Chapter 16 ( Tables and Threats )

  Adam stepped out of the library, the warm sunlight spilling across his face. The air felt different—less heavy, less suffocating. Or maybe it was just the weight of the book finally off his mind.

  As he strolled down the winding stone paths of the sect, his eyes landed on a large hall nestled between two lotus-filled ponds. A modest plaque above the doorway read: Inner Disciples Dining Hall.

  His stomach growled. It hadn’t been that long since his last meal—barely a day—but the events since then had made time feel warped and stretched.

  Without hesitation, he pushed open the doors.

  Conversations halted. Heads turned.

  The dining hall, bustling a second ago, fell into a strange silence as disciples eyed the newcomer. Some paused mid-bite. Others whispered behind sleeves. A few just stared openly.

  Who is he?

  Selection’s not even finished.

  Did someone sneak in?

  No, look at that robe...

  Adam ignored the stares. His gaze swept the hall once, then he walked straight to the serving counter where a tired-looking woman stood ladling stew into bowls.

  “One plate, please,” he said.

  She blinked, gave him a quick once-over, then shrugged and slid him a tray of food without a word.

  Adam took it, nodded his thanks, and turned around to find a seat—unbothered by the dozens of eyes still locked onto him.

  The initial tension in the hall slowly faded as the disciples lost interest. Whispers gave way to laughter, clinking bowls, and the usual chatter of sect life.

  Adam, tray in hand, glanced around the cafeteria. Most tables were already half-filled, and a few disciples still gave him curious side-eyes, but he ignored them.

  In the far corner, tucked just enough away from the center of attention, he spotted familiar faces.

  Bo Jin leaned back with his arms crossed, laughing at something Han Feng had just said. Lian Hua smirked, engaged in the conversation. Mei Lan, however, sat slightly apart from the group, quietly eating her meal with a detached look, as if present more out of tolerance than desire.

  Adam made his way over.

  “You guys are getting along well,” he said as he approached.

  All four of them turned to look at him.

  “Adam!” they said in unison—except Mei Lan, who only gave a small glance up before returning to her food.

  Bo Jin raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here? The selection test isn’t over yet.”

  Han Feng frowned. “Yeah, how’d you get in early?”

  Lian Hua’s eyes narrowed slightly. “And what happened to your face?”

  Adam just stood there, expression unreadable, his tray still in hand.

  Adam sat down, setting his tray on the table.

  “Circumstances,” he said plainly.

  Han Feng gave him a look. “You and your damn circumstances.”

  Adam smirked slightly. “What were you guys chatting about over here?”

  Bo Jin leaned back, throwing an arm around the back of Lian Hua’s chair. “We saw Mei Lan sitting here all alone, so we decided to keep her company.”

  “I didn’t want any company,” Mei Lan muttered, not even looking up from her food.

  Lian Hua rolled her eyes. “Girl, stop being such a loner.”

  Adam took a seat, settling in with a quiet chuckle.

  The table relaxed as the conversation flowed more naturally. They started sharing stories about their test experiences, the chaos, the close calls, and the unexpected surprises.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Bo Jin eventually grinned and said, “Well, despite our clans being at each other’s throats, Lian Hua and I are officially engaged. Looks like even old grudges can’t get in the way of political convenience.”

  Adam and Han Feng exchanged glances.

  “Oh my, congratulations,” they said together.

  Mei Lan looked up briefly. “Congratulations.”

  Adam casually took a bite of his food, his tone neutral. “Do you guys have a place where you all dump corpses?”

  Han Feng nearly choked on his rice. “Why would you bring up something like that while we’re eating?” he asked, his voice a mix of confusion and disbelief.

  Lian Hua looked at Adam, her brow furrowing slightly. “I think there’s a pit where people dump animal remains and other waste. But—what? Why are you asking about something like that?” She leaned in, eyeing him suspiciously.

  Adam just shrugged, unfazed. “Curiosity, I guess.” His gaze back over to his food.

  The table fell into an awkward silence for a brief moment before they all returned to their food, albeit with some glances exchanged, unsure what to make of Adam’s peculiar question.

  Adam leaned back slightly in his seat, tapping his fingers on the edge of his plate. “Oh, and what happened to my light crystal?”

  Bo Jin glanced up from his food. “It’s not sold yet,” he answered, his tone casual.

  “That’s good,” Adam said, nodding. “I need some of them back. You can sell the rest, but I need a few for something I have to do.”

  Bo Jin raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask any further questions. “Alright, let’s transfer it to your storage ring.”

  Adam’s expression remained neutral, but he didn’t immediately respond. “I don’t have it,” he said flatly.

  Bo Jin looked surprised. “Well, every inner disciple is given one. Did you not get it or…?”

  Adam rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes sliding away as if lost in thought. “I think I forgot it in my abode.”

  Bo Jin’s eyes narrowed slightly, a knowing look crossing his face. “I’ll transfer it for you, but let’s do it discreetly. You don’t want others to know about it here.”

  Adam nodded, grateful for Bo Jin’s discretion. He wasn’t eager to draw attention to his belongings, especially not something as valuable as the light crystal.

  As the conversation lulled and they were about to continue their meal, the door to the cafeteria creaked open. A young disciple, adorned in fine robes with a golden trim, walked in with a group of lackeys trailing behind him. His air was one of arrogance, and his gaze swept over the room, landing on Bo Jin, Lian Hua, Mei Lan, and Han Feng.

  He smirked, clearly displeased with the sight of them sitting together.

  “Well, well, look who’s here,” the young master said, his voice dripping with condescension. He pointed directly at Bo Jin and Lian Hua. “The little traitors,” he sneered. “Still pretending everything’s fine between your clans? Must be exhausting, keeping up the act.” His gaze lingered on Lian Hua, a smirk curling at his lips. “Especially you, Lian Hua... you deserve someone who actually knows your worth. Not him.”

  Lian Hua bristled, her eyes narrowing dangerously, but Bo Jin put a calming hand on her shoulder.

  “Watch your tongue, Kai Yun,” Bo Jin said evenly, though his voice carried a warning.

  The young master, Kai Yun, ignored him. His gaze flickered to Mei Lan, and his expression twisted into a mocking grin.

  “And here’s the outcast,” he continued, his words laced with venom. “What’s it like to have no one care? I’m sure even the most inferior disciples don’t want to associate with you.”

  Mei Lan’s eyes darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line, but she didn’t respond. The insult seemed to roll off her, like water off a stone.

  “Why don’t you just shut up?” Han Feng said, his voice low and tense.

  Kai Yun chuckled darkly, moving closer to the table. “And the weirdo, Han Feng. Always hiding behind those strange masks and acting all mysterious. Did you really think anyone here wanted to understand you?”

  Adam sat back, observing the scene with a detached interest. It wasn’t until Kai Yun’s eyes found him that the young master’s smirk widened, and the atmosphere grew heavier.

  “Ah, and look who’s here,” Kai Yun said, his voice rising as he pointed at Adam. “A newcomer. How bold to walk into our cafeteria like you belong here.”

  The lackeys behind him snickered, clearly ready for trouble.

  Kai Yun stepped forward, his gaze gleaming with mischief. “What’s your name, outsider?”

  Adam’s expression remained calm as Kai Yun’s gaze locked onto him, the smirk never leaving his face.

  “It's Adam and I don’t want any trouble,” Adam said, his voice steady and neutral. He paused for a moment before adding, “Kai Yun.”

  The mention of his name caused a slight twitch of irritation in Kai Yun’s expression. His eyes narrowed, but he continued to grin, clearly displeased that Adam had spoken to him without any formal respect.

  With a sudden move, Kai Yun stepped forward and placed his hand firmly on Adam’s right shoulder, his fingers digging in with a purposeful pressure. “You’re a newcomer,” he said, his voice dripping with false sweetness. “You don’t just get to address me like that. You have to call me Senior.”

  As his words finished, Kai Yun tried to increase the pressure on Adam’s shoulder, attempting to assert dominance with the physical contact.

  Adam showed no reaction, his face unreadable even as Kai Yun increased the pressure on his shoulder. Seconds passed in silence.

  Then, with swift, fluid motion, Adam slid his arm around Kai Yun’s shoulder in a casual half-embrace, catching the young master off-guard. He leaned in, his lips barely an inch from Kai Yun’s ear.

  “You don’t want to pick a fight with me,” Adam whispered softly, his tone flat and void of any threat—yet somehow far more menacing because of it. “I might accidentally kill you.”

  As he spoke, Adam exhaled, his breath brushing against Kai Yun’s skin.

  Something in that breath made Kai Yun’s senses scream. A cold dread slithered down his spine like ice water. His body tensed involuntarily. He didn’t know why, but every instinct in his body flared with alarm. An ancient fear welled up inside him—primal, irrational.

  Unbeknownst to him, Adam had channeled a trace of Death Qi into that breath and, at the same time, subtly activated his memory manipulation ability. He didn’t erase anything—he simply amplified the feeling of fear in Kai Yun’s mind, deepening the chill and making it linger far longer than it should.

  Kai Yun’s smirk faltered for the first time.

  Kai Yun stiffened under Adam’s grip, his confidence draining like water through a cracked vase. Without another word, he took a step back, shrugging off Adam’s arm.

  Cold sweat trickled down his temples, soaking the collar of his robe. His hands trembled slightly, though he clenched them into fists to hide it.

  “Hmph… we’ll see each other again,” Kai Yun muttered, voice shaky despite the bravado he tried to muster. With a glare that didn’t quite meet Adam’s eyes, he turned on his heel and walked off, his lackeys scrambling after him in awkward silence.

  None of them dared look back.

  Han Feng stared at Adam, still blinking in surprise. “What was that?”

  Bo Jin grinned, nodding approvingly. “You did great intimidating Kai Yun and his lackeys. That guy’s been throwing his weight around for too long.”

  Adam gave a small, nonchalant hum. “Hmm hmm.”

  Lian Hua tilted her head, studying him closely. “Adam, it’s only been a few days, but you already seem different. You’ve changed.”

  Adam offered a light smile. “Really? Maybe it’s because so many things are happening in my life lately.”

  With that, the group resumed chatting, laughter and casual conversation filling the rest of their meal. When they were done, each of them parted ways to attend to their own matters.

  Adam walked through the sect grounds, retracing his memory of Lian Hua’s directions, trying to find the dumping pit she mentioned. But as he wandered, his steps slowed and his mind drifted.

  Why did I act like that? He paused, frowning.

  The old Adam would’ve tried to de-escalate quietly… not threaten someone with death. The moment replayed in his head—how natural it had felt to whisper those words, to use fear as a weapon.

  Then it hit him.

  The Death Qi.

  It wasn’t just affecting his body… it was starting to twist his mind.

  Adam’s eyes darkened slightly as he clenched his fist.

  “Damn it… it’s already influencing my mind.” He exhaled sharply, steadying his breath. “I need to quickly achieve internal harmony…”

  With a more urgent expression, Adam resumed his search.

  After a few minutes of searching, Adam finally stumbled upon the pit Lian Hua had mentioned. It was situated near the outskirts of the sect, tucked away behind a cluster of old storage sheds and bordered by worn wooden fencing. The stench confirmed its purpose—rotting flesh, animal remains, and other undesirable waste were piled within, festering under the sun.

  Adam stood at the edge, his eyes scanning the decaying mess. He narrowed his gaze and extended his senses.

  There it is...

  Faint traces of death Qi clung to the air like a thin mist, nearly imperceptible to anyone else—but unmistakable to him. It wasn’t pure or strong, but it was there, lurking within the rot and bone.

  A smirk tugged at the corner of Adam’s l

  ips. So I was right… this place is steeped in residual death energy.

  He took one last look at the pit, then stepped back.

  “Now…” he muttered to himself, “I just need to do something for the metal Qi.”