Lin Feng was ejected from a wildly spinning vortex of energy, his body feeling like bones tossed into a sack and shaken violently. He landed hard on something wet and cold, the air knocked from his lungs. The roar of a waterfall filled his ears. He opened his eyes—or tried to—the world spun. The Deconstruction Eye activated instinctively, triggered by the threat of an alien environment, and information flooded his brain at a nauseating speed: Location: High elevation valley, temperature 5°C. Air composition: 18% Oxygen, elevated Ice/Wood Elemental energy. Anomaly: No Crimson Fracture contamination detected. Life signs: 21 human heat signatures within 50 meters, 2 large animal (beast of burden) signatures, and... wait. Not at Frostfall Sanctuary. Nowhere near the Crimson Scratch. He quickly rolled behind a large boulder, suppressing his nausea. His mind raced: The teleportation formation was damaged. It sent me to the wrong place. Time wasted. Chen, Yun Xue... A cold panic, sh

Morning mist shrouded the ceremonial grounds like a damp shroud. A thousand Outer Court disciples stood in silent rows, shoulders tense, staring at the high podium where the Grand Elder's silhouette sat behind a curtain of green silk. His voice, like the grating of river stones, sounded, bouncing off the ear-ringing silence."...and thus, the Verdant Vine Sect shall advance, cleansing the poison that gnaws at our world, and mastering the truth of the shattered heavens."Lin Feng stood in the back row, his Number 999 tag burning at his waist. The previous night, after a brief meeting with the Grand Elder in an incense-filled underground chamber, the sect leader's final words still echoed in his ears: "We will observe. Your talent must not be wasted. But remember, a furnace also needs the right fuel to ignite. Do not become ash too quickly, Lin Feng."It was not a blessing. It was a warning. He was a useful tool, as long as he could be controlled. And now, before the entire Outer Court,

Applause and cheers filled the air like a noisy storm. The Verdant Vine Outer Court's Monthly Tournament arena was a giant stone bowl carved into the mountainside, its tiered walls packed with thousands of jostling disciples. The scent of sweat, excitement, and blood—from previous matches—created a sharp, intoxicating aroma.In the center of the arena, atop a cracked and darkly stained stone platform, stood Lin Feng. His mud-green robe was loose, but his posture was firm. A wooden tag numbered 999 hung at his waist, a glaring mark. Across from him, fifteen paces away, stood Gao Shan, Outer Court disciple number 78.Gao Shan was everything Lin Feng was not: a muscular frame that filled his robe, a smug smile brimming with confidence, and a solid—if somewhat crude—Qi Refinement Stage 4 aura that vibrated the air around him. In his hand, he held an iron-spiked mace, a Mortal-Low Grade artifact shimmering with heavy earth energy.“HAH! They really sent a newbo

The air in Raw Materials Warehouse #3 felt thicker than contaminated mud. Lin Feng stood amidst piles of sacks exuding a sharp, distinctive odor—unprocessed Crimson-Sap Willow Bark, collected from the most dangerous fringes of the Crimson Scratch. Each strip of bark was blood-red, pulsing with aggressive Red Fracture energy, like an infected heart.The task from the Grand Elder was crystal clear: "Purify a full cartload of this material in three days. The yield is for the sect's special research. Failure means a reduction in your resource allocation. Success... will open further access."It was a test. A trap wrapped in a reward. But Lin Feng had no choice. Since the meeting in the Grand Elder's pavilion a week ago, his status had shifted. He was no longer merely Outer Court Disciple No. 999. He was a "Special Research Staff" with limited access to Inner Court areas and secret vaults. Yet invisible chains encircled his wrists—a vague spiritual binding oath that pre