The shockwaves of the arena match did not settle even after the sun had dipped below the horizon.
In the outer sectors of the Lin Clan, the name Ye Chen was no longer spoken with mockery.
It was whispered with caution.
Disciples who once walked the main paths now stepped aside when they saw him, their eyes darting away.
To defeat a Second Layer cultivator with a single, unseen strike meant only one of two things: either the ‘waste’ had been hiding a monstrous talent for years, or he had stumbled upon a heaven-defying heritage.
Ye Chen, however, cared little for rumors.
He sat in the quiet corner of the northern courtyard, slowly wiping the morning dew off his iron blade.
The silver Qi in his dantian was stable, but he felt the limitations of his current stage.
The First Layer of Qi Condensation was a start, but he needed a massive influx of spiritual herbs to advance further.
“It is impolite to ignore a guest, Cousin Ye Chen.”
A soft, melodic voice broke the silence.
It carried a strange, natural warmth that seemed to contrast with the cold night air.
Ye Chen didn’t look up immediately.
He finished the long stroke down the flat of his blade before shifting his gaze toward the broken bamboo gate.
Standing there was a young woman around his age, dressed in the vibrant crimson silk robes of the inner sect’s elite disciples.
Her long, midnight-black hair was held up by a silver hairpin shaped like a blooming lotus, and her jade-like face carried a faint, knowing smile.
This was Lin Xinyue, the granddaughter of the Second Elder and one of the top three talents in the Lin Clan’s younger generation.
At seventeen, she had already reached the peak of the Fourth Layer of Qi Condensation.
His voice was flat, completely devoid of the nervous awe most outer disciples showed in her presence.
“State your business.”
Lin Xinyue’s eyes narrowed slightly.
She was accustomed to young men stammering over their words or trying to impress her.
Ye Chen’s utter indifference was like looking into a stagnant, bottomless pool.
She stepped into the courtyard.
The faint scent of medicinal lotus drifted with her movement.
“I watched your match today. The technique you used—it wasn’t a style belonging to the Lin Clan. The vacuum you created with your blade requires a specific physical constitution that a mortal with broken roots shouldn’t possess.”
“Are you here to interrogate me on behalf of the elders?” Ye Chen asked, sheathing his sword with a sharp click.
“No.” Lin Xinyue stopped a few paces away.
“The elders are foolishly debating whether you used a forbidden demonic pill. But I know better. A demonic pill leaves a chaotic, foul odor in the Qi. Your energy today was as pure as mountain snow. I am here to offer you an alliance.”
“An alliance?” Ye Chen let out a low, cold chuckle.
“What could an inner sect genius possibly want from an outer court exile?”
Lin Xinyue leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper.
“The Hidden Cloud Valley opens in three days. The clan is sending the top youth to harvest the Crimson Spirit Fruits. However, my sources tell me that Lin Hao has hired rogue cultivators to ambush you inside the valley. If you enter alone, you die. But if you walk under my banner, I can guarantee your safety.”
She paused, expecting him to show relief or gratitude.
Instead, Ye Chen rose from his stone seat.
He stood a full head taller than her.
His dark eyes locked onto hers, and for a brief moment, Lin Xinyue felt a chill crawl up her spine.
“You guarantee my safety?” Ye Chen asked softly.
A terrifyingly sharp smile formed on his lips.
“Lin Xinyue, you underestimate me, and you vastly overestimate your own standing. Lin Hao and his hidden dogs are nothing but dust beneath my boots. If they attack me, I will turn that valley into their graveyard.”
Lin Xinyue took an instinctive step back.
Her hand flew to her waist where her spiritual whip was coiled.
For a split second, she felt an overwhelming sense of danger—as if the boy standing before her wasn’t a sixteen-year-old cousin, but a primordial beast cloaked in human skin.
“You… you are arrogant,” she stammered, her calm composure cracking for the first time.
“The valley is dangerous, Ye Chen. Even with your strange sword technique, you cannot face multiple Third Layer cultivators at once.”
“Watch me.” Ye Chen turned his back to her and walked toward the door of his house.
“If you want the Crimson Spirit Fruits, stay out of my way inside the valley. That is the only alliance I am willing to grant you.”
The wooden door closed behind him, leaving Lin Xinyue standing alone in the dark courtyard.
She stared at the closed door, her heart hammering against her ribs.
Fury and intense fascination warred within her.
Inside the dark room, Ye Chen sat cross-legged on his cot.
A cold, ruthless fire burned in his eyes.
The Hidden Cloud Valley was filled with danger, yes.
But it also contained a hidden spiritual spring that the Lin Clan had never discovered—a spring he remembered from his past life.
“Lin Hao, Lin Xinyue… utilize whatever schemes you wish,” Ye Chen whispered into the dark.
“The valley will be the foundation of my true ascension.”