The interior of the ancient building was unexpectedly pristine.

While the outside was weathered and crumbling, inside looked like it had been sealed yesterday. Formations hummed quietly in the walls, preserving everything within. The air smelled faintly of incense and old paper, not the rot and decay I'd expected.

"Preservation formations," Zhao Fei said, running his hands along the walls with almost reverent care. "Immortal Era craftsmanship. Whoever built this wanted their treasures to last."

[ANALYZING INTERIOR...]

[PRESERVATION FORMATIONS: ACTIVE FOR ~10,000 YEARS]

[POWER SOURCE: UNKNOWN]

[TREASURE PROBABILITY: HIGH]

The main chamber contained three stone pedestals, each holding a different item. Chen Rou approached carefully, spiritual sense extended, checking for traps.

"Clear," she announced. "Zhao Fei, verify. Everyone else, perimeter watch."

Zhao Fei examined each pedestal thoroughly. "No trap formations. These are just display stands. Whoever owned this place was confident in their outer defenses."

[ITEMS DETECTED: 3]

[SCANNING...]

On the first pedestal sat a jade bottle, sealed with complex formations. The second held a cultivation manual bound in ancient leather. The third contained what looked like a simple gray stone, but it pulsed with concentrated Qi.

"Jackpot," Su Mei whispered.

Chen Rou carefully retrieved each item, examining them with experienced eyes. "Jade bottle contains pills, I count six, likely Stage 6 advancement pills based on the Qi signature. The manual is... Crimson Tide Fighting Method, Advanced Level. And this stone is a Qi Condensation Gem, helps stabilize cultivation breakthroughs."

[LOOT QUALITY: EXCELLENT]

[TOTAL VALUE: SIGNIFICANT]

[TEAM SHARE: 10% EACH]

"Not bad for day one," Han Feng said, grinning.

"Don't celebrate yet," Chen Rou said. "Getting treasure is easy. Keeping it is hard." She carefully stored everything in a spatial bag. "We move to a defensible position, catalog properly, then continue exploring. Wei Long, find us somewhere we can fortify for the night."

"Night?" Zhou Ming asked nervously. "We're staying here overnight?"

"Did you think we'd teleport back to the sect every evening?" Tang Bolin's deep voice rumbled with amusement. "Three months, junior. Get comfortable."

[REALITY CHECK: ADMINISTERED]

[ZHOU MING: PROCESSING]

Wei Long returned within minutes. "Found a spot. Small valley, two hundred meters north. Defensible entrance, cave system for shelter. Some old formations still active, should hide our presence."

"Lead the way," Chen Rou ordered.

The valley was perfect, a natural fortress with steep walls and a narrow entrance that could be easily defended. The cave system went deep, with multiple chambers that had clearly been used by previous cultivators. Ancient fire pits, sleeping areas, even storage alcoves carved into the stone.

"This is a known rest spot," Chen Rou explained as we set up camp. "Every expedition uses these places. The unwritten rule is: you leave them as you found them. Trash the place, and every future team will curse your name."

[CULTIVATOR ETIQUETTE]

[ACTUALLY KIND OF WHOLESOME]

[LEAVE NO TRACE, MURDER EDITION]

Zhao Fei and Chen Rou established defensive formations around the perimeter. Liu Yan organized medical supplies. Su Mei and Yun Xia prepared food from our provisions. The rest of us gathered firewood and set up sleeping areas.

It felt strangely domestic, considering we were in deadly ruins filled with monsters and rival cultivators.

[TEAM BONDING: ACTIVE]

[SHARED HARDSHIP CREATES CONNECTIONS]

[THIS IS ACTUALLY NICE]

As evening fell, or what passed for evening in the perpetually crimson sky, we gathered around the fire. Chen Rou distributed the day's findings.

"Per team policy, treasures get evaluated and divided fairly. The pills will go to whoever needs them most for cultivation advancement. The manual can be studied by anyone, then we'll decide who keeps it permanently. The Qi Condensation Gem..." She looked at me. "Lin Tian, you're closest to your next breakthrough. You should have priority."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "Others might—"

"You're Stage 6, but you'll hit Stage 7 first at the rate you cultivate," she said bluntly. "Efficient resource distribution benefits the team. A stronger you means better survival odds for everyone."

[LOGICAL]

[ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING YOUR RIDICULOUS ADVANCEMENT SPEED]

[SHE'S SMART]

I accepted the gem, a smooth gray stone that felt warm to the touch and thrummed with concentrated Qi.

[ITEM ACQUIRED: QI CONDENSATION GEM]

[EFFECT: STABILIZES BREAKTHROUGH, REDUCES RISK OF DEVIATION]

[VALUE: SIGNIFICANT]

[USE WHEN ATTEMPTING STAGE 7]

"Thank you, Leader."

"Don't thank me. Earn it by keeping the team alive." She turned to the others. "First day analysis: We performed well. Good coordination, efficient combat, no casualties. But we got lucky, that Crimson Peak group was weak. Next time might be harder."

"What about the other Azure Peak teams?" Liu Yan asked. "Have we heard anything?"

Chen Rou shook her head. "Communication talismans only work within teams, and the Wastes interfere with long-range techniques. We won't know how others are doing until we return." Her expression darkened. "Statistically, one or two teams are already in trouble."

[SOBERING REMINDER]

[100 DISCIPLES ENTERED]

[EXPECTED TO RETURN: 60]

[SOME TEAMS ARE DYING RIGHT NOW]

The conversation shifted to lighter topics, sharing stories, joking about Zhou Ming's teleportation sickness, Han Feng demonstrating his "unbeatable" arm wrestling technique (Wei Long beat him immediately).

I found myself sitting with Yun Xia, watching the others laugh and bond.

"They're good people," she said softly.

"Yeah. We got lucky with our team."

"Or Elder Hu arranged it perfectly." She leaned against my shoulder. "Three months is a long time. I'm glad I'm spending it with you."

[ROMANTIC MOMENT]

[IN THE MIDDLE OF DEADLY RUINS]

[PRIORITIES: QUESTIONABLE BUT SWEET]

"Me too," I said, wrapping an arm around her.

[RELATIONSHIP STRENGTH: INCREASING]

[ADVERSITY STRENGTHENS BONDS]

[VERY WHOLESOME]

"Hey lovebirds," Su Mei called. "Stop being disgustingly cute and come help with watch rotation planning."

We established a watch rotation, two people awake at all times, four-hour shifts. Chen Rou took first watch with Tang Bolin. I drew third watch with Wei Long.

When my shift came around, the Wastes were eerily quiet. The constant crimson glow made it impossible to tell true time, but my internal clock said it was around 2 AM.

Wei Long sat motionless at the valley entrance, eyes scanning the darkness. He barely acknowledged my arrival.

"Anything?" I asked quietly.

"Movement at 300 meters. Corrupted beasts, probably. They're avoiding us, the formations are working." He glanced at me. "Lin Tian, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How are you advancing so fast?" His tone was curious, not accusatory. "Stage 1 to Stage 6 in a month. That's... that shouldn't be possible."

[QUESTION: DIRECT]

[ANSWER: REQUIRES DISCRETION]

I decided on partial honesty. "I have an unusual constitution. My body processes Qi differently, faster, more efficiently. It's a blessing and a curse."

"Curse how?"

"People notice. They assume I'm using forbidden techniques or stealing resources or cheating somehow." I shrugged. "It attracts attention I don't want."

Wei Long nodded slowly. "I get that. I'm Stage 6, but it took me five years. You did it in weeks. Some people would resent that."

"Do you?"

"No." He smiled slightly. "I'm practical. A strong teammate increases my survival odds. Your advancement speed benefits me."

[WEI LONG: PRAGMATIC]

[ALLIANCE BASED ON MUTUAL BENEFIT]

[HONEST AND EFFECTIVE]

We lapsed into comfortable silence, watching the Wastes. Occasionally, shapes moved in the distance, corrupted beasts, rival cultivators, or just tricks of the crimson light.

"Lin Tian," Wei Long said eventually. "Chen Rou thinks highly of you. So does the rest of the team. Don't waste that trust."

"I won't."

"Good." He shifted position slightly. "Because if you do, I'll kill you myself. Nothing personal—just team security."

[THREAT: CASUAL BUT GENUINE]

[WEI LONG: PROTECTIVE OF TEAM]

[RESPECT: EARNED]

"Fair enough," I said.

The rest of our watch passed quietly. As dawn approached, or what passed for dawn in the eternal crimson, the team began stirring.

Day two started with unexpected complications.

"Problem," Chen Rou announced during breakfast. "Wei Long's morning scout found tracks. Multiple teams converged on a large structure about two kilometers east. Early intelligence suggested it's a treasure vault, potentially the best find in this sector."

"Multiple teams?" Su Mei asked.

"At least three. Maybe more." Chen Rou's expression was grim. "Azure Peak Team 4, Crimson Peak disciples, and unknown others. They're all heading to the same location."

[CONVERGENCE EVENT]

[MULTIPLE TEAMS + HIGH-VALUE TREASURE = CHAOS]

[DANGER LEVEL: EXTREME]

"So what do we do?" Han Feng asked. "Join the party?"

"We observe first," Chen Rou said. "Let the others fight over the entrance. If there's an opportunity, we take it. If not, we leave. Team survival is more important than any treasure."

[CAUTIOUS APPROACH]

[SMART LEADERSHIP]

[BUT...]

"What if Azure Peak Team 4 needs help?" Zhou Ming asked. "They're our sect brothers."

"Then we help," Chen Rou said immediately. "Sect loyalty comes first. But we don't throw our lives away on a suicide rescue either. We assess, we adapt, we survive."

[BALANCED PRAGMATISM]

[SHE'S REALLY GOOD AT THIS]

We broke camp quickly and moved toward the vault structure. The closer we got, the more evidence of recent activity appeared, disturbed earth, broken formations, signs of combat.

"Stop," Wei Long hissed. "Voices ahead."

We took cover behind a collapsed wall. Peering around it, I saw the vault, a massive structure half-buried in the red earth, with an enormous door covered in ancient script. And in front of it...

Chaos.

Three teams fought, Azure Peak Team 4, a group of Crimson Peak disciples, and what looked like Verdant Valley Sect cultivators. Maybe thirty people total, all attacking each other while simultaneously trying to access the vault.

[SITUATION: CLUSTER FUCK]

[CASUALTIES: ALREADY VISIBLE]

[THIS IS about TO GET WORSE]

"There," Yun Xia pointed. "Azure Peak Team 4's leader is injured. They're being pushed back."

Chen Rou watched intently, calculating. "We can't save them all. But we can extract their leader and maybe two others. The rest..." She didn't finish.

"Are we doing this?" Tang Bolin asked, surprisingly gentle.

Chen Rou was silent for a long moment. Then: "Yes. We don't abandon sect brothers. Team 7, combat formation Alpha. We hit hard, extract Azure Peak survivors, and retreat immediately. No heroics. No treasure. Just rescue and run. Clear?"

"Clear," we chorused.

[RESCUE MISSION: ACTIVE]

[DIFFICULTY: EXTREME]

[SURVIVAL PROBABILITY: DROPPING]

[BUT...]

[SECT LOYALTY > PERSONAL SAFETY]

[RESPECT, CHEN ROU]

"On my mark," Chen Rou said, Qi already gathering around her. "Three... two... one... GO!"

We burst from cover, Team 7 moving as one coordinated unit.

And the vault battle turned into absolute chaos.

[COMBAT INITIATED]

[MULTIPLE HOSTILES]

[ALLIES IN DISTRESS]

[THIS IS GOING TO BE MESSY]

[GOOD LUCK, BOSS]

[TRY NOT TO DIE]

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