The morning after Lin Xiaoyu's bloodline awakening, the mountain felt different.
Alive.
For the first time since I had awakened in this ruined sect, the air carried a faint trace of spiritual energy.
It was still weak—barely enough to qualify as a proper cultivation ground—but compared to the dead silence of before, it felt like the mountain had finally taken its first breath.
Thin wisps of white mist curled around the courtyard stones.
The broken statues looked a little less depressing.
Even the snow seemed softer somehow.
I stood at the sect gate with my arms folded behind my back, trying my best to look like an unfathomable sect master.
Internally, I was still panicking.
The system's warning from last night kept replaying in my head.
The nearby sect has detected dragon aura
Which meant someone was coming.
And given my luck, it definitely wouldn't be friendly.
Behind me, Lin Xiaoyu was punching the air in the courtyard.
Each strike now carried a faint golden trail.
Her movements were much faster than before.
More precise.
More dangerous.
Every time her fist cut through the cold air, a sharp whoosh followed.
Not bad.
Actually, terrifyingly good for someone who had started cultivating less than a day ago.
She glanced over at me.
"Why are you standing there like a statue?"
"To observe."
She snorted.
"You mean to act cool."
"…That too."
She grinned.
I was beginning to understand her personality.
Sharp tongue.
Zero respect for authority.
A natural-born troublemaker.
Honestly, perfect disciple material.
Then—
The sound of hooves echoed from below the mountain.
Clop. Clop. Clop.
I stiffened.
Here we go.
A procession emerged through the snowy path.
At the front was a luxurious carriage pulled by two spirit horses.
Behind it marched six guards in blue robes.
Each carried swords at their waists.
Their robes bore the emblem of a river carved through stone.
The system screen immediately appeared.
IDENTIFICATION
Stone River Sect
Local Rank: 312Threat Level: Moderate
My lips twitched.
Rank 312.
Compared to my glorious 8500, that was basically a superpower.
The carriage door opened.
A young man stepped out.
He couldn't have been older than eighteen.
Dressed in white and blue silk robes, a jade pendant hanging at his waist, he looked like the textbook definition of an arrogant cultivation novel villain.
His face was handsome enough.
Too handsome, in that smug, punchable way.
His eyes immediately swept over the sect gate.
Then over me.
Then over Xiaoyu.
The moment he saw her, his expression changed.
Interest.
Possession.
Arrogance.
Yeah.
Definitely a villain.
He stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back.
"So this is the place that caused last night's spiritual disturbance."
His voice was smooth.
Practised.
The kind of tone used by people who had never been told 'no' in their lives.
I remained calm.
"Welcome to the All-Hail Sovereign Sect."
He looked at the plaque above the gate.
Then laughed.
A short, mocking laugh.
"All hail, Sovereign?"
His guards laughed with him.
One of them muttered, "What shameless naming."
Xiaoyu immediately took a step forward.
I raised a hand slightly, stopping her.
Not yet.
The young man's gaze landed on Xiaoyu again.
His eyes gleamed.
"So it was true."
I narrowed my eyes.
"What was true?"
He ignored me completely and looked directly at Xiaoyu.
"You were the source of the dragon aura."
Xiaoyu's expression darkened.
"And if I was?"
He smiled.
A smile that instantly made me dislike him even more.
"I am Mo Tianyu, young master of the Stone River Sect."
The system chimed.
TARGET IDENTIFIED
Name: Mo TianyuRealm: Body Tempering 4th LayerTalent: A-rankPersonality: Extremely arrogant
Xiaoyu folded her arms.
"Congratulations."
I almost laughed.
Mo Tianyu's smile twitched.
Clearly, he wasn't used to people responding like that.
He stepped closer.
"With your talent, remaining in this trash sect is a waste."
He finally glanced at me.
The contempt in his eyes was almost tangible.
"This mountain ruin cannot nurture someone like you."
I forced a calm smile.
"Interesting opinion."
He ignored me again.
Classic.
He looked at Xiaoyu.
"Join the Stone River Sect."
The words were not a request.
They were an order.
His gaze swept over her ragged clothes, then toward the broken main hall.
"I can give you resources, techniques, and status."
He spread his arms dramatically.
"Become my personal disciple."
I almost choked.
Personal disciple?
That sounded suspicious as hell.
Xiaoyu's expression turned cold.
"No."
Simple.
Direct.
Perfect.
For the first time, Mo Tianyu's expression hardened.
"I suggest you reconsider."
She tilted her head.
"I suggest you leave."
The guards behind him stepped forward.
Spiritual pressure rolled outward.
Not strong enough to terrify, but enough to intimidate ordinary mortals.
Unfortunately for them—
Xiaoyu was no longer a mortal.
Golden light flickered faintly in her eyes.
Mo Tianyu noticed it.
His smile widened.
"As expected."
His gaze sharpened.
"Such talent should belong to a stronger sect."
I finally stepped forward.
"She already belongs to this sect."
His eyes moved to me.
At last.
Recognition.
Or rather, annoyance.
"And who are you?"
I stared.
The audacity.
"I am the sect leader."
Silence.
Then he burst out laughing.
The guards joined him.
Even Xiaoyu looked mildly entertained.
Mo Tianyu covered his mouth.
"You?"
His gaze swept over my robe.
My posture.
My completely nonexistent cultivation aura.
Then his expression turned openly contemptuous.
"A sect leader without cultivation?"
Ouch.
Even if it was true, hearing it out loud still hurt.
He shook his head.
"What a joke."
Xiaoyu immediately stepped beside me.
Her voice turned sharp.
"Watch your mouth."
Mo Tianyu's smile vanished.
"I wasn't speaking to you."
He raised a hand.
One of the guards stepped forward and tossed a small pouch onto the snow.
It landed at my feet.
Spirit stones.
A lot more than my current supply.
Mo Tianyu looked down at me.
"Take this."
I frowned.
"…What?"
"Compensation."
His tone was casual.
As if he were buying livestock.
"I am taking the girl."
The temperature around us seemed to drop.
Xiaoyu's fists clenched.
Golden light flickered again.
I looked at the pouch.
Then at him.
Then laughed.
Actually laughed.
His expression darkened.
"You find something amusing?"
I smiled.
"Yes."
I kicked the pouch back toward him.
The stones scattered across the snow.
"You think you can buy my disciple?"
His eyes turned cold.
"I think I can do whatever I want."
Ah.
There it was.
The classic arrogant young master line.
I almost felt nostalgic.
Too bad for him.
He had chosen the wrong mountain.
I took out the yellow talisman from my robe.
The Basic Sect Protection Formation.
The system screen immediately popped up.
FORMATION READY
Activation range: sect gate and inner courtyardPower: Qi refinement below 3rd Layer
Good enough.
I smirked.
"Last warning."
Mo Tianyu sneered.
"To a trash sect?"
He took one more step forward—
And crossed the sect gate.
I crushed the talisman.
BOOOOM!
Golden light erupted from beneath the courtyard.
Ancient lines spread across the ground like lightning.
A circular formation ignited.
The air trembled.
Mo Tianyu's expression changed instantly.
"What—?!"
Before he could react—
A pillar of golden lightning slammed down from above.
BOOM!
He was blasted backward across the snow.
His hair stood up.
His robes smoked.
For one glorious second, the mighty young master looked like a roasted chicken.
I froze.
Xiaoyu froze.
Then—
She burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Even I couldn't stop myself.
Mo Tianyu slowly stood up.
His face had turned completely red.
Humiliation.
Rage.
Disbelief.
"You—!"
He pointed at me with a trembling finger.
"How dare you!"
I smiled calmly.
"You entered my sect without permission."
Xiaoyu wiped tears from her eyes.
"Sect Leader…"
She gasped between laughs.
"…that was amazing."
I straightened my robe dramatically.
"Of course."
Internally, I was celebrating like crazy.
YES.
FIRST FACE-SLAP ACHIEVED.
Mo Tianyu's eyes burnt with fury.
"This isn't over."
Classic line number two.
He turned sharply.
"Let's go!"
The guards hurried after him.
As the procession retreated down the mountain, he shouted without turning back.
"The Stone River Sect will remember this!"
I folded my arms.
"Please do."
Once they were gone, Xiaoyu looked at me with shining eyes.
"That was hilarious."
I grinned.
"Welcome to the Sovereign Sect."
The system chimed.
MISSION COMPLETE
Defend Sect Honor
Reward: 500 Spirit StonesSect Reputation +50
Not bad.
Our first real enemy had officially arrived.
And left humiliated.
Somehow, I had a feeling this was only the beginning.