The rain had faded to a thin mist by the time Ye Tian left the outer courtyard.
Lanterns burned low in the covered walkways, their pale light pooling on the damp stone.
Shadows shifted in the corners where the light could not reach.
A few disciples passed him, robes brushing the air, but none met his eyes.
Some walked faster when they saw him, as if to avoid being noticed.
Some lingered just long enough to glance over their shoulders.
The Origin System's voice was calm and certain.
[Nearby systems detected: four]
[Recommendation: Target with highest utility for early stage growth]
Ye Tian slowed his steps. "Show me."
[Target: Luo Ming]
[System: Minor Cultivation Accelerator]
[Function: Increases daily cultivation speed by twenty percent]
[Location: Inner courtyard training hall]
[Integrity: 78 percent]
Twenty percent… it did not sound like much to anyone without vision.
For a mediocre disciple, it meant climbing one rung faster on a crumbling ladder.
For him, it meant compounding growth with every stolen advantage.
It was not just a small step… it was the foundation for an unshakable lead.
---
The inner courtyard was not far, but the difference was like stepping into another world.
The outer courtyard smelled of damp straw, boiled cabbage, and cheap oil lamps.
Here, the air was clean and cool, touched with sandalwood from the incense stands.
Calligraphy scrolls lined the walls, each one speaking of patience, virtue, and the long road to mastery.
The stone underfoot was smoother, the corners polished by generations of deliberate steps.
The training hall stood at the far end, its doors half open.
Inside, the floor gleamed under the light of two jade lamps.
It was empty except for one figure seated in the center.
Luo Ming sat cross-legged, a jade slip balanced in one hand.
His eyes were half closed, spiritual energy coiling faintly around his body in threads of white.
His breathing was slow and deep, each exhale steady enough to be counted.
Ye Tian stepped inside. The faint tap of his steps echoed in the wide space.
Luo Ming's eyes opened. They were dark and still, unreadable at first glance.
"You should not be here," he said. His voice was quiet, but there was no doubt in the statement.
"I came to train," Ye Tian replied.
Luo Ming studied him for a long moment. "Outer disciples do not train here."
"I will not be an outer disciple much longer."
A faint smile touched Luo Ming's mouth, though it carried no warmth. "I heard you humiliated Zhao Wei. That is a small thing. The kind of thing that earns you enemies."
Ye Tian met his gaze without flinching. "Do you want to find out how small it was?"
---
The hum of the Origin System rippled faintly in his thoughts.
[Seizure chance: 72 percent]
[Optimal trigger: Direct spiritual energy clash]
Perfect.
Ye Tian stepped further in, into the circle of lamplight, and settled into a ready stance.
The wooden practice swords of the outer yard had no place here.
The inner courtyard trained barehanded unless the situation demanded steel.
Luo Ming set the jade slip aside and rose smoothly to his feet.
He dusted off his sleeves with slow, deliberate movements.
"If you insist on this, I will not be gentle."
---
He moved first.
The strike was fast, a palm thrust aimed at Ye Tian's chest with enough force to rattle ribs.
It was the sort of attack that could knock the air from a weaker opponent, ending the fight before it began.
Ye Tian turned his body and caught Luo Ming's wrist, diverting the strike past his side.
His palm pressed briefly against Luo Ming's arm, sending a subtle ripple of force that broke his stance.
Outside the hall, footsteps gathered.
Disciples from the outer courtyard had followed, drawn by the sound of confrontation.
They clustered near the open doors, peering in, whispering to each other.
Luo Ming stepped back, his calm expression unbroken, but there was a faint spark in his eyes now.
He advanced again, this time with a low sweeping kick meant to knock Ye Tian off his feet, followed immediately by a palm strike aimed for the temple.
Ye Tian blocked the sweep, leaned away from the second strike, and let his own palm meet Luo Ming's shoulder.
[Proceed with Seizure?]
"Yes."
---
A thin thread of blue light leapt from Luo Ming's chest into Ye Tian's hand.
The sensation was sharp and clean, like drawing a blade from a sheath.
Luo Ming froze for the smallest fraction of a second, his eyes flicking with sudden uncertainty.
[Seizure complete]
[Acquired: Minor Cultivation Accelerator]
[Integrating…]
Ye Tian pressed forward, his palm strike carrying enough force to drive Luo Ming back two full steps.
The other boy's balance faltered before he caught himself.
His breathing was uneven now, and the smooth coil of energy around him wavered.
"You… what did you do?" Luo Ming demanded, his voice lower now.
"Three moves," Ye Tian said softly, "and you have nothing left worth keeping."
Gasps broke from the doorway.
Luo Ming's name carried weight in the inner courtyard.
To see him pushed back so quickly… it was not something anyone had expected.
[Devotion +6]
[Integration complete: Cultivation Accelerator merged with base parameters]
[Result: Daily cultivation speed increased by twenty percent]
---
Luo Ming's composure cracked.
A flush of anger rose to his cheeks, his jaw tightening.
"You will regret this," he said.
"Perhaps," Ye Tian replied, "but not tonight."
He turned from the center of the hall, the eyes of the crowd following him.
The outer disciples parted quickly, making a narrow path for him to pass through.
[Nearby systems detected: three]
[Recommendation: Rest before integration overload]
The night air outside was cool and damp.
Lanterns swayed in the breeze, their flames bending and straightening again.
The scent of sandalwood mixed with the last trace of rain.
---
From behind him, voices began to rise in the hall.
"He was holding back," someone whispered.
"No… Luo Ming looked shaken. You saw it."
"It does not matter, the elders will not like this."
Ye Tian's lips curved faintly.
Elders, enemies, whispers… all of it was noise.
The only sound that mattered was the low hum of the Origin System, steady and certain.
[Minor Cultivation Accelerator fully integrated]
[Projected impact: Significant advantage in all future cultivation stages]
The value was greater than most here could imagine.
Twenty percent compounded day after day was not a step ahead… it was a road no one else could follow.
---
In the shadows beyond the courtyard, two senior disciples watched from under the eaves.
One spoke softly. "He will cause trouble."
The other's eyes narrowed. "Then trouble will be dealt with before it grows."
Ye Tian did not need to hear them to know what they were thinking.
He could feel the shift in the air around him.
Curiosity was turning to interest.
Interest was turning to threat.
And for him… threat was simply another form of opportunity.