Dark Intentions

Just as he was poised to finalize his selection, a pair of familiar voices called out from behind. Miao Ying turned to see Ling Fen and Luan Fan hurrying toward him, their faces etched with slight concern.

"Hold a moment, brother Miao!" Ling Fen panted as he drew near, breathing slightly labored from his haste. "Are you quite sure about these missions? I've heard grim tales about the Crystal Snake – its venom can seep into your meridians and freeze you from the inside out!"

Luan Fan nodded emphatically, her normally serene features shadowed by worry. "The Ice Demonic Bear is even worse. Its fur is said to be hard as tempered steel, and its roar alone can flash-freeze everything within a hundred-foot radius. Surely there are safer options available. Why not start with something a bit less fraught?"

Miao Ying paused, giving his fellow disciples' warnings due consideration. They were not wrong – the beasts he had selected were ferociously dangerous, even by Earth Abode standards. 

The slightest misstep, the merest instant of inattention, and he could easily wind up as little more than a frozen husk.

But therein lay the true allure. These ancient, savage spirit beasts were repositories of peerlessly dense, exquisitely pure Qi that could propel his cultivation to new heights if properly harvested. Slaying them would serve as an ideal crucible in which to test his newfound strength, to push the limits of his abilities, and forge himself anew in the fires of mortal peril.

Still, even as he discounted their concerns as baseless, he recognized the utility of their insights. Their relative assessment of these creatures' strengths against Qi Establishment experts was useful intelligence indeed.

Ultimately, however, Miao Ying had to walk his road alone. His future hinged on the successful application of the mystical Devourer Art, a secret he dared not share even with his closest confidants. He would use Ling Fen and Luan Fan's well-meaning advice to calibrate his approach, but his course was already locked in.

Shrugging at Ling Fen and Luan Fan, he simply said, "I have my own plans. Farewell."

Swiftly turning on his heel, Miao Ying headed towards the sect's entrance. The other two watched him go with slightly wry smiles, marveling at his determination while finding him a bit too stubborn.

"That guy is going to be stirring up all sorts of trouble in the future. I can just feel it," Ling Fen commented. 

Luan Fan snorted in amusement. "Most likely because he resembles you in that regard. Ah, we're in for some interesting times."

Ling Fen smiled ruefully. "Let's just get back to training."

...

As he made his way out of the sect grounds and into the untamed wilds beyond, Miao Ying reviewed his plans and contingencies. 

The Thousand Shadows Sword Art still required extensive forging through real combat to fully internalize its principles. Fortunately, his chosen prey would serve as ideal whetstones upon which to hone his skills to a razor's edge.

The mission brief included detailed profiles of the Crystal Snake and Ice Demon Bear, highlighting their formidable defenses and deadly area attacks. Their scales and fur were impervious to all mortal grade weapons.

Only low-grade spirit weapons can fracture their powerful hides. The snake's freezing mist and the bear's gelid roar could inflict grievous, potentially lethal wounds even on Qi Establishment experts. Engaging them at close quarters with conventional means amounted to little more than elaborate suicide.

But Miao Ying was anything but conventional. With the Devourer Art and the Speed As Supremcy Art infusing his flesh with fiendish might and speed, he was more than a match for these fell beasts. 

Miao Ying strode through the bustling streets of Moon Sky City, his steps casual yet purposeful. The young genius, with his spirited and carefree demeanor, moved through the throng of people with an air of confidence that belied his true intentions. 

On the surface, he seemed to be simply getting his bearings, but internally, his soul sense was on high alert, searching for any signs of danger. It didn't take long for that uneasy sensation to manifest.

The threatening aura trailing behind him was immense, emanating from figures of considerable power. While they weren't exuding a killing intent that would signal an immediate threat to Miao Ying's life, their intentions were far from peaceful. 

But this was exactly what Miao Ying had been waiting for. After offending one of Chentian Yuhan's goons by refusing to be under his control, Miao Ying knew that trouble would soon find him. And he welcomed it with open arms.

He needed worthy prey to sharpen his sword skills against, to push his cultivation to the cusp of the Qi Establishment realm. And the stalkers hot on his heels would serve that purpose perfectly, fueling his Devourer Rune and catalyzing his long-awaited breakthrough. 

As he wove through the crowds, he couldn't help but marvel at the sheer diversity on display. Disciples from a myriad of sects, each with their own unique styles and cultivation methods, rubbed shoulders in the packed streets. To Miao Ying's discerning eye, most were little more than minnows swimming in a sea of sharks.

The auras of first and second-rate sect disciples were like flickering candles against the backdrop of Miao Ying's own blazing sun. Even those hailing from third-rate sects seemed dull and unremarkable in comparison. It was a testament to the sheer gulf that separated the truly elite from the rest of the cultivation world.

As a proud disciple of the Blazing Sun Sect, one of the undisputed titans of Moon Sky City, Miao Ying was acutely aware of his own elevated status. 

The sect's reputation was built upon a foundation of peerless might and unfathomable resources, its ranks filled with Xiantian elders who had long since transcended the limits of mortal flesh.

Lost in his musings, Miao Ying almost missed the sudden surge of Qi that rippled through the air like a tidal wave. The sheer potency of it was enough to give even him pause, a feat that spoke volumes about the strength of the one who had released it.

Around him, lesser cultivators staggered and gasped, their meridians straining under the onslaught of such overwhelming power. Some clutched at their chests, faces twisted in pain as they struggled to withstand the suffocating pressure.

Miao Ying's eyes narrowed, his senses sharpening to a razor's edge as he sought out the source of the disturbance. Whispers raced through the crowd like wildfire, carrying snippets of frantic conversation:

"The Heavenly Lightning Temple is at it again! That damned Mei just doesn't know when to quit!"

"I heard he's been harassing a girl from the Frozen Heart Sect. Is he insane? Their Beauty Jade Niao will tear him to shreds!"

The names were familiar to Miao Ying, though he had never crossed paths with either of the geniuses in question. 

The Heavenly Lightning Temple and Frozen Heart Sect were both formidable powers in their own right, the Frozen Heart Sect being another terrifying fourth-rated sect that stood at the pinnacle alongside the Blazing Sun Sect. 

The Heavenly Lightning Temple bridged the gap between third-rate forces and true behemoths, a quasi-fourth-rate sect that commanded respect and fear in equal measure.

For a member of one to openly antagonize the other was a bold move, the kind of brash arrogance that could only be born of supreme confidence in one's own abilities. 

Miao Ying's interest was piqued, his steps quickening as he moved to get a better view of the unfolding drama.

He arrived just in time to witness the start of the confrontation, the two figures at its center as different as night and day. 

On one side stood a young man with features so strikingly handsome they bordered on the ethereal. His eyes flashed with barely contained lightning, casting harsh shadows across his chiseled face.

This had to be Mei, the notorious genius of the Heavenly Lightning Temple. Even from a distance, the sheer weight of his cultivation was palpable, a crackling storm of energy that set the very air to humming.

Opposite him was a vision of breathtaking beauty, a maiden whose mere presence seemed to still the world around her. Hair as dark as a moonless night cascaded down her back in a silken waterfall, framing a face of such unearthly perfection that it put the greatest works of art to shame.

But it was her eyes that truly captured the attention, twin pools of liquid frost that seemed to pierce the very soul. 

This was Jade Niao of the Frozen Heart Sect, a woman whose reputation for icy ruthlessness was matched only by her peerless cultivation.