The echoes of battle had barely faded from Li Wei's mind when he returned to Heavenly Dragon Sect. Though the caravan escort was behind him, the weight of its lessons pressed sharply on his thoughts. Danger had come swift and merciless, and only strength had carried them through.
Now, standing once more within the towering walls of the sect, Li Wei felt the truth of his path settle heavy in his chest. If he wished to climb higher, he needed to improve.
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The courtyard of the Treasury Hall was already crowded when Li Wei arrived. Sunlight spilled across the bronze gates, their dragon carvings catching the light as if alive. Disciples bustled in and out, tokens clutched tightly in their hands, some wearing smiles of triumph, others frowns of frustration.
Li Wei paused a moment at the steps, his hand brushing the token in his sleeve. The carved digits glowed faintly.
695 contribution points.
The number was no small sum. His stipend from Xianglong's tournament, fifteen from the Spiritgrass mission, one hundred and eighty from the caravan escort. For most outer sect disciples, such wealth would last years if managed carefully.
But Li Wei knew better. The road he meant to climb was not one of careful management. It demanded risk. It demanded investment.
If I mean to rise… my foundation cannot remain shallow.
Drawing a slow breath, he stepped into the hall.
Inside, the Treasury Hall was alive with light. Rows of counters stretched in every direction, shimmering barriers protecting the treasures within. Shelves brimmed with jade slips, vials, blades, and scrolls bound in silk cords. Disciples crowded close, pointing, whispering, arguing. The air was thick with longing and frustration.
Li Wei moved to the section of jade boards where cultivation manuals were displayed. Characters floated in neat rows, each line glowing faintly.
Cultivation Techniques
Iron Bone Tempering Art (Mid Profound) — 180 contribution
Crimson Ember Breathing Method (High Profound) — 260 contribution
Azure Wind Scripture (Low Earth) — 520 contribution
Glacial Heart Sutra (Mid Earth) — 900 contribution
Heavenly Thunder Body (High Earth) — 1,600 contribution
His eyes lingered on the Azure Wind Scripture. The description shimmered beneath its name:
Harness the flow of wind. Smooth, swift, unyielding. Refines qi into a sharper current, increasing both cultivation speed and combat edge.
520 contribution points. Nearly three quarters of his balance. Enough to ruin a reckless disciple.
But Li Wei's gaze did not waver.
His current scripture was a low profound manual, barely enough to carry him further. To step into Foundation Establishment with such a weak method was to build a house on sand.
Without a firm root, no tree grows tall. This is where I place my first stone.
He pressed his token against the glowing surface. The numbers etched into it shifted:
695 → 175
The slip sealed itself into a jade case, drifting through the barrier until it rested in Li Wei's hand. He closed his fingers around it, the cool weight like a promise.
The road of wind. This will be my path.
But cultivation alone was not enough. He knew it well. Strength of qi gave a foundation, but techniques turned that strength into victory. Without skills sharper than his peers, he would stagnate on the rankings.
Li Wei turned toward the martial technique boards. Here the glow was fiercer, the boards alive with the hunger of disciples crowding for a glimpse.
Sword Techniques
Sweeping Gale Slash (Low Profound) — 80 contribution
Silver Wave Strike (Mid Profound) — 110 contribution
Tempest Fang Slash (High Profound) — 150 contribution
Dragonfang Cleave (Low Earth) — 420 contribution
Moon-Piercing Blade (Mid Earth) — 760 contribution
He read each carefully, weighing them.
Dragonfang Cleave pulled at him. Low Earth grade. But the cost—420. Combined with his new scripture, it was impossible to purchase.
He turned instead to the high profound skill.
Tempest Fang Slash.
The description shimmered faintly:
Sword arcs with layered winds, a strike that rends both steel and qi alike. At great mastery, can unleash successive slashes in a single breath.
The words struck a chord within him. His own Whirlwind Slash, though polished to perfection, was still mortal grade. This would be a step forward—sharper, faster, aligned with the wind that was already stirring in his cultivation.
His token pulsed again.
175 → 25
The jade slip slid into his palm, cool and weighty.
For a long moment, Li Wei stood with both slips in hand: the Azure Wind Scripture and the Tempest Fang Slash.
Almost everything he had earned was gone. Five hundred and twenty for the scripture, one hundred and fifty for the technique. Six hundred and seventy-five spent in a breath. Only 25 contribution points remained—barely enough for a handful of Qi Gathering Pills.
But when he closed his eyes, he did not feel regret.
Instead, he felt clarity.
The sect demanded risk. He had chosen where to place his wager: his roots, and his blade. Movement and defense could come later. Without a strong core and sharp edge, no amount of evasions would let him climb the stele of names.
When he stepped back into the courtyard, the evening sun painted the mountains in crimson light. Disciples streamed past him, some clutching their new purchases with joy, others empty-handed and bitter.
Li Wei walked slowly, the jade slips hidden in his sleeve.
The mountain road was steep, and each step was costly. But the first stones of his foundation had been laid. With wind at his back, his sword in hand, and the will to climb, he would not stop until the peak itself opened its gates.