Chapter 5: Beginning of the Plan
After Su Dao broke through to the 2nd layer of Qi Gathering, he walked outside to relax. On the way, he met Su Dai.
"Su Dao, let's explore the outer sect," Su Dai said, smiling.
"Alright," Su Dao replied.
They went to the big canteen, where many disciples were eating. The smell of food filled the air.
"Let's eat here," Su Dai said, and Su Dao nodded.
They ordered food and a small jar of wine. While eating, they overheard some disciples talking.
"Do you know there's an inner sect competition next week?" one disciple said.
"Really? I need to train more!" another replied.
"Forget it," said a third. "Only 15 disciples can go, and you know who will get chosen."
"Yeah," the second disciple sighed. "We don't stand a chance."
Su Dai looked excited. "This is our chance to rise!" he said to Su Dao.
Su Dao smiled faintly. "We'll need to plan for this carefully."
As they finished their food, they overheard more disciples talking at another table.
"Did you hear? The inner sect gets rank 2 pills, but the real treasure is the rank 5 pill. There's only one, but it can triple cultivation speed and break through three layers instantly!"
"Meanwhile, we're stuck with rank 1 pills. It's unfair," another disciple complained.
Hearing this, Su Dao's mind raced. One rank 5 pill? If I had that, I could surpass everyone.
Su Dao stood up. "I'll go back now," he said.
"Alright, I'll explore more," Su Dai replied.
---
For two days, Su Dao observed the sect closely. He noticed the elders guarding certain areas and learned more about the treasure pills.
On the second day, Su Dao saw the elder's daughter, Mei Ling, walking in the outer sect. She was treated with great respect, and the guards seemed to follow her orders. Su Dao's eyes narrowed. She's the key, he thought.
For two days, Su Dao carefully observed the sect. He watched how the elders and disciples moved, looking for weaknesses.
On the second day, he saw Mei Ling walking through the outer sect. She looked proud, and everyone treated her with respect. Su Dao realized something. If I can kidnap her, I might learn where the rank 5 pill is kept.
But Su Dao didn't rush. He thought, What if I don't need to kidnap her? If I can make her fall into my trap, she might tell me everything herself.
From that day, Su Dao began trying to get close to her. He waited for chances to help her and impress her.
When she was carrying books from the library, Su Dao appeared and said, "Let me help you with those." He carried the books for her and smiled politely.
When she was walking alone, Su Dao greeted her with a friendly voice. "You shouldn't walk alone. This sect has many disciples, and not all of them are kind."
If he saw her in the canteen, he sat near her and started talking casually. "The food here is good, but I bet the inner sect has better meals," he would say, trying to make her laugh.
Once, she dropped a hairpin while walking. Su Dao quickly picked it up and handed it to her. "You dropped this," he said, smiling gently.
When she practiced cultivation, Su Dao would stop nearby and praise her. "Your technique looks flawless. You must work very hard."
At first, she only nodded or thanked him briefly. But Su Dao didn't give up. He knew that patience was key. I just need her to trust me. Once she does, everything will fall into place.
One day, she asked, "What's your name?"
Su Dao smiled and replied, "Su Dao."
Mei Ling smiled and said, "My name is Mei Ling."
Su Dao stopped for a moment. "Mei Ling, right?" he asked.
Mei Ling laughed softly. "Yes, that's right."
Every day, Su Dao found small ways to help her, speak with her, or make her smile. All the while, he kept his real plan hidden deep inside his heart.
The inner sect competition was only two days away, but Su Dao was so focused on impressing Mei Ling that he almost forgot about his own cultivation. He had been spending every free moment trying to get closer to her, to make her trust him and feel something more.
Su Dao realized that if he could get her to fall for him, she might share everything he wanted to know. But he also knew that it wouldn't be easy. She was a brilliant disciple from the inner sect, ranked 4, and very intelligent. Still, Su Dao couldn't stop himself from trying.
Every time they met, Su Dao was extra kind and polite.
When he saw her carrying heavy bags, he rushed over, offering to carry them for her. "You shouldn't do all the hard work alone. Let me help," he said with a gentle smile.
During mealtimes, he always found a way to sit next to her. He'd talk casually about things she liked, and even when she didn't say much, Su Dao would keep the conversation going. He'd make her laugh, trying to make her feel comfortable around him.
He complimented her cultivation skills often. "I've never seen someone with such perfect control. It's impressive," he'd say.
Little by little, Su Dao noticed something. She started to smile more when he was around, and sometimes he saw a faint blush on her cheeks when he spoke to her. That was when he realized that his plan was working.
But Su Dao didn't feel happy about her blushing. He was only focused on one thing: using her to get closer to the rank 5 pill. Everything else was part of his plan.
Su Dao and Mei Ling started walking together more often. She even invited him to eat with her one day, offering him a rank 2 pill.
"You should take this," Mei Ling said kindly, holding out the pill. "It will help you in your cultivation."
Su Dao smiled and gently pushed the pill away. "No, no, I can't take such a precious thing from you. Please don't waste your valuable pill on me," he said, pretending to be humble.
Seeing his behavior, Mei Ling felt even more drawn to him. She blushed, touched by his kind words. From that moment, she began helping him with his cultivation. She guided him through the techniques and even stayed by his side during training.
After taking the rank 2 pill, Su Dao's cultivation sped up. He could feel the power rushing through him as his strength grew rapidly. In just a short time, he broke through to the 3rd layer of Qi Gathering. He was shocked by the power of the pill, amazed at how quickly his cultivation had improved.
Meanwhile, Su Dai was working hard, and he had successfully broken through to the 2nd layer of Qi Gathering. Su Qian, however, had already reached the 6th layer, and Su Feng and Su Hou were at the 4th layer. The other disciples were mostly still at the 1st layer.
The day of the inner sect competition arrived. Su Dao was ready. He had trained hard, gained strength from the pill, and was prepared to show his skills.
Mei Ling, who had been quietly supporting him, looked at him with pride. "You're ready," she said softly, her eyes shining.
Su Dao smiled, but his mind was focused. This competition is only the beginning. I will rise higher than anyone else.
Su Dao noticed the way her eyes softened when she looked at him. She had started to care about him, or at least, she seemed to enjoy his company. He knew it was only a matter of time before she would fall into his trap.
The first match was Su Dao vs. Su Qian.
Su Dao starting laughing. Su Qian said,"So trash, I guess it's time to kill you."
Su Dao was ready for his revenge. Su Qian charged and attacked Su Dao with her sword, but Su Dao dodged and, with one kick, sent Su Qian flying out of the arena. The referee announced, "The winner is Su Dao."