The challenge arrived at noon.
Not shouted.
Not delivered by soldiers.
A single jade slip landed in the center of Heavenly Ember's courtyard.
It carried Crimson Blade's seal.
Chen Wei picked it up.
His expression darkened slightly as he read it.
"Sect Master."
Lian Zhou took the slip calmly.
He read it once.
Then again.
It was cleanly written.
Official.
Recognized by regional authority.
Crimson Blade Sect formally challenges Heavenly Ember Sect.
Format:
Three disciple duels.
One sect master duel.
Winner claims disputed territory and tribute rights.
Loser forfeits autonomy for ten years.
Ten years.
For a small sect, that was equivalent to extinction.
Mu Jian clenched his fists.
"They want to crush us."
"Yes," Lian Zhou replied.
Xiao Rin's eyes burned faintly.
"When?"
"In one month."
That was deliberate.
Enough time to prepare.
Not enough time to escape.
Yan Shu spoke quietly.
"They calculated our growth speed."
Lian Zhou looked at him.
"Explain."
"If we grow at the current rate," Yan Shu continued, "we become harder to suppress in six months. So they force conflict now."
Correct.
Very correct.
The system panel confirmed quietly:
[External Threat Level: Elevated]
Chen Wei stepped forward.
"I'll fight."
"Yes."
Xiao Rin nodded.
"Yes."
Mu Jian hesitated slightly.
Then spoke.
"I will be ready."
Lian Zhou looked at him carefully.
"You will not rush."
"I won't."
This time, it wasn't jealousy speaking.
It was responsibility.
That night, Lian Zhou reviewed Crimson Blade's structure through gathered information.
Crimson Blade lineup likely:
Foundation Mid
Foundation Late
Core Formation Early Elder
Heavenly Ember lineup:
Chen Wei — Foundation Mid
Xiao Rin — Foundation Early
Mu Jian — Body Tempering
Lian Zhou — Foundation Early
On paper—
They lose.
Clearly.
But paper did not account for manufactured structure.
Inside the system, a new notification appeared.
[Sect War Challenge Registered.]
[Emergency Function Unlocked: Strategic Acceleration Mode.]
Lian Zhou's eyes sharpened.
He opened it.
[Strategic Acceleration Mode allows:
– Increased disciple growth efficiency
– Reduced Host Load accumulation
Duration: 30 days
Cost: 10 Talent Points]
Temporary.
War-time boost.
He had 17 Talent Points remaining.
He activated it.
Immediately, the system adjusted.
[Host Spiritual Load Reduced to 28%]
Good.
This was the moment to push.
He turned first to Mu Jian.
"You break through."
Mu Jian's eyes widened slightly.
"Now?"
"Yes."
He opened Mu Jian's panel.
[Foundation Preparation Protocol — Cost: 8 TP]
This wasn't brute forcing.
This was structural compression guidance.
He confirmed.
Mu Jian felt something shift instantly.
His Foundation Anchor path began aligning inward.
His body tempering wasn't just strengthening flesh—
It was compressing structural density.
His meridians tightened.
Reinforced.
Not wider.
Harder.
This was different from Xiao Rin's explosive constitution.
This was stone forming into bedrock.
Chen Wei stepped forward.
"What about me?"
"You refine."
Chen Wei's panel showed new option:
[Combat Technique Optimization — Cost: 6 TP]
He selected it.
Chen Wei's breathing adjusted instantly.
His movements became even more economical.
Waste reduced.
Reaction speed increased.
He wasn't becoming stronger in raw power—
He was becoming sharper.
Finally—
He turned to Xiao Rin.
The Ember Spirit Body activation had reached 82%.
One month.
Enough time.
But risky.
He selected:
[Advanced Fire Vein Awakening — Cost: 8 TP]
Confirm.
That night, Xiao Rin's body burned silently.
Not painfully.
Deeply.
His fire affinity condensed further.
His Qi temperature increased.
Control tightened.
Foundation Early began stabilizing toward Mid.
Not explosive.
Compressed.
Yan Shu watched all of it.
Then he spoke.
"We need formation."
Lian Zhou looked at him.
"Yes."
"Even basic reinforcement will reduce risk by 12%."
Precise.
Lian Zhou smiled faintly.
"How long?"
"Ten days."
Good.
Very good.
Across the region, Crimson Blade announced the formal duel publicly.
Small sect challenging minor sect.
It drew attention.
Azure Mountain watched.
Green River watched.
Everyone watched.
Because this would determine—
Whether Heavenly Ember was anomaly.
Or real.
Inside Heavenly Ember's broken courtyard—
Four disciples trained without pause.
Not desperate.
Focused.
The month had begun.
And this time—
They were not reacting.
They were preparing.