* QINYUN SECT MEETING HALL *
The Qinyun Sect's meeting hall stood in solemn silence, its vastness accentuated by the soft glow of lanterns casting flickering shadows on the polished wooden floor. Elder Mo sat atop the high platform, his brow furrowed as he sifted through a stack of parchment scrolls. Wisps of fragrant incense curled upward from a bronze cauldron beside him, the scent mingling with the crisp morning air.
The heavy doors creaked open, and two figures stepped into the hall. Lin Fang, the eldest disciple of the Shuiyun Sect, led the way, his azure robes flowing gracefully with each step. Beside him walked Li Yuen, his expression a blend of arrogance and anticipation.
"Lin Fang of the Shuiyun Sect pays respects to Elder Mo," Lin Fang announced, bowing deeply. Li Yuen mirrored the gesture, albeit with less enthusiasm.
Elder Mo raised his head and looked at the visitors with a tired sigh.
"Lin Fang, what brings you here?" he asked flatly.
Lin Fang stepped forward and offered a polite bow. "Master has sent me to deliver this letter to you regarding the upcoming All-Sect Competition," he said. With a motion of his hand, a brown envelope appeared in his palm. He extended it forward, and the letter floated gently through the air toward Elder Mo.
Elder Mo caught it mid-air, opened it, and gave it a quick glance.
"As you know," Lin Fang continued with a faint smile, "the competition will be hosted by Qinyun Sect a month from now. It appears we're the first to pay our respects."
Elder Mo glared at him, then tossed the letter onto the table with a clatter.
"Go back and tell your master that Qinyun Sect will be ready for him this time," he said, irritation clearly written across his face.
"I hope you will," Lin Fang replied, bowing again. He turned to leave with Li Yuen, but after a few steps, he paused and glanced back toward Elder Mo.
"Oh...that reminds me " Lin Fang said with a smirk. Elder Mo raised his head again, eyes narrowing.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I heard that Qinyun Sect has become so pathetic lately that you're now accepting disciples without a spiritual roots," Lin Fang said with a mocking smile. "At this rate, I hope you won't fall so low and begin accepting stray dogs and cats as well." He chuckled at his own joke.
"How dare you!" Elder Mo roared, rising to his feet. A powerful wave of spiritual energy bursted out of his body.....sending ripples of energy across the hall.
Lin Fang was pushed back several steps, barely able to raise a defensive barrier in time to shield himself. Li Yuen, caught off-guard, was thrown to the ground by the blast.
The pressure lasted a few moments before slowly dissipating.
Elder Mo was in the mid-stage of Core Formation—just a few steps away from reaching the peak stage. Lin Fang, by comparison, was only in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. The difference in cultivation level between them was vast.
"Get out of my sight before I lose my patience," Elder Mo growled.
"Hmph... Let's go," Lin Fang muttered, adjusting his robes. Li Yuen scrambled to his feet and followed him out of the hall without another word.
The tension lingered in the air even after they were gone.
The rivalry between Shuiyun Sect and Qinyun Sect had deepened over the years. What once began as competition had long since turned into bad blood.
As the doors closed behind them, Elder Mo sank back into his seat, massaging his temples.
"Hmph… Shen Wuyou, you sent your disciple here just to insult me?" Elder Mo muttered coldly, leaning back in his chair. "No problem. This time, I'll show you that Qinyun Sect is not so easy to mess with"
His brows furrowed deeply as he exhaled a long breath. Frustration burned behind his eyes.
"And that old drunkard Wu Ming… he never stops making things worse. Why did he have to bring that useless boy back here of all places?" He rubbed his forehead, fingers pressing into the temples as if to ease the headache building there. "Now that Shuiyun Sect has seen him, the news will spread to the other sects. This will ruin our reputation even more."
He let out another deep sigh, then flicked his fingers in the air. Glowing golden characters appeared, suspended for a moment before dissolving into a streak of light and shot out of the hall.
Moments later, a young man entered the hall. He was dressed in a dark green robe bearing the Qinyun Sect crest—Huang Hui, the eldest disciple of the sect. His posture was sharp, and his expression calm, though a hint of curiosity lay behind his eyes.
Huang Hui stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Master, you summoned me?"
Elder Mo gave him a long look and nodded. "Yes. I have a task for you."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping.
"You've heard about that useless boy Wu Ming brought back yesterday, haven't you? The one called Li Cheng?"
"Yes," Huang Hui replied.
"Exactly." Elder Mo's lips curled in contempt. "I want you to make life difficult for him. Don't give him a moment of peace. Pressure him, isolate him—make things so unbearable that he has no choice but to leave the sect on his own."
There was a brief pause, then Elder Mo added sternly, "But be careful not to anger the Old geezer....the less trouble he makes the better.
Once the sect leader emerges from seclusion, I'll report the matter properly."
Huang Hui bowed again. "Understood, Master."
Without another word, he turned and left the hall
..........
.........
As the sun climbed higher, disciples from various sects arrived at Qinyun Sect, each bearing letters of confirmation for the upcoming competition.
At last, the delegation from Zhenling Sect arrived. Leading them was Xu Jia, the eldest disciple of Zhenling Sect, walking proudly beside Yu Mei, the young miss of the Yu Family. The two were accompanied by several other disciples. Zhenling sect accept only female disciples they for the presence of the beauties draw attention as they passed through the outer courtyard.
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Elsewhere, down by a secluded stream, Li Cheng was busy with chores. He balanced a wooden pole across his shoulders, two heavy buckets filled with water swaying on either end. His steps were slow and steady, his breath shallow with effort. Sweat clung to his brow, and his robe clung damply to his back.
As he walked back toward the sect compound, a sudden shimmer of light flashed behind him
Bang!
A beam of light struck the back of his knees. His legs buckled instantly, and the weight of the buckets sent him crashing forward. His body hit the hard ground with a sickening thud. The buckets tipped, spilling water across the dirt path. His nose broke and blood gushed from his nostrils and down his face.
"Agh..." Li Cheng groaned and slowly pushed himself up with trembling arms, blood dripping onto the ground. His face was contorted with pain, but he didn't cry out. A few meters away, two disciples stood doubled over in laughter.
"Hahaha! Did you see that?" one of them sneered. "He fell like a sack of potatoes!"
"Seriously, why is trash like him still walking around the sect?" the other added with a mocking grin.
Not far away, Yu Mei had witnessed the entire scene. Her gaze had been wandering when she caught sight of the incident. At first, she hadn't paid much attention—until she got a closer look at the person's face...the person seems familiar to her but she couldn't remember where she has mate him..but soon Her eyes narrowed slightly. Then they widened.
It's him…
Li Cheng stared at the two but didn't say anything.
"Hey, what are you looking at?" one of the disciples sneered as he walked up to Li Cheng.
He stepped in close, arms crossed arrogantly. "Just look at you—useless trash. What did Senior Wu Ming see in you to bring you back here? Or did you buy a drink for that old drunk."
The other disciple laughed loudly. "Maybe he poured wine for that drunk and begged on his knees! Hahaha!"
Both of them burst into mocking laughter.
Yu Mei instinctively took a step forward, her expression darkening. But before she could move further, a hand grabbed her wrist, halting her.
She turned sharply and saw Xu Jia standing beside her. Her face remained calm, but there was a trace of warning in her eyes.
"Don't get yourself involved in other people's matters," she said softly. "Besides… he looks like just an ordinary servant."