The Squad

East Courtyard, Block C, Unit 7, under the old plum tree.

Li Xuan sat cross-legged, palms facing upward, each holding a Spirit Stone.

Low-grade Spirit Stones, the size of pigeon eggs, felt warm to the touch. For the past five days, he had exhausted his monthly allowance of three Spirit Stones; these were the fourth and fifth.

The spiritual energy within the Spirit Stones seeped into his palms like threads, traveling up his meridians to converge in his dantian.

The Mountain Suppressing Art circulated.

His vital energy and blood ground like a millstone, slowly refining the spiritual energy into more potent earth-attribute inner energy.

This was the nascent stage of the Inner Qi Realm—after reaching the perfection of the Body Tempering ninth layer, martial artists needed to convert a portion of their vital energy and blood into inner energy before they could attempt to break through to the Inner Qi Realm.

Li Xuan was still far from the Inner Qi Realm, but he had already begun to hone his foundation.

[Mountain Suppressing Art: Integration → Perfection (Proficiency 96%)]

[Stamina: 52.3 → 55.8]

[Strength: 10.8 → 12.5]

The moment the Spirit Stones were depleted, he opened his eyes.

The golden patterns on his palms were a shade deeper than five days prior, transitioning from a faint light gold to clear golden threads, winding like ancient seal script.

The Blood Fiend Gang Qi circulated within his body, coexisting with the vital energy and blood of the Mountain Suppressing Art—one was as violent as a tiger, the other as solid as a mountain. The two forces occasionally clashed, but under his deliberate suppression, they gradually formed a fragile balance.

The courtyard gate was knocked.

"Enter."

The one who pushed the door open was an old man in a grey robe, his temples white-haired and his face gaunt.

"Senior?"

The old man waved his hand. "No need to call me senior. My surname is Han, given name Yue. I hold a position in the Outer Sect Affairs Hall, but I have no hope of reaching martial heights anymore."

He took a yellowed silk scroll from his sleeve and placed it on the stone table. "How much of the Earth Vein Fiend Stone have you refined?"

"About two-tenths."

Han Yue nodded. "Faster than I expected." He pointed to the scroll. "This scroll records the distribution map of the underground mineral veins in the Crimson Firmament Mountain Range. I drew it thirty years ago when I participated in the exploration. The ruins you are going to are deep within an abandoned mine on the northern slope."

Li Xuan's gaze sharpened slightly.

Han Yue continued, "That mine was sealed thirty years ago due to 'missing miners.' The sect sent two teams of disciples to investigate. One team was attacked inside the cave, resulting in three dead and two injured; the other team kept watch at the entrance and personally witnessed black mist spewing from the cave, with green light within the mist."

"What caused it?"

"No one saw clearly." Han Yue said, "The survivors only said that there seemed to be figures in the mist, moving extremely fast. Swords and sabers struck them as if hitting rotten leather. Later, the sect invited an elder to investigate personally. The elder returned after burning three sticks of incense in the cave, only saying: 'Seal this cave. Do not enter without orders.'"

He paused. "Now the sect is sending disciples again, presumably because the seal has loosened, or... that elder concealed something back then."

Li Xuan fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Why are you telling me this, Senior?"

Han Yue looked at him, complexity in his eyes. "When I was young, I practiced the Blood Refining Art. The malevolent energy backfired, and my meridians gradually became useless. " His voice was calm. "That one-armed veteran was on the same team as me. He said he had a disciple who would come to the sect in the future and asked me to give him some guidance if I met him."

Li Xuan's heart trembled. "That old soldier... did he have his left arm severed, a wide palm, and thick fingers?"

Han Yue nodded. "His surname was Qin. He had no children and no wife. He was also a disciple of the Crimson Firmament Sect in his youth. Later, he was expelled for some reason and drifted to the Northern Territory, working as a cleaner at a martial arts school."

He stood up and looked at the old plum tree in the courtyard. "He said his disciple was more ruthless than him, more able to endure loneliness, and would surely go further in the future."

"He asked me to relay a message to you—'Malevolent energy is the blade, but the person is not the hilt; they are the hand holding the blade. The sharper the blade, the steadier the hand must be.'"

Li Xuan lowered his eyes, remaining silent.

Han Yue walked to the courtyard gate and stopped. "Regarding the ruins, I can only say this much. If you go, remember one thing—if you see black mist in that cave, retreat immediately. Don't worry about your teammates."

"Why?"

Han Yue did not turn back. "Because the things in the mist don't eat corpses; they eat the living."

The courtyard gate closed.

Li Xuan sat alone under the plum tree, unmoving for a long time.

He thought of the abandoned kiln cave behind the martial arts school, of the old handyman's hunched back, of the tattered pages of the Blade Breaking Saber Technique handed to him that night.

That old man had never spoken of his past.

Li Xuan gripped the silk scroll and put it into his embrace.

At noon, in the West Courtyard's Assembly Hall.

Seven people were already standing inside the hall.

Li Xuan swept his gaze over them.

Shi Yong stood in the center, a heavy saber strapped to his back. Seeing him arrive, Shi Yong beckoned, "We were just waiting for you."

Beside him were five others:

A tall, thin young man with a pale complexion, a string of medicine pouches hanging from his waist, and a sinister glint in his eyes.

A round-faced girl, about seventeen or eighteen, wielding a long-handled hammer taller than herself, its head as large as a bushel.

A pair of twin brothers, identical in appearance, both dressed in black, with long swords on their backs, silent.

And then there was—

Li Xuan's gaze paused.

The man leaned against the wall, arms tucked into his sleeves. His face was ordinary, his build ordinary, even his aura was so unremarkable it was almost transparent. If one weren't deliberately looking, they might even overlook his presence.

But Li Xuan noticed that the man was positioned precisely in everyone's blind spot within the hall.

He looked at Li Xuan and gave a slight nod.

Li Xuan returned the nod.

"Come, let's get acquainted," Shi Yong began, pointing to the tall, thin youth. "Xu He, a newcomer to the inner sect, cultivates both medicine and poison, Body Tempering level eight. Don't offend him; you won't even know when he poisons you."

Xu He glanced at Li Xuan and let out a soft snort.

"This one," Shi Yong pointed to the round-faced girl, "Su Ying, a brute, Body Tempering level nine. One swing of her hammer, and even someone in the Inner Qi Realm would have to dodge."

Su Ying grinned, revealing two small fangs. "Senior Brother Li Xuan, I saw your fight with Zhao Yuanchen, you were amazing!"

"Luck."

"No way, it wasn't luck. The way you swung your sword, the angle was so tricky, he couldn't block it at all," Su Ying said earnestly. "My dad says that's a sword that's killed people."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Li Xuan didn't deny it.

Shi Yong cleared his throat and pointed to the twin brothers. "Zhou Wen, Zhou Wu, Body Tempering level eight. They practice combined attacks; the two of them working together can fight someone in the Inner Qi Realm, level one."

The brothers clasped their fists but said nothing.

Finally, Shi Yong pointed to the man by the wall.

"His name is—" Shi Yong paused. "What was his name again?"

"Ying," the man said, his voice flat. "A single name, Ying."

"Right, Ying. His origins are unknown, his cultivation is unknown, but his movement technique is excellent. He's responsible for scouting and reconnaissance," Shi Yong said. "I spent eighty Contribution Points to get him to join the team."

Li Xuan looked at Ying.

Ying also looked at him.

Their eyes met, neither showing any emotion.

"Everyone's here," Shi Yong took out a jade slip from his robe and placed it on the stone table in the hall. "Sect Mission Order—Rank C, Number 17. Investigate the abandoned mine in the northern foothills of the Crimson Firmament Mountain Range, draw an internal map, mark areas of unusual activity. Time limit: three days."

"Mission reward: 150 Contribution Points per person as a base, plus thirty percent of any additional spoils turned in to the sect."

He looked at everyone. "Any questions?"

"Yes," Xu He spoke up, his voice sharp. "Why is this person on the team?"

He pointed at Li Xuan.

"He's still recovering from serious injuries, he's been in the inner sect for less than ten days, and he's clearly a liability. Shi Yong, are you trying to get us killed faster by bringing him along?"

Shi Yong frowned. "He defeated Zhao Yuanchen in three moves—"

"What's Zhao Yuanchen worth? He's the bottom of the barrel in the inner sect's True Qi Realm, his foundation is weak, and his swordsmanship is all flash," Xu He sneered. "If I fought him, I could win within thirty moves too."

He stared at Li Xuan. "But you're different. Your injuries are to your meridians and haven't healed yet. Forcing your Qi will create hidden dangers. Going into a ruin in this state is like seeking death, or waiting for us to save you?"

The atmosphere in the hall turned cold.

Su Ying looked left and right, wanting to speak but not knowing what to say.

Zhou Wen and Zhou Wu were like clay statues, pretending not to hear.

Ying lowered his gaze, as if dozing.

Li Xuan looked at Xu He and said:

"You're afraid I'll drag you down?"

"Afraid?" Xu He sneered. "I just don't want to be distracted by you."

"Alright," Li Xuan said. "Once we enter the cave, I'll take the lead. If there's any trouble, I'll take the first wave. You just need to stay behind me, do your poisoning, and retreat when it's time to retreat."

Xu He was stunned.

"You..."

"You're afraid of dying, I'm not," Li Xuan said calmly. "So you just need to worry about how to survive and how to earn more Contribution Points. I'll handle the rest."

Xu He's face turned red, but he couldn't find a retort.

Shi Yong slapped his thigh. "Alright, it's settled. Li Xuan leads, Ying scouts, I'll cover the rear, Xu He and Su Ying provide support in the center, Zhou Wen and Zhou Wu bring up the rear. Anyone have any objections?"

No one responded.

"Then we gather at the north mountain gate at Mao hour tomorrow."

The crowd dispersed.

Li Xuan walked out of the meeting hall, footsteps echoing behind him.

Ying had appeared within three steps of him at some point.

"Do you know Qin Lie?" Ying asked.

Li Xuan stopped.

"Who?"

"Qin Lie," Ying repeated. "Lost his left arm, skilled with the saber, was once an inner disciple of the Crimson Firmament Sect ten years ago."

Li Xuan remained silent for three breaths.

"I don't know him."

Ying glanced at him and didn't press further.

He turned, his robes disappearing into the shadows, vanishing as if he had never existed.

Li Xuan sat alone in the courtyard, the Earth Vein Fiend Stone clutched in his palm.

The golden patterns had faded by seventy percent, and nearly half the fiendish energy within the stone had been refined by him.

[Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique: Third Layer: Perfect → Perfect (Fiendish Energy Storage +12%)]

[Mountain Suppressing Art: Proficient → Perfect (Proficiency 100%)]

With a slight movement of his mind, he injected the last point of potential into the Mountain Suppressing Art.

Boom--

His vital energy and blood surged like an earth dragon turning over, rushing from his lower body to his entire being.

His bones, muscles, and meridians were all scoured by this deep, steady power.

Three breaths later, everything returned to calm.

[Mountain Suppressing Art: Perfect (Cannot add more points)]

[Trait Enhancement: Immovable as a Mountain - When standing and struck, can deflect fifty percent of the impact; Rooted - After circulating energy in place for three breaths, resistance to impact increases by another thirty percent.]

Li Xuan stood up, his feet pressing into the ground like an old tree with deep roots.

He drew the Crimson Firmament Sword that Yun Qingxuan had temporarily lent him and slashed the blade horizontally at his own left arm.

It was like striking iron stone.

Only a white mark remained on his arm.

Mao hour, north mountain gate.

The sky was not yet light, and the mountain wind was biting.

Seven figures stood in formation, Ying at the front, Li Xuan second.

Shi Yong did a final check of their equipment.

Pills, flint, rope, talismans...

"Everything's here," he nodded. "Let's go."

Seven figures melted into the morning mist.

Behind them, Crimson Firmament Peak receded.

Ahead, the entrance to the abandoned mine, like the maw of a giant beast, lay silently open amidst the gray-white mountain rocks.