Li Wei's thoughts grow darker, unease settling in his chest. "The presence in every single one of them? Does everyone in the sect have this? Did someone put shards in every single disciple?" The more he considers it, the more disturbing the possibility becomes. He shifts uncomfortably, his gaze hardening. "Is one in me?".
"If there is a parasitic bone inside me..," Li Wei stated. "The one who implanted it can use Bone Manipulation to reposition the shard at will. They could drive it through my body to sever vital organs, leave me crippled, or even kill me outright." His expression remained steady as he processed the facts. Not only could the user steal qi but also kill him without him even being able to mount any defence.
Li Wei lowered himself onto the cold stone floor, his movements calm. With a faint focus of his Qi, he extended a thin, needle-like shard of bone from his fingertip, no wider than a thread. He turned his arm over, exposing the underside where the ulna lay close to the skin.
Carefully, he aligned the needle and pressed it into the flesh at just the right angle. There was no tearing or blood, only the faint pressure of the bone shard piercing through the soft tissue, sliding between the fibers of muscle and fascia. The sensation was muted but distinct, as if the needle was threading itself through the body's natural pathways, avoiding major nerves and vessels with almost surgical precision.
The moment the shard made contact with the bone, Li Wei felt it—a presence unlike any he had sensed before. It was invasive and suffocating, an oppressive force that seemed to pull at his very being. A cold emptiness spread from the shard, radiating up his arm and seeping into his chest. It wasn't pain—it was worse. A gnawing, sinking feeling of despair, as though the shard had pierced not just his body but the core of his existence.
His breathing slowed, his chest tightening as the sensation deepened. This was far beyond what he had observed in others when implanting shards into their bones. For them, it had been a distant shadow, barely noticeable unless one actively sought it. On himself, it was like a void, a black hole devouring any trace of positive thought or emotion.
Li Wei's jaw tightened as he held his arm steady, his eyes fixed on the shard. The cold presence wasn't just passive—it felt active, deliberate, as though something was probing, searching, reaching through the connection.
Closing his eyes, Li Wei directed his focus inward, his senses honing in on the intricate network of Qi channels coursing through his body. The flow moved with its usual rhythm—smooth, unobstructed—but beneath the surface, something else lingered. A faint coldness, distant yet undeniable, wove itself into the undercurrent of his energy.
It wasn't disruptive, not enough to interrupt the natural pathways of his Qi, but its presence was alien. It clung to him, like a thin, insidious thread extending beyond his control. He traced the sensation with growing unease, searching for its origin, but it evaded pinpointing, as though it slipped away the moment he drew close.
His breathing remained steady, yet his chest felt tight, weighed down by the faint chill that gnawed at his awareness. "It's there," he muttered under his breath, his voice low and measured, "just like with the outer disciples."
The words hung in the still air, a confirmation of what he already knew but didn't want to admit. This presence wasn't an anomaly or a side effect—it was deliberate.
"Enough."
With a steady hand, he reversed the process, guiding the needle-thin shard back out the way it had entered. It slid smoothly through the layers of tissue, leaving no visible trace of its passage. The absence of blood or any external injury was almost surreal, as though the shard had never been there.
Yet the oppressive sensation lingered, faint but unmistakable, like the echo of a distant scream. Li Wei flexed his fingers, testing the range of motion in his arm. Everything functioned as it should, but the unease remained.
He placed the shard carefully on the stone floor beside him, its needle-like form glinting faintly in the dim light of the cave. His gaze lingered on it, his thoughts racing. This wasn't a random side effect. The precision and intensity of the connection left no doubt in his mind.
Li Wei stood motionless for several heartbeats, his mind churning with possibilities. "I don't know who this presence is or what he's capable of," he said quietly, "but he's real. He knows Bone Parasitism—or something equally powerful—and that makes him extremely dangerous." His hand tightened around the shard. "I only learned Bone Parasitism thanks to the system. This person figured it out on his own. That alone tells me I shouldn't act."
He exhaled, a cold knot of dread tightening in his chest. Gazing at the sliver of bone, he felt a chill seep through him. "Whoever implanted this… they've been siphoning my cultivation for who knows how long. I can't even recall when it happened." His mind raced with the implications. "If they can do this to me, they can do it to any disciple. They might already be harvesting the cultivation of hundreds—maybe even thousands."
Tension rippled through his body as he curled his hands into fists. "It would have to be someone with enough power and access to place these shards in everyone. Only an elder could manage that without drawing attention—or the Bone Sovereign himself." A shiver coursed down his spine at the thought. "If it really is an elder—or worse—I can't afford to let them know I've discovered anything. They wouldn't hesitate to kill me. Right now, I'm nothing more than a farm animal waiting for slaughter."
Li Wei's eyes burned with self-disgust as he forced himself to remain composed. "Removing the shard completely is equivalent to signing my own death warrant," he muttered under his breath. Every fiber of his being screamed in frustration—first Senior Huo, and now this. He was too weak to challenge; he felt like nothing more than a coward once again.
He exhaled slowly, steadying his racing heart. "The only path forward is to get stronger. Killing them is the ultimate solution—but right now, I'm no match."
Li Wei turns deeper into the cave, his expression hard as stone. His thoughts are sharp, focused. Every decision from now on would be calculated, every move deliberate. Getting strong enough to deal with whoever implanted the bone parasite in him was no longer just a priority—it was a matter of survival. The bitter taste of helplessness lingered, but he pushed it aside, choosing instead to think of solutions.
That night, he lay awake longer than usual, staring at the jagged ceiling of the cave. His body needed rest, but his mind refused to quiet down.
By the time he finally drifted into sleep, his thoughts had solidified into a cold, unyielding resolve. The situation was grim, but allowing himself to drown in self-pity or despair would achieve nothing. It was a waste of time, energy, and focus—resources he could not afford to squander.
The logic was clear: so long as he drew breath, the only viable course of action was to move forward, to adapt, and to find a solution. Wallowing in misery over an unfavorable reality served no purpose. It wouldn't alter the circumstances, and it certainly wouldn't bring him any closer to the strength he needed to overcome them.
Li Wei's last waking thought was simple yet sharp in its clarity—survival required progress, and progress required action.
The following day, Jiao Han returned, leading seventeen outer disciples into the cave. They entered cautiously, their steps tentative as if they feared some unseen trap. Their gazes flickered between the dark corners of the cave and the imposing figure of Li Wei, who stood near the far wall with an air of quiet authority.
"Step forward," Li Wei ordered, his tone calm but leaving no room for disobedience.
The first disciple, a wiry young man with uneven stubble and sunken eyes, hesitated before shuffling forward. His shoulders were hunched, his movements timid. Bowing deeply, he avoided meeting Li Wei's gaze.
Li Wei extended two fingers to the disciple's shoulder, his movements measured and deliberate. He remained silent for several moments, his expression inscrutable. Then, without looking up, he asked, "If the heavens collapse, where does the earth stand?"
The disciple's brow furrowed, confusion flickering across his face. "I… I don't—"
"Wrong," Li Wei interrupted, his voice even, cutting off any further fumbling. As he spoke, his fingers pressed lightly against the disciple's shoulder. The movement was undetectable; a thin shard of bone slipped into the young man's shoulder, merging seamlessly with his bone structure.
The disciple flinched, a subtle tightening of his jaw betraying the discomfort, but Li Wei gave no indication he noticed. "Return to the line."
The young man stumbled back, his hand instinctively brushing his shoulder, but he said nothing. One by one, the remaining disciples stepped forward, each subjected to the same silent ritual. Li Wei asked a different question each time—cryptic, unanswerable riddles delivered without explanation.
"If the moon swallows the sun, who lights the stars?"
"If a mountain loses its peak, is it still a mountain?"
Each disciple faltered, their confusion evident, but none dared to voice protest. The process was methodical. Li Wei's fingers brushed their shoulders, his calm demeanor masking the silent implantation of bone shards. The operation was seamless, leaving no visible trace.
When the final disciple stepped back into line, Li Wei gestured toward the exit with a flick of his hand. "Leave."
The group exchanged uneasy glances but quickly obeyed. Their footsteps echoed down the stone tunnel as they hurried out, their nervous energy palpable. Li Wei didn't watch them leave, his gaze already shifting toward Jiao Han, who lingered near the entrance.
Jiao Han cleared his throat, his voice hesitant as he gestured toward the cave entrance. "Ren Jun, as you requested."
Li Wei turned his gaze to the figure stepping into the dim light. Ren Jun entered with a slow, deliberate stride, his every movement exuding arrogance. His slender frame and delicate features made him stand out immediately, an unnatural softness in a sect known for brutality. His robes, intricately embroidered and tailored to perfection, were more suited to an inner disciple than an outer one. A faint, cloying scent of perfume wafted off him, and the smug curl of his lips hinted at a sense of superiority that grated against the atmosphere of the cave.
Li Wei's face betrayed nothing as he approached. Without a word, he extended two fingers toward Ren Jun's shoulder. His movements were precise, controlled, and efficient. The thin, needle-like shard of bone slid into Ren Jun's shoulder seamlessly, merging with his bone structure. There was no flinch, no wince. Either Ren Jun was too proud to show discomfort, or he truly hadn't noticed.
Li Wei's thoughts shifting to the implantations. He was certain now—stopping with the implants now was the right decision. These small fry weren't worth the risk of drawing the attention of a real predator lurking in the shadows. "Big fish don't show themselves until the waters are disturbed", he thought grimly. For now, subtlety was survival, and caution his greatest ally.
Ren Jun didn't bow. Instead, he tilted his head, an expression of mild disdain crossing his face. "Must I go through the same process as everyone else?" he asked, his tone smooth and dripping with derision. His gaze flicked dismissively toward the direction the other disciples had gone.