## [Dawn - Day 2, Chen Family House]
Chen Wei woke before sunrise, his body automatically following the cultivation schedule he'd established. As he sat up, he immediately activated his new Qi Sense ability.
**[Village Spiritual Scan - Active]**
**[Detecting 847 mortal residents]**
**[Detecting 6 hidden cultivators (4 identified, 2 unknown)]**
**[Detecting 1 extremely powerful presence (Master Liu)]**
**[Detecting 1 approaching spiritual signature - 5 kilometers southeast]**
"Someone's coming," Chen Wei whispered. His Qi Sense was picking up a new presence approaching from the direction of the main trade road.
**[Incoming Presence Analysis]**
**[Cultivation Level: Qi Gathering 4th Level]**
**[Movement Speed: Consistent with horse travel]**
**[Estimated Arrival: 2 hours]**
**[Identity: Likely merchant caravan advance scout]**
Chen Wei's heart raced. This had to be related to the merchant caravan that would trigger the bandit attack. If he could intercept this scout and delay the caravan...
But first, he needed to complete his morning cultivation session. Every bit of progress toward Qi Gathering 1st Level would be crucial.
**[Cultivation Session 4 - Beginning]**
**[Current Progress: 59% toward breakthrough]**
**[Gathering Stone: 26 days remaining]**
**[Spiritual Energy: Peak morning concentration]**
As Chen Wei meditated, his understanding of the Flowing River technique deepened. The spiritual energy moved through his meridians like water finding its natural course, gradually expanding his capacity.
**[Breakthrough Imminent]**
**[Progress: 81% toward Qi Gathering 1st Level]**
**[Estimated Completion: 4 more hours of cultivation]**
Chen Wei opened his eyes with satisfaction. At this rate, he'd break through to Qi Gathering before the bandit attack. It wouldn't make him strong enough to fight fifteen bandits alone, but it would give him the basic spiritual energy needed to use cultivation techniques.
"Wei'er, breakfast!" his mother called.
"Coming!"
---
## [Chen Family Kitchen - Morning]
The family was already discussing the previous day's concerns as Chen Wei joined them for breakfast.
"I spoke with Old Man Feng this morning," Chen Daoling said. "He agrees we should be more careful. He suggested organizing a village meeting tonight."
**[Old Man Feng: Partially Activated]**
**[Using his natural authority as village elder]**
**[Will help coordinate defenses without revealing cultivation]**
"What about Uncle Wang?" Chen Hao asked.
"He's already talking to some of the other men. Says we should check our tools and make sure everything's in good repair." Chen Daoling's expression was serious. "He also suggested we might want to... prepare some things. Just in case."
Chen Wei recognized the coded language. Wang Tie was using his military experience to prepare weapons and defenses while maintaining plausible deniability.
"That's smart," Chen Wei said. "Oh, father, I think I saw someone coming up the trade road earlier. Maybe a merchant scout?"
Chen Daoling looked surprised. "This early in the morning? The monthly caravan isn't due for another day."
Perfect. Chen Wei was establishing the timeline while appearing innocent.
"Maybe they're ahead of schedule?" Chen Wei suggested. "Should someone go check?"
"I'll go," Chen Hao said immediately. "If it's just a scout, I can get information about when the main caravan arrives."
"Take someone with you," Chen Daoling said. "Wei'er, you go too. Your eyes seem sharp lately."
Chen Wei nodded, hiding his excitement. This was exactly what he needed - a chance to intercept the scout and manipulate the caravan's timing.
---
## [Village Outskirts - Two Hours Later]
Chen Wei and Chen Hao waited by the main road as the approaching rider came into view. It was a middle-aged man on a tired-looking horse, with the dust and travel gear of a professional messenger.
**[Character Analysis: Merchant Scout]**
**[Name: Li Dacheng]**
**[Age: 38]**
**[Cultivation: Qi Gathering 4th Level]**
**[Role: Advance scout for Golden Phoenix Merchant Company]**
**[Personality: Professional, cautious, values information]**
**[Weakness: Worried about bandits, easily convinced by safety concerns]**
"Greetings, travelers!" the scout called out as he approached. "Is this Chen Family Village?"
"It is," Chen Hao replied. "I'm Chen Hao, and this is my brother Wei'er. Are you with the monthly caravan?"
"Li Dacheng, scout for Golden Phoenix Company. I'm here to confirm the route and check conditions for tomorrow's passage." Li Dacheng dismounted and stretched his back. "How are the roads? Any problems lately?"
This was Chen Wei's opening.
"Actually, Uncle Li, we've been having some concerns lately," Chen Wei said earnestly. "Strange people in the hills, movements that don't feel right."
Li Dacheng's expression immediately sharpened. "Strange people? What kind of movements?"
Chen Hao picked up Chen Wei's lead. "Possibly scouts or bandits. We've been telling everyone to be more careful."
"Bandits?" Li Dacheng looked genuinely worried. "How recent? How many?"
"We're not sure," Chen Wei said truthfully. "But the village elders are concerned enough that they're calling a meeting tonight to discuss security."
**[Information Manipulation: Successful]**
**[Scout's Concern Level: Elevated to "High Alert"]**
**[Caravan Delay Probability: 67%]**
Li Dacheng pulled out a small notebook and began writing. "This is serious information. Golden Phoenix Company doesn't take risks with bandit activity."
"Is the caravan valuable this time?" Chen Hao asked innocently.
"Very. Silk, jade, silver ingots, medicinal herbs worth thousands of gold coins. If there's even a chance of bandit activity..." Li Dacheng shook his head. "I need to send a message back immediately."
Perfect. The more valuable the caravan, the more cautious the merchants would be.
"Uncle Li," Chen Wei said, "would it help if you stayed for our village meeting tonight? Our elders might have more detailed information about the security situation."
Li Dacheng considered this. "That's... actually a good idea. I should gather as much intelligence as possible before making my report."
**[Mission Success: Merchant Scout Delayed]**
**[Caravan Arrival: Will be postponed pending security assessment]**
**[Bandit Attack Timeline: Disrupted]**
**[Success Rate: 43% → 51%]**
"You can stay at our house tonight," Chen Hao offered. "Mother always cooks extra."
"That's very kind. I'll send my message bird back to the company now, and then we can discuss the situation in detail."
Li Dacheng retrieved a small cage from his horse's saddlebags. Inside was a messenger bird trained to fly back to the caravan. He quickly wrote a note and attached it to the bird's leg.
Chen Wei couldn't read the note, but he could guess its contents: "Possible bandit activity near Chen Village. Recommend delay pending further intelligence."
As the bird flew away toward the southeast, Chen Wei felt a surge of satisfaction. Phase 2 of his plan was complete. Without the caravan as bait, the bandits would have to either cancel their attack or change their strategy entirely.
But he couldn't celebrate yet. There were still many things that could go wrong.
---
## [Village Square - Late Afternoon]
Word of the merchant scout's concerns had spread quickly through the village. By evening, nearly every adult in Chen Village had gathered in the small square near the well.
Chen Wei stood with his family, watching as his father and the other village leaders organized the meeting. His Qi Sense let him track the hidden cultivators in the crowd.
**[Hidden Warrior Positions:]**
**[Old Man Feng: Front row, natural leadership position]**
**[Wang Tie: Near the edge, scanning for escape routes (military habit)]**
**[Granny Liu: Inconspicuous middle position, observing everyone]**
**[Zhang Min: Near families with children, protective positioning]**
**[Unknown Cultivator 5: Northwest corner - elderly man, extremely well hidden]**
**[Unknown Cultivator 6: Southern edge - young woman, suppressing her aura]**
Chen Daoling stepped forward to address the crowd. "Friends and neighbors, we've gathered because of concerning reports about possible bandit activity in our area."
Murmurs ran through the crowd. Most villagers had lived peaceful lives and weren't used to thinking about such dangers.
Li Dacheng, the merchant scout, stepped forward. "I can confirm that the Golden Phoenix Company is taking these reports seriously. We're postponing our scheduled passage until the situation is clarified."
"How serious is the threat?" called out Wang Tie.
"Unknown, but we can't take chances with a valuable caravan. If there are scouts in the area, it suggests organized bandit activity rather than random thieves."
Old Man Feng spoke up, his voice carrying surprising authority. "In my experience, it's better to be prepared and wrong than unprepared and right. What do you suggest we do?"
**[Old Man Feng: Leadership Mode Activated]**
**[Using his natural charisma without revealing cultivation]**
**[Village Respect Level: High]**
Li Dacheng looked around the crowd. "Basic precautions. Organize watches, especially at night. Keep children and valuables secure. If you have weapons or tools that could serve as weapons, make sure they're accessible."
"Some of us have military or martial experience," Wang Tie said carefully. "We could help organize defenses."
**[Wang Tie: Partial Revelation]**
**[Admitting military background to establish credibility]**
**[Village Trust: Increased]**
Several villagers looked at Wang Tie with surprise and new respect. The quiet blacksmith had just revealed he was more than he appeared.
"I know some healing techniques," Zhang Min said quietly. "If... if anything happens, I can help treat injuries."
**[Zhang Min: Medical Support Revealed]**
**[Not revealing full martial background yet]**
**[Positioning as non-combat support]**
Chen Wei noticed how carefully each hidden cultivator was revealing just enough to help without exposing their true abilities. They were all experienced at keeping secrets.
Granny Liu raised her hand. "I've traveled widely in my younger days. I might know some... tricks for dealing with unwanted visitors."
**[Granny Liu: Vague But Ominous Hint]**
**[Establishing expertise without details]**
**[Several villagers look nervous - they sense hidden depths]**
"Excellent," Chen Daoling said. "Wang Tie, could you organize the men with weapons experience? Old Man Feng, would you coordinate the watch schedules? Granny Liu and Zhang Min, please work with the women to prepare supplies and medical support."
Chen Wei watched with satisfaction as his father naturally organized the hidden cultivators into leadership positions. The village was mobilizing its secret defenses without anyone officially admitting what was happening.
"What about the children?" asked Chen Ling's friend's mother.
"Safe houses," Granny Liu said immediately. "Identify the most secure buildings and prepare them as shelters. If trouble comes, children and non-fighters go there first."
Li Dacheng nodded approvingly. "You're organizing like people who know what they're doing. That's encouraging."
After an hour of detailed planning, the meeting began to break up. Chen Wei lingered near the square, using his Qi Sense to monitor the hidden cultivators' spiritual energy.
All of them were less suppressed now - their natural battle instincts were awakening. They were still hiding their true strength, but they were mentally preparing for conflict.
**[Village Defense Level: Upgraded to "Prepared"]**
**[Hidden Warriors: 4 partially activated, 2 still concealed]**
**[Civilian Morale: Good - people feel they have a plan]**
**[Success Rate: 51% → 58%]**
---
## [Chen Family House - Night]
Li Dacheng joined the Chen family for dinner, sharing news and stories from his travels. Chen Wei listened carefully to everything about the caravan and merchant routes.
"The company will probably delay at least three days," Li Dacheng explained. "Maybe longer if we can't get confirmation that the area is secure."
Three days minimum. That meant even if the bandits learned about the delay, they'd have to completely change their plans.
**[Bandit Response Analysis]**
**[Option 1: Cancel attack entirely (30% probability)]**
**[Option 2: Attack village anyway for smaller loot (45% probability)]**
**[Option 3: Find different target (15% probability)]**
**[Option 4: Wait for new caravan schedule (10% probability)]**
The most likely outcome was that the bandits would still attack, but with different motivations. Instead of a coordinated caravan robbery with village destruction as a side effect, it would be a pure village raid.
That actually worked better for Chen Wei's plans. A village raid would be less organized and more opportunistic, giving the defenders more advantages.
After Li Dacheng retired to the guest room, Chen Wei slipped out for his evening cultivation session.
**[Cultivation Session 5 - Beginning]**
**[Current Progress: 81% toward Qi Gathering 1st Level]**
**[Tonight's Goal: Achieve breakthrough]**
Chen Wei settled into meditation position in the hidden chamber beneath the well. The spiritual energy concentration here was still higher than anywhere else in the village.
As he guided the Flowing River technique through his meridians, he felt something different. The spiritual energy wasn't just flowing anymore - it was beginning to pool and condense in his dantian, the energy center below his navel.
**[Breakthrough Beginning]**
**[Qi Condensation: 89%... 94%... 98%...]**
**[BREAKTHROUGH ACHIEVED!]**
**[Congratulations! You have reached Qi Gathering 1st Level]**
**[Spiritual Energy Capacity: Increased by 500%]**
**[Physical Enhancement: +50% strength, speed, durability]**
**[New Abilities Unlocked]**
**[Flowing River Palm - Basic martial technique]**
**[Qi Enhancement - Strengthen tools and weapons with spiritual energy]**
**[Spiritual Shield - Basic protective technique]**
**[Advanced Qi Sense - Range increased to 500 meters]**
Chen Wei opened his eyes and felt the world differently. Colors were brighter, sounds were clearer, and he could sense the spiritual energy of everything around him like a vast web of light.
His body felt incredible - stronger and more coordinated than ever before in either life. When he clenched his fist, he could feel spiritual energy flowing through his muscles.
"Finally," he whispered. "Now I'm not completely helpless."
He activated his Advanced Qi Sense and immediately detected something alarming.
**[Advanced Spiritual Scan - 500 Meter Range]**
**[Detecting 15 hostile presences - 2 kilometers north]**
**[Cultivation Levels: 2 Foundation Building, 8 Qi Gathering, 5 Mortals]**
**[Status: Moving toward village]**
**[Estimated Arrival: 6 hours]**
Chen Wei's blood turned to ice. The bandits were coming early.
The caravan delay had worked - but instead of discouraging the bandits, it had made them desperate enough to attack immediately rather than wait for a better opportunity.
**[Emergency Alert]**
**[Bandit Attack: Tonight instead of tomorrow]**
**[Village Preparation Time: 6 hours]**
**[Combat Readiness: Partially prepared]**
**[Success Rate: 58% → 34% (Time pressure penalty)]**
"Damn it," Chen Wei cursed. "They're adapting faster than I expected."
He had successfully delayed the caravan and organized the village defenses, but now he was facing the same fifteen bandits with less preparation time.
Chen Wei climbed out of the well as quickly as possible. He had to alert the village immediately and hope their hasty preparations would be enough.
As he ran toward his house, one thought echoed in his mind: In all the cultivation stories he'd read, plans never survived contact with the enemy.
Now he was about to find out if his story would be any different.
**[Chapter 5 Complete]**
**[Next: The Night Attack]**