Life in Heaven Dou City has been a roller coaster of emotions. The atmosphere is nothing like what I was used to. There's a lot less fighting and brashness, and a lot more elegance compared to the sect.
The donghua—and martial arts novels in general—always made it look like the smallest insult would end in a fight, and somehow, that would escalate into a death match. The sect was somewhat in line with that idea. Any conflict was always resolved with a sparring match, so I thought that stereotype applied everywhere.
I was wrong.
The reality? Fighting is a last resort and usually frowned upon when done outside the Great Spirit Arena. Guards patrol the entire city constantly, so most spirit masters don't have the guts to cause a real uproar. That explains why the arena allows life-and-death matches, instead of just the competitive ones that were shown in the main story.
Since arriving, I've met many nobles and high-ranking figures while accompanying Aunt Yuehua—people like Ning Fengzhi and Salas, the Platinum Bishop of Spirit Hall. Nothing major happened during those meetings, but I could always feel the emotions behind their facades.
Pity and worry from those who might need the sect's strength. Joy and disgust from those who were likely on the other side. But above all... disdain.
The disdain they held toward Aunt Yuehua, and everyone in the Moon Pavilion. To them, we were nothing more than discarded trash—castoffs from a once-great sect.
It pissed me off. It reminded me of how my mother was treated by the disciples of the Clear Sky Clan. But there's nothing I can do—yet. So, I made myself a promise: one day, I'll help Aunt Yuehua. I won't let her stand alone.
On that note, I should probably mention something important—I finally tested my innate spirit power.
I couldn't do it back when I first awakened because of... well, everything that happened. But things have gotten better now. I was finally ready.
Turns out, I'm highly talented—at least in the eyes of major sects and Spirit Hall. My innate spirit power is level eight. If I remember correctly, that's about the same as Dai Mubai's. Though it's been a long time since my reincarnation, so I could be wrong.
In any other generation, that might make me a core disciple—maybe even a candidate for sect master if there weren't any standouts. But I know the future. I know the monsters that are coming. Compared to the main cast and others with insane potential, I'm probably just barely climbing toward the top.
Still, I've been training hard.
With the help of some guards assigned to protect Aunt Yuehua, I've been refining my weapon style—trying to blend the hammer and spear techniques I learned into something that fits my halberd. It's been difficult. Like stumbling around blind.
But the guards—my instructors—have praised me more than once. They call me a prodigy in weapon techniques and close-quarters combat.
I want to believe them, but I'm not sure if it's flattery. Maybe they're just trying to curry favor because of who I'm connected to. Maybe it's true.
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Today is special.
It's the opening day of the new semester at the Moon Pavilion.
Turns out, the Pavilion isn't open year-round like I once assumed. It functions more like a traditional academy—multiple semesters and mastery levels of the so-called "noble arts."
I've realized something lately: I really need to stop relying on what I thought I knew from the donghua and novels. Most of it is wrong. This world doesn't work like fiction. I need to start treating everything more seriously—with a cautious and open mindset.
Aunt Yuehua explained the Pavilion's system to me yesterday, and it was an eye-opener.
The Moon Pavilion doesn't just teach etiquette and music. It also offers lessons in drawing, chess, sewing, and other refined disciplines. Each year is split into two semesters, three months each, with three-month breaks in between.
Noble families usually send their children right after martial spirit awakening. It's meant to instill discipline and polish their manners. Some stay longer if their martial spirit aligns with a certain discipline.
Take Mei Ruyan, for example. She's one of the Pavilion's top students. Her martial spirit is a zither, and her innate spirit power is level six. She's been studying music here since she was six. That's four years of dedication, supported by her wealthy family.
Curious, I decided to skip training today and attend the ceremony.
When I arrived, the grounds were filled with people. Nobles, teachers, children—all waiting for Aunt Yuehua to begin the ceremony.
Naturally, the most important figures sat at the front. And what a lineup it was.
On the far right sat Yu Luomian, alongside Yu Tianheng and his cousin Yu Tianxin, representing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Next to them was an elderly man with white hair and dark green-accented robes. Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo. He brought his granddaughter to enroll.
On the far left were Ye Yanyue and Ye Lingling of the Nine Heart Begonia Clan. Beside them sat Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, along with Bone Douluo Gu Rong and what I assumed was one of Ning Fengzhi's sons.
But even among such powerhouses, my eyes were drawn to the center group.
I felt it before I saw it—a terrifying pressure. Pure hatred and malice that stabbed into my soul like ice-cold needles.
Prince Xue Xing. Prince Xue Qinghe. Emperor Xue Ye.
But it wasn't any of them.
My eyes locked onto a small figure. A boy, maybe ten, with golden blond hair and obsidian-black eyes. On the surface, nothing about him seemed dangerous.
But I could see deeper.
Beyond the disguise, beyond the mask, there was a girl. A girl with long blond hair and cool, piercing blue eyes filled with murder. Her features were calm, but I saw the micro-expressions. The subtle twitches. The restrained fury.
When our eyes met, I nearly vomited.
It was like staring into a void of hate. She wanted me dead. No—she wanted to carve my soul apart with a smile.
She was here.
The future enemy of Tang San and Uncle Hao. The one who would one day try to destroy the sect I once called home... and kill my father.
I wanted to scream. To point and shout, "She's the enemy!" I wanted to demand her capture, to warn everyone of the serpent hiding in plain sight.
But I didn't.
Because I knew what would happen.
Dugu Bo and Ning Fengzhi would call me delusional. The imperial family would demand my execution. And if, by some miracle, I survived, her protectors—Pufferfish Douluo, Snake Spear Douluo—or perhaps she herself... would finish the job.
So, I left.
My breathing heavy, I fled through the halls to the training ground.
I didn't greet the guests. I didn't speak to anyone.
I just grabbed my halberd and began to swing.
Again.
And again.
And again.
As if the motion itself could guard me from the angel that looked at me as if I already belonged in hell.
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A week has passed since the start of the semester, and surprisingly, my routine hasn't changed all that much.
I still train as intensely as ever, and I still attend the classes Aunt Yuehua insists I take to "keep my mind clear," as she puts it.
Well... there is one thing that's changed.
"Hey, you! I've been calling you for five minutes! Why aren't you answering?! If you keep ignoring me, I'll tell Grandpa to come beat you up!"
That voice—annoying and persistent—belonged to the new disturbance in my otherwise perfect schedule.
Apparently, the little scene I caused during the ceremony didn't go unnoticed. A few people saw it, and even more witnessed me swinging my halberd around like a maniac in the training grounds afterward. As a result, I accidentally gained a small reputation.
People started calling me a "training maniac" and even a "good seedling."
And thanks to that, I earned a special kind of attention—from this little snake who now insists on interrupting me every time I train.
"I told you to respond!" said the purple-haired girl as she stepped behind me and tugged at my shirt like an impatient child.
I let out a quiet sigh. "Miss Dugu, I'd advise you to let go. You might get hurt."
"Oh? Are you threatening me now?"
"No," I replied flatly. "I'm looking out for your safety. I'm literally swinging a massive halberd. I don't want you to get hurt by accident."
"He's right, Sister Yan. You should be more careful," came a calm voice from behind her—the silver-haired girl who always followed Dugu Yan around like a shadow.
These two had quickly become the princesses of the Pavilion. With their noble backgrounds and striking appearances, it was no surprise that the other students tried to cozy up to them. Honestly, it was kind of amusing to see how early Yu Tianheng had started his pursuit.
But for some reason, these two had made a habit of showing up at the training grounds every day—either to talk to me or try to rope me into something.
"Miss Dugu, please listen to your friend and step back," I said in a monotone voice as she continued tugging at my shirt. "I'm trying to focus."
"What is it with you and training?" she huffed. "All you ever do is train, train, and train. Come with us. Classes are boring, and I want to have some fun."
"Sister Yan..."
I sighed again. "Fine. I'll go with you—on one condition. Stop bothering me for the next few days."
"Deal!" she beamed as she grabbed my hand with one of hers, and Ye Lingling's with the other, then started dragging us out of the Moon Pavilion.
That day, I became the escort of the Pavilion's two princesses—and finally experienced what it felt like to be the target of every other boy's envious glare.
We ran around Heaven Dou City, with Dugu Yan acting as our hyperactive guide. She dragged us everywhere—through the noble district, the bustling markets, and even the Great Spirit Arena.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, I remembered what it felt like to have friends. To laugh. To breathe.
And silently, I had to admit...
Maybe taking a break from training every once in a while isn't such a bad idea.
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Author's Note:
Hey everyone, I'm finally back!
Sorry for taking longer than I originally said—I really needed a break after finals. Life just got overwhelming for a bit, and I appreciate your patience.
Good news though: the update schedule will now be stable at 1 chapter per day! Maybe in the future, I'll consider bonus chapters in exchange for Power Stones, but that's still a ways off.
This chapter was more about worldbuilding and giving you a glimpse of the MC's raw talent. The biggest highlight, of course, was the introduction of Qian Renxue, and then the interaction with Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling to set up future character dynamics.
I know the emotional focus on the MC has been a bit heavy lately, but don't worry—next chapter marks the real turning point of the story, kicking off the main plot after his expulsion from the sect.
That's all from me for now. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in the next one!
Random Musings of a Rookie Author:
Just throwing in another one of these for fun—some personal thoughts I want to share with anyone who enjoys this story and has similar interests.
OKC MADE IT TO THE NBA FINALS!
SGA just won Western Conference MVP, and I'm so hyped I could explode.
We are finally going to bury all those hating ass motherfuckers in the ground.
GO THUNDER!! ⚡🏀