Chapter 3: The Weight of Memories
Three days had passed since Chen Ye began the Abyssal Tide Circulation.His body felt like it had been torn apart and rebuilt three times over. Each cultivation session left him weaker, his meridians burning with the intensity of purification. But the results were undeniable.[Meridian Purity: 79%]
[Estimated completion: 4 more days]Chen Ye sat in the outer sect's dining hall, forcing himself to eat despite having no appetite. His body needed fuel to recover, even if his mind wanted to return immediately to cultivation. Around him, dozens of other outer disciples chatted and laughed, oblivious to the predator sitting among them."Did you hear? The sect assessment is tomorrow," a voice said nearby.Chen Ye's chopsticks paused midway to his mouth. The assessment. He'd almost forgotten.Every three months, the sect conducted evaluations of outer disciples. Performance determined resource allocation for the next quarter. In his previous life, Chen Ye had scored mediocrely — enough to survive, not enough to stand out.But now, with his purification nearly complete and his combat experience from a future that never was, things would be different."I heard Elder Zhou will be overseeing it personally," another disciple added nervously. "They say he's extremely strict."Elder Zhou. Chen Ye remembered him — a harsh but fair elder who valued talent over connections. One of the few uncorrupted officials in the sect. In his previous timeline, Elder Zhou had died during the Dark Moon Cult's invasion, one of the few genuine losses Chen Ye had mourned.Not this time, Chen Ye thought grimly. If I change my fate, perhaps I can change others' as well. But only if it serves my purposes."Chen Ye?"The voice made him look up. A girl stood before him — sixteen or seventeen, with delicate features and earnest eyes. Su Ling, a fellow outer disciple. In his previous life, she had been one of the few who showed him genuine kindness. Nothing romantic, just simple human decency in a world that valued strength over compassion.She had died three years from now, killed during a mission gone wrong. Chen Ye had attended her funeral."Su Ling," he acknowledged, his voice carefully neutral."May I sit?" she asked hesitantly.Chen Ye gestured to the empty space across from him. She sat, placing her meal tray down carefully."You look terrible," she said bluntly, then blushed. "I mean — you look exhausted. Are you okay?""Intensive cultivation," Chen Ye replied shortly. It wasn't entirely a lie.Su Ling frowned. "You shouldn't push yourself too hard. I heard about your mission to Warehouse 7. Everyone's surprised you completed it so quickly."Everyone's surprised, Chen Ye thought, because the old me would have struggled."It was manageable," he said aloud."Still, five contribution points isn't much for that kind of work. You should have taken the forest patrol mission instead. Same difficulty, three times the reward."Chen Ye almost smiled. She was trying to help, offering advice she thought he needed. She didn't know that he'd deliberately chosen the warehouse, that those five contribution points were meaningless compared to the fifteen mid-grade spirit stones now hidden in his room."I'll consider it next time," he said, keeping his tone polite but distant.Su Ling looked like she wanted to say more, but something in his expression stopped her. After an awkward moment, she changed the subject."Are you ready for tomorrow's assessment?""As ready as I can be.""I'm nervous," she admitted. "My cultivation has barely improved since last quarter. If I don't score well, they might cut my spirit stone allocation."Chen Ye studied her for a moment. In his memories, Su Ling remained an outer disciple her entire short life, never advancing beyond Foundation Stage. Not because she lacked talent, but because she lacked resources and guidance. She cultivated diligently but followed inefficient methods taught by mediocre instructors.He could help her. Share some knowledge, point her toward better techniques. In his previous life, she had been kind to him. Perhaps he owed her that much.But then cold logic reasserted itself. Helping Su Ling would draw attention. It would raise questions about how a mediocre outer disciple suddenly possessed advanced knowledge. It would create complications.And in this world, complications get you killed, Chen Ye thought ruthlessly."You'll do fine," he said instead, offering empty encouragement.Su Ling smiled uncertainly. "Thanks. Good luck to you too."She left soon after, and Chen Ye returned to his meal, feeling nothing. No guilt, no regret. Just cold calculation.This is who I am now, he acknowledged. The boy who would sacrifice his own advancement to help others is dead. What remains is someone who understands the true nature of this world.That evening, Chen Ye performed his sixth cycle of Abyssal Tide Circulation.The pain was familiar now, almost comfortable in its intensity. He had learned to embrace it, to use it as a measuring stick for progress. Pain meant impurities being expelled. Pain meant he was getting stronger.[Abyssal Tide Circulation - Sixth Cycle Complete]
[Meridian Purity: 79% → 87%]
[Warning: Final purification cycles will be most painful. Host's determination will be tested.]Chen Ye opened his eyes, black sweat coating his skin. His body trembled from exhaustion, but his mind was clear. One more day. One more round of cycles, and his meridians would be pure.Then he could begin true cultivation.A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. Chen Ye frowned. He rarely received visitors. Carefully, he wiped the worst of the sweat from his face and opened the door.Liu Feng stood in the hallway.Chen Ye's heart turned to ice. For a moment, he was back in that cold hall, feeling Liu Feng's blade against his throat, hearing that mocking voice asking for last words."Because you had something we wanted, Senior Brother."His hand instinctively moved toward the iron sword leaning against the wall, before he forced himself to stop. This wasn't that timeline. Here, Liu Feng was still his "friend," still playing the role of loyal junior brother. The betrayal was years away."Chen Ye! There you are!" Liu Feng's smile was warm and genuine — or at least, it appeared that way. "I've been looking for you."Chen Ye studied the face he had once trusted, now seeing it with different eyes. Liu Feng was handsome in a conventional way, with an easy charm that made people like him. In their previous timeline, they had met during a sect mission two years from now and quickly became close friends.Or so Chen Ye had thought. In reality, Liu Feng had been cultivating their "friendship" deliberately, positioning himself to steal Chen Ye's discoveries when the moment was right.But why was he here now, two years early?"Liu Feng," Chen Ye said carefully, keeping his voice neutral. "What can I do for you?""I heard about your warehouse mission," Liu Feng said, still smiling. "Five contribution points for rat extermination? That's rough, brother. You should join me tomorrow. I'm leading a team into the outer forests to hunt Spirit Wolves. Much better rewards."Chen Ye's analytical mind worked rapidly. In his original timeline, he'd never interacted with Liu Feng during his outer disciple years. Something had changed. But what?Then he understood. The warehouse mission. His rapid completion, his sudden competence — it had drawn attention. And Liu Feng, ever the opportunist, was investigating.He smells potential, Chen Ye realized. He wants to see if I'm worth cultivating as a future pawn."I appreciate the offer," Chen Ye said slowly, "but I'm not ready for Spirit Wolf hunts.""Not ready? Come on, I've seen your progress. You completed that warehouse mission in record time." Liu Feng's eyes gleamed with what looked like friendly encouragement. "Besides, you won't face them alone. My team has seven members, all late Awakening Stage. We could use someone with your efficiency."It was well-played. Frame the invitation as a compliment, appeal to Chen Ye's need for contribution points, offer safety in numbers. In another life, Chen Ye would have been flattered and agreed.Now, he saw the manipulation for what it was."I have the assessment tomorrow," Chen Ye deflected. "I should focus on preparation."Liu Feng's smile dimmed slightly. "The mission is after the assessment. Come on, Chen Ye. When was the last time you earned real contribution points? This is an opportunity."An opportunity. Yes, but for whom?Chen Ye considered his options. Rejecting Liu Feng entirely would seem suspicious. But accepting could lead to complications. Liu Feng wasn't dangerous yet, but he was clever and observant. Spending time with him was risky.On the other hand, going on the mission would give Chen Ye a chance to evaluate his combat abilities in his younger body. And Spirit Wolves, while dangerous, weren't beyond his capabilities.Calculate the risks, he told himself. This is what it means to walk the razor's edge."Fine," Chen Ye said finally. "I'll join your team. But I want an equal share of the contribution points."Liu Feng's smile returned in full force. "Of course! We're all equals in my team. I'll find you after the assessment tomorrow. You won't regret this, brother."He left with a friendly wave, and Chen Ye closed the door slowly. His hands were steady, but his mind was racing.This was unexpected. Meeting Liu Feng two years early changed variables he couldn't fully predict. But perhaps it was an opportunity as well. A chance to understand his future betrayer before the betrayal happened. To identify weaknesses. To prepare countermeasures."Chronicle," Chen Ye whispered, "if I wanted to kill someone three years from now, what would I need to prepare?"[Question acknowledged. Murder planning requires specific target information. Current data insufficient for detailed strategy.]"Hypothetically," Chen Ye continued, "if someone at Spirit Stage wanted to kill another Spirit Stage cultivator, what method would be most effective?"[Multiple methods available depending on circumstances:]
[1. Poison - Success rate varies by target's constitution]
[2. Ambush during weakened state - High success rate if properly planned]
[3. Manipulation of enemies - Use others as weapons]
[4. Overwhelming power differential - Requires reaching higher cultivation stage]Chen Ye absorbed this information silently. Three years. That was how long he had before Liu Feng's betrayal in the original timeline. Three years to grow stronger, to learn his enemy's weaknesses, to prepare the perfect trap.But I won't wait three years, he decided. If the opportunity presents itself earlier, I'll take it. This time, I'll be the one holding the knife.The next morning, the outer sect's training ground was packed with disciples.Chen Ye arrived early, positioning himself at the edge of the crowd. The assessment would test three categories: cultivation base, combat ability, and comprehension. Simple, direct, and revealing.Elder Zhou stood at the front, his grey robes fluttering in the wind. He was a stern-faced man in his fifties, with the bearing of a veteran warrior."Listen well," Elder Zhou's voice cut through the chatter like a blade. "This assessment determines your resources for the next quarter. Perform well, and you'll receive better cultivation materials. Perform poorly, and you'll receive the minimum. The sect rewards effort and talent, not excuses. Am I clear?""Yes, Elder!" the disciples chorused."Good. We'll begin with cultivation base testing. Form lines in front of the Testing Stones."Chen Ye joined the queue, watching as disciples ahead of him placed their hands on the large crystal formations. Each stone glowed with varying intensity based on the person's cultivation level and purity.Most outer disciples were in the Awakening Stage, with a few rare Foundation Stage seniors. The Testing Stones displayed colors: white for Early Awakening, pale blue for Mid Awakening, bright blue for Late Awakening, and silver for Foundation Stage.Chen Ye's turn came. He placed his hand on the cool crystal surface and channeled his energy carefully.The stone erupted in brilliant bright blue light, almost silver at the edges.Murmurs rippled through the crowd. That was Peak Awakening Stage, nearly Foundation Stage. For a fifteen-year-old with no special background, it was exceptional.Elder Zhou's eyes sharpened with interest. "Name?""Chen Ye, Outer Disciple.""Chen Ye..." Elder Zhou consulted a jade slip. "Your last assessment showed Early Awakening Stage. Explain this improvement."Every eye was on him now. Chen Ye felt the weight of attention but kept his expression humble."I've been following a strict cultivation regimen, Elder. Intensive meditation and resource optimization."It was technically true. Elder Zhou studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly."Excellent progress. Continue." But his tone suggested this conversation wasn't over.Chen Ye stepped aside, aware of the stares following him. He'd drawn attention, which was unavoidable. But he'd also positioned himself as talented and hardworking, not suspicious.Su Ling caught his eye from across the training ground, looking shocked and happy for him. Liu Feng stood nearby, wearing a thoughtful expression that Chen Ye didn't trust for a second.The game has begun, Chen Ye thought. Let's see who plays it better.The assessment continued. Combat testing would be next, and Chen Ye intended to dominate it.After all, he'd fought these same evaluations once before. This time, he knew exactly what was coming.And in a world where knowledge was power, that made him the most dangerous person in the outer sect.