Three days before the Outer Sect Tournament.
In the back courtyard of the Artifact Refining Hall, Jiang Muchen stood amid a scatter of metal components. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows. Beads of sweat glimmered on his brow under the afternoon sun.
In his left hand was a steel needle, thin as a strand of ox hair.
In his right, a carving blade finer than a needle's eye.
The blade tip moved slowly along the needle's surface.
He wasn't carving decoration—
He was carving a miniature spirit-guiding array, so fine it was nearly invisible to the naked eye.
This technique didn't exist in Introduction to Mechanisms.
It was something Jiang Muchen had forced out on his own.
Sleeve arrows lacked raw power. To pierce the protective spiritual energy of Qi Condensation Fifth or Sixth Layer cultivators, the needle itself had to do the work.
Poison was one thing.
Spirit-breaking was another.
The blade stopped.
Jiang Muchen lifted the needle into the sunlight. A faint dark-gold line shimmered along its length—a crude but functional Spirit-Breaking Rune, carved with a blend of dragon qi and spiritual energy.
It worked.
He fitted the needle into the sleeve-arrow mechanism, wound the spring, and aimed at a wooden target five zhang away.
Click.
Whss—
The sound of air splitting was barely audible.
The needle buried itself three inches into the wood. Around the impact point, the wood was scorched black—dragon qi and Rotbone toxin reacting together.
Success.
Jiang Muchen wiped his sweat, exhaling—
"Junior Brother Jiang."
He turned.
Liu Zhen stood at the courtyard gate. The bandages on his chest were gone, his complexion much improved.
"Senior Brother Liu?" Jiang Muchen put the mechanism away. "You're healed?"
"Mostly." Liu Zhen glanced at the target, eyes lighting up. "Mechanical hidden weapon?"
"For self-defense," Jiang Muchen replied lightly. "You came for something?"
"Yes." Liu Zhen lowered his voice. "News about Lin Tianying."
They sat at a stone table in the corner.
"Lin Tianying hasn't been idle," Liu Zhen said. "His father got him three Burst Qi Pills—a demonic-path modification. They can forcibly raise cultivation by two minor realms for half an hour."
Qi Condensation Fifth Layer… boosted to Seventh.
Temporary—but more than enough to kill someone.
"And there's more," Liu Zhen continued. "His cousin, Lin Pojun, went to the Azure Underworld Sword Sect yesterday. Their refining elder gave him a replica Azure Edge Sword—high-grade mortal artifact, engraved with an Armor-Piercing Talisman. It specializes in breaking protective qi."
Jiang Muchen said nothing.
Burst Qi Pills. Armor-piercing blade.
They were done playing fair.
"Also," Liu Zhen lowered his voice further, "the Lin family bribed one of the tournament judges—Elder Shi from the Body Refinement Hall. Shi Gang's uncle."
Even the referee.
Jiang Muchen tapped the table lightly.
"Senior Brother Liu—how did you get this information?"
Liu Zhen gave a bitter smile. "A cousin of mine works at the Punishment Hall. He risked a lot telling me this. Junior Brother, this tournament… Lin Tianying plans to kill you. And if he does, it'll be called an 'accident.' With a judge backing him, the worst punishment will be a fine."
Jiang Muchen nodded. "Thank you for the warning."
"What will you do?" Liu Zhen asked. "You could withdraw. Lose face, but keep your life."
"I won't withdraw," Jiang Muchen said calmly.
"Once you retreat, you spend your whole life retreating."
Liu Zhen sighed. "I knew you'd say that. Then take this."
He pulled out a small jade vial.
"What is it?"
"My father's life-saving pill—Life-Sustaining Elixir," Liu Zhen said. "As long as you're not dead yet, it'll keep you alive for three days."
Jiang Muchen shook his head. "That's too valuable."
"A pill is still just a pill." Liu Zhen pressed it into his hand.
"If you die, I'll never repay this debt."
Jiang Muchen closed his fingers around the vial. Warmth spread through his chest.
"Thank you."
"Come back alive." Liu Zhen patted his shoulder and left.
Two days before the tournament.
The marketplace buzzed—not with trade, but with bets.
"Lin Pojun for first place! Odds one-to-one-point-two!"
"Liu Ruyan! One-to-one-point-five!"
"Shi Gang! One-to-two!"
Wearing a bamboo hat, Jiang Muchen stood at the edge of the crowd.
His odds were the highest.
One to fifty.
No one believed a Qi Condensation Fourth Layer servant disciple stood a chance.
He smiled and walked away.
He didn't buy pills or artifacts—
He bought materials.
Saltpeter. Sulfur. Charcoal.
Datura pollen.
Iron caltrops. Trip lines. Small bells.
Everything checked off quietly.
In a narrow alley, three men blocked his path.
Azure robes. Sword emblems.
Azure Underworld Sword Sect.
"Jiang Muchen?" the tall one sneered.
"That's me."
"Senior Brother Zhao sent a message," the man said. "Don't touch Lin Tianying during the tournament. Otherwise—"
He reached out, aiming to pat Jiang Muchen's face.
He froze.
A black sword rested against his throat.
Obsidian Jade Sword.
"Otherwise?" Jiang Muchen asked calmly.
The sword tip pressed forward. Blood beaded.
"This is the Red Dust Pavilion," Jiang Muchen said.
"Not your sect. If you want to fight—wait for the tournament."
He sheathed the sword and walked away.
Three steps later, he glanced back.
"Tell Zhao Wujing—Lin Tianying's life is mine."
The night before the tournament.
Jiang Muchen checked his gear one last time.
Three sleeve-arrow sets.
Five Fire-Thunder pellets.
Caltrops, trip lines, bells.
Sword at his waist. Dragon flute against his chest.
Life-Sustaining Elixir hidden close.
Everything ready.
Outside, his friends waited.
"Ready?" Wang Duobao asked.
"Yes."
"If anything goes wrong, we'll rush the platform," Lu Hanshan said.
"Don't." Jiang Muchen shook his head. "Tournament rules. Just watch."
Then, quieter:
"If I lose… or die—Duobao, take what's left to Elder Huoyun. He'll arrange a path for you."
The others' eyes reddened.
"I won't die," Jiang Muchen said, smiling. "I'm just covering every angle."
That night, he didn't sleep.
Before dawn, a paper crane arrived.
One line of elegant handwriting:
"Midnight. Maple Grove behind the mountain. Matters to discuss."
Signed: Su.
The maple grove burned crimson under moonlight.
Su Qingwu stood beneath the tallest tree, white robes edged in silver.
"I heard about Lin Tianying," she said. "You can't win."
"I know."
"I can help." She offered an Ice Silkworm Vest and an antidote powder.
Then she touched the dragon flute.
"This flute… belonged to my master."
Thirty years ago, the Azure Underworld Fairy vanished—
with this flute.
Jiang Muchen told her everything he could.
After a long silence, she handed him a jade pendant.
"If you face death tomorrow—crush this. I'll know."
Later, another figure appeared.
Chen Song.
He tossed a pouch. "Lightning Talismans. Three uses."
"Lin Tianying tried to hire me," Chen Song said coldly. "I refused. But Shi Gang accepted."
"Why won't you lose?" Chen Song asked.
"Because," Jiang Muchen replied, "I still have things left to do."
Chen Song smiled.
As Jiang Muchen returned, wind stirred the maple leaves.
Tomorrow.
The wind before the storm.
The Way of the Lick — True Words
When the bets get heavier, the odds get sweeter.
But real gamblers don't care how much is on the table—
only whether they walk away alive.