Part 1: The Perfect Mask
Arthur settled into Lian's luxurious quarters within the Inner Sect. The room smelled of spirit incense, its walls adorned with scrolls containing mid-tier cultivation techniques. His first act was to sit before the mirror, coldly touching his new face.
"Lian... the youngest son of a wealthy merchant clan. Talented, but lazy and arrogant," Arthur whispered, sorting through the fragmented memories he had siphoned from Lian's blood. "This is perfect. I will be the most 'indolent' version of him, so no one questions why my power hasn't suddenly spiked."
Arthur began feigning illness due to the "trauma" of the mine incident, providing the perfect excuse to avoid the training grounds and focus entirely on Intelligence Gathering.
Part 2: The Authority of Knowledge
Using Lian's status, Arthur gained entry to the "Tower of Heavenly Records," the repository of the sect's secrets and clan influences. There, instead of studying combat forms, he focused on regional maps and power distributions.
He discovered that the Azure Cloud Sect was merely a small cog in a territory known as the "Nine Mist Realm," where three great sects competed for the "Eternal Spring" that appeared every century. More importantly, he found the list of the "Ten Elites"—genius disciples possessing rare bloodlines.
"Lightning Bloodline, Golden Body Bloodline, Ice Soul Bloodline..." Arthur's eyes gleamed with an instinctive hunger. "These aren't just names. This is my upcoming menu."
Part 3: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
As he roamed the sect's corridors wielding Lian's family authority, Arthur began quietly sowing seeds of discord. He traded fake smiles and false promises, collecting the "weaknesses" of other disciples. Who hated their master? Who was embezzling sect resources?
One night, while reading a secret report on "Demonic Movements" at the realm's border, one of Lian's old cronies, a disciple named Chu, walked in.
"Lian! Why are you hiding in the library? I thought you'd be celebrating your survival at the 'Black Lotus' tavern like usual," Chu said, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
Arthur responded with a shy, manufactured smile, hiding the killer's gaze in his eyes. "Ah, Chu... after what I saw in those mines, I realized power is the only guarantee. I'm just trying to catch up on what I've missed."
Chu left laughing at his friend's "sudden seriousness," while Arthur returned to his maps. He now knew exactly where the "Lightning Disciple" practiced alone every Thursday night. The plan was brewing; the predation was imminent.