⸻
The sun rose blood-red over the Burning Path Ravine.
A jagged canyon carved by lava flows and spirit flames centuries ago, the ravine was a known graveyard for overzealous outer disciples.
And today, a group of seventy would step in—only half would step out.
Li Xuan stood on a black ridge above the entrance, robes fluttering. His eyes, calm and unreadable, scanned the landscape. The scorching heat didn't faze him.
System Notification:
—Mission Objective: Retrieve at least 5 beast cores (Fire Element, Rank 3 or higher)
—Bonus Objective: Recruit promising individuals (3 minimum)
—Penalty for Failure: -200 LCP and Public Disciplinary Assignment
—System Comment: ["Better pack some extra body bags. They'll come in handy."]
"Still can't shut up, can you?" Li Xuan muttered.
["I'm just keeping you focused, brat. You're still weak."]
His gaze sharpened.
"Then I better change that."
—
They moved in groups.
Li Xuan didn't group up.
Others whispered behind him.
"That's the guy who won two fights last month without using a technique…"
"Some say he's just lucky. Got charm, that's all."
"Still ranked 50. Nothing special."
He ignored them. Instead, he opened the System Map, locking onto the nearest congregation of Rank 3 fire-type beasts.
He dove in alone.
—
The ravine was like hell incarnate.
Blazing pits of lava, ash-filled skies, and spirit beasts born of flame—Fire Basilisks, Ember Scorpions, Flame-Tusked Rhinos.
Li Xuan wasn't here to waste time.
BOOM!
His saber sliced through a Flame-Tusked Rhino's leg, dodging the crushing tusks and sending a pressure point strike under its chin.
He flipped behind it, stabbing directly into its exposed core.
—Beast Core Acquired: Rank 3
—LCP Gained: +15
—Progress: 1/5
By the time most outer disciples were still setting traps or forming formation groups, Li Xuan had already slain three beasts and was stalking a Fire Basilisk through a lava mist.
He didn't know that, at the edge of the canyon, several inner disciples watched the mission unfold with casual amusement.
One of them narrowed his eyes at Li Xuan's movements.
"Too calm. Too fast. That aura… something's not right."
—
Elsewhere in the ravine…
A desperate group of outer disciples were being overwhelmed by a Fire Salamander pack. Their leader, a young man with burns across his chest, fought hard—but he was losing ground.
Li Xuan arrived mid-battle. And instead of helping right away… he watched.
["Why are you hesitating?"] Long Chen asked.
"I'm scouting."
He watched the young leader bark orders even as he bled, pushing two younger disciples behind him and shielding them with his body.
He wasn't strong—but he had guts.
["You found one."]
Li Xuan finally moved.
WHOOSH!
He appeared like a demon through smoke, his saber slicing down on a salamander's spine. Three precise strikes, and the beasts scattered.
The leader gasped. "You… You saved us."
"No," Li Xuan said. "You held long enough. I just cleaned up."
He handed the man a healing pill from the system shop.
"Name?"
"Zhao Feng. I—I owe you my life."
"You're joining me."
"What?"
"I'm building a new force. You'll fight with me, bleed with me, grow stronger, or die trying."
Zhao Feng stared into Li Xuan's eyes—then nodded.
—
Later that evening, beneath a scorched cliff, Li Xuan sat with Zhao Feng and two other outer disciples he'd saved along the way. One was a silent dagger-wielder with uncanny speed. The other, a calm woman with a bow made of spirit firewood—rare talent.
System Notification:
—Recruited: Zhao Feng (Commander Potential)
—Recruited: Lin Yue (Support Potential)
—Recruited: Qiao Ming (Assassination Potential)
—Bonus Objective Complete
—LCP Gained: +100
—System Comment: ["They'll need shaping, but even a war god needs roots."]
—
By the third day, Li Xuan had killed six Rank 3 beasts, acquired enough cores to fulfill the mission, and recruited three worthy subordinates.
But it didn't end there.
On the fourth day, ambush came.
A group of masked outer disciples, far too strong for their rank, attacked Li Xuan's camp.
Mercenaries.
Bought by a core disciple who had taken notice of his aura. They came to "test" him.
Li Xuan smiled coldly as he stood up from the fire.
Zhao Feng and the others backed off, uncertain.
"I'll handle it."
WHOOM!
The air exploded as Li Xuan activated Nine Star Hegemon Body Art – First Star Flow. A giant star shadow appeared behind him. Its power was masked from spiritual detection—but its pressure still shook the air.
BOOM!
One masked disciple went flying, sabered in the ribs.
Li Xuan danced between them, fists and blades, exploding with precision and suppressed fury. He didn't kill them.
He beat them until their bones cracked and sent them crawling back to their master.
Message delivered.
System Notification:
—Hidden Encounter Completed
—Reputation Changed: "Unpredictable Threat"
—Reward: +50 LCP
—Hidden Event Triggered: Eyes of the Core
—
System Summary – Chapter End:
Cultivation: Nine Star Path (1st Star Flow – 41%)
Star Ring: Masked (False Star Cultivation Path)
LCP: 563
Rank: 48 (Outer Disciple)
Recruits: 3 (Pending Training)
Next Event: Monthly Ranking Battle – 4 Days
Current Mission Chain: Establish the Root Legion