A cool breeze drifted across the Celestial Sect as Li Wei stepped away from the training grounds, the Spirit Jade Staff resting lightly in his hand. The early sunlight reflected off floating stone platforms and distant waterfalls that poured endlessly into the clouds below.
It was beautiful.It was dangerous.And to Li Wei… it felt exactly like the opening map of a high-level RPG.
[Quest Active: Explore Sect Grounds][Optional Quest Detected: Discover Hidden Resources]
Li Wei stretched his shoulders and smirked."Alright," he muttered. "Let's see what kind of loot this world has."
He moved carefully along a narrow stone path leading away from the main courtyard. Disciples bustled around in small groups, some meditating, others practicing techniques. No one paid much attention to him—just another low-rank disciple wandering aimlessly.
Perfect.
He preferred staying unnoticed for now. In games, the smartest players always farmed quietly before showing off.
As he walked, a faint pulse tickled his senses. Almost like a vibration in the air.
[System Alert: Hidden Area Nearby][Probability of Rare Resource: Medium]
Li Wei stopped. His gaze shifted toward a narrow trail leading into a mist-covered grove behind a cluster of ancient stone pillars. The path looked unused, half-swallowed by overgrown vines.
He grinned."A secret path? Seriously?"
Without hesitation, he slipped into the grove.
The Whispering Cave
The air grew colder the deeper he went. Mist curled along the ground, and faint glowing symbols flickered across the stone walls.
Li Wei's pulse quickened.
[Location Discovered: Whispering Cave][Mini-Dungeon Type: Solo Trial][Difficulty: Low–Moderate]
"Oh, this is definitely a dungeon."
A low growl echoed from the darkness ahead.
Li Wei tightened his grip on the staff. A shadow emerged—sleek, low to the ground, with glowing crimson eyes. A wolf formed from swirling black mist stepped forward, its claws scraping against stone.
[Enemy Detected: Shadow Spirit Wolf – Level 12][Tip: Target Weak Points. Maintain Distance.]
The wolf lunged.
Li Wei reacted instantly, sidestepping as its claws slashed through the air where his chest had been. He spun the staff and struck its flank—not hard, but precise.
The wolf snarled, turning sharply.
"Fast," Li Wei muttered. "But predictable."
He focused. The system highlighted faint glowing points around the wolf's body—joints, neck, and chest. Weak spots.
The beast attacked again. Li Wei ducked, rolled, then jabbed the staff into one of the glowing points. The wolf staggered.
[Critical Hit: +10 Bonus Damage]
A grin spread across his face."Okay… I like this."
He kept moving, never letting the wolf corner him. Dodge. Counter. Step back. Strike.Every move felt like muscle memory from years of gaming.
Finally, with one clean thrust into its chest, the wolf dissolved into drifting particles of shadow.
Silence returned.
Then—
[Mini-Boss Defeated][Rewards: Spirit Crystal x1 | Spirit Points +30 | Intelligence EXP +5][Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Tactical Fighter]
Li Wei exhaled slowly."That was… actually fun."
He bent down and picked up the shimmering crystal left behind. It pulsed with soft energy, warm against his palm.
But just as he straightened—
A soft clap echoed from behind him.
"Well done."
Li Wei turned.
Mei Lan stood at the cave entrance, leaning lightly against the stone wall, her long dark hair swaying gently. Her expression was calm, but her eyes sparkled with faint amusement.
"You fought smart," she said. "Most disciples would have tried to overpower it."
Li Wei blinked. "You were watching?"
"Of course." She stepped forward. "I was curious about the new disciple who defeated Chen Hao without relying on strength."
[Relationship Stat Updated: Mei Lan +3 Charm]
Li Wei rubbed the back of his neck."Guess I've been noticed already."
She tilted her head slightly. "You don't seem worried."
"Should I be?" he replied with a grin.
For a brief second, her lips curved into a faint smile.
Then—heavy footsteps echoed outside the cave.
Rivalry Ignites
Chen Hao stepped into the mist-filled entrance, followed by two other disciples. His expression darkened the moment he saw Li Wei and Mei Lan standing together.
"So it's true," Chen Hao said coldly. "You found a hidden cave… and cleared it."
Li Wei sighed internally. Ah. Here comes the rival arc.
Chen Hao crossed his arms."A low-rank nobody suddenly defeating dungeon beasts? Getting the attention of a core disciple?" His gaze sharpened. "You think that makes you special?"
Li Wei shrugged casually."I just got lucky."
One of Chen Hao's companions scoffed. "Lucky doesn't defeat a spirit wolf."
The tension in the cave thickened.
[New Event Triggered: Rival Challenge Incoming][Tip: Use Strategy. Avoid Direct Power Clash.]
Chen Hao stepped forward, spiritual energy flaring faintly around him."Prove it," he said. "Spar with me. Right now."
Mei Lan frowned slightly. "Chen Hao—"
"It's fine," Li Wei said, stepping forward.
If he backed down now, the rumors would never stop.If he accepted and lost badly, he'd become a joke.
But if he played this right…
He spun the Spirit Jade Staff once, settling into a relaxed stance.
"Alright," Li Wei said calmly. "Let's make this interesting."
Chen Hao smirked and rushed forward.
This time, Li Wei didn't try to match strength. He moved lightly, guiding Chen Hao deeper into the cave where the ground was uneven and slick with mist.
Chen Hao swung hard. Li Wei dodged—barely.
Then he tapped a small stone with his foot.
It rolled under Chen Hao's step.Just enough to throw off balance.
Li Wei struck once. Twice. Quick, precise hits.
Not enough to injure—just enough to score.
Chen Hao stumbled back, shocked.
[Combat Analysis: Advantage — Tactical Positioning]
Li Wei stepped away, lowering his staff."That enough?"
Chen Hao's jaw tightened. His pride was clearly wounded, but he didn't attack again. After a long moment, he turned sharply and walked out, his companions following.
But his voice lingered in the air:"This isn't over."
Li Wei exhaled slowly."Yeah," he muttered. "Definitely not over."
Mei Lan stepped beside him."You handled that well," she said softly.
He grinned. "Strategy beats strength."
She studied him for a moment, as if trying to see through him.
"Li Wei," she said quietly, "you're not ordinary… are you?"
He met her gaze, smiling lightly."Not even a little."
[Quest Updated: Survive Early Rivalries][New Hidden Quest: Grow Stronger Before the Sect Tournament]
As they stepped out of the cave together, Li Wei felt a thrill run through him.
A rival had been established.A powerful ally was forming.And this world was starting to open up.
"Alright," he whispered to himself."Let the real game begin."
The afternoon sun dipped behind drifting clouds, painting the floating peaks of the Celestial Sect in shades of gold and crimson.
Li Wei sat cross-legged on a quiet stone platform behind the outer training halls, the Spirit Jade Staff resting across his lap. His breathing was slow and steady, matching the rhythm displayed faintly before his eyes.
[Cultivation Mode Active][Spirit Energy Absorption: 1.2x Efficiency][Tip: Adjust breathing pattern to maximize intake]
He smirked slightly."Feels like optimizing a skill tree," he murmured.
Most disciples simply absorbed spiritual energy passively, letting it flow into their meridians at whatever rate their talent allowed. But Li Wei had the System—and years of experience min-maxing stats.
He experimented. Slowed his breathing. Adjusted posture. Focused on the flow of energy like tracking a resource bar.
Almost instantly—
[Efficiency Increased: 1.2x → 1.6x][Spirit Points Gained +5]
His eyes widened."Oh, that's broken."
If this continued, he'd cultivate nearly twice as fast as the average disciple. And no one would even understand how.
But just as he settled deeper into meditation—
A faint sound reached him. Footsteps. Multiple.
He kept his eyes closed, pretending not to notice.
"…he's over there."
Chen Hao's voice. Low. Controlled.
Li Wei suppressed a sigh. Of course.
From the corner of his vision, he saw Chen Hao standing with two other disciples near the edge of the platform. They weren't approaching directly. Just… watching.
Strategic.
[System Alert: Hostile Intent Detected][Tip: Observe Before Acting]
Chen Hao spoke quietly to the others."The sect evaluation is in three days," he said. "If he performs well, he'll gain attention. Resources. Maybe even an elder's favor."
One disciple frowned. "So what do we do?"
Chen Hao's gaze hardened."We don't attack him directly. That would attract punishment."
He paused.
"We make sure he fails."
Li Wei kept perfectly still, though his mind sharpened instantly.
So that's your move, he thought. Not brute force. Sabotage.
Interesting.He actually respected that.
Once the group left, Li Wei opened his eyes slowly. A grin spread across his face.
"Alright," he said quietly. "You want to play strategically?"
He stood up, gripping the staff."Let's play."
The Coming Evaluation
The Celestial Sect's outer courtyard buzzed with activity that evening. Disciples gathered in groups, whispering excitedly.
"Did you hear?""The sect evaluation is starting!""Top performers might enter the inner sect…"
Li Wei walked through the crowd, listening carefully.
The sect evaluation happened every season. It tested combat ability, cultivation progress, and resource gathering. High performers gained better housing, weapons, and access to techniques.
Low performers?They stayed at the bottom.
Or worse—were quietly pushed out.
[New Main Quest: Pass Sect Evaluation][Bonus Objective: Rank in Top 10][Warning: Rival Interference Likely]
Li Wei exhaled slowly."Top ten, huh…"
Ambitious.But not impossible.
As he turned a corner, he nearly collided with someone.
Mei Lan.
She stepped back lightly, long hair swaying behind her."You look deep in thought," she said.
"Just planning," Li Wei replied. "Evaluation's coming."
She studied him for a moment."You've improved quickly," she said. "Too quickly for most people to ignore."
He chuckled. "That a warning?"
"A fact."
She hesitated slightly, then spoke quieter."Be careful during the evaluation. Some disciples don't compete fairly."
Li Wei met her gaze."I know."
For a moment, silence lingered between them. Then she extended her hand slightly. A small jade token rested on her palm.
"For emergencies," she said. "Break it if you're in real danger. I'll come."
Li Wei blinked, surprised."That sounds serious."
Her expression remained calm, but her eyes softened faintly."Just don't lose before I get to see how far you can go."
[Relationship Stat Updated: Mei Lan +4][Hidden Buff: Motivation — Temporary +5% Training Efficiency]
Li Wei smiled."Guess I can't disappoint you then."
She turned smoothly and walked away, robes flowing behind her.
He stared at the jade token in his hand.
"…Okay," he muttered. "Now I really can't lose."
Sabotage Begins
That night, Li Wei returned to his small room on the outer platform. The space was simple—bed, mat, wooden table.
He paused at the doorway.
Something felt… off.
[System Alert: Environmental Change Detected]
He stepped inside carefully.
His storage pouch lay open on the table. Herbs scattered. A small bottle of spirit water tipped over.
Someone had searched his room.
Not stolen anything important—just disturbed it. Enough to slow him down. Distract him.
Li Wei closed the door quietly.
"Subtle," he murmured.
He knelt and began reorganizing everything with deliberate calm. Checking each item. Counting resources.
Nothing critical missing.Just… tampered with.
A test.
He smiled slowly."Alright, Chen Hao," he said under his breath. "You want psychological warfare?"
He sat cross-legged and opened the System interface.
[Crafting Function Unlocked][Available Recipe: Minor Focus Elixir]
Using the scattered herbs, he began refining a small elixir. It glowed faintly once complete.
[Item Created: Focus Elixir — Increases concentration and perception]
Li Wei drank it immediately.
Warm clarity spread through his mind. Every detail sharpened. Every sound clearer.
"Two can play this game," he whispered.
Instead of sleeping, he left his room silently and moved across the moonlit platforms.
If Chen Hao wanted him to fail the evaluation…Then Li Wei would make sure he couldn't.
And maybe—just maybe—turn the tables completely.
[New Hidden Quest: Outsmart Your Rival][Reward: ???]
Li Wei's grin widened in the darkness.
"This," he said softly, "is going to be fun."