Time flew swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.
As dusk fell, outside the quiet courtyard—
Wei Yi was escorting a few visiting senior sisters to the gate.
"Senior Sister Liu, I currently have no intention of joining any faction. Should that change in the future, I'll be sure to consider the Liu Yun Society first," Wei Yi said apologetically, a gentle smile on his face.
"You said it yourself, so don't you dare go back on your word. If you do… you know the consequences," Liu Ruyun replied with a playful glint in her eyes, letting out a soft hum, her warning barely veiled beneath the sweetness of her voice.
"Of course," Wei Yi replied with a helpless smile and a nod.
Moments later, Liu Ruyun and her companions departed.
Watching their figures vanish into the twilight, Wei Yi finally let out a long sigh of relief.
The uproar caused by his astonishing feat of clearing the forty-sixth floor of the Soulbeast Tower had far eclipsed the buzz from defeating Huo Tianlu on the dueling platform. As a result, his renown within the outer sect had soared once more—so much so that it now rivaled or even surpassed many of the top-ranking senior disciples.
And with fame came invitations—more and more factions had begun seeking to recruit him.
The visitors he had just seen off were representatives of the Liu Yun Society, one of the most powerful organizations in the outer sect.
Though its overall strength paled in comparison to that of the Black Tiger Society, Liu Yun's influence was arguably even greater—over eighty percent of the female disciples in the outer sect were members.
To put it bluntly, if the Liu Yun Society ever wished to target someone, they could easily turn that person into a pariah without ever lifting a finger themselves.
Thus, for Wei Yi to refuse Liu Ruyun's invitation had required considerable courage.
After all… the Liu Yun Society was not lacking in beautiful women.
"What a pity. My heart is set on the inner sect. I never intended to linger long in the outer gates," Wei Yi murmured with a quiet sigh.
His reluctance to join any faction stemmed from one simple fact: he never planned to stay in the outer sect.
If, by some miserable stroke of luck, he failed the upcoming inner sect examination, he would choose to leave outright rather than idle away another year like the rest, awaiting the next round.
With his extraordinary talent—and the advantage of his game system—he could rise to prominence anywhere. Wasting an entire year simply wasn't an option.
"Still… judging by previous exams, I should have no trouble passing."
A gleam of confidence lit Wei Yi's eyes.
He refused to believe that someone who had just broken the current Soulbeast Tower record among all outer sect disciples could fail to pass a mere entrance trial.
Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps broke the quiet.
A curly-haired youth emerged from the distance.
He was tall and striking, with handsome features, though the roguish grin plastered across his face made him seem anything but refined.
"Brother Wei, you are truly heartless. Even the great Liu Ruyun—one of the outer sect's famed trio of beauties—was rejected without mercy," he said, teasing as he walked up.
Wei Yi cast him a sidelong glance and rolled his eyes with a helpless expression.
Li Hanlun.
A prodigious disciple from Qinghu Academy.
Though his fame didn't quite reach the meteoric levels of Wei Yi, he was still considered one of the top three among the latest batch of new disciples.
Zhenwu Academy and Qinghu Academy had long maintained friendly relations, often engaging in joint activities and exchanges. Consequently, students from both sides typically got along well, and Li Hanlun had become one of the few genuine friends Wei Yi had made thus far.
"You ran into them just now?" Wei Yi asked.
"I'm part of Liu Yun myself. How could I not greet the esteemed Leader when I saw her?" Li Hanlun replied with a grin. "But to be honest, she was rather displeased. It's rare for her to personally extend an offer, and you turned her down. You're the first man to do that, Brother Wei."
"You know I've got my eyes set on the inner sect. I've no interest in outer sect power struggles," Wei Yi shrugged, candid with Li Hanlun.
"Well, even if you join the inner sect, you could still be considered part of Liu Yun."
"Perhaps. But in the inner sect, who even knows the Liu Yun Society exists?"
Wei Yi looked at him with a quiet smile as he posed the rhetorical question.
Li Hanlun was momentarily stunned. After a pause, he nodded. "Fair point. Once you're in the inner sect, Liu Yun really isn't much… Maybe I should quit the society myself?"
"Heh. Bold words, young man. If you're not afraid of what your lovely leader might do to you, be my guest."
Wei Yi couldn't help but laugh.
Thinking of Liu Ruyun's temperament, Li Hanlun visibly shivered and quickly dismissed the idea. "On second thought, maybe not. I'll wait till I make it to the inner sect first."
"Anyway, I actually came to see you for a reason."
"Then let's talk inside."
...
Seated together in a side room, Wei Yi poured a cup of tea for Li Hanlun.
"Alright, what's this about?" Wei Yi asked.
"Do you know why the Black Tiger Society hasn't come to cause you trouble lately?" Li Hanlun took a sip of tea, then countered calmly.
"How would I know?"
"I'm not exactly hoping for a beating. Whether they come or not is none of my concern. Should I be begging them for revenge?" Wei Yi replied with a nonchalant expression.
Clearly, he hadn't given the matter much thought.
"Uh…"
Li Hanlun was momentarily speechless.
Most outer sect disciples who had crossed the Black Tiger Society would be trembling in fear, worrying about the inevitable backlash. But Wei Yi treated it as if it were no more than a passing breeze.
He didn't know whether to call Wei Yi careless—or simply fearless, his skills giving him confidence beyond reason.
But the more he thought about Wei Yi's character and strength, the more it all made sense.
"Alright, let me put it this way."
"Though you and the Black Tiger Society have clashed, both times they were the ones to provoke you. You merely turned the tables and humiliated them in return."
"Right now, they're preoccupied with something else. But once it's done, they won't let this slide. Especially Zhao Yuanji—that man is vindictive to the core."
"So… have you considered striking first?"
Li Hanlun grinned slyly, his tone laced with suggestion.
Wei Yi looked up at him, thoughtful.
Li Hanlun didn't press further—he simply waited in silence as Wei Yi weighed the idea.
"You're suggesting we join forces?"
"What's in it for me?"
After a pause, Wei Yi finally asked, voice calm.
"Honestly? I don't know exactly what the reward is."
"But one thing's for sure—if we can snatch meat from the tiger's jaws, the benefits will be worth it. The Black Tiger Society's been plotting this for a long time, and they're not doing it for nothing."
"Truth be told, I only stumbled across this information by sheer luck."
As he spoke, Li Hanlun smiled and offered his explanation.
"Snatch meat from the tiger's jaws?"
Wei Yi's eyes narrowed slightly.
Li Hanlun nodded, voice low and cryptic.
"Or perhaps... steal its prey before it strikes."