Cultivation starts with picking up attributes
Chapter 76: Ch-76: Departure

Chapter 76: Ch-76: Departure

"What about you?"

"Gathering data," she replied smoothly. "To confirm if the legendary Tian Shen has grown even lazier."

He chuckled, still not looking at her.

"And your findings?"

She tilted her head.

"Mixed. Lazy posture. But you’re clearly working hard... in your own odd way."

Tian Shen finally turned toward her, playful glint in his eyes.

"Odd is the new genius."

"I thought arrogance was the old genius," she murmured.

"I’m a pioneer. I multitask."

A breath of shared amusement passed between them.

She leaned her elbows on the railing, chin tilted toward the horizon.

"The air smells different. Of anticipation and fear."

"Sounds like how people feel around you."

"Careful," she said, casting him a sideways glance. "I might mistake that for flirting."

"And if it is?"

He asked, turning to fully face her.

She didn’t flinch, but her voice dropped.

"Then it’s working."

For a moment, neither moved. The sounds of the training arena below faded into the wind.

Only the soft hum of the Soul Blade and the distant cry of spirit birds filled the silence.

But then—she turned away, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

"You’re not the only one trying to survive out here."

Tian Shen rolled his eyes.

"Yes, teacher."

She smiled and walked away, leaving behind only the faint scent of snow lotus and something fiercer—like lightning waiting to strike.

...

Feilun Sect – Day Three After the Selection

Tian Shen stood at the edge of the Formation Pavilion, holding a delicate talisman etched with gold and black ink. Elder Bai watched him carefully.

"Again," the elder said.

Tian Shen nodded and began channeling his Qi. The formation lines glowed faintly as the talisman pulsed in response.

He’d been improving quickly. 3-star Formation Master wasn’t just a title now—it was beginning to show in his control and precision.

The expedition wasn’t just about power. It was about survival.

And survival demanded versatility.

After finishing the talisman, he moved to the alchemy hall.

Elder Zhi gave him a nod of approval as Tian Shen handed over a pill of shimmering green.

"Spirit-Recovery Pill, 4-star!"

The elder confirmed with excitement.

"Barely passed?"

Tian Shen teased.

"More than Barely passed," the elder replied deadpan, but his eyes held amusement.

Tian Shen chuckled and left, brushing his sleeves off as he made his way back toward his chamber.

He paused by the Whispering Brook, where Lan Yueru often trained.

She wasn’t there today.

He wondered if she was deliberately avoiding him. Or preparing in secret.

Probably both.

He continued onward, passing several disciples who greeted him with a mix of awe and curiosity.

Some whispered behind his back. Others offered nods of respect.

The boy who had once sparred in silence was now a figure of attention.

Tian Shen didn’t crave fame. But he knew attention was a double-edged sword.

Sometimes useful. Sometimes deadly.

He entered his chamber and sat cross-legged before the Soul Blade.

"Let’s see what you’re really hiding," he murmured.

The blade pulsed in response, and Tian Shen began to channel his spiritual sense deeper into it.

Inside the blade, a flicker of consciousness responded.

A voice echoed—not words, but a feeling. Hunger. Anticipation. Recognition.

The sword spirit was awakening slowly, and it resonated with his fighting intent. It wanted Battle.

And Tian Shen didn’t deny it.

"Soon," he whispered.

"We’ll feast together."

...

Night Before Departure.

Lan Yueru was seated beneath a flowering spirit tree, legs crossed, eyes closed in meditation.

The silver blossoms rained softly around her, making her look like a snow goddess fallen to earth.

Tian Shen stepped into the garden and stopped short.

He watched her for a while before speaking.

"You know, sitting under a romantic tree like that... it’s practically an invitation."

Her eyes opened slowly, one brow raised.

"Only if the person arriving has something more romantic than sarcasm to offer."

He grinned.

"What if I offer snacks?"

She pretended to consider.

"Tempting. But I’m fasting. Mental clarity."

"Then I’ll fast too, for the sake of solidarity."

"You? Skip food?"

He mock-gasped.

"You wound me."

Lan Yueru chuckled, then gestured beside her.

"Sit, then. Let’s both pretend to be solemn warriors for a while."

He sat down beside her, arms brushing slightly. The petals continued to fall.

For a long time, they said nothing.

Then, Tian Shen spoke softly.

"Tomorrow’s going to be battling again."

Lan Yueru said while gazing towards him.

"Good. Someone definitely needs a beating."

Another pause.

"But... I’m glad you’re coming," she said quietly.

He looked at her, but she didn’t meet his gaze. Her eyes were on the moonlit petals.

"So am I," he said. "Wouldn’t be fun without you."

Lan Yueru’s expression didn’t change, but her hand shifted just enough to brush his.

It was the smallest touch—but it felt like a vow.

They sat like that for hours. Not as swordsmen. Not as cultivators. Not even as sect disciples.

But just two people who’d found something rare in a world built to take everything away.

The spirit tree garden was quiet that night, cloaked in silver moonlight and shimmering petals.

Tian Shen and Lan Yueru remained seated beneath its branches long after the sect had gone to sleep.

The hush of the night made every breath between them feel heavier, more meaningful.

Tian Shen had almost drifted into a meditative trance, his breathing even, his mind hovering just at the edge of clarity and drowsiness, when Lan Yueru spoke again.

"Do you ever think about what comes after this?"

She asked, voice barely louder than a whisper.

He opened one eye.

"The expedition?"

She nodded.

"The central battlefield expedition. The injuries. The deaths. What comes after all that?"

Tian Shen’s brow furrowed slightly. He leaned back against the tree trunk and folded his arms.

"I don’t know. I’ve never looked that far. Every time I tried in the past, the future just... disappeared."

"Because of the past?"

"Because of the unknown."

The silence returned like a blanket, wrapping around the pair with an odd sort of comfort.

Lan Yueru glanced sideways.

"That’s dark."

He chuckled.

"I’m a realist. Or maybe just bad at optimism."

"Then let me do the optimism for you," she said, her tone light. "You’ll survive. I will too. And after this expedition, you’ll be stronger. Better. Maybe even famous."

"Famous, huh." Tian Shen scoffed.

"I’ve had enough eyes on me."

"So you’ll hide in some cave after all this?"

"Nah. Maybe I’ll open a tea house."

Lan Yueru blinked.

"A tea house? Really?"

"Sure. I’ll serve mediocre tea and tell exaggerated stories of my cultivation exploits to naïve juniors."

She laughed, the sound soft and warm.

"You’d make a terrible tea master."

He grinned.

"That’s the point. It’s a front. The tea is terrible, but the hidden formation under the floor leads to a cultivation inheritance."

"Ah. A classic."

Tian Shen tilted his head toward her.

"You’re welcome to co-own it. You can be the aloof, deadly tea hostess who occasionally slices arrogant customers in half."

"I’ll think about it," she said, lips curved in a mysterious smile. "Assuming we survive."

The words hung in the air, heavier than they should have been.

Tian Shen turned serious.

"We will. I’ll make sure of it."

Their gazes met—brief, intense, wordless.

Eventually, Lan Yueru leaned against his shoulder.

"I’m holding you to that, Tian Shen."

...

The dawn came slowly, draping the sect in golden hues. Spirit birds sang as disciples gathered at the eastern platform, where the elders had convened for the official send-off.

Tian Shen stood among the chosen disciples, his black robes fluttering in the breeze.

Feng Yin waved from afar. He nodded at her, and she gave him a thumb’s up with a wink.

Lan Yueru approached, dressed in her battle gear—sleek, dark armor interwoven with spirit thread.

Her hair was tied up, her expression calm but focused. The air around her shimmered faintly with sword intent.

"You clean up well," Tian Shen commented.

"Don’t get distracted," she replied smoothly.

He stepped closer.

"Never. Just appreciating the view before the carnage."

"Then appreciate this."

She handed him a small charm, a jade token bound in red thread.

He raised an eyebrow.

"5-star Protection talisman?"

"It’s expensive, don’t throw it away."

He took it carefully.

"Thank you."

"Don’t lose it. Or I’ll kill you myself."

"Yes, ma’am."

They stood side by side as the sect leader’s voice echoed across the platform.

"This expedition is not merely a trial of strength," the sect master declared. "It is a test of will, wisdom, and unity. You are the blades and shields of Feilun Sect. Do not bring shame to those who trained you."

The platform lit up with the hum of teleportation formations.

Tian Shen exhaled slowly.

"Ready?"

Lan Yueru looked at him and nodded.

"Let’s go, shall we."

They stepped into the circle, shoulder to shoulder.

...

A blinding light swallowed them—and when it faded, the scene before them had shifted.

They stood on a rugged cliff overlooking a vast expanse of ruins.

Crumbling stone towers, shattered palaces, and moss-covered statues stretched across the horizon. The scent of decay mixed with spiritual pressure filled the air.

The Central Battlefield.

Feng Yin appeared behind them with her group, wide-eyed.

"Woah... this place reeks of old grudges."

Elder Bai’s voice came through the communicator talisman.

"You’ve arrived. You are now outside the Central Region. Proceed with caution. Map markers will guide your squad to your temporary base. Remember, the battlefield shifts every three days."

Lan Yueru scanned the area.

"We’re exposed. We need to move."

Tian Shen’s eyes gleamed as he activated his spiritual sense. Fragments of attributes drifted even here—some fresh, others long-dead.

"There’s danger nearby," he said.

"But also opportunity."

Feng Yin grinned.

"Sounds like my kind of place."

They moved swiftly through the ruins, ducking under collapsed arches and navigating overgrown courtyards. As they passed a broken plaza, Tian Shen paused.

A corpse.

Old, mummified, but its armor still gleamed faintly.

From the body shimmered an attribute bubble.

『Host gains Death Element ×10.』

He inhaled sharply.

The battlefield wasn’t just a danger zone.

Lan Yueru noticed the change in his expression.

"Found something?"

"Yeah. This place might not be my favourite hunting ground."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Just don’t puke."

"No promises."

They pressed forward until they reached a dilapidated stone keep, half buried in vines and dirt.

Their base for now.