It began with a jade crane.
Not the usual wooden bird or spirit crow, but jade, inlaid with pearls, feathers of gold, and—most suspicious of all—etiquette.
Shen Mo looked at the message it delivered and smiled without joy.
"Ah. So it begins."
The Message
To the Esteemed Sect Master Shen Mo,
The Celestial Blade Sect extends a formal invitation to your sect for the 47th Harmony Tournament, a tradition of peace, camaraderie, and spiritual exchange among rising sects.
Kindly attend with your disciples. Rooms and meals will be provided.
Sincerely,Elder Qian Mu – Celestial Blade Sect(Former slayer of 'The Thorned Prince')
Shen Mo's smile sharpened.
"He thinks I'm dead. Let's keep it that way… until the finals."
[System Notification:]
Major Arc Triggered: "Tournament of Smiling Blades"
Location: Celestial Blade Sect GroundsDuration: 10 ChaptersRewards: Sect Prestige, Recruitment Opportunity, Forbidden Technique
WARNING: Hidden Hostility DetectedEnemies will be disguised as allies.
The Disciples React
Yun Xi: "We get to compete with other sects!"
Lin Fan: "Is there food?"
Xue Rong: "Do I get to break things legally?"
Han Li: "Do… do we have uniforms?"
Shen Mo: "No uniforms. We want to be underestimated."
Moonchick pecked her name into a participation list. Nobody stopped her.
Training Begins
Yun Xi began creating arena-ready formations.Lin Fan tested flame-enhanced recipes for mid-battle snacks.Xue Rong meditated beneath a waterfall—then punched the waterfall.Han Li tried to bond with a spirit raccoon. It bit him. Progress.
Even Li Ziqing emerged from his lab, saying:
"I built a trap that doesn't explode. It folds enemies into themselves."
Shen Mo: "Useful. Save it for the semifinals."
Night Before Departure
Shen Mo stood atop the highest peak, alone with Moonchick.
He stared at the night sky.
"They think I'm a rogue. They think I'm a fool playing sect master. They think I'm weak…"
Moonchick clucked.
Shen Mo's hand trembled. Just a little.
"And worst of all… they'll see my disciples. And try to break them."
The wind rustled his robes.
"But they'll learn what happens… when you try to hurt what's mine."
[System Notification:]
Shen Mo Cultivation: Level 7 Martial Disciple → StabilizedPassive Awakened: "Iron Vein – Emotional anchors increase cultivation resistance and clarity."
Morning Departure
The disciples gathered with travel gear.
The wagon was painted with Yun Xi's sigil—a crooked blade and a moon.
"Looks like a crying sword," Lin Fan noted.
"That's… actually kind of perfect," Yun Xi replied.
Shen Mo led the way. As the mountain path curved behind them, the camera might have caught a final glimpse:
A sect once laughed at.Now marching toward the world stage.