Morning sunlight barely reached the Northern Cliff Training Grounds.
The wind blew fiercely along the stone platform, carrying strands of mist across the jagged mountain edge. Below the cliff stretched a deep valley filled with ancient pine trees.
At the center of the platform—
Lin Ye lay flat on his back.
Staring at the sky.
"…I think my ribs are broken."
Su Qingyue stood calmly beside him, not even breathing heavily.
"They're not."
Lin Ye groaned dramatically.
"That's exactly what someone who broke them would say."
Su Qingyue crossed her arms.
"You're exaggerating."
Lin Ye slowly sat up, rubbing his shoulder.
"You hit me seventeen times."
"Sixteen."
"…You counted?!"
She didn't respond.
Lin Ye stared at her for a moment before sighing.
"…You're terrifying."
Su Qingyue turned slightly away, hiding the faintest twitch at the corner of her lips.
For the past two hours, their training had been relentless.
Lin Ye attacked.
Su Qingyue countered.
Lin Ye used Blood Shadow Step.
Su Qingyue intercepted him every time.
Every.
Single.
Time.
Lin Ye stretched his arms painfully.
"…You're not even trying."
Su Qingyue shook her head.
"I am."
Lin Ye blinked.
"…Now I'm depressed."
But despite the constant defeats, something had changed.
His movements had become sharper.
Faster.
More controlled.
Even the demonic energy inside him had stabilized slightly.
Inside his mind, the system flickered faintly.
[Bloodline Stability Increasing]
[Combat Efficiency +5%]
Lin Ye smiled slightly.
"…Not bad."
Su Qingyue noticed immediately.
"What?"
Lin Ye stood up and cracked his neck.
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You're hiding something."
Lin Ye grinned.
"Just progress."
Before she could question him further—
He moved.
Blood Shadow Step.
Lin Ye vanished.
But this time—
His movement left behind a faint crimson afterimage.
Su Qingyue's eyes widened slightly.
"…Again?"
Lin Ye reappeared behind her and attacked.
She blocked instantly, but the force of the strike surprised her.
Lin Ye smirked.
"New trick."
Su Qingyue stepped back.
"Explain."
Lin Ye stretched his fingers.
"I think the demon part of me learned something."
Inside his mind, the system finally displayed the notification clearly.
[New Martial Skill Unlocked]
[Demonic Phantom Step]
Effect: Leaves shadow afterimages that confuse enemies.]
Lin Ye laughed softly.
"…That's actually cool."
Su Qingyue didn't laugh.
Instead—
She attacked again.
Lin Ye barely dodged.
"…Hey!"
"You said you improved."
"Prove it."
Lin Ye sighed.
"…You're impossible."
But the fight resumed instantly.
This time, Lin Ye used the new technique repeatedly.
Crimson afterimages flickered across the battlefield.
For the first time—
Su Qingyue missed once.
Just once.
Lin Ye froze.
"…Wait."
"You missed."
Su Qingyue's expression hardened.
"…Again."
Lin Ye grinned.
"Oh no."
"I'm never letting that go."
She attacked harder.
Lin Ye ran.
"Okay okay!"
"I take it back!"
The quiet cliff echoed with their chaotic training fight.
From a distance—
It almost looked like a strange dance.
Fast.
Violent.
And strangely…
Intimate.
Meanwhile — Black Fang Territory
Deep within the inner sect forest, a group of disciples gathered in a hidden courtyard.
Black Fang.
Wu Shan stood at the center, arms folded.
Liu Feng stood nearby, his face still dark with resentment.
"He humiliated us," Liu Feng said bitterly.
Wu Shan didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he looked toward the distant mountains.
"…Lin Ye."
Liu Feng clenched his fists.
"Let me fight him again."
Wu Shan shook his head.
"No."
Liu Feng frowned.
"Why?"
Wu Shan's eyes sharpened.
"Because next time…"
"…we don't fight him."
The other Black Fang members looked confused.
Wu Shan smiled coldly.
"We break him."
Liu Feng's eyes widened slightly.
"…How?"
Wu Shan turned toward the northern cliff.
"Everyone has weaknesses."
His voice lowered.
"And Lin Ye's weakness…"
"…is already obvious."
The disciples followed his gaze.
Toward the place where Lin Ye trained every morning.
With Su Qingyue.
Wu Shan's smile deepened.
"Romance makes people careless."
Back at the Northern Cliff
Lin Ye jumped backward across the platform, breathing heavily.
"Time out!"
Su Qingyue lowered her hand slightly.
"…Five seconds."
Lin Ye collapsed onto a nearby rock.
"…You're a monster."
She didn't disagree.
Lin Ye wiped sweat from his forehead.
"You know, normal teachers encourage students."
"I am encouraging you."
"How?"
"You're still alive."
Lin Ye stared at her.
"…Fair point."
But before either of them could continue—
A slow clap echoed across the cliff.
Both of them turned instantly.
Standing at the entrance of the platform was a tall figure wearing white robes.
His posture was relaxed.
His expression calm.
But the spiritual pressure surrounding him was immense.
Lin Ye blinked.
"…Who's this guy?"
Su Qingyue's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Senior Brother."
Lin Ye's brain processed that slowly.
"…Wait."
"Senior brother?"
The man stepped forward casually.
"I've heard a lot about you."
His gaze rested on Lin Ye with faint amusement.
"Lin Ye."
Lin Ye scratched his head.
"…Should I know you?"
The man smiled.
"I suppose introductions are necessary."
He stopped a few steps away.
"My name is…"
He gestured lazily toward the distant ranking pillar visible across the mountain peaks.
"…Li Tianxuan."
Lin Ye blinked again.
Then realization hit.
"…Oh."
"You're Rank One."
Li Tianxuan chuckled.
"That's one way to introduce me."
Lin Ye rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"…So."
"You came here to fight me?"
Li Tianxuan shook his head.
"No."
Lin Ye raised an eyebrow.
"…Recruitment?"
Li Tianxuan laughed.
"No."
Then his gaze sharpened slightly.
"I came because…"
"…I was curious."
Lin Ye smirked.
"About?"
Li Tianxuan's eyes gleamed.
"The man who almost turned the entire Inner Sect upside down."
Silence fell across the cliff.
Then Lin Ye grinned.
"…That sounds like me."
Li Tianxuan laughed again.
"Yes."
"Yes it does."
Su Qingyue watched the two men carefully.
Because something important had just happened.
The strongest disciple in the entire sect—
Had personally come to meet Lin Ye.
And that meant only one thing.
The real story—
Was finally beginning.