Liuyun City.
The nearest small town at the foot of Mount Yushan.
A moderate-sized border town, not rich but pleasantly self-sufficient.
Every fortnight, the town holds a fair, and merchants from far and wide gather to sell trinkets from across the lands, filling the town with visitors and much livelier than usual.
After entering the town, Xiang'er started roaming around the marketplace, completely absorbed in window-shopping, just like a young girl out on a casual stroll.
Chen Yin trailed her from a distance, quietly watching.
The entire morning passed, and Xiang'er didn't exhibit any suspicious behavior. Even by noon, Chen Yin remained patiently following her.
Just then, a soft, somewhat childlike voice suddenly spoke beside him:
"Big brother, would you like to buy a necklace?"
Chen Yin turned his head and saw a timid little girl of about fourteen or fifteen, clutching his sleeve.
Her cheeks were a bit smudged, her clothes worn-out, but her eyes sparkled with an unusual brightness, instantly evoking kindness and pity in him.
He glanced at the basket she was carrying, filled with shell necklaces strung by hand.
After a brief hesitation, Chen Yin patted her head, took all the shell necklaces, and gave her a small silver ingot.
"I'll take them all."
The little girl beamed with joy.
"Thank you, big brother!"
Chen Yin smiled too.
But as he turned away, he suddenly noticed that Xiang'er was nowhere to be seen.
His eyes narrowed, and he immediately set off in pursuit.
After he left, around the corner, Yu Xiang's figure slowly appeared.
Her gaze was calm as she muttered to herself:
"System, who is following us?"
"Unknown," replied a mechanical voice in her ear. "There's no record of him in the storyline."
"He's probably just a minor character with no bearing on our story. We can ignore him. Whatever he does won't affect us as long as he isn't in the storyline record."
"A minor character..." Yu Xiang's gaze softened slightly.
"Then I won't bother with him."
"By the way, you mentioned before, my senior brother is also just a minor character."
"Yes," the system sounded puzzled. "Why are you asking about him?"
"...Nothing."
After a moment of silence, Yu Xiang spoke softly, "Remember your promise."
"As long as I follow the storyline, my senior brother will remain unharmed."
"Don't worry."
The system replied indifferently, "A mere minor character."
"He doesn't even appear in the storyline record, so nothing will happen to him."
"Five years from now, when your demonic powers are fully mastered, he'll probably still be just a clueless, ordinary disciple of the Misty Spirit Sect."
Yu Xiang looked off into the distance, a touch of sadness in her eyes.
After a pause, she shook her head slowly, her gaze hardening.
"...That will be enough."
"As long as my senior brother is safe, I can pursue my revenge without hesitation."
With that, Xiang'er's figure faded back into the shadows.
<+>
After circling around the market, Chen Yin finally spotted Xiang'er at a small stall.
She was cheerfully choosing little trinkets and eagerly trying them on, her face brimming with girlish delight.
And Chen Yin resumed his patient vigil.
This time, he waited until the sun was nearly setting.
As evening approached and the crowds began to disperse, Xiang'er finally showed an unusual sign.
She glanced around, then quietly slipped into a nondescript shop.
Chen Yin followed her discreetly and saw Xiang'er turn a hidden brick behind a counter in the shop.
The counter shifted aside, revealing a deep, dark entrance.
Xiang'er entered effortlessly, and Chen Yin slipped in just as the entrance was about to close.
A long, narrow corridor stretched ahead, opening up into a vast, dark hall after some time.
The hall was utterly empty except for a few pillars. Chen Yin hid behind one, listening intently to the sounds in the hall.
Only one person sat on the main seat in the hall.
It was an elderly man, white-haired with a gaunt, skeletal face and a dark robe that veiled his piercing eyes.
"Saintess," he greeted her in a cold tone devoid of respect as Xiang'er approached.
"Elder Hei Ran, I'm here to collect this month's cultivation resources," Xiang'er replied softly.
...Hei Ran?
Chen Yin's eyes narrowed slightly.
Even he had heard of this name.
Though the demonic factions were numerous, there weren't many elders among them who had reached the level of grandmasters.
Hei Ran was among the more infamous ones.
It was said that his last appearance was decades ago, and his blood-soaked methods had left a hundred disciples of the Tianluo Sect dead. His cruelty and brutality were shocking.
And even back then, he was already at the late stages of the Unrestricted Realm.
After decades of seclusion, this monstrous elder's strength had likely deepened beyond measure—perhaps even nearing the threshold of the Upper Clarity Realm.
Such an old monster... Even a prodigy like Senior Sister Shen Shuanglian would have to flee in the face of him, Chen Yin thought to himself.
"Hmph. The sect promised it, so naturally, you'll get it."
With a flick of his sleeve, Hei Ran tossed a ring to Yu Xiang.
After a quick scan, Xiang'er's face brightened with satisfaction.
"Thank you."
She turned to leave.
"Wait."
Hei Ran's voice rang out again behind her.
Yu Xiang turned her head calmly and asked, "Is there something else, Elder?"
"Heh, though the sect did promise you unlimited support for cultivation resources until your demonic powers are fully formed," Hei Ran chuckled, a hint of an ambiguous glint in his eyes. "But... I wonder if all these resources, Saintess, are truly for cultivation, or perhaps... for pampering a lover?"
"If Elder is worried about my progress—"
Yu Xiang replied without expression, "—you're welcome to test me yourself."
"No, no. I was merely joking," Hei Ran stiffened, then forced a laugh. "If the Saintess is wholeheartedly committed to training, that's wonderful. The sooner your demonic powers are perfected, the sooner we can rise to prominence."
"Spare yourself the concern." Yu Xiang turned sharply and said icily, "Mind your own business."
Hei Ran's face darkened, but he suppressed it quickly, showing nothing.
"Next time, I'll return for next month's resources."
Hei Ran forced a sinister smile, watching Yu Xiang's figure as she walked away.
Behind a pillar, Chen Yin couldn't conceal his astonishment.
...What? Was this really my sweet, shy junior sister Xiang'er?
Faced with the demonic path, she's turned into a cold and unapproachable figure.
Recalling the pure, endearing smile Xiang'er would wear around him on the mountain, Chen Yin felt a mix of emotions.
Yet, from their conversation, he could deduce a few things.
Clearly, Xiang'er had some unique constitution or reason to be given access to a demonic sect's cultivation techniques. This must be why they held her as the Saintess, providing her with ample resources for demonic training.
However, her true reason for joining the demonic path was still unclear.
But to think she could dismiss even an elder... Her status within the demonic sect must be far more extraordinary than he'd imagined.
Chen Yin couldn't help but ponder in silence.
Just then, that dark, eerie voice resounded again:
"You've been watching for quite some time—why not show yourself?"
Chen Yin narrowed his eyes.
The next moment, wearing a mask, he gracefully stepped into the center of the hall.
Hei Ran, seated in the main seat, looked toward Chen Yin with interest. But the instant Chen Yin appeared, a flash of disappointment crossed Hei Ran's face.
"Hah. Just a young pup who hasn't even reached the Cloud Realm."
Shaking his head, Hei Ran sighed, "I thought there might be some amusement here."
"An insect like this isn't even worth lifting a finger against."
Chen Yin met his gaze unfazed. "I have questions for you."
"Hah?"
Hei Ran chuckled as if hearing a grand joke, his beard twitching. "Child, do you not realize your situation? Whether you wandered in by accident or came to investigate the Saintess, having witnessed the secrets of our demonic path... you've forfeited your life."
"And you think you can question me? A foolish calf indeed."
Hei Ran shook his head, muttering,
"Very well then, today I'll humor you."
"Little brat, it will be an honor to die under my palm."
"After all, those who perished beneath this hand before you..." he sneered, "were elders of your righteous sects."
At that, black energy began coalescing in Hei Ran's palm, exuding an aura that made one's heart clench.
Chen Yin looked at him, then sighed softly.
….Seems there's no easy way to speak with him.
He'd been hoping to avoid using this move right away.
"Alright then. I haven't yet tested the power of this sword strike since I mastered it."
Saying this, Chen Yin drew Changming from his sleeve, positioning it calmly in front of him.
"Let's see... if you can withstand this strike."
"Arrogant!"
The word provoked Hei Ran as if he'd suffered a great insult. He shouted and struck out with a palm, sending a surge of black energy crashing down like a tidal wave toward Chen Yin.
Chen Yin, meanwhile, raised his sword lightly with one hand and swung it gently at Hei Ran.
<+>
An unknown amount of time passed before silence returned to the hall.
The area had turned into a devastated ruin; not a single patch of the ground was left intact.
Standing amidst the wreckage, Chen Yin wiped his sword with a faint sigh.
...This is exactly why I was hesitant to use this strike.
He'd guessed it would be overwhelming, but even he hadn't anticipated this level of devastation.
Originally, he'd intended to leave the old man alive for questioning. But after that strike... not even a trace of him remained.
It seems I still can't fully control the power of these sword techniques with my current cultivation level.
Even a slight miscalculation ends up like this—where it's impossible to keep anyone alive.
Just as he was about to sheath his sword, his gaze sharpened suddenly.
With a flick of the blade, he pointed it towards a particular spot.
"Who's there!"
"If you don't show yourself now, don't blame me for taking action."
After a brief moment, a figure emerged from the shadows, trembling with fear and vulnerability.
Chen Yin was startled when he recognized the figure.
"...You're the little girl who was selling shell necklaces earlier?"