The afternoon sun cast long shadows over the streets, and Liang Chen walked calmly, the faint pulse of spiritual energy in his dantian humming quietly.
His small satchel of pills swung by his side. Today, unlike other days, something felt different — a tension in the air he couldn't ignore.
"The world is never as ordinary as it seems," he murmured to himself. "Sometimes, danger wears a suit… and opportunity walks beside it."
He rounded a corner and nearly collided with a young woman in designer clothes, her face pale and eyes wide with fear. Behind her, a sleek black car screeched to a stop, tires smoking on the asphalt. A faint chill ran through Liang Chen — bad energy, faint but unmistakable.
"Someone in danger… and it's not ordinary misfortune," he thought. His senses sharpened, the pulse in his dantian flaring slightly.
"Watch out!" he shouted, grabbing the girl's arm and pulling her out of the way. A man in a luxury sedan, apparently agitated, honked furiously, but the danger passed. Liang Chen stepped back, assessing the scene.
The young woman, catching her breath, looked at him with a mixture of gratitude and curiosity. "Thank you… I don't know what would have happened if you weren't here."
He smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair from his eyes.
"Even the smallest intervention changes the course of fate," he thought.
"By the way," the woman said, recovering slightly, "I'm Lin Yihan. My family… we own a business. You… you saved me.
Can we repay you?"
Liang Chen paused. This was unexpected. "Fate always comes dressed in strange packages," he murmured inwardly.
"Actually," he said slowly, measuring his words, "I create… medicines. Small pills.
Simple things, but they work. Maybe you could give me an opportunity to show you."
Lin Yihan's eyes sparkled with interest.
"A demonstration?
Fine. My grandfather has been ill, and… perhaps your pills could help him."
Liang Chen nodded. "I'll need to see his condition, understand what to make."
That evening, he traveled with her to her family estate. The air inside the mansion carried the faint scent of expensive perfume and old wood. In the study, her grandfather lay in a reclining chair, frail and coughing weakly. Liang Chen knelt beside him, closing his eyes briefly and letting the faint pulse of spiritual energy flow through him.
"Even the weakest ember can spark hope," he whispered.
He prepared a small batch of pills, using his refined skills, careful combinations of herbs and powders, and a subtle channeling of spiritual energy to enhance efficacy.
He handed them to the grandfather, instructing careful consumption. Over the next few hours, the old man's breathing eased slightly, and a faint color returned to his cheeks.
Lin Yihan watched in amazement. "This… is incredible. You… saved him."
Liang Chen's lips curved faintly. "I don't need thanks. But there is a way we can both benefit. I will make pills for others who need help, and you can… provide the platform for distribution."
Her eyes widened. "You mean… a company?"
He nodded. "Yes. I create. You provide reach. Together, we can help more people and grow stronger."
Within days, Lin Yihan introduced him to her family's network. The energy around the family, he sensed, had been tense — faint bad energy lingering like a shadow.
He whispered quietly: "Where energy gathers, trouble follows… but energy can be directed."
He helped the grandfather steadily, balancing the small pill business with school and his meditation.
The business grew slowly, and he placed the girl in charge of daily operations, showing her which pills to prioritize, which herbs to focus on, and letting her learn from his methods.
"Strength grows when it is shared," Liang Chen thought. "We build not just for ourselves, but for those who walk beside us. Power without purpose is hollow."
That night, as Liang Chen sat by the window and observed the city lights, the pulse in his dantian burned warmer than ever. Not just because of cultivation, but because of the connections he was forging, the lives he was touching, and the foundation he was building for the future.
The ember of his Energy Sea, small but persistent, seemed to glow brighter in approval.
Chapter Ending Quote:
"True power is not only in what you hold, but in how you lift others while walking your own path."