The knocking sound echoed again, sharper this time.
"Fang Lin! Open up!"
Fang Lin slowly opened his eyes. The faint flow of Qi within his body settled as he exhaled softly. He could feel it clearly now—his cultivation had stabilized at the peak of Early Qi Conjunction, just a step away from breaking through.
The knocking continued.
He stood up and walked to the door, opening it.
Xuo Mu stood there, slightly out of breath, while Xue Ji remained beside him, calm but observant.
"Fang Lin! What were you doing inside all this time?" Xuo Mu asked.
"Cultivating," Fang Lin replied simply.
Xue Ji's gaze sharpened slightly, but she didn't say anything.
"There's something happening at the outer disciple square," Xuo Mu continued. "Some senior disciples are causing trouble… picking on newcomers."
Fang Lin's eyes flickered faintly. "Let's go."
The three of them made their way toward the square.
By the time they arrived, a crowd had already gathered. At the center stood a few senior outer disciples, their presence domineering. One of them sneered as a young disciple stood trembling before him.
"You bumped into me this morning," the senior said coldly. "That alone is enough."
"I… I didn't mean to…" the boy stammered.
The senior didn't wait. He kicked him directly in the stomach.
The boy was sent flying backward, crashing hard onto the ground.
Xuo Mu clenched his fists. "This is too much…"
Xue Ji grabbed his arm lightly. "Don't interfere."
Fang Lin said nothing. His gaze remained fixed on the scene.
The senior stepped forward again. "From today onward, half your spirit stones belong to me. Understand?"
The boy nodded weakly.
Just as the senior turned away, a calm voice broke the silence.
"Is this how the sect teaches its disciples?"
The entire square froze.
The senior turned slowly, his eyes narrowing.
Fang Lin stepped forward.
"Oh?" the senior sneered. "A newcomer wants to act brave?"
Fang Lin's expression remained calm. "I just don't like what I see."
The senior laughed, a cold edge in his voice. "Then you won't like what happens next."
A surge of Qi erupted from his body—Middle Stage Qi Conjunction.
Xuo Mu's face paled. "Fang Lin…"
But Fang Lin didn't move.
The senior lunged forward.
Fast.
But to Fang Lin, it wasn't fast at all.
His perception, sharpened by his awakened spiritual sense and strengthened soul, caught every detail. The flow of Qi, the shift in muscles, even the intent behind the strike—it was all clear.
At the last moment, Fang Lin shifted slightly.
The attack missed.
The senior's eyes widened.
Fang Lin stepped forward and threw a simple punch.
It wasn't flashy. There was no technique.
But the Qi within it was condensed and stable.
The impact landed squarely.
The senior staggered back, shock evident on his face.
The crowd fell silent.
"You—" the senior's expression twisted with anger. "You dare!"
He released more Qi and charged again, this time with full force.
For a brief moment, Fang Lin's eyes flickered.
A subtle pressure spread outward—barely noticeable, but enough.
The senior's movement faltered for just a fraction of a second.
That was all Fang Lin needed.
He stepped in and struck again.
This time, the force was heavier.
The senior was sent flying backward, crashing onto the ground with a dull thud. He struggled, but couldn't rise immediately.
Silence engulfed the square.
A newcomer had defeated a senior.
Fang Lin stood still, his expression unchanged.
"No one owes you anything," he said calmly.
The senior glared at him with resentment, but didn't move.
No one else spoke.
From a distant pavilion above, a red figure watched quietly.
Feng Jiu'er's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Interesting…"
Behind her, Elder Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze steady.
Back at the square, the silence was suddenly broken.
"Who caused trouble here?"
A powerful aura descended, pressing down on everyone present.
The crowd instinctively parted.
An inner sect disciple had arrived.
The pressure alone made several outer disciples lower their heads.
Fang Lin slowly lifted his gaze, meeting the newcomer's presence without retreating.
This… was only the beginning.
The pressure descended like a mountain.
Several outer disciples instinctively stepped back, some even lowering their heads under the weight of the aura. The crowd split apart as a young man in refined robes walked forward, his expression indifferent.
His gaze swept across the scene before settling briefly on the senior disciple lying on the ground.
"What happened here?" he asked coldly.
No one spoke.
The fallen senior struggled to get up, clutching his chest. "Senior Brother… this newcomer attacked me without reason—"
"Without reason?" a calm voice interrupted.
Fang Lin stepped forward.
The inner disciple's gaze shifted toward him.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
Fang Lin felt it clearly—the difference between them was vast. This was not someone in the Qi Conjunction stage. The Qi around the inner disciple was far denser, more refined… it carried a suppressive force that even his enhanced perception found difficult to fully grasp.
"Speak," the inner disciple said.
Fang Lin didn't hesitate. "He was extorting a junior disciple. I intervened."
The inner disciple glanced at the trembling boy on the ground. Then at the senior disciple.
"You deny this?"
The senior's expression stiffened. "I… I was only teaching him the rules of the sect…"
The inner disciple's eyes turned cold.
"Rules?"
Before anyone could react—
Slap!
The senior disciple was struck across the face and sent crashing to the side.
The sound echoed across the square.
"Since when do outer disciples decide the rules?" the inner disciple said flatly.
No one dared to speak.
The senior disciple knelt immediately, his arrogance gone. "Senior Brother, I was wrong!"
The inner disciple ignored him and turned back to Fang Lin.
"You're new."
"Yes."
"And yet you dared to act."
Fang Lin met his gaze calmly. "If no one acts, then such things will continue."
A faint silence followed.
The inner disciple studied him for a moment longer.
"Name."
"Fang Lin."
A flicker of recognition passed through the inner disciple's eyes—but it disappeared just as quickly.
"Fang Lin…" he repeated softly.
Behind the crowd, Xue Ji noticed it.
He knows something.
The inner disciple turned away slightly. "This matter ends here."
He paused, then added, "As for you—"
His gaze returned to Fang Lin.
"Follow me."
A ripple went through the crowd.
Xuo Mu swallowed nervously. "Fang Lin…"
But Fang Lin didn't hesitate. He stepped forward.
"Alright."
The inner disciple turned and began walking.
Fang Lin followed.
The pressure around them gradually faded as they left the square, but the silence lingered behind.
They walked in silence for a while.
The path led away from the outer disciple area, climbing slightly toward a quieter section of the sect.
After some time, the inner disciple finally spoke.
"You caused quite a scene on your first few days."
Fang Lin replied calmly, "It wasn't intentional."
"That's rarely how it starts."
They stopped near a stone platform overlooking part of the sect. From there, the vast expanse of the Green Bamboo Sect could be seen—rows of buildings, training grounds, and distant mountains covered in mist.
The inner disciple turned.
"My name is Chen Yu."
Fang Lin nodded slightly. "Senior Brother Chen."
Chen Yu's gaze sharpened slightly.
"You were brought in directly. No trial. Do you know what that means?"
Fang Lin remained silent.
"It means someone vouched for you," Chen Yu continued. "And not just anyone."
A brief pause.
"Elder Feng."
Fang Lin's expression didn't change, but inwardly, he understood.
So word had already spread… at least among some.
Chen Yu took a step closer.
"People like you attract attention. Not all of it good."
Fang Lin met his gaze. "I understand."
"Do you?" Chen Yu's tone was slightly probing. "Because strength in this sect isn't just about talent. It's about survival."
A faint breeze passed between them.
Chen Yu's voice lowered slightly.
"There are factions. Disciples who group together. Some follow elders. Some form their own circles. And some…" he paused, "eliminate threats early."
The meaning was clear.
Fang Lin didn't respond immediately.
After a moment, he said, "Then I'll just have to become stronger faster than they expect."
Chen Yu stared at him for a second.
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled faintly.
"Good answer."
He turned and walked toward the edge of the platform.
"One more thing."
Fang Lin looked at him.
"The disciple you defeated… he's not important. But he has connections. This won't end here."
"I didn't expect it to," Fang Lin replied.
Chen Yu nodded.
"Then prepare yourself."
He paused briefly before adding,
"The sect has a ranking for outer disciples. Once you step into it… everything changes."
With that, he leaped lightly off the platform, disappearing down the path.
Fang Lin stood alone.
The wind brushed past him as he looked out over the sect.
His first day…
And things had already begun to move.
After a while, he turned and made his way back.
When he returned to the outer disciple area, the atmosphere had changed.
People looked at him differently now.
Some with curiosity.
Some with caution.
Some with undisguised hostility.
Xuo Mu rushed toward him. "Fang Lin! What happened? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Fang Lin said.
Xue Ji stepped closer, her eyes searching his expression. "What did he say?"
"Nothing important," Fang Lin replied.
But both of them could tell—
That wasn't entirely true.
Fang Lin glanced around once more before heading back toward his room.
The moment he stepped inside, he closed the door.
Silence.
He sat down cross-legged.
Slowly, he closed his eyes.
His consciousness sank into his spiritual sea.
The silver expanse rippled gently… and at its center, the grey stone floated quietly, emitting a faint, mysterious glow.
Fang Lin focused.
The memory of the crystal from before surfaced again.
The white.
The black.
The green.
And that…
grey spark.
His mind sharpened.
"That wasn't part of the attributes…"
For the first time, a thought surfaced clearly.
"It's something else."
The grey stone pulsed faintly.
As if responding.
Fang Lin's eyes opened suddenly.
A subtle unease rose within him.
Whatever it was…
It wasn't ordinary.
And somehow—
It was connected to him.
Outside, the sect remained calm.
But beneath that calm…
something had already begun to stir.