[Chapter 6]
The smoke from the battle still lingered in the sky, curling like spirits not yet willing to depart.
Castiel stood in the remnants of the courtyard, his cloak fluttering in the light breeze. Mu Qinglan was beside him, arms crossed and brow furrowed as the Jade Frost Pavilion elders tended to the wounded and reinforced the perimeter. The air carried the scent of frost and blood, but also the distinct tension of a storm not quite over.
"Core disciple…" Castiel muttered, looking down at the jade token in his hand.
Item: Core Disciple Recommendation Token
Status: Pending Approval
Note: Must report to Inner Pavilion Hall for induction
Requirement: Level 10 and above — Fulfilled
He turned it over in his palm. This small piece of jade carried weight—recognition, opportunity… and danger. The moment he stepped into the inner world of cultivation elites, things would change.
Mu Qinglan nudged him lightly with her elbow. "Thinking about it?"
"Yeah."
"You've made waves, Castiel. A foreigner with a mysterious battle style, a system no one understands, and a mouth that challenges Core Formation cultivators? Of course they're watching you now."
He smiled. "Not my fault she was so killable-looking."
"Careful. That kind of attitude will get you killed faster than any demon beast."
He didn't argue. He knew it. But it was part of who he was. He couldn't help thinking in game mechanics—risk, reward, stats, progression. And right now, every decision mattered.
"Come with me," Mu Qinglan said. "It's time to report to the Inner Pavilion."
He followed her through the halls—now reinforced with elders standing guard at each corner. The tension had settled into something heavier. Even if they'd driven Shui Han'er away, the sect war wasn't over.
The Inner Pavilion Hall was a massive stone temple carved into the cliffside. Jade columns lined the entrance, and spiritual energy here was so dense it felt like walking through a waterfall of Qi.
At the entrance stood an elder robed in deep green, his long silver beard almost touching the floor. His eyes, however, were sharp as blades.
"You are the one called Castiel," he said, not asked.
Castiel bowed slightly. "Yes."
"You seek the Core Disciple title, granted by performance in battle and approved by two elders of standing. You have one recommendation token." He looked at Mu Qinglan. "And do you stand as witness?"
"I do."
"Enter."
The doors opened with a deep groan.
Inside, seven elders sat in a semi-circle around a glowing altar. Floating above the altar was a scroll—the Disciple Registry—recording every advancement, every expulsion, every death.
Castiel stepped forward.
"State your cultivation path," one elder said.
"Uh…" Castiel scratched his head. "Kill stuff, level up, loot drops."
There was silence.
Another elder blinked. "Is that… a technique?"
Mu Qinglan whispered behind him, "Say it's a unique legacy."
"Ah! Right. It's a unique legacy," Castiel said quickly. "Passed down from my… homeland."
One of the female elders chuckled. "Unconventional. But results speak. His battle with Shui Han'er, while brief, was impressive."
"Strength without foundation is hollow," another grumbled.
"He has foundation," Mu Qinglan cut in. "I've seen his Qi. It flows oddly, yes, but it's stable. His potential is real."
The scroll above the altar began to glow.
System Alert: Promotion Trial in Progress
Objective: Endure Spiritual Baptism
Reward: Inner Pavilion Access, Skill Enhancement, and Equipment Grant
Castiel's vision blurred as a sudden pressure descended upon him like an ocean falling from the sky. His knees buckled. Every inch of his skin prickled, every muscle clenched.
The elders didn't move.
It was a test. His spirit was being crushed to reveal flaws—cracks in resolve, inconsistency in purpose. They were trying to read him through pain.
Status Effect: Spiritual Suppression (Heavy)
Passive Resistance Triggered: Mental Fortitude (Level 1)
He gritted his teeth.
"Why do you cultivate?" a voice echoed, not from the elders but from inside the altar.
"To survive," Castiel answered. "To get stronger. To protect myself. To change my fate."
"You crave power."
"Power with purpose."
"Are you willing to face the abyss?"
"I live in it."
A pulse of golden light radiated from the scroll.
The pressure vanished.
Castiel collapsed to one knee, breathing hard. But he was still conscious. Still awake.
Still himself.
The scroll glowed brighter—and unfurled.
Words carved themselves into the paper:
Name: Castiel
Title: Core Disciple – Jade Frost Pavilion
Affiliation: Independent Path (Unregistered Legacy)
Approved By: Elder Xuan, Elder Mei
Promotion Successful
New Title: Core Disciple
Stats Increased
New Perk: Pavilion Access – Inner Grounds
Bonus Unlocked: Skill Upgrade Token x1
The elders nodded in approval.
"It is done."
Castiel stood, still dizzy. "That… sucked."
"You've earned your place," Elder Mei said. "But be warned. As Core Disciple, enemies will come from above, not just below."
"And allies are harder to find," Elder Xuan added. "Especially those who do not fear your growth."
Mu Qinglan put a hand on his shoulder. "You'll be fine."
He met her eyes. "You're not going to let me slack, are you?"
"Not even for a second."
As they exited the hall, Castiel opened his system menu and checked the Skill Upgrade Token.
Skill Upgrade Token
Use: Upgrade one existing skill to next grade
Warning: Skill may mutate or evolve unexpectedly based on user affinity
He grinned.
He already had a candidate.
-----------------------------------------
The scroll had barely faded from the air when Castiel felt his system pulse again. His status screen flickered briefly before settling.
New Quest Unlocked:
Title: Flames of the Demon Cavern
Description: A rift has opened in the Flamewind Mountains. Demonic energy is leaking into the Jade Frost region. Investigate the disturbance, and eliminate the source.
Time Limit: 72 hours
Reward: Random Epic Equipment, Hidden Skill, EXP x3
Bonus Reward: ???
Note: Quest difficulty – S-Rank (Extreme)
Would you like to accept this quest?
[YES] [NO]
Castiel blinked. "It never ends, does it?"
He slammed [YES].
Mu Qinglan raised an eyebrow at him. "What did you just accept now?"
"Demon hunting," he said nonchalantly. "Wanna come?"
Mu Qinglan smirked. "Lead the way, Mr. Hero."
Within hours, the two were flying on cloudblades toward the Flamewind Mountains. The sky had darkened unnaturally in the east, like something had chewed a hole through the heavens. As they approached, Castiel could see what looked like black fire swirling around the mountain's peak, leaking into the clouds.
A rift—unstable, bleeding chaos Qi into the world.
Below it, demonic beasts roared and howled, their corrupted forms writhing as horns twisted and spikes grew along their backs. The land surrounding the rift had become scorched and broken, like hell itself had clawed its way through.
Mu Qinglan narrowed her eyes. "This is bad. This rift shouldn't be here. This kind of thing… only happens in the Forbidden Wastes."
"Guess we're lucky," Castiel said, already drawing his sword.
Quest Phase One:
Objective: Clear the Outer Perimeter
Enemies: 50 Demon Beasts (Rank: Spirit Condensation – Core Formation)
He dropped from the sky.
The moment his boots hit the cracked ground, a trio of horned shadowwolves launched at him, snarling with twisted fangs.
Battle Initiated!
Skill Activated: Shadow Step
Skill Activated: Cleave Slash
Castiel vanished into smoke and reappeared midair, blade spinning in an arc. He brought it down with a flash of silver—
SHHHING—BOOM!
Two wolves were cleaved in half. The third slammed into a rock behind him, confused. It didn't get a chance to recover—Mu Qinglan sent a flurry of icicles into its skull, freezing it mid-scream.
Castiel panted. "That's three. Forty-seven to go."
From the depths of the rift, more roars echoed. Dozens more beasts emerged—each one more grotesque than the last. A giant centipede with molten skin. A bear with six arms and no eyes. A wyvern whose wings were skeletal and dripping acidic mist.
Warning: Demon Beast Alpha Detected
Type: Corrupted Bone Wyvern
Rank: Early Nascent Soul
Status: Enraged
"Big guy's mine!" Castiel shouted, his eyes glowing with excitement.
Mu Qinglan's eyes widened. "Are you insane?! That thing's above your level!"
"Perfect for a level up, then!"
He dashed forward, leaping onto a boulder and launching himself toward the wyvern. The beast saw him and shrieked, sending a wave of necrotic wind through the battlefield. Grass withered, rocks crumbled, and weaker beasts dropped dead instantly.
Castiel used Shadow Step mid-air to dodge the gust, appearing right above the beast's head.
Skill Activated: Phoenix Fang Slash
Modifier Detected: Fire Affinity Upgrade in Effect
Mutation Triggered: Crimson Flame Execution
His blade ignited in a pillar of red fire, burning like molten lava. With a roar, he drove it straight into the wyvern's skull.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
The explosion sent shockwaves in every direction, leveling trees and launching demon beasts off their feet. Flames erupted from the wyvern's head as it screamed and thrashed—but the fire only spread further. It didn't just burn the body—it burned the corruption inside it.
CRITICAL HIT – 1200% Damage Dealt
Demon Beast Slain
EXP +15,000
Bonus: Level Up!
New Skill Unlocked – Crimson Flame Burst
Title Gained: Wyvern Slayer
Castiel landed in the ash with a hard breath.
He looked up at the system panel and smiled.
Level Up! – Lv. 14 → Lv. 15
HP Increased
Stats Enhanced
Equipment Slot Unlocked
Mu Qinglan descended beside him, visibly shaken.
"Remind me never to call you a reckless idiot again."
"You just did."
She snorted. "Shut up."
Suddenly, the rift pulsed again.
Warning: Rift Stabilizing. Unknown Entity Approaching.
From within the swirling chaos, a figure slowly stepped out.
Unlike the beasts, it was humanoid. Dressed in black robes with bone-like armor. Its face hidden beneath a horned mask, and its aura… cold, ancient, and horrifying.
System Alert: Enemy Detected – ???
Name: Lord of the Black Flame
Level: Unknown
Class: Rift Lord
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Battle Compatibility: UNRECOMMENDED
Estimated Power: Above Nascent Soul
Advice: RUN.
Castiel stared.
Mu Qinglan hissed under her breath. "That's not a beast. That's a demon cultivator."
The figure spoke with a voice like grinding bones. "Interesting… a mortal with a foreign soul. You are not from this world, are you?"
Castiel's fingers tightened around his sword. "And you're ugly."
The Rift Lord chuckled. "Then come. Let me see what kind of defiance your soul holds… before I tear it from your body."
The sky blackened further.
Lightning struck the ground.
And the true battle began.