This year has flown by quickly, and thankfully, everything has been progressing smoothly.
My schedule has mostly stayed the same, except for the addition of a rest day when I leave the pavilion to hang out with Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling.
Since our first outing together, I've grown much closer to them and learned a great deal about their personalities, habits, and tendencies.
It turns out Dugu Yan is far more than just a spoiled, arrogant girl with a princess complex. She's shown an incredibly kind side toward both me and Lingling, along with a fiercely protective nature that surfaces whenever one of us is in trouble.
One such moment happened during a small fight between me and Yu Tianheng. At first, it was amusing watching him pursue Yanyan, but things changed when she began ignoring him to spend more time with me and Lingling. He grew increasingly aggressive, wrongly assuming I was trying to get closer to her as well. Naturally, the young master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan couldn't tolerate that.
One day, he showed up at the training grounds and attacked me without warning. Only after his ambush failed did he claim it was a "sparring match." I was furious at the sneak attack but was still willing to accept the challenge, since sparring is a great way to improve. Just as I was about to respond, I heard Dugu Yan's furious voice and turned to see her stomping toward us with a scowl on her face.
That day, I watched a snake utterly decimate a dragon. She tore into him, calling him a coward, a disgrace to his clan, and even went so far as to call him "the Master's son."
That comment hit a nerve. He was so enraged he tried to attack her, but I managed to stop him before he could cause any damage. When Aunt Yuehua heard about the incident, she contacted the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and sent Yu Tianheng back to them to be "disciplined."
Aside from the satisfaction of seeing him leave the pavilion with a frightened look on his face, the incident made me curious about the political landscape in the capital. I had only a surface-level understanding of it, and surprisingly, even Dugu Yan was more knowledgeable than I was.
After hearing my request, Aunt Yuehua began teaching me personally. Through our many lessons, I learned why Yu Tianheng was so infuriated when Yanyan called him the Master's son. Yu Xiaogang has a terrible reputation in elite circles—especially within his own clan. He's considered a waste, not just due to his lack of talent, but also because of the resources he squandered during his time with the clan. Add to that the fact that his greatest accomplishment, after accessing the libraries of both the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and Spirit Hall, was writing a book filled with surface-level theories that most spirit masters come to understand naturally. It's no wonder he's viewed as a stain on the clan's history.
Most members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan see him as their greatest embarrassment, so being associated with him is an immense insult.
I also learned about many other topics that could prove useful in the future, such as Ning Fengzhi's plans to align more closely with the imperial family, and the four princes and their qualifications for the throne. Xue Beng, being only about two years old at this time, wasn't mentioned much, but the other two princes were considered to have stronger claims than Xue Qinghe. This likely explains why Qian Renxue targeted Xue Qinghe in particular—besides their closeness in age.
The first prince, being relatively average compared to his brothers, wasn't in the spotlight as much. That made him a more manageable target—easier to observe, imitate, and replace, especially since fewer nobles were vying for his favor.
In any case, all of this reaffirmed something for me:
This world is far more complicated and confusing than I first thought.
The incident with Yu Tianheng and the lessons with Aunt Yuehua have only encouraged me to train harder—and to better understand the world around me—so I can be ready to face whatever lies ahead.
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I was currently in the Great Spirit Arena watching some matches with Yanyan and Lingling. It was the last day I'd see them for a while, since my spirit power had finally reached level 10—and tomorrow, I would go out to obtain my first spirit ring.
I probably could've advanced faster in my cultivation, but with all the time I spent on weapon training and the extra lessons Aunt Yuehua forced me to attend, my time to meditate and cultivate had been significantly reduced.
"Brother Lei, you're spacing out again," I heard Ye Lingling's soft voice say.
"Sorry, Lingling. I was just thinking about acquiring my spirit ring tomorrow."
"Of course you are, you training freak," Dugu Yan said from my left with a smirk.
"I told you to stop calling me that, Yanyan. Or would you rather the entire capital find out that the graceful granddaughter of Poison Douluo is secretly a little demon?"
"Tang Lei, you better shut up or I'll beat you."
"As if you could."
"You damn—"
Before she could finish, Ye Lingling calmly raised a hand and placed it over Yanyan's mouth, her usual expression unchanging.
"You're proving him right, Yanyan. You need to pay more attention to what you say."
"See? You're the problem here. All those lessons you've been taking at the Moon Pavilion are clearly wasted on that thick head of yours," I teased.
"Mmm...mmmmmmm…" Dugu Yan tried to retort, but Lingling's hand muffled her too well for anything coherent to come out. If nothing else, it at least saved her from making the spectators around us think she was some kind of hooligan.
"Stop it, both of you. The match is going to end soon," Lingling said, drawing our attention back to the stage.
Heaven Dou Academy's two teams were currently facing off. No one really stood out, except the captain of the first team—a Spirit Ancestor—who unsurprisingly carried his team to victory.
"Sigh... That was boring. There's no fun in a match when you already know how it's going to end," I said with a sigh.
"For once, we agree on something," Dugu Yan added.
Lingling merely shook her head and said, "We should probably head back to the Moon Pavilion. Our next lesson is starting soon."
With her reminder, we left the arena. On the way back, we chatted mostly about what kind of spirit beast I was planning to hunt and who would be helping me.
When we arrived at the pavilion entrance, Dugu Yan gave my arm a light punch before saying, "We know you have to meet the Pavilion Master to plan for tomorrow. Good luck—and you'd better come back with a cool skill to show off."
She dashed inside before I could respond, leaving me and Ye Lingling standing outside in a somewhat awkward silence. We usually relied on Yanyan to act as the bridge between us, since both Lingling and I were more reserved by nature.
Before I could say anything, Lingling suddenly stepped forward and hugged me.
Ye Lingling hugged me.
But what truly surprised me wasn't the hug itself—it was the flood of emotion I felt from her.
She was scared. And worried.
"Please come back safely," she whispered softly.
In that moment, everything made sense. Dugu Yan and I were her only real friends. Considering the tragic side effect of her Nine Heart Begonia Martial Spirit—which had led to her grandfather's death during her own spirit awakening—it wasn't surprising that she was terrified of losing someone close again.
I returned the hug, gently.
"Don't worry," I said. "I'll be fine. And when I come back, I'll show you a spirit skill so strong that it finally shuts Yanyan up."
She let out a soft giggle and slowly pulled away.
"I'll look forward to it," she said, before walking inside.
Watching her retreating figure, I felt a pang in my chest.
I'll try my best.
I'll get stronger.
And I'll make sure to come back.
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"Xiao Long, remember to listen to Tang Feng and the other disciples. The spirit beast you're asking for is rare, so they're taking you to the Star Dou Forest—which is extremely dangerous."
My aunt had been fussing over me since the moment I woke up and had repeated that same sentence over and over while we waited for the Clear Sky Sect disciples to arrive.
Apparently, Aunt Yuehua sent a letter to my father informing him of my breakthrough, and he responded by sending some disciples to accompany me on the hunt.
When Aunt Yuehua told me about it, I felt slightly warm.
The last time I saw my father was when he basically exiled me from the sect—so to know he still cares, even in a small way, was comforting.
As I was reminiscing, the door to the meeting room suddenly opened and three men walked in.
The one in the lead—who I assumed was Tang Feng—greeted my aunt politely. "Greetings, Lady Yuehua. We're here to carry out the mission given to us by the Sect Master."
"It's good to see you, Xiao Feng. And thank you in advance for helping my nephew on this hunt," she responded warmly.
Tang Feng nodded before turning toward me. "Are you ready to leave, young master? We can't linger too long, lest we get recognized by some noble. We should leave with haste."
"I'm ready, Senior. We can go now."
"Then we will be leaving, my Lady. We'll make sure the young master's hunt is successful—and that he returns safely."
"Stay safe, all of you."
After hugging my aunt and saying farewell one last time, I followed Tang Feng and the others outside where a carriage was waiting.
"Get in first, young master," said Tang Feng.
I paused slightly, sensing a hint of animosity from him. But considering the looks I used to get while training with Uncle Hao a few years ago, I chose to ignore it and followed his instructions—just as Aunt Yuehua advised.
It took around thirteen days to reach the Star Dou Forest. Usually, the journey would take longer, but large sects and powerful nobles tame weaker spirit beasts to pull their carriages, which cuts down travel time significantly.
I tried to strike up conversations with Tang Feng and the other two, but they kept their replies short. I was smart enough to pick up on their shared desire for silence, so I spent most of the trip staring out the window as the carriage sped across the roads.
It was in moments like these that I missed my phone. I swear, I'll find a way to create some form of entertainment in this world beyond watching spirit masters beat each other into a pulp.
"We've arrived, young master."
"Hmm, then let's go. The spirit beast I want is rare, but there have been documented sightings on the outskirts, so I don't think we'll need to check in at an inn, will we?"
"Impressive, young master. You're correct. The Thunder Mantis, despite being rare, can be found near the edges of the forest with enough time and effort. If we need more time, we'll simply camp out. It'll be a good learning experience." He ended his sentence with a smile that, at first glance, seemed friendly—but the feeling I got from it made me uneasy.
I wanted to stop the trip then and there—to return to the pavilion and postpone the hunt.
But I ignored that sixth sense warning me of danger. I thought my status as the sect master's son would protect me. I chalked the feeling up to nerves—it was my first real experience with combat, after all—so I followed them as they led me into the depths of the forest.
We searched the area for the rest of the day but didn't find the Thunder Mantis.
Tang Feng decided to call it a day and set up camp before continuing the search tomorrow, and I agreed. By the time we finished, the sun had already set beyond the horizon, and darkness had fully fallen.
Tang Feng told me to rest for the night, assuring me that the three of them would take turns standing guard. Our conversations remained dry, short, and tasteless, and I was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the way they treated me—but I stayed quiet.
I was just a rookie spirit master with no ring.
What could I say?
So I listened, went to my tent, and fell asleep.
Later in the night, I was jolted awake by a sudden shout.
"Wake up, young master! I just spotted a Thunder Mantis—and its age seems perfect for you!"
At first, I was annoyed, groggy from sleep. But as his words registered in my mind, that irritation quickly turned to excitement.
I jumped to my feet and bolted outside, calling out, "Senior, please help me hunt it! I want to face it myself first, so please don't let it escape!"
"Of course. You can rely on me," he replied confidently. "It's over there. You probably can't see it yet, but I detected its presence a few minutes ago. When I went to check, I confirmed it's exactly what you've been looking for—and it's suitable for your cultivation."
He pointed in a specific direction. "I'm right behind you, so rest assured and fight to your heart's content."
I nodded and dashed past him, heading toward where he had indicated.
As I neared the area, something shifted.
I hadn't noticed it before—maybe because I had just woken up or was too caught up in my excitement from Tang Yun's words, but now?
Now I felt it.
The killing intent.
The hate.
The malice.
It was sharp, suffocating—even more intense than what I had sensed from Qian Renxue.
I tried to move. To run. To dodge. But before I could even react—
My world turned black.
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Author's Note:
Alright, so a lot happened in this chapter. Like I mentioned in the previous one, we've finally reached the event that kickstarts the story—the betrayal by the Clear Sky Clan's disciples and their scheme, which will be revealed in more detail next chapter.
Honestly, I feel like the quality of this chapter wasn't quite up to my usual standard, but at the same time, I think it still works. The lack of dialogue toward the end was intentional—to highlight the MC's inexperience (not trusting his instincts) and also reflect how most of the other disciples view him. So even though I'm not 100% satisfied with how the writing turned out, I'm still happy with the overall result.
Next chapter will be the first one I write in third-person, so it might feel a little rough at first—please bear with me, I'm still just a rookie author trying things out.
In any case, thanks so much for the continued support, and I'll see you guys next chapter!
Random musings of a rookie author:
So… the Pacers are going to the NBA Finals to face off against my Oklahoma City Thunder.
I want it to be a massacre—but at the same time, I kinda want a competitive series.
My prediction?
OKC in 6, and we finally win a chip!
So for probably the last time until the Finals are over...
GO THUNDER!!!