Chapter 15: The Price of Curiosity
The voice came from behind him.
Cold.
Sharp.
Unmistakably dangerous.
"Who are you?"
Li Chen's body locked up instantly.
This wasn't panic.
It was instinct — the kind that screamed when something far stronger stood within arm's reach. His heartbeat thundered in his ears as a chill crawled up his spine, freezing his blood where he stood.
Slowly, carefully, he turned.
And in that instant, his mind went blank.
She stood barefoot behind him, water still dripping from her long dark hair, strands clinging to her back and shoulders. A thin white inner robe hugged her frame, damp and translucent in places from cultivation, fluttering faintly in the river breeze.
But Li Chen barely registered her appearance.
What struck him was the pressure.
Even without releasing her Qi, the air around her felt heavy — like the world itself was subtly bending to acknowledge her presence.
Inner sect disciple!!!.
And not an ordinary one.
Her brows were drawn tight in fury, cheeks faintly flushed, eyes sharp enough to cut. The calm, ethereal stillness of cultivation was gone, replaced by raw, restrained anger.
He had been discovered.
Before he could even form a word —
BOOM.
Pain exploded across his chest.
Li Chen didn't see the kick.
He didn't even register movement.
One moment she stood by the river, the next his body was airborne.
The world flipped violently as he crashed into the dirt several meters away, breath ripping out of his lungs as his back slammed into the ground.
A familiar blue screen flashed before his eyes.
HP –12
Health: 78 / 100
Li Chen stared at the numbers in disbelief.
What…?
No Qi. That kick wasn't even infused with Qi.
Pain radiated through his ribs, sharp and deep. If that strike had been backed by energy, he would have been coughing blood — or worse.
He tried to push himself up.
Too late.
She was already there.
The space above him darkened as a shadow fell across his vision.
Another blow came down.
HP –8
Health: 70 / 100
"Wait—!"
His protest died in his throat as the air was knocked from his lungs again.
She didn't stop.
She shoved him back into the dirt, knee pinning his shoulder as fists rained down in furious bursts. The strikes weren't refined techniques — no fancy forms, no deliberate Qi circulation — just raw strength and unrestrained anger.
"You disgusting bastard!" she snapped. "You outer sect trash dare spy on me?!"
Li Chen raised his arms instinctively, shielding his head as blows landed across his arms and chest. Pain flared again and again, his body screaming as his health ticked downward.
"Great". He thought
"I survived Zhao Ming just to die like this."
His mind raced even as he endured the assault.
Inner sect disciple.
Female.
Cultivating alone.
At least at the Early Spirit Realm…
Even at full strength, he wouldn't stand a chance.
She cursed him and his ancestors with remarkable fluency, fury spilling over without restraint. Each word burned worse than the blows.
Inside his head, a familiar voice clicked its tongue.
"Congratulations. First day peeping, immediate divine punishment. Truly the path of a great expert."
"Shut up!" Li Chen snapped mentally.
" I warned you about curiosity."
Another strike landed.
Then — suddenly — everything stopped.
The pressure vanished.
Li Chen sucked in a sharp, ragged breath, chest aching as he rolled slightly onto his side.
The silence felt strange.
He cautiously looked up.
The woman had frozen.
Her eyes were wide, gaze fixed downward — not on his face, but lower.
Realization struck both of them at the same time.
She was sitting on him.
The forest went unnervingly quiet.
Wind rustled the leaves.
Somewhere, water lapped softly against stone.
Her face turned crimson in an instant.
She sprang to her feet like lightning, retreating several steps back as she yanked her robe tighter around herself, chest rising and falling rapidly.
"You— YOU—!"
For the first time since she appeared, her anger faltered — replaced by something far more volatile.
Embarrassment.
Li Chen slowly pushed himself upright, ignoring the protests from his battered body. He wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and instinctively slipped back into his usual expressionless calm.
Poker face.
Big mistake.
Her eyes twitched.
"You still have that expression?!" she snapped. "After spying on me, you can still look like that?!"
Li Chen opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
His brain scrambled desperately for an excuse — any explanation that didn't end with his head rolling — but every possible lie collapsed instantly.
River.
Cultivation.
Half-naked inner sect disciple.
There was no saving this.
Inside his mind, the system sighed dramatically.
"Astounding. Truly astounding. Chosen successor, yet you can't even cook up a lie."
"I'm not trying to die today!" Li Chen shot back mentally.
Before he could speak again, a sharp knock landed on the top of his head.
"Ow."
She had stepped closer again.
"Answer me," she demanded coldly. "What did you see?"
Li Chen didn't hesitate.
"I didn't see anything."
Which, technically, was true.
She studied him closely, suspicious and flustered all at once. Her chest continued to rise and fall rapidly, and only now did Li Chen notice — beneath the anger, beneath the threats — she seemed more embarrassed than murderous.
"If you dare speak of this to anyone," she said sharply, "I'll make sure you no longer have a tongue to speak !"
Li Chen internally face-palmed.
Sheesh. These family heirs…
Without missing a beat, he dropped to his knees.
His forehead touched the ground.
"This lowly outer disciple was blind and ignorant," he said quickly, voice humble and sincere. "I saw nothing, heard nothing, and will remember nothing. Senior Sister is magnanimous — this junior dares not offend heaven."
Silence followed.
Long.
Heavy.
Finally, the tension eased.
"Tch." She turned away sharply. "Get lost."
Relief hit him so hard his legs nearly buckled.
"Yes, Senior Sister."
He rose, bowed deeply, and hurried away without daring to look back.
Only once the trees swallowed him did he finally allow himself to breathe.
"Inner sect disciples… are terrifying."
The voice in his head snorted.
"Excellent conclusion. Arrived at after being beaten into the dirt."
Li Chen rubbed his aching ribs as he continued forward.
That strength… even restrained… even angry…
It had been overwhelming.
If she had truly wanted him dead, he wouldn't be walking right now.
Which meant only one thing.
He was still far too weak.
The thought didn't discourage him.
It sharpened him.
Because for the first time, the gap between outer and inner sect wasn't a rumor.
It was carved into his bones.
Behind him, the river flowed quietly once more — as if nothing had happened.
But Li Chen knew better.
Only once he was far enough away did he allow himself to exhale fully.
"That was… unpleasant," he muttered.
The voice in his head chuckled.
"On the bright side, you survived. Fate seems intent on dragging you into trouble regardless."
Li Chen glanced back once, the river already still once more.
This won't be the last time, he thought grimly.
And somehow, he knew that was true.