Chapter 10: Destroys Young Master in Duel, Faking "Luck" and Skill
The courtyard still buzzed with disbelief, the air thick with whispers and stolen glances. Jin Rou's groaning form was being dragged away by his embarrassed lackeys, his once-golden robes now stained with dust and disgrace.
Raiyen stood at the edge of the dueling stage, feigning wide-eyed confusion.
"I… didn't mean to hit him that hard," he murmured, as if unsure of his own strength.
Gasps fluttered across the watching crowd. "Is he a hidden talent?"
"No way. He's just a servant!"
"But he beat Jin Rou! Clean!"
Raiyen dipped his head humbly, hiding the flicker of a smile curling his lips. The rumors were already swirling—and he hadn't even needed to push them. Just a little nudging, a little humble act, and the rest fell like dominos.
Behind his passive expression, the Sinbound System pulsed again:
> [Sin Points Harvested: Pride, Envy, Wrath – +67 Points]
[Trait Upgrade: The Shadowed Flame → Embers of Suspicion – Sect members begin to whisper your name. Some doubt you, others grow curious.]
He liked that. Just enough attention to stir the waters. Not enough to drown.
As the crowd dispersed, Raiyen turned to leave—only to spot a robed figure leaning against a pillar, arms folded, lips twisted in quiet amusement.
Lin Xue.
She didn't speak. But her eyes told stories: pride, intrigue, possessiveness.
She had seen it.
And that was good.
He bowed toward her—deep enough to show servitude, not so deep it looked like submission.
Their game was evolving.
As night fell, Raiyen returned to his quarters. He sat cross-legged in the darkness, letting his cultivation circulate in silent rhythm. The Qi he'd absorbed since awakening the Sinbound System had begun to condense—his dantian shimmering with a mist of pure spiritual energy.
It was close. So close.
One more push… and he'd ascend.
Not just in cultivation, but in standing.
He closed his eyes, and the System responded.
> [Sin Points Available: 116]
[Recommended Purchase: Mirage Root Elixir – stimulates spiritual growth, masks power increase from others]
Cost: 90 Points. Proceed?
"Yes."
The vial materialized before him—swirling with midnight-blue liquid. Raiyen drank it in a single gulp.
A rush of heat spiraled through his limbs. His heart thundered like a war drum, and the world shifted.
His spiritual core snapped into new clarity.
> [Cultivation Breakthrough Achieved: Foundation Realm – Mid Stage]
[Passive Gained: Aura Veil – hides true cultivation from those one rank higher or below]
[All stats increased. Forbidden Techniques more easily practiced.]
He exhaled slowly. Every breath now resonated deeper, his mind clearer, his senses sharper.
But the real power was in the veil.
He could walk among outer disciples. Even elders. And they'd feel… nothing.
A weak servant.
That was the beauty of his path.
The shadows embraced him, and in return, he became the perfect lie.
A knock tapped at his door.
Raiyen opened it cautiously.
A familiar face—thin, sharp-eyed, always alert—stood on the other side.
Qian Zhou. Another servant. A lowly one, but quick-witted. Raiyen had noticed him before—quiet, observant, not unlike himself.
"Yao," Qian said, using Raiyen's servant alias, "you've made waves today."
"I didn't mean to," Raiyen said modestly.
Qian chuckled. "That's the problem. People think you didn't. But I don't buy it."
Raiyen's fingers tightened on the doorframe.
"Relax. I'm not here to out you. I admire it." Qian stepped closer, voice lowering. "Jin Rou deserved it. He's a parasite. Everyone knows it. You did what most of us dream about."
Raiyen studied him carefully. There was no false flattery, no hidden snare. Just quiet resentment—directed at the sect's corruption.
A useful tool.
"I don't know what you mean," Raiyen said softly.
Qian just grinned. "Sure. Say no more. Just… if you ever need a pair of eyes or ears—ones that don't talk too much—let me know."
Raiyen gave a slow nod.
He would.
After Qian left, Raiyen turned to the mirror shard on his desk and studied his reflection. The face staring back was still youthful, still plain. But his eyes… they'd changed.
Sharper. Deeper. Hungrier.
He walked back to the balcony where the moonlight spilled over the stone.
From across the sect, in a lavish courtyard, Lin Xue's silhouette appeared by candlelight. Her window was open. She stared into the night as if sensing him.
Another thread tightening.
The Sinbound System stirred again.
> [Sin Path Update: 1st Harem Member – Emotional Dependence Reached. Unlocking Path: Lustbound Flame]
[Skill Unlocked: Crimson Link – channel Sin through Consort bond to gain shared power temporarily.]
Power. Emotion. Sin.
All bound together now.
But Raiyen's mind wasn't on Lin Xue anymore.
It was on Jin Rou's father—Elder Jin.
A man whose hands were stained with the blood of Raiyen's past life. One of the architects of his betrayal.
Raiyen's knuckles cracked.
This little duel was only the start.
Jin Rou was the warning shot.
The real reckoning was coming—and this time, it would burn through the halls of the sect like wildfire.