The sect gates loomed behind them, but the bloodlust hadn't left their eyes.
Three days of slaughter had forged Li Xuan's legion into something new. No longer were they rejected outer disciples or broken souls—they had returned from the battlefield radiating killing intent thick enough to choke the air.
The guards at the gate flinched as they passed. Even elders narrowed their eyes.
Li Xuan led the group in silence. His robes were still torn at the sleeves, the scent of blood soaked into the fabric. Phantom Step left no echo behind him. His gaze? Cold as the edge of his saber.
The moment they stepped through the threshold, a voice whispered in his ear.
System Notification:
—Mission Completed: Survive Demon Realm Clash—
—LCP Earned: +320—
—Legion Willpower Increased—
—Side Effect: Chilling Presence (Minor Fear effect on outer disciples)—
Long Chen:
"Heh. Now that's a return. Tattered robes, blood-soaked eyes, and a legion of lunatics. Reminds me of myself."
Li Xuan smirked faintly.
System:
—New Missions Available:
• Beast Hunt for Sect Supply (Recommended)
• Auction House Disruption
• Brotherhood Tempering (Refine 3 Types of Pills)
• Inner Sect Qualification Trial – 5 Days Remaining—
Note: Some missions may draw hostility. Rewards scale with risk. Consequences remain active.
Two Days Later – Deep Wilderness, Beast Domain
"Spread out! Target the spirit beasts in the crimson mist zone!" Li Xuan ordered.
His legion moved like a wave of steel and flame.
Spirit beasts roared through the jungle—Three-Eyed Ironbacks, Bonefire Wolves, and Poisontail Serpents. But these were nothing compared to what they'd faced in the Demon Path realm.
Li Xuan personally targeted a mid-tier Crimson-Eyed Saberwolf. The beast was swift and armored, its claws sharper than steel. But he didn't bother dodging. He stepped into its charge, and Executioner sang once.
A clean arc.
A head rolled.
System Notification:
—Spirit Beast Slain: Crimson-Eyed Saberwolf—
—LCP +19 / Beast Core Collected—
Elsewhere, his brothers were learning to hunt smartly. Using formation techniques, baiting beasts into traps, switching positions mid-battle—just like Long Chen's old war legions.
And Li Xuan? He watched every movement.
Corrected every mistake.
When one of the weaker brothers fumbled a killing blow, Li Xuan stepped in—not to help, but to slam the hilt of his blade into the boy's gut.
"If you hesitate, someone dies. Learn now or bleed later."
Long Chen:
"Not bad. You're finally understanding. Mercy on the battlefield isn't kindness—it's betrayal."
Alchemy Pavilion – Secret Refining Chamber
Three cauldrons burned at once.
The smell of Spirit Flame Ginseng, Blood Root, and Nether Lotus filled the air. Li Xuan's hands moved like a phantom, shifting ingredients, controlling temperature with fine-tuned Qi.
He wasn't an alchemy fanatic. But he understood it.
He refined pills not to sell, not to please anyone—but to raise the war potential of his legion.
Power-boosting pills for core members. Healing pills to recover from beast battles. Tempering elixirs to help those nearing breakthroughs.
System Notification:
—Refinement Complete:
• Tier 2 Crimson Surge Pills x9
• Spirit Bone Tempering Elixir x5
• Blood Purge Essence x12—
—Legion Stats: Overall Battle Power +6.4%—
—LCP Earned: +90 (Brotherhood Mission Complete)—
Long Chen:
"And people say outer disciples don't amount to anything. Heh. Wait until they see what you've cooked up."
Evening – Black Robes and a Storm
As the Inner Sect Qualification Trial neared, sect disciples started to gather in clusters across the academy.
One morning, the sun hadn't even risen when Li Xuan walked into the sect plaza… clad in pitch-black robes.
Silence fell.
Gasps spread like wildfire.
Black robes were forbidden to outer disciples. Reserved only for the sect's personal guards, enforcers—or Long Chen, when he still walked this earth.
System Notification:
—Mission Activated: Defiance in Cloth—
—Wearing Black Robes as Outer Disciple—
—LCP Bonus (Daily): +20
—Hostility Increased: 18%
—Admiration Increased: 9%
Long Chen:
"That's the look. Black robes, straight spine, middle finger to the rules. But watch your back. This won't go unnoticed."
And it didn't.
An inner disciple descended from the sky, floating on a spirit cloud.
"Outer disciples don't wear black," he said coldly.
Li Xuan didn't look up.
"They do now."
Gasps again.
The inner disciple's Qi surged. "You think you're him? You think you're Long Chen?"
Li Xuan looked up.
"No. I'm the one who'll bury what he couldn't finish."
The plaza exploded with pressure—but he didn't kneel. He never did.
System Notification:
—Passive: Predator's Pressure Triggered—
—Inner Disciple Suppressed by 2%—
Long Chen:
"That's how you do it. Don't win every battle—but never let them think they broke you."
Auction House Incident
Later that week, he walked into the Azure Stone Auction House—only to hear a familiar laugh.
One of the inner sect's wealthy supporters was auctioning beast cores harvested from the same battle zone Li Xuan had cleared days ago.
Li Xuan walked to the center of the auction floor, slammed down a blood-stained beast core from a Boneflame Ape, and said:
"Where's my cut?"
The entire room froze.
He didn't argue. Didn't threaten.
He just walked away with a storage ring full of cores, pills, and a single slip of jade.
System Notification:
—Mission Completed: Auction House Disruption—
—Rewards Claimed—
—System Shop Unlocked: Forbidden Treasury (Time-Limited Deals)—
—LCP +320—
Long Chen:
"You just robbed them with a smile. I'm proud."
As the qualification trials approach, tension surges. The sect is watching. Enemies are forming. Allies are gathering.
Li Xuan is no hero. No god. But he's a storm—and storms don't ask permission.
System Summary
Cultivation: Late Qi Condensation – Peak (589/600 EXP)
Long Chen Points (LCP): 913
Skills: Phantom Step, Predator's Pressure, Face-Slapping Divine Art
System: Long Chen Controlled
System Shop: New Tier Opened
Simulation Realm: Unlocked
Mission Hub: Active
Legion: 9 Members (All Strengthened)
Reputation: Black-Robed Demon / Brother of Blood
Status: Awaiting Inner Disciple Trial (Day 1 of 5)