The moon hung high over the Azure Cloud Sect, its pale light spilling over the mountain like silver silk. Most disciples were asleep, their snores echoing through the shabby dormitories.
But Lan Mei was awake.
She sat on her wooden bed, biting her lip until it turned pale. Her heart thumped against her ribs like a drum. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't erase Chen Xuan's words from her mind.
"No matter how hard you push yourself, your qi is unstable. Without proper pills, your foundation will always be flawed."
She hated him. She despised that trash with every fiber of her being. But his words… they were true. Every cultivation session, her qi slipped out of control. Every time she tried to stabilize her meridians, she failed.
I need pills… if I don't get them soon, my path will collapse.
Her eyes flickered toward the direction of the inner sect treasure vault, hidden deep within the mountain. Just thinking about it sent a thrill through her veins.
But if I'm caught… it's over. They'll cripple me, expel me, or worse.
She trembled, torn between fear and desire. And in that vulnerable moment—
A voice whispered from the shadows of her room.
"Can't sleep, Junior Sister?"
Lan Mei jolted, spinning around. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Chen Xuan leaning casually against the wall, half-hidden by moonlight.
"You—!" she hissed, her voice trembling. "How dare you sneak in here?!"
Chen Xuan smiled faintly, his eyes glimmering with an unnatural charm. "Relax. I'm not here to harm you. I'm here… to help you."
His voice flowed like honey, the Charm Dao weaving threads around her already fragile heart.
Lan Mei's fists clenched, but her breathing grew uneven. "Help me? Don't joke. You're just a piece of trash!"
Chen Xuan stepped closer, his tone low and magnetic. "Am I trash… or am I the only one who sees the truth you're hiding?"
Her eyes widened, her body trembling as if struck.
Chen Xuan leaned near her ear, whispering with a devil's smile.
"You crave pills. You dream of sneaking into the vault. Every night, you imagine holding treasures that aren't yours. And yet, you deny yourself. You choke on your own desires. Isn't it exhausting, Junior Sister?"
Lan Mei's lips parted, but no words came. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes—whether from rage or shame, even she didn't know.
The system chimed:
> [Target's desire resonance: 90%.]
[Harvest imminent.]
Chen Xuan's smile widened. He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.
"Don't fight it. A flower that denies water withers. But a flower that drinks… blossoms beautifully."
Lan Mei's entire body shuddered. Her breathing turned ragged, her fists loosening at her sides. At last, her voice cracked, raw and broken.
"…I want it. I want the pills. I want the treasures. I don't care if it's forbidden. I… I want them all!"
The system exploded in his mind.
> [Ding! Desire fully confessed.]
[Harvest complete!]
[You have obtained 10 Sin Points.]
[Special reward: Target's emotional imprint unlocked. Influence over Lan Mei increased.]
Lan Mei gasped, covering her mouth as if she had confessed to the heavens themselves. Shame washed over her, but beneath it… a strange relief bloomed.
Chen Xuan chuckled darkly. "Good girl. That's all I wanted to hear."
He turned and walked toward the window, the moonlight outlining his silhouette.
"Rest well, Junior Sister. Soon, I'll show you that sin is not something to fear—it's the only truth worth embracing."
With that, he leapt into the night, vanishing into the shadows.
---
Back in his dorm, Chen Xuan summoned the Forbidden Shop with eager eyes.
— Forbidden Shop —
Charm Dao (Beginner) – Active
Sin Flame (Minor) – 15 Sin Points
Desire Manipulation (Fragment) – 20 Sin Points
Balance: 10 Sin Points
Chen Xuan's lips curled into a wicked grin. "Ten points… enough to taste real power."
He hovered over Sin Flame, his fingers itching to select it. But the system chimed coldly:
> [Insufficient points. Required: 15.]
Chen Xuan narrowed his eyes, then laughed softly. "So close. Five more points, and the flame of sin will be mine."
He leaned back against the wall, his gaze drifting toward the distant elder halls where Elder Zhang resided.
"That old dog loves humiliating me, doesn't he? Hah. Perfect. His filthy lust will pay for my Sin Flame. Just you wait, Elder Zhang. Tomorrow, you'll become the fuel for my fire."
The night deepened, and Chen Xuan's laughter echoed in the dark—low, patient, hungry.