The echo of spiritual horse hooves resonated clearly between the walls of the narrow rocky passage leading to the deep cave, accompanied by muffled, intermittent conversations indicating the approach of a human group.
This group was not a random gathering of passersby, but rather a scouting party belonging to one of the influential local sects in this lower world, specifically the “Bright Sword Sect,” which exerts control over a vast expanse of the surrounding forests and mountains.
Dark stood in the pitch-black shadows of the cave’s depths, leaning his back firmly against the cold rocks, while his pearl-red eyes tracked every minor detail via superior dark vision.
His heart did not beat with fear or apprehension; rather, it pulsed with the chill of a professional hunter observing his prey walking of its own accord straight into a carefully laid trap.
Thanks to the Sovereign Immunity aura and the hidden shroud wrapping his entity, the scanning energies and spiritual probes emitted by those sect members passed right through him without effect, completely unable to detect any trace of his presence, as if the space he occupied were totally devoid of life.
“Older Brother, are you certain that strange spatial fluctuation we felt a moment ago originated from this abandoned cave?” A girl’s voice, soft yet carrying a tone of caution and hesitation, echoed as she took slow steps toward the cave entrance.
The speaker was a young maiden wearing a light blue robe identifying her as an inner-court disciple of the Bright Sword Sect.
Her lovely face exuded intelligence and purity, framed by long pearl-colored hair.
More importantly, her body emitted a faint fluctuation denoting the “Cold Wind Bloodline,” a relatively rare talent in this primitive realm.
Standing beside her was a youth bearing an expression of arrogance and conceit, clad in robes embroidered with golden threads.
He was the youngest son of an influential local family supporting the sect, considering himself one of the rising prodigies.
“There is no need to worry, Qing’er.
Even if there is an injured savage beast inside, this sword of mine can chop it to pieces in the blink of an eye,” the arrogant youth replied, his hand resting conceitedly on the hilt of his mid-grade spiritual sword while casting a scrutiny-filled gaze of bravado around the place.
The exact moment the youth and the maiden crossed the dark cave entrance, the depths of Dark’s sea of consciousness trembled, and the luxurious golden-arched screen materialized before him with a faint glow visible only to him:
========================================
[ System Notification: Target Eligible for Linking Detected ]
• First Target: Qing’er (Possesses Dormant Cold Wind Bloodline / Moderate Fortune)
• Second Target: Ling Zhan (Arrogant Cultivator / Bright Sword Sect / Zero Fortune Potential)
• Proposed Action: Activate the Link & 100x Multiplication Network on the first target to drain, multiply, and train her resources for the User’s benefit.
Dark smiled coldly, a terrifying flash illuminating the gloomy corners of the cave.
The performance had begun precisely as he had planned in his mind.
He did not need to search long; destiny itself was walking right to him to multiply his power and resources manifold.
“Who is there?!” Ling Zhan suddenly shouted when he noticed a strange flash in the depths of the darkness, swiftly drawing his sword in a surprise motion and surrounding his body with spiritual sword energy, while the maiden Qing’er stepped back in alarm with wide, terrified eyes.
Dark did not answer with words.
He merely took a single step forward.
It was no ordinary step; it was accompanied by a soft roar resembling a meteorite striking the earth, emitting a terrifying energy from his body that froze the air within the cave solid.
The “Crushing Divine Elephant Technique” within him moved 13 cells in total out of the target cells, and this seemingly meager number was enough to generate physical strength and destructive might vastly surpassing any practitioner in the Foundation Establishment stage.
========================================
[ Updated Sovereign Status Window ]
• Name: Dark
• Standard Training Level: [Foundation Establishment Stage – Level 1]
• Awakened Cells: [ 13 / 840,000,000 Cells ]
• Linked Protagonists & Antagonists: [Qing’er (Active – 100x Multiplication)]
Before Ling Zhan could deliver his anticipated sword strike, he felt as though mountains of immense pressure had dropped directly onto his shoulders.
His back involuntarily bent, and his knees trembled violently until he nearly collapsed to the ground, while his spiritual sword shattered into two pieces purely from the “aura pressure” emitted by Dark’s body standing right before him!
“What…
what kind of terrifying entity is this?
Who are you?!” Ling Zhan screamed in a trembling voice filled with absolute terror, tears and panic spilling from his eyes as he struggled to stand before this silver-haired, crimson-eyed powerhouse.
Dark did not even look at Ling Zhan, keeping his calm gaze fixed on the maiden Qing’er, who stood frozen like a statue, unable to speak from shock and awe.
Dark slowly raised his hand, lightly touching the maiden’s shoulder with his fingertips, causing the screen to flash with a bright green glow confirming the success of the instant link:
[ Target Linked Successfully: Qing’er ]
[ Activation of 100x Multiplication Feature: Any training, spiritual pill, or gain achieved by the target will automatically and continuously yield a hundredfold increase for Dark ]
[ Partial Bloodline Feature Copied: Cold Wind Bloodline (Merged and upgraded within Dark’s structure at twice the potency of the original) ]
Qing’er’s eyes widened in astonishment as she felt an odd warmth flow through her veins, as though something pure and sacred had been awakened inside her body by a single touch from this handsome stranger.
Meanwhile, Ling Zhan completely lost consciousness and collapsed from the sheer physical aura pressure alone.
Dark turned his perceptive gaze toward the cave exit, letting his silver hair drift in the air.
He had laid the first cornerstone for his family and grand network, and the entire martial arts world no longer knew that an alien entity—one who not only tampered with destiny, but swallowed its power—had awakened to rule the sects and heavens by his absolute authority.
> “Thank you for reading Chapter 2!
Will Dark’s newly linked target unlock hidden secrets of the Bright Sword Sect?
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