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⚔️ "The Rootless Versus the Sky-Rooted"
Ashes of the Old Self
Fang Yun sat cross-legged in the dark cave behind the waterfall, his robe soaked, his hands trembling, and his breath slow.
Rainwater dripped from the jagged rocks overhead. His eyes were closed, but his mind was wide awake.
He felt everything.
The tiny river of qi from the insect roots he had devoured still churned through him like polluted water trying to become a storm.
> [ Root Points: 1.6 ]
[ Devour Efficiency: +8% ]
[ Mirror Pulse: 3% Unlocked (Fragment Detected) ]
Every heartbeat pumped raw hunger into his veins.
But more than hunger… there was rage.
Rage at the world that abandoned him.
Rage at the smug, pampered disciples who trained with heavenly pills while he had to eat moldy rice.
Rage at the heavens themselves, who gave talent to the proud and only pain to the kind.
> "They will envy me," he whispered, eyes opening slowly. "Even if I must burn the heavens to make them look down on me."
A soft noise stirred the cave.
A presence.
A girl.
---
The Hidden One
She stood in the shadows, her silver hair glowing faintly under moonlight that filtered through the waterfall.
"Your heart is too loud," she said.
Fang Yun's body tensed.
> Enemy?
No. She had no killing intent.
Just... curiosity.
"Who are you?" he asked.
She stepped closer.
Her eyes were unlike anything he had seen—violet irises shaped like lotus petals, an unmistakable mark of a hidden bloodline.
"You're the Rootless One, aren't you?" she said softly.
Fang Yun stood slowly, cautious.
"And you are…?"
"Call me Yan," she replied. "That's not my real name. But if I gave you that, someone might kill us both."
Fang Yun narrowed his eyes. "You're from one of the Eight Major Clans."
She didn't deny it.
Instead, she looked at him strangely. "I saw you hurt Chen Gui. But you didn't use qi. You used something… that shouldn't exist."
Fang Yun said nothing.
Yan stepped closer, her gaze intense. "What you have is dangerous. Forbidden. The Rootless Dao… was wiped out a thousand years ago."
> "Then I'll be the one to bring it back."
For a moment, silence filled the cave.
Then she smiled—faint, curious, like someone who had just found a deadly new puzzle.
"I'll be watching you," she said. "Don't die too soon."
And like mist, she vanished into the night.
---
The First Assassin
Two days later, death came for Fang Yun.
He was cleaning stone tiles outside the Spirit Garden when the wind shifted unnaturally.
He looked up.
A blade of moonlight flashed through the air—
He ducked—just in time.
The sword missed his throat by inches, slicing a gash in his shoulder.
Blood spilled. Pain flared.
His attacker landed silently—an outer sect disciple wearing a black cloth over his face.
Not an amateur.
> "You don't belong here," the man hissed. "The Sect doesn't allow curses to walk freely."
Fang Yun rose slowly, eyes burning.
"You work for Elder Bai Xun?"
The man didn't answer.
He charged.
But this time, Fang Yun was ready.
He activated Devour with his blood still fresh.
His palm became black smoke.
The attacker's sword pierced his side—but it sank into void instead of flesh.
> [ Devour Activated: Qi Thread Intercepted ]
[ +0.5 Root Points ]
[ Minor Sword Qi absorbed ]
Fang Yun's hand gripped the man's wrist—and the assassin screamed.
> "What—what are you doing?! My root—!"
> "Feeding mine," Fang Yun growled.
The man convulsed, his face turning pale.
Then he collapsed—lifeless.
> [ Target Devoured. +2.1 Root Points. ]
[ Rootless Level: 1 → 2 ]
[ New Ability Unlocked: Mirror Pulse (10%) – Copy Technique for 3 seconds ]
Fang Yun stood over the body, panting.
Blood still dripped from his side.
But inside, he felt stronger than ever.
And colder.
> "They sent one," he muttered. "They'll send more."
---
: The Ironroot Sect Shakes
News of the murder spread before dawn.
An outer disciple found dead.
Root partially erased.
Elder Bai Xun flew into a quiet rage.
> "Seal the outer grounds. No one leaves until we find the killer."
He knew who did it.
But he had no proof.
Yet.
Meanwhile, Fang Yun remained hidden in plain sight.
He didn't run. He didn't flinch.
He kept cleaning. Kept bowing. Kept serving.
But every night… he trained.
Devouring more life. Channeling envy. Preparing.
Because he knew—
> The next attack would come from someone stronger.
And he would need more than Devour to survive.
---
✅ Coming next
Fang Yun challenges a ranked disciple
Unlocks Mirror Pulse in combat
He starts to influence weaker disciples with his presence
A secret Elder takes notice of him
Yan reveals a terrifying secret about the Rootless Path