West of Qingyang City, in the Market Town.
The air was mixed with the bitterness of Medicinal Herbs, the earthy smell of ore, the stench of Demonic Beast materials, and the strange odors emitted by various low-grade Pills. People flowed like a river, with shouts, haggling, and the clash of weapons constantly audible. This was the most chaotic place in Qingyang City, yet also the place most likely to unearth good things.
Chu Yang walked through the bustling crowd, appearing casual, but his mind was tightly connected to the System in his sea of consciousness.
"System, explain in detail the characteristics of the 'Hidden Dragon in the Abyss' Destiny, and the search method."
【"Hidden Dragon in the Abyss" Destiny holders typically possess the following characteristics: 】
【1. They possess a Special Physique or talent, but due to external constraints or limited self-awareness, their brilliance is obscured and cannot manifest. 】
【2. Their path is fraught with misfortune, their Fortune is suppressed, often manifesting as an inability to cultivate, stagnant Cultivation Level, or encountering major setbacks. 】
【3. Their character is tenacious; they do not abandon their aspirations amidst adversity, possessing the potential to become a powerhouse. 】
【Search Method: The Host can consume a small amount of Divine Soul Power to activate the System's detection function, sensing targets meeting the criteria within a thousand-meter radius. Detection accuracy is related to the Host's Soul Power strength and distance. 】
"Activate detection." With a thought from Chu Yang, a wisp of formless and intangible Divine Soul Power spread out like ripples, merging into the surrounding environment. In an instant, the world perceived by him became different.
Countless points of light representing Life Aura emerged in his consciousness; most were dim and mundane, a few were slightly brighter, representing cultivators with a certain Cultivation Level. But within this ocean of light points, he keenly captured an extremely faint, yet exceptionally unique fluctuation!
That fluctuation was like a single firefly in the abyss—so weak it was almost extinguished, yet it contained an indescribable resilience, and a trace of... magnificent Dragon Qi, bound by heavy shackles and deeply hidden!
"Found it!" A sharp glint flashed in Chu Yang's eyes, his gaze instantly locking onto a dilapidated stall selling low-grade Medicinal Herbs at the edge of the Market Town.
Behind the stall, a small, thin figure was huddled.
It was a girl who looked about fourteen or fifteen, wearing a coarse cloth dress washed pale and patched several times. Her frame was so slight that it seemed a gust of wind could blow her away. She kept her head down, her messy hair covering most of her face, revealing only a pointed chin and bloodless lips. Spread on the tattered cloth before her were a few stalks of hemostatic grass and Dew Condensing Flowers, both of extremely poor quality with thin Spiritual Qi.
The girl hugged her knees, burying her head low, her body trembling slightly, seemingly trying her best to minimize her presence. However, a small circle of empty space surrounded her; passersby either ignored her or cast looks of disdain or pity, yet no one stopped.
Chu Yang could clearly "see" that the unique Destiny fluctuation of "Hidden Dragon in the Abyss" was emanating from this girl who seemed as humble as dust! Furthermore, the System provided even more detailed feedback:
【Target Confirmed: Meets the "Hidden Dragon in the Abyss" Destiny criteria. 】
【Physique: Profound Yin Absolute Meridian （ Unawakened ）. 】
【Status: Meridians are blocked, cold energy invades the body, Life Origin Source is weak. 】
【Potential Assessment: Extremely High （ Upon awakening, cultivating ice-element or yin-element supreme Cultivation Methods will yield twice the result with half the effort; her future is limitless ）. 】
"Profound Yin Absolute Meridian..." Chu Yang understood in his heart. This was an extremely rare Special Physique; the Meridians were naturally sealed by supreme yin cold energy, preventing the sensing of conventional Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, thus being regarded as an incurable disease, leading to death before the age of twenty. However, if guided by a supreme Cultivation Method, the cold energy could be resolved, the Absolute Meridian opened, and it could be transformed into the highest-tier cultivation physique—the Profound Yin Spirit Body! No wonder the System assessed the potential as extremely high.
Just then, several ruffian-like figures swaggered up to the girl's stall. The leader was a scarred man, possessing a Qi Refining second-layer Cultivation Level. He was one of the local bullies of this Market Town, named Liu San.
"Hey! Little girl!" Liu San kicked the tattered cloth of the stall with his foot, his tone malicious. "Time to pay the stall fee, isn't it?"
The girl's body trembled violently, and she lowered her head even further, her voice as faint as a mosquito's whine, laced with tears. "Third... Third Master, I... I haven't made a single sale today, not a single Medicinal Herb sold... Could you possibly grant me one more day?"
"Grant you another day?" Liu San sneered, squatting down and grabbing the girl's chin, forcing her to look up.
A pale but undeniably beautiful little face was revealed, her large eyes brimming with tears, filled with terror and helplessness.
"Heh, you've got some looks." A lewd glint flashed in Liu San's eyes. "It's fine if you don't have money. Come have a few drinks with Third Master, have some fun, and I'll waive the stall fee for you. How about it?" As he spoke, his dirty hand reached out toward the girl's cheek.
"No... Don't!" The girl struggled in terror, and tears finally streamed down her face.
Some people nearby showed looks of pity, but no one dared to step forward to stop it. Liu San was notoriously troublesome in this area.
Just as Liu San's hand was about to touch the girl's cheek, a slender, clean hand appeared out of thin air, gripping his wrist like an iron clamp.
Liu San froze, then erupted in fury: "Which blind idiot dares to meddle in Third Master's business?!"
He tried to pull away forcefully, but found that the hand did not budge an inch. A piercing pain shot up his wrist, instantly changing his expression.
Chu Yang had appeared before the stall without anyone noticing. He didn't even look at Liu San, his gaze fixed on the terrified and unsettled girl, his voice calm. "How much for these Medicinal Herbs?"
The girl froze, staring blankly at the suddenly appearing young man whose appearance was ordinary but whose aura was unfathomable.
Liu San, however, felt completely ignored, and rage surged within him. He swung his other hand, forming a fist, and smashed it toward Chu Yang's face: "I'm talking to you, you bastard!"
Chu Yang still did not look at him, merely tightening his grip slightly on Liu San's wrist.
"Crack!"
A crisp sound of bone fracturing rang out!
"Ah—!!!" Liu San let out a pig-slaughtering scream. He curled up in pain, cold sweat instantly covering his forehead.
Chu Yang then released his hand, tossing it away as if discarding trash. Liu San rolled on the ground howling in agony, clutching his broken wrist. His followers, terrified, turned pale and retreated repeatedly, daring not to step forward.
"I'll take all of your Medicinal Herbs." Chu Yang spoke to the girl again, his tone still calm, as if nothing had just happened.
The girl finally snapped back to reality. Looking at the screaming Liu San on the ground, then at Chu Yang, her eyes were filled with gratitude and a touch of bewilderment. "Th-Thank you, Young Master... These... these aren't worth much..."
Chu Yang said no more. He took out several Low-Grade Spirit Stones from the System Space—these were from the System's beginner gift package, far more precious than the currency circulating in Qingyang City—and placed them on the stall. "Is this enough?"
The girl stared at the few Spirit Stones radiating Spiritual Qi, her eyes widening instantly. These few Low-Grade Spirit Stones were enough to buy everything on her stall hundreds of times over! "T-Too much! I can't use that much!"
"It doesn't matter. The rest will serve as a deposit." Chu Yang looked at her, his gaze profound. "I observe that your physique is special; you are not incapable of cultivation, you have simply walked the wrong path. I might have a way to reverse your fate."
The girl trembled violently, looking up at Chu Yang in disbelief, her voice shaking: "Y-Young Master... Are you serious? I... I can really cultivate?"
Her name was Qing Xue. Her parents died when she was young. Because of this "strange illness," her family considered her inauspicious, drove her out, and she ended up here, barely surviving by gathering some low-grade Medicinal Herbs and enduring constant bullying. Cultivation was something she dared not even dream about!
"I never speak carelessly." Chu Yang said lightly. "But this path is covered in thorns and requires immense perseverance and resolve. Are you willing to follow me in cultivation?"
Qing Xue looked into Chu Yang's calm eyes, which seemed to hold the vastness of the Stars and the Sea, and recalled the unfathomable means by which he had effortlessly crippled Liu San's wrist moments ago. A surge of unprecedented hope and impulse filled her heart. She suddenly knelt on the ground, ignoring the dust, and kowtowed deeply:
"Disciple Qing Xue is willing to take Young Master as Master! I beg Master to take pity and grant me a new life!"
【Ding! Detected a target matching the "Hidden Dragon in the Abyss" Destiny, "Qing Xue," voluntarily seeking discipleship! 】
【Shall she be recruited as the Founding Senior Disciple of the Reincarnation Sect? 】
"Yes." Chu Yang confirmed internally.
【Ding! Congratulations to the Host for successfully recruiting the Founding Senior Disciple: Qing Xue! 】
【Mission "Recruit Disciples" completed! 】
【Disciple Potential Assessment: S-Rank! 】
【Rewards Issued: Points! Special Lottery Chance × 1! Great Emperor Realm Cultivation Exchange Card × 5! 】
【Sect Destiny +100! 】
【Passive Feedback gained by Host: When Disciple Qing Xue cultivates, the Host will gain a 1% cultivation comprehension bonus based on hers! 】
A string of System notification sounds rang out; the rewards were astonishingly generous! Especially those five Great Emperor Realm Cultivation Exchange Cards, meaning he could instantly create five Great Emperor Realm existences at critical moments! This would be the foundation for the Reincarnation Sect to shock the world in the future!
"Rise." Chu Yang reached out to help her up, and a gentle force lifted Qing Xue. "From today onward, you are the Founding Senior Disciple of my Reincarnation Sect."
"Reincarnation Sect..." Qing Xue murmured the name, her eyes filled with longing for the future.
Chu Yang swept his gaze over the shocked, curious, and fearful onlookers, finally settling on Liu San, who was still howling on the ground, his expression turning slightly cold.
"Let's go. We're leaving this place."
He took Qing Xue and turned to leave, disappearing into the flow of the Market Town.
Leaving behind a mess on the ground, and a legend that would begin to circulate about a mysterious powerhouse and a humble girl.
But Chu Yang knew that recruiting Qing Xue was only the first step. The rise of the Reincarnation Sect would inevitably be accompanied by countless storms. The Chu Family, the Lin Family, the Azure Cloud Sect... and the broader world that the System missions pointed toward in the unseen realm...
The heart of the Sect had been planted.
It only awaits rooting and sprouting to overshadow the heavens!
（ Chapter Eight End ）