Morning came quietly to the ShenLou Sect. A cool mountain breeze moved through the courtyards as disciples began their routines. Even at this early hour, the sect was already active. People moved with purpose, washing up, stretching, and preparing for training.
Isshin, Rune, and Karin followed along. They stopped by a nearby stream, splashing water on their faces before heading back.
Even though they were strong, they were still considered outer disciples. Strength alone didn't decide everything here. There were older cultivators who remained in the outer ranks, and only those who proved themselves consistently moved up.
They joined the others in the courtyard.
Morning practice began.
The movements were slow and controlled. Breathing exercises, steady motions, nothing meant to exhaust them. It was more about discipline than effort. The instructor didn't say much, but no one looked away.
After that, they went to the dining hall.
The moment they walked in, they noticed the attention. People were looking, but no one said anything. The events from the previous day hadn't been forgotten.
They sat down.
A few moments later, the girl Karin had fought walked in with her tray. Without hesitation, she sat beside Isshin.
"My name is Vivi," she said. "Nice to meet you!"
"Karin," Karin replied quietly.
"Rune," he added. "You were pretty strong."
"Isshin," he said.
Vivi nodded and started eating, but then glanced at them again. "can i know what stage you guys are at?"
Rune answered first. "Nascent Soul, first stage."
"Same," Karin said.
Isshin didn't look up. "Fourth stage."
Vivi nodded. "I'm first stage too."
Karin stayed quiet, staring at her food without eating.
After a moment, Isshin spoke again. "Who's the strongest outer disciple?"
"Jun," Vivi replied. "She could already be an inner disciple."
"Then why isn't she an inner disciple?" Isshin asked.
Vivi shrugged slightly. "She doesn't care about that."
The table went quiet again.
Karin still hadn't touched her food.
Vivi looked at Isshin. "Do you want a tour?"
"Sure," Isshin said. "Let's go."
The four of them walked through the sect together. The air was cool, and a light mist still hung around the mountain paths.
Vivi led them without saying much.
"That's the duel area," she said, pointing toward a wide stone courtyard. "you can challenge other cultivators there."
They passed a smaller building where heat and the smell of herbs drifted out.
"Alchemy room. the alchemy students use it to create their pills."
They continued walking until a tall structure built into the mountain came into view.
"Library," Vivi said. "We can use the lower floors but the rest is restricted."
Eventually, they reached a large open area.
At the far end stood a massive wooden gate, carved with dragons and other figures.
"That's the division gate," Vivi said. "the Inner sect is past that."
They stopped there.
After Vivi left for her elder's summons, Isshin, Rune, and Karin made their way back to the training grounds. The courtyard was already active, filled with outer disciples going through their routines. Some practiced forms, others focused on qi control. The movements were clean and synchronized.
They stood off to the side and watched for a bit.
Isshin's eyes shifted and landed on Tahir. The same guy from last night. He was training alone, pushing himself harder than the others, his strikes sharp and aggressive.
Their eyes met briefly.
Tahir didn't say anything.
But it was clear he hadn't forgotten.
Not yet.
Nearby, an older man stood with his hands behind his back, watching everything calmly. His presence was quiet, but it carried weight.
Elder Han.
The three of them stepped forward and bowed.
"Good morning, Elder," Isshin said.
Elder Han looked at them. "You're the new students."
"Yes," Karin replied. "We wanted to ask… how do you become an inner disciple? Or even a direct disciple?"
Elder Han answered without hesitation. "Inner disciples are selected through tests. Not everyone gets the chance. You'll be evaluated when the time comes."
"And direct disciples?" Rune asked.
"You need to stand out enough for a leader to choose you," Elder Han said. "Or the sect master."
"Minimum requirement?" Rune added.
"Nascent Soul Realm, first stage," the elder replied. "That only lets you try. What matters is what you show after."
They nodded.
They were already there.
As they turned to leave, Elder Han spoke again.
"You."
Isshin stopped and looked back. "Yes?"
"Use your own qi," Elder Han said. "Or it will control you."
The way he said it felt… different.
Like he was seeing something deeper.
Isshin didn't respond.
They left.
Later, they came across the sect's mission board. It worked similarly to the academy's system. Most missions involved gathering materials or dealing with beasts nearby. Nothing special, but useful for resources and recognition.
They took note of it and returned to their quarters.
That night, Isshin sat alone, leaning against the wall.
He opened his system.
Level: 142Health: 71Strength: 73Stamina: 75Mana/Qi: 69Intelligence: 55Available Stat Points: 2Cultivation: Nascent Soul Realm – 4th Stage
He stared at it for a moment.
"Raijin… is there a faster way?"
"No," Raijin replied. "You're already doing it properly."
Isshin stayed quiet.
Then something clicked.
"What did Elder Han mean?"
He frowned slightly. "I've barely used my own qi… I've just been using yours."
"You can't mix them," Raijin said immediately. "It would interfere with your core."
Isshin narrowed his eyes.
"That's not true."
Silence.
"I can tell when you're lying."
Raijin didn't respond.
That was enough.
Isshin didn't push further, but he knew something was off.
Then he thought about it.
The locked door.
The one Raijin never talked about.
He let it go for now.
Then another voice broke the silence.
"Let me out."
The Skeleton King.
"I've been stuck long enough!."
"You're dead," Isshin muttered.
the Skeleton King replied. "Just let me walk around."
Isshin hesitated, then allowed it
"just don't cause any trouble."
The Skeleton King disappeared into the shadows of the sect.
Isshin leaned back and closed his eyes.
Sleep came quickly.
Then—
A sound.
A creak.
Footsteps.
Something moved.
Steel.
Right above his throat.
The attacker tried to strike—
But the blade stopped.
It trembled.
Like it hit something it couldn't pass.
Behind him, the Skeleton King stood, his presence heavy.
"No," Isshin said quietly.
He opened his eyes and moved instantly.
A Thunder Qi Palm hit the attacker, blasting him through the window and into the courtyard.
The noise spread immediately.
People rushed out.
Isshin landed beside the attacker, who was already struggling to move. Before he could escape, a second-year disciple trapped him inside a barrier.
Rune and Karin arrived seconds later.
"Isshin!" Karin said. "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine," he replied. "but he is not."
The attacker looked terrified.
"What was that… there was something behind me…"
Before he could finish—
A presence appeared.
Elder Shen.
Everything went quiet.
the Elder decided to tie up the attacker quickly before they could run, putting them in some sort of dungeon that the sect had.
Isshin nodded slightly. "Thanks."
Elden Shen looked at him. "What kind of trouble are you trying to cause in your first day?! we will hold a trial when it is morning again.."
Then he disappeared.
The courtyard slowly emptied.
Isshin stayed where he was for a moment.
Then he looked back at his broken window.
And thought about that door again.