The night air was crisp as Li Yun and his team descended the grand stone staircase of the Heavenly Cloud Sect. Their breaths formed wisps in the cool evening air, the sky above painted in shades of violet and gold as the last traces of sunlight faded beyond the horizon. The towering peaks of the sect loomed around them, shrouded in thin layers of mist, their grandeur enhanced by the dim glow of lanterns lining the stairway.
The others chattered among themselves, their voices filled with excitement and lingering adrenaline from the exam. Fang Zhen was recounting his battle at the base, boasting about how he held back three enemies on his own. Lin Ya interjected with a teasing scoff, “Three enemies? More like one and a half. You barely held your ground against that spear-wielding disciple.”
Fang Zhen frowned, waving his hand dismissively. “Details, details. What matters is that we won.”
Jiu Tang, walking a few steps ahead, let out a breathy chuckle. “Still, what Li Yun did back there… that was something else.” His voice lowered slightly as he glanced toward Li Yun, who had remained silent since leaving the coliseum. “What’s on your mind?”
Li Yun’s crimson eyes flickered in the dim light, reflecting the golden lanterns as he walked with measured steps. He wasn’t listening to their conversation. His thoughts were tangled, his mind sifting through the events of the day.
The sect leader’s gaze… his words.
The weight of that fleeting moment pressed down on Li Yun, setting his instincts on edge. The cheers of the crowd had been deafening, but beneath their admiration lurked something deeper—expectation, scrutiny, the kind of attention that carried a cost. He wasn’t just another examinee anymore; he had stepped into the spotlight, marked as someone worth watching, worth testing.
Is that a good thing? Or a threat?
His fingers curled slightly, feeling the lingering strain from the battle. His bloodline quest had advanced, but his dantian still felt heavy, as though something within it was coiling, waiting to be fully awakened.
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Upon reaching the disciples’ quarters, the group parted ways, each heading to their own dorms. The sect’s grounds were vast, and beyond the dormitories stretched an expansive training field, where flickering torchlight revealed disciples practicing their martial techniques. Even in the dead of night, the sound of swords slicing through the air and fists striking training dummies echoed across the courtyard. The scent of burning incense mixed with sweat and damp earth, a testament to the countless hours of effort poured into perfecting their craft.
Some disciples moved with the rigid precision of formal katas, each motion a textbook execution of sect-approved techniques. Others sparred with partners, their low grunts and rapid footwork punctuated by the sharp clash of weapons. In one corner, a disciple stood before a boulder, repeatedly striking at it with his palm, his fingers glowing faintly as he attempted to channel his internal energy. Further along, a group practiced synchronized movements, their matching robes billowing in the night breeze as they executed a seamless series of attacks.
The energy in the air was electric—determination, exhaustion, and the quiet hum of ambition. Here, under the flickering torches, reputations were built, and the seeds of future legends were sown.
Li Yun didn’t return to his quarters. Instead, he turned toward the training grounds, his steps light against the cobblestone path.
With a single exhale, he centered himself.
Training was the only way forward.
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As the hours slipped by, Li Yun focused on refining his swordplay with unwavering discipline. His movements were deliberate, each strike honed to lethal perfection. The gleam of his blade caught the flickering torchlight, reflecting brief flashes of silver as it carved through the night air. He shifted fluidly between forms, his sword tracing seamless arcs, each stroke more refined than the last. Sweat beaded on his brow, yet his breathing remained steady, controlled.
He wasn’t alone in his pursuit of mastery. Other disciples littered the training grounds, their voices hushed with quiet determination. In the distance, someone practiced a relentless barrage of thrusts against a wooden dummy, the repeated impact creating a rhythmic echo. Further away, two disciples sparred with focused intensity, their silhouettes flickering against the lantern-lit courtyard. The sharp scent of sweat and steel mingled with the faint fragrance of the night breeze, adding to the charged atmosphere of effort and perseverance.
Li Yun remained unaffected by the commotion around him. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, feeling the weight of his blade in his grasp. Adjusting his stance, he exhaled slowly before executing a precise downward slash, splitting a training post cleanly in half. The wooden halves groaned before collapsing, the clean cut a testament to his growing mastery. He watched as a few nearby disciples halted their practice to glance in his direction, their faces betraying astonishment. But Li Yun didn’t pause—he simply moved on to the next sequence, pushing himself further, striving for something beyond mere skill—something absolute.
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Occasionally, his presence drew lingering stares. Female disciples passing by whispered among themselves, their eyes frequently drifting toward him. His eyes, like molten rubies infused with a mysterious, hypnotic depth, gleamed under the faint glow of the torches. The interplay of light and shadow only accentuated the striking contrast of his gaze—both piercing and unreadable, as if concealing a thousand secrets. Coupled with his perfectly controlled movements, he exuded an air of danger and effortless allure, an enigma wrapped in grace and silent power.
“Who is he?” one girl murmured.
“I heard he was the one who defeated Xue Han,” another replied, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.
A bolder disciple, a young woman dressed in a light blue robe, approached him after watching him for some time. “Li Yun,” she called, hesitating slightly as he sheathed his sword.
He turned, his gaze cool but not unkind. “Yes?”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her confidence wavering under his gaze. “I—I was wondering… Would you like to join me for tea sometime?”
Silence stretched between them.
Li Yun tilted his head slightly, amused by her sudden boldness. He had never considered such distractions before. He was here to grow stronger—to survive.
But…
Li Yun let the silence linger just long enough to watch anticipation flicker in her eyes. Then, with a slow, knowing smirk, he tilted his head slightly, his gaze half-lidded and unreadable. "I'll think about it," he murmured, his voice smooth as silk, laced with just enough intrigue to leave her wondering. As he turned away, he could feel her lingering stare, her breath hitching ever so slightly before she hurried back to her friends, flustered whispers following in her wake.
The girl’s eyes widened slightly before she nodded, scurrying away to rejoin her friends, who immediately bombarded her with excited whispers.
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Ignoring the continued stares, Li Yun shifted his focus back to his own training.
Opening his system, he glanced at his status. His Bloodline Progress had increased significantly—75%.
A slow smirk crept across his face. Good.
Still, there was more to be done.
After scanning through the system’s available options, he purchased a One-Star Movement Technique: Shadow Step for a few Star Shards, which he had collected from completing various system-assigned side quests throughout the day. Each task had been small, yet through patience and diligence, the rewards had steadily accumulated.
One of the tasks involved helping a flustered junior disciple recover a set of lost training manuals. The boy had misplaced them near the sect’s waterfall, where the constant mist and slick rocks made searching treacherous. Li Yun had navigated the slippery terrain with ease, retrieving the scrolls before they were ruined by the moisture. The grateful disciple had bowed deeply, promising to repay the kindness someday, though Li Yun merely waved him off.
Another mission had led him to the sect’s storage chamber, a vast underground room filled with outdated or broken equipment. The task was simple—clear out what was no longer needed. Yet, as Li Yun sorted through old weapons and armor, he couldn’t help but marvel at how past generations of disciples had wielded them, their histories lost to time. He methodically separated usable parts from scrap, ensuring nothing went to waste.
The final task had been the most tedious—assisting in the medicinal garden. Under the watchful eye of an elderly herbalist, he had carefully replanted delicate spirit herbs, their shimmering leaves infused with latent qi. Though the work was slow and meticulous, Li Yun found it oddly calming, the earthy scent of soil and herbs grounding him in the present moment.
By the end of the day, his efforts had earned him enough Star Shards to purchase his new movement technique. Though minor, each task had been a step forward on his path to mastery, and he knew that even the smallest gains could prove invaluable in the trials to come.
Shadow Step: A basic movement technique that allows the user to run swiftly and soundlessly, making their presence difficult to detect.
It wasn’t much, but it would do for now.
The moment the purchase was complete, information flooded his mind. The technique was simple—based on controlled breathing and light-footed movement. He adjusted his stance, took a deep breath, and moved.
The effect was immediate. His footfalls were nearly silent, his body lighter as he dashed across the training field. He was no longer just running—he was gliding.
A few nearby disciples turned, startled by the sudden lack of sound. They hadn’t even noticed his movement until he reappeared several meters away.
“Did he just… disappear into thin air?” one disciple murmured, blinking rapidly as if his vision had deceived him. The faint afterimage of Li Yun’s movement lingered in the air, a ghostly blur that dissolved almost instantly. Others around him exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions wavering between awe and disbelief. "No way... He was right there a second ago."
Li Yun grinned. Not bad for a beginner technique.
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The night deepened, and as the last embers of lantern light flickered across the courtyard, Li Yun finally exhaled, feeling the exhaustion settle into his limbs. The training had been fruitful, but he knew the real challenge was yet to come.
As he made his way back to his dormitory, the faint chime of a system notification whispered in his mind.
“Second Exam conditions set.”
A strange stillness hung in the air, as if the very heavens themselves were holding their breath. The words resonated in his mind, weighty and deliberate. Not revealed, not explained—only set. That single word sent an unsettling ripple through his thoughts.
Li Yun narrowed his eyes, his instincts sharpening. The secrecy meant something. A test beyond the obvious, beyond mere martial skill or strategy. Something hidden within the wording, within the very structure of the trial yet to come.
What kind of exam is this going to be?
His steps slowed. Set? Not announced?
He lifted his gaze to the sky, his expression unreadable.
What are they planning?