[Chapter 14]
The pavilion remained silent long after the duel ended. Castiel lowered his sword slowly, the tip brushing against the stone floor, his body still tense beneath the surface of calm.
Fan Long staggered back, clutching his wounded arm, his pride more damaged than his flesh. For a fleeting second, Castiel thought the man would try a sneak attack, but something in Fan Long's eyes—something cold and defeated—told him otherwise.
"You…" Fan Long rasped under his breath, "you're not just another Outer Sect rat."
He spat blood onto the floor, glaring up at Castiel like a cornered beast. But he knew it was over.
One of the presiding elders finally moved. Elder Suyin, dressed in her green ceremonial robes, stepped forward with an unreadable expression. Her sharp gaze swept over Castiel first, then landed on Fan Long with slight disappointment.
"Victory belongs to Castiel of the Outer Sect," she announced, her voice crisp and formal.
A soft murmur rippled among the gathered disciples. Even the Inner Disciples, proud as they were, couldn't help but take notice. A lowly Outer Sect disciple had bested Fan Long without dirty tricks or underhanded tactics. Clean. Efficient. Dangerous.
The stakes of the spar had not been publicized, but everyone knew. This was more than a simple duel. It was a statement.
Elder Suyin turned her attention back to Castiel. "You have earned a reward, as agreed," she said, producing a small silver token engraved with the emblem of the Pavilion of Fallen Wind.
[System Notification: Reward Received – Pavilion Token (Rank: Silver)]
[Effect: Access to Intermediate Archives + Entry Permit to One Special Training Ground]
Castiel bowed politely, accepting the token. His heart pounded harder than he let show.
This was not just a prize—it was a foothold. A new path upward.
But as he tucked the token away, his instincts twitched.
He felt it—the weight of gazes hidden in the surrounding mist. Some curious. Some envious. And some… far too interested.
Elder Suyin seemed to notice too. She offered him a subtle nod—a silent warning—and then turned away, dismissing the gathering with a wave of her hand.
As the crowd dispersed, Mei Lian approached, a faint smirk playing on her lips.
"You enjoy making enemies, don't you?" she teased softly, voice low enough that only he could hear.
Castiel chuckled under his breath. "Only the ones worth having."
She tossed him a small pouch, the spirit herbs she had promised earlier. "Be careful, Castiel. Winning like this… it paints a target on your back."
He nodded, his expression turning thoughtful.
"I know," he said simply.
And he did. Games taught him that winning wasn't always the end. Sometimes, it was just the beginning of a new kind of war.
That night, Castiel sat cross-legged inside his chamber, the silver Pavilion Token placed before him alongside the spirit herb pouch and the still-unopened scroll Mei Lian had given him days ago.
The wind outside howled gently against the stone walls, carrying with it the faint scent of rain.
The system chimed softly in his mind.
[New Quest Unlocked: "Footsteps into the Inner Sanctum"]
[Objective 1: Enter the Intermediate Archives and obtain three classified scrolls.]
[Objective 2: Investigate the hidden anomaly near the Pavilion of Fallen Wind.]
[Bonus Objective: Avoid drawing attention from Heaven Vault Clan operatives.]
Castiel frowned slightly.
Heaven Vault Clan.
The name had been tossed around by the elders during whispers he wasn't supposed to hear. An influential faction, known for nurturing talented disciples… and swallowing them whole.
He reached out, breaking the wax seal on the scroll.
It unraveled with a soft crackle of spiritual energy.
Inside were diagrams of ancient formations—techniques designed not for combat, but concealment. Hiding Qi signatures, masking battle auras, slipping through spiritual detection.
At the very bottom of the scroll, in neat handwritten script, was a single warning:
"You will not be the hunter forever."
Castiel exhaled slowly, rolling the scroll back up. His fingers drummed thoughtfully against the floor.
Everything was accelerating.
Every victory, every move, every choice… tightening around him like an invisible net.
He stood, slipping the Pavilion Token into his robes.
Tomorrow, he would step into the Intermediate Archives.
Tomorrow, he would begin weaving his next move.
But tonight, under the shifting mists and whispering winds, he remained still—an unseen piece on a board already soaked in unseen blood.
Waiting.
Watching.
Ready.
-----------------------------------------
The next morning dawned gray and cold, mist coiling low around the Sect's towering spires like restless spirits. Castiel wrapped his robes tighter around him as he moved through the winding paths toward the Intermediate Archives.
The Pavilion Token tucked safely inside his inner sleeve felt heavier than its size suggested. Not just a key to knowledge—but a magnet for trouble.
As he approached the Archives, two Inner Disciples in white-and-silver garb stood guard. Their expressions were bored but their eyes sharp. One of them raised an eyebrow at Castiel.
"Outer Sect?" he asked skeptically.
Castiel simply held up the Pavilion Token. Silver light shimmered across its surface, and without another word, the guards stepped aside.
Inside, the Archive hall opened like the belly of a sleeping beast—massive, endless rows of jade tablets, bamboo scrolls, and leather-bound tomes. Soft blue spirit lights floated near the ceiling, giving the entire place an ethereal glow.
The air was thick with ancient Qi.
Castiel's footsteps were silent on the polished stone floor as he wandered between the rows, his mind already alert, combing through possibilities.
The system flickered in his vision.
[Quest Objective: Select Three Scrolls Related to Combat Enhancement, Qi Concealment, or Formation Basics.]
His gaze sharpened.
He moved quickly but methodically, pulling three scrolls that matched the criteria:
"Silent Step Formation: Basics of Movement Concealment"
"Breath of the Mist: Intermediate Qi Suppression Techniques"
"Storm Piercer Blade Art: Early-Stage Combat Specialization"
Each scroll hummed faintly in his hands, recognizing his Qi signature as he tucked them safely into his robes.
Objective one—complete.
But as he turned to leave, a faint tremor in the ground made him pause.
From deep within the Archive Hall, toward the sealed section beyond the black iron gates, a pulse of dark energy whispered outward—subtle, but deliberate.
Castiel's eyes narrowed.
[Quest Update: Hidden Anomaly Detected – Investigate Optional Objective? (Y/N)]
He hesitated.
In games, optional objectives often led to powerful rewards—or fatal traps.
Here, in the real world, the consequences could be even heavier.
Still, his gamer instincts itched. A hidden anomaly wasn't something you ignored lightly.
"...Yes," he muttered under his breath.
Silently, Castiel shifted his steps, weaving deeper into the Archive's restricted section, using the basic concealment techniques he had studied the night before. His movements became fluid, footsteps lighter than feathers, breath shallow but steady.
As he approached the black iron gate, he noticed something odd.
The seal protecting the forbidden section was... fractured. Tiny hairline cracks radiated across the runic patterns carved into the door.
Someone—or something—had tampered with it.
He leaned closer, extending his senses.
Behind the door, he felt... a presence.
Ancient. Tired. Watching.
A soft voice—neither male nor female—brushed against his mind like the whisper of silk.
"Come closer, bearer of echoes."
His blood chilled.
The Echo Sigil! It must be reacting somehow.
Before he could decide whether to move forward or retreat, hurried footsteps echoed behind him.
Castiel ducked instinctively behind a large jade pillar, hiding his Qi as Mei Lian's familiar figure slipped into the hall.
But she wasn't alone.
Behind her, another figure followed—a man wrapped in dark robes, his face hidden beneath a veil of swirling mist.
Not a disciple.
Not an elder.
Something else.
The system chimed urgently.
[Warning: High Threat Entity Detected. Estimated Threat Level: Unknown.]
Castiel's mind raced.
Mei Lian approached the cracked seal, the robed figure a few paces behind her. She extended a hand, placing her palm against the fractured gate.
The runes flickered violently.
"You're sure about this?" the robed figure asked, voice low and distorted.
Mei Lian nodded grimly. "If we don't act now, the Heaven Vault Clan will."
The robed figure laughed softly—a sound like dead leaves scraping stone.
"And what about your little Outer Sect friend? The one you keep throwing crumbs to?"
Mei Lian's hand tightened into a fist.
"He can handle himself. Better than most."
Castiel, hidden in the shadows, felt a strange mix of emotions twist inside him. Trust? Betrayal? Or something murkier, harder to name?
The iron gate trembled again, the cracks widening.
Something ancient stirred beyond.
And Castiel knew—whatever happened next would not only reshape the fate of the Pavilion of Fallen Wind...
It would drag him deeper into the real game hidden beneath the surface of this cultivation world.
The stakes had changed.
And this time, there would be no reset button.