Lin Fan strode through the Outer Sect pathways with a newfound purpose. The disciples he passed, once prone to sneering or ignoring him, now actively avoided eye contact, flattening themselves against walls or changing direction altogether. Whispers followed him, hushed and filled with a mixture of fear and awe – tales of his market exploits, the clash with Zhao Feng, and his meteoric rise to the fifth layer of Qi Refinement had clearly cemented his status as someone not to be trifled with.
The Azure Cloud Sect's Outer Sect was vast, housing tens of thousands. He passed numerous courtyards similar to his own, communal dining halls buzzing with activity, and lecture pavilions where Outer Sect Deacons occasionally imparted basic cultivation knowledge. The architecture was functional, sturdy stone and wood, lacking the ethereal beauty hinted at by the distant Inner Sect peaks shrouded in mist.
Finally, he reached a sprawling complex set against the backdrop of a sheer cliff face – the Outer Sect Training Grounds. It was a massive area teeming with activity. Several large, flattened arenas were filled with disciples engaged in sparring, their shouts and the clang of weapons echoing in the air. Other zones featured rows upon rows of archery targets riddled with holes, or strange, inscribed circles on the ground where disciples practiced rudimentary array patterns.
Dominating one side of the grounds was a series of sturdy, roofed structures housing ranks of Training Puppets. These ranged from simple wooden dummies to complex automatons forged from dark metal, some crackling faintly with imbued Qi. This was where standardized combat assessments took place.
Lin Fan headed towards the largest structure, where a queue of disciples waited nervously before a desk manned by a stern-looking senior disciple wearing the insignia of a Training Ground supervisor. A board nearby listed various assessment types and their nominal fees – typically a few Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
When it was Lin Fan's turn, the supervising disciple, a burly youth probably at the seventh or eighth layer of Qi Refinement, looked up dismissively. "Name? Assessment type?"
"Lin Fan," he replied calmly. "Standard Combat Assessment."
The supervisor grunted, making a note. "Puppet challenge. Simulates combat proficiency. Rating based on performance against calibrated difficulty. Five Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
Lin Fan simply tossed a single Mid-Grade Spirit Stone onto the desk.
The supervisor's hand froze halfway through noting the payment. He stared at the gleaming Mid-Grade stone, then looked up sharply at Lin Fan, recognition dawning in his eyes. "You're... that Lin Fan?" The dismissive attitude vanished, replaced by wary curiosity. News traveled fast.
"Is there a problem?" Lin Fan asked innocently.
"N-no, Senior Brother Lin," the supervisor stammered, quickly pocketing the Mid-Grade stone (worth 100 Low-Grade ones) without mentioning change. He hastily finished the registration. "Assessment Area Three is ready. Standard procedure is to start against a puppet calibrated to your registered realm – fifth layer. If you defeat it easily, you can request a higher challenge for rating improvement. Good luck, Senior Brother."
Lin Fan nodded and walked towards Area Three, ignoring the stares and whispers from other disciples in the queue who had witnessed the casual Mid-Grade stone payment.
Area Three was a large, circular space enclosed by sturdy wooden walls, the floor marked with positioning lines. In the center stood a humanoid Training Puppet made of dark, metallic wood, about two meters tall, with articulated limbs and dull, sensor-like eyes. It currently stood inactive. Another supervising disciple, this one looking bored, stood near the entrance controls.
"Disciple Lin Fan?" the bored disciple asked, confirming his identity. "Standard fifth layer assessment puppet. Defeat it. Your time, efficiency, damage taken, and technique usage will determine your rating. Begin when ready."
Lin Fan stepped into the circle, drawing his Flowing Shadow Sword. Its sleek, dark blade felt comfortable and responsive in his hand. He took a breath, feeling the abundant Qi within his Dantian, refined by the Nine Cycles Art.
"Ready," he declared.
The supervising disciple activated the puppet. Its dull eyes glowed red, and its joints whirred as it instantly lunged forward, its metallic fist swinging towards Lin Fan's head with speed and force characteristic of a peak fifth layer cultivator.
Fast, but predictable, Lin Fan thought.
Instead of meeting it head-on, he activated Wind Step. Whoosh! He blurred to the side, the puppet's fist punching empty air. Simultaneously, he channeled Qi into his sword and activated the Wind Blade Technique. A crescent of sharp wind energy shot from his blade, striking the puppet square in the chest.
CLANG!
The Wind Blade impacted with surprising force, leaving a shallow gouge on the puppet's metallic wood chest plate and staggering it backward slightly.
Good power, Lin Fan noted. His fifth layer Qi, amplified by the technique, was potent.
The puppet recalibrated instantly, turning and unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks, its movements efficient and programmed for combat. Lin Fan didn't retreat. He activated Iron Skin Art, feeling his skin toughen as Qi circulated beneath it. He met the flurry with his Flowing Shadow Sword, parrying most blows, but deliberately letting one fist glance off his shoulder.
Thud!
The impact was solid, easily enough to bruise or even fracture the bone of a normal fifth-layer disciple. Lin Fan felt the jolt, but the Iron Skin Art absorbed the brunt of the force, leaving only a dull ache. He didn't even flinch.
His performance was already drawing attention. Disciples from nearby areas paused their own training, watching with widening eyes. The bored supervising disciple now looked intrigued, leaning forward slightly.
"He took that hit like nothing!" "His movement speed is incredible!" "And that Qi blade technique... strong!"
Lin Fan pressed his advantage. Using Wind Step in short, unpredictable bursts, he danced around the puppet, his Flowing Shadow Sword flashing like dark lightning. Each strike, infused with his dense Qi, left deeper marks on the puppet's frame. He peppered it with Wind Blades, forcing it onto the defensive.
The puppet, despite its fifth-layer calibration, couldn't keep up. Lin Fan's speed, defense, offense, and the sheer quality of his Qi were overwhelming it.
Deciding to end it quickly, Lin Fan feinted left with Wind Step, then exploded forward as the puppet reacted. He poured Qi into the Flowing Shadow Sword, the blade humming, and executed a powerful downward slash aimed at the puppet's neck joint.
SCHRING!
The blade sliced cleanly through the reinforced joint. The puppet's head detached, tumbling to the floor with a heavy thud. The body shuddered and deactivated, the red light in its remaining eye fading.
Silence.
The entire exchange had lasted less than thirty seconds.
Lin Fan stood calmly, flicking his sword once to dispel residual energy. He hadn't even broken a sweat.
The supervising disciple stared, mouth slightly agape. He quickly consulted the diagnostic panel near the controls, which registered the fight duration, damage dealt, and minimal damage received by Lin Fan.
"Assessment complete," the disciple announced, his voice holding a newfound respect. "Performance against fifth layer calibrated puppet: Overwhelmingly decisive. Request higher challenge?"
Lin Fan glanced at the mission description in his mind: 'rated for at least the sixth layer' or 'High rating'. Defeating a fifth-layer puppet this easily might only grant 'Medium'.
"Yes," Lin Fan said. "Calibrate for sixth layer."
More murmurs rose from the onlookers. Challenging a layer above? Especially right after reaching the fifth layer himself?
The supervisor nodded, inputting the command. The deactivated puppet was retracted, and a new one, slightly larger and emanating a subtly stronger Qi presence, descended into the arena. This one had a faint metallic sheen, indicating stronger materials.
"Sixth layer standard combat puppet. Ready?"
"Ready."
The new puppet activated, its red eyes glowing. It moved even faster than the previous one, its opening strike a powerful Qi-enhanced chop aimed directly at Lin Fan.
Lin Fan met the challenge head-on. Wind Step, Iron Skin, Flowing Shadow Sword, Wind Blades – he unleashed his skills fluidly. The sixth-layer puppet was tougher, faster, and its attacks hit harder. The fight lasted longer, nearly two minutes. Lin Fan took a few more solid hits, testing his Iron Skin Art further, but his movements were too agile, his sword strikes too sharp, and his Wind Blades too numerous.
Finally, finding an opening after parrying a heavy blow, he channeled a concentrated Wind Blade directly into the puppet's primary Qi conduit in its chest, followed immediately by a full-power thrust from his Flowing Shadow Sword.
CRACKLE... THUNK!
The puppet shuddered violently, sparks flying from its chest, before freezing completely, deactivated.
Lin Fan lowered his sword, breathing steadily. That was a more satisfying workout.
The supervising disciple looked utterly stunned this time, as did the crowd. Defeating a sixth-layer puppet while only being at the fifth layer, and doing so with such apparent ease and skill diversity... it was extraordinary for the Outer Sect.
The supervisor checked his panel again, then announced loudly, his voice filled with disbelief, "Assessment against sixth layer puppet... successful! Rating: Excellent!"
DING!
[System Side Mission: Make Your Mark - COMPLETE!]
[Objective achieved: Attained 'Excellent' rating (exceeding 'High' requirement) in standard combat assessment.]
[Rewards Issued: 500 System Points, 1x Enhancement Token (Low)]
[Current System Points: 225 + 500 = 725]
Lin Fan felt the influx of points and the appearance of a new item notification in his system interface – the Enhancement Token. Success.
He sheathed his sword and walked towards the exit, collecting a formal proof slip indicating his 'Excellent' assessment rating from the still-shocked supervisor. The onlookers parted before him, their expressions a mixture of admiration and intimidation. He had definitely made his mark.
As he walked away from the Training Grounds, already contemplating the Enhancement Token, he couldn't help but notice a familiar figure watching him from the edge of the crowd, face pale, fists clenched – Zhao Feng. Their eyes met briefly, Zhao Feng's filled with hatred and disbelief, before the bully quickly looked away, unable to meet Lin Fan's calm gaze.
Lin Fan simply smirked and continued on his way. Ants would remain ants. He had bigger things to consider now, starting with this intriguing token.