Night settled over the Azure Spirit Sect.
Cold moonlight spilled across the tiles, casting long shadows over the elite training plateau.The air felt heavier than usual—as if the mountains were holding their breath.
Tomorrow morning—
Lian Hong vs. Mu Yanting.Rank 1.The strongest of the outer sect.
A battle every disciple wanted to witness.A battle some prayed they would never have to fight themselves.
Zhou Shan sat by the courtyard door hugging a blanket, staring at Lian Hong like a worried mother.
"Bro… I know you just crushed Chi Yao… but Mu Yanting is built like a divine weapon. He breathes, and storms form. He walks, and spiritual pressure drops five degrees."
Lian Hong didn't respond.
He sat beneath the ancient pine tree again, the same place he used to stabilize himself.
His breathing smooth.His heartbeat steady.His mind focused.
But something was different tonight.
Zhou Shan noticed it too.
"Bro… are you nervous?"
Lian Hong opened his eyes.
"No."
He wasn't nervous.
He was ready.
But beneath the calm, a faint tension coiled like a compressed spring.
Not fear—anticipation.
System Activation – Peak Combat Protocol
A soft pulse echoed in his mind.
The system chimed.
[Upcoming Challenge Detected][Opponent: Mu Yanting – Rank 1]Danger Level: Very HighPredicted Lethality: ModerateOutcome Uncertain]
Then another line:
[Activating Peak Combat Preparation Protocol]**– Processing movement patterns– Calculating opponent's rhythm– Analyzing weaknesses– Generating possible outcomes]
A stream of translucent data flashed behind Lian Hong's eyes.
Images.Movements.Angles.Predicted trajectories.
He saw Mu Yanting's footwork—the way he steps half a beat slower on his left leg, suggesting old injury.
He saw the slight delay between Mu Yanting's exhale and strike—a tiny opening.
He saw the way Mu Yanting's center of gravity stabilizes before each burst of speed—predictable if one knows what to look for.
Then the system delivered the conclusion:
[Win Probability: 42%]
Zhou Shan peeked nervously.
"How is it, bro? What's your chance of winning? 90%? 80%? Please say 70%…"
Lian Hong:"Forty-two."
Zhou Shan almost swallowed his tongue.
"FORTY—WHAT KIND OF NUMBER IS THAT!? CAN'T IT AT LEAST BE 51 FOR DIGNITY!?"
Lian Hong stood slowly.
"I only need one."
Zhou Shan choked.
"…one what?"
"One opening."
A Visitor Arrives
Just as Lian Hong was about to resume training, a gentle breeze drifted across the courtyard.
A figure approached.
Not hostile.Not oppressive.
Beautiful.
A young woman in light lavender robes stepped into the moonlight.Long hair tied behind her head with a ribbon.Eyes like deep autumn water.
She carried a jade tablet.
Zhou Shan's jaw dropped.
"B-Bro… that's Senior Sister Su Qingyue… Rank 3…! One of the prettiest AND smartest disciples in the outer sect… why is SHE here…!?"
But Su Qingyue was not looking at Zhou Shan.
She walked straight toward Lian Hong.
"You fought well today."
Her voice was calm, melodic.
Lian Hong nodded slightly.
"Thank you."
She examined him quietly for a moment, then said:
"Tomorrow's battle is dangerous."
Lian Hong replied simply:
"I know."
Su Qingyue sighed faintly.
"You're talented.But talent draws blades before it draws support."
She handed him the jade tablet.
"This is a footwork correction technique Elder Yu Qing gave me years ago.I don't use it anymore.You should take it."
Lian Hong looked at the jade.
"You're giving this to a competitor?"
She smiled gently.
"A rising tide lifts all ships.And besides—"
She leaned closer slightly.
"—I want to see how high someone like you can climb."
Zhou Shan screamed internally:
"BRO SHE'S FLIRTING OR RECRUITING—EITHER WAY YOU'RE IN TROUBLE—!!!"
Lian Hong accepted the jade.
"Thank you."
She turned to leave—
—but paused.
"You should be careful with the masked man."
Lian Hong's eyes narrowed.
"You know him?"
She shook her head.
"No one knows his name.Only that he is talented enough to hide it."
She stepped back into the moonlight.
"And talented enough… to kill without leaving a trace."
Then she vanished.
Like a whisper carried by the wind.
A Chill in the Dark
Zhou Shan sat on the ground, weak.
"Bro… why are the beautiful ones always the dangerous ones…? Why can't we get a normal one who offers cookies or health tips…"
But Lian Hong was no longer paying attention.
Something in Su Qingyue's last words lingered.
Kill without leaving a trace.
That wasn't simple talent.
That was—
training.
Elite, lethal training.
And if the masked man had that level of training…then someone far above the outer sect wanted Lian Hong dead.
The system chimed.
[Hidden Threat Growing][Shadow Mask's hostility: 87% → 94%][Next intervention predicted before Day 6]
The air grew colder.
The wind heavier.
Lian Hong's expression hardened.
Let them come.
He didn't come to the sect to hide.
The Night Test
He looked at the jade tablet in his hand.
Su Qingyue had said it was a footwork correction technique.
He activated it.
A stream of spiritual light entered his mind.
Movement diagrams—foot placement—balance shifts—timing mechanisms—energy conservation patterns.
This wasn't just a technique.
It was a refinement pattern.
A way to compress footwork into minimal wasted motion.
Perfect for him.
The system reacted instantly.
[New Technique Recognized]〈Moonshadow Step – Low Grade〉Merged with 〈Shadowstep Phantom Movement〉
[Movement Skill Upgraded:Shadowstep Phantom Movement → Shadowstep Mirage Form]
New Effects:– Afterimage creation x3– Ghost displacement– Motion delay masking– Predictive counterflow alignment
Zhou Shan saw faint shimmering silhouettes flicker around Lian Hong.
"BRO—ARE YOU BECOMING A MIRAGE—!? BRO WHY DO YOU HAVE THREE GHOSTS BEHIND YOU—!? STOP PULLING GHOSTS OUT OF NOWHERE!!"
Lian Hong closed his eyes and let the energy settle.
Tomorrow—he would need all of this.
Midnight – Rank 1 Makes His Move
Across the mountains, Mu Yanting stood alone atop a cliff, moonlight illuminating his silhouette.
He unsheathed a battered training sword.
Not a spiritual weapon—just wood.
But in his hands, it radiated immense pressure.
He swung.
The air cracked.
Stone pillars shattered in the distance.
He drew a breath.
"Tomorrow… I will test him."
His voice was quiet.
"But I will not hold back."
He looked toward the outer sect.
Toward Lian Hong's direction.
"If you survive my test…you may truly have the right to climb."
At the Same Time – A Far Darker Power Stirs
In a cave hidden deep within the mountains, the masked man knelt before the jade-flute young master.
The young master played a faint, chilling note.
"So.Tomorrow the servant boy fights our Rank 1."
The masked man nodded.
"Yes, Young Master."
The young master smiled slightly.
"Do nothing."
The masked man bowed.
"As you command."
The jade flute tapped lightly against his palm.
"I want to see if he survives.Because if he does…"
His eyes gleamed with cold amusement.
"…then the real game begins."
Back to the Courtyard – Final Preparation
Lian Hong stood beneath the pine tree.
Breathing slow.Mind clear.Qi flowing.
Zhou Shan leaned against the wall, half asleep, half terrified.
"Bro… do you think… you can win?"
Lian Hong didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, quietly:
"I don't need to win tomorrow."
Zhou Shan blinked.
"Then what—?"
Lian Hong opened his eyes.
"I only need to show Mu Yanting—that I belong on his level."
And that was enough.
Because once the strongest acknowledges you—
the entire sect must follow.
He closed his eyes again.
And the moon shone down on the calm face of someone walking straight into the jaws of the strongest beast—
without looking away.