The sky was a deep shade of indigo, the first traces of dawn creeping along the horizon. A cold breeze drifted through the ruined courtyard, carrying the smell of shattered wood and dust.
A delicate face, smeared with blood and dust, trembled beneath Wu Ming's foot. Her long black hair was in disarray, her outer robe had been torn in the struggle, exposing glimpses of smooth, creamy flesh beneath.
"You.. You monster..." She spat weakly, her lips stained with blood.
Wu Ming sneered. "Wrong answer."
His boot pressed down harder, causing the girl beneath him to whimper in pain.
"I was being generous, yet you still refuse to yield?" Wu Ming sighed, "This leaves me with no choice..."
His hand moved to his waist, fingers grazing the cloth belt. His meaning was obvious.
The girl's body froze.
"You wouldn't dare!"
Wu Ming smiled, but his eyes were filled with cruelty.
Her heart pounded wildly. He would dare. He absolutely would. That look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
A cold sweat covered her body. She had no choice.
Her lips trembled as she forced the words out. "I… I challenge you."
"And?"
"I… bet everything."
A satisfied smirk curled on Wu Ming's lips. "Good girl."
Their jade slips met, sealing the match.
BAM!
The girl's face slammed into the ground, her spine arching unnaturally before she let out a sharp scream.
"I give up! I give up!"
The jade glow flickered once more, confirming her surrender. The numbers in his jade token changed to 1786.
Wu Ming finally lifted his foot, crouching beside her battered form. His fingers trailed lazily over her exposed collarbone, making her shiver in fear. "Now, was that so difficult?"
She shut her eyes, turning her face away in shame.
Satisfied, he yanked her storage pouch from her belt and stood. "A pleasure doing business with you, Junior Sister."
Wu Ming didn't spare her another glance. He turned on his heel and left, his mood pleasant.
---
The sect was quiet in the early morning. Most disciples were asleep, while the diligent ones were either cultivating or honing their techniques.
Wu Ming's expression remained indifferent as he passed by a few disciples heading to their morning practice. They barely spared him a glance, their minds preoccupied with their own struggles.
As he made his way through the ascending mountain paths, Wu Ming's thoughts turned to his gains.
'Nine fights, 144 spirit stones, four bottles of Black River Spiritual Water, and a Yellow rank mid-grade escape talisman. A decent profit. My purchasing power in the black market has improved.'
A smirk tugged at his lips.
'These matches were pretty easy. None of them could withstand my Jade Serpent Sword Technique at full force. This last one barely lasted a dozen moves. But then again, that's to be expected when picking on weak targets. When has crushing ants ever been difficult?'
After half an hour of steady running, he finally reached an inn. The wooden sign creaked slightly in the morning breeze. Without hesitation, Wu Ming stepped in and secured a private room for himself. As he shut the door behind him, he jumped onto the bed and immediately fell asleep. He was exhausted after an entire night of traveling, bullying, and looting.
By the time noon arrived, Wu Ming had rested enough.
Inside the small room, he sat cross-legged before four bottles of Black River Spiritual Water.
With a flick of his wrist, he uncorked the first bottle and tilted it to his lips.
The cool liquid slid down his throat, and immediately, boom—a wave of energy rushed through his meridians, seeping into his dantian and battering against the natural blockage of the qi expansion pathways.
He drank another.
And then two more.
By the time the final drop of spiritual liquid vanished into his dantian, his body trembled slightly.
Twelve days' worth of cultivation, compressed into a single sitting.
Wu Ming opened his eyes, exhaling a long breath.
"Good. If I can continue at this pace, breaking into the 4th layer will be faster than expected… Resources. It's all about resources!"
Wu Ming left the inn and made his way to the inner sect.
The mission hall was quiet at this hour, most disciples having already come and gone. Without much trouble, he turned in his completed task and received six spirit stones, adding them to his wealth.
176 spirit stones. A considerable sum.
For an ordinary disciple, this would be enough to cultivate comfortably for months.
But for the ambitious Wu Ming, this was only the beginning.
As he pocketed the stones, he didn't leave. Instead, he turned and soundlessly walked deeper into the sect.
A towering pagoda-like building loomed ahead, its seven massive floors casting long shadows beneath the fading sunlight. The sign above its entrance bore two bold words:
Execution Hall.
Wu Ming's lips curled.
It was time to join a faction.
Without hesitation, he stepped inside.