The morning sun painted the servant compound in soft gold, but the atmosphere in the training yard was anything but peaceful.
Dozens of servant disciples stood in formation, sweat dripping down their brows as they practiced basic stances under Overseer Chen's harsh glare. The man's thick arms were crossed, his face locked in a perpetual scowl—an expression that had terrified countless youths over the years.
But today…
One person was different.
Lian Hong walked onto the training field with a calmness that did not belong to a fifteen-year-old servant disciple.
His posture was straight.His footsteps steady.His eyes clear and focused—carrying a faint sharpness honed by pain, betrayal, and a lifetime lived once already.
Zhou Shan followed behind him, still unsettled, stealing glances at Lian Hong's back as if expecting him to suddenly sprout flames or wings.
"L-Lian Hong…" Zhou Shan swallowed hard. "Did you… get taller overnight?"
Lian Hong didn't respond.
He took his spot in the formation, closing his eyes briefly to feel the flow of qi around him. The recent breakthrough had heightened his senses dramatically; every heartbeat within twenty meters echoed in his perception.
Overseer Chen's heavy steps drew closer.
"Lian Hong," Chen barked, "you're late—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
The Overseer's eyes narrowed.
Something was wrong.
Lian Hong looked up.His expression remained calm.
"I arrived on time."
Chen's brow twitched. That tone—it wasn't insolent, but it carried an unmistakable steadiness. Not the fearful muttering he expected from the weakest boy in the yard.
"…Hmph." Chen turned sharply. "Form stance three! Hold for one hour. Anyone who falls early will scrub latrines for a week!"
Groans rippled through the group.
Lian Hong lowered himself into stance three—a low, broad horse stance designed to test endurance and basic qi circulation.
In his past life, he would've collapsed within fifteen minutes.
Today?
He felt nothing but a mild stretch in his strengthened muscles.
Even at Qi Gathering Second Layer, this was trivial.His boosted Strength and Agility further stabilized his posture.
He breathed in slowly, guiding qi through his meridians using 〈Crimson Meridian Breathing〉—
Hooo—
Warmth flooded his body, reinforcing his stance.
Minutes passed.Disciples shook, trembled, and gritted their teeth.
But Lian Hong remained as steady as a stone.
When twenty minutes had passed, Zhou Shan toppled over with a yelp.
When thirty minutes passed, another dozen disciples collapsed.
At forty minutes, only three remained standing.
At sixty minutes—
Only one person remained motionless.Unshaken.Unmoved.
Lian Hong.
An uneasy murmur spread through the yard.
"What's wrong with him today?""Did he… suddenly get strong?""No way, he was trash yesterday…""Is he possessed?"
Overseer Chen's eyes tightened as he approached. His normally indifferent gaze now held a flicker of interest.
"You've improved," Chen said bluntly.
Lian Hong straightened. "I've been training."
Chen grunted, unconvinced but not displeased.
"Good. Talent is rare among servant disciples. If you keep this up, you might actually qualify for outer-sect training."
Zhou Shan's jaw dropped.
"Outer-sect…? Him?!"
Lian Hong ignored him.
This was only the beginning.
He needed far more strength.Far more resources.And far more influence.
The Entrance Trial was seven days away—but the true threat lay beyond that.
Wei Changbai.The man who once destroyed his future.The man who would betray him again, unless Lian Hong changed the script.
And he would.
As the training session ended, the disciples dispersed to their chores.
Zhou Shan jogged beside him, sweating nervously.
"H-Hey… Lian Hong… you're acting weird today. Don't tell me you found some treasure or something? You can tell me, we grew up together—"
Lian Hong stopped walking.
He turned his head slightly.His eyes were calm. Too calm.
Zhou Shan felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"Zhou Shan," Lian Hong said quietly, "do yourself a favor."
"Huh?"
"Stay away from trouble for the next few days."
"I—I always stay away from trouble!"
"No."Lian Hong looked him directly in the eyes."You follow it."
Zhou Shan froze.
Lian Hong walked away.
Leaving the buck-toothed bully staring blankly, feeling as if he'd just seen a ghost inhabit his friend's body.
Back in his small room, Lian Hong closed the door behind him.
The system screen materialized again.
[Ding!Host's physical performance has exceeded previous life benchmarks.A new challenge is available.]
[Would you like to accept the Hidden Quest?]
Lian Hong's breath stilled.
A Hidden Quest?
Those were the rarest types in cultivation legends.Invaluable.Game-changing.
His fingers curled.
"…Show me."
The screen shifted.
––––––––––––––––––[Hidden Quest:The Path Begins with Blood]
Objective:Defeat a cultivator stronger than yourself(Outer-sect disciple level or higher)
Reward:• Advanced Attribute Points ×5• Random Technique (Mortal–Earth Rank)• Unknown bonus––––––––––––––––––
Lian Hong stared silently at the quest.
His eyes sharpened like blades.
So.The system wanted him to challenge someone stronger.
That was fine.
He already knew exactly who the first target should be.
Not Wei Changbai. Not yet.But someone close to him.Someone whose fall would shake the path ahead.
Lian Hong exhaled slowly.
"Very well."
His voice was steady.
"I accept."
The golden light of the system pulsed with approval.
Far away, in the inner-sect courtyard, a young cultivator sneezed abruptly and rubbed his neck with a puzzled expression—unaware that fate had just placed his head beneath a silent blade.