The Ji Clan's gates were still shut when Ji Wuyuan returned.
Azure Sun City's night wind carried a damp chill, and the stone streets outside the inner district were empty enough that even a stray dog wouldn't bother barking. In the distance, lanterns swayed under eaves, their light trembling like nervous eyes.
Ji Wuyuan walked with small, measured steps, cloak drawn close around his shoulders. To anyone watching from afar, he would look like a noble child sneaking out too late, escorted by a quiet guard.
But no one was watching.
Not the kind of watching that mattered.
Wei Yan moved in the shadows, never fully visible unless he wanted to be. Shen Lian walked on the other side of Ji Wuyuan, her presence restrained and controlled, like a sword still inside its scabbard. And behind them, Lu Chen followed with stiff, careful steps, as if afraid that making noise might summon death.
He wasn't wrong.
Ji Wuyuan didn't speak until they reached the clan's outer wall.
The Ji Clan's protective formation was active, a faint shimmer barely visible in the moonlight. Most people would see nothing. But cultivators could sense it—an invisible pressure that kept hostile qi and malicious intent from slipping in.
Ji Wuyuan stopped.
He tilted his head slightly, as if listening to something no one else could hear.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Shen Lian."
"Yes, Master."
"Can you enter without triggering the formation?"
Shen Lian's eyes swept across the wall. Her gaze was calm, analytical.
"This formation is crude," she said plainly. "But it is connected to the clan's spirit veins. For this realm, it is considered strong. If I enter forcefully, it will alarm the entire clan."
Ji Wuyuan nodded.
"I don't want alarm."
Shen Lian lowered her voice.
"Then we enter as wind enters a crack."
Wei Yan's eyes flickered slightly, as if intrigued.
Shen Lian lifted one hand.
Her fingers moved through a series of subtle, precise gestures—like a musician plucking strings no one else could see. The air in front of them rippled faintly, and the formation's pressure softened for a heartbeat.
Ji Wuyuan didn't hesitate.
He stepped forward.
The barrier brushed his skin like cold mist.
Then he was inside.
Lu Chen followed, eyes wide, breath held tight, as if he expected lightning to strike him down.
Nothing happened.
He stumbled slightly, then looked back at the wall like it had betrayed him.
Wei Yan entered last, silent as always.
The moment they were inside, Shen Lian's hand lowered, and the formation returned to its normal state, smooth and seamless.
No alarm.
No ripple.
No warning.
Ji Wuyuan exhaled softly.
He didn't praise her. He didn't smile. He simply absorbed the fact that she could do something no one in this clan could even imagine.
A formation master.
An intelligence builder.
A commander.
If he had gotten her in his last life, the protagonist would never have succeeded so easily.
But regret was pointless.
This life was about building.
He walked toward his courtyard, and the clan's sleeping district appeared ahead—rows of clean stone paths, carved lantern posts, and quiet courtyards hidden behind walls. A peaceful place.
A place where children were raised to believe their family was safe.
Ji Wuyuan's lips curved faintly.
Safety was a lie.
When they reached his courtyard, Ji Wuyuan stopped at the gate.
The servants who guarded the entrance had already changed shifts. Two young men stood there, sleepy-eyed, hands resting on their spear shafts.
The moment they saw Ji Wuyuan, they straightened sharply.
"Young Master!"
Ji Wuyuan nodded gently, as if he had simply returned from a late walk.
"I couldn't sleep," he said warmly. "I went to clear my head."
One of them looked relieved.
"Ah… Young Master, you should have told us. We would have accompanied you."
Ji Wuyuan smiled politely.
"It's fine. I didn't go far."
He walked in.
The guards bowed again, never once noticing the two figures that moved behind him like shadows made flesh.
Once the gate shut, Shen Lian spoke quietly.
"Master, your servants are loyal but weak. They will be used against you."
Ji Wuyuan's expression didn't change.
"I know."
Lu Chen stood near the courtyard wall, arms stiff at his sides, eyes darting around as if expecting someone to jump out and chain him again.
Ji Wuyuan looked at him.
"Lu Chen."
The boy flinched.
"Yes…?"
Ji Wuyuan's voice remained calm, almost gentle.
"Do you want power?"
Lu Chen hesitated.
His throat moved as he swallowed.
"I want… to never be locked in a cage again."
Ji Wuyuan nodded.
"That is power."
He stepped closer, eyes steady.
"Then listen carefully. From today onward, you are not a slave. You are not a victim. You are a blade I picked up from the mud."
Lu Chen's eyes tightened.
Ji Wuyuan continued.
"But blades do not get to choose their direction."
Lu Chen's jaw clenched.
Ji Wuyuan's tone softened slightly, like a teacher speaking to a stubborn student.
"If you perform well, you will eat, you will train, and you will rise. If you betray me, you will die. If you hesitate when I command, you will be replaced."
Lu Chen's hands trembled faintly.
But there was something else too.
A spark.
Because for the first time, someone wasn't lying to him.
Ji Wuyuan didn't promise kindness.
He promised structure.
And structure was more reliable than kindness in a world like this.
Lu Chen lowered his head.
"…I understand."
Ji Wuyuan nodded once.
"Good."
He turned to Shen Lian.
"Take him. Test his foundation. If he can cultivate, give him a method that won't cripple him later."
Shen Lian bowed slightly.
"Yes, Master."
Lu Chen looked up sharply.
"You… you're letting her teach me?"
Ji Wuyuan's gaze was calm.
"Not letting. Ordering."
Lu Chen shut his mouth immediately.
Shen Lian's eyes flickered with faint amusement, but she didn't show it openly. She motioned, and Lu Chen followed her toward the side room.
Wei Yan remained.
Ji Wuyuan walked into his own chamber and shut the door behind him.
For a moment, the room felt too quiet.
The candle flame trembled.
The incense smoke curled upward lazily.
Ji Wuyuan sat down and willed the War Archive open.
The black page unfolded.
[War Archive System]Host: Ji WuyuanCultivation: Body Tempering Third LayerMerit: 2Clan Seed: Not EstablishedNightveil Slots: 1/9 ActiveWei Yan: ActiveShen Lian: Active
Ji Wuyuan stared at the line that mattered most.
Clan Seed: Not Established
He tapped his finger lightly on the table.
"System."
The page flickered.
A cold line of text appeared.
[Clan Seed requires: Authority + Bloodline Anchor + First Oath]
Ji Wuyuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
Authority… he had. He was the Patriarch's son. The favored young master. The clan elders would not oppose him openly.
Bloodline anchor…
That would require the clan's core.
Perhaps the ancestral hall.
Perhaps the clan's spirit vein.
Perhaps the Patriarch's seal.
And the First Oath…
That meant people.
Not servants.
Not guards.
True followers.
The kind who would die for him.
Or kill for him.
Ji Wuyuan leaned back slightly, fingers steepled.
He didn't need hundreds.
He needed a few.
The right few.
A sudden thought came to him.
He looked toward the door.
Wei Yan was outside, invisible, but present.
"Wei Yan."
Wei Yan's voice sounded instantly, like it came from the air itself.
"Yes, Master."
"Find me children."
Wei Yan paused for half a breath.
"Children?"
Ji Wuyuan's tone remained calm.
"Orphans. Discarded disciples. Those with talent but no backing. Those who would rather be devils than starve."
Wei Yan understood.
"…To form your foundation."
Ji Wuyuan smiled faintly.
"To form my claws."
Wei Yan replied quietly.
"As Master commands."
Ji Wuyuan's eyes darkened slightly.
The Ji Clan had resources.
But resources could be stolen.
Power could be taken.
Loyalty had to be forged.
He would build his army from those the world abandoned.
Because abandoned people were the easiest to turn into monsters.
And monsters were the most loyal.
Ji Wuyuan closed the War Archive.
Then he stood and moved to the window.
Outside, the moon hung pale and cold.
Somewhere in the clan, the elders were sleeping, thinking tomorrow would be normal.
Somewhere in the city, Black Sand Pavilion would wake up furious, hunting for who dared to slaughter their merchant.
Somewhere in fate's river, the first protagonist was still far away, still growing, still sharpening his destiny.
Ji Wuyuan's lips curved faintly.
Let him.
Ji Wuyuan turned away from the window and sat down again, crossing his legs.
He began cultivating.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The Nine Tribulation Ironbone Art drew spiritual energy into his body like a whirlpool pulling in water. His skin heated, his bones tightened, and his muscles hardened.
Pain came again.
He welcomed it.
Because pain was proof he was changing.
The next morning, the Ji Clan was already awake when Ji Wuyuan stepped into the main hall.
He wore a clean robe, hair tied neatly, face bright and calm.
The perfect young master.
The elders sat in their seats, robes heavy with status. The Patriarch sat at the head, expression unreadable.
And to the right side—
Second Elder Ji Mingxiu.
He smiled warmly the moment Ji Wuyuan entered.
"Wuyuan," he said gently, like a caring uncle. "Come. Sit."
Ji Wuyuan bowed politely.
"Second Elder is too kind."
He walked forward and sat in the seat prepared for him.
The Patriarch's gaze rested on him for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"Yesterday's incident in the training grounds… I heard about it."
Ji Wuyuan lowered his head slightly.
"This child was reckless."
The elders exchanged looks.
Some were impressed.
Some were wary.
The Second Elder smiled.
"A child should be reckless," he said. "It is better than being weak."
Ji Wuyuan smiled politely.
"Yes, Second Elder."
The Patriarch's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You have been cultivating diligently."
Ji Wuyuan nodded.
"Yes, Father."
The Patriarch's voice was calm.
"In three months, the Ji Clan will hold the Awakening Ceremony for the younger generation."
The hall quieted.
Even the elders' expressions became serious.
The Awakening Ceremony.
That was the day when children between eight and sixteen awakened their talent, their spirit roots, their bloodline, or their physique.
It decided their future.
It decided their worth.
And in cultivation clans…
Worth was life.
Ji Wuyuan's expression remained calm, but his heart beat slightly heavier.
Three months.
So soon.
The Patriarch continued.
"The clan will prepare spirit pools, awakening stones, and the ancestral altar. Every child must participate."
Ji Wuyuan bowed.
"Yes, Father."
The Second Elder smiled again, voice smooth.
"Wuyuan's talent will surely astonish us."
Ji Wuyuan smiled back.
"I will not disappoint the clan."
But inside, his thoughts sharpened.
Three months until awakening.
Three months until he discovered what his body truly held.
And three months until the system likely rewarded him.
But there was something more important.
The Awakening Ceremony would draw attention.
From the city.
From other clans.
From sect scouts.
And from hidden forces.
If the Second Elder wanted to move against him…
That ceremony would be the perfect stage.
Ji Wuyuan lowered his gaze, hiding the coldness in his eyes.
Good.
Let the stage be built.
Let everyone come.
Because when the curtain rose…
He would decide who lived.
That night, Shen Lian returned to Ji Wuyuan's room.
Lu Chen followed behind her, face pale but eyes sharper than before.
Shen Lian bowed.
"Master. He has spirit roots."
Ji Wuyuan's eyes flickered.
"What grade?"
Shen Lian's voice was calm.
"Middle-grade. Not rare, but usable. His will is his true value."
Ji Wuyuan nodded.
"And his role?"
Shen Lian's gaze moved to Lu Chen.
"He has the instincts of a scout. He notices movement, patterns, danger. If trained, he can become your eyes."
Ji Wuyuan smiled faintly.
Perfect.
Wei Yan was his blade.
Shen Lian was his builder.
Lu Chen would become his eyes.
That was how an army began.
Not with thousands.
With roles.
With structure.
With purpose.
Ji Wuyuan stood and walked toward Lu Chen.
He placed a small jade bottle in Lu Chen's hand.
Lu Chen stared at it, confused.
Ji Wuyuan spoke softly.
"Drink it."
Lu Chen hesitated.
Then, under Shen Lian's cold gaze, he opened it and drank.
His eyes widened instantly.
His face twisted.
Pain flashed across his features.
He dropped to one knee, trembling.
Ji Wuyuan watched calmly.
"What… what is this?" Lu Chen gasped.
Ji Wuyuan's voice was gentle.
"A medicine to strengthen your body."
Lu Chen's breathing was ragged.
"It feels like my bones are burning—"
Ji Wuyuan nodded.
"They are."
Lu Chen stared at him like he was insane.
Ji Wuyuan smiled faintly.
"If you survive it, you will be stronger."
Lu Chen clenched his fists, trembling violently.
He didn't scream.
He didn't beg.
He simply endured.
Ji Wuyuan's eyes softened slightly.
Not with kindness.
With satisfaction.
Because this was what he needed.
Not good people.
Not loyal people.
Strong people.
People who could endure.
Shen Lian watched quietly.
Then she spoke softly.
"Master, you are building faster than this clan realizes."
Ji Wuyuan's eyes remained calm.
"They won't realize until it's too late."
He turned his gaze toward the dark window.
Outside, the night was still.
But somewhere beyond the walls, fate was moving.
And Ji Wuyuan was moving faster.