Yang Feng swept the northern training yard with the same mechanical efficiency he'd displayed for two years, his movements unremarkable and his expression blank while other disciples practiced techniques he'd never have time to learn.
Except now everything was different.
Through his connection with Scar, Yang Feng felt his reflection stalking a spirit wolf through Beast Valley's underbrush, felt the tension coiling in muscles preparing to strike, felt the calculation of angles and timing that would decide whether this fight ended in victory or death.
The spirit wolf paused near a stream to drink, lowering its guard for just a moment.
Scar attacked.
Yang Feng's broom nearly slipped from his hands as adrenaline flooded through their shared connection, his reflection's blade finding the wolf's throat in a spray of blood while Yang Feng stood in the training yard trying to maintain his worthless disciple facade.
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Five percent total progress in one morning of hunting. Yang Feng had to physically stop himself from grinning because showing any emotion would attract attention he couldn't afford.
"Yang Feng! Stop daydreaming and finish that section!"
Elder Wu's voice snapped him back to reality, the old man watching from the storage hall entrance with his usual expression of mild distaste.
"Yes, Elder Wu, this one apologizes"
Yang Feng continued sweeping while Scar continued hunting, living two lives simultaneously, one weak and one strong, one visible and one hidden. The cognitive dissonance was disorienting at first but he was adapting quickly, learning to compartmentalize the two experiences.
By midday Scar had killed four spirit beasts total - the boar, two wolves, and a spirit tiger that had nearly killed him before he managed a desperate strike to its eye. Four beast cores worth maybe fifty low-grade spirit stones total, plus the combat experience that was rapidly teaching Yang Feng how to actually fight instead of just knowing the theory.
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Yang Feng's pulse quickened at the notification. Twelve percent progress in one day, enough to push him from the stagnation that had held him for six months all the way to the edge of breakthrough. At this rate he'd advance a full stage every few days instead of every few months.
But breaking through would cause spiritual energy fluctuations that others could sense, which meant he needed privacy and a plausible explanation for sudden advancement.
"Elder Wu," Yang Feng approached the old man carefully, keeping his tone respectful, "This one requests permission to take tomorrow off from duties for cultivation"
"Cultivation?" Elder Wu snorted, "You've been stuck at Stage Four for half a year, what makes you think tomorrow will be different?"
"This one had some insights while working yesterday," Yang Feng said, which was technically true if incredibly misleading, "Perhaps breakthrough is possible with focused effort"
The old man studied him for a long moment, and Yang Feng kept his expression hopeful but not too eager, just another trial disciple grasping at straws to advance.
"Fine," Elder Wu finally said, "One day approved. But if you waste it don't ask again"
"Thank you, Elder Wu, this one is grateful"
Yang Feng finished his duties while Scar finished hunting, then made his way to the trial disciple quarters as evening approached. Other trial disciples were returning from their own work, tired and resigned to another day at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Kai Sheng caught up to him near the entrance, the stocky disciple looking concerned.
"Brother Yang, you look different today"
Yang Feng's stomach clenched, "Different how?"
"I don't know, more…" Kai Sheng struggled for words, "Confident maybe? Less beaten down. Did something good happen?"
Shit. Yang Feng had been too relaxed, let his new confidence show through when he should have maintained his defeated facade. He needed to be more careful.
"This one is the same as always, Brother Kai," Yang Feng said, forcing his shoulders to slump slightly, "Perhaps you're seeing things"
"Maybe," Kai Sheng didn't sound convinced, "Just be careful, alright? Chen Hao has been asking about you today, wondering where you were. That bastard is planning something"
Of course he was. Chen Hao couldn't let Yang Feng exist peacefully, had to keep asserting dominance over the trial disciple who dared to keep cultivating despite being trash.
"This one will be careful," Yang Feng said, meaning it because drawing Chen Hao's attention before he was strong enough to defend himself would be fatal.
Back in his quarters with a fresh privacy formation active, Yang Feng finally let himself relax and fully focus on Scar's perspective. His reflection was making his way back toward the sect through the darkening forest, four beast cores tucked safely away and combat experience still fresh in both their minds.
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The system was right, Scar couldn't keep coming back to Yang Feng's quarters without someone eventually noticing. They needed a place where Scar could operate independently, somewhere close enough to coordinate but far enough to maintain the illusion that Yang Feng was alone.
"System, suggestions for Scar's base?"
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Made sense. Scar could use the caves as a base, store resources there, and operate independently while Yang Feng maintained his cover at the sect.
Through their connection, Yang Feng relayed the plan and felt Scar's agreement. The reflection changed course, heading north toward the cave system instead of back to the sect, moving through darkness with the confidence of someone who'd killed four spirit beasts in one day.
Yang Feng settled into meditation, preparing his body for tomorrow's breakthrough while simultaneously experiencing Scar's exploration of the cave system through their shared consciousness. One of them would advance through cultivation, the other through combat, and both would benefit from everything the other gained.
This was the power of the Black Mirror System, the heaven-defying advantage that would let Yang Feng climb from the bottom to the peak.
Someone knocked on his door.
Yang Feng's eyes snapped open, his hand instinctively reaching for the cheap dagger before remembering he'd given it to Scar. The knock came again, harder this time, demanding.
"Yang Feng, open up"
Chen Hao's voice.
Through their connection, Scar froze in the cave entrance three miles away, both of them suddenly alert because this wasn't a random beating, this was Chen Hao coming to Yang Feng's quarters at night which meant something worse than usual harassment.
Yang Feng deactivated the privacy formation and opened the door, keeping his eyes down and his posture submissive.
"Senior Brother Chen, this one greets you"
Chen Hao stood in the doorway with two of his lackeys flanking him, the inner disciple's expression showing cold satisfaction that made Yang Feng's stomach clench.
"I heard you requested cultivation time tomorrow," Chen Hao said, his tone deceptively mild, "Planning to break through after six months of being stuck?"
"This one hopes to make some progress, yes"
"Hm," Chen Hao pushed past Yang Feng into the tiny quarters, looking around with obvious disdain at the shabby accommodations, "You know what I think? I think you're wasting everyone's time. A two-star trash like you will never advance past Body Refinement, and the sect would be better off if you just accepted that and quit"
Yang Feng said nothing, didn't react, didn't give Chen Hao the excuse he was clearly looking for.
"But since you insist on being stubborn," Chen Hao continued, turning to face Yang Feng with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "I've decided to help you understand reality. Tomorrow morning, you and I will spar in the main training yard. Public demonstration of the difference between talent and trash"
A spar. In public. Where Chen Hao could humiliate him in front of the entire sect, could beat him bloody while calling it training, could maybe even cripple his cultivation and claim it was an accident during legitimate sparring.
This was the threat Kai Sheng had warned about, Chen Hao finally moving to permanently remove Yang Feng from existence.
"This one is honored by Senior Brother Chen's attention," Yang Feng said carefully, "But this one is only Body Refinement Stage Four while Senior Brother is Stage Eight, the gap is too large for meaningful sparring"
"Exactly," Chen Hao's smile widened, "Which is why it will be so educational for everyone watching. Tomorrow morning, main training yard, one hour after dawn. Don't be late"
Chen Hao left with his lackeys, their laughter echoing down the hallway.
Yang Feng closed the door and stood there for a long moment, thinking through options.
He could refuse and be branded a coward, which would make his life even worse.
He could accept and get crippled in front of everyone, ending his cultivation permanently.
Or he could break through tonight instead of waiting for tomorrow, advance to Stage Five and maybe have a chance of surviving the spar without permanent injury.
Through their connection, Scar was already moving, sprinting back toward the sect because they both knew what needed to happen.
Yang Feng needed to break through tonight, and Scar needed to hunt one more beast to push their shared cultivation over the threshold.
The strong eat the weak, and tomorrow morning Yang Feng would show Chen Hao that he wasn't as weak as everyone thought.
Not anymore.