The air above Patriarch's Peak shimmered with spiritual energy, forming ripples across the clear sky. The Wen Clan's vast residence, once a humble gathering of cultivators, now stood as a fortress of growing prestige. Each peak radiated with unique energy signatures, housing their own cultivation halls, medicine fields, and combat arenas. As the clan expanded, so did the mysteries of their domain—and at the center of it all, Wen Wuxing watched silently, weaving their destiny with invisible threads.
Within the secluded inner sanctum of Patriarch's Peak, Wuxing stood before the Celestial Mirror—a relic unveiled through one of the System's reward chains. The mirror's surface reflected not his form, but scenes across the Kingdom of Xianwu. Sects, clans, wandering cultivators—all captured in shifting frames of light. His gaze settled upon the Phoenix Valley Sect, where Xue Feng was holding court among elders, his fiery aura dominating the room.
Wuxing's eyes narrowed, fingers tapping the air as he contemplated.
Ding!
System Notification:
Progression Checkpoint Achieved.
Clan Influence in Region: 32%
Unlocking Sub-System: Sect Establishment Pathway.
New Option: Establish Inner Sect – "Heaven's Veil Pavilion."
System Note: Sect functions as an extension of the Wen Clan. Provides external income, information control, and cultivation opportunities for disciples across the kingdom. Initial Recruitment Limit: 300. Loyalty Level: 80%.
First Reward Upon Establishment: +1 Guardian Beast Egg (Rare), +1 Clan Reputation Boost (10%), +1 Hidden Realm Access Key (Tier 1).**
Wuxing's heart stirred. A sect bearing no open connection to the Wen Clan, yet under his absolute control. The Veil of Shadows Pavilion was already an intelligence and secrets marketplace, but with this new opportunity, he could expand their reach while masking their true nature.
A thought flickered through his mind. Why stop at one secret force? Through the sect system, he could cultivate generational loyalty, draw in talent under false flags, and shape them without revealing their origins. With careful planning, these forces would serve the clan's interests while disarming suspicion from rival sects.
Wuxing pressed his palm to the mirror's surface, sealing the choice.
Ding!
Sub-System Activated: Sect Establishment Initiated.
Heaven's Veil Pavilion – Location Designated: Whispering Valley, Eastern Xianwu.
Construction Time: 5 Days (Accelerated via System Resources).
Recruitment Commences in 3 Days.
Secondary Reward: +1 Tier 2 Defensive Formation Blueprint.**
As the notifications faded, Wuxing allowed himself a brief smile. The Veil of Shadows Pavilion would become the shadow blade, while Heaven's Veil Pavilion would stand as the shielded hand. Both forces would serve one master. Himself.
Later, seated atop the Throne of Resonance, Wuxing convened the inner circle of his clan—elders, peak guardians, and hand-picked disciples. Before them floated a projection of a sprawling valley, brimming with spiritual energy and hidden from prying eyes.
"From this day forward," Wuxing announced, voice like thunder, "the Wen Clan expands beyond its current shell. We reach into the Kingdom, but remain unseen. The Heaven's Veil Pavilion will stand as a beacon for those who seek guidance—but its true allegiance lies with us."
Gasps echoed. Elders exchanged glances. Some voices rose in concern, citing resources, control, and exposure.
Wuxing raised his hand. "There will be no vote. This is my will. Those loyal will follow, those uncertain… may step aside."
Silence reigned.
It was not tyranny. It was clarity.
Wen Tianhai stepped forward, fist over heart. "We follow the Patriarch."
The rest followed. One by one.
Later, as night blanketed the clan grounds, Wuxing sat in meditation within his personal cultivation chamber. The Voidstep Talisman hovered beside him, charged and ready. His gaze drifted to the stars visible beyond the chamber's skylight.
He was preparing to leave.
While the clan grew, his own cultivation had reached a bottleneck. The early Nascent Soul Realm. Progression required more than mere effort—it demanded opportunities, dangerous ones. He recalled an ancient ruin discovered by the Veil of Shadows, nestled within the Molten Sky Mountains. Within it slumbered a beast of legend—a Molten Serpent, whose core was said to accelerate breakthroughs.
Ding!
Hidden Mission: "The Serpent's Core."
Objective: Slay the Molten Serpent within the Ruins of Ignis.
Patriarch Reward: +1 Major Breakthrough Token, +1 Essence Condensation Elixir.
Clan Reward: +1 Tier 4 Medicine Field Upgrade, +1 Guardian Beast Slot.
Time Limit: 15 Days. Failure Penalty: Increased Realm Bottleneck Duration.**
Wuxing rose, his decision made.
By dawn, he summoned Wen Ruoyan and Wen Liang.
"I leave for 15 days. In my absence, no decisions are to be made without Tianhai's approval. The Heaven's Veil Pavilion is to commence recruitment. Any deviation from the plan will be treated as betrayal."
They bowed low.
As Wuxing departed under the cloak of night, accompanied by only a shadow clone and a system-conjured beast for travel, the Wen Clan's gears of ascension continued to turn. Births among the clan brought minor rewards—spirit stones, pill recipes, artifacts of modest value. It was symbolic, yet it was power in numbers. The more they grew, the stronger he became.
Behind the scenes, Wen Wuxing remained a phantom. To his people, a benevolent yet untouchable patriarch. In truth, every gain, every alliance, every defeat of an enemy—was crafted by his hands, forged through the system's silent power.
His plan was simple—conquer not with force, but with inevitability.
And soon, the Grand Sect Tournament would become the first true test of his ever-growing legacy.