?Location: The Hall of Enlightenment – Core Disciple Sector

  Time: Morning (Day 1 of the Countdown)

  ?The Hall of Enlightenment was a vast amphitheater made of acoustic stone, designed to amplify the wisdom of the Elders. Today, it amplified the sneers of the ninety-nine Core Disciples.

  ?Aris (Han Xiao) sat in the back row, trying to look invisible. Mo stood behind him like a statue, radiating "Do Not Disturb" energy.

  ?"Look," a disciple whispered. "That's the guy who flooded Lei Feng's house."

  ?"I heard he won the Tower by head-butting the door."

  ?"He smells like sludge."

  ?The heavy oak doors slammed open.

  ?Elder Razor-Wind strode in. He was a sharp man—sharp features, sharp eyes, and robes that seemed to cut the air as he moved. He was the Head of the Sword Division.

  ?"Silence," the Elder commanded. The room temperature dropped ten degrees.

  ?"Today, we study Weapon Resonance," Razor-Wind announced, levitating a glowing blue sword. "A true cultivator does not hold a sword; he becomes the sword. Your Qi must vibrate at the same frequency as the metal."

  ?He looked around the room.

  ?"Lei Feng. Demonstrate."

  ?Lei Feng stood up. He looked tired. He had spent all night cleaning sewage off his jade roof. He glared at Aris before walking to the podium.

  ?"Yes, Elder."

  ?Lei Feng drew his Thunder-Spear. He channeled his Qi. The spear hummed, crackling with electricity. It was a perfect resonance.

  ?"Good," the Elder nodded. "Now, strike the dummy."

  ?Lei Feng spun the spear and thrust it at the training dummy. CRACK. The wooden dummy exploded into splinters.

  ?"Excellent," the Elder praised. "Now, pick a partner for a live demonstration of breaking resonance."

  ?Lei Feng turned slowly. His eyes locked onto Aris.

  ?"I choose... Junior Brother Han Xiao."

  ?The class snickered.

  ?"Han Xiao," the Elder frowned, looking at the roster. "The Alchemist? Do you even own a weapon?"

  ?Aris stood up, trembling. "I... I have this, Elder."

  ?He pulled out a rusted, chipped iron sword from his belt. It looked like he had dug it out of a landfill.

  ?"Pathetic," the Elder sneered. "Proceed. Lei Feng, disarm him. Do not kill him."

  ?Lei Feng grinned. "I will be... gentle."

  ?Lei Feng charged. He didn't aim for the sword; he aimed for Aris's shoulder. He wanted to break a bone.

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  ?Aris watched the spear coming.

  ?[Combat Simulation: Active]

  [Enemy Speed: Slow.]

  [Trajectory: Linear.]

  ?"Oh no!" Aris shrieked. "I'm slipping!"

  ?Aris "tripped" backward. As he fell, he threw his rusted sword into the air in a panic.

  ?"System," Aris whispered mentally. "Magnetic Pulse."

  ?[Law Manipulation: Magnetism]

  [Target: Lei Feng's Spear-Tip.]

  [Polarity: Reverse.]

  ?The iron sword spinning in the air suddenly became a super-magnet.

  ?Lei Feng's spear, which was mid-thrust, was yanked violently upward. It missed Aris and slammed into the rusted sword.

  ?CLANG.

  ?The impact vibrated down the spear shaft. Lei Feng's grip was shattered. The spear flew out of his hands.

  ?The rusted sword, having done its job, lost its magnetism. It fell.

  ?Gravity took over.

  ?The heavy iron handle of the sword dropped straight down.

  ?THUNK.

  ?It hit Lei Feng directly on the top of his head.

  ?"Ow!" Lei Feng stumbled, clutching his head. He tripped over his own feet and fell face-first onto the floor, right at Aris's feet.

  ?Aris sat up, blinking.

  ?"Did... did I win?" Aris asked the silent room.

  ?Elder Razor-Wind stared. He looked at the spear on the ground, then at Lei Feng groaning on the floor, and finally at the rusty sword lying innocently nearby.

  ?"He threw his weapon..." the Elder muttered, trying to analyze the Dao. "He sacrificed control for chaos... creating a magnetic disruption in the opponent's Qi flow?"

  ?The Elder's eyes widened.

  ?"Unorthodox! reckless! But... effective!"

  ?The Elder pointed at Aris.

  ?"That is the lesson! In a real fight, there are no rules! Han Xiao used his enemy's momentum against him! 10 points to the Alchemist!"

  ?Lei Feng lifted his head, blood trickling from a bump on his skull. "But... he just threw it!"

  ?"Silence!" the Elder barked. "Go sit down. You were defeated by a piece of scrap metal."

  ?Aris grabbed his sword and scurried back to his seat, hiding his smirk behind his sleeve.

  ?Location: Villa #1 – The Basement Laboratory

  Time: Midnight (Day 2 of Countdown)

  ?The comedy was over. The work began.

  ?Aris stood over a workbench covered in strange materials: soft rubber from the soles of old boots, sound-dampening foam from the ship's insulation, and a vial of Void Essence.

  ?"Elder Steel-Soul," Aris recited the intel while he worked. "Blind. Hears everything. If I step on a dust mite, he hears the crunch."

  ?"Can we float?" Mo asked.

  ?"No. The Vault has Anti-Flight Arrays. If your feet leave the ground, gravity increases by 100x."

  ?Aris picked up a pair of black boots.

  ?"So, we don't float. We absorb."

  ?He applied the Void Essence to the soles of the boots. The black liquid soaked in, turning the rubber into a material that ate vibration.

  ?[Item Crafted: Void-Walker Boots]

  [Effect: 100% Sound Absorption. Steps create zero vibration in solid matter.]

  ?"Step one," Aris put the boots aside.

  ?He picked up a small pill. It was blue and pulsed with a slow rhythm.

  ?"Step two. The heartbeat."

  ?[Item: Stasis Pill (Modified)]

  [Effect: Lowers heart rate to 1 beat per minute. User remains conscious via System Override.]

  ?"We take this right before we enter," Aris explained. "To Steel-Soul, we will sound like statues."

  ?"And the smell?" Mo sniffed the air.

  ?"We wrap ourselves in Null-Wrap," Aris held up a sheet of transparent plastic-like material. "It seals our scent, heat, and Qi signature. It's basically a body bag for the living."

  ?Aris looked at the map of the Vault projected on the wall.

  ?"We have the boots. We have the pills. We have the suit."

  ?He pointed to the calendar.

  ?"Tomorrow night. The Puppet Sect attacks the Prison. At the same time, we rob the Vault."

  ?"One problem," Mo pointed to the map's entrance. "The Vault Door requires a Handprint from a Core Elder to open initially. We have the digital codes for the traps inside, but the front door is biological."

  ?Aris smiled. A cruel, sharp smile.

  ?"I know. That's why I invited a guest for tea tomorrow."

  ?"Who?"

  ?"Elder Mist-Walker," Aris said. "The one who likes rare teas. I sent him a sample of 'Star-Dust Tea' (harvested from the Titan's hydroponics bay). He accepted the invitation."

  ?"You are going to cut off his hand?" Mo asked, reaching for his sword.

  ?"No, Mo. We are civilized thieves."

  ?Aris pulled out a thin, synthetic glove.

  ?"I'm going to get him drunk, shake his hand, and copy his fingerprints onto this."

  Wiki Update - Elder Mist-Walker:

  ?Role: A neutral Elder who loves luxury. He manages the sect's logistics (and has a key to the Vault Antechamber).

  ?Weakness: Exotic flavors and flattery. He doesn't suspect Han Xiao because he thinks Han Xiao is just a lucky idiot trying to curry favor.