Chapter 804: Prime Disciple Competition: Zian

Zian, a Direct disciple from the Immortal Sword Sect, silently advanced on the path up the mountain. Whispers floated in the cool wind, and one caught his ear - it was Lan Xiu from the Profound Elements Sect, suggesting an alliance with some disciples from other Sects, a truce that could easily break under the strain of ambition.

Zian weighed the proposal in his mind, eyes fixed on the distant, hidden peak. "Trust is the luxury of the naïve," he muttered, almost to himself. "Alliances on this mountain are sandcastles waiting for the tide."

He felt eyes on him, and not just any eyes - Cai Ying from the Hidden Blade Sect. She was like an assassin in the night, silent, mysterious, and deadly. Her gaze gave nothing away but spoke volumes to those who understood.