Accumulating Karma

Chapter 19: Accumulating Karma

Aerich had a slight smile on his face when he read the notification from the system. This was exactly what he had been aiming for since entering the Azure Sky Sect's territory. However, he knew the danger was not completely uprooted yet. He needed to maintain his act for as long as Mo Jian remained in the sect.

As Aerich reviewed the notification, he failed to notice that his surroundings had turned eerily silent.

On the 100th step, Tasia scanned the staircase, searching for Aerich and Berlotte. Relief washed over her when she spotted Berlotte on the 49th step, close to securing a position as an inner disciple. Her jade-green, almond-shaped eyes then darted across the steps to locate Aerich. Her gaze found him kneeling on the third step, facing a sneering male cultivator on the fourth step. Although she couldn't hear their conversation due to the distance, the sight was enough to ignite her anger.

Tasia clenched her teeth in frustration. She wasn't particularly attached to Aerich, but seeing someone she knew being bullied by a passerby left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Unbeknownst to her, Mo Jian was similarly pleased. The notion that Aerich was no longer a potential protagonist, and thus no threat to his ambitions, allowed him to relax. Unfortunately for Mo Jian, he did not notice Tasia's rising anger as she glared at the fourth-step cultivator.

Meanwhile, Aerich sat on the third step with a serene expression, casually absorbing Qi to pass the time. He had no intention of forcing himself to ascend further, especially as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth—a convincing performance.

Time passed, and after twelve hours, the test approached its conclusion. Many young cultivators had reached the 90-to-100-step range, though only one, apart from Tasia, had managed to stand on the 100th step. The dense clouds obscuring the upper steps made it impossible to identify this person, but their silhouette suggested a male.

Berlotte, however, had reached the 50th step, officially earning the status of an inner disciple. Seeing her succeed brought a rare smile to Aerich's face, as if he himself had achieved the milestone.

For a brief moment, Aerich's thoughts wandered to a figure from the past: Hua Lian, the Rebirth Empress. Five years had passed since he last heard of her. At ten, she had already reached the Core Condensation Realm—a feat almost impossible to comprehend. Her current strength was anyone's guess.

The sound of the bell, signaling the end of the exam, snapped him back to the present.

With the pressure vanishing from the steps, many exhausted cultivators lost their footing and tumbled downward. Chaos ensued as others scrambled to avoid being caught in the cascade of bodies.

Aerich seized the opportunity to accumulate karma.

A male cultivator barreled down the stairs, sliding uncontrollably. Just as he was about to crash into Aerich, the latter activated Shadow Steps and swiftly pulled him to safety. Without waiting for gratitude, Aerich vanished, leaving the bewildered cultivator looking around nervously.

"Did a ghost save me?" the man murmured.

Aerich continued ascending the stairs, helping others in need. However, he refrained from physically assisting female cultivators, using spiritual energy instead to protect his integrity. Employing Ethereal Palm Manifestation, he shaped his spiritual energy into a shimmering purple outline, deftly rescuing several cultivators.

This wasn't an act of selflessness—Aerich had a plan. Helping others created a backup strategy in case Elder Shang Tian failed to secure his entry into the sect.

To Aerich's satisfaction, his efforts were noticed. While the act of saving others might not have been extraordinary, his refusal to exploit anyone in a vulnerable state was a mark of righteousness—a key quality valued by the sect.

Within moments, Aerich returned to the third step, blending back into the crowd. The entire process had taken only fifteen seconds, and the sheer number of participants ensured his absence went unnoticed.

He sighed, realizing that his Qi reserves were nearly depleted. Using two techniques simultaneously had taken a toll on his meridians.

"The entrance test is now over. Those who failed to reach the 30th step are disqualified and will not be eligible to attempt the test again," an elder announced.

"Dammit, I was so close!" someone grumbled—a sentiment echoed by many among the defeated.

The male cultivator who had sneered at Aerich earlier passed by him without even looking back. His arrogance had faded, replaced by despair.

"Let's go, insect," the man muttered hollowly, though his voice lacked the malice it once carried. He walked away, leaving Aerich to reflect.

For all their arrogance, these cultivators were undeniably courageous, throwing themselves into challenges he himself had hesitated to face. Without the system, Aerich knew he would have been just another Earth Fate cultivator, too weak to even dream of reaching the Azure Sky Sect.

After waiting for a moment to see if anyone would stop him, Aerich realized no one would. The remaining participants were being escorted in different directions by sect guards and elders.

Aerich began walking toward the sect's exit.

He still had the system and the ability to grow stronger—even while sleeping. This minor setback did little to deter him. His only curiosity now lay in how the sect truly operated, as this was his first experience with an academic institution in this Xianxia world.