"You were far too impulsive. How could you blurt out news about the Blood Spirit Fruit? If word gets out, aren't you afraid someone will steal it from you?"
In a spacious, well-lit room, a boy of about thirteen or fourteen scolded Li Bin sharply, his face twisted with frustration. This boy was none other than Zhao Feiyun—Li Bin's cousin and the very person he constantly bragged about. Zhao Feiyun had comprehended Qi Jin three months earlier.
Among the hundred thousand disciples of the Asura Sect, those unable to comprehend Qi Jin could only live three to a small room. But once someone succeeded in entering the first level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, becoming an official disciple was guaranteed, and both food and lodging improved significantly. With Qi Jin under his belt, Zhao Feiyun now enjoyed a large room all to himself.
Despite being cousins, Li Bin didn't dare talk back. He forced a stiff smile. "You didn't see the look on Zhuge Xiang's face. He's just a guy who hasn't comprehended Qi Jin, but he acts like he's someone important. Besides, you're the only family I have here in the Asura Sect. You have to help me."
"Don't worry. Aunt told us to look after each other when we joined the sect. I'll help you." Zhao Feiyun sighed helplessly. "But really? A duel in three days? Time is too short. You should've waited until after taking the Blood Spirit Fruit."
He paused, then realized lecturing Li Bin was pointless now. So he changed the topic. "Still, if you prepare properly, defeating someone who hasn't comprehended Qi Jin is no problem."
"These past months, I've finally begun grasping Ghost Walk. You don't have Qi, so you won't understand its true essence, but with three days of practice you'll still be hard to touch. After that… don't hold back. The fewer people who know about the Blood Spirit Fruit, the better."
His tone darkened near the end. Li Bin brightened instantly, already imagining his future triumph, his grin wide. "Haha! With you teaching me Ghost Walk, what's Zhuge Xiang worth? I'll knock his teeth out in three days."
While Li Bin trained under Zhao Feiyun's instructions, preparing for their duel, Zhuge Xiang headed toward the small lake. Without needing to think, he knew Li Bin would run straight to his cousin for help. It didn't matter. Whatever Li Bin did, what mattered most was his own cultivation.
Why had Zhuge Xiang returned to the Asura Sect? Because he no longer wished to be a beggar. Because the sect offered the chance to rise, to gain wealth and strength, to become a true cultivator capable of seizing his own fate—so that he would never again die miserably like the old beggar beaten to death for no reason.
But when Zhuge Xiang neared the lake, he paused. Usually remote and seldom visited, today the lake was already occupied.
A girl in a white gauze dress moved gracefully across the water's edge, her figure light and elegant, her skin pale as snow. As her jade-like hands traced arcs through the air, ripples of pale blue light shimmered into existence.
She was clearly practicing a palm technique. Her gentle palms flowed like lake water—a soft, pervasive force that seemed harmless at first glance, yet each motion stirred the air in concentric waves. Even the sand and pebbles at her feet shivered and lifted with the current. It felt as though once drawn in, one would be unable to escape.
"Lu Yuling?" Zhuge Xiang murmured in surprise at the unexpected sight.
Among all the disciples of the Asura Sect, Lu Yuling was a well-known prodigy. A hundred thousand disciples trained desperately for a year for one goal—comprehend Qi Jin and become an official disciple. She had achieved that half a year ago. Among Zhuge Xiang's generation, she was considered a peerless talent, radiant like a star.
Her graceful figure and the flowing aura of her technique kept his gaze fixed on her. When she completed the final movement and slowly exhaled, she glanced in his direction. Her delicate brows tightened. "You've been watching long enough. Come out."
Peeking at another's cultivation was taboo. Realizing how long he'd been staring, Zhuge Xiang stepped out, embarrassed but honest. "My apologies. Your palm technique was mesmerizing. I always train alone here, so I didn't expect someone else to come today."
"I see. This lake is secluded, quiet, and filled with moisture—ideal for practicing the Clear Wave Palm. I didn't expect anyone else to use it." Her expression softened.
But as she looked at Zhuge Xiang, her own cheeks reddened slightly. The Clear Wave Palm was a technique she'd only begun practicing recently, and its effectiveness depended on being relaxed in a mist-filled environment. She had come across the lake by chance today and found it perfectly suited for her practice. Yet someone had clearly arrived first.
Logically, she should have left. But good cultivation grounds were precious, and improvement mattered above all else to a cultivator.
After hesitating, she finally spoke. "It seems you're the only one who practices here. Would you mind if I stayed and trained as well?"
"Huh?" Zhuge Xiang blinked. "You want to practice here too? But don't you mind others watching while you cultivate? And you're… well, the pride of this generation."
With a light laugh, Lu Yuling shook her head. "The Clear Wave Palm is just a martial art from the Cangwu Pavilion. Anyone who comprehends Qi Jin can find it. It's not some top secret technique. What matters is that this environment suits it well. As long as I'm not bothering you, that's good enough."
"I don't mind. There's plenty of space." Zhuge Xiang smiled.
He had a good impression of her—not only for her beauty and strength, but also for her temperament. In the Asura Sect, where strength ruled above all, it wouldn't be surprising for someone strong to simply take the spot by force, even kill over it. But Lu Yuling didn't even consider that. She simply asked politely.
So the quiet lakeside now had two people. They stayed far apart, careful not to disturb each other. While Zhuge Xiang practiced Yang Qi Fist, he occasionally glanced over at Lu Yuling's Clear Wave Palm. Her posture, the mysterious arcs of her movements—they carried hints of hidden principles. Watching closely, he felt himself gradually gaining insight. When he had free moments, he even imitated her motions.
Even without Qi or a manual, simply following her movements taught him a great deal. The Clear Wave Palm, being a true combat art, sharpened his technique quickly. His physique didn't improve, but his strikes became more refined, his flow smoother—far better than his old straight punches.
Lu Yuling, absorbed in her own cultivation, said nothing about his imitation. But when night fell and they prepared to leave, she offered a gentle warning. "Your priority right now is comprehending Qi Jin, not learning combat techniques. Imitating the Clear Wave Palm may boost your fighting ability for now, but without Qi Jin, advanced martial arts are nothing but castles in the air."
"I know, but I have my own plans." Zhuge Xiang's sincerity was clear. With a crucial duel in three days—one that determined whether he would finally comprehend Qi Jin—improving his combat strength mattered more than anything.
His earnestness surprised Lu Yuling. Was imitating the Clear Wave Palm truly more important than cultivating Qi?
But Zhuge Xiang wouldn't joke about his own future. Realizing it was something personal, she didn't press further. She bid him farewell and left.
As for Zhuge Xiang, having someone like Lu Yuling nearby had not been a bad thing. Watching her practice had sharpened his senses, and learning a few moves had already increased his fighting power. Combined with the Iron and Steel Elixir he had obtained, he felt more confident than ever about the duel in three days.
In the end, meeting Lu Yuling by the small lake had been nothing but a blessing.
With that thought, and anticipation for the coming duel, Zhuge Xiang also left the lakeside.