The morning sun spilled over the Azure Cloud Sect, painting the courtyard in a pale gold. The outer disciples were already lined up in the training grounds, a sea of blue robes swaying in neat formation. Birds chirped faintly from the mountains, though the wind carried the faint tang of spiritual energy that only a cultivator could feel.
Ethan Luo—still in the frail body of Lu Wei, the weakest outer disciple—stretched his arms. His muscles protested. In his previous life, he'd been a gamer, not an athlete. But now… every movement had to be calculated. Every step could mean survival—or death.
He glanced around. Other outer disciples had already paired up for sparring. Their eyes flicked to him, a mixture of curiosity and condescension. Most still remembered Lu Wei as the joke of the sect—the one who could barely hold a sword without tripping over his own feet.
"Time to change that perception," Ethan muttered under his breath.
He recalled Lu Wei's past:
Failed basic Qi control exercises for months
Tripped over his own sword in formations
Was laughed at during morning tribulations
Avoided confrontations to survive
The body was weak, yes, but it wasn't completely useless. It had survived outer sect life longer than most expected. That meant, at the very least, Lu Wei had avoided fatal mistakes, giving Ethan a starting point.
"Lucky me," Ethan thought, "this body isn't dead weight… it just needs a proper upgrade."
He concentrated, letting the Dao Code system interface with his senses. The faint lines of glowing code appeared, flowing across the courtyard, tracing the movements of every disciple. Sword stances, Qi flow, even breathing patterns—everything was mapped in real time.
"Oh… this is beautiful," he whispered. "It's like watching combat analytics in an RPG… only I can interact with it."
"Outer disciples, gather."
The elder's voice rang across the courtyard, sharp and commanding. Ethan suppressed a groan—public attention was the last thing he wanted right now. But the outer disciples obeyed instantly.
The elder's eyes scanned the line of students and rested briefly on Ethan. He raised an eyebrow. "Lu Wei… is it? You survived the morning tribulation, yet your movements remain sluggish. Very well—today, you will face your first real duel."
The murmurs rippled through the disciples. Some suppressed laughter, others whispered, "He'll be humiliated again."
Ethan didn't flinch. Inside, his mind was already calculating: distance to opponent, energy flow, sequence timings. If this is a duel, it's a perfect chance to test the Dao Code system… and debug the sect's combat methods.
The first opponent was a disciple named Jin Tao, a hotheaded boy who had been ranked just above Lu Wei—an arrogant outer disciple who loved to show off his minor skills.
He stepped forward, sword in hand, and sneered. "Lu Wei, don't embarrass yourself. You're already famous for being useless. Let's keep it that way."
Ethan grinned. Perfect. Overconfidence detected… bonus XP opportunity.
He assumed a ready stance, letting the Dao Code highlight the weaknesses in Jin Tao's posture and movement. The system marked three points of vulnerability: shoulder, right knee, and Qi circulation lag during his initial strike.
"Easy," Ethan thought. "Step one, manipulate flow… step two, optimize stance… step three… watch him collapse."
Jin Tao lunged forward with a flashy move—a spinning sword strike meant to intimidate. Ethan analyzed the trajectory in real time. The glowing code displayed:
Attack Speed: 2.3 meters/second
Critical Flaw: Shoulder overextension
Timing Gap: 0.5 seconds
Ethan sidestepped smoothly, planting his feet with perfect balance. He shifted the energy within Lu Wei's body according to his calculations, enhancing his movement efficiency. His sword cut a precise arc that Jin Tao hadn't anticipated.
The crowd gasped.
"Impossible… that's Lu Wei?" one whispered.
"He moved like… a true disciple!" another exclaimed.
Jin Tao staggered back, shocked. The sequence of glowing energy lines around Ethan's body pulsed like a heartbeat. Every move was optimized, every strike calculated. Even the air seemed to bend in alignment with his actions.
Ethan's grin widened. Step two: exploit flaws.
He followed the Dao Code prompts, adjusting his strikes in real time. Jin Tao tried to retaliate, but Ethan's "debugged" sword technique flowed seamlessly. Step 2 errors were removed, timing optimized, Qi circulation enhanced—what had taken novices years to learn, Ethan executed instinctively.
The duel escalated. Ethan noticed Jin Tao beginning to panic. Sweat glistened on his brow as he realized Lu Wei—the one everyone had mocked—was now predicting every move.
Ethan thought: If I push him too far, it'll be dangerous… but not using the system is a waste.
He pushed the edge of the Dao Code. Normally, minor adjustments only slightly enhanced a technique. But Ethan started restructuring the flow entirely. The energy in his body surged; his sword cut through the air faster than anyone thought possible.
Jin Tao's sword collided with Ethan's… and shattered. A clean, resonant crack echoed through the courtyard.
The other disciples froze. Even the elders' eyes widened.
Ethan didn't gloat. He simply pointed his sword toward Jin Tao's chest. "Yield."
The hotheaded boy froze, then dropped his weapon, trembling. "I… I yield!"
The crowd erupted. Whispers of disbelief and awe spread like wildfire:
"Lu Wei… Lu Wei is alive… and he's… strong?"
"No way… he just broke Jin Tao's sword with a single strike."
Ethan allowed himself a small smile. Face-slapping moment complete. He knew this would change the perception of Lu Wei forever.
He turned his gaze toward the spectators. The Dao Code highlighted a new line of text in his mind:
Warning: System anomaly detected. Attention level: High.
Ethan frowned. Looks like someone—something—is watching. But for now… I'll enjoy this first victory.
As the excitement died down, another figure emerged from the back: a disciple named Yuan Ling, one of the most talented outer sect disciples, rumored to be an inner sect candidate. She was quiet, composed, her Qi dense and controlled. Her eyes, sharp as a hawk's, flicked to Ethan and paused.
Her voice was soft but carried across the courtyard: "Interesting… someone is rewriting their techniques. I'll be watching."
Ethan caught a glint of curiosity—and a warning—in her gaze. Rival introduced. Noted.
The rest of the day passed in a haze of meditation, sword practice, and observation. Ethan quietly tested minor tweaks in techniques, each adjustment making the weak Lu Wei body move faster, stronger, and more precise.
Other outer disciples avoided him, uncertain if he was friend or threat. The elders whispered among themselves, exchanging concerned glances.
Ethan's mind, however, remained focused. This is just the beginning. Debugging one technique doesn't change everything. I need to understand the system fully—every loop, every function, every hidden parameter of the Dao.
As dusk fell, Ethan climbed to a high terrace overlooking the sect. The wind was crisp, carrying the scent of mountains and spiritual energy. His Dao Code vision pulsed faintly, highlighting a faint anomaly far beyond the sect's walls.
A strange signal appeared:
Level 0 – Forbidden Technique
Ethan's eyes narrowed. Forbidden technique… something ancient, something dangerous.
And as the last rays of sunlight faded, a chilling thought settled in his mind:
If someone—or something—is monitoring my actions… they won't be pleased. And I'll have to be ready.
With a final glance at the training grounds below, Ethan flexed his fingers and whispered:
"Tomorrow, we push further. I'm not Lu Wei anymore. I'm the one rewriting the rules."