Huoyan woke before the bell.
Eyes snapped open. No grogginess. No morning stiffness. The body felt ready. Wired.
Moonlight had faded. Gray dawn leaked through the window. Guards around him groaned. Rolled over. One muttered curses into his pillow.
Huoyan sat up. Back straight. Red hair fell across shoulders. He pushed it back. Scar pulled when he smirked.
No dreams. No lingering thoughts from the old man. Just blank space. Clean.
He stood. Boots soft on floorboards. Walked to the communal basin at the end of the dorm. Water cold. Splashed face. Felt sharp. Alive.
Mirror above the basin. Cracked. But clear enough.
Lemon-green eyes stared back. Sharp. Predatory. Scar ran clean from brow to cheek. Made the face look dangerous. Handsome in a way that screamed trouble.
Good.
He dried hands on robe sleeve. Walked out.
Courtyard empty. Mist thick off the river. Air carried faint spirit scent. Sweet. Cool.
Huoyan breathed deep. Qi trickled in. Slow. Steady.
[Passive Qi Gathering: +0.02% overnight.]
Tiny. But it added up.
Bell rang distant. Deep bronze tone. Dawn patrol call.
Guards stumbled out. Yawning. Scratching. Fat mustache guy spotted him.
"Huoyan. You're with me today. East gate patrol. Don't fuck up."
Huoyan nodded. Voice low. Confident.
"Lead the way."
They walked. Path wound along the river. Stones slick with dew. Water glowed soft blue. Small fish darted. Spirit fish. Probably worth a few points if caught.
Fat guy talked. Nonstop.
"Name's Fatty Wang. Don't laugh. Elder Wang is worse. Whip like lightning. Last newbie who skipped patrol got thirty lashes. Pissed blood for a week."
Huoyan listened. Said nothing.
Fatty Wang continued. "Sect's quiet lately. No beast tides. No rogue cultivators. Boring as hell. But contribution points still come. Guard the gates. Report anomalies. Easy rice."
They reached east gate. Tall stone arch. Two more guards already there. One young. Nervous. One old. Half-asleep.
Fatty Wang grunted hello. Took position.
Huoyan leaned against the wall. Eyes scanned.
Disciples trickled out. Heading to morning lessons. Some carried swords. Others pills bottles. A few girls in blue robes. Hair pinned with jade. Skin like porcelain.
One walked past. Tall. Slim waist. Cold expression. Sword at hip.
Huoyan watched. Lee cataloged. Water spirit root. High-grade. Face: 9/10. Potential dual cultivation partner. Later.
She felt the gaze. Turned. Eyes narrowed.
Huoyan met them. Smirked. Scar twisted.
She huffed. Accelerated pace.
Fatty Wang noticed. Laughed low.
"Careful, new guy. That's Junior Sister Mei Ling. Inner disciple. Daughter of Peak Master Mei. Touch her and you're dead meat."
Huoyan shrugged. "Just looking."
Fatty Wang snorted. "Looking gets people whipped too."
Patrol started. Walk the perimeter. Check formations. Report nothing.
Boring.
But useful.
Huoyan noted weak spots. A loose stone in the wall. A blind corner near the herb garden. A low section of fence by the women's quarters.
File it away.
Two hours in. Stomach growled.
Fatty Wang pulled out a steamed bun. Bit into it. Offered half.
"Want?"
Huoyan took it. Bit. Plain. No spirit energy. Mortal food.
Still filled the hole.
Breakfast hall next door. Smell of spirit rice drifted out. Rich. Fragrant.
Huoyan glanced.
Fatty Wang caught it. "Hungry? Go grab. We rotate. Ten minutes."
Huoyan nodded. Walked over.
Hall crowded. Outer disciples lined up. Bowls in hand. Servers ladled rice. One scoop per person. Spirit rice glowed faint white. Qi-infused.
Huoyan stepped up. Bowl out.
Server scooped. One portion.
Huoyan waited. Eyes on the pot.
Server turned away.
Huoyan moved fast. Hand darted. Snatched an extra scoop. Dropped it in bowl. Smooth. No one saw.
He walked out. Casual.
Bowl warm in hands. Rice steamed. Each grain pulsed with qi.
He ate on the way back. Spoonful after spoonful.
Qi hit the dantian. Warm flood. Tiny boost.
[Spirit Rice Consumed: +0.15% toward Qi Condensation Layer 2.]
Worth the risk.
Back at gate. Fatty Wang didn't notice.
Patrol continued.
Sun climbed higher. Mist burned off.
Huoyan kept eyes open. For openings. For trouble. For beauties.
This was day one.
Tutorial phase.
But the grind felt good.
Real fun was coming.
Huoyan finished the last spoonful of stolen rice. Bowl empty. Stomach full. Warmth spread from gut to dantian. Small pulse. Like a heartbeat getting stronger.
[Spirit Rice Effect: +0.08% additional progress. Total toward Layer 2: 0.23%.]
He licked the spoon clean. No waste. Old habits from cheap meals back home. Then tossed the bowl into the return stack. Casual. No one looked twice.
Fatty Wang was still at the gate. Spear leaning on shoulder. Yawning wide.
Huoyan walked back. Steps light on the path. Dew soaked boots now. Cool against skin.
Fatty Wang glanced over. "Quick eater. Good. Means you're not picky. Some newbies whine about spirit rice being 'too bland.' Idiots."
Huoyan leaned on the wall again. Arms crossed. "It's food. Does the job."
Fatty Wang laughed. Short bark. "Smart mouth too. You'll fit in fine. Just don't get caught stealing from the kitchen. Last guy who did got assigned latrine duty for a month."
Huoyan kept face blank. Inside, Lee filed it away. Latrine duty = bad. Avoid.
Patrol resumed. They walked the east wall. Stone rough under fingertips. Formations hummed low. Faint blue lines in the mortar. Illusion arrays. Water ripples that could hide intruders or trap them.
Huoyan trailed a finger along one line. Tingled. Qi responded. Small pull toward his dantian.
[Minor Formation Insight: Water-Illusion Array detected. Comprehension +0.1%.]
Useless for now. But knowledge stacked.
They rounded a corner. Herb garden on the right. Low fences. Rows of glowing plants. Spirit ginseng. Moonflower. Basic stuff for outer disciples.
A young disciple knelt there. Weeding. Sweat on brow. Looked up. Saw Huoyan. Froze.
Huoyan met eyes. Kid looked scared. Probably heard rumors already. Scar-face guard with weird name.
Huoyan nodded once. Kid nodded back frantic. Went back to weeding faster.
Fatty Wang muttered. "That's Little Chen. Good kid. Shy. Don't scare him too much. He grows the best moonflower in outer sect."
Huoyan said nothing. Eyes lingered on the plants. Easy to steal one later? Maybe. If no one watched.
They kept walking.
Sun climbed. Heat rose. Robes stuck to skin. Sweat beaded.
Fatty Wang wiped forehead. "Break in shade. Ten minutes. Don't wander far."
He sat on a rock. Pulled out a gourd. Sipped. Smelled like weak wine.
Huoyan found shade under a tree. Back against trunk. Legs stretched. Closed eyes halfway.
Qi circulated passive. In through nose. Out through mouth. Meridians warmed. Dantian like a small furnace now.
Breathe. Circulate. Repeat.
[Passive Qi Gathering: +0.04%.]
A shadow fell over him.
Huoyan opened eyes.
Junior Sister Mei Ling stood there. Blue robes fluttering. Sword still at hip. Face cold. But eyes curious.
"You. The new guard. Huoyan Shagua."
Huoyan stood slow. Met her gaze. No bow. No deference. Lee's style.
"Yeah."
She tilted head. "Strange name. And stranger face.
She stepped closer. Qi pressure light. Testing. Water aura around her. Cool. Pressing.
Huoyan felt it. Body tensed. But no fear. Lee pushed back. Small qi flare in dantian. Red tinge. Like flame under water.
She blinked. Surprised. Pressure lifted.
"You're only Layer 1. But qi feels... odd."
Huoyan shrugged. "New here. Still settling."
Mei Ling studied him. Long moment. Then turned. "Don't cause trouble. Outer guards are replaceable."
She walked away. Robes swishing.
Huoyan watched her go. Slim waist. Long hair swaying. Cold beauty. High value.
Lee noted: Approach later. Poison? Charm? Dual cultivation opportunity. Patience.
Fatty Wang called. "Break over! Move!"
Huoyan pushed off the tree. Joined him.
Patrol dragged on. Sun high. Heat heavy.
No incidents.
No beasts. No thieves.
Just boredom. And slow grind.
But every step added qi. Every glance added plans.
Tutorial still.
But the board was set.