Li Yun sat cross-legged in his private training chamber, the stone walls around him reflecting the glow of a spiritual lantern. The scroll given by Yan Zhiya lay open before him. He had already memorized it—the Crimson Mist Breathing Technique, a cultivation method focused on refining energy through internal pressure.
After a week of practice, the results were evident. His spiritual flow had nearly doubled. Every strike felt deeper, sharper.
"With this technique, you could reach the Third Foundation Stage within a month," Tian Luo remarked.
Li Yun opened his eyes. "And after that?"
"You'll need to begin forming your core. Without that, you'll just be another strong student. But... forming a core requires a special meditation chamber. The Spirit Room won't be enough."
Li Yun nodded. "Then I need access to the Inner Sanctum."
The Inner Sanctum was the highest cultivation chamber within the Duskwind Sky Academy—buried underground and surrounded by sealed spiritual formations crafted by the elders. Only top-ranked students were allowed to enter.
And to reach that rank, he had to break into the top ten of the Bronze Tournament, the academy's official combat trials held every three months.
But that wasn't his only problem.
One night, as he returned from the training gardens, Li Yun sensed something was off. The air felt colder, and the shadows clinging to the buildings seemed too still.
He touched the hilt of his dagger.
His steps slowed, but his movements remained calm. As he turned into the rear corridor of the dormitory—THUNK!—a throwing knife struck the wall just inches from his head.
His reflexes kicked in.
Whoosh!
He leapt back, spinning into a defensive stance. Three figures dropped from the roof, dressed in black and wearing silver masks.
"Li Yun," one of them spoke, voice cold. "We just want what you have. Hand over the pendant, and we'll let you live."
Li Yun frowned.
"They can sense my aura..." whispered the voice from within the pendant.
Li Yun didn't answer. He moved instantly. The Flame Origin Step vanished him from sight, and he reappeared behind the first attacker, slamming a red-glowing palm toward their back.
But the enemy blocked it with a small protective formation.
"Quick for a brat like you," the attacker sneered.
The fight erupted in silence. Three against one, but Li Yun didn't flinch. He knew he couldn't let them lay a finger on the pendant. In five swift moves, he injured one and staggered another.
But the third was different—more dangerous.
"No more games," said this one. He drew a short sword and formed a hand seal.
A small formation exploded beneath Li Yun's feet.
Boom!
His body was thrown back, slamming into the wall. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
"Too slow," said the attacker, stepping forward and thrusting the blade toward Li Yun's chest.
But before the blade could land—
Crack!
A large stone nearby shattered, and a surge of crimson light flooded the corridor. A rumble followed, and a figure stepped between Li Yun and the attacker.
Long hair. White robe. Eyes like calm embers.
Yan Zhiya.
"Too much noise at night," she murmured. "Annoying."
One of the attackers lunged at her—but before he could take a step, she was already in front of him. Her bare hand tapped his shoulder.
Crack!
His shoulder was crushed, his body flung aside like a sack of grain.
The others turned to flee.
Zhiya raised her hand, and a circle of red light appeared beneath their feet.
Zup!
The remaining two were pulled into the ground, swallowed by the earth as if it had opened its mouth.
Zhiya looked down at Li Yun, still panting on the floor.
"You're not dead. Good," she said briefly.
Li Yun wiped the blood from his lips. "Were you stalking me again?"
Zhiya didn't answer. She sat on a nearby rock.
"From now on, you need to be more careful. This academy is no longer safe for you."
Li Yun narrowed his eyes. "You know who they were?"
Zhiya stared blankly. "Outsiders. But there's one reason they were able to get in..."
She pulled something from a small pouch—a scrap of black cloth bearing the emblem of the Duskwind Sky Academy.
"They had a student's seal. Which means... someone from inside let them in."
The next day, the incident was buried in silence. No announcements. No open investigations. But Li Yun knew—the spies had already entered. The academy wasn't as secure as it seemed.
And now, he had become a target.
"We must move quickly," said Tian Luo that night. "You can't wait for the tournament. You must break through to the Third Stage and reach the Inner Sanctum before they act again."
Li Yun stared out the window. Beyond it, the night sky stretched wide—calm, yet filled with a thousand stars like eyes watching from above.
"If they think I'll back down... they're wrong."