The moment Wen Chen stepped out of the sealed cultivation chamber, the world felt… louder.
Not in sound, but in presence.
The air pressed against his skin differently, thick with spiritual currents he had barely been able to perceive before. Each breath drew in refined Qi instinctively, his body absorbing it without conscious effort.
Stage 3.
He stood still in the courtyard, letting the sensation settle.
Around him, disciples pretended to train—but no one moved naturally anymore. Their attention was fixed on him, even when their eyes weren't.
Wen Chen could feel it.
Not arrogance.
Awareness.
He glanced toward the cluster of disciples near the eastern training racks. Their cultivation levels appeared clearly in his vision now, no longer vague impressions but precise measurements.
Chen Yu — Spirit Initiate, Stage 2 — Progress: 187 / 300
Liu Wei — Spirit Initiate, Stage 2 — Progress: 261 / 300
Outer Disciple Zhao Lin — Spirit Initiate, Stage 1 — Progress: 144 / 200
So this is what Stage 3 changes, Wen Chen thought.
It wasn't just strength.
It was clarity.
He turned away, ignoring the whispers that followed his movement, and headed toward the rear path leading home.
The Chen Residence – Inner Compound
The familiar scent of herbal tea greeted him before he even entered the courtyard.
His mother, Madam Chen Lian, sat beneath the awning, carefully trimming dried leaves with practiced hands. Her cultivation wasn't high—Spirit Initiate Stage 1—but her aura was steady, refined by years of discipline and care.
She looked up the instant Wen Chen stepped through the gate.
Then froze.
"…You broke through," she said softly.
Wen Chen paused.
"You can tell?"
She smiled faintly. "A mother always can."
He relaxed.
"Yes. Just now."
Relief washed over her features, followed by concern. She set aside the herbs and stood, studying him carefully.
"Any injuries?"
"Minor strain. Already fading."
She reached out, placing two fingers on his wrist, checking his pulse with practiced ease. After a moment, she nodded.
"Your foundation is solid. Good. You didn't force it recklessly."
Wen Chen hesitated, then spoke honestly. "It wasn't easy."
Her gaze softened. "It never is."
From the inner room, hurried footsteps approached.
"Brother!"
His younger sister, Chen Yao, burst out, her braid swinging wildly as she rushed toward him. She was barely twelve, her cultivation just beginning—Spirit Initiate Stage 1, early progress—but her energy filled the courtyard.
"You broke through again, didn't you?" she asked, eyes shining.
Wen Chen chuckled. "Your senses are improving."
She puffed up proudly. "Father says I'm talented."
Before he could respond, a quieter figure followed behind her.
His younger brother, Chen Ming, walked out more cautiously, his expression composed beyond his years. Unlike Chen Yao, his cultivation was slow but meticulous—Stage 1, nearing mid-progress.
He bowed slightly. "Congratulations, Elder Brother."
Wen Chen placed a hand on his head. "Keep training properly. Don't rush."
Chen Ming nodded seriously.
The warmth of the moment grounded him.
Stage 3 or not—this was what mattered.
Later That Night
Wen Chen sat alone in his room, lantern light flickering softly against the walls.
He exhaled and summoned the panel.
[Status Panel]
Name: Wen Chen
Realm: Spirit Initiate
Stage: 3
Progress: 18 / 400
Condition: Stable
Evaluation: Post-breakthrough consolidation phase
Only eighteen.
He frowned slightly.
The breakthrough had consumed most of the refined Qi he'd accumulated. Stage 3 wasn't a continuation—it was a reset with higher requirements.
He closed his eyes and circulated his energy.
Immediately, he felt it.
The Qi was denser now, heavier, flowing with authority rather than speed. Each cycle refined his body subtly, strengthening muscle fibers, reinforcing bone, sharpening perception.
But the progress was slow.
Deliberately so.
The Ancient Refining Pot stirred faintly within his consciousness.
Not power.
Efficiency.
It smoothed the circulation, reduced waste, ensured every fragment of Qi was refined to its fullest before being absorbed.
Without it, he would have needed weeks to stabilize.
With it—
Days.
Still, he understood the danger.
Stage 3 punished impatience.
He stopped cultivation and opened his eyes.
Outside his window, shadows shifted.
Someone was watching.
Wen Chen's gaze sharpened.
The Shadow in the Courtyard
Liu Wei stood at the edge of the courtyard, fists clenched at his sides.
He had felt it earlier.
The pressure.
The gap.
No matter how much he refined, how hard he trained, the distance between him and Wen Chen had widened again.
He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
Stage 3… already.
Liu Wei turned away abruptly.
"I won't fall behind," he muttered.
The Next Morning – Clan Training Grounds
The elders observed from the stone platform as disciples gathered for scheduled sparring.
Patriarch Chen Zhenghong sat at the center, hands folded, expression unreadable.
When Wen Chen stepped forward, the murmurs grew louder.
Chen Zhenghong's gaze sharpened.
"So," he said calmly, "you've stepped into Stage 3."
"Yes, Father."
The patriarch nodded slowly. "Good. But do not let it make you careless."
"I won't."
"Then show me."
A murmur swept the crowd.
Chen Zhenghong gestured. "Controlled spar. No lethal intent."
A Stage 2 inner disciple stepped forward hesitantly.
Wen Chen bowed once.
The moment the match began, he moved.
Not fast.
Precise.
His footwork flowed like water, every step placed perfectly. When the opponent attacked, Wen Chen redirected the force effortlessly, his palm tapping the disciple's shoulder lightly—
—and sending him sliding back several meters, stunned but unharmed.
Gasps erupted.
The elders exchanged glances.
Chen Zhenghong's eyes narrowed.
"Again."
Another opponent.
Same result.
No wasted movement.
No excess force.
Pure control.
Wen Chen stepped back and bowed.
Silence followed.
Then..
"That's enough," Chen Zhenghong said.
He rose.
"From today onward," the patriarch announced, "Wen Chen is recognized as a core seed disciple of the Chen Clan."
The courtyard erupted.
Wen Chen lowered his head respectfully.
Inside, his grip tightened.
Stage 3 had only just begun.
And the world was already responding.