Yuan Chen did not rush into the city.
He stood quietly outside the massive city wall, hands behind his back, watching the flow of people. Cultivators entered with anticipation written on their faces; some walked out dejected, some triumphant, some pretending nothing had happened.
Mortal guards shouted orders. Merchants whispered prices. Ambition, desperation, and hope mixed together in the air.
Yuan Chen watched for a long moment before speaking in his mind.
"System."
"Yes, Host?"
"I don't want to change my face."
The system paused, clearly surprised.
"Oh? That's rare. Then how do you plan to hide yourself?"
Yuan Chen's lips curled slightly.
"I have an idea. Something I always wanted to try in my previous life."
The system perked up.
"…Go on."
"Can you customize clothes for me?"
A short silence followed.
Then the system laughed.
"Host, you really do treat me like an all-purpose treasure vault."
A translucent interface appeared before Yuan Chen.
"Describe it."
Yuan Chen closed his eyes briefly, the image already clear in his mind.
"A long black coat. Simple, sharp, no unnecessary decorations. It should naturally suppress aura and make people overlook me."
He paused, then added,
"And a mask. Half-face. White, like porcelain—but cracked. The cracks should glow faintly gold, like something broken yet repaired by something ancient."
The system whistled appreciatively.
"…That design resembles something from a famous anime in your past life."
Yuan Chen opened one eye.
"Sword Art Online?"
"Correct," the system replied proudly.
"A classic. High recognition. Extremely cool."
Yuan Chen chuckled.
"Looks like even across worlds, good taste survives."
Ding.
"Customization confirmed. Producing equipment."
Light gathered in front of him.
Threads of deep black fabric intertwined in the air, forming a long coat that seemed heavy with presence yet light on the body. Subtle geometric patterns were etched into the surface, visible only if one looked closely. The sleeves fit perfectly, and the hem flowed naturally, as if it belonged to him from the start.
Then the mask appeared.
White and smooth, fractured with golden lines like divine veins running through broken porcelain. It looked fragile, yet carried an oppressive sense of mystery.
The moment Yuan Chen put on the coat, his presence dulled.
When the mask settled against his face, even fate seemed to hesitate.
Little White tilted her head, tail swaying.
Little Red chirped softly, eyes bright.
"…Not bad," Yuan Chen said, clearly satisfied.
The system said smugly,
"Aura suppression, perception distortion, and identity concealment are active. People will notice you—but won't remember why."
Yuan Chen took a step forward. The black coat swayed gently with his movement.
He glanced down at himself once more.
Black coat.
Cracked white mask.
Golden fissures glowing faintly.
Low-key. Clean. Perfect.
He lifted his head, looking toward the towering city gate ahead.
A faint, amused voice escaped him.
"From now on…"
He stepped forward.
"I'll be the Black Swordsman."
The guards at the gate felt a strange chill but saw nothing unusual. The crowd instinctively made way, unaware of why.
Wrapped in black, masked in white and gold, Yuan Chen walked past the city gate—
—and entered the Qing Dynasty.
After entering the city, Yuan Chen did not rush toward the martial arts tournament.
He slowed his pace instead.
With a thought, he let Little White and Little Red conceal themselves further. The nine-tailed celestial fox shrank into an ordinary-looking white fox with a single fluffy tail, while the ancestral phoenix compressed her aura and transformed into a small, harmless-looking red bird.
Now, no matter who looked at them, they would only see cute but ordinary spirit pets.
"No one will recognize you like this," Yuan Chen murmured.
Little White yawned lazily.
Little Red chirped in agreement.
Yuan Chen headed straight toward a tavern near the main street.
The tavern was lively—cultivators chatting loudly, mortals serving food nervously, and the smell of roasted meat and wine filling the air. Yuan Chen found a quiet corner and sat down casually.
"Everything you have," he said calmly. "Bring it."
The waiter froze for a second, then nodded hurriedly and ran off.
Yuan Chen leaned back slightly, relaxed.
Money?
He had no shortage of it.
Between system rewards, clan elders' gifts, and his mother's habit of stuffing spatial rings into his hands, spirit stones were almost meaningless to him.
As dish after dish arrived, Yuan Chen ate leisurely. For the first time since leaving the Yuan Clan, he allowed himself to enjoy the mundane atmosphere.
While eating, fragments of conversation drifted to his ears.
"…Yuan Clan…"
"…missing…"
"…reward…"
Yuan Chen paused briefly.
He hadn't paid attention at first, but hearing his clan's name again made him frown slightly.
He raised his hand.
"Waiter."
"Yes—yes, honored guest?" the waiter replied nervously.
Yuan Chen casually flicked his finger.
A high-grade spirit crystal landed on the table with a soft clink.
"Tell me the news."
The waiter's eyes widened instantly as the crystal sparkled under the lantern light. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and leaned in.
"Honored guest, this matter has spread throughout many regions," he whispered excitedly.
"The Yuan Clan has announced that one of their members is missing. Whoever provides valid information will receive an enormous bounty."
Yuan Chen nodded calmly.
"Anything else?"
The waiter swallowed.
"…They also wiped out two imperial clans."
Yuan Chen's chopsticks paused midair.
"The reason?" he asked quietly.
"They were suspected of being involved," the waiter said hurriedly.
"Whether it was true or not… the Yuan Clan acted directly. Entire bloodlines erased overnight."
The tavern buzzed with hushed whispers as nearby diners listened.
Yuan Chen lowered his gaze.
For a brief moment, a trace of guilt surfaced in his heart.
Mother… Sister… Father…
But it vanished just as quickly.
He understood better than anyone—
In this world, power was everything.
Weakness invited tragedy. Mercy invited regret.
He exhaled softly and placed his chopsticks down.
"That's all," he said.
After leaving the tavern, Yuan Chen stepped back onto the street. The sun was already leaning westward, casting long shadows across the city.
Ahead, the sounds of shouting and spiritual energy collisions echoed through the air.
The martial arts tournament grounds.
This competition wasn't the Taixu Sword Sect exam itself—it was a preliminary contest. Those who performed well would earn rest slots, better positions, and priority during the actual sect recruitment.
Yuan Chen adjusted his mask slightly.
Little White curled up on his shoulder.
Little Red perched quietly, feathers hidden.
"Let's get this over with," he murmured calmly.
With steady steps, the Black Swordsman headed toward the arena—
After entering the arena, Yuan Chen immediately realized one thing—
It was already packed.
Cultivators stood everywhere: on the ground, atop stone pillars, even hovering slightly above the arena with light footwork techniques. Spiritual pressure overlapped chaotically, creating an oppressive atmosphere.
There were no complicated rules.
Only one announcement echoed through the arena:
"The last ten people standing in the arena will be selected.
No killing is allowed.
One opponent at a time."
Simple. Brutal. Direct.
Yuan Chen swept his gaze across the crowd.
His eyes were calm, deep, and heavy—like an abyss quietly observing ripples on its surface.
No one…
Not a single person caught his interest.
That was understandable. After all, the Qing Dynasty was merely a drop in the ocean compared to the vast cultivation world. Even geniuses here would struggle to stand on a larger stage.
And Yuan Chen's vision had already surpassed this place.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
He randomly pointed at a nearby cultivator.
"You," he said flatly.
The man froze, startled—but before he could react, Little White casually leapt forward.
One move.
The challenger was gently—but decisively—thrown out of the arena.
Yuan Chen then calmly walked onto the stage and sat down.
Silence followed.
Then—
Whispers exploded.
"Who is he?"
"Did he just… sit down?"
"Is he crazy or confident?"
"Letting a beast fight for him?"
Yuan Chen ignored all of it.
He leaned back slightly and whispered to Little White,
"Anyone who challenges—defeat them."
Little White's ears twitched.
Understood.
Soon, challengers came—one after another.
Each time, Little White moved.
No flashy techniques.
No killing intent.
Just absolute suppression.
One challenger fell.
Then another.
Then another.
Each defeat was clean, efficient, and humiliating.
The crowd slowly fell silent.
Surprise turned into shock.
Shock turned into greed.
A beast like this—if captured—
But no one dared to step forward anymore.
Fear outweighed desire.
High above, several elders from the Qing Royal Dynasty observed quietly. Their expressions shifted with interest, but none of them spoke.
After all—
As long as the result was achieved, the process didn't matter.
Time passed.
Two hours later, the arena calmed.
Ten figures remained standing.
Five from the royal family
Four from major clans
And one anomaly—Yuan Chen
Some tried to approach him, hoping to talk or form connections.
But the greed in their eyes disgusted him.
Yuan Chen waved his hand lightly.
A protective barrier formed around him, isolating him completely.
No one dared to disturb him after that.
Soon, an elderly cultivator descended.
"You have all passed," the elder announced.
"I will escort you to the Taixu Sword Sect."
He paused.
"Not now. We depart tomorrow morning."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
That night, Yuan Chen lay quietly on the bed of his assigned room.
Little White curled against his chest.
Little Red rested near his neck, warm and calm.
Just as his breathing slowed—
A familiar voice echoed in his mind.
[Host, would you like to try something interesting?]
Yuan Chen's eyes opened slightly.
"Speak."
[Do you want to know what a protagonist looks like… in a cultivation world?]
That caught his attention.
"…Go on."
[For every protagonist you kill or subdue, I will provide special rewards.]
Yuan Chen thought briefly.
He had nothing to lose.
"Deal."
Then he asked calmly,
"Am I a villain?"
The system laughed.
[There is no right or wrong.]
[Only strength decides everything.]
[And you…]
[You stand above fate itself.]
[Nothing in this world can bind you.]
Silence followed.
Yuan Chen slowly closed his eyes.
With Little White and Little Red resting against him, his breathing became steady, and sleep quietly claimed him—
Meanwhile—
Far away, under the same night sky—
Lin Yao and Yuan Chen's sister continued searching desperately.
But no matter where they looked—
There was no trace of him.