Chapter 10: Echoes in the Sect

— Skycloud Sect, Outer Peaks —

The sect was never truly quiet.

Even in the dead of night, whispers crawled through its stone halls—soft, poisonous things carrying gossip, envy, and speculation. And now, with Ye Tian's return, those whispers had become thunder.

"Did you hear? Ye Tian came back from Whispering Peak… different."

"Different? He doesn't even have a presence anymore. It's like he's not even real!"

"I saw him. With two spirit girls floating beside him—and one of them was Yun Qingyu!"

"The Ice Sword Prodigy?! That's impossible. She doesn't even speak to anyone!"

"They say the elders didn't sense him at all. Like he walked past Heaven's gaze itself."

Gasps. Stifled awe. Growing fear.

His name now echoed through the sect like the early signs of a coming storm.

— Inner Sect, West Ridge —

The sound of steel rang across the cliffs as Zhao Feng's sword cleaved a boulder in two.

Dust blew past his boots. But it wasn't enough to calm the blaze in his chest.

"Yun Qingyu… smiled."

He muttered the words like a curse.

She had refused every suitor, dismissed every gift, ignored every plea. Years he'd chased her. And now? Now she laughed beside Ye Tian?

He gritted his teeth.

"She touched his arm. She never even looked at me like that."

Spiritual energy leaked from his body in furious waves.

Unforgivable.

— Skycloud Sect, Marketplace —

Ye Tian strolled through the bustling market streets with quiet confidence, robes flowing behind him like silk shadows.

The crowd parted before him like waves before a god. Not because of arrogance. But because of the feeling that if they didn't… they might simply vanish.

Yun Qingyu held his arm loosely. A rare sight—one no disciple dared believe, even as they saw it with their own eyes.

Rongyan floated beside them, casually munching on a glowing peach she'd very obviously not paid for.

"Master~ do I look fearsome yet?" she asked, mouth full.

"You look like a feral spark ball," Tsuki said from behind.

"You shut it, freezer bird."

"I'll ice your fruit."

"NOT MY PEACH!"

Ye Tian barely blinked. He stopped before the Quest Hall and claimed a task: subdue a Spirit-Tailed Fox in Wind Gorge. Basic. Quick. Reward: 150 sect coins and a beast core.

Next: the Weapon Pavilion.

Rongyan practically exploded inside, bouncing from sword to sword.

"Look at this one! Flames everywhere! It screams me!"

"Which means it's unstable and annoyingly loud," Tsuki observed.

"You wanna go?!"

Ye Tian ignored them both. His eyes settled on a sword wrapped in simple black cloth.

[Detected: Nightbane – High Earth-Tier. Elementally Adaptive. Compatible. Potential Bond: Stable.]

"This one," he said.

He also selected battle robes—black with gold thread, flexible and reinforced. Regal, but deadly.

When he stepped from the fitting room, the tailor nearly forgot to breathe.

"You look good," Qingyu said softly.

"Dangerous," Tsuki added.

"Short," Rongyan muttered—and promptly got flicked on the forehead. "OW! Every time!"

— Tailor Pavilion, Lower Peak —

They stopped next at a more elegant tailor shop.

Qingyu gently lifted a robe embroidered with phoenix silver thread. She held it against his shoulder, cheeks faintly pink.

"This one… fits your aura."

Rongyan leaned in with a devilish grin. "You just wanna see him shirtless."

Qingyu didn't respond.

But she didn't deny it either.

— Skycloud Sect, Central Courtyard —

Then the bells rang.

A deep chime echoed through the mountains, silencing every conversation.

"The Earth List Challenge will begin one month from today."

"All outer sect disciples may compete. Top 100 will qualify to enter the Inner Sect."

"Direct challenges between participants are permitted."

Shock. Gasps.

"That's the Earth List! It's finally back!"

"You can challenge anyone for their rank?!"

"It's gonna be chaos—ambushes, sneak attacks, betrayals—"

Rongyan stopped chewing. "Ooooh~ this is spicy."

Tsuki's expression didn't change. "They're testing who's worth keeping… and who isn't."

Qingyu glanced up at Ye Tian.

"You're entering, right?"

Ye Tian's gaze locked with hers.

"I'm not entering to qualify."

A pause.

"I'm entering to become number one."

— Wind Gorge —

The Spirit-Tailed Fox darted between trees, fur glimmering like moonlight.

Ye Tian struck once. The beast collapsed. Efficient. Unseen.

He turned to leave.

Then—an explosion of stone and dust.

A blade slammed into the earth.

Zhao Feng stepped out of the mist, flanked by three masked disciples.

"You thought you could walk into the Inner Sect after stealing everything from me?!"

Ye Tian didn't even flinch. "I didn't steal anything. You just weren't enough."

"Arrogant MONGREL—DIE!"

Zhao Feng lunged.

His sword met Ye Tian's fingers.

The clash made no sound—only disbelief.

Ye Tian didn't move. Just stared.

Then the fire came.

Rongyan hurled a burst of flame that torched one attacker.

Tsuki summoned a blade of compressed wind, launching the second into a tree.

Ye Tian palmed Zhao Feng in the chest.

The man flew through two trees and coughed blood onto the ground.

"You think this is over?" he spat.

Ye Tian turned his back.

"This was mercy."

— Quest Hall, Late Evening —

The fox core was submitted. Payment received.

Whispers resumed—but now with awe, not doubt.

Ye Tian's legend was no longer rising.

It was inevitable.