Elder Sun's "training" regimen quickly devolved into a series of dangerous errands. He was under immense pressure to repay his gambling debts to Elder Zhi, a powerful Inner Court Elder known for his cold ruthlessness.
One humid afternoon, Elder Sun summoned Lin Wei to his study. The lockbox was still there, resealed by Lin Wei's imperceptible Qi, yet Sun seemed nervous.
"Lin Wei," the Elder said, his voice unusually low and urgent. "You are proving... useful. I have a mission that requires your unique set of skills. Absolute silence is paramount."
He handed Lin Wei a small, plain, clay vial. Inside, a dark, viscous liquid shimmered.
"This is Black Frost Toxin," Elder Sun whispered, leaning in. "A minor poison, but enough to severely disrupt a cultivator's Qi flow for a few hours. Elder Zhi is currently refining a batch of high-grade pills. The process is delicate. You will enter his residence tonight, unnoticed, and simply sprinkle this onto his personal meditation mat."
Lin Wei's heart hammered. This was no simple chore; it was an act of sabotage against an Inner Court Elder—a path to certain death if caught. He kept his face blank.
"Elder, why would you risk this?" Lin Wei asked, feigning ignorance.
Elder Sun glared, panic in his eyes. "He is pressing me for the debt! If his refinement fails, he will suffer a backlash and be weakened. I will have a window to negotiate the debt down. Do this, and I will personally reward you with a Core Cultivation Manual."
Lin Wei bowed, accepting the vial. The manual was a bait, but the mission was opportunity. He would never poison anyone for Elder Sun, but the residence of an Inner Court Elder would be a trove of high-grade spiritual resources.
That evening, under the thin crescent moon, Lin Wei utilized the mastery gained from the Void Eye Edict. He moved with a silent, fluid grace that belied his 'Mortal Roots.' Elder Zhi's courtyard was warded with invisible Qi tripwires and minor surveillance arrays—defenses that would stop an average Outer Disciple.
But the Void Eye gave Lin Wei an edge. It didn't just see Qi; it saw the flow of spiritual energy. He saw the shimmering, electric lines of the tripwires and the barely-there pulse of the arrays. He simply walked around them, slipping through the gaps like smoke.
He reached the inner courtyard. The air here was incredibly dense with Qi, far richer than the Outer Court pool. Just breathing it felt like cultivation. The Inner Court Elder's power was frightening, but his resource wastage was Lin Wei's gain.