Dunespire." Zi Rougang clenches his teeth. "Damn it, how come everyone just started burning!?" Xuan Wu yawns. "I''ve been speculating about it. How come everyone started burning? If cultivators can really set an entire kingdom''s worth of mortals on fire, that''s a new fear added to my list." Fatty Wang shudders, "Do you think... Sect leader can do that?" Zi Rougang laughs nervously. "Don''t be silly Fatty Wang, our sect is righteous. Isn''t that right junior brother Xuan?" Xuan Wu half-heartedly replys. "Yes, of course its right senior brother." He nearly throws up, how come seniority is decided based on talent when you first join the sect? The way the Great Whirlwind sect works is really strange. Zi Rougang acts nonchalant, but on the inside¡ªhe smirks, getting satisfaction from being called "senior brother" They continue walking through the forest, the Emerald Green Forest. After exiting Dunespire Kingdom through the mirage entrance, they ended up near the outer reaches of the Byurning Yellow desert. Before they know it, the sun lays to rest and the moon takes up his post. A wolves lone howl is heard, reminding the group of how darkness has already begun spreading, marking the day as finished. "Better set up camp." Zi Rougang already begins placing the tents, with Fatty Wang helping out. Xuan Wu sighs. "To think so much has happened in the span of a few days... I got accepted into the sect, that bizarre secret in the illusion, going out on a mission, getting betrayed, witnessing an entire kingdom falling..." Then he grins. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "What beautiful experience for my foundation! Plus, the flavoured qi at Dunespire Kingdom definitely affected me somehow, even with my very low grade talent, I might still reach the levels of an untrained medium-grade talent!" Xuan Wu smiles foolishly for a couple of seconds, before turning to the tents, his eyebrow raising. "You guys are already done?" "Yeah well, in the minutes that you spent fantasising or whatever, we''d already built the tents. Goodnight." Xuan Wu''s face turns a bright pink, immediately rushing into a green tent on the far right of the campsite. These tents are made out of bamboo, effective at keeping bugs out, and also a little soundproof. Shutting the tent covers, Xuan Wu immediately lays on his back and goes to sleep. Outside, the tents wave slightly in the wind. Right next to Xuan Wu''s green tent, is a pink tent. Inside, Zi Rougang lays Zuo Lingxin down with a deep sigh. "When will you awake?" He exits, leaving to guard the tent. Black smoke swirls around Zuo Lingxin, before condensing into a defined shadow. Bai Yu looks wearily at Zuo Lingxin''s face. "My little pink hex, it seems you''ve begun the activation of your true nature." He sits down next to her, reciting his learnings from years and years of comprehension of the Dao of Curses. "...The wolf who sleeps is not aware of the shadow next to him..." Outside the tent, the wind has settled. Now, a light rain falls. Zi Rougang shudders, glancing between his tent, and Zuo Lingxin''s tent. "A sword cultivator must always make sacrifices." Staying rooted in place, he stands in the rain, still guarding Zuo Lingxin''s tent. Next to him is a blue tent, and inside, Fatty Wang lays down. "Ahh~ What a long day, now this fatty can finally take a rest." He snuggles warmly into his blanket. "Free from earthly matters..." He dozes off, falling asleep quickly in only 20 seconds. Now, the only one awake is Zi Rougang, who currently stands guard in front of Zuo Lingxin''s tent, crossing his arms as rain falls on him. "...Sword cultivators must not falter, they must keep in line, sacrificing themselves for the righteousness of the world..." Zi Rougang mutters to himself, trying to stay awake. He reaches behind him and wraps his fingers around his swords handle, quickly getting into stance. "Settling into Righteous Peak was a risky choice, but it paid off well, considering I''ve learnt to control my emotions better." His eyes narrow, keeping watch for any predators. "Rain is the best weather, as it is said that once water starts dropping from the sky, the Heavenly Dao cries tears of providence, dao, and divinity." He continues his muttering, reciting paragraphs from the manual his Peak Master gave him. "How profound... it seems righteousness is really the natural way." He continues reciting, his voice slowly growing louder. The rain starts growing harsher, the droplets hitting each tent fiercely. Inside Zuo Linxin''s tent, Bai Yu finishes speaking, paying attention to the rain falling. "You feel it don''t you? Being helpless, alone, not being able to protect your children. I understand you." Boom! Thunder cracks. "In the infinite river of time, such actions are swept away by the tide instantly." BOOM! Thunder cracks once again, only this time lightning hits Zuo Lingxin''s tent, easily being deflected away by Bai Yu''s aura. "Words are not enough. Actions are needed. Consequences will be met." The clouds grow dark. Outside, Zi Rougang frantically runs around. "Fuck, what''s going on with this weather? It was just fine an hour ago!" He worriedly looks at Zuo Lingxin''s tent. "That lightning was deflected so easily... is something protecting junior sister Lingxin?" A weight is immediately lifted off of his shoulders, "If that''s the case then... good." He enters his tent, right next to Fatty Wangs, and immediately falls asleep. The rain continues for a couple hours, before disappearing in a few seconds. A shadow manifests outside. "It''s okay to let things out. It is not okay however, to get other people involved." Bai Yu sighs, before dispersing. Black smoke expands outwards from where he dispersed, traversing through the entire Emerald Green forest. What Secrets? Morning. "Come on, the sects not far from here." Fatty Wang walks at the front of the group, energetic as ever. "Seriously, how could you, a fatty, be this energetic?" Zi Rougang gasps, struggling to keep up while carrying Zuo Lingxin. "We''ve been walking for hours!" Xuan Wu looks away, whistling. "I don''t know." Suddenly, the group comes across a sign. Great Whirlwind Sect, 2 KM Fatty Wang clenches his fist, smiling. "We''re going to become cultivators once we return to the sect!" He takes a deep breath. "We can only hope we have no troubles." Zi Rougang nods. "Me and junior brother Xuan only have low-grade talents, we''ll probably be stuck in Qi Gathering for quite a while." He starts trembling. "It''s not fair, how come cultivation is based on talent and not hard-work¡ª" Xuan Wu waves his hand. "Calm down. Don''t forget the flavored qi that tainted us at Dunespire Kingdom. Along with all the experience we''ve gained, you shouldn''t be worrying. Talent is only half of it." Zi Rougang nods, swallowing his saliva. "Thank you, and you''re right, I shouldn''t be worrying this much." Xuan Wu''s eyebrow raises. "This guy... his character has changed a bit." They continue moving forwards. With a little chatting and bickering along the way, the sects gate was already right in front of them. Fatty Wang takes a deep breath. "It was only for a few weeks, but we''re already back." Xuan Wu stands at the back of the group, glancing at Zi Rougang. "Most initiate missions take about a month or two, we''re pretty early." Zi Rougang, at the front of the group smiles. "Halt!" Two outer disciples stand at the front of the gate, the right holds his hand out. "We''re apart of the new disciples, we''ve just come back from our initiate mission." The left disciple''s eyebrows raise. "Its only been a few weeks... don''t tell me you already feel like you''ve gained enough experience!" Zi Rougang smirks, chucking a grey token at the outer disciple on the right. He only takes a brief moment to examine it, nodding. "Welcome back to the sect, good luck on starting your cultivating journey." "You too!" Fatty Wang replies subconsciously, already making his way into the sect. The outer disciples give him a weird look, then shake their heads. It takes a few seconds for Fatty Wang to realise what he''d said, his face going bright red. He immediately rushes to check-in. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The sect is still as active as ever, chatter and commotions everywhere around, with towering pagodas marking the place as a sect. The group arrives at the Mission Pagoda. Entering, the room is as lively as ever. The disciple at the counter glances at the group as they approach. "Welcome to the mission pagoda, which mission would you like to take?" He says lazily. Zi Rougang hands him a grey token. "We''re back from our initiate mission." Almost instantaneously, the disciple at the counter sits up, examining the token. "Really? That quick? I remember my initiate mission took me 3 months!" He takes a deep breath, handing each of them an outer disciple token. "Welcome to the outer sect." Fatty Wang laughs as he receives his token. "Its finally going to happen! We''re going to become cultivators! Its really going to happen!" His grin stretches wide, teeth glinting like never before. Zi Rougang, usually nonchalant, suddenly joins in the laughter. "You''re right, we''ll be able to fly on swords and live for hundreds of years!" The disciple at the counter sighs, smiling at the groups joy. "I was just like them when I finally returned from my initiate mission." And then, with a frown he whispers, "Sadly, its not as exciting as you think." The group exits the Mission Pagoda bidding farewell to each other. "By the time we meet up again, we''d better spar!" Fatty Wang chuckles. "I''d defeat all of you!" "Fatty, don''t be so arrogant, strength is not dependant on cultivation talent." Zi Rougang excitedly responds. "You guys would have to group up to be able to defeat me." Xuan Wu half-heartedly responds, already beginning to walk back to his sect. "H-huh? What do you mean by that!" Zi Rougang shouts, staring at Xuan Wu''s back. Fatty Wang angrily taunts Xuan Wu. "Hey, come back, let''s fight right now!" Already being left behind by Xuan Wu, Fatty Wang and Zi Rougang sigh. "I guess this is farewell, take good care of yourself." Fatty Wang turns around and heads towards his sect, waving his arm. He acts nonchalant as he walks, but secretly wipes a tear. Zi Rougang waves as well. "I''ll miss you, Fatty." His arm drops, turning his head to look at the still-resting Zuo Lingxin on his back. "Let''s get you back to the Serene Peak first." And finally, Zi Rougang turns around, heading to the serene peak. Up in the sky, the sun slowly sets, giving the ground a nice orange hue. Under the same sky as the Great Whirlwind sect, Dong Shui is currently tied to a tree, laughing angrily. "Great, great, getting captured by the Zero Mercy gang, what now?" He grits his teeth. "Damn it Lei Ming, you really messed it all up for us." He shouts. Feng Zhi, tied to the other side of the tree sighs. "Calm down senior brother. Lei Ming had only made a mistake, we all make mistakes." Dong Shui continues laughing. "Yeah, and that mistake could cause us to all get killed!" Feng Zhi continues sighing, a usual habit of his. The tree that they are currently tied to is an Amber Bright tree, the symbol of the Zero Mercy gang. The Zero Mercy gang is a mortal bandit group that quite literally shows absolutely no mercy. They usually run around with smiles, giving loans to struggling families in mortal kingdoms. And if the struggling families don''t pay them back? They capture them, break their fingers, skin them, burn them, and show absolutely zero mercy. It doesn''t matter if you''re a man, woman, or even a child, they''ll still grin ear-to-ear in your face while breaking your fingers one by one. Their hideout is an underground bunker, and each member of the gang lives luxuriously, getting paid back double interest because of their violent acts. In the main meeting room, 8 tough looking men sit around a circular stone table. The leader of the Zero Mercy gang, Ding Tao, has two beauties sitting on his lap as he twirls his knife around. "Hehe, great job capturing those two brats Gao Hu." Gao Hu, sitting opposite of Ding Tao smirks maliciously. "After some interrogation, we''ve discovered that they come from the Great Whirlwind sect." Ding Tao frowns. "Sect? You know we shouldn''t be messing with cultivators." Gao Hu chuckles. "Don''t worry, they can''t do anything to us boss. Remember how that passing cultivator told us about the Heavenly Law?" Ding Tao''s eyebrows ease, his grin slowly building back up. "Ah yes, I remember now, the one where cultivators can''t touch mortals?" A brutish woman speaks up, her eyes crazed. "Boss! He said something about karma, hehe, we can do anything to those cultivators and they won''t be able to do anything back!" Each gang member in the room laughs, the room slightly shaking from the intensity. An old man gets on his knees, looking to the sky mockingly. "Oh thank you, the great Heavens, for your divine laws!" The woman chuckles. "How much gold should we request from their sect?" Ding Tao claps his hands, the two beauties on his lap giggling. "We should just kill em." Of Righteousness. ... "W-what do you mean boss?" Gao Hu''s breath hitches in his throat, of course he didn''t expect this, his boss just raised an insane suggestion! The sheer disrespect, killing a sect''s disciples? As mortals! He regulates his breathing, letting this pass as a joke. But then¡ª "Yeah... let''s just kill them. How would the sect even retaliate against us? Aren''t we mortals? Do they want to invoke heavenly punishment?" Gao Hu''s eyes widen. "This is it... my boss is really crazy!" The old man who thanked the heavens a few minutes ago, Xiao Ning, nods and laughs. "Killing them? That''s bold. I like it." The crazed woman nods as well. "Disrespecting a righteous sect? Maybe the demonic sects''ll take us in!" She cackles. Old man Xiao Ning flashes a toothy grin, several of his yellow teeth missing. "You''re talking about the Scarlet Blood sect aren''t you..." The room suddenly quiets down. Even the crazed woman stops cackling. Drip... Cold sweat drips down Gao Hu''s forehead, hitting the stone ground. "S-Scarlet Blood sect? You mean the blood drinkers, bone snappers, flesh eaters?" Gao Hu stutters, his pale hand pressed tightly against the stone table for stability. Xiao Ning lets a raspy breath out, laughing slowly. "Yes... the Scarlet Blood sect." Ding Tao rubs his brows, his mind wandering. "No. We are saints compared to the Scarlet Blood sect. They once committed unspeakable acts to an innocent sect just because one of the sect''s outer disciples complimented a Scarlet Blood elder." Xiao Ning taps his finger against the stone table. "It''s best we stop talking about them, lest we get destroyed by them before we even join them." His grin is ever-present. Ding Tao smiles, then stands up. He goes up several stairs, going outside. Looking at the moon, he reminisces. "Ah, great moon, how wonderful you are." His eyes then fall on Dong Shui, still tied to the tree. "Great Whirlwind disciple..." At that very same sect, a great competition is currently taking place. "Qian Zhelan! Use your secret technique!" A little boy shouts, his voice piercing. Qian Zhelan, currently battling against an outer sect disciple, smiles. "Here I go." "Whirlwind Wood Blast!" Suddenly, his qi stretches out a few centimetres behind him, that is his limit since he is only at the fifth layer of Qi Gathering. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The qi, with only a limited amount of space, form into small trees, that start rapidly spinning. He then lunges at his shocked opponent, slamming him with the small spinning trees. Boom! His opponent falls back, spitting blood. "Qian Zhelan! Victory!" The outer sect elder overlooking the competition announces, his voice booming. "Wooh! Senior brother!" A group of disciples under the same master as Qian Zhelan cheer. The little boy from before claps his hands, looking proud. Qian Zhelan walks up to the boy, towering above him. Just when everyone thought he would pat the boys head, or even give him a compliment¡ª Qian Zhelan bows to the boy! And he bows low, really low. The boy puts one arm behind his back, his other arm''s hand rubbing his chin like a wise old master. He then nods, "Well done disciple, I knew you had it in you." Qian Zhelan excitedly grins. If he were a dog, his tail would be wagging wildly right now. "Thank you great master! I''ll make sure to use all your teachings and win this competition!" The crowd murmurs, some confused, some amused, and some even angry at the lack of seniority. "How could this be! How shameless is this Qian Zhelan to take a little boy as his master!" "Hehe, maybe the little boy is an old master in disguise." "Is this guy serious?" "W-wait! I know them! The little master and old disciple!" For some reason, a fatty sitting in the crowd seems to know about them. The crowd turns to him. "Gosh, what a fatty!" He takes up an entire two seats, eating some fried chicken. Fatty Wang points a finger at the master-disciple duo, spittle flying everywhere as he talks. "Yeah, yeah I know them, apparently Qian Zhelan''s master is really a little boy! And that little boy is apparently very wise and talented!" A bald disciple scrunches his nose. "And how do you know all of this, fatty?" Fatty Wang laughs, smacking the bald disciple right in the cranium. The bald disciple gets knocked back, right into the food stands. Fatty Wang then struggles to stand up, lifting his head up arrogantly. "I know all of this because I studied this sect quite a lot before I joined." He turns around, arms behind his back. "And I know all of the popular duos. You newbies don''t really know anything, do you?" "Aren''t you a newbie as well!?" "That doesn''t matter, I still know more than you guys." "I-I! What?" Fatty Wang smirks, walking slowly, parting the crowd like the red sea. His arms still behind his back, he continues. "I bet you guys didn''t know about the pure disciple and the seven butterflies..." He blabbers for about thirty minutes before he reaches the end of the competition grounds, the crowd following him to listen to all of his yapping. Finally reaching the exit of the competition, the Iron Gate, he turns around and bows, causing the crowd to momentarily pause, and then applaud. "What a smart fatty!" "It seems we really judged a book by its cover!" "Wooh! You are my favourite fatty!" "Fatty Wang, have my children!" Fatty Wang laughs as he exits, flowers being thrown at him, along with cheers. Suddenly, a tough hand clasps his shoulder. The peak master of Toughening Up Peak. Also known as Fatty Wang''s master. "Boy, what could you be doing out here, instead of cultivating?" Fatty Wang shudders, nervously laughing while he turns his pudgy head around. The peak master of Toughening Up peak literally emanates testosterone. Prepubescent boys around him gain deep voices within minutes, while girls grow broad shoulders. He is bald, a pale skin color, a scar going through his left eye, a thick beard, and red markings all over his face. Fatty Wang nervously tries to explain. "Y-you s-see M-Master..." Lifting him up by the collar, Han Kuang throws Fatty Wang all the way to the Toughening Up peak. "Hopefully you''ll toughen up." With a stoic expression, the 7''8 hulking figure makes his way to the inner sect. "Kids will learn." "They will." "Elders will spit." "They will." "Traitors will betray." "They will." "Doom be to them." "Chaos exists in all of us." "Peace coincides." The young boy from before, the master of Qian Zhelan, Xiao Bo, faces Qian Zhelan in a dark space, lit by flickering candles. The earthy smell of mud and grime pertains the room, whilst smoke curls around, salmon on bronze plates littered around. "Disciple, what is my name?" "Your name is Xian Bo, master." "Good." Xian Bo smiles, his young face lightening up. "Disciple, get my bath ready, I''ll teach you another time." "Y-yes master! This disciple will warm your bath and prepare your toys!" Xiao Bo smiles, walking outside. His feet step against the muddy ground, rain falling on his face. He looks up at the moon, his eyes narrowing. "A mortal dares to conspire against the sect? Hmph, it seems you don''t fully understand the Heavenly laws." Xiao Bo''s qi rages inside of him, his golden core spinning at rapid speeds. ... No Evil? ... Yet another day, another commotion at the sect grounds. "You! Lin Wei, how dare you scam me!" "I-I never scammed you! Liar!" Two outer disciples fight over a glowing yellow crystal. Dozens of disciples surround the two, some amused, while some are on Lin Wei''s side, surprisingly. "How dare you Chen Xi, give the crystal back to Lin Wei if he scammed you!" "Yeah! Exactly! If he did scam you, just give it back!" Chen Xi frowns, his eyes watering as he starts stomping. "You-you, how dare you guys! I''m going to go tell my master!" He throws the crystal at Lin Wei, running away in tears. Lin Wei laughs, waving his hand. "Goodbye Chen Xi! Good luck on breaking through to the second layer of Qi Gathering, if you even can!" Laughter spreads from the spot, driving the running Chen Xi crazy. "H-how dare they! Don''t they know my master? Those bastards, how could they just bully me, didn''t he scam me?" The young Chen Xi is only 12. He got into the sect through connections, and only has low-grade talent. Suddenly, he bumps into someone, and the person he bumped into falls back. Chen Xi chokes on his sob, quickly running to the person he bumped into. "Are you okay?" Xuan Wu sees stars. He was just going to the hidden scripture pavilion to get the technique his master asked for, how come someone just came running at him? Chen Xi continues asking. "Junior brother, I see you are only a mortal with no cultivation, are you fine?" Xuan Wei spits blood, resulting in Chen Xi worrying further. "Oh no, we have to get you to the medical quarters!" Xuan Wei did not spit blood because he was injured, no, it was because he was called junior brother yet again. He looks at Chen Xi''s face, chubby and youthful, like a little baby, how come he is the elder brother? He nearly faints. "Junior brother!" A hand grabs Chen Xi''s shoulder. "N-no, s-s-senior brother, I''m fine." Xuan Wei stands up, visibly cringing. "I''ll just be on m-my way then." He staggers towards the hidden scripture pavilion, whispering curses. Chen Xi looks back, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. "O-okay then junior brother, just come to me if you''re still hurting!" Chen Xi nods. "I''ll go back to my master now, tell him about my bullies too!" Chen Xi starts running yet again. "Gosh, I really need to start cultivating, just a first layer Qi Gathering cultivator nearly knocked me out just by running into me!" Xuan Wu rubs his forehead, walking into the hidden scripture pavilion. The inside is designed like a library, with cultivation techniques, manuals, arts, battle forms, basically a cultivators version of a library. An old janitor sweeps the ground, one sweep, two sweeps, three sweeps, and then he turns around, one sweep, two sweeps, three sweeps, turn around. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. For some reason, Xuan Wu was mesmerized by this pattern. "This old janitor must be a hidden master, I''ll definitely get into contact with him soon." Xuan Wu grins, opening up his cheat system to scan the janitor. [Name: Wei Yin] [Title: Great Whirlwind Janitor. Effects: Gains minor protection against mortal diseases.] [Age: 72/80] [Cultivation Realm: Mortal] [Innate Talents: Heavenly Pattern Recognition] Xuan Wu sighs. "What a sad life. An incredible innate talent but no cultivation talent to back it, he was doomed for death as a mortal." He shakes his head, walking to the front counter where an outer sect elder sits behind. Xuan Wu says no words, handing the elder a paper. The elder immediately stands up, handing Xuan Wu a book. The title of it was. "One Thousand Sword Cultivation Technique." As Xuan Wu walks out, he considers the book. "So this will be my cultivation technique? Apparently, even if you have a very low talent, a good cultivation technique can make you faster at cultivating than even medium-grade talents." After a few hours of walking, he reaches the Sword Peak. The sword peak is of course, shaped like a wide rugged sword. The stairs leading up the mountain are stone swords, lined up. Xuan Wu ascends, being out of breath by the time he reaches the Sword Peak grounds. Sword cultivators are ascetics, they remain hermits in their abodes most of the time. So the peak grounds were pretty empty. Traveling further up the mountain, he reaches his master''s abode. Knock, knock, knock. "Come in." The sword peak elder, Zeng Su sits on a pile of swords, meditating with his eyes closed. the scent of incense fills the room. Zeng Su slowly opens his eyes, frowning as Xuan Wu enters. "This brat. Little Shi forced me to take him into the peak, perhaps out of pity. Trash low-grade talents, what was Little Shi thinking?" Xuan Wu fakes a smile as he enters, bowing. "Disciple greets master!" But on the inside, his thoughts were a lot different. "Greetings bastard, you''ve been treating me like shit you think I haven''t noticed? Good luck tonight with your diarrhea bastard." Xuan Wu looks to the side, at the gorgeous blue panel floating there. [Zeng Su] [Conditions:] [Clear Skin, Alcoholic, Diarrhea] A few hours ago, he was checking out some functions of his cheat system, and he found out that he can literally do anything. That includes, giving conditions to people. For example, he experimented it on a random outer disciple, giving the disciple late-stage balding. The disciple went bald instantly, and Xuan Wu quickly removed it. Not only can he add bad conditions, he can also add good conditions. He realised that people are born with personalities, while conditions come later in life. Back to the abode, Zeng Su stands up, clasping Xuan Wu''s shoulder with a smirk. "Do you have the technique...?" Xuan Wu smiles, handing Zeng Su the technique. "I do master, I can''t wait to start cultivating!" Zeng Su grabs the book out of Xuan Wu''s hands and turns around, secretly chuckling. "You''re only a low-grade talent, what makes you think you can even get past Qi Gathering?" He giggles to himself. "How foolish." Opening up the book, he reads through it, nodding. He grabs a nearby jade token, imprinting the books information onto it, then chucking it at Xuan Wu. "Here you go, you may leave." Xuan Wu catches the token with a grunt, bowing and then leaving. He walks down, going to his personal abode. A small cave. Inside, he takes a seat, and reads through the small jade. The words are really really small. "Damn this bastard, to think he really fit all those words onto this small token, fucking bastard, rot in hell!" Xuan Wu grunts, taking 12 hours straight just to absorb all of it. After 12 hours, he sits there with a serene expression. "I understand it. The One Thousand Sword Cultivation Technique consists of cultivating qi in the form of swords, eventually compressing one thousand swords into your golden core." He nods, looking at the new system popup. [Detected Cultivation Technique, would you like to learn it?] [Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Perfection] Xuan Wu chuckles. "This system can really do anything... if this is too hard for me to comprehend, maybe I''ll cheat a little." He swipes the system panel away, starting to cultivate. "Okay. Breathe in the shape of a sword." At first, he inhales in the pattern of a sword, it fails, causing him to have a nosebleed. On his second to seventh attempt, he finally got a rounded shape down, and he started refining it. On the eighth to twentieth attempt, he finally got a rusty rugged shape down. Fifty attempts later, and it was already night. Blood puddled around the room from nose bleeds, and he could only achieve a slightly less rugged sword. "Really, this is insane, the beginner shape sketched onto this token is way more refined than my current sword." He sighs, looking outside at the moon, before falling asleep. There Is Some. "Phewww... Hahhh." Xuan Wu continues breathing, each cycle takes around 10 minutes. Around Xuan Wu''s mouth, there is blood, and cuts. This is the result of continuously sharpening the sword. "My 100th attempt. Here goes nothing!" He starts breathing out, forming the base of the sword. And then, he sculpts the hilt, the guard, and then finally the blade. The blade starts out blunt and rounded, but after strategic exhaling and inhaling, it slowly sharpens. The air around the sword suddenly changes, and a mysterious energy starts getting pulled in. "This is it!" Xuan Wu braces himself, and then¡ª SWHIP! The sword, blade first, plunges into Xuan Wu through his mouth. The corner of his lips rip, and blood flies out, hitting the stone ground. But there is a sparkle in Xuan Wu''s eyes, he hops up, clenching his fist. "I did it! I''m a cultivator!" Sharp energy rages inside Xuan Wu, he quickly sits down to settle the qi inside his thin, fragile meridians. [Cultivation Realm Updated.] [First layer of Qi Gathering.] After regulating his breath, and steadying the qi, he slowly stands up once again. This time, there is a strange atmosphere around him. The atmosphere is similar to when an all-powerful emperor overlooks his puny subjects. Yes! This is the Cultivator Ego! What are lowly mortals to you, once qi starts flowing inside of your meridians? They are nothing! Ants! You are nothing more than an idea to them! A theory, a hypothesis, a conspiracy theorist''s ramblings! Xuan Wu suddenly feels as if he is at the top of the world. He feels as if he can go around smacking elders without consequence. He even considers an insane thought. "Why not beat the shit out of that arrogant Zeng Su!?" He laughs, wind coiling around his fingers in absolute arrogance. [Cultivator Ego Detected.] A system panel pops up. [Configure it?] Xuan Wu glances at the system panel, his eyes red¡ªhigh off of his ego. "Humph, why would I need a lousy cheat system?" A cultivator ego can either support you in your future cultivation, or cause your downfall. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. And depending on your cultivation talent, the ego will only hit you harder. For some high-grade talents, they recognise that there are still many obstacles ahead, and they will use the ego as momentum. Meanwhile, a lower-grade talent will allow the ego to possess them. Their insecurity about their talent strengthens their ego. Xuan Wu cackles, stepping outside. "Who dares to fight me!?" He shouts, his voice echoing. the recent breakthrough caused his flesh to be imbued with qi, allowing him to be temporarily 1.25x stronger than normal. This is known as "Breakthrough Momentum" in the cultivation world, and has many more uses. Suddenly, a shadow descends¡ªZeng Su, riding a sword, he grunts in pain as he visibly rubs his behind. He then jumps off of the sword, landing in front of Xuan Wu. "You arrogant bastard, you broke through to the first layer of Qi Gathering and think you''re all powerful? Let this old man lecture you in the ways of cultivation!" A powerful wind gets blasted towards Xuan Wu, knocking him into the outside stone walls of his abode. Blood spews out of his mouth, his eyes starting to turn crazed as he wipes his mouth with his hand. "This bastard... this bastard is trying to kill me!" His vision gets blurry, looking at the blood all over his hands. "B-blood, this fucker! I''ll kill you! I''ll really kill you!" [Spiritual Adrenaline detected, would you like to boost your cultivation to Foundation Establishment] Xuan Wu grins a malicious grin, his eyes now crimson. "Do it." At that moment, Xuan Wu feels as if his meridians got filled with qi. Then, like it had a mind of its own, the qi rushed towards his dantian. BOOM! Slamming against the "Foundation Gate" all of his qi gathers into a pool in his dantian! Zeng Su shields his head, face pale. "N-no way, how could he just break into the first layer of Foundation Establishment realm like that?" Zeng Su''s arms start trembling, foundation getting weak, his steps faltering as he falls back. "No, no, I''m in the Foundation Establishment realm as well, I shouldn''t be afraid of a first layer like him!" But then¡ª The "First layer" Xuan Wu suddenly starts rising up, going all the way to the ninth layer. The craziest part? His aura is stable! But then, something else happens, a stink starts spreading across the battlefield. Zeng Su''s face turns red in a mix of embarrassment and frustration. "No, no, not now!" Donning white robes. His backside is now a bit brown. All thanks to the joys of diarrhea. For a moment, Xuan Wu''s jaw drops. His cultivation ego falters. "Did this grown cultivator just shit himself!?" His nose scrunches up, hands balling into fists. "This scumbag, deciding to shit through my very first fight... I understand." Boom! Xuan Wu bends his legs, lunging towards the embarrassed Zeng Su. "Take this! Black Iron Fist!" Coming up with an ability on the spot, Xuan Wu''s qi rushes out of his meridians, forming a poor image of an iron gauntlet around his fist. [Would you like to develop the Black Iron Fist?] Ignoring the system message, Xuan Wu''s fist slams right on Zeng Su''s upset stomach. "Gerraughhh!" And so Zeng Su gets blasted back, brown matter flying everywhere as he crashes against the earth. Xuan Wu, having defeated an opponent, feels his ego start to stabilise. He looks at his hands, clenching and unclenching. "So this is what a foundation establishment cultivator is capable of?" Xuan Wu looks towards his abode. ... [Setting cultivation to First layer Qi Gathering...] In a moment of self awareness, Xuan Wu decided to revert back to Qi Gathering, so as to sustain his identity. He feels his qi start to thin, exiting his dantian slowly, while his foundation gate heals up back to a pristine state, like it was never breached. The qi settles back in his meridians, and he returns to being a First layer Qi Gathering realm cultivator like nothing ever happened. A slight smoke builds up in his abode where he currently sits. "Still... this cultivator ego is a dangerous thing." Xuan Wu exhales shakily, looking towards the far off peak elder''s abode. While he was cleaning up the scene, he decided to add "Forgetful" to Zeng Su''s conditions, and remove his diarrhea. "What a mess." Xuan Wu sighs, cultivator ego is really a big hindrance, especially since he''s trying to keep a low profile. Blue light flashes on his face, and then a line of text appears. Xuan Wu''s eyebrows furrow in consideration. His fingers rubbed his chin in a steady rhythm, his thoughts wandering. [Cultivator Ego Detected.] [Configure it?] He lazily accepts the offer, configuring his cultivator ego. [Current Ego Degree: First layer.] "It seems cultivator ego works differently to the realm of cultivation. This reminds me of my past world, when short people would disrespect taller ones. It has the same principles, just on a bigger scale." Xuan Wu confirms, comprehending the basic nature of Cultivator Ego. Xuan Wu then gathers himself quietly and exits his abode. Outside, the peak elder stands absentmindedly, eyes wandering. He looks to Xuan Wu. "Disciple, do you know why I''m here?" "No... sorry master, maybe you drank to much." Zeng Su points a shaky finger at Xuan Wu, before sighing and retiring to his own abode. Xuan Wu descends the mountain, making his way towards the Hidden Scripture Pavilion for a specific reason. ... What Evil? ... Hidden Scripture Pavilion. Books are neatly lined up in arranged order, from low-grade manuals to high-grade manuals. The scent of clean paper and bamboo, mixed with a little incense and calm drifts through. The Hidden Scripture Pavilion is divided into five floors¡ªthe first for outer disciples, second for inner disciples, third for core disciples, and the rest? A mystery, at least to Xuan Wu. After arriving here, Xuan Wu is easily amazed. Sure he visited before, but he barely caught sight of the pavilion, only going up to the counter for his master. There are dozens of bookshelves, to say the least. Xuan Wu goes up to a random bookshelf. Xuan Wu glances at each manual in the random bookshelf he came up to. "These are low-grade manuals? They seem so powerful though..." He reads the title imprinted on the spine of each book. "Tactical Advantages: The heavens weep at the sight of me!" "Moon Howling Overpowered Heavenly Cultivation Technique" "Super-Super Powerful World-Shaking Fist" Xuan Wu finishes scanning each book lined up in the bookshelf, nodding in awareness. "These books consist of cultivation techniques, battle techniques, tactical techniques, and many more." An old man behind Xuan Wu laughs, sitting down on a wooden chair with a grunt. "Boy, you seem to be pretty smart." He says sarcastically. Xuan Wu turns around, spotting the janitor from before. Despite already being a first layer qi gathering cultivator, he bows towards the janitor. "Greetings senior." Seniority is very important in the Great Whirlwind sect, even an immortal must respect his mortal grandma. The janitor continues laughing, then pauses to drink some green tea. "Remember kid, those flashy names mean nothing." He points at the books, specifically the ones with powerful names. "Low-grade techniques are low-grade techniques no matter the name or details inside, fit for a low-grade cultivator." He leans back, smile ever-present. Xuan Wu nods, smiling back at the janitor. "You are right, senior, it''s not the form that matters but the essence." He takes a seat next to the janitor, appraising him silently. "This old man, Heavenly Pattern Recognition? I didn''t get it as a mortal but ever since becoming a qi gathering realm cultivator, I''ve started to really understand the complexity of innate talents." Xuan Wu suddenly sits up, eyes gleaming. "Pattern recognition is a very important skill in the cultivation world. I need to put aside my ego and get this mortal on my side, no matter what." He then grins. "Who knows? I might become a powerhouse without even using my system." All the while, Xuan Wu stares at the janitor. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. The janitor shifts uncomfortably in his seat, deciding to revive the conversation. "Tell you what, my name is Wei Yin, what''s yours?" Xuan Wu also laughs, snapping out of his thoughts. "Oh, senior Wei Yin, my name''s Xuan Wu. I''ve recently entered the first layer of qi gathering." The janitor nods, sipping tea. But behind the shadow of the cup covering his face, his eyes narrow. "This kid... he acted exactly like sect leader when he first found me." Setting the tea cup down, he exhales, then speaks. "Qi gathering? How impressive, you know¡ª" Bam! The pavilion doors burst open, revealing an old drunkard. His robes are free, revealing his beer gut. He walks inside and immediately goes up to Wei Yin and Xuan Wu without warning, pointing at them. "Pathetic! You¡ªyou two aren''t even ants to me! I am your emperor!" Spittle flies everywhere, he burps, robes billowing behind him. He continues blabbering about being an emperor, likely a superiority complex. Xuan Wu''s eyes narrow, his hands balling up into fists, he stands up, palm smacking against the wooden table. No way his newly acquired ego would allow this drunkard to run free. On the other hand, the janitor remains calm, sipping his tea like this was a regular occurrence¡ªlike it happened before. He looks towards Xuan Wu, sighing. "Junior, settle down. This man is sect-protected." Xuan Wu pauses, turning towards Wei Yin. "Sect-protected? You mean the sect allows him to cause such a ruckus?" Wei Yin sighs, glancing at the elder who sits at the counter. Xuan Wu follows his eyesight, and then his jaw nearly drops. The elder, supposed to be keeping this space nice and quiet, is seemingly unbothered! Even reading a book, acting like the drunkard doesn''t exist! "B-but how could this be? Is he an elders child?" Xuan Wu looks at the drunkard once again. He is only mortal, old enough to be his grandfather, and only has four teeth. As soon as he finishes appraising the drunkard, he opens his system panel to get info on him. [Name: Zhang Tai] [Title: Sects Drunkard. Effects: None] [Age: 67/80] [Nature: Unrefined and gross.] [Innate Talents: None] [...] He really was just a normal person! "So how come!" Xuan Wu is baffled, quickly looking at the janitor for confirmation, but even the janitor is shaking his head slowly. Taking a deep breath, he stares at Zhang Tai''s face. "Last night, I took a deep look at the system, and barely uncovered a new function." He pauses for a moment, and then nods. [Activating Deep Info mode.] Suddenly, everything around him blurs, and the blue panel turns into a translucent black. Small specks of white seemingly float around, and a mysterious ambience sounds out. [Scanning...] [Zhang Tai: He obtained this name because...] [Title: Sects drunkard: This title was given to him by a passing outer sect disciple...] [Timeline] [Personal info] [Karmic ties] [...] Its as if the system covered itself with a veil. Xuan Wu immediately compared this feeling to accessing the dark web for the first time back in his old world. Mysterious and unsettling. He felt as if he wasn''t supposed to be here, that it was taboo. Invisible eyes seemed to glare at him, and the hairs on his back stood up, he slightly shivered as he felt a cold breeze blowing on him. "Karmic ties? Sounds too dangerous, personal info? I don''t want to know what colour underwear he has on, let''s just go with timeline." Even through the fear he is currently experiencing, he takes his time scanning this new interface. Xuan Wu assesses the dozens of options laid out before him, choosing to go with what he thinks will gather the most information. Almost immediately after pressing on the "Timeline" tab, a small river stretches out before him, showing Zhang Tai''s entire lifetime. [Timeline of Zhang Tai] [Birth year: Zhang Tai is born in a bamboo hut to Zhang Wei and Zhang Lin...] [...Here, Zhang Tai accepts that he loves alcohol...] [...] Looking at the river with astonishment, Xuan Wu feels as if he is some sort of divine being, watching a mortal''s life pass by in seconds. He skips through majority, trying to find where he gained sect-protection. "There it is¡ª" [...Zhang Tai, reaching the age of 60, arrives at the Great Whirlwind Sect. He meets a little boy, around four years of age, and the boy humbles him. The sect leader eventually finds him and gives him sect-protection, due to...] Xuan Wu''s eyes widen. "So that''s why!" The Souls Of Mortals. ... Xuan Wu clutches at his heart, ears pounding. He takes a few steps back, almost falling in the process. It would be a mistake not to mention his shock at this very moment. "S¡ªso that''s why!" The river of time around him keeps flowing, flashing, showing him every moment of Zhang Tai''s life. [...Due to the¡ªthe...the...] At this very moment, Xuan Wu starts questioning his life. "Things are not really as they seem..." His vision slowly goes blurry, mind falling into the darkness around him. ... "Kid, are you okay?" Gasp! Xuan Wu opens his eyes, realising that he has fallen down. He is currently holding the wooden table for support. Wei Yin''s hand clasps his shoulder, he looks worriedly at him. "If you''re not feeling okay, you should go home." Wei Yin continues, helping him up. Xuan Wu looks around, the drunkard is still blabbering, spittle flying everywhere. "Y-yeah, I think I''ll go back to my peak." Xuan Wu bows to and thanks the janitor before leaving the pavilion, heading back to the Sword Peak. Wei Yin stares at Xuan Wu''s back as he exits, eyes narrowing. "Why did he suddenly fall? It''s as if he saw something that shook his whole world... eh, perhaps I''m just overthinking it." Wei Yin relaxes, turning back to the drunkard. "Old Zhang, it''s time you go home." He sits back down, finishing his cup of green tea. "What are you even saying! Huh? You want this emperor to go home! Bah!" After complaining for a little while, he gets bored and exits the pavilion. Wei Yin stands up, picking his broom up. And then he starts sweeping the wooden floor. one sweep, two sweeps, three sweeps, and then he turns around, one sweep, two sweeps, three sweeps, turn around. He stares at the setting sun. "What an interesting kid." Under the same sun''s rays, the Zero Mercy gang stands in front of the captive Dong Shui. Ding Tao, with his hands behind his back questions Dong Shui. "Brat, we aren''t afraid of your sect." Tears fall down Dong Shui''s face, though a pleasured smile sits on his face. "Y-you! P-please don''t kill me..." He sniffles, and then his eyes narrow, tears still falling, smile still plastered on his face. "You bastards better let me go or else!" Xiao Ning laughs, licking blood off of his lips, he then takes another bite of the raw meat he is holding¡ªpossibly human flesh. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Boy, are you scared or daring? or are you possessed? Hehe." He finishes the last piece of raw meat, licking his fingers. A random gang member clutches at his stomach. There are levels to zero mercy. A shaky breath escaped Dong Shui as he continued sobbing, Feng Zhi who was tied up next to him had nothing but pity in his eyes. Feng Zhi looks up at Xiao Ning. "Sir... can you please let us go? We will surely pay you back!" His chest tightens, waiting for a response. After what felt like an hour to Feng Zhi, Xiao Ning''s eyes fell on him, and he felt something similar to dread for the first time. These weren''t the eyes of a human. They were the eyes of a psychopath, someone who had no regard for human life, they were blank, cold, they stared at him with absolute silence. There was no light in his eyes. Cold sweat falls down Feng Zhi''s back. Even though he was the tallest here, he still felt like a wild rabbit being stared down by a lion, his breath was shallow. "You... you still dare to make demands?" Xiao Ning, his stare still piercing Feng Zhi comments. In that moment, Feng Zhi''s entire body shudders. He feels something cold, metallic against his throat. A knife. A sharp, glinting knife against his throat. Though it is not reality, he still holds his breath. "Enough." Ding Tao speaks up. "Even though we are aware of the heavenly laws, who is to say they won''t punish us for trying to deceive them?" Gao Hu glances at Dong Shui, and then at the shaking Feng Zhi. And then his eyes light up "I have an idea!..." Ding Tao nods, a slight smirk creeping onto his face. ... The sun continues setting, no matter what is currently happening in the world, it continues setting. It sets over and over, marking a new night. Xun Shi, who was separated from Liu Huan and is currently striking wood with his iron, looks at his sword. "It is time I return." An old man wearing purple robes smiles at him, waving goodbye. Liu Huan, who was burned from the campfire looks towards the mountains, bandages wrapped around his face and body. "Three months has passed since we¡ªsince I had set out." His eyes, the only part not covered by bandages narrow. Sect leader Gao Yong stares at the stone ground, a shattered mirror sitting next to him. Through the shards, a voice speaks to him. "Gao Yong. Your disciples should be returning right about now¡ª" "I know." "Hehe, no need to be so rude." Gao Yong sighs, and then serenity returns to his face as he stands up, walking out of his room. "Remember your name, Gao Yong." The shattered mirror lies there, broken yet its essence still remains. Through all these moments, the Great Whirlwind sect still stands tall with its nine peaks. The first peak, the Great Whirlwind Peak, where the main-grounds are. The second peak, the Serenity Peak, existing to keep the calm essence of the sect. The third peak, the Toughening Up Peak, the place that produces the soldiers of the sect. The fourth peak, the Virility Peak, virility as in becoming a greater man for the sect. The fifth peak, the Strength Peak, home of the body cultivators. The sixth peak, the Clan Peak, a place where family ties and working together rule. The seventh peak, the Sword Peak, home of the sword cultivators, pure and stoic. The eighth peak, the Spear Peak, home to spear cultivators, sharp and unforgiving. And finally, the ninth peak, the Righteous Peak, the core of the sect. Together, all these nine peaks stand tall, symbolising the Great Whirlwind sect. They make up thousands of disciples and dozens of elders. But the ones who control the entire sect aren''t the dozens of elders or even the sect leader. It is The Elites. The Elites are a group of elders who control the sect from the shadows, the sect leader is just the public figure of the sect. The Elites have existed since the sect was first founded, they are said to be the descendants of the three founders. Ghoul Ru, one of the elites, lies lazily on his stone bed, deep under the sect. Xiang Lin, another elite elder, walks into Ghoul Ru''s room. He gurgles and burps, a nasty stench emanating from him, the air around him is green and filled with flies. The core of his left eye shifts from side to side, giving him a lost atmosphere. "...Ghoul Ru, Gao Yong has been acting strange lately..." He burps once again, stomach fluttering and budging. "There has to be something wrong with him." Ghoul Ru, his nose wrinkled and eyes shut in disgust responds. "Xiang Lin, I''ll keep an eye on him." "He... good." Xiang Lin exits the room, prompting Ghoul Ru to let a shaky breath out, his eyes rolling. "Heavens! What a stinkfest! Absolutely gross!" ... Truth. Granted. ... "This is it. We''re finally back, after four months..." The fourth month had passed ever since Xuan Wu returned to the sect, and now Dong Shui and Feng Zhi now both stand at the sect gates. The two outer disciples guarding the gates nod and allow them through after a brief look at their tokens. "Senior brother... I don''t wanna do this." Feng Zhi glimpses at Dong Shui, playing with his fingers. "They... we have to, it''s the only way..." They continue forwards, walking towards the Mission Pagoda. At the same time, another person arrives at the gate. Within four months, he''s matured considerably, now a brave scar runs through his right eye, and a wooden sword is strapped to his back. "J-junior brother Xun! You''ve returned!" The righthand outer disciple guarding the gate gasps, and with a trembling hand he pulls out a blue crystal, holding it up to his mouth. "S-sect leader, he has returned!" A hint of excitement is present in his voice, smiling at the stoic Xun Shi. "Junior brother, we are very glad you have returned safely... do you have any idea where junior brother Liu may be?" He asks, with a big grin on his face. Xun Shi, with a nonchalant expression, glances at the overexcited outer disciple. "Liu Huan? He ran away." He then walks into the sect arrogantly, almost like these outer disciples aren''t worth his gaze. The righthand outer disciples excitement bubbles down, his eyes slowly narrowing. "Huh? Aren''t you only a mortal? You dare to speak to your cultivator senior brothers like so? So what if you have high talent, huh!" He shouts in a whisper, while the left hand disciple holds back a laugh. Xun Shi walks quietly, beelining towards the Sword Peak. He ignores the other disciples curious around him, and even ignores the jade beauties sending him obvious hints, continuing with that ever-present nonchalant expression, sprinkled with a little arrogance. While walking down an alleyway, his head raises. Woosh. Suddenly, the sect leader appears in front of him with a slight wind, almost like teleportation. But Xun Shi doesn''t react, almost like he expected this. "Greetings, sect leader." He bows low, fist pressing against his palm in a daoist salute. "Xun Shi... did you expect my arrival?" Gao Yong strokes his beard, eyebrows raised calmly. Xun Shi nods, lifting his head up from the bow. "Sect leader, after being in the face of adversities for so long, minor things do not bother me anymore." Gao Yong''s eyebrows raise further, he starts laughing softly. "This kid... he''s already begun the cultivation of his dao heart? Good, good!" He says good twice, empathising just how great this accomplishment is. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "But..." Gao Yong pauses in his speculation, taking a closer look at Xun Shi. "It seems he still hasn''t overcome his arrogance, the glint still exists in his eyes... though this old man shouldn''t be one to judge." He shakes his head, then grabs Xun Shi''s shoulder. "Come on." Zipp! Without a sound, they both disappear instantaneously. And then, Fatty Wang enters the alleyway where they disappeared. "Hehe, I''m finally a cultivator! Haha, I''m just so happy!" He skips, looking like a proud little girl. Suddenly, he slips and falls. "Ahh! Ouch." He stands up, grabbing his knee. And then he takes a closer look. "Haha! No blood! Actually, you know what? I don''t even feel pain!" He gets back up, skipping away joyfully. A cultivator has broken past the limits of being mortal, they have begun their journey to immortality. Small falls won''t have an affect on them, not anymore. Back at the Sword Peak, Xuan Wu sits carefully, breathing in swords, using his cultivation technique. He abruptly pauses, exhaling in anger. "Bitch ass low-grade talent! How long has it been, I''m still stuck on the first layer of qi gathering!" He whines. "It''s like I''m sucking water into a broken bucket, absolutely impossible to fill it up!" Xuan Wu glances at the system panel for a moment, and then shakes his head. "It''s just a few months, I can wait." He then returns to cultivation. Outside, a lot of the sword peak disciples celebrate Xun Shi''s return. The elder of the peak, Zeng Su, claps his hands, laughing cheerfully as Xun Shi bows towards him. "Ahaha, my disciple, how great is your return? Very! I can sense that you have had great success in the sword, practically laying the perfect foundation! Cultivation will be like a breeze!" As a foundation establishment cultivator, how could you lick the boots of a mortal? Old cultivators around the world would spit and shake their heads, stomp their feet and blow snot onto the ground. Xun Shi remains stoic, not even having a hint of pride in his expression. "Master, you overestimate me. Even with the highest-grade talent and a perfect foundation, a cultivator who does not stick to his beliefs is as useless as a stray pebble." Zeng Su chuckles and nods, beckoning Xun Shi to a luxurious cave built just for him. Xun Shi''s eyes narrow in disgust, shaking his head. "Master, I prefer cultivating in a humble abode. He turns towards a small clearing, where a cave stands empty. It has a diameter of 2x2 metres on the inside. Zeng Su smiles like an idiot, wiping a small tear from the edge of his eye. "My grandson is too humble." A sword peak disciple next to Zeng Su pauses, glancing at Zeng Su. "Master, didn''t your grandson pass a few years ago? Have you grown forgetful?" He asks patiently. Zeng Su''s chuckle falters, his eyes going blank. And then he turns towards the disciple. "Oh yes. You''re right, he did." He then walks back into his abode without any further words. All the while, Xuan Wu is currently shouting in his cave abode. "Are you serious? Are you actually fucking serious! Tell me you''re not!" Just a few minutes ago, he lost concentration and accidentally expelled half the qi from his meridians. "Okay, you''re fucking with me, come here, come here and let this daddy beat you up!" Veins pop out on Xuan Wu''s forehead, his teeth grinding furiously against each other, like they have a lifelong hatred with eachother. His blood pressure increases tremendously, heart pounding like a lion high on ecstasy. Obviously this is a big failure for first layer qi gathering cultivators specifically, as their meridians are loose during this period. Losing concentration is critical. He takes a deep breath in, then out. "Okay, control yourself." His eyes lock with the sky above, looking directly into the heavens. "You may try to sabotage me, but just know I will defy you! I will defy the heavens!" He says like a true protagonist, already starting to breathe in some spiritual energy. Except there isn''t. How could spiritual energy pay attention to a low-grade talent when the big daddy high-grade talent is nearby? Xun Shi aggressively drags in qi, known as the "First Heavens Pampering" The process when a high-grade talent starts cultivating and gets all the spiritual energy for himself. Bang! As a high-grade talent, his meridians are wide and tough, easily dragging in enough spiritual energy for the first layer of qi gathering. He breaks through, the spiritual energy settling into qi inside of his meridians. Xuan Wu feels a little spiritual energy return to his surroundings after Xun Shi broke through, but this is ridiculous! "How bias!" ... Do You Understand Now? ... "How bias are these heavens!" Xuan Wu spits, obviously frustrated. "It seems superior-grade talents are really favoured by the Heavenly Dao." A tall man wearing black robes appears next to Xuan Wu unexpectedly, speaking on Xun Shi Xuan Wu backs up a bit, startled by the mans appearance. "Who are you? How''d you get in my abode!" He slowly picks up an iron sword given to him by the sect upon joining the sword peak. The man turns around and smiles, waving his hand to calm Xuan Wu down. "It''s okay, I''m not here to hurt you." He chuckles, "You know, I''m actually an elder." He whispers. "A-an elder?" Xuan Wu slowly calms down, but his eyes fall on the system panel, and he gasps. [Lian Zan] [Title: Fourth Elite] [...] "F-Fourth Elite? What could that possibly mean?" Xuan Wu readies himself before expanding the title. [Title: Fourth Elite, effects: Being the fourth elite, he is the descendant of Lian Po, always in the state of absquatulate. +1.5x cultivation speed, +1.25x dominance, -300% mental state, +0.001 legacy, +100 secrecy...] Suddenly, before Xuan Wu''s very eyes, a very long paragraph of text appears before him. Lian Zan whistles, his body flickering into the shadows slowly. "Boy, I don''t have much time left... just have this little gift." He chucks a red box at Xuan Wu, before fading into the shadows. Xuan Wu catches the box easily, now that he is a cultivator, his reflexes are insane. Opening it, his eyes widen to find¡ª A gallbladder! A human gallbladder! It slowly beats... and then shoots a strange fluid at Xuan Wu''s face. "Eww! Ahh, get it off me!" Xuan Wu struggles, the fluid is rancid and warm, its a bit viscous and has chunks of something in it. [Detected strange artifact nearby.] [Miracle Gallbladder. Taken from the corpse of the great ancient cultivator Gao Hong, this gallbladder may spew mystical bile from time to time...] Xuan Wu nearly throws up hearing this. "How gross, what elite elder?" He grits his teeth, sitting back down. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "That''s it, I need to cultivate!" He throws the artifact aside and starts cultivating harder than usual. Meanwhile, Xun Shi effortlessly breaks through to the second layer, riding off of the heavens pampering. Maybe in a couple of months he''ll reach the ninth layer. His eyes slowly open, a confident glare inside of them. "This must be what my father warned me of, cultivator ego." He then shakes it off, converting it into momentum. "Whatever." Continuing to cultivate, Zeng Su smiles outside. "Hm, my grandson¡ªah, I mean my disciple Xun Shi is to die for!" He shakes his head, chuckling. A green frog stands next to him, and then it dies unexpectedly, falling onto the wet cold grass. He rubs his forehead a couple of time then walks back to his abode. Though, the frog''s heart remains beating in a steady rhythm, although its mind is null. "The court states that even though the mind and soul are connected, the heart is not interlinked, providing life to the physical but not the spiritual. Though some may argue that the heart is the key to spirituality and that it is a core, majority believes the heart to be a mere physical organ, unlike the brain or the more mysterious dantian. Zhao Ling argued, with spittle flying everywhere and hairless chickens roaming around, that the heart is where the heavenly dao lies, and that the rest of the court were pathetic ''Cows'' and ''Mongrels'' his saliva overflooded the courtroom, causing many old men to pathetically roll around and grieve, their tears conjoining with the saliva in an unorthodox mess¡ªcausing Libero himself, the pronounced devil at the time to grind his teeth into dust and barf at his generals. He was rumoured to have converted into the religion of peace¡ªannouncing a huge cause and effect. The sermon declared that Libero was an utter and complete idiot with no hope, and he was thus executed, beginning a new age..." Xuan Wu reads through, back at his abode. He just suddenly gained an insight, an insight of pure madness. "The court? Zhao Ling? Libero? Hairless chickens? The religion of peace!?" Utter madness! The ramblings of a crazy man! "Do I have schizophrenia!?" Xuan Wu questions himself, his mind spinning. It was catastrophic, one moment he was cultivating, and then he felt himself spiralling into some sort of depth. Furthermore, a silky smooth voice with a toned accent, spoken from what seems to be an old man¡ªdecided to lick and prod his ear, spilling this long passage of curses into his precious earbuds. [Insight gained.] [+130% trash-talk] A vein pops from Xuan Wu''s forehead. "Really? Aren''t these insights supposed to be super rare, then how come, how come it just increased my trash-talking skills!?" He almost freaks out, holding himself back. "Just continue cultivating... just continue cultivating." Xuan Wu shuts his eyes and returns to cultivation, his cave abode standing tall. Meanwhile, the underground scene is just as gross as ever, way under the sect. Four elite elders are gathered, three of them have their faces fallen in anger. "Lian Zan, what is the meaning of this?" An elite dressed in clown attire with narrowed eyes speaks. "That was a gift for Lady Jie. How disrespectful." Another elite wearing a monocle comments." Lian Zan sighs, and then spits on the ground, kneeling down to rub it between his fingers. "You guys just don''t understand, that old man I told you about recently gave me a dream..." The clown shouts, foot stomping. "What old man! There''s something wrong with your head Lian Zan!!!" An elite with a beast head storms off in anger, pants sagging. Lian Zan stands, towering over the two remaining elites. "Come on guys. Let''s just sleep, calm, relaxed, serenity, peace, tranquillity, harmony, goodwill..." He smiles slowly and starts rambling, eyes wandering. The clown looks to the monocle wearing elite, and then they both exit the room. Lian Zan remains in his stupor, words coming out like nothing. The elites are a strange bunch, to say the least. ... Hesitation Is Key... ... Xuan Wu sits in his abode, continuing to cultivate. Even if it feels like nothing is happening, he continues drawing spiritual energy into his meridians. The process is actually kind of satisfying. Spiritual energy gets stored inside the meridians, where it slowly converts into qi to better accommodate the human body and turn from loose and temporary to tight and permanent. In some cases the qi can slip out of the meridians, which is what happened to Xuan Wu. With a brief thought, Xuan Wu lets a shaky sword-shaped breath out. No more do the sword-shaped breaths harm the corners of his lips, as it is still at a mortal level. To upgrade it to the qi gathering level, he must start shaping more and more swords. Which he has already started doing. A few metres away from Xuan Wu, is Xun Shi''s abode. And inside he sits here, cultivating faster and at a more calm pace than Xuan Wu. That is because he is a supreme-grade talent. And supreme-grade talents can reach the top of qi gathering in no time. He opens his eyes, and then looks at his hands. "What is my purpose... what is my end goal??" He then looks to the entrance of his abode, and then to the surroundings, it''s a very small space. "What is the purpose for which I cultivate." A man dressed in inner disciple attire beside Xun Shi sighs, patting his back. Jian Ming. "You''ve reached the questioning phase quite early. Good, I''ll leave you alone, find your purpose." He walks outside, shutting the entrance with a boulder behind him. Xun Shi starts sweating, a cold sweat, and his eyebrows tremble slightly. Time starts flowing slower and slower. He feels as if he can hear the ticks of a clock, and that the clock is slowing down, slowing down to a point of pausing. His breaths start coming out quicker and quicker, and he struggles to calm himself down. In the face of the presence of this phase, his cultivator ego isn''t even worthy of mentioning, its like thin paper in front of the sun, feeble! Xun Shi grunts as a strong pressure presses down on him, like a fat monk had just sat on him. "Me... what is my purpose!" Xun Shi calls out to the heavens, but he recieves no answer. His quick breaths start becoming shaky, and his eyes turn red. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "For what is my purpose!" Tears start falling from his eyes, cultivator tears. He falls down pathetically, cradling himself. "I do not have a purpose! I''m useless!" "You are useless." Candles go out. The room darkens. A shadow appears behind Xun Shi, its touch gentle. "But that doesn''t mean you have to be sad..." The shadow whispers into his ear, rubbing his back slowly. Xun Shi''s eyes tremble, glancing at the shadow for a moment. "M-mother? Is that you...?" The shadow smiles at him, offering a hug. Xun Shi nearly breaks down, rushing to her. He embraces the shadow, ignoring the pressure pressing down on him. "I-I''ve missed you for so long..." The shadow chuckles a bit, rubbing his hair. "We can go home now. Together." She continues whispering into his ear. "Cultivation? It''s all a game of brutality and pain in the end." Xun Shi slightly trembles. "But I''m a superior-grade talent." He looks up at the shadow. The shadow doesn''t have a face. But it has her figure, his mothers figure. "What is talent in the end?" His mother questions, and then she chuckles once again. "What is talent compared to family?" Xun Shi completely breaks down at that moment, surrendering completely to the shadow. It starts to engulf him, bit by bit. Outside, Jian Ming sighs. "So this was the inner demon holding him back... can he get over it? Or will it lead to his demise..." Back inside the abode, the shadow morphs from his mother to something unrecognisable, something like an incarnation of patheticness. He sits in this shadow, his arms engulfed, and even his legs. His face is blank, a face similar to when a man surrenders to death. He looks up, everything is dark, but he feels as if his vision is blurry. "My purpose... is it to remain a mortal, to be with my family until death...?" His mouth slowly opens, dry lips cracking. And then, a light suddenly returns to his eyes. "Or is it to become the greatest? To trample the entire world, to battle against the heavens, to ascend!?" He suddenly stands up, and the shadow starts dispersing, but it also shrieks. "Xun Shi! Return to me! Return to your mother!" The shadow screams in a mix of his mothers distorted voice and the deep, unsettling voice of a monster. Xun Shi hesitates, his eyes trembling at the sight of his mother. Dried tears stick to his cheek. "Should I..." He then clenches his fist, turning away from the shadow. "I will become the greatest cultivator that has ever lived. For you, mother." The shadow finally disperses, and the candles in the room flicker. "I will perfect the sword, travel across the world, ascend to great heights, all in the name of you!" And then, the candles start burning brighter than the sun itself, fire starts swirling around Xun Shi, who has overcome the questioning phase. To his surprise, he broke through to the third layer of qi gathering, skipping a layer! He smiles, having a newfound purpose as he opens the entrance to his abode. Jian Ming sits outside, grinning at the new Xun Shi. It''s as if he had shed his immaturity, and finally became a cultivator. He integrated the arrogance that had always been with him into himself. From his back, he unsheathes his sword, getting into a stance. "Senior brother." He chuckles, flexing his arms. Jian Ming sighs as he stands up, revealing a wooden sword he has been carrying. The Confusion Phase. A phase each cultivator has to go through. Xuan Wu, who is sitting back at his abode still has ways to go. Fatty Wang, who is asleep, snorting at the Toughening Up peak may enter this phase soon. Though it is between the first layer to the ninth layer of qi gathering that someone will go through this phase, it is still widely unknown why. Some believe it is the heavens test, while others believe it is a test made by yourself. Far away from the Sword peak, Gao Yong sighs while signing paperwork. "Xun Shi. To have the questioning phase so early, and to even pass it first try... what a talent." His eyes glance towards the distant entrance of the sect, where Liu Huan arrives. "Liu Huan... you are very behind now, I wonder how you''ll try to catch up." He smirks, standing up and walking away. Meanwhile, Liu Huan who is currently outside of the sect stands in front of the two outer disciple guards. The right disciple points at him. "How could you possibly be one of those new disciples? Your all bandaged up, like a mummy!" The left disciple laughs, "And don''t tell me you lost your token, how could you possibly have lost your token¡ª" "Disciple." A tall man stands behind the gate, crossing his arms. He wears armour with an empowering aura. Liu Huan bows, walking inside of the sect as the two outer disciples freeze. "The peak leader of the spear peak! This is the first time I''ve ever seen a peak leader!" "Y-you mean the legendary Lu Bu!" ... You Hesitate You Die. ... The Spear peak. Like the sword peak, the spear peak is shaped like a spear. In the spear peak, it is said that the higher you are, the higher your status. The peak leader is at the very top, he sits right at the tip of the top. Liu Huan struggles to stay on, hugging the peak, Lu Bu looks down at him. "Disciple, for what is your purpose?" Liu Huan looks up at him, respect glimmering in his eyes. "M-master, I believe my purpose is to become great at the spear." Lu Bu exasperates, shaking his head slowly. "How shallow... time will come, time will pass. Remain in the past and reveal your weaknesses¡ªnext is the present, in which time will soon arrive, you will always live in the present though one is not aware." Liu Huan sighs, "W-what do you mean master¡ª" Suddenly, he gets pushed off of the top of the shaft by a force and falls all the way down. "AHHHHHHH!" He struggles to hold on, not yet breaking through the mortal shackles, the fall is treacherous, as the spear peak is about 0.5 KM. Suddenly, a disciple riding a spear catches him effortlessly, the disciple smiles. Liu Huan takes a deep breath, his emotions wavering, he nearly died! The disciple who had just caught Liu Huan from his fall laughs, "Junior brother! Our master may be a little tough, but this is all for the good of things!" Liu Huan looks up at him. The disciple is pretty bulky, always carrying a smile, at first glance, he looks like an inner disciple, but his robes are a darker green than normal. "Core disciple!" Liu Huan shouts, almost falling out of his senior brother''s grasp. Sharp winds fly against them, but the senior brother just blocks it effortlessly. He puts Liu Huan down on the spear, and then pats his chest. "The names Yu Ru, junior brother!" Liu Huan breathes in, and then salutes his Yu Ru. "Thank you, senior brother." Yu Ru laughs, flying his spear down to the bottom of the peak. "It''s fine, master may be a little rough, but it''s all in the name of discipline." Liu Huan nods, his eyes trembling slightly. "S...senior brother, when can I start cultivating?" Yu Ru lands, helping Liu Huan off of his spear. He then tosses him a random high-grade technique from the pouch around his waist. "Here you go, this is fit for a brave man like you." This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Liu Huan''s eyes widen as he reads through the manual. The Peter Spear cultivation technique. It is said that only the bravest can cultivate this manual to its full potential! "R-really? Thank you, senior brother." Liu Huan bows, clutching the manual with both hands. The senior brother laughs, walking away. "Go find your abode." Liu Huan nods, he looks towards the very very bottom of the mountain. That is where his cave abode is located. ... Far, far away from the sect, past the Emerald Green forest and Byurning Yellow desert, there is a high mountain, shaped like two enormous iron gates. The only way to go further is to either go around or climb it. Cheng Lian''s breath heaves in desperation, cold sweat dripping from her forehead. The mountain in front of her seems like it has no peak, clouds obscuring how far she could see, she hears a silent continuous ring, as if the mountain was calling her. She begins trembling. "I-I can''t..." Just as she turns around, she falls down. A blue crystal located in her pocket vibrates, before letting out the sound of a deep mans voice. "Climb it." She reaches into her pockets and clutches the crystal, heart pounding against her ribcage. "Y-yes Father, I''ll get it done immediately." Turning back to the mountain, she continues trembling unconditionally. The Lavish Gates of Hell It is said, no matter if you are an infant or experienced cultivator, there is always a 50/50 chance of either dying or living. The mountain itself dictates whether you survive or live. It stands tall, so tall that even the most red-eyed, dizzy birds have never seen the peak. Though some, like Chen Lian, are experiencing terrible troubles at this moment, some are living their lives lavishly. Lei Ming currently rides a golden carriage, on his way to the Great Whirlwind sect. A woman sits across from him, laughing cheerfully. "My dear Ming, don''t forget to marry me once you become a great cultivator." The carriage finally stops in front of the gates, the two outer disciples getting defensive. Lei Ming chuckles, hopping off of the carriage. "Anything you say, baby!" The carriage drives off, and Lei Ming''s smile fades. "Stupid old hag, who''d want to marry a bitch like you!?" He arrives at the gate, and after some questioning, makes his way through. "Senior brother Dong... Junior brother Feng..." His eyes quickly start watering. "Damn it, we started off with five, but now we''re down to a measly three... and they probably hate me now." Rubbing his eyes, he continues onwards to the mission pagoda. Back to the Sword Peak, Xuan Wu laughs. "There is no way! Haha, there is simply no way! How lucky!" Suddenly, while he was cultivating, he mystically broke through into the second layer of qi gathering! He couldn''t explain this phenomenon, he had already analysed that there was a few months remaining, but he just broke through, and he doesn''t care! He looks towards the skies, and he smiles, getting on his knees. "Great Heavenly Dao, I know I doubted you before, but my worship for you is real and loyal!" Though for some reason, he feels as if the heavens are ignoring him, but all is well. Breaking through into the second layer, he cannot just rush through to the next. He must first steady his foundation. Sucks being a low-grade talent. To actually steady your foundation as a qi gathering cultivator, you need to calm your restless qi, and that would be quite simple if you had qi control... Which Xuan Wu didn''t have. "Damn it, stay down, now!" "Stop moving! Steady!" "Quiet!" Xuan Wu bangs his fists against the stone wall in agony, he just can''t get the qi to calm down, and stop jumping around. He decides it would be a good idea to just go to sleep, try again tomorrow. "As they always say; today''s grievances shall be dealt with tomorrow." Xuan Wu nods, laying his head down on the ground as he dozes off. In the same Sword Peak, Xun Shi has already reached the fourth layer of cultivation. He has far surpassed all of the other newer disciples, and is on a road to greatness. Sweat flies off of his body as he spars with his elder brother, grinning ear to ear. He gets knocked back, though his breathing is still controlled. "Great breath control." Jian Ming comments, crossing his arms. "Thank you, elder brother." Xun Shi bows. And then Jian Ming leaves, done for today. Xun Shi returns to cultivating. If That Is What You Believe... Do What You Will... They Are Watching You. In the Great Whirlwind sect, most of the newer disciples have returned, and have officially become outer disciples. "HAHAHAHAHA!! MY LUCK! IT''S MY LUCK!" The excited shout of one of the outer disciples echoes through the sect marketplace, prompting many disciples to turn towards him. "AHAHAHAHA" He continues laughing like a maniac, spinning around happily. "What is wrong with you!" "Have some shame!" "Disgusting!" Cultivator ego is booming around this time, as many outer disciples have successfully entered the first layer of qi gathering. The crazed disciple turns towards everyone, clapping his hands slowly. "Guys, I am just so lucky, my apologies!" One disciple eyes him with a frown. "Kid, do you understand how embarrassing you are? Especially since you are a cultivator." He smugly nods. "I can feel that, the qi inside of you." "Silence ants!" An elder floats down, bulky and bald, clutching his gauntlet. "All of you, come at me!" Suddenly, a huge boulder comes flying towards him, causing him to be knocked back and spit out blood. "How crude!" He shouts in disappointment. Both of his eyes are shut¡ªblind. Han Kuang steps down, he is the one who had just thrown the boulder. "Elder Kong, calm down." Elder Kong grins, blood staining his teeth. "Why. Why should I calm down? Huh!" He lands swiftly, sending rocks and dust flying around. "This old man had just broken through, hehe, and my ego is booming!" He glances at the crazed disciple. The crazed disciple screams and runs at him. "Master! Apologies!" Elder Kong slams his gauntlet at the crazed disciples, causing blood and grey matter to go flying everywhere. Viscous red liquid sticks to his metal gauntlet, blood slowly dripping down, he brings it up to his face, and then licks it. By now, majority of the arrogant disciples have quieted down, eyes wide open. "H-he just killed a disciple!" Though they are scared, none of them run. They know it is futile, they can feel it. Suddenly, the crazed disciples body stands up, and his head regenerates. "What the fuck!" One of the disciples who had made a comment about him before faints, falling down. The crazed disciple bows down, and thanks his master. "...Thank you master." Elder Kong, the peak elder of Virility peak nods, patting his shoulder. "Do not get too proud about your ability, be aware that certain people may manipulate you and harvest your organs." "Yes, thank you for the reminder." And then, together, they walk back to the virility peak. Majority of the disciples are still shocked, jaws dropped. Han Kuang controls the scene. "Calm down. This was a necessary task for them." He then flies away. One outer disciple looks to the other. "Am I dreaming?" Back at the sword peak, Xuan Wu stares at the system panel absent-mindedly [Due to attempting to groom you, an immortal has suffered immense backlash.] Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. He blinks, still processing this information. "An immortal? What?" He looks closer, confirming the information. He then looks up, tears pooling around his eyes. "So you faced immense backlash to help me ascend to the second layer... Senior, your efforts will not be in vain!" Suddenly, he snaps his head back. "Wait a minute... why did an immortal take interest in a low-grade qi gathering cultivator like me... don''t tell me!" He stares at the system panel, sweat slowly building in between his brows. "D-don''t tell me..." He gulps, the gulp of a man who''s practically fucked. His face heats up, going as red as a tomato, sweat already covers his body, and his breaths are haggard. "Oh fuck, fuck this is it isn''t it?" He rubs his forehead, chuckling a bit. He eyes the entrance of his abode, trying to divert his attention. But he knows it useless. "How... how did he find out!?" He suddenly shouts, standing up. "Okay, I''m fine, I''m fine." Xuan Wu tries calming himself down, remembering that he can literally do anything with his cheat system. He walks around his abode, arms behind his back. "I''m fine... I''m fine... I''m fine." "Disciple!" Zeng Su walks into Xuan Wu''s abode, cackling. Immediately, Xuan Wu''s panic is replaced by irritation. "Master." He bows. "Ah, my useless disciple, how''s life? Have you reached the second¡ªwhat the fuck! You''ve reached the second layer!" He suddenly lunges at Xuan Wu grabbing his shoulders, eyeing him. He checks Xuan Wu''s entire body ten times. "Disciple... are you using a demonic method?" Xuan Wu nervously laughs. "No, master, I''ve just been blessed." Zeng Su nods, stepping back. Ever since the fight, Zeng Su basically broke. He does not function well anymore. Zeng Su smiles like an idiot. "Disciple, are you going to participate in the¡ª" ... "Listen Xun Shi, in a couple of months, the¡ª" ... "Are you ready disciple? For the¡ª" ... Sect leader Gao Yong overlooks the sect, his face serious. "Xun Shi... Liu Huan..." He recites. "And... unexpectedly, Zuo Linxin, a medium-grade talent." His eyes narrow. "Right after awakening, she caused quite a commotion... her curse powers even shocked this old man... the fact that she rose up to the fifth layer of qi gathering as well... what a gift!" He laughs. "The outer competition is coming soon... how I wonder... will Xun Shi''s talent persevere, or will Liu Huan''s determination break through. Or even..." He looks towards serenity peak, and then shakes his head. "We make our future, thus the future is ever-changing." He grins, then heads inside his abode. Back at the sword peak. Xuan Wu nods. "Competition? That''s interesting." Under the same peak, "Outer Competition? Are you sure elder brother." Xun Shi slurps on some noodles, nodding. Jian Ming wipes his mouth with his arm. "Don''t get too confident, that unknown girl seems to have a hidden talent." Xun Shi pauses for a moment. And then the arrogant glint sharpens in his eyes, his cultivator ego soaring. "That girl... hmph, you think she can compare to me, a superior-grade talent?" He stands up. "Even that Liu Huan..." He sighs. Jian Ming shakes his head, and then grins. "You do have the highest chance of winning, especially with my training." He then disappears in a flash of smoke. Xun Shi''s glance lingers on the smoke, a sneer forming on his face. "What Liu Huan? What outer competition... they are nothing compared to my journey ahead. You all will just be my stepping stones." Even with his conviction, arrogance remains integrated inside of him. Under the same sky, the Xun mortal clan stands tall. They''ve settled inside of Baohu county. A ceremony is currently taking place, the Shi ceremony. it is said that every 100 years, a male with the first name "Shi" will be born, and he will bring great providence to the clan. Xun Shi''s father, Xun Long stands in front of a bonfire, hands behind his back. "Hehe... Little Shi, you have brought your father great honour." Inside of the bonfire, human corpses melt slowly. The human corpses seem to have deformed features. An elder of the Xun clan, Xun Zi walks up next to Xun Long. "The Mao clan... after all these years, we''ve finally destroyed them and their bloodline." Xun Long laughs, grabbing the burnt arm of a corpse, taking a bite. "Of course, it is all thanks to my glorious son!" The Xun clan elders chant. "Suicide is prevalent..." "The world bows to us, splitting their heads for us..." "The people do not deserve our respect, we deserve their worship..." "May the great Malith bless our Xun clan." They pound their chests and consume the burnt flesh of the Mao clan. This is not the activity of a righteous clan. Xun Long''s eyes widen in insanity, his stomach rolling out of disgust. "Bless us, O'' great Malith, bless us." He gets on his knees and pounds his head against the stone ground, the elders follow. "Righteousness is poison!" Xun Long shouts. "Righteousness is poison!" The elders repeat. "Evil is good, evil was made for us!" Xun Long continues, his voice slowly becoming a shriek. "Evil is good, evil was made for us!" The elders follow, blood spilling out of their mouths. "Malith is great, Malith nurtured us!" Blood starts pouring out of his eyes, as if saying these words is excruciating. "Malith is great, M-Malith nurtured us!" One of the elders stutter, and his head pops. The other elders continue without so much of a tremble. "He gave birth to us! Malith is our everything!" With a final grunt, Xun Long''s teeth crack and break, slicing his gums and mutilating his mouth. "He gave birth to us! Malith is our everything!" The elders start crying, out of sheer reverence. The fire burns bright, so bright it lightens up the night sky a bit, but only a bit. "Enough... that''s enough." Xun Long rolls over, sobbing. "We''ve done enough." The other Xun members are not aware of this practice... only the elders and leader. Meanwhile Xun Shi suddenly feels a boost in his cultivation, as if a force is guiding him. He looks to the sky, his eyes filled with reverence, with a hint of rebellion. ... Who? ... Months have passed since the Shi ceremony, and the Great Whirlwind sect is as prosperous as ever. Festivity is booming throughout the outer sect, with disciples marching through the streets. Through the marketplace, training grounds, past the Strength Peak, and all the way to the competition grounds. Yes, they are marching towards the competition grounds, for there is seven days before the start of it. At the Sword Peak, Xun Shi stands in front of Zeng Su, his chin up high. Zeng Su is baffled at the moment, in just a couple of months, Xun Shi went from a meagre second layer, all the way to the ninth layer of qi gathering, the final stage! "I feel... great. My meridians are overflowing, I can break through to the foundation establishment right now!" Xun Shi grins, his qi booming. "Calm down, disciple." Zeng Su laughs a bit, proud of his disciple. "Good luck in the competition." Xun Shi smirks, turning away. "I don''t need it." He exits Zeng Su''s abode. "How amazing... In just a couple of months." Zeng Su sighs proudly, his chest puffing out. In another abode in the same peak, Xuan Wu groans. "R-really... there is no way!" He stares at his stats, despair filling him. [Name: Xuan Wu] [...] [Cultivation: Half-step third layer of qi gathering.] "These past few months... I''ve done nothing but cultivate, even with the momentum of the immortal''s support..." Tears start pooling at his eyes. "Even with the momentum of the immortal''s support, I''ve only reached the half-step third layer! Not even the third layer! How is this even possible !?" He grinds his teeth, not accepting this. "I didn''t think my talent was this bad..." He looks up to the sky, sighing. "I''ve only got one battle technique, barely any cultivation... should I even participate." He hesitates. "But I could get rewards even if I get last place..." Standing up, he decides. "Alright, there is no way I get beaten first round, right?" Exiting the abode, he heads towards the bottom of the peak. At the spear peak, Li Huan descends the spear as well. "I''ve reached The fifth layer of qi gathering... I wonder what you''re up to..." Li Huan sighs, the bandages are gone from his face and body. Though the burn scars still linger, not even attaining cultivation healed them. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Outside of the spear peak, even Fatty Wang, at the third layer of qi gathering gets ready to fight. Han Kuang has an abysmal frown on his face, as black as the bottom of a scorched pan. "You... lazy fatass! How come you''re only at the third layer of qi gathering!" Fatty Wang gulps, winding his arms back. "Master, don''t worry, I''ve learnt a bunch of battle techniques¡ª" "You idiot! Even if you mastered every battle technique in the world, someone who''s at a higher cultivation will still one-shot you!" Veins pop out of his forehead, threatening to burst. "Go...! if you even dare to get a low ranking, I swear on my master, grandfather, and your entire bloodline''s life that I will roast you like a pig!" Fatty Wang gulps, running towards the competition area. The atmosphere is lively, outer disciples and even some inner disciples laughing and chattering. "Betting stands! Come to the betting stands!" A skinny disciple shouts, pointing to several stands. "Hehe, I''ll bet on Xun Shi, he''ll definitely win." A thick eyebrowed disciple chuckles, already counting his gold. "You idiot!" A short disciple smacks his head. "His odds are 1.15!" "R-really! They''re that sure he will win?" The eyebrow disciple gasps, not even minding that the short disciple just smacked him. "He is a superior-grade talent. Of course he''d win! He''s probably at the breakthrough point to foundation establishment currently!" "O-oh, I understand you senior brother, hehe." Many more interactions like this are taking place. "Hehe, that Xiao Pang kid seems to be pretty talented..." "No, no, how about Fatty Wang..." Betting is one of the three big reasons why spectators come to the outer competition, along with comprehending and looking for potential enemies/allies. Three different ally sects arrive to spectate, along with their sect leader and a representative elder. In the conference room. Three people are seated around a circular marble table. Sect leader Gao Yong speaks up, a serene smile on his face. "Welcome, brother Liu, brother Shi." He bows and offers salute. They both bow back, though a smirk lies on their faces. Sect leader Gao Yong''s eyes narrow. "And where is brother Zhi?" Liu Guo snickers, a nauseating sound coming out of his mouth. "Hehe, brother Gao, you see, he was a bit late..." "Late...?" Sect leader Gao Yong''s eyes relax, and then he chuckles. "Oh I see, good, great." "Hehe, how humble and understanding you are brother Gao!" Shi Fen, who is currently seated comments. The representative elders also discuss. "That Xun Shi brat... should we..." A fat elder stops another elder from speaking. "Calm down, we''ll try poaching him... here''s how..." They guffaw and whisper, discussing the Great Whirlwind sect. On the surface, the Great Whirlwind sect seems weak, with sect leader Gao Yong being the only powerhouse. This causes other sects around to underestimate them. Suddenly, a bald monk starts laughing very very loudly. "Good, good, good!" He is naked, and extremely fat. Two maidens currently wash his body. "Alright, that is enough! I can sense it, that we''ve arrived! Ahahaha!" He stands up, water flowing down his flabs and crevices. His cheeks press up against his eyes, squishing his face together. "Abbot Zhi! Would you like to greet sect leader Gao Yong?" A short monk with buck teeth laughs nervously as he enters the bathroom. "Ehehe, why should I meet him? Let him come to me." His bulging flabs and cheeks slap against each other as he waddles outside, the two delicate maidens dressing him up in golden robes. He hops off of the carriage, the ground rumbling beneath him. He stands tall, even though he is wide. "After more than 30 years... I have returned, Great Whirlwind sect! Haha, come bow to this grandfather... kidding!" His stomps shake the ground as his presence fills the competition ground space. Outer and inner disciples alike shiver as he moves forwards. A young boy''s eyes narrow at him. "Abbot Zhi." The fat monk pauses, turning around to look at the boy. "Oh huhuhu! Young Xiao Bo, I''ve heard of you." He kneels down to the boys height, patting his head. "They say you are wise, almost like an old man, why do you look so angry?" Without letting the boy respond, he stands up and walks away, continuing to stomp through. Qian Zhelan, who stands next to Xiao Bao grinds his teeth, fists clenched. "How dare that fattie! Master, let me put some sense into him!" "Calm down. He is powerful, perhaps even more than sect leader." Qian Zhelan trembles, his eyes widening. At another section of the competition grounds, Xuan Wu arrives, looking around with a frown. "How luxurious... cultivators are really rich." He nearly smiles, but then¡ª "Hey, you!" ... Them... Farewell. ... "Hey, you!" Xuan Wu turns around, his eyes widening. "H-how come!" He didn''t think this was possible, turns out it was! Shuffling through the crowd, a midget appears. His long golden robes dragged behind him, and his head was a shiny bald. He wore a white headband around his forehead, and his nose was scrunched. "Yeah, you! I''m talkin'' to you!" Xuan Wu gulps, angry midgets are dangerous. He snickers, and then nods. "You must be Chen Xi, correct?" He waits patiently for a reply. Xuan Wu pauses. "Chen Xi? Who?" The midget''s face drops. "Are you not Chen XI?" Xuan Wu shakes his head. And then, the midget stomps his feet and storms off, perhaps looking for Chen Xi. Xuan Wu exhales. "What just happened..." He looks towards the betting area, and then grins. "I''ve read up on these types of tropes before, it''s basically free money!" He runs towards the betting area. From the place where he just left, a Xun Shi emerges. The scar on his eye gleaming, he looks around. There is a crowd of outer disciples behind him. "Can you even believe it! The new disciple is already at the ninth layer!" "Hmph, it''s only because he is a superior-grade talent, I could do that too if I had it!" "Haha, why are all of you parading around this clown?" From the crowd, an arrogant disciple emerges. Xun Shi turns around and glances at him. "And you are?" "Hah! How insolent, not even knowing the great young master Wu Long, descendant of the Wu clan!" Another disciple emerges, a follower of Wu Long. Fatty Wang, who was also nearby, nearly spits out his food. "W-Wu clan? The actual Wu clan?" Xun Shi''s eyes graze Fatty Wang, and then they narrow. "That fatty... I remember seeing him at the disciple entrance ceremony." A female outer disciple excitedly looks at fatty Wang. "Care to explain some more?" Fatty Wang laughs, and then nods, his fat jiggling. "You see, the Wu clan was exterminated over one thousand years ago!" He takes a bite out of the roast chicken that he was holding, swallows, and then continues. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "Wu Long, descendant of the Wu clan, is also known as ''Ghost of Wu''!" A collective round of gasps emanate from the crowd, and then they discuss. "How is he still alive after one thousand years!?" "You idiot, maybe a small portion of the Wu clan escaped, I don''t believe this story." "Are you really trying to disrespect Senior brother Wu Long! Come fight me!" "You think I''m scared!" The crowd starts bickering, before a loud voice is heard. "Silence, ALL of you!" Boom! Following the shout, a bulky man lands on the stone ground, causing a wave of dust to wash over the crowd. He stands up, his gauntlet gleaming. The crowd steps back out of pure fear. "What are you doing dancing around like clowns here! He shouts, his voice deep and commanding. Lee Kong scans the crowd, and then his eyes fall on Wu Long, who is currently trembling. "Huhu, Wu Long is it? That bastards disciple..." Only for a moment do his eyes linger on Wu Long, and then he continues scanning the crowd, eventually glancing towards Xun Shi, who arrogantly stands his ground, unafraid. "Good! Good! This is what I like to see, good!" Suddenly, he stomps and lunges towards Xun Shi, stopping right in front of his face. He towers above him, having to look down at him like Xun Shi was a mere ant. "You must be the superior-grade talent... boy, how would you like to become my disciple, over at virility peak we¡ª" "Stand down, Kong." The sect leader arrives, and following him are the two ally sect leaders, along with Abbot Zhi. Abbot Zhi looks at Xun Shi intently, a dominating gaze in his eyes. He licks his lips, rubs his belly, and flares his qi for a moment... No matter what has happened in the past months, whether it was the troubles of the initiate mission, the supreme elders coercion, even elder Kong, not one of those has made him this afraid. He trembles, cold sweat dripping down his body, though he tries hard to act strong. Elder Kong''s eyes narrow. Sect leader Gao Yong stands in front of the Abbot, blocking the confrontation, and then he smiles like nothing even happened. "Great, just this way, it is up there." Abbot Zhi laughs, following behind. He winks at Xun Shi, and continues moving. Elder Kong clenches his fists, murderous intent in his eyes. "That perverted bastard, every single year I wonder why the sect leader still allows him into the sect, especially after..." He shakes his head, anger starting to overflow from his body. "Another time." He says before flying off. Xun Shi stands there, puzzled. "Come on, the competition is about to start." Wu Long exhales, and then walks towards the huge colosseum, which serves as the competition grounds. Xun Shi follows, his gaze calculating. ... In another side of the competition grounds, Xuan Wu walks out of the betting stands, grinning ear to ear. "Chen Xi, Long Ping, Tao Kang, you three better not fail me!" After observing some of the beginner contestants, he picked who he deemed most worthy. The outer competition battles go like so¡ª The first segment, layers one to three. The second segment, layers four to six. The third segment, layers seven to nine. Xuan Wu is fighting in the first segment. Suddenly, from all around an announcing voice is heard. "The competition is about to begin, those not already in the colosseum will be disqualified." Xuan Wu gulps, and then he runs as fast as he can towards the colosseum. Cultivating really boosted his speed and stamina. He doesn''t look ahead of him, and bumps into Fatty Wang. "Ah, which fatty blocked the way¡ªoh it''s you! Fatty Wang!" Xuan Wu smiles, he hasn''t seen this fatty in months. Fatty Wang nods and chuckles, and they both move towards the stands, where they will be watching the first fights. Split off into three different squares, cultivators in the first layer of qi gathering will fight in 1v1s. A blue crystal shines, and then the announcing voice sounds once again. "The first fights! Chen Xi versus Lin Wei! Jia Hui versus Fu Wuying! Ma Zedong versus Shen Shu!" The audience cheers and converses, already beginning to speculate which will win. "Hmm... Chen Xi, my first bet, you better win!" Xuan Wu looks at Chen Xi with green eyes, salivating. Fatty Wang grins, taking up two seats. "I put my money on Lin Wei." Xuan Wu glances at Fatty Wang, and then chuckles. "We''ll see, we''ll see." ... Wait! Fatty Wang''s cheeks jiggle as he laughs and cheers. "Lin Wei, Lin Wei! Beat that bastard! Hahaha!" Xuan Wu''s face is red, fists clenched. For the past few minutes since the fights started, Chen Xi has been getting beat. Out of the four fights, Chen Xi''s fight seems to be quickly coming to an end. They both exchange attacks on a small battlefield. "Haha, how could you be this weak?" Lin Wei lunges at Chen Xi, sucker punching him. "Take this!" Chen Xi spits out blood, looking at the audience for a moment. His eyes tremble slightly as he spots his master. "T-that''s right, I''ll have to use that thing..." Chen Xi backs away slightly, and then circulates his qi and blood. Being in the qi gathering realm, qi cannot extend outside of the body, as it is fickle and unbridled. But... there is an exception. Certain techniques involving blood and essence can force the qi to obey for a moment, allowing the qi gathering cultivator to use an out-of-body attack for one move. Normally, these types of techniques should only be used in life or death situations, but Chen Xi couldn''t give a single fuck. A single move. That is all it will take to defeat the second layer Lin Wei. But of course it comes at a cost. But Chen Xi''s heart is stable, his eyes have never once left his master. Glancing at his opponent, Chen Xi''s childish innocence slowly fades from his gaze, replaced by an odd wisdom. Lin Wei''s fingers start trembling. He feels as if this Chen Xi in front of him isn''t the Chen Xi he''d known and bullied since arriving at the sect. "A bully... you''re a bully." Chen Xi states with a cold, emotionless voice. "Chen Xi, w-what''s wrong with you?" Lin Wei stutters, and then he shakes his head, chuckling. "No, what''s wrong with me? Am I really afraid of a weakling like you?" Lin Wei cracks his knuckles, and then he charges at Chen Xi. "In this competition, you were doomed to lose, so why even join? Aha!" The distance between them is so close... yet so far. From around Chen Xi, a wind starts building. But this is no ordinary wind, no, this wind has a particular colour to it¡ªa deep, dark green. "You''ve crossed my limits, my boundaries, and now I shall cross yours, begone!" Chen Xi roars, his qi roars alongside him. "W-what do you mean by that?¡ª" Lin Wei snickers, already charging his fist. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. And then, he fell. He just collapsed. Right then and there. No loud bangs, no flashy lights, he just fell. The fact is, Chen Xi remains at the same spot, with the only difference being that his qi is no longer surrounding him, and that tears fall from his eyes. "M-master! Forgive me!" His choked sobs and wilful tears confuse the stupefied audience for a moment. "D-did he just defeat Lin Wei..." "Are you drunk!" "N-no really, Lin Wei is just lying there!" "But he was just getting beat moments ago... don''t tell me!" After a few seconds, the audience strongly reacts. "And why is he crying! Shouldn''t he be happy!" Fatty Wang drops the fried chicken he was holding, his eyes wide. Xuan Wu is also frozen, he did not expect this outcome. Fatty Wang''s face goes red and then he shouts. "How dare you! Lame Wei!" A collection of surprise, contempt, and gasps emanate from the audience. Chen Xi stands there, still crying. "Master, I''m just so sorry!" Meanwhile, Lin Wei lies there, dazed. The announcer pauses for a moment, and then decides to announce Chen Xi''s victory. "It seems for stage one, the battle is over, and L¡ª" "I do not concede!" Out of nowhere, Lin Wei stands up, his clothes muddied and face bruised. "C-Chen Xi is a cheater!" He points an accusing finger, his voice piercing through the battleground. "What is he talking about!" "Chen Xi cheated? I mean, I kind of agree..." "Yeah, how could a qi gathering cultivator have that sort of aura..." "Silence, all of you." From the middle of the elder stands, an old man arises, he shakily leans on his cane. He smacks his lips, and then continues, "My disciple, Chen Xi, is not a cheater, he is a pure soul and fought with everything he had." "Lies!" Another elder springs up, his brows sharp and defined. "Lin Wei is my disciple, and he doesn''t throw accusations around like nothing! How bold of you, old Xi!" The audience quiets down, elders are leagues above them after all. "Y-you! How dare you!" Old Xi shouts, lifting his cane and slamming it onto the marble ground in a show of power. "How should we settle this then? Huh?" Elder Kong, who was nearby comments. The announcing crystal sounds for a minute, and then pauses. The sound was of an exhale. "...Let''s see." Silence dominates the colosseum, not even the sound of rustling paper is heard. Even the other cultivators fighting have paused. "Chen Xi has sacrificed blood and essence in order to execute a self-sacrificial technique... this violates at least three of the rules." Chen Xi''s old master clenches his teeth, taking in a deep breath. "Fine... I will admit, my disciple may have broken some of the rules, but he still sacrificed blood!" "Silence, old fart, your shitty disciple broke the rules I have created, how arrogant." The crystal announces. "Pfft...!" The sound echoes through the silent stadium. Fatty Wang struggles to hold his laugh in, earning a death glare from Old Xi, which causes him to gulp nervously. "Furthermore, the tears of this child reek of exploitation, tell me Old Xi, did you force the poor child to overexert himself?" Old Xi argues. "N-no, I told him not to use it!" "Okay, sit down, we have no time for this." By a certain pressure, Old Xi is forced to sit down, along with the other elders. Xuan Wu watches the confrontation with absolute confusion. "Do... do they not want to preserve any dignity for their elders? Do they just not care? And all this time I''ve believed cultivators revered face above all, guess I was wrong. Old Xi''s face is very red, he reeks of humiliation. Chen Xi continues sobbing, pounding the sandy ground with his fist. "Damn it, damn it, I''ve failed you master! My cultivation, wuwuwu..." Lin Wei takes a deep breath, walking up to Chen Xi. "Do you... do you concede?" He asks with uncertainty. "I can''t believe this, no, I can''t!" "Chen Xi, do you concede or not!" "I can''t fight anymore, I''m a failure!" Chen Xi stands up in a fit of rage and runs out of the battlefield, and out of the stadium. The blue crystal shines and announces the first victory. "For stage one, Lin Wei has attained victory, and Chen Xi lost by forfeit and cheating." The audience perks up, cheering gladly. Xuan Wu slumps in defeat. "How is this fair? Just how shit is my luck." Fatty Wang jumps up and down, shaking the seats and waving his fists. "Gold, gold, gold, all of the gold is for me!" He chuckles and pats Xuan Wu''s back. "Do not worry, brother, there are still more battles to go." Xuan Wu''s face is green. "But... but usually the underestimated and pitiful character always wins..." The rest of the battles continue, with stage three already being completed right after stage one. ... Finale ... "Stage two! Jia Hui wins!" "Stage three! Shen Shu wins!" The first fights were already over, and none were as interesting as Chen Xi''s fight. Up above, even higher than the elder stands, is the sect leader pavilion. Here, sect leader Gao Yong along with the two other sect leaders and Abbot are seated. "Brother Gao, that Chen Xi was quite marvellous!" Liu Guo''s high pitched voice makes Gao Yong wince a little. Abbot Zhi nods, snacking on a banana. "Hoohoohoo, how little dignity your elders have, shouldn''t you educate them, brother Gao." He laughs, along with the other two sect leaders. Sect leader Gao Yong smiles and shakes his head. "My elders... they are quite a bunch." "Haha, you''re right, a bunch of fools!" Shi Fen, the sect leader of Interior Starlight Sect chuckles, secretly glimpsing at Abbot Zhi for approval. Abbot Zhi nods towards him, giving him a small hand sign, which in turn excites Shi Fen. Sect leader Gao Yong leans back, drinking tea. "Say, brother Gao, do you have any idea of who is fighting next?" Liu Guo annoyingly speaks, asking a question. "I don''t decide it." Gao Yong replies nonchalantly "Then who does?" Abbot Zhi asks curiously, finishing his banana. "The announcer does." "Huh?" The blue crystal shines yet again, and the announcer speaks. "For the next three fights, we have..." Xuan Wu was disappointed in the further fights, cultivators in the layer 1-2 qi gathering fight just like mortals. Suddenly, a man in white robes appears in front of Xuan Wu and Fatty Wang, hands them a ticket, and then disappears. Fatty Wang is visibly scared, wiping sweat from his brow. "W-woah...!" Xuan Wu chuckles, and then checks the ticket. His eyebrows raise. "They concluded that I''m in the third layer!" Fatty Wang gasps. "W-what! Are you serious? Aren''t you a low-grade talent?" And then he jumps up. "That means we can get into a fight with eachother! Haha!" Xuan Wu sits back, shaking his head. "It seems I have to fight against actual third layer and fourth layer qi gathering cultivators." The fights continue, a dance of amateurs. Suddenly, the announcers voice perks up Xuan Wu and Fatty Wang. "Third stage, Zi Rougang versus Dong Shui!" "Zi Rougang?" "Dong Shui?" They look to each other, grinning. "This''ll be interesting..." Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. At the battlegrounds. Each disciple arrives at their respective square, bowing to eachother. Zi Rougang stares at Dong Shui. "You... aren''t you the one who told me to avoid Xuan Wu?" Dong Shui thinks for a second, and then has a look of remembrance. "Ah yes, you''re right." He nods. Zi Rougang''s eyes narrow, and he steps closer. "Why?" "Huh?" Dong Shui gets into a fighting position. "Why would you say that?" Zi Rougang growls, and then rushes at Dong Shui. Dong Shui throws his arms up, blocking Zi Rougang''s advance. He then grabs his right arm and slams him onto the ground. "Kah!" Zi Rougang spits out blood. Dong Shui then leaps back, controlling his breathing. Zi Rougang gets up and roars, channelling his qi. Being at the second layer of qi gathering, he has nearly double the qi of a first layer. Zi Rougang grabs a sword strapped to his back, rushing at Dong Shui. Yet Dong Shui continues blocking his attacks effortlessly. "Damn it!" Zi Rougang struggles, no matter what he does, he just can''t seem to get past. It''s like Dong Shui is toying with him. Tears build up in his eyes, his cultivator ego is repeatedly getting squashed. For qi gathering cultivators, their ego is one of the most important parts of what makes them cultivators. In the foundation establishment realm, cultivators craft their mindset, with some being peaceful and serene, some being barbaric and ruthless, and some even having the mindset of a humble mortal. Up in the stands, a random first layer qi gathering cultivator sobs. "Please, don''t lose, I put my entire life on you! All of my gold!" He stares at the Zi Rougang who keeps getting blocked. Next to him, Xuan Wu and Fatty Wang rage. Fatty Wang fat jiggles as he yells and shouts. "Damn it, stupid Dong! Get him! Zi Rougang, get him!" Xuan Wu has equal amount of rage as Fatty Wang, Zi Rougang is a friend after all, while Dong Shui made him lose face. "Kill him! Kill Dong Shui!" Xuan Wu licks his lips, Fatty Wang trembles a litte. Back at the square, Dong Shui locks eyes with Zi Rougang. And then. He runs into his sword. Zi Rougang gasps as blood spills, a large cut appears from Dong Shui''s chest to his right arm Dong Shui kneels, tears in his eyes. "P-please, I concede, I''ll do anything!" The audience pauses for a moment, and then a commotion arises. "No way! What just happened!" "Are you serious!?" "Yes!" "No!" Xuan Wu blinks, Fatty Wang jiggles, and the random first layer cries tears of happiness. From the elder stands, the clan peak elder slams his fist, grinding his teeth. "What the fuck..." The Righteous Peak elder, in which Zi Rougang is part of, has about three elders, compared to the only one elder every other peak has. First peak elder claps his hands, cackling. "Good, good, good!" In the middle of all these chaotic reactions, Xuan Wu suddenly gulps nervously. "Hold on... check his profile." [Dong Shui] [...] [Recent Alterations:] [Because you gave him the ''Humiliation'' kink, it contrasted with his original nature, causing his mind to spin around and now he has gained ''Borderline Personality Disorder''] Xuan Wu''s face is grey, with a locked smile. "Are you serious? I broke his mind?" He nervously chuckles, looking at the kneeling Dong Shui. "Stage four, Zi Rougang victory!" The announcer speaks. It seems the other stages don''t really care, as they continue fighting, unlike the Chen Xi battle. Zi Rougang shivers a little, and then grunts. "Damn it, how humiliating..." He walks back, making his way out of the battlegrounds, until he locks eyes with Zuo Lingxin up in the stands. "Z-Zuo Lingxin!" He shouts, excitement in his eyes. But then Zuo Lingxin looks away. Like she doesn''t care for him. He stands there, confused. "Come on, move!" The announcer shouts, causing Zi Rougang to continue moving. He rubs the back of his head, sweating a little. "Maybe she just didn''t notice me... but how?" Stuck in his delusions, he exits. Meanwhile, in stage two, a very heated battle is going on between two fatasses. The first fatass, fatty Ling, locks arms with the second fatass, fatty Wu. Like sumo wrestling. "Damn it, how dare you make light of my father''s death! I should extinguish your soul!" "Shut up, kowtow to this old man one thousand times and I''ll forgive you!" Despite only being fourteen, they seem to act like old masters. "Hrrahhh!" One of them throws a fist at the each other, causing a heap of fat to jiggle. Their sweaty bodies slap against each other, their fat slipping and rubbing against each other. "Take this!" "Hah, how about this!" They start crying, tears fall from their eyes, making their faces wet. "How could you, you were my best friend!" Fatty Wu shouts in pure agony. "It was for your own good! Damn me!" fatty Ling collapses in pain, dragging fatty Wu with him, and then he gets on top of him. Pow! Pow! While on top of him, he repeatedly punches his face. "Why did you make me do this!?" His tears fall. Glancing at fatty Wu''s face, he feels a tang of pity and regret. Blood is all over his face. The blue crystal shines. "Stage two..." Similar occurrences were taking place on other stages, to put friends up against each other... That is the outer competiton. ... Titles are up... The first half of the first segment is over. Now, Xuan Wu is preparing for his first fight. "Ah, this''ll be easy, right?" He asks the judge. The judge is an old outer elder. "Nope." "Damn." The audience cheers, ready for the next fights, while Fatty Wang laughs, eating more food. "Haha, Xuan Wu, I''ll be rooting for you!" Suddenly, he feels a pat on his shoulder. Turning around, he locks eyes with Zi Rougang. Back to the battleground, Xuan Wu is located at the second stage. He looks around nervously, this is his first actual fight, aside from the one where he cheated. [Detected fight status.] [Would you like to activate Spiritual Adrenaline.] Xuan Wu immediately declines, he doesn''t feel like it. From the opposite end of the stage, a snot faced brat comes out. The twelve year old Ni Hong steps out, wiping his nose. "Ahaha, you must be Xuan Wu!" He licks his lips ominously, his green robes are oversized, and his sleeves go over his hands. Xuan Wu blinks, rubbing his eyes. He then looks upwards, towards the three judges. "Hey, why am I fighting this toddler?" Ni Hong''s face immediately turns red, and he shouts at Xuan Wu. "I am no toddler! I am a powerful follower of the young Xiao Bo!" "Xiao Bo?" Xuan Wu looks towards the audience, but almost none of them are looking at his stage. Rather, they are spectating stage one, a fight between two young masters from well known clans. Xuan Wu feels a slight irritation, but not too much, maybe this''ll help him be a little more low profile. Ni Hong suddenly takes five steps forward, and starts running towards Xuan Wu. "Shit, the fight already started?" Bam! Ni Hong, his fist fast as the wind, hits Xuan Wu squarely in his face. "Damn it!" Xuan Wu steps back, his nose bleeding. He feels a slight sting, as Ni Hong''s fist had qi imbued in it, as meridians are present throughout the entire human body. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Ni Hong continues to take steps forward, and then runs at Xuan Wu, he then punches him in unexpected positions. Xuan Wu, with absolutely no fighting experience is lost, and stuck. He tries putting up a guard, but Ni Hong just sucker punches him in his stomach. He tries stepping back, but Ni Hong leaps in order to smack him. Frustration. He feels frustrated at his lack of skill. "Why can''t I do anything!" By now, the audience is already a blur, it''s just him against Ni Hong. Ni Hong, sensing that Xuan Wu is on edge, tries breaking him down further. "Haha, are you really that bad at this?" "Maybe you should retire to being an alchemist. Or maybe just abolish your cultivation." "How worthless! Being beaten by this ''toddler''! Ahaha." He continues sending a barrage of insults, keeping up his attacking momentum. "Shut the fuck up!" Xuan Wu rages, veins popping on his face and teeth grinding against each other. He tries grabbing Ni Hong''s leg, but gets a kick to the face. By now, his face is bruised, body beaten, a black eye, and a swollen tongue. He tries to remain calm, but tears already start to pool up in his eyes. "Damn it, being a thirteen year old makes me too damn emotional!" [Anger detected, would you like to up your cultivation?] "Shut up system!" Xuan Wu shouts in his mind, trying to breath steadily. "I don''t need any help!" Ni Hong takes three steps forward this time, and runs up. Xuan Wu''s eyes narrow. "This entire time... he''s been taking a number of steps forward, and then running. It''s so unpredictable, almost like a..." Xuan Wu''s eyes widen, his memories flashing before his eyes. "Almost like a¡ª" "A pattern!" Janitor Wei Yin''s eyes narrow. He''s been watching Xuan Wu''s fight, as he has talked with him before. But one thing he''s noticed is how Xuan Wu is so helpless, even though the twelve year old is only at the second layer of qi gathering. "It seems he put more time into fighting rather than cultivation." Wei Yin chuckles, glancing at Xuan Wu. "But it is such a simple pattern... to break it, you only need to¡ª" Pow! Again, Xuan Wu gets hit, now his leg is extremely sore. "What''s wrong? Thinking of forfeiting?" Ni Hong laughs, that same annoying laugh that has been taunting Xuan Wu for the past fight. Xuan Wu, in complete silence, stands up. Tears flow down his face as, for the past few minutes, he''s been shedding tears in pure frustration. His cultivator ego, mixed with childish hormones and a lack of experience teamed up and brutally demolished him. "Haha, what a baby! Wah wah!" Ni Hong continues taunting, he is really excited. "I''m going to win my first fight! Bet it''ll make master proud. And then I''ve also gained an insight, I can just taunt my enemies to¡ª" BAM! While the absentminded Ni Hong was taking his steps forward, Xuan Wu found a break through point and elbowed him right in the face. "Ouch! Ouch! It hurts!" Ni Hong breaks down, crying. "Stop it!" Maturity doesn''t come with cultivation experience it seems. Xuan Wu laughs like a maniac, he finally found out how to break the pattern. On each second step, Ni Hong pushes his head back and starts his unbreakable guard. He just had to hit him before that. Xuan Wu follows up, kicking and beating Ni Hong. "Take this brat, Black Iron Fist!" Ni Hong spits out blood and passes out. Xuan Wu''s breathing falters, sweat covering his face and body. "Damn... damn you, brat!" The announcers voice calls out, "Stage three. Xuan Wu victory." From up in the stands, Zi Rougang and Fatty Wang laugh. "Damn, brother Xuan was getting beat so bad I thought he was gonna lose!" Fatty Wang shakes his head. "Well I knew he had it in him." Zi Rougang comments, moving on to watch the battle between the young masters. Flashy moves. That is what most elders would comment in disgust. Absolutely no skills, no experience, the only value this fight brings is candy for the eye. "Ha! Blight Burn Phoenix!" Young Master Feng laughs preposterously. A bright, yellow light covers the stage and heads towards the other young master Wu, doing absolutely no damage. The audience cheers, five muscular grown men clap and nod, approved by this spectacle. Several elders in the elder stands spit and stomp their feet, they hurl insults at the young masters, and pull their sleeves up in pure anger. These young masters use special artifacts to channel their qi into, so they can make nice visual attacks. But these attacks do absolutely nothing, but the audience loves it. After a couple of minutes, Young Master Wu beats Young Master Feng with an unexpected real attack. The last fight is stage two, with two girls fighting against each other. ... Second Quarters. Xuan Wu is seated on the stands along with Fatty Wang and Zi Rougang. A couple of hours ago, Fatty Wang easily won his fight, so all three of them have one victory. "The second quarters must be beginning now." Zi Rougang comments nonchalantly. Fatty Wang, who was chewing on a piece of meat interjects, "Mm, yeah, I wonder who the first ones to fight will be." He continues chewing on the fat slab of meat. Xuan Wu sighs, feeling bored. Everyone here was raised was raised in this world, and this world demands patience. Meanwhile, Xuan Wu was raised in an entirely different world, earth. He doesn''t know shit about patience. He decides to look over his system, there are just so many features he needs to try out. Like the opportunity feature, the nemesis feature, the qi environment feature... He taps on the opportunity feature, just seeing what it does for a moment. [Heavens'' Opportunity/Misfortune.] [You may grant anyone opportunities or misfortune.] Xuan Wu snickers a little. "Hmm, who to test it out on..." He taps his chin, mind wandering. "Oh I know!" Finally getting a look at this feature, he thinks back to the Clan Peak elder. "Cao Qiu..." Fiddling around with the system a little bit, he sends an appropriate opportunity to him. Maybe just a small rank promotion for a minor character. The way the system works is really intriguing. It can make decisions like these in an instant by reading his thoughts. Writing out the opportunity in his mind, he nods, getting ready for the response... But then... DUN! DUN! DUN! A loud blaring sound rings out in Xuan Wu''s ears, along with flashing red lights in his vision. His surroundings were unaffected. [Warning! This action will initiate a ripple effect!] [Would you like to proceed?] Now normally, the old Xuan Wu would be afraid, maybe even have an existential crisis. But him now? His ego is blaring, especially after making a fool out of that brat. He slams his finger down on the "Proceed" button, and leans back into his seat, swiping the panel to the side without a care. [Promotion Opportunity Established.] [This action will have consequences...] "Xuan Wu, what''s up, you seem lost." Fatty Wang comments, slurping his oily fingers. "Oh, uh, nothing, what''s the next fight?" Xuan Wu chuckles a bit, the sight of a fatty like this really turns him on. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Respect and admiration fills him up, Fatty Wang''s tongue licking his plump lips, his face flabs jiggling as he shakes his head, his robes too tight for his body... How could someone just look at this and not feel the same way as Xuan Wu? Xuan Wu shakes his head, wiping his eyes. "Hey, when''s the next fight." Xuan Wu comments after not getting a reply. "Hm... I''m guessing it is in¡ª" "The Second Quarters have begun. Fighters descend to the stages." Suddenly, Fatty Wang''s eyes widen. "Wait a moment, I''m fighting in the first round!" Xuan Wu also gasps. "Me too!" They look towards each other, betrayal in their eyes. "Stage one, Lin Wei versus He Long. Stage two, Deng An versus Jiang Zhen." The announcer says the third stage, which causes Fatty Wang, Xuan Wu, and Zi Rougang to nearly trip. "Stage three, Xuan Wu versus Ziu Wang." "N-no way, Fatty Wang and Xuan Wu are fighting!" Zi Rougang gulps, causing a commotion to start behind him. "Wait, are they friends?" "Ohoho, this''ll be fun!" Outer disciples stir up like hooligans, thrashing their arms about. The news quickly spreads throughout the entire stadium, causing everyone''s eyes to lock onto stage three. "Well... we''re fucked." Fatty Wang sighs, his belly rumbling. Xuan Wu''s raises an eyebrow, studying Fatty Wang carefully. "I''m not gonna lie... Fatty Wang can probably demolish me. I''d need to either use cheats or just accept my loss." His eyes narrow. A couple minutes later, they face each other on stage three. Fatty Wang smacks his belly and gets prepared. Xuan Wu also gets prepared, he steels his cultivator ego and convinces himself that even if he loses it''s because of circumstances. "Fight!" The announcer calls. Fatty Wang and Xuan Wu charge at each other, shouting like they were long time enemies. "Fatty! Feel my wrath!" Xuan Wu yells, charging up his Black Iron Fist, the first level of it. Meaning that his fist still looks relatively normal, despite his hand now being as hard as iron. "The stars shine upon me! Brother Xuan, accept your defeat!" Fatty Wang''s skin nearly glows as he bellows at Xuan Wu, and then gets into position, crouching down and placing his arms in front of him, with his palms facing the incoming Xuan Wu. "Hraahh! I will never accept any man''s pleading!" Xuan Wu mocks, jumping up and hitting Fatty Wang''s palms with his Black Iron Fist. To his surprise, Fatty Wang smirks, and then chuckles. A grim air washes over Xuan Wu as he feels his fist stuck to Fatty Wang''s palm. From the audience, Fatty Wang''s senior brother shouts, being under the same master as him. "The Stuck-Palm technique! How talented is junior brother!" With that shout, the audience breaks loose and starts cheering, almost like mortals watching a brave warrior fight a tiger. "Nobody, not even you, Fatty Wang, is better than me!" Xuan Wu''s ego flares, with victory over the snotty brat clinging on his back like a sickly monkey. Fatty Wang shakes his head. "Xuan Wu, my master beat me like an alcoholic beats his wife after I unlocked my cultivator ego." He locks eyes with Xuan Wu, pity filling his gaze. Xuan Wu swears he sees a hint of pleading in Fatty Wang''s eyes, like he doesn''t want to do what he''s about to do. But he must. Fatty Wang sighs before he continues. "And now, brother Xuan, I must be that alcoholic... and you must be my domesticated wife..." He pauses, shaking his head again. "Wait no, now you must be my little son... I apologise Xuan Wu, do not hold this against me." "Wait, no!" Xuan Wu''s eyes widen, before shutting in defeat. Blood and saliva, along with a couple of teeth fly out of his mouth as Fatty Wang''s free hand clenches into a fist and connects with his face, like a sledgehammer striking stone. "Kraaah!" Xuan Wu''s tongue instinctively exits his mouth and licks Fatty Wang''s fist, before he falls flat on the cold ground. Fatty Wang stands above him, his breathing heavy. "X-Xuan Wu." He exhales, sweat pouring down his face. "Do you accept your loss." Xuan Wu''s mouth moves into a silent "O" of acceptance, and then the announcer calls Fatty Wang''s victory. "Stage three, the victor is Ziu Wang." The audience cheers, it may''ve been short, but it was dramatic¡ªand, not to mention, between two friends. Fatty Wang stands over the fallen Xuan Wu, facing him, his chest heaving. "A fight may be a runaway, but a friendship remains." He recites, pounding his chest with his fist. "Xuan Wu, remember this, no matter if you defeat me, humiliate me, even betray me, you will always be I, Fatty Wang''s, eternal friend!" He pledges loudly, the audience behind him thrashing like crazy. "Wow! What a great friend!" "I want a friend like that! Just like that!" "Fatty Wang, impregnate me!" Fatty Wang has definitely cemented his reputation as a loyal and trustful friend, and a powerful yet heroic fighter. "Senior brother Wang! Senior brother Wang!" The audience of outer disciples bask Fatty Wang in love, yet Xuan Wu remains on the cold stone ground, his gaze on his broken teeth fallen on a viscous blood puddle. "Friends..." ... His true potential is immense! ... "No way! In one punch!" "Senior brother Wang really has no mercy, we should be glad he''s loyal and heroic." The audience commentates on the fight, especially on the state of Xuan Wu. Xuan Wu continues lying there, his vision going blurry. Shortly after, medics arrive and take him to the healing facilities, where they give him a pill and tell him to rest. Zi Rougang looks at stage three, shaking his head. "This competition, it''s what must be done. At least, I hope." Fatty Wang arrives back, and takes a seat. Zi Rougang turns to Fatty Wang and sighs, "Did you really have to do that? Fatty." Fatty Wang rubs the back of his head, taking in a deep breath. "Brother Zi. I sensed his ego, it was rampaging through him... perhaps if left untreated, it could''ve destroyed him." Zi Rougang nods, taking in Fatty Wang''s words. His eyes scan stage one and two, both boring fights. He then decides to take a look at the rest of the audience. Majority of them are in the outer-sect, meaning they are still in the qi gathering realm. "I wonder who I''ll fight." He rubs his chin, watching stage one''s fight. Lin Wei grabs He Long by the throat, looking straight into his enemy''s eyes. "Do you concede?" He sneers. He Long grunts, pathetically grabbing Lin Wei''s arms, scratching at them. "I-I concede! I Forfeit!" Crrk! Lin Wei drops He Long on the stage ground and walks away, whistling a tune to himself. He Long holds back his anger as he bows towards Lin Wei. "Thank you for the fight... senior brother." The announcers voice sounds. "First stage, Lin Wei''s victory." Back to the stands, the audience cheers and insults, while Zi Rougang shakes his head. "Pathetic." Suddenly, a loud "Boom" is heard, and the second stage gets filled with smoke. It eventually disperses, and Deng An walks out unfazed, his right arm high above his head, with a stoic expression. The audience claps at his nonchalant attitude, and they go silent as they await the next battles. The announcer sighs, and then announces. "Stage one, Zi Rougang versus Ren Zhexi..." From the opposite side of where Zi Rougang sits, a tall disciple stands up. He is bulky and carries a smug grin, making his way down to the first stage where he will fight Zi Rougang. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. He chuckles to himself, he reeks of arrogance. Zi Rougang gulps, sweat falling down his forehead as he watches Ren Zhexi move towards the stage, and he also stands up. "Shit... this bastard." They both arrive at the stage, and Ren Zhexi takes a seat, his large form settling comfortably into a seating position. He pulls out a gourd from his waist, and takes a sip of wine. "Give up." He laughs, wiping his mouth. "Or die, your choice." He locks eyes with Zi Rougang, and Zi Rougang flinches. "W-who is this guy?" The usually nonchalant Zi Rougang falters, he doubts, he feels as if he should just concede, that it is not worth fighting this beast. But he still stands, gripping the sword on his back. He lets out a shaky breath, and gets into position. "I will not give up. Nor will I¡ª" "Fight!" The announcer calls. BOOOM! An explosion appears at stage one, with smoke blooming in all directions. Zi Rougang gets thrown out, vomiting blood, his eyes are rolled over. The smoke clears, and Ren Zhexi stands right where Zi Rougang was, his right arm stretched out while still drinking from his gourd with his left. "I told you. You didn''t listen." He spits on the ground, moving away. He glances at the elder stands and smirks. Zi Rougang lies there in a pitiful mess. He didn''t even get the chance. There was only a one layer realm difference, yet he still got speed-blitzed Just like they did with Xuan Wu, medics carry Zi Rougang away, and up in the stands, the audience cheers. "Ren Zhexi! What a legend! Only being in the third layer, yet he can still effortlessly fight those above him!" "I heard that his master is very special..." Now normally, Fatty Wang would be explaining who exactly Ren Zhexi is, but his face was dark, really dark. Eyes narrowed, teeth clenches, lips shut together tightly, this is an expression of unfiltered rage. He swears and waves his fist. "Damn this bastard, torturing my friend like this? Huh? You dare!" Disciples around Fatty Wang sigh and praise him. "Heavens, what a legend he is." "Such a great friend!" "He really is loyal and heroic, what an outstanding reputation!" Up in the elder stands, a peak elder narrows his eyes. "Zi Rougang... Zi... Rougang." He speaks slowly and quietly, reciting his name. Suddenly, his weathered and wrinkled eyes widen, and he stands up like he has just been reborn. "There is no possible way! Zi Rougang!?" Righteous peak elder Jin Da, who was next to this elder, tells him to settle down. "Silence, you senile old man." The elder sits down, his eyes still wide. "I-impossible..." Underground, in the medical pagoda, Xuan Wu sits up in his bed. His eyes are glued to the system panel that had just appeared before him. [A great talent has awoken.] "A-a great talent!?" Xuan Wu shouts, standing up. His injuries weren''t too serious, just a little wood qi and he has a mouth full of teeth again. A mouth full of teeth. That has teeth. Pearly white teeth. Cultivator teeth. Wood qi naturally has healing properties, and the Great Whirlwind sect is majorly wind qi, and wood qi. Xuan Wu appraises the system screen, and then decides to close it. "So what if a great talent appeared? What does that have to do with me?" His eyes narrow as he steps out into the hallway, closing the wooden door behind him. His bare feet step on the cold ground as he navigates his way through the medical pagoda, he continues forwards until he stops in front of an open door. There he sees Zi Rougang, wrapped in bandages, staring emotionlessly into the ceiling. Xuan Wu reaches his arm out, and then takes it back. He takes a deep breath and continues walking forwards, paying no mind to Zi Rougang. Betrayed. He feels betrayed. Not by Fatty Wang, but by his own ego. The feeling of being utterly useless, it courses through him and fills him with misery. His mind wanders, until he has a thought of restoring his cultivator ego with his system. "But that would be cheating." He clenches his teeth, pondering. Now battling with not only this uselessness, he also has a tough decision to make. "To cheat, or to not cheat..." Suddenly, he remembers the opportunity he gave Cao Qiu, and his face turns pale. Cultivator ego is very, very important for qi gathering cultivators, and some may not be affected at all by a loss, while others could perish in shame and anguish. It could lower your self respect to null and the mere intimidations of a mortal could send you spiralling into madness. Before he can go any further in his thoughts, he feels the harsh sun of the outside. He''s made it out. ... Moving on ... Xuan Wu takes a moment to breathe, and then heads to the outer competition nearby. Back inside the medical pagoda, Zi Rougang grinds his teeth in frustration. "Damn it!" He spits on the ground and then tries moving his body¡ªWhich ends up hurting. From the door, a medic walks in. The medic is at the foundation establishment realm, the air around her feels cool and sharp. Zi Rougang gets startled upon seeing her, and then calms down. "Your body somehow healed... very quickly." The medic slowly speaks, looking straight at Zi Rougang. "O-oh, you think?" Zi Rougang chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Inside, his thoughts are rampaging. "How does she know... was it too obvious?" "But, this power I''ve obtained... I can''t let anyone but my master know!" "Do you want to explain." The medic takes a seat. Zi Rougang nods, and makes up a lie about getting healing herbs from his master. "Really... for one meagre qi gathering cultivator..." She taps her chin thoughtfully before leaving. "In that case, you''ve probably healed up fully by now." She closes the door behind her, and Zi Rougang lets out a deep breath. He then looks at his fist and clenches it, and then he starts trembling with raw excitement. "Ren Zhexi... count your days." Zi Rougang angrily spits, standing up from his bed. All the pain is gone now, it''s replaced by a strong yearning for battle. Back outside of the medical pagoda, the outer competition still goes on. Battles are very quick at this level of cultivation, and the second quarters are already nearly over. Pow! With a final punch, a third layer of qi gathering disciple knocks out another disciple, and the second quarters finish. The outer competition works very simply. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. In the first quarters, you fight against another disciple. Second quarters, its the exact same as the first quarters. But for the third quarters, its an all-out battle, and the more fights you win, the higher your rank. The top three are eligible for the second segment. From the blue crystal, the second quarters are announced to be over, and that the third quarters will begin soon. In the stands, many disciples get excited, speaking to each other about bets and stuff. But, in one particular spot, a Fatty Wang is breathing nervously. "Damn... I didn''t expect to get this far." He flexes his bicep, and then chuckles. "Maybe I can even win." A few hours later, a loud bell rings and the announcer calls out the third quarters. They have to fight in brackets. From behind, Fatty Wang feels a tap on his shoulder. He turns around to see Xuan Wu, who takes a seat. "Oh hey Xuan Wu. Are you here to watch me fight in the third quarters?" He laughs, rubbing his belly. "Yeah... I hope you win." Xuan Wu looks at the battlegrounds, waiting for the fights to begin. The first three fights are announced, and they are fought swiftly and nicely. The audience cheers as the fighting rush commences, with disciples getting knocked out every minute. In almost no time, Fatty Wang is already on stage. He faces off against a tall disciple with unibrows. "Hmph, I despise fatties, go die!" In only a few minutes, the tall disciple''s eyes are already rolled over. Names after names, fights are announced like crazy. Disciples fight with everything they have, going full power like they have no time. This is because they are under the fighting rush pressure, if they take too long, they break this tradition. Li Wei sits in the stands, drinking some green water. He has already fought three battles. Ren Zhexi is one stage three, throwing around a bald disciple like its nothing, he even laughs while doing so. Chaos, its pure chaos. Eventually, it dwindles down to only five fighters. Fatty Wang, who bravely held off. Li Wei, who remains standing by sheer luck. Ren Zhexi, who humiliated all of his enemies. Zhen Lei... and Huo Shi. Li Wei immediately gives up, since his master called for it. The announcer doesn''t slow down at all, calling out the last fighters. "Stage one, Zhen Lei versus Huo Shi." Fatty Wang sucks in a deep breath, shaking his head in disbelief. "Shit." "Stage two, Ren Zhexi versus Ziu Wang." Ren Zhexi laughs like a maniac very loudly, and then jumps on the stage. "Come at me, now!" Fatty Wang descends, the fear that was in his gaze is already gone, replaced by a will to fight. Ren Zhexi notices this, and laughs. "Great, what a great fatty. I like you, just give up and it''ll all be over." He puts his hands on his hips and continues laughing. "No." Fatty Wang calls, before lunging at Ren Zhexi. Ren Zhexi looks pitifully at the charging Fatty Wang, his pinkie leisurely picking at his ear. "Well, there are too many arrogant fighters, I get that." Boom! Ren Zhexi spits out blood as Fatty Wang''s punch unexpectedly connects with his face. His eyes widen. "How did you move so fast at that last moment!" He then gets a maelstrom of punches, and groans. "Damn it fatty, I underestimated you." Pow! Fatty Wang gets punched, and his cheeks jiggle as he falls back. He tries getting up, but Ren Zhexi jumps on top of him, and then starts beating him back. "Take this!" Pow! "And this!" Pow. "Haha, beatdown!" Ren Zhexi licks his lips and continues beating the shit out of Fatty Wang. Fatty Wang shields his face with his arms, clenching his teeth as Ren Zhexi continues beating him. "What do I do..." He piles his thoughts, trying desperately to think of a way to escape, but he can''t think of anything no matter what. ... I can do anything! ... Ren Zhexi laughs as he sends fist after fist at the shielded Fatty Wang. "Give up fatty!" Fatty Wang grunts and desperately tries to hold on. The audience worries for Fatty Wang, as they see him as a loyal and heroic figure. To see him getting pummelled like this... "Fatty Wang! Hold on!" "You can do this!" The crowd is as loud as ever, but this makes Fatty Wang want to win all the more. "Yes... that''s right!" Fatty Wang suddenly moves his arms, holding his two palms out in front of him. Ren Zhexi, still caught in his barrage, doesn''t notice the shift in position, and his fists catch on Fatty Wang''s palms. "Shit!" Ren Zhexi is very familiar with this move, and his face turns blue. "The stuck-palm technique!" Ren Zhexi rages. Just like with Xuan Wu, Fatty Wang brings his fist around and whacks Ren Zhexi''s face. "Damn you!" Ren Zhexi roars, jumping on Fatty Wang. He starts bouncing on Fatty Wang''s head, and Fatty Wang quickly turns nauseous. He desperately claws at Ren Zhexi, causing Zhexi to jump off of him. They both adjust their breathing as they take a small break. Fatty Wang suddenly grins, and lunges at Ren Zhexi. Ren Zhexi yawns, and sends a sucker punch at Fatty Wang, causing him to tumble back. "Argh!" Fatty Wang groans, his knees buckle under Ren Zhexi''s force, and his head falls. "Surrender, I''ve had enough." Suddenly, a terrifying aura emanates from Ren Zhexi. "You! You fatty, will feel my wrath! Hrahh! Pangu, I call upon your power!" Ren Zhexi begins chanting, his mouth muttering silently. His robes rip off to reveal a muscular frame. Red veins surge violently across his chest, you could even see the blood surging vehemently through his stream. Fatty Wang backs up fearfully, taking a stance. "What kind of power is this? Isn''t he only in the third layer of qi gathering!?" The audience whispers, voices full of fright. Ren Zhexi cackles madly, his eyes rolled over in pure arrogance. "This! This is my ancient inheritance! The reason those higher layered scum are scared to go against me!" Right after those words were spoken, Fatty Wang drops his guard, accepting defeat. It shouldn''t even be called a fight¡ªmore like an attempted murder. Stolen novel; please report. "Ancient inheritance? You''ve got to be fucking with me." Fatty Wang says, putting up his middle finger. "Well fuck you and your ancient inheritance! I give up!" A wind blows, and Ren Zhexi returns to normal. He looks at his hands like it wasn''t under his control, and then looks towards the blue crystal, the one that had the announcer behind it. Ren Zhexi grits his teeth, and bows towards it. "Thank you for the fight..." He pushes out, licking his teeth. He turns to Fatty Wang and grins, and then lunges away. Fatty Wang, in total confusion, also bows towards the blue crystal. "T-thank you for the fight?" He blinks, and then spits. "Fuck! Well, what''s a fatty to do when calamity is near?" Fatty Wang shakes his head and pounds his belly, and then turns towards the gate which connects the battleground to the stadium. All the while, Xuan Wu watches absentmindedly. "Ancient inheritance?" He contemplates. "Is he the talent that awoke? Hmm..." "Hey, brother Xuan" Xuan Wu turns around to see Zi Rougang, still in bandages. "Oh, brother Zi." Xuan Wu smirks, leaning back. "How were the fights." Zi Rougang stretches, taking a seat. "Well, Fatty Wang lost and..." Xuan Wu explains, whilst Zi Rougang nods along. Suddenly, Fatty Wang appears in front of them, his face red. "Damn that Ren Zhexi, thinking he''s all tough with some ''Ancient inheritance'' bullshit, I spit on him! And his ancient inheritance!" Xuan Wu watches as the fatty complains, watching his cheeks flap around, watching spittle flying everywhere. "What am I doing?" He looks at his hands, and his vision goes blurry. The sounds around him fade, replaced by a peaceful silence. "Am I really a cultivator? Or am I just wearing a fragile mask?" His hands start trembling. "I''m really just a cheater aren''t I? Yet I don''t even utilise my cheats... that must make me..." "A loser." "But how could that possibly be!" Xuan Wu abruptly stands up, still in this ominous space. "I just wanted to cultivate normally, to see how far my talent would take me..." He paces around, and then suddenly pauses. "Wait... that''s right!" He opens his profile... [Name: Xuan Wu] [...] [Age: 13/150 (+/-) Xuan Wu suddenly laughs, a laugh so loud and boisterous that it breaks the ominous space. "That''s right! What am I stressing about!" Fatty Wang and Zi Rougang recoil, Xuan Wu just suddenly stood up and started shouting nonsense. "I can do anything!" Almost immediately after speaking those words, he starts dancing around, laughing like a beggar who had just won a billion dollar¡ªno, more like an obsessed old monster on the brink of death who had just attained immortality. That''s how joyous he was! In that brief interlude, he realised something important, an insight from beyond the heavens! Why stress about your cultivation, your ego, your lifespan, when you could literally change everything! Live your life to the fullest, and then expand your lifespan! "The day of rapture!" He grins ear to ear, meanwhile Fatty Wang and Zi Rougang are frozen, wide eyed. "T-this guy... did he go crazy?" Fatty Wang stutters, gulping afterwards. "N-no, Brother Wang, I think you broke him... let him beat you for a moment, I want to confirm something." Zi Rougang takes a deep breath. Xuan Wu turns to the duo and chuckles. "I don''t give a shit! About anything! About this competition, this sect, this world! Everything is mine! Haha!" He continues dancing, even beckoning to the surrounding disciples to join him. Fatty Wang shakes his head. "He''s too far gone... I must owe him an apology." Zi Rougang nods. Suddenly, the blue crystal shines, and the announcer''s voice comes through. "The first segment is over!" The announcer shouts. The top three disciples who will make it to the second segment are announced. Ren Zhexi. Huo Shi. And... Zhen Lei. Fatty Wang gasps. "I didn''t make it in!" Zi Rougang shakes his head. "Calm down, remember, he said whoever wins the most battles will make it higher and higher." Fatty Wang nods back, already understanding. "You''re right, I was just depleted so I didn''t take much battles." The audience already starts standing up, as the second segment is the next day. Fatty Wang, with his hands on his knees stands up and coughs. "I''ll need to hone my skills... strengthen my cultivation!" Zi Rougang clenches his fist, and nods. "The truth is... I need to solidify my ego!" He turns to Xuan Wu. "And... what about you, brother Xuan." Xuan Wu turns to him with a smile. "Me? I''ll cultivate if I feel like it, practice martial arts when I''m bored, and sleep when I''m tired." He laughs joyfully and skips away. Zi Rougang stares blankly at his fading back. "He''s a lost cause." Fatty Wang shakes his head, and jumps, leaving the stadium with a fast sprint. Zi Rougang exhales. "I wonder how Zuo Lingxin is doing..." To Be Decided ... The next day... The competition is buzzing with disciples, even more than the first segment, as now the fights will be getting more complex. In a secluded corner of the colosseum, a lone female disciple mediates correspondingly in a way that provokes black spiritual energy. To the right of her, the very right, Bai Yu sits in a shadowed form, watching over her closely. "Now guide it to the left... activate the Baihui pathway... good, good!" Bai Yu strictly orders, though an undertone of fondness and love is present in his voice. His eyes narrow, thumb rubbing his bottom lip as he senses the spiritual energy convulsing. Bai Yu grits his teeth, and then his entire face relaxes. "Enough, send it packing." Woosh!¡ªBANG! Zuo Lingxin lets out a shaky breath, and then turns to her grandfather for approval, smiling gleefully. "Awh, my little pink hex." Bai Yu cackles, patting her head. "This competition? Rubbish!" The room they are currently in is a small room, lit only by a torch, a gate sits at the front. Brnnn... The said gate slowly opens to reveal bright sunlight, which causes Bai Yu to fade into the surroundings. Dust settles, and an old man with a long white beard walks in. "Hehe, my disciple, here here, you''ll be fighting in the second segment, correct?" The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Zuo Lingxin''s eyes narrow in annoyance and contempt, and then she sighs. Beyond her usually shy and quiet self, is an evil witch capable of so much more, puppeteered by her very grandfather, Bai Yu. "No... I''ll be fighting in the third segment." Zuo Lingxin replies in her usual soft voice. "W-what! But you''re only a medium-grade talent!" Her master, Xu Meng shouts, and then he calms himself down. "Right, I must be serene, as sect leader said..." He mutters, and then smiles. "Well, I''m proud of you, disciple, hehe, so..." He looks around, sniffing a little and then revealing a face of pure disgust. "Are you going to stay here or?" "I''ll stay here." "Okay, okay, good disciple, I''ll come back tomorrow..." He looks around one more time before departing. As the gate shuts close, Bai Yu appears once again. "How nasty... would you like grandfather to... eradicate the ant?" Bai Yu smacks his lips, his white hair flowing unrestrainedly behind him. "Haha, my apologies, was that too vulgar?" Zuo Lingxin giggles, getting back into a meditative position. "It''s fine, ants like him deserve honey... they all do." Outside of the gate, the sun shines down harshly, yet each disciple is unfazed. What is a bit of heat to a cultivator? Even an ounce of qi is enough to negate its effects. Up in the elder stands, a jade throne stands elegantly, with the Serenity Peak elder, Lady Yi Na sitting on top. Wisdom swirls in her gaze as she overlooks each disciple participating in the second segment, contemplating quietly. Five outer sect elders sit behind her, their authority low in the sect. "Lady Yi Na is so majestic!" A brutish elder giggles, his words unbefitting of his status. A wrinkled elder, nearly indistinguishable from a raisin, sighs softly, yearning in his eyes as he watches Lady Yi Na¡¯s graceful form. "Lady Yi Na is a goddess among man, shining jade among powdered coal!" Another elder with a long nose intervenes, scoffing, "All of you, shut up, Lady Yi Na is a respectable woman, get a grip." The wrinkled elder stomps his foot and spits at elder long-nose. "Why you, fight me, come, now!" The five elders bicker and insult each other, with some even preparing to fight one another. "Silence, all of you!" To the right of Lady Yi Na, Han Kuang shouts, silencing all of the outer sect elders. Lady Yi Na sighs, her eyes fluttering open. Her gaze drifts downwards to the loud audience, and she mutters, "The inner competition will be starting soon." ... Third Segment Xuan Wu sighs, looking up at the huge colosseum, pondering to himself. "The second segment? It''d be interesting to watch, but..." He looks the other way, towards the Sword Peak far away, a tall mountain covered in fog from where he stands. "To be honest, all of the hype exists in the third segment, why not spend my time cultivating?" Xuan Wu thinks, tapping his foot against the ground. Suddenly, he feels a pat on his shoulder, turning around, he sees Fatty Wang, and Zi Rougang. "You guys, what are you doing here?" Xuan Wu smiles, nodding at them. "Haha, aren''t you going to come inside?" Fatty Wang chuckles, pointing towards the colosseum. Xuan Wu shakes his head. "I''m going to dedicate my time to cultivating... you see..." He shakes his head, and then takes a seat on the ground. For a mortal, they would definitely get dust and dirt on their bottom, but since Xuan Wu is a cultivator, he can completely negate that by applying qi as a protective layer. He looks up at Zi Rougang and Fatty Wang, who also take a seat with serious expressions. "I... I have a low-grade talent." Xuan Wu starts. Zi Rougang shudders, as he has the same exact issue as Xuan Wu. Xuan Wu takes a deep breath, making sure to look as dramatic as possible. "Not even a low-grade talent... the lowest of the low-grade talents." He clenches his teeth, and his fist. Zi Rougang correspondingly clenches his teeth and fist, aligning his thoughts with Xuan Wu. "I understand you brother Xuan!" He whispers in a sound only he can hear, harshly shutting his eyes to block out any tears, and to listen. Fatty Wang pats his chest, right above his heart, showing his solace. A single tear streaks down Xuan Wu''s cheek, and he chuckles, in a way a pathetic person would to try coping with his bitter life. "And I don''t anyone''s sympathy, I just need to talk, with you guys." Fatty Wang and Zi Rougang nod. "Being a child, I was always fascinated with the idea of immortals, though I did not yet understand just what ''Cultivation'' meant." Xuan Wu continues. "And... I also just wanted the basics of it¡ªto ride swords, to concoct pills... even to just be above the concept of mortals." "Yet." He takes a short break to breathe. "The moment the elder called out my name, and told me that I had a low-grade talent... a barely passable low-grade talent... I nearly broke down, nearly cried in front of everyone." Xuan Wu confesses. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Zi Rougang, who always thought of himself as arrogant, as high above others due to his clan, starts holding back tears. The way Xuan Wu speaks, the way he admits to nearly crying at his lack of talent... it resonates with him, he feels it, not even in his heart, in his soul, the very depths of his soul. Xuan Wu continues. "To think that I lost during this outer competition, I started blaming my talent, I started blaming the heavens, why me! Why would you torture a child like me with this... almost a flicker of a talent! Why!" Xuan Wu shouts, tears are now falling freely down his red face. Zi Rougang sniffles, trying his best not to sob uncontrollably. The fact that he had those very same thoughts taunts him in a specific way. Fatty Wang looks up, right at the very heavens he worships. "But." He shouts, causing Fatty Wang and Zi Rougang to pause. "I''m not going to let those thoughts drag me down... my ego was broken, yet I didn''t let that drag me down... no, I am Xuan Wu! I am a strong, dignified cultivator, with a heart of steel!" Xuan Wu stands, clenching his fist and shouting. "Thus! I have dedicated my time to cultivating, to perfecting my skills, what low-grade talent? I''ll transform this ''low-grade'' into something even the heavens wouldn''t dare to utter, to even have thoughts of!" Zi Rougang trembles, Fatty Wang gasps. "Even a short mountain that never yields is taller than the mountain that reaches towards the heavens!" And with that quote, Fatty Wang and Zi Rougang both yell, standing up with a force that would scare even a fifth layer qi gathering cultivator. "Brother Xuan, go!" Fatty Wang shouts, tears streaking down his face. "Go and cultivate! Ignore us! Become the short mountain that never yields!" Fatty Wang continues, waving his hand. "Brother Xuan, your words have inspired me! What competition?" He starts walking towards his peak. "Just like you, I will never yield!" His voice fades as he swears to cultivate to the best of his ability. Fatty Wang puts his hand on Xuan Wu''s shoulder, wiping his face with the other. "Brother." He begins, "Go. Go now and become the greatest cultivator in the sect. I''ll be waiting for you on the other side." Fatty Wang smiles, and turns towards the colosseum, starting to walk one step at a time. Xuan Wu nods, and the moment Fatty Wang walks into the colosseum, his face returns to normal. "Great, now I''m free to cultivate." He smiles, now free of his friends, he skips his way to the sword peak. The face that the sword peak is shaped like a sword, implanted on the ground has always fascinated Xuan Wu. He sighs and admires as he walks up the stairs, eventually arriving to the first layer of the sword peak, where his abode lies. It is said that the sword peak has three layers, the first is for the peak elder and disciples, the second is the handle for the peak leader and inner disciples, and the top... the third layer is always covered in a fog, not even the sect leader knows what transpires there. Xuan Wu eagerly enters his abode and lights incense, taking a seat. Getting into a meditative position, he starts his One Thousand Sword Cultivation technique, shaping his breaths like swords. To cultivate is to have a free mind, no thoughts, no desires, just an empty plane of breathing. Spiritual energy enters the shape of sword as he breaths, entering his meridians and slowly being converted into qi, qi that shapes his identity as a cultivator. Soon, soon he will enter the actual third layer of cultivation, and he will continue cultivating onwards! Sure, most of his words were a joke when he was back at the colosseum, speaking to Fatty Wang and Zi Rougang, but his words of becoming the greatest in the sect? The truth! ...