Azure Cloud Sect was vast—a miniature kingdom carved into the mountains, hanging in the sky. Stone bridges connected dozens of peaks, and every peak housed pavilions, libraries, weapon halls, pill furnaces, beast stables, and training arenas.
Li Tianming now lived among the inner disciples on Jade Wind Peak, the third-highest among the nine inner sect peaks. It was here that the elite trained, fought, and schemed.
He awoke to the sound of a bronze bell tolling thrice.
A message burned into his jade badge:
> Mandatory Inner Disciple Orientation – Sword Pledge Arena – Noon
Attendance required.
Tianming sighed and stepped out into the crisp mountain air, his blue robe fluttering.
The wind carried the scent of pine, spirit herbs, and—faintly—steel and blood.
---
Sword Pledge Arena
At the heart of Jade Wind Peak stood the arena, a massive circle of polished white jade with sword marks carved into every inch. Surrounding it were seating tiers filled with inner disciples, elders, and a few core disciples observing silently.
Li Tianming found himself standing among a dozen new inner disciples, some eager, others nervous. Eyes constantly turned to him—the one who broke the testing mirror.
He ignored them.
Instead, he looked toward the arena center, where three figures waited: Elder Mei, Xu Qingyue, and a third he hadn't yet seen—a young woman seated with one knee propped up, lazily twirling a blade between her fingers.
She wore black silk robes with crimson embroidery and had raven-black hair tied in a loose knot. Her eyes, golden and catlike, were half-lidded in boredom—but Li Tianming could feel it: danger, wrapped in elegance.
"That's her…" someone whispered nearby. "Leng Shuang'er, the Crimson Blade Princess. Ranked 11th among the inner disciples."
"She's already Stage 8… and she doesn't even cultivate properly—just fights."
"She beat a core disciple once, didn't she?"
Li Tianming focused on her—and to his surprise, she was staring back.
A slow smile tugged at her lips, as if amused.
Then she spoke, voice clear and lazy. "So you're the miracle boy. You're smaller than I expected."
Tianming raised an eyebrow. "And you're louder than I hoped."
Gasps erupted from the surrounding disciples. No one talked back to Leng Shuang'er.
But she just laughed, low and warm. "Interesting."
Elder Mei raised a hand, silencing the crowd. "Enough. Today is your formal welcome to the inner sect. Each of you will spar with a ranked disciple. Performance will determine your initial standing. The top three will be given Direct Combat Instructor privileges and additional cultivation resources."
Li Tianming narrowed his eyes.
A test already? So soon?
"Step forward, Li Tianming," Elder Mei called.
The crowd fell silent.
He walked to the center of the arena.
"Your opponent," she continued, "is Leng Shuang'er."
Gasps.
Shocked whispers.
"Unfair!"
"He just joined!"
"She's ranked 11th!"
Leng Shuang'er stood, stretching. "Finally."
Tianming's face remained impassive.
---
The Match
The moment the bell rang, Shuang'er struck.
She didn't hesitate.
Her sword was out in a blur, and five slashes came from five angles—one targeting his ribs, one for his throat, another at his knees, one at his eyes, and the last at his wrist.
A test. Meant to disarm or humiliate.
Li Tianming moved like flowing water. Lightfoot steps, minimal movement. His sword intercepted three of the strikes, dodged one, and parried the last with the back of his forearm.
Then he countered.
> [Skill Activated: Heaven Piercing Sword – Form 1: Crescent Edge]
A graceful arc of light shot forward, aimed not to injure but to force space between them.
Shuang'er leapt back, grinning. "Oh, you are fun."
She vanished.
Stage 8 movement speed.
She reappeared behind him. Her sword came down vertically.
Tianming's sword met hers—clang!
Their blades locked, inches from his neck.
He looked her in the eye. Calm.
And smiled.
> [System Activation: Adaptive Combat Analysis – Counterstrike Pattern Detected]
His left hand shot out—not with energy, but a simple grip.
He grabbed her wrist.
Flipping over her blade arm, he slammed the hilt of his sword into her shoulder and swept her legs.
She fell—but kicked out, catching his chest.
They both rolled apart, breathing hard.
Blood trickled down her lip.
"…That's enough," Elder Mei said. "Match concluded."
Gasps echoed again.
"A draw?!"
"No one's forced Shuang'er back before!"
"She bled…?!"
Leng Shuang'er stood slowly. Wiped her mouth. Looked at Tianming again with open curiosity.
Then she laughed. "You're the first to land a hit in a long time."
Tianming bowed slightly. "You're the first to make me bleed internally. Fair trade."
She sheathed her sword. "Let's spar again. Soon."
Then she walked off without waiting for permission.
---
Later That Night — Disciples' Garden
Tianming sat beneath a spirit peach tree, letting the System repair minor muscle strains through passive regeneration.
He held a jade slip in his hand—his inner disciple manual.
It contained sect laws, contribution task lists, forbidden zones, and rank progression rules.
But he couldn't focus.
The battle replayed in his mind. Not just the fight—but the way Leng Shuang'er moved, how she observed him, how the Sect had clearly set him up to fall.
"Politics," he muttered. "Even in the clouds, they stink."
---
Suddenly, he wasn't alone.
Shuang'er leaned against the tree opposite him, arms crossed, a peach in hand.
"You're hiding," she said, biting into the fruit. "Why?"
Tianming raised an eyebrow. "Hiding? I call it 'resting.'"
"You handled the fight well," she said, ignoring his sarcasm. "You didn't try to win. You tried to survive. That's rare."
"Would've been stupid to try and beat you with just raw strength."
She smirked. "You're not the only one with secrets. My spiritual root's unstable. That's why I cultivate through battle. Every time I fight, I learn more than I ever could from books."
Tianming was silent for a moment.
"You're not what I expected," he finally said.
She tilted her head. "You expected a cold-hearted sword princess?"
"…Yes."
She laughed again, genuinely. "Don't worry. I play that role when I have to. But I get tired of people fearing me before they know me."
"And yet you scare half the sect."
"That's their problem."
She looked up at the sky. "You'll rise fast. I can feel it. Just don't let them chain you down."
Tianming looked at her, this dangerous and graceful girl.
A warrior. A seeker. A loner like him.
Maybe—just maybe—an ally.
"Thank you, Leng Shuang'er."
"Call me Shuang'er," she said, standing. "And next time, try to win."
Then she was gone, vanishing into the mist.
Tianming stared at the spot she had been.
The world was opening.
And so were new hearts.
---
Far above, in a hidden chamber of the Core Disciple Hall…
A pale youth with silver eyes scowled as he watched the memory crystal.
"Leng Shuang'er… showing interest in a newcomer?"
Beside him, an elder whispered, "The boy is dangerous."
"Good," said the pale youth. "Then we'll crush him before he learns to fly."
---
[End of Chapter 4]