A Chanting Giant

Status Window.

Time froze. The world dimmed to grayscale, and the translucent screen appeared.

[--STATUS WINDOW--]

 (TIMER: 00:30s)

[ QUESTS ]

 [ CHARACTERS ]

 ....…

Jiang frowned. Thirty seconds.

That meant the situation he was in right now was classified as an Event. Worse, the timer only had half of the maximum limit—sixty seconds—meaning a 50% chance of danger.

His eyes narrowed. So this could turn ugly fast.

Without wasting time, he accessed the Characters screen.

[ CHARACTERS ] 

• Qian Yue

• Jiang Bai

• Jiang Rumei

• Chen Feng

• Qian Wei

Jiang's frown deepened.

Qian Wei? Isn't he..

That name was familiar—no, more than familiar.

A flicker of memory surfaced, and he immediately navigated to CHARACTERS → Qian Yue → Relationships. Another window overlapped the previous one, blurring it slightly.

[ CHARACTER PROFILE: Qian Yue ]

Relationships:

 • Jiang Shen (Madly in Love with)

 • Qian Rui (Elder Sister)

 • Qian Wei (Uncle)

 • Chen Feng (Childhood Friend)

 • (more entries hidden…)

Jiang's expression remained unreadable, but his fingers twitched slightly.

Qian Wei… is her uncle?

His gaze darkened. He immediately switched back to the Characters menu and focused on Qian Wei's profile.

[ CHARACTER PROFILE: Qian Wei ] 

Name: Qian Wei

Rank: ## Your Rank is Too Low ##

Skills: ## Your Rank is Too Low ##

Affiliation: Sword Master of Qian Clan, Second-in-Command of Qian Clan, Master of Divine Dragon Sect's Sword Hall, (more entries hidden…)

 Relationships: Qian Rui (Niece), Qian Yue (Niece), Chen Feng (Direct Disciple), Qian Tao (True Disciple), (more entries hidden…)

 Notable Feats: One of the Top 10 Sword Masters of the Great Ming Dynasty, Sword of the Qian Clan, (more entries hidden…)

 Background: ## Unreadable ##

Jiang's fingers tightened slightly. His gaze flicked back to the moment before time paused.

That giant…

His eyes trailed over Qian Tao, his martial robe was lined with white embroidery.

White embroidery…

A realization clicked into place.

In the Divine Dragon Sect, disciples were divided into three ranks. Their black robes were identical in design, but the embroidery color dictated their status:

 - Blue embroidery → Junior Disciples

 - Red embroidery → Senior Disciples

 - White embroidery → True Disciples

True Disciples were the chosen elite—handpicked by a Hall Master to inherit their legacy. They received direct guidance, refined their skills to perfection, and were expected to become the next Vice-Master and, eventually, the next Hall Master.

But just like in the real world, nepotism was alive and well here.

Connections and bloodlines often determined who received this "prestigious" title. Families with influence would push their own into the ranks of True Disciples, ensuring that the sect's power stayed within their clan.

The Qian Clan, one of the Six Great Clans, was no exception. 

(TIMER: 00:10s)

The Event Timer flashed red, signaling its final countdown.

Jiang exhaled sharply and dismissed the Status Window. Time resumed, colors flooding back into the world.

Qian Tao remained in place, unmoving.

 Now, how should I move this giant? 

Before Jiang could act, Qian Yue's voice cut through the air, sharp and impatient. "Tao, what are you doing? Move aside."

Her tone was harsh, hurried.

Qian Tao remained unmoved. His deep voice resonated. "Young Miss, please forgive me. But I cannot let this evil place even a single foot on our sacred Hall."

Qian Yue blinked. "What?"

Qian Tao lowered his voice slightly, but his tone remained firm. "Young Miss, I ask for your forgiveness again, but however desperate you may be—one should never associate themselves with evil."

Jiang: Man! Is this turning into some evil vs righteous drama?

Her hand moved instinctively, fingers curling around the hilt of her sword. "How dare y—"

Jiang placed a hand on her shoulder.

She flinched. "S-Senior Brother?"

Jiang stepped forward.

Qian Tao raised his voice. "Evil be gone!"

The sheer force of his words sent a wave of sound rippling through the air.

The distant disciples, who had been nowhere near the Hall, turned their heads sharply, drawn by the outburst.

Ah, f*ck, my eardrums.

Jiang grimaced, resisting the urge to rub his ears.

[Personality Speech Activated]

A slow, eerie smile crept onto his face, twisting into something sinister.

Jiang took a step forward. His voice was calm—too calm. "Tao, is it?"

"I can't hear evil. I can't see evil." Tao's tone was almost chant-like. 

His voice surged, a thunderous boom that seemed to shake the very air. "Begone, Evil!"

A sharp ringing shot through Jiang's skull, a pounding ache settling behind his ears. Yeah, great, keep screaming—might as well rip off my eardrums apart while you're at it.

Jiang's head throbbed slightly, but his expression remained unreadable.

Qian Yue took a step forward, her aura shifting.

"Tao, I'll count to ten. If you don't step back—I'll force you to."

Oho? Is she going to reveal her strength in front of all these people?

More and more disciples began gathering, drawn by the rising pressure in the air. Some whispered in hushed tones, eyes darting between Qian Yue and Qian Tao, while others watched in tense silence, their hands unconsciously gripping their weapons. The weight of expectation settled over the crowd, a storm brewing just beneath the surface.

Qian Yue's breathing became heavier. Her body exuded an aura—a faint red glow licking at the edges of her form.

"One. Two. Three." The red deepened, swirling faintly around her.

"Six. Seven." Her grip on her sword tightened, the leather wrapping creaking under pressure.

Everyone's eyes were locked on her. The air grew thick with tension, every breath held in anticipation.

Jiang silently cheered. Yeah! Screw those stupid hiding my powers clichés—trash that Giant bastard!

His amusement grew as he watched.

"Eight. Nine." Qian Yue's amber eyes darkened, shifting slightly—red creeping into her irises.

Then—

A shadow passed through her.

It was so fast that no one—not even the gathered crowd—had time to react.

Only Qian Yue saw it.

To everyone else, she had simply stopped counting.

And then—

Qian Tao collapsed.

His massive body hit the ground, marked with precise sword cuts.

Blood trickled from the wounds, pooling beneath him.

A sword handle was placed in his mouth—the tip of the blade held steady by an outstretched hand.

The one holding it?

Jiang Bai.

Jiang Shen blinked.

The f*ck just happened?