The morning sun rose over the Azure Cloud Sect, casting a golden glow across the countless mountain peaks. A loud bell echoed throughout the Outer Sect. Dong... Dong... Dong... The sound rolled across valleys and courtyards alike. One by one, Outer Disciples emerged from their residences. Some carried swords on their backs. Others hurried toward the cultivation grounds. A few headed directly for the Mission Hall. Di Tian slowly opened his eyes. "...Morning already?" The first thing he heard was the familiar voice in his mind. 【Basic Qi Gathering Art has reached 38% progress toward the Second Stage of Qi Gathering.】【Mountain Splitting Palm: Small Success (21%).】【Cloud Step: Small Success (17%).】 He stretched lazily before getting out of bed. "It really doesn't stop..." He had slept for nearly eight hours. Yet his cultivation had never paused. Outside, his three roommates were already awake. Lin Hai was polishing his sword. Another roommate, Zhao Ming, repeatedly threw punches into the air. The last, Sun Wei, sat quietly meditating beneath the courtyard tree. Seeing Di Tian emerge with sleepy eyes, Zhao Ming laughed. "You really love sleeping." Di Tian nodded honestly. "I do." Lin Hai couldn't help asking, "Don't you cultivate at night?" "I do." "...When?" "When I'm asleep." The three roommates stared at him. Then burst into laughter. "Hahaha!" "I wish cultivation worked like that!" Di Tian merely smiled. "If only you knew..." --- After a simple breakfast at the Outer Sect cafeteria, the four walked together through the sect. The Azure Cloud Sect was enormous. The Outer Sect alone occupied several mountains. Stone paths connected countless courtyards. Training grounds echoed with the sounds of clashing weapons. Mission Halls bustled with disciples accepting tasks. The Pill Hall constantly welcomed disciples exchanging contribution points. There was even a marketplace where disciples traded herbs, beast materials, talismans, and weapons. Di Tian quietly observed everything. "It's practically a small city." Lin Hai noticed his curiosity. "First time seeing the Outer Sect?" Di Tian nodded. Lin Hai pointed toward the distant buildings one after another. "That's the Mission Hall." "You earn contribution points there." "That's the Martial Hall." "That's where elders teach." "Over there is the Pill Hall." "If you're injured or need pills, that's where you go." "And that mountain..." He pointed toward a towering peak separated from the Outer Sect. "...belongs to the Inner Sect." The mountain was surrounded by dense spiritual qi. Elegant palaces stood among the clouds. Occasionally, disciples flew through the air on flying swords. Di Tian watched quietly. "Looks peaceful." Lin Hai laughed. "Peaceful?" "Those are Inner Disciples." "They're all monsters." --- As they continued walking, they arrived at an enormous stone plaza. In the center stood a massive black monument over ten meters tall. Hundreds of disciples had gathered around it. Di Tian looked curious. "What's that?" "The Outer Sect Rankings." Lin Hai's expression became serious. "Every Outer Disciple knows those names." The four approached. At the very top of the monument were ten names engraved in gold. --- Outer Sect Top Ten Rank One — Luo Tian - Ninth Stage Qi Gathering - Sword Cultivator Rank Two — Han Yue - Ninth Stage Qi Gathering - Ice Attribute Rank Three — Gu Shan - Ninth Stage Qi Gathering - Body Cultivator Rank Four — Xiao Chen - Eighth Stage Qi Gathering Rank Five — Li Feng - Eighth Stage Qi Gathering Rank Six — Qin Mo - Eighth Stage Qi Gathering Rank Seven — Su Yan - Eighth Stage Qi Gathering Rank Eight — Mo Jian - Eighth Stage Qi Gathering Rank Nine — Tang Lei - Seventh Stage Qi Gathering Rank Ten — Bai Xu - Seventh Stage Qi Gathering --- Lin Hai looked at the first name with admiration. "Luo Tian." "The strongest Outer Disciple." "He has held first place for almost a year." "They say he can defeat ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators with a single sword." Another disciple nearby overheard them. "That's an exaggeration." "But defeating someone at the Half-Step Foundation Establishment Realm wouldn't surprise me." Di Tian quietly memorized the names. "So these are the people I'll eventually have to surpass." --- Further down the monument were thousands of names. Each disciple's rank changed according to the monthly challenges. "The rankings determine your monthly rewards," Lin Hai explained. "The higher your rank..." "The more spirit stones and contribution points you receive." "If someone challenges your position and wins..." "They take your rank." Di Tian nodded. "So the rankings are constantly changing." "Exactly." --- As they walked away from the monument, Zhao Ming spoke quietly. "You know..." "Most of us don't care about the Top Ten." "We're aiming for the Top Five Hundred." Lin Hai laughed bitterly. "I'd be happy reaching the Top Thousand." Sun Wei sighed. "I'm just hoping to become an Inner Disciple someday." They all looked toward Di Tian. "What about you?" Di Tian thought for a moment. "I don't really have a ranking goal." The three looked confused. "So what do you want?" He answered honestly. "I just want a peaceful life." "..." "..." "..." Lin Hai finally smiled helplessly. "You're definitely the strangest disciple I've ever met." --- As the day continued, Di Tian visited nearly every important place within the Outer Sect. The Weapon Pavilion. The Pill Hall. The Mission Hall. The Contribution Pavilion. The Cultivation Grounds. He listened more than he spoke. Observed more than he acted. He quickly realized one thing. The Outer Sect wasn't merely a place for cultivation. It was a world governed by competition. Disciples competed for resources. For rankings. For missions. For recognition. For opportunities to catch the attention of an Inner Sect Elder. Everyone was moving forward with a clear purpose. Everyone... Except Di Tian. That evening, as the sun disappeared behind the mountains, he slowly returned to Courtyard Thirty-Seven. He opened the door to his room. Laid down on his bed. And closed his eyes. Outside... The Outer Sect remained as busy as ever. Inside... Three shadow figures tirelessly cultivated within his consciousness. His cultivation method. His palm technique. His movement technique. Not a single moment was wasted. Di Tian smiled faintly. "The Outer Sect is certainly lively." "I think..." "...I'll enjoy living here."

Chapter 7: Life in the Outer Sect