Part 1
Mount Qingyun was shrouded in morning mist, its seven main peaks appearing and disappearing like immortal islands floating atop a sea of clouds.
The bluestone floor of the martial arena was damp with dew. Lin Yue stood at the edge in his green robes, a fine layer of sweat on his forehead. He had just finished his unshakable morning practice and was gazing at the distant mountains, his expression gentle and calm. His natural talent was above average in the cultivation world—the position of senior disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect was earned solely through this relentless, day-after-day diligence.
"Senior Brother!" A crisp voice called from behind.
Lin Yue turned, his hands calloused from years of sword practice falling naturally at his sides. He watched Chu Yanran run toward him, her goose-yellow skirt bunched in her hands. The white jade hairpin in her hair swayed gently with each step—it was the birthday gift he had carved for her last year, a tiny orchid at the tip, which she wore every day without fail.
"Father says a merchant caravan was robbed down in Qinghe Town," Chu Yanran said, slightly out of breath as she reached him. "He wants us to go. He mentioned cultivators might be involved, so we should be careful."
Lin Yue instinctively shifted to block the mountain wind from her side and nodded. "When do we leave?"
"Now, I suppose? Father said the sooner the better." Chu Yanran tilted her head, looking at him. "Senior Brother, what were you thinking about just now?"
"Nothing." Lin Yue smiled gently.
"You're lying." She stepped closer, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Every time you're lost in thought, your brow furrows a tiny bit—the right side higher than the left."
Lin Yue froze, a little embarrassed as he unconsciously raised a hand to touch his brow. He had indeed been thinking about the sect's monthly pill expenses. As senior disciple, these trivial matters always weighed on his mind without him realizing it.
Chu Yanran laughed, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "Come on, come on. We can talk on the way."
The two walked side by side toward the main hall. Lin Yue's steps were steady and unhurried. Behind them, the morning mist slowly closed in, blanketing the bluestone floor of the martial arena.
Part 2
They reached the main hall.
Sect Leader Chu Xiong stood inside, his back to the door, gazing at the portrait of the sect's founder on the wall. Hearing their footsteps, he turned around. Though in his forties, he looked to be barely thirty, save for the streaks of white at his temples—the lingering mark of an injury from a failed seclusion training years ago.
"You're here." He nodded. "You both know the mission?"
"Yes," Lin Yue replied respectfully.
Chu Xiong walked to the map and pointed to the southeastern corner of Qingmu Prefecture. "Heifeng Ridge, outside Qinghe Town. Three caravans robbed in the past half month. We thought it was ordinary bandits the first two times, but the third time, a guard with some martial arts training escaped and reported that among the robbers, there was someone who could summon fire from thin air and scale walls—looked like a cultivator."
"A cultivator attacking mortals?" Chu Yanran frowned. "That's strictly forbidden."
"Exactly why I'm sending you two." Chu Xiong looked at Lin Yue, his gaze carrying both reassurance and trust. "You're at the late stage of Foundation Building. Yanran is still at Qi Condensation, but she needs the experience. Most rogue cultivators are no match for you. But remember—safety first. If you find the opponent is beyond your level, retreat immediately. Don't engage recklessly."
"I understand, Master." Lin Yue saluted with his fist in his palm.
By midday, the two rode on horseback to Qinghe Town. Under the guidance of Town Keeper Li Tong, they met the guard who had escaped with his life—Zhao Daniu.
"The man... he wore all black. He jumped down from a cliff without making a sound." Zhao Daniu lay in bed, his face sallow. "He slapped Wang Tou square in the chest—caved it in. I saw it with my own eyes. There was a layer of green light on his hand, like fireflies."
Lin Yue exchanged a glance with Chu Yanran. He calmly asked about the bandits' numbers and identifying features, then turned to Li Tong and instructed him to find a guide. They would head into the mountains tomorrow morning. His manner was unhurried, yet carried an inexplicable sense of calm.
Part 3
Early the next day, Lin Yue and his companions entered Heifeng Ridge.
Zhao Laoliu, their guide, was a veteran hunter of thirty years. When they reached a narrow pass called "Thread of Heaven," Lin Yue suddenly raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.
"What is it?" Chu Yanran asked in a low voice.
"There's a fluctuation of spiritual energy ahead," Lin Yue said, concentrating. "Very faint—like a flash."
He thought for a moment, then moved to put the guide behind him. "Wait here. Yanran, come with me to scout ahead. Suppress your aura."
The two pressed close to the cliffside, moving silently forward. As they rounded a bend, the view suddenly opened up.
In the valley below, seven or eight bandits with blades surrounded a young boy. He was thirteen or fourteen, skin and bones, wearing tattered coarse cloth clothes, clutching a wooden box tightly to his chest. Cornered against a massive boulder, his face was deathly pale, yet his gaze was eerily calm.
"Refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" The bandit leader swung his blade down—
In that instant, a blinding green light burst from the wooden box in the boy's arms. The bandit leader screamed and was thrown backward, landing three zhang away with his chest robes shredded and blackened.
The remaining bandits froze for a moment, then snarled and rushed forward together. The boy slowly closed his eyes.
At the critical moment, a streak of green sword light shot in from the valley entrance and circled among the bandits. Clang, clatter, clang! Seven or eight blades hit the ground simultaneously as the bandits clutched their wrists, screaming as they scattered in all directions.
Lin Yue landed as his sword returned to his hand, Chu Yanran close behind. No flashy techniques—just the most solid, efficient swordplay honed by a thousand repetitions.
Part 4
The boy opened his eyes and looked at the two who had suddenly appeared. His gaze paused briefly on Lin Yue's face, then he slowly lowered his head. "Thank you... thank you for saving my life." His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn't drunk water in a long time.
Lin Yue walked over and crouched down beside him, his manner gentle. "What's your name? How did you end up here?"
"My name is Su Yan." The boy lifted his head, his face pale. "Father died of illness. I was on my way to relatives when they stopped me... they wanted to take what I have." He looked down at the wooden box in his arms.
With the boy's permission, Lin Yue opened the box and glanced inside. Inside was a thumb-sized green jade token engraved with unintelligible runes; its spiritual energy was fading. "A protective charm," he said. "It's used up now—no longer of any use." He handed the box back to Su Yan, his tone carrying a hint of comfort.
The boy hugged the box tightly and lowered his head without speaking.
"Senior Brother, he's pitiful," Chu Yanran said softly beside him.
Lin Yue looked at the boy. Thin, ragged, his father newly dead, not even knowing where his relatives were. Anyone else would have broken down crying. But this boy's eyes held not a single tear.
It wasn't that he wasn't grieving. It was too quiet. Still as stagnant water, yet deep as a bottomless well.
Lin Yue was kind-hearted by nature, but not dull. This unusual stillness stirred a flicker of doubt in his mind, but he didn't dwell on it. With a quiet sigh, he stood up. "Come with us for now. We'll figure out the rest later."
As they reached the valley entrance, Lin Yue glanced back at the bandit leader who had been thrown back, committing the scorch mark—like that left by an ancient talisman—to memory.
Part 5
By evening, the three rode back to the Azure Cloud Sect on horseback.
Su Yan shared a horse with Chu Yanran, sitting behind her with his wooden box in his arms, saying nothing. The seven main peaks stood against the evening glow, the clouds tinted gold and red like a landscape painting suspended between heaven and earth.
"Is that the Azure Cloud Sect?" Su Yan asked quietly.
"Yes," Chu Yanran replied with a smile. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Beautiful," Su Yan said. His voice was very soft, very calm.
But where no one could see, deep within his sea of consciousness, a cold, emotionless mechanical voice was sounding—
[Target Contact: Lin Yue. Contact completed.]
[Identity: Azure Cloud Sect Inner Sect Senior Disciple. Cultivation: Foundation Building, Late Stage.]
[Affection Level: Initial—Neutral.]
[System Assessment: Target is composed and intuitively sharp. No unusual luck fluctuations detected. Recommendation: Maintain routine contact; proceed with caution.]
[Target Contact: Chu Yanran. Contact completed.]
[Identity: Daughter of the Azure Cloud Sect Leader.]
[Affection Level: Initial—Friendly.]
[System Assessment: Target is simple-minded, low vigilance, highly exploitable. Recommendation: Designate as core breakthrough point.]
[Phase One Infiltration Task Completed. Reward Issued: Qi Induction Art (Camouflage Improved Edition).]
[Phase Two Main Mission Activated: Exploit sympathy to be accepted into the Azure Cloud Sect.]
Su Yan lowered his eyes. A cold, imperceptible smile curved at the corner of his mouth.
The Azure Cloud Sect. He would start with these unsuspecting, "kind-hearted" people.
In the distance, the evening glow was fading. Lin Yue's steady, broad-shouldered figure led the way ahead, unaware that he had brought back a cold machine that would soon drain the world's very lifeblood.
Night was about to fall.