Dust motes danced in the stifling heat of the small dorm room. For three days, Bi Kan hadn't moved from his meditative posture.

  A faint, translucent shimmer—a masking array far more refined than his previous crude attempts—pulsed gently along the walls. It acted as an invisible cage, perfectly trapping the acrid scent of crushed herbs and the heavy smoke bleeding from the corner of the room.

  There sat his furnace. Deep, jagged fissures crawled up its dark metal sides, leaving it warped and scarred. It was a permanent reminder of the deformed pill he had forced into existence for Mi Jin. The furnace groaned faintly under the lingering heat. One more intense alchemy session, and the fragile metal would shatter into useless shrapnel.

  Bi Kan’s eyelids fluttered open. A faint, predatory yellow glint flashed in the depths of his dark pupils before instantly melting back into their usual, calm exhaustion.

  He let out a long, slow breath, the stale air parting before him as he smoothly pushed himself to his feet. He didn't stumble. The bone-grinding agony that had plagued his every movement for weeks was gone.

  He looked down at his own hands. Beneath the grey-green fabric of his robes, his body no longer felt fragile. It was a vessel forged through the hellish, repeated boiling of his own blood and the relentless tearing and tightening of his muscles. The ambient Qi in the room naturally gravitated toward his newly widened meridians.

  "Phew," he breathed. The aura surrounding him had fundamentally shifted, settling into a heavy, condensed stillness. He had finally crossed the threshold. "Stage 9. I've finally done it."

  He opened his right palm. With a subtle flex of his will, a faint hiss echoed in the quiet room. Thin wisps of white steam curled upward from his fingertips.

  He waited for the familiar, paralyzing backlash to strike his core. It never came.

  "It doesn't hurt like before," he murmured, his fingers curling inward. "It's actually manageable this time. The pain no longer feels unbearable."

  His eye twitched slightly as a sharp prickle shot up his forearm. The hissing steam slowly whistled out, dissolving into the air. "But... it still stings."

  He dropped his hand to his side, rolling his shoulders. The heavy, suffocating fog of chronic fatigue had lifted from his mind. "I feel so refreshed..."

  After stabilizing my realm and having been well rested, I feel quite alive.

  He turned his gaze toward the heavy wooden door. It had been over a week since they had walked out of the Han Manor's towering gates, and three full days since he had locked himself away in this room to temper his surging energy.

  I wonder if she has learned a lot since then.

  His hand wrapped around the cool brass knob. As he turned it, a loud, energetic voice echoed vividly in his memory.

  "Bi Kan!"

  He could almost see her, pink twin-tails whipping in the wind, her bright green eyes catching the sunlight as she pointed a demanding finger at him. Xia had spent the better part of the week begrudgingly practicing the hand-to-hand martial arts he had forced upon her, right up until her notorious boredom struck.

  It was then she had remembered the bounty poster plastered on the Mission Hall boards.

  "Once you're done breaking through, I want you to head towards the Research Department! We'll be taking down those Silver Apes!"

  Bi Kan pushed the door open, stepping out into the crisp, bustling air of the Outer Sect courtyard.

  Although her being able to imitate even one martial technique is more than enough, he thought, adjusting the collar of his robes as a familiar, pragmatic focus settled over his features. I know how much of a talented girl she is.

  "That part of the sect, huh? I've never been there."

  Bi Kan twisted the doorknob and stepped out into the crisp morning air. The Outer Courtyard greeted him with its familiar, chaotic symphony—the sharp cracks of sparring, the grunts of exertion, and the endless bickering over contribution points and spirit stones.

  "I told you I'd beat you in five moves! Now hand over the five lower-grade spirit stones!"

  A brawny disciple stood triumphantly in the center of a makeshift dirt ring, jabbing a thick thumb into his own chest.

  At his feet, the fallen disciple gritted his teeth, clutching a bruised rib. "No fair! I didn't expect you to be hiding a secret technique like that!" He reached into his robes with a trembling hand and tossed a small pouch. The glowing blue stones spilled out, clattering sharply against the hard earth. "Here's your damn spirit stones, you cheat!"

  "Hmph, don't be a sore loser." The brawny disciple scooped up the stones, a greedy grin stretching across his face.

  A bunch of fools fighting for scraps, Bi Kan thought, his boots making a soft, rhythmic sound against the pavement. No one will pick a fight against me now that I'm already...

  As he walked past the sparring ring, the ambient air grew heavy. The sheer density of Bi Kan’s newly tempered Qi leaked from his meridians, an invisible weight that pressed down on the surrounding disciples.

  The brawny disciple froze. The spirit stones nearly slipped from his thick fingers as a cold bead of sweat traced a path down his temple.

  "W-Woah, is that for real?" the brute whispered, his eyes going wide as he stared at Bi Kan's retreating back. "He's at the 9th stage of the Qi Sensing Realm!"

  At his shocked announcement, multiple heads snapped toward the pathway. Whispers erupted like wildfire, tracking Bi Kan as he walked past them as if they were nothing more than scenery.

  "Damn it! He looks so young, too! This world is unfair! How can people like him course through the world freely with such talent?!"

  "I know, right? I bet he doesn't even know the hardships of being a real survivor in this sect!"

  Bi Kan didn't break his stride. Hmph. What do you know about me? You can grovel and complain all you want, but the result won't change. Insult me all you like; I don't need to prove anything to you.

  As he neared the towering stone archway of the Sect Gates, two familiar figures stepped into his path.

  "Oh, if it isn't Bi Kan?"

  Ran Ji offered a bright, confident smile. He looked vastly different from the rugged Outer Disciple of the wilderness. His brown hair had grown significantly, cascading down his shoulders like a lion's mane, catching the sunlight in rich, golden hues. His eyes held a new, unshakeable clarity, and the robes he wore bore the pristine crest of the Inner Court. Beside him stood Mi Shui, her fiery red hair tied back, her arms crossed in her usual guarded stance.

  "Ran Ji, it's been a while," Bi Kan said, bringing his hands together in a polite greeting. I guess Ran Ji was finally able to pass the trials and become an Inner Disciple.

  "Yeah! It's been too long!" Ran Ji beamed, his chest puffing out slightly. "I just passed the trials about a month ago. I feel a lot better now that I've proved myself worthy." He looked from his own callused fists to Bi Kan. "I've also begun trying to understand the Fading Steps technique. It's equivalent to a four-star blue martial art! I can't believe I got it for free back in that cave... how're you holding up with your manual?"

  Bi Kan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Fading Steps, huh? Could it be a better footwork technique than the ones showcased by that Han brute and Mi Shui?

  He offered a mild, placating smile. "Well, I haven't fully mastered it. I need to tap into the Body Tempering Realm before I can grasp the manual's full potential." As for its official grading, I have no idea.

  Mi Shui uncrossed her arms, her sharp gaze sweeping over his grey-green robes. "You seem to be heading somewhere in a hurry. Maybe you've heard what happened to Mei?"

  Bi Kan stopped dead. The polite smile vanished.

  His chest tightened as if seized by an iron fist. His dark eyes instantly sharpened into a narrow, predatory glare that locked onto Mi Shui. The temperature around them seemed to plummet.

  "Mei?" he asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "What happened... to Mei?"

  If something were to happen, it wouldn't be the cause of a simple Inner Disciple. Mei is more than capable of taking them down. Does it involve... a Grand Family?!

  Mi Shui took a half-step back, startled by the sheer ferocity of his reaction. "Woah, that's quite the glare, Bi Kan." Her lips curved into a reassuring smirk, and she waved a hand to dismiss his killing intent. "You don't have to worry, it's nothing that major."

  She raised a single finger. "Mei fought against the son of a Junior Elder, a disciplinary officer in training. She fought against him for good reason."

  Ran Ji’s bright expression darkened, his gaze downcast. "If I were there, I'd have done the same... and much harsher than what Sister Ming Mei actually did." His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, a flash of pure malice burning in his eyes.

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  "Same here," Mi Shui agreed, her voice lacing with contempt. "Because that piece of shit beat down an already physically weakened friend of ours. Re Jui."

  Bi Kan's eyes widened. He recognized the name instantly. Ming Mei had spoken of him—the leader of her mission group during their bandit camp hunt. The one who had suffered the most fatal injuries to protect the others.

  So... she defended him, huh? Bi Kan’s rigid posture relaxed slightly. That sounds exactly like Mei. But judging by your expressions, she held back.

  He opened his arms in a questioning gesture. "So, what's the situation right now? You two don't seem to be in much of a panic for someone who just assaulted an officer-in-training."

  Mi Shui and Ran Ji exchanged a look before both smiled broadly at Bi Kan.

  "Well, have you forgotten?" Mi Shui asked teasingly.

  "Mei has an Elder backing her up, after all!" they said in unison, pride evident in their voices at Mei's ability to command the attention of the sect's upper echelons.

  Right, I forgot, Bi Kan thought, his mind racing. I still don't recall the name of the specific elder, though.

  "Also, I heard that a Junior Elder from the Ke Family has sided with Mei for some unknown reason," Ran Ji interjected, shrugging his broad shoulders. "But who cares why? As long as they're trying to resolve this issue, Mei will be fine! It's Re Jui we're worried about. Not only is his physical state destroyed, but I fear for his mental psyche. His pride is deeply wounded now."

  Bi Kan looked at the two of them. Mei's three friends from the wilderness... Mi Shui, Re Jui, and Ran Ji. They stood by her when I couldn't.

  "After I return from this... mission," Bi Kan said, his voice firm with resolve, "I'll pay a visit to Re Jui. Perhaps I can help."

  Their expressions brightened instantly. "You're a savior, Bi Kan! No wonder Mei regards you so highly!" Ran Ji laughed, clapping a heavy, appreciative hand on Bi Kan’s shoulder.

  Mi Shui nodded toward him, her usual abrasive demeanor softening. "Thank you again. For saving Mi Jin and... making him much stronger than before." The words slipped from her mouth with a rare, hesitant sincerity. She cleared her throat quickly. "So, where are you headed then?"

  I can rest easy now knowing that Mei is backed by two powerful families, Bi Kan thought, filing the information away. A mere Junior Elder won't be able to touch her now.

  "I'm headed toward the Research Department," Bi Kan replied calmly. "Xia might be waiting for me there."

  Mi Shui's eye twitched violently at the mention of the Pink Whirlwind. The memory of their clash was still fresh, but she forced the annoyance down, remembering how Xia had guarded the door while Bi Kan cured her brother.

  "O-Oh, really? The Research Department?" Mi Shui blinked, a look of sudden realization crossing her face. "Oh! Mi Jin headed there too! He's completely focused on hunting down that Silver Demon Ape!"

  Following Mi Shui's instructions, Bi Kan left the bustling Outer Court behind. The paved stone pathways soon gave way to a rugged dirt trail that wound its way up the mountain.

  An hour away, Bi Kan thought, his boots crunching against the loose gravel. And entirely uphill.

  He looked up. Through the breaks in the dense pine canopy, he could see the higher peaks. It made sense; a department dedicated to studying the beasts and flora of the surrounding wilderness would naturally sit on high ground, offering an unobstructed vantage point over the sweeping forests.

  Despite the steep incline, Bi Kan’s breathing remained perfectly even. A few days ago, this climb would have left him coughing up blood, his weak vessel straining against the exertion. Now, the ambient Qi flowed smoothly through his widened meridians, feeding his muscles with a steady, tireless rhythm.

  As he navigated a narrow bend in the trail, a figure draped in a heavy brown cloak descended from the opposite direction.

  The path was tight. Bi Kan, lost in his assessment of his own body, didn't shift his weight in time. Their shoulders collided.

  Normally, an Outer Disciple would be sent stumbling into the dirt by such a careless impact. But Bi Kan’s newly tempered Stage 9 foundation held firm. He didn't budge a single inch.

  The cloaked figure halted, her momentum jarringly arrested. A stray lock of brown hair slipped from beneath the deep cowl of her hood.

  "Watch where you're going, little boy."

  The voice was female, smooth but laced with a casual, undeniable authority. Even though her face was obscured by the shadows of the hood, Bi Kan could feel the heavy, direct weight of her gaze. Her posture was ramrod straight, radiating an effortless confidence.

  Bi Kan immediately took a step back, giving her a wide berth. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

  I made a mistake. I should have just stepped aside from the start.

  His heightened senses brushed against her aura and recoiled. It was like standing next to a suppressed volcano. She was actively hiding her cultivation, but the sheer density of the Qi leaking through her cloak was suffocating. She was standing firmly within the Body Tempering Realm—perhaps even higher, brushing the edges of Meridian Opening.

  "Forgive me, Senior Sister," Bi Kan said smoothly, seamlessly adopting the mask of a polite junior. He folded his hands together and bowed his head. "I was merely distracted for a moment."

  The girl didn't move. She stood there, analyzing his stance.

  "You..." she murmured, her voice dropping into a thoughtful register. "The boy who was gifted a blade by the Ra Family. You are the one known as Bi Kan of the Outer Court."

  Bi Kan’s polite smile froze. His paranoia spiked, coiling tightly in his chest.

  Who is this girl? How does she know about the sword? How does she know my name?

  "Seeing as you were a catalyst in the Bandit Extermination months back—as mentioned by Dong Kai—I have a question for you."

  The mountain wind howled through the pines, whipping the edges of her brown cloak. For a split second, the oppressive weight of a true killer’s gaze pierced through the shadows of her hood, locking directly onto Bi Kan’s soul.

  "Have you met a young man with spiky red hair? Do you know that kind of person?"

  The air around them grew ice cold. Bi Kan’s instincts screamed a singular, absolute truth: If I lie right now, I will not leave this mountain alive.

  His mind raced, flipping through the chaotic memories of the wilderness.

  He had only remembered the blade of Hao Xua and the sprawling bandits that came, after all he wasn't anywhere near the fortress. Merely a catalyst for the whole scene

  Red hair. Spiky.

  No. I never crossed paths with anyone matching that description.

  Bi Kan maintained eye contact with the dark hood, his voice steady and devoid of deceit.

  "No, Senior Sister. I do not know such a person."

  The crushing pressure in the air lingered for a heartbeat, searching his face for any flicker of falsehood. Finding none, the heavy aura slowly dissipated.

  The girl lowered her head slightly, the tension bleeding out of her rigid posture.

  "Thank you for your service to the sect then, Bi Kan of the Outer Court."

  Without another word, she stepped past him, continuing her descent down the mountain trail toward the main sect grounds. Bi Kan remained in his bowing posture until the soft crunch of her footsteps faded entirely.

  He slowly straightened up, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He looked back down the empty, winding path.

  "Just who was she...?" he whispered to the wind.

  Pushing the unsettling encounter to the back of his mind, Bi Kan resumed his ascent.

  The higher he climbed, the more the landscape shifted. The dense, suffocating humidity of the lower woods gave way to a crisper chill. The trees grew sparse, their roots clinging desperately to jagged, uneven rock formations.

  The newly stabilized power of the 9th Stage coursed through him, replacing the chronic exhaustion of the past weeks with a steady, reliable hum of energy.

  A sudden gust of wind swept down the slope, violently rustling the thick bushes ahead.

  Bi Kan froze.

  His senses, sharpened to a razor's edge, caught a heavy, rhythmic vibration in the earth. There's something coming.

  Thin wisps of hot steam began to vent from his calves, his muscles coiling like compressed springs.

  CRACK!

  The massive pine tree ten paces ahead of him violently splintered into a shower of wood and bark. A towering monstrosity burst through the ruin. It was an ape, easily twice the size of a grown man, its skin coated in a sheen of metallic silver fur. But it was its eyes that sent a primal warning through Bi Kan's mind—they were entirely devoid of reason, swirling with a crazed, violent purple spiral.

  "What the—?!"

  The Silver Ape raised its massive, tree-trunk arms and brought them crashing down onto the exact spot where Bi Kan was standing.

  The rock shattered, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

  "I didn't expect it to be this agile," Bi Kan muttered. He had already moved, his burst of speed carrying him out of the kill zone. He landed sideways against the rough bark of a nearby tree, his boots gripping the wood.

  "Then you'll be the first one I test this on—"

  His eyes widened. The ape didn't pause to recover from its swing. Using its momentum, it vaulted directly upward, its massive form disappearing into the dense, overhanging canopy with terrifying speed.

  "Shit!" Bi Kan kicked hard off the bark. "I won't let you land a surprise attack on me, beast!"

  He propelled himself higher into the branches, his eyes darting through the shadows of the leaves, tracking the rustle of the canopy.

  A guttural snarl erupted from directly behind him.

  Bi Kan twisted mid-air. He channeled his Qi downward, his blood boiling in a localized, rapid burst. Steam hissed sharply from his right leg as he executed a swift, modified variant of the Legendary Boar's strike.

  His heel connected squarely with the descending ape's broad back.

  THWACK!

  The sheer kinetic force of the impact halted the beast's momentum. The ape roared in sudden agony, hurtling downward like a falling meteor. It crashed into the rocky earth below, the impact throwing up a small explosion of dirt and uprooted grass.

  Bi Kan landed lightly on a thick branch above, staring down at the settling dust.

  The silver beast twitched. With a furious growl, it slammed its fists into the dirt and pushed itself back up, shaking the debris from its fur. Its purple, spiral eyes locked onto Bi Kan, burning with renewed hatred.

  It's still alive? Bi Kan calculated coldly. I guess it requires a full-power attack to put it down for good.

  Before he could adjust his stance, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. The canopy behind him rustled violently.

  Another Silver Ape.

  "Damn it!" Bi Kan gritted his teeth, forced to burn another burst of steam just to evade. He plummeted from the branch, landing heavily on the rocky ground below as the second ape’s silver claws sheared through the space he had just occupied.

  He dropped into a defensive stance, his fists clenched tight. The two massive apes flanked him, beating their chests and baring their fangs.

  Will two full-burst attacks make me pass out? Bi Kan’s mind raced. No. But it will definitely drain my reserves. I can't run; they're far too agile in this terrain.

  He shifted his weight, preparing to gamble his stamina on a preemptive strike.

  Then, a sharp, melodic sound cut through the howling wind.

  Clink. Clink.

  The distinct chime of metal earrings.

  Before Bi Kan could even glance upward, a shadow eclipsed the sun.

  An Inner Disciple dropped from the sky with the weight of a falling mountain. His bare fists were encased in a dense, suffocating layer of hardened Qi that distorted the air around his knuckles.

  He landed squarely between the two beasts, driving both fists outward in a simultaneous, devastating strike.

  CRUNCH.

  The sheer, overwhelming pressure of the blows caved in both of the Silver Apes' skulls instantly. Their massive bodies went entirely limp, crashing into the dirt with a final, heavy thud.

  The dust slowly settled. The newcomer stood up from the carnage, dusting off his robes with casual ease. His practical brown hair swayed gently in the mountain breeze, and the golden earrings dangling from his lobes chimed softly.

  "You did a good job distracting them," the disciple said, turning around with a bright, easygoing smile. His dark eyes settled on the grey-green robes. "You must be him. Bi Kan."