The Azure Cloud Sect buzzed with whispers.
"Did you hear? An ancient ruin was discovered in the Spiritwind Gorge!""They say it's only a remnant of a small sect that perished hundreds of years ago. Outer disciples are being sent to temper themselves there.""Tch, it's probably just scraps. But who knows… maybe someone will get lucky."
Chen Yu listened to the gossip in silence, sipping tea lazily in the sect courtyard. To the others, it looked like he was indifferent, wasting time as usual. The other outer disciples sneered behind his back.
"Trash young master. Probably too scared to even enter.""Yeah, Chen Yu's only good at bullying weaker disciples.""Hah, once Senior Brother Lin Tian enters, we'll see who's truly blessed."
Their mocking laughter washed over him like meaningless wind.
Yes, laugh while you can. By the time you realize what's been taken from under your noses, it'll already belong to me.
That night, as the sect quieted, Chen Yu called upon his new ability.
"System. Track Lin Tian's fate in the Spiritwind Gorge."
[Activating Fate Tracker…]
[Scanning protagonist Lin Tian's immediate destiny…]
[Detected: Fateful Opportunity – Sword Embryo of the Fallen Immortal.]
[Description: A broken sword left behind by an ancient Sword Immortal. Though incomplete, it contains a trace of Sword Intent. Fated wielder: Lin Tian.]
Chen Yu's heart stirred. Sword Intent — the comprehension of the way of the sword that most cultivators could only dream of touching in their lifetime. To obtain even a fragment of it was to step onto the path of the sword dao.
And it was meant for Lin Tian.
Chen Yu chuckled, his voice low and sharp. "Not anymore."
The next morning, a group of thirty outer disciples set off under the guidance of two inner disciples. They moved in noisy clusters, laughing and chatting as they made their way down the mountain trails.
Chen Yu joined them, Wang Ping scurrying nervously at his side.
"B-Brother Yu," Wang Ping whispered. "We're really going? What if the ruin is dangerous?"
Chen Yu glanced at him coolly. "Opportunities are always dangerous. That's why only a few ever seize them."
Still, he deliberately suppressed his aura, hiding the fact that he had already broken through to the 5th layer. To everyone else, he remained the weak, arrogant young master they expected him to be.
Along the way, the disciples whispered and mocked him openly.
"Why is Chen Yu even here? He'll probably cling to others when danger shows up.""Hah, maybe he just came to steal scraps with his elder father's backing."
Chen Yu ignored them. In his mind, only one name mattered.
Lin Tian.
And sure enough, as the group neared the Spiritwind Gorge, a lone figure joined them — a young man with clear eyes and a determined expression. Despite his plain robes, his presence drew attention like a blade unsheathed.
"Senior Brother Lin Tian!" disciples called warmly, their tones filled with admiration.
Lin Tian nodded modestly, greeting them with polite humility. When his gaze swept over Chen Yu, a flicker of coldness crossed his face before he looked away.
Chen Yu only smirked.
Yes, glare at me, protagonist. Soon, I'll take the very sword meant to raise you above me.
The Spiritwind Gorge was a jagged scar in the land, its cliffs sharp as blades and winds howling through its depths. At its base lay the ruin — crumbling stone pillars, shattered pavilions, and the faint shimmer of ancient protective arrays now weakened with time.
The disciples spread out eagerly, scavenging herbs, spirit stones, and minor trinkets left behind. The inner disciples gave lazy warnings about beasts and traps, but otherwise let them roam.
To most, this was a chance to scrape together scraps of cultivation resources.
But for Chen Yu, the system's whisper guided him deeper.
[Sword Embryo detected: deeper within the ruin, sealed beneath the Hall of Fallen Blades.]
He followed the pull quietly, Wang Ping trailing nervously behind.
"Brother Yu, this place… it feels strange," Wang Ping muttered, glancing at the broken sword statues half-buried in rubble.
Chen Yu's gaze swept the surroundings. The air here was different — sharper, colder, as if unseen blades pressed against his skin. Even broken, the ruin carried the will of an ancient Sword Immortal.
If I were Lin Tian, this is where fate would guide me… but I'm already here first.
The Sword Embryo
At the heart of the ruin stood a collapsed hall. Its roof had caved in, its walls cracked, but the remnants of sword engravings still glowed faintly on the stone. The Hall of Fallen Blades.
Chen Yu stepped carefully across the broken floor, his senses taut. The system pulsed.
[Target located: Sword Embryo buried beneath altar stone.]
In the center of the hall lay a massive altar, split in half. Dust and rubble covered it, but Chen Yu could feel it — a faint vibration, like a sword humming in anticipation.
He placed his hand on the stone.
A sharp sting pierced his palm, as if a blade had cut his skin, and blood dripped onto the cracks. The ruin trembled faintly.
Clang
A clear metallic sound rang out. From within the stone, a broken blade slowly emerged — a fragment of a sword, its edge dull and body cracked, but a faint aura of Sword Intent coiled around it like mist.
Even incomplete, it radiated pressure, as if it had once cut through heavens themselves.
Chen Yu's breath quickened.
So this is Sword Intent… even a shred of it can slay mountains.
The system's voice rang:
[Fateful Opportunity seized: Sword Embryo of the Fallen Immortal.]
[+100 Destiny Points acquired.]
[New Reward: Minor Sword Intent Comprehension awakened.]
A flood of sharp clarity entered his mind — visions of countless swords, rivers of steel clashing, mountains split in two. His perception sharpened until even the faint dust motes in the air looked like they carried hidden edges.
Chen Yu trembled, gripping the sword embryo. Though broken, it felt alive in his hand, resonating with his will.
With this, even at Qi Condensation, I can cut down those above me.
"Wait!"
A voice rang out behind him.
Chen Yu turned slowly. Lin Tian stood at the doorway, eyes blazing. His fists clenched as he saw the broken sword in Chen Yu's hand.
"That sword…" His voice trembled. "It should have been mine."
The other disciples crowded behind him, whispering in confusion.
"Chen Yu? He found something?""Impossible! That trash could never…"
Chen Yu smirked, lifting the blade slightly so its faint hum filled the hall.
"Lin Tian," he said softly, "do you think fate belongs to you alone?"
Lin Tian stepped forward, anger flashing in his eyes. "You don't deserve it! You've wasted every chance the sect gave you — how dare you take the legacy of a Sword Immortal!"
Chen Yu chuckled. "Deserve? Deserve has nothing to do with it. I took it. That alone makes it mine."
The broken sword pulsed in agreement, a faint strand of Sword Intent rippling outward. Several disciples stumbled back, their faces pale, as if invisible blades pressed against their throats.
Lin Tian's jaw tightened. For the second time, Chen Yu had stolen what was meant for him.
"This won't last," Lin Tian said coldly. "One day, I'll take it back."
Chen Yu's smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with hidden malice.
"Try, protagonist. Try and take it from me."
As Lin Tian stormed out, fury simmering in his gaze, the system whispered once more:
[Warning: Lin Tian's fate has shifted. His hostility toward host has reached a new level.]
[Future destiny rewards will increase in value as protagonist's hatred deepens.]
Chen Yu's grip on the sword embryo tightened. The broken blade hummed softly, as if eager for blood.
Good. Hate me, Lin Tian. The more you hate me, the more delicious your fate becomes.
And in the shadows of the ruined hall, the villain's path of the sword began.