After speaking with Elder Qian, Bai Long left the Missionary Hall in quiet thought. The elder's reaction had confirmed what he already suspected — the gaze he'd felt in Beast Mountain wasn't just an illusion. Someone, or something, had truly been watching. But right now, there was no point worrying over what he couldn't yet confront.
By the time he reached the outer-disciples' quarters, the sun had already begun to set. The sky was awash in gold and violet, the mountain peaks casting long shadows across the sect grounds. As he stepped through the courtyard gate, he found Xue He leaning lazily against the stone railing, waiting.
"Brother Li!" Xue He called out, waving cheerfully. "You took your time. I was starting to think the elder kidnapped you to polish the floors or something."
Bai Long smiled faintly. "If that were the case, you'd be next in line."
"Ha! You wish." Xue He laughed, walking up beside him. "Anyway, I've been dying to ask — do you know how many contribution points we got for that mission?"
Bai Long glanced at him. "Stage-six beasts grant one thousand points for completion. But since the leader was at the peak of stage six, we received a fifty-percent bonus — one thousand five hundred in total. Split between us, that's seven-hundred-fifty points each."
"Seven-hundred-fifty, huh…" Xue He frowned, scratching his chin. "That doesn't sound like much."
"It isn't," Bai Long agreed. "You could buy a few low-grade pills or a decent weapon, but not much more. Techniques cost far more than that."
"Ah, what a shame." Xue He sighed dramatically. "The heavens truly play favourites — blessing others with wealth while leaving poor geniuses like me to suffer."
Bai Long gave him a sideways glance. "You can still buy techniques from the shop, though I doubt your gold coins will be enough."
"Brother Li," Xue He said, narrowing his eyes in mock offense, "you're doing that on purpose, aren't you?"
"Perhaps."
"Cruel! Heartless! A tyrant hiding behind a handsome face!" Xue He clutched his chest as though mortally wounded, then peeked to see if Bai Long was amused.
Bai Long simply chuckled and shook his head. "Tell you what," he said after a pause, "if you reach the top four in the upcoming tournament, I'll give you a reward better than anything in that shop."
Xue He's expression changed instantly. His mock despair melted into a bright grin that nearly split his face. "Brother Li, you truly understand the meaning of brotherhood in this life!"
"Of course," Bai Long said dryly. "Now go train."
"Right! I'll train till my sword glows red!"
The two split up as they reached their separate courtyards, each walking with a different kind of determination. Xue He's enthusiasm bordered on reckless, while Bai Long's calm held the quiet confidence of someone who'd already mapped out several paths ahead.
Bai Long's courtyard was silent when he entered. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the ancient willow tree standing by the pond. He sat beneath its shade, letting the world settle around him.
'I currently have a heaven-rank technique as well as a divine-rank technique.' he thought. 'But it would be unwise to expose a divine technique so soon. The sect elders would never leave me in peace.'
He closed his eyes. The world dimmed until he could hear nothing but the rhythm of his breathing and the slow whisper of energy flowing through his meridians.
'My cultivation is at the first stage of Spirit Severing,' he continued mentally. 'Compared to the outer disciples we saw today — mostly first to third stage of Nascent Soul — I already stand several realms above them. Even Xue He has already surpassed them. Still, it's best not to grow complacent.'
A faint flicker of flame appeared in his palm — a sliver of pure orange light, pulsing like a heartbeat. It danced across his fingers, coiling into tiny arcs before vanishing.
'All I need to do is stabilize the initial stage of the Formless Flame Sword,' he thought. '
Night fell, and the courtyard filled with the hum of cicadas. Bai Long practiced beneath the moonlight, each movement precise yet effortless. With every swing, faint trails of crimson fire etched glowing lines through the air — traces that lingered for only a breath before fading away.
The days passed like this, one after another. Training. Meditation. Quiet reflection beneath the willow tree.
And then, a week later, the day of the outer-disciple tournament arrived.
The sect was unusually lively that morning. Drums echoed from the central square, where banners fluttered proudly in the wind. Thousands of disciples gathered around the great stone arena, their chatter filling the air like waves crashing against cliffs.
Bai Long stepped out of his courtyard, adjusting his new crimson-lined robe. The faint glimmer of morning sunlight reflected off his silver eyes, and for a moment, he looked like a spirit descending from the heavens.
Xue He was already waiting by the road, practically bouncing in excitement. When he saw Bai Long, his eyes widened.
"Brother Li, finally! You took forever. I've been waiting since dawn."
"You're unusually punctual," Bai Long remarked.
"Well," Xue He said with a grin, rubbing the back of his neck, "let's just say the promise of a mysterious reward was enough motivation."
Bai Long's lips twitched. "I see your greed remains your strongest trait."
"Hah! You say that now, but you'll be cheering my name when I reach the finals!"
Bai Long raised an eyebrow. "Brother Xue, I see your cultivation has improved."
"Oh? You noticed?" Xue He puffed out his chest proudly.
"I can sense it from here," Bai Long said, studying him. "You're already at the fifth stage of the Nascent Soul Realm."
"Yeah," Xue He replied, scratching his head. "After breaking through to the Novice Stage of Scarlet Sun Blade and practicing for a few days, I felt something stir in my body… and before I knew it, boom — fifth stage!"
Bai Long stared at him in disbelief. Boom?
Inside, he couldn't help but chuckle wryly. If those old fossils heard him now, they'd beat him senseless. They had to reach the Dao Integration stage before seeing results — and here he is, advancing at Novice Stage and talking about it like it's nothing.
"Oh yeah," Xue He said suddenly, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. "Brother Li, are you going to tell me what stage you reached with your sword technique? Don't think I didn't notice you holding back during the mission."
Bai Long smirked. "Nope."
"What? Come on!"
"Nope," Bai Long repeated, already turning toward the arena.
"Brother Li!" Xue He cried, chasing after him. "At least tell me if it's Adept or Expert! Brother Li!"