The Black Lotus Sect was filled with whispers of Lin Feng's victory over Han Yu. Not many Outer Disciples received the direct favor of an elder, and even fewer survived a mission involving a rogue cultivator in possession of a corrupted artifact. Lin Feng's name carried weight now, but within the Black Lotus Sect, power would always attract envy and danger.
Lin Feng's rise came not without its costs. Allies wanted to attach themselves to him; rivals plotted his demise. Both found in him a calculated indifference, knowing that every step he had to take would come with necessary sacrifices-of others, if not of his own.
---
One of the rewards for Lin Feng's success was access to the sect's Hidden Training Grounds, a place reserved for promising disciples where they could go without being disturbed. The grounds were a hub of spiritual energy, the air thick with qi so potent it hummed with life.
From the densest of forests to the most jagged of cliffs, the terrain offered a myriad of opportunities to train techniques and test limits. Lin Feng arrived at dawn; his gaze was sharp as he looked at the landscape.
He knew full well what his goal was-to force his cultivation to the next stage. The black qi within him had grown stronger, but he knew that was not enough. The Soul Devourer Manual wanted more-more energy, more emotion, more sacrifice.
Lin Feng chose a relatively secret grove where spiritual energy was especially rich. Sitting cross-legged in the center, he closed his eyes and started to practice meditation while engraving the teaching of the cursed book into his mind.
> "To rise is to consume. The soul has never grown through tranquility but through battle. Devour or be devoured."
Focusing his energy, Lin Feng's black qi writhed around him in a serpentine aura, feeding on latent energy from the atmosphere. His breathing slowed while his consciousness sank into the bottom of his dantian.
Time lost meaning. Hours blended into one another as Lin Feng refined his qi. With each wave of torture and pain, his resolution continued to sharpen. The mark of his cultivation stage weakened at an incredible rate. Even the shackles that bound his potentials were loosening.
---
Lin Feng's concentration was finally destroyed by the rustling leaves. His eyes snapped open as instinctive black qi churned out of his body, forming a barrier around him.
A figure emerged from the shadows-a woman clad in dark robes, her face partially obscured by a veil. She moved with the grace of a predator, her presence commanding and dangerous.
"Xu Yan," Lin Feng said, his voice calm but wary.
Xu Yan's eyes glimmered with amusement. "You're quick to recognize me. I see the rumors about your sharp mind weren't exaggerated."
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"What do you want?" Lin Feng asked, his tone flat.
Xu Yan stepped closer, her movements unhurried. "You've made quite the impression, Lin Feng. Elder Shen's favor is no small thing, but it also paints a target on your back. The other factions are watching you, and not all of them are friendly."
Lin Feng smirked faintly. "Let them watch. I'm not concerned."
Xu Yan tilted her head to one side, studying him. "Confidence is good, but arrogance can be fatal. I came to offer you a choice: join my faction fully, and I'll make sure you're protected. Or refuse, and take your chances alone."
Lin Feng's eyes didn't blink. "I'm grateful for your concern, Senior Sister, but I don't recall needing protection."
Xu Yan chuckled. "Alright, alright. Just remember, in the Black Lotus Sect, alliances are often the difference between life and death. Consider carefully."
Without another word, she disappeared into the shadows, leaving Lin Feng alone.
---
Soon after Xu Yan's visit, Lin Feng received a new directive from Elder Shen. His next task was to retrieve a Void Orchid, a rare spiritual herb that grew in the depths of the sect's most dangerous territory: the Abyssal Gorge.
The Void Orchid could stabilize unstable qi and allow one to have an outbreak more quickly. That value made people eager for it, but the place it grew in was dangerous, filled with violent beasts and treacherous formations.
Lin Feng prepared very well, as he got enough food and studied the structure of the gorge. This would also be a test of survival skills apart from combat skills.
On the road to the Abyssal Gorge, the air grew thick and cold with every step. The gorge was actually a huge chasm; the sheer cliffs descended into darkness. Lin Feng felt an oppressive energy emanating from the bottom, reminding him constantly of the dangers that were hiding in the darkness.
---
It was dangerous to cross the gorge. Lin Feng encountered many beasts, whose ferocity was further enhanced by the chaotic energy of the gorge. Using the Phantom Steps technique, he avoided unnecessary fights, conserving his strength for greater challenges.
But one fight was unavoidable. Deep inside the chasm, Lin Feng encountered a Void Serpent, a behemoth with scales that glittered like molten silver. It coiled protectively around a cluster of Void Orchids, its eyes glowing with primeval intelligence.
Lin Feng turned the Thousand Veil Technique into multiple illusions, completely confusing the serpent. It furiously attacked the phantoms, its venomous fangs tearing into empty air.
As long as the serpent was confused, Lin Feng had a chance to attack. Precise and calm, he suddenly attacked, sending a surge of black qi toward the exposed underbelly of the serpent. It struck true, but its scream in agony was deafening.
Lin Feng countered the violent attacks of the serpent with his speed and craftiness until, with one well-timed strike to the head, he dropped the beast. The huge body crashed with a loud thud.
Victorious but exhausted, Lin Feng began the harvesting of the Void Orchids, whose pale shimmer evinced their effectiveness.
---
As Lin Feng made his way out of the gorge, he sensed that something, or someone, was following him. Stopping in a narrow passageway, lightly setting his hand on his dagger:
"Come out," he said, sharply.
A figure emerged from behind a corner cloaked and hooded; Lin Feng knew him at once: Zhang Rui, that rival Inner Disciple he had embarrassed in the Ironwood Arena.
“Lin Feng,” Zhang Rui said, his tone dripping with malice. “You’ve been busy, haven’t you? First Elder Shen’s favor, and now the Void Orchids. You’re climbing too fast for my liking.”
Lin Feng’s eyes narrowed. “And you’ve come to stop me?”
Zhang Rui drew his sword, its edge gleaming with refined qi. “I’ll do more than stop you. I’ll make an example of you.”
Lin Feng smirked. “Then try.”
---
The narrow passage became a battlefield. Zhang Rui’s swordsmanship was sharp and aggressive, his strikes designed to overwhelm and corner his opponent. Lin Feng, however, was calm and deliberate, using the Thousand Veil Technique to create illusions that threw Zhang Rui off balance.
Their combat had burst as their qi clashed and battered the walls. Zhang Rui grew more and more frustrated as his blows time and again struck phantoms, while Lin Feng counterattacked from a void of an area, each blow accurately rendering him weak.
Finally, Lin Feng saw his opening. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance between them, his dagger slicing through Zhang Rui’s defenses. The Inner Disciple staggered, blood staining his robes.
Lin Feng pressed his blade to Zhang Rui’s throat, his voice cold. “Yield, or die.”
Zhang Rui’s pride warred with his survival instinct. After a tense moment, he dropped his sword.
Lin Feng stepped back, his gaze unyielding. “Remember this, Zhang Rui. The next time you cross me, there won’t be a choice.”
---
Lin Feng returned to the sect with the Void Orchids, his reputation now cemented as both a skilled cultivator and a ruthless tactician. Elder Shen’s approval grew, but so did the hostility from other disciples.
That night, in his quarters, Lin Feng felt uneasy. The Black Lotus Sect was a battlefield where stakes were increasing. In the darkness, Lin Feng whispered to himself, as the black qi swirled around him. "This world will kneel before me. One step at a time."