The Azure Sky Sect was abuzz with murmurs of disbelief. What had transpired in the tournament arena was nothing short of shocking. A mere seventh-stage Qi Refining disciple had defeated Lin Mei, a prodigy in the Core Formation realm. No one could comprehend how such a seemingly impossible outcome could have occurred. Whispers spread through the sect like wildfire, each version of the story more exaggerated than the last.
Li Xuan, who had returned to his quarters after the battle, sat in quiet contemplation. His body was sore, but it was the swirling chaos of thoughts in his mind that weighed him down the most. He had won, but the victory was hollow. He knew that Lin Mei had not gone all out, perhaps underestimating him. The Eternal Codex had guided him through the fight, giving him the insight and technique necessary to hold his ground. But the questions remained: how long could he keep this up, and what were the consequences of revealing his strength too soon?
A soft knock on the door broke him from his reverie.
"Come in," he called out, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
The door creaked open, and Zhang Wei stepped inside, his face a mixture of curiosity and concern. His eyes flickered over Li Xuan, studying him intently. There was an unspoken question in the air, one that neither of them was sure how to voice.
"You really did it, didn't you?" Zhang Wei finally said, his tone laced with disbelief. "You actually beat Lin Mei."
Li Xuan nodded but said nothing, his gaze fixed on the floor. There was no need for words. The sect would be in uproar by now, and there was no telling how the elders would react. He could feel the weight of their scrutiny already, like a thousand eyes watching his every move.
"You have to be careful, Li Xuan," Zhang Wei warned as he sat down across from him. "This is bigger than you realize. Defeating someone like Lin Mei—it's going to put you in the spotlight, and not in a good way."
Li Xuan looked up, meeting his friend's gaze. "I know. But what choice did I have? If I hadn't won, I'd be seen as weak. In this world, power is everything."
Zhang Wei shook his head, his brow furrowed in thought. "That's exactly the problem. Power attracts attention. The sect elders are already talking. They're going to want to know how a Qi Refining disciple managed to defeat someone at the Core Formation stage."
Li Xuan's expression darkened. He had been prepared for this, but hearing it from Zhang Wei made the reality sink in. The Eternal Codex had given him strength beyond his current cultivation stage, but that power came at a price. It made him a target—an anomaly in a world that valued order and hierarchy above all else.
"What do you think the elders will do?" Li Xuan asked, his voice low.
Zhang Wei paused, choosing his words carefully. "The sect will be divided. Some will see you as a potential threat, someone who's disrupting the natural order. Others will want to recruit you, train you, maybe even use you for their own agendas. But one thing is for sure—they won't leave you alone."
Li Xuan clenched his fists. He had expected this, but it didn't make it any easier to accept. The victory over Lin Mei had felt like a breakthrough, a step toward proving himself. Yet now, it seemed that it had only placed him in more danger.
"What should I do?" Li Xuan asked, his voice edged with frustration.
Zhang Wei leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You need to hide your true strength. Whatever you did to defeat Lin Mei, don't reveal it again unless you have no other choice. The more you keep them guessing, the safer you'll be. If they think you're just lucky, they'll leave you alone—for now."
Li Xuan nodded. He had been relying on the Ninefold Ascension Technique, a forbidden method the Eternal Codex had revealed to him. It allowed him to punch above his cultivation level, but he knew it was dangerous. He couldn't rely on it for every battle, and the more he used it, the more attention he would draw.
Just as he was about to respond, a loud knock echoed through the room. Zhang Wei and Li Xuan exchanged a glance before Zhang Wei stood to open the door. Standing there was a sect messenger, clad in the traditional azure robes that marked his station.
"Li Xuan," the messenger said, his tone formal. "The elders have summoned you."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Zhang Wei's face paled, and Li Xuan felt a surge of cold dread wash over him.
"I'll be there," Li Xuan replied, his voice steady despite the storm brewing within him.
The messenger gave a curt nod before leaving, closing the door behind him. Zhang Wei turned to Li Xuan, his face grave.
"This is bad," Zhang Wei muttered. "The elders don't summon disciples unless it's serious. You need to be careful about what you say."
Li Xuan stood, his mind racing. He knew the elders would question him about the fight, about how he managed to defeat Lin Mei. But he also knew he couldn't reveal the truth—not about the Eternal Codex or the forbidden Ninefold Ascension Technique.
"I'll be fine," Li Xuan said, though the uncertainty in his voice betrayed his confidence. "Whatever happens, I'll find a way through."
Zhang Wei gave him a long, searching look before nodding. "Just be careful, Li Xuan. You're walking a dangerous path, and there are a lot of eyes on you now. Don't give them a reason to doubt you."
Li Xuan gave a final nod, then headed out of the room, his steps heavy with the weight of what was to come. The sect elders would demand answers, and he would need to walk a fine line between truth and deception. The Eternal Codex had given him a path to power, but it had also placed a target on his back.
As he walked toward the inner sanctum of the sect, the path seemed longer than usual, every step echoing ominously in the empty halls. His thoughts drifted back to the tournament, to the moment when he had faced Lin Mei and the Codex had stirred within him, guiding his actions. It was not just power that had helped him win—it was strategy, foresight, and the subtle manipulations of fate itself.
But now, with the eyes of the sect elders upon him, Li Xuan knew that he would have to rely on more than just the Codex. He would need to outwit, outmaneuver, and survive in a world that was quickly becoming more dangerous than ever before.