"Big Brother Shen!"
The voice pulled me back. I blinked, my thoughts snapping into focus.
"What happened?" I asked.
Mo Ling looked at me with wide, concerned eyes.
"You're finally awake, Big Browther Shen!" she said happily. "We thought you are sleeping while standing!"
Mo Fan stood beside her, more reserved as always. His eyes flicked over me quickly, checking for anything unusual before he relaxed.
"I was just thinking," I said, smiling faintly. "What's wrong?"
Before either of them could answer, movement at the edge of my vision caught my attention.
A man was walking away from our house.
He had just turned the corner of the neighbouring path, his back straight, steps unhurried.
His robe was plain gray, topped with a bamboo straw hat. His hair was loosely tied.
At first glance, he looked like any wandering traveller passing through the village.
But my instincts screamed. Something was off.
My eyes narrowed. The man's steps were light, too light for an ordinary person.
Each footfall barely disturbed the dust. His breathing was even, controlled. There was a subtle rhythm to his movement, measured and cautious, the gait of someone trained in combat or stealth.
Loose cultivator. And not a weak one.
The man glanced back once, his gaze sweeping across our courtyard for a brief moment
His eyes, though hidden beneath the shadow of his hat, seemed to linger on our doorway.
Then he turned and disappeared down the road, his figure blending into the morning crowd.
My heart tightened.
What was he doing here?
Without hesitation, I quickened my steps and pushed the door open. The children followed close behind.
"Big Brother, wait! We are also coming!" they called out.
I shouted ahead, my voice echoing through the empty rooms.
"Grandfather?"
Inside, the room was quiet.
Empty.
The morning light filtered through the windows, casting long shadows across the floor.
Through the open window, I looked into the backyard where I saw my grandfather seated on a low wooden chair, basking in the warmth of the morning sun.
His eyes were half-closed, his expression was peaceful, as if nothing in the world could disturb him.
I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
He's safe.
"I'm here," he said, opening one eye and smiling faintly.
"Why do you look so tense, Yuan'er?"
I approached him quickly, my footsteps urgent despite trying to appear calm. My spiritual sense extended outward, scanning him from head to toe.
No injuries. No lingering foreign aura. No poison traces.
Perfectly fine. Only then did I fully relax, though the tension in my shoulders remained.
"I saw someone leaving just now," I said quietly, keeping my voice steady. "Who was that?"
My grandfather's expression turned thoughtful, as if recalling something minor. "Oh, that fellow?" he said casually. "He came by while I was sitting here in the sun."
"What did he want?" I asked, my tone carefully neutral.
"He said he was a loose cultivator passing through," my grandfather replied. "Asked me about last night."
My gaze sharpened. "Last night?"
"Yes," he nodded slowly. "About the thunder and lightning. He said the dark clouds covered the whole prefecture. He asked if I noticed anything strange nearby, any unusual lights, sounds, or movements in the forest."
My hands clenched slightly at my sides. So they're already searching. Already asking questions."And what did you say?"
My grandfather chuckled softly, the sound warm and harmless.
"What could I say? I told him the truth. That I'm old and sick, and I spent most of the night inside trying to stay warm. Said I didn't notice anything unusual. Told him my hearing isn't what it used to be, and my eyes are getting worse with age."
My fingers curled slightly, tension releasing just a fraction.
"Then I told him," he continued calmly, "if he wanted to know about changes in the forest, he should ask the hunters. They wander deeper than anyone else. They'd know if something strange happened in the mountains."
My heart eased a little. That might draw attention elsewhere, but it was better than here.
They will focus on the forest and mountains and waste time searching empty wilderness and will eventually leave.
"And then?" "He thanked me and left," my grandfather said. "Didn't linger or press further."
I nodded slowly. That was good. At least the man hadn't been aggressive or suspicious.
Loose cultivators were like vultures.
They circled wherever there was disturbance or opportunity.
The fact that this man had approached quietly instead of announcing himself meant he was cautious, and likely not affiliated with the Sun Moon Spirit Sect.
If he were sect-affiliated, he wouldn't need to sneak around like this. He would simply demand answers with the authority of his backing.
That means outside forces must also have noticed something. My thoughts churned rapidly.
Cultivators investigating in disguise.
Rogue cultivators hoping to find treasure before the sects lock down the area.
The system had said no one could find my traces, so they came searching here because of the abnormal atmospheric phenomenon.
Do they think it was a heaven-and-earth treasure? Or someone breaking through to a high realm?
No.
No one would choose a place like this for a major breakthrough.
With such thin spiritual energy, barely enough to support basic Qi Refining cultivation.
The environment simply couldn't support a Foundation Establishment breakthrough, let alone anything higher.
Then it had to be the earlier. Treasure.
Damn it. Seeing these people already roaming around meant this was only the beginning.
Soon, sects would send official disciples as well, not just lone cultivators hoping to strike it rich.
Full investigation teams with powerful cultivators who could scan entire areas with their spiritual sense.
At that moment, hurried footsteps approached from outside. "Big Brother Shen!"
Mo Fan and Mo Ling ran in from the courtyard entrance.
Mo Fan stopped short when he saw my expression, his young face showing concern beyond his years.
"Did something happen?" he asked carefully.
Before I could answer, Mo Ling darted past him and ran straight to my grandfather, wrapping her small arms around his leg protectively.
"Grandpa! Did someone bully you?" she asked loudly, glaring toward the door with exaggerated fierceness. "Tell Mo Ling! I'll bite them! I'll bite them really hard and make them cry!""
The tension in the room cracked. I couldn't help but smile faintly at her fierce expression.
This little girl, barely tall enough to reach my waist, declaring war on unknown enemies.
My grandfather laughed heartily, patting her head with gentle affection."No one bullied me. Who would dare bully this old man?"
Mo Ling puffed out her chest proudly.
"That's gwood! Donzt worry, Mo Ling is very strong! Mo Ling will protect Grandpa!"
Mo Fan looked relieved.
But his brows were still furrowed with worry far beyond what a child his age should carry.
The weight of responsibility for his sister, for their survival, had forced him to mature too quickly.
He glanced at me again, seeking reassurance.
I crouched slightly to meet his gaze at eye level.
"Nothing serious," I said, keeping my voice calm and steady. "Just someone asking questions. Everything is fine. No one is in danger."
He nodded slowly.
Though worry still lingered in his dark eyes like shadows that refused to disperse.
I straightened and looked at my grandfather seriously. "We need to be more careful for the next few days," I said. "If strangers come asking questions again, don't say more than necessary."
"I know," he said softly, smiling with understanding.
I turned to the children, my expression gentle but firm.
"Stay close to home," I said. "And if anyone strange approaches you, come tell Grandpa or me immediately".
"Don't follow them anywhere, no matter what they say. Even if they offer you candy or promise to show you something interesting. Understand?"
Mo Fan nodded solemnly, his small face serious.
"I will, Big Brother Shen. I'll protect Mo Ling too."
"Me too!" Mo Ling raised her hand enthusiastically. "Mo Ling will be good!"
I ruffled her hair lightly, feeling the soft strands beneath my palm.
"Good. I'll step out for a bit to see what's happening in the village. Don't wander off. Stay where Grandpa can see you."
With that, I left the courtyard, stepping into the morning light.
-----------
Outside, the village felt different, charged with nervous energy.
People were moving faster than usual, their movements hurried and anxious.
Conversations buzzed like disturbed wasp nests. Groups of villagers hurried down the main road, expressions a strange mix of excitement and anxiety.
I stopped a middle-aged man who was walking hurriedly near me, his face flushed.
"Uncle," I asked, "what's going on?"
He stared at me as if shocked. "You didn't hear? The sect envoy has arrived!"
"Envoy?".
"Yes! From the Sun Moon Spirit Sect!" he said breathlessly. "They've summoned everyone to the open platform near the chief's office. Said they have something important to announce."
"Thank you, Uncle." I nodded politely and let him hurry off.
Then I merged into the flow of villagers moving toward the platform, keeping my expression neutral while my mind raced, curious like everyone else..
Voices drifted around me, fragments of hope and fear blending together.
"This is it! My chance has finally come!" "I heard sect envoys only gather everyone when something big happens!"
"Maybe they're recruiting servant disciples!" "Hah, don't dream too big. They wouldn't come to a backwater like this for that."
"You never know! The heavens might smile on us! My son has strong body, they might take him!"
"Did you see those green robes? Those are inner sect disciples! Real cultivators!"
"What do you think they're looking for?"
"Treasure, obviously! Why else would they care about thunder and lightning?"
I listened quietly, my face calm, my thoughts anything but.
So soon. The sect moved faster than I expected.
Did my breakthrough leave traces they couldn't ignore even with Heaven's concealment as they were nearby?
I checked my aura again internally.
Feeling the robe's concealment effect wrapping around me like an invisible cloak.
To anyone else, I would appear to be someone who had just barely stepped into Qi Refining Layer One.
Weak and unremarkable.
Not worth a second glance.
Good. The robe's concealment still held perfectly.
If they couldn't find me directly, then this gathering was likely precautionary, or perhaps for something else entirely related to the phenomenon.
Maybe they were just fishing for information, hoping someone saw something useful.
Still, I couldn't afford to be careless. Not now, not ever.
The open platform soon came into view, already crowded with villagers.
Old Han stood near the front, his weathered face grave and tense. His usual confident demeanour replaced with visible unease.
The village chief hovered nearby, unusually nervous, wringing his hands in a way I'd never seen before.
At the center of the platform stood three figures. Two young men in jade-green robes stood slightly behind, their postures straight and their expressions aloof.
At the front was a woman in dark blue robes. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant bun, secured with a silver crescent moon hairpin.
Her robe was embroidered with faint silver crescent moons that caught the light.
The symbol of moon faction in the Sun Moon Spirit Sect shimmered on her chest.
Her presence alone made the air feel heavier, oppressive.
Like standing too close to a freezing ice storm.
Even I, who had reached middle stage Qi Refining with 15 layers in dantian, felt the pressure.
If I'm feeling this weight, then she must be at Foundation Establishment. At least.
I lowered my gaze instinctively, avoiding direct eye contact. Drawing attention now would be foolish beyond measure.
Why would someone of this level come personally?
Normally, only late-stage Qi Refining disciples would be sent to handle village tax matters or investigations.
Foundation Establishment cultivators were valuable resources. They wouldn't waste time on routine patrols or minor disturbances.
Unless they think this isn't minor at all.
The envoy raised one hand. The gesture itself was casual, almost lazy. Yet it commanded absolute silence.
"Silence," she said.
Her voice carried effortlessly across the entire platform. Without her raising her volume. Clear as a bell, reaching every ear.
The murmuring crowd quickly became silent.
"Last night," she said, her voice cold and unwavering, "a large-scale catastrophic disturbance occurred within this prefecture."
A ripple of unease went through the crowd. People exchanged nervous glances.
Some nodded, confirming they'd witnessed it. Others looked confused, as if they'd slept through the entire event.
My heart beat once, heavy and controlled, but I kept my breathing steady.
"The sect believes there must be a reason behind such an abnormal phenomenon. Whether it was a cultivation breakthrough, the activation of a treasure, or external interference remains unknown."
She paused, letting his words sink in. "We are here to investigate."
Some villagers paled, fear creeping into their expressions.
Others looked thrilled, eyes gleaming with the possibility of reward or recognition.
The chance to be noticed by the sect, to escape their mundane lives.
I remained perfectly still, my face has a mask of polite curiosity like dozens of others around me.
"Anyone who noticed unusual events last night must report them truthfully," the envoy continued.
"Those who provide valuable information will be rewarded appropriately by the sect. Spirit stones, pills, even consideration for outer sect positions."
Silence followed his declaration.
Then, Murmurs erupted at once after that.
Outer sect positions were life-changing opportunities for common people.
Then hesitantly, a hunter from the edge of the crowd spoke up.
He mentioned strange winds that had frightened the animals.
Another villager talked about how all the chickens in his coop had refused to sleep, clucking frantically throughout the night....and so on.
The envoy listened without visible reaction, her expression unchanging, giving nothing away. Not even a flicker of interest or dismissal.
Throughout it all, I felt faint probes of spiritual sense brushing over the crowd like invisible fingers.
Testing. Measuring. Evaluating each person's cultivation level and searching for anomalies.
I felt the scan pass over me, my concealment robe doing its work perfectly. The probe found nothing unusual and moved on without pause.
Finally, after several villagers had spoken and been dismissed, the envoy spoke again.
"Due to increased Yao beast activity in the surrounding mountains, sect patrols in this region will increase significantly."
Murmurs erupted throughout the crowd at this news. Some relieved, others worried.
"Taxes and protection fees will be adjusted accordingly to account for the enhanced security."
More murmurs, these less pleased. Increased fees meant hardship for many families.
The envoy's expression didn't change.
She clearly didn't care about their financial struggles.
"Do not venture into the mountains without proper safety measures until the situation settles down," he warned, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Violators will not be rescued. Their deaths are their own responsibility."
Then her expression hardened. The temperature seemed to drop. Her eyes swept across the crowd with cold calculation.
As if searching for signs of guilt. Looking for anyone who flinched or avoided her eyes.
"Remember possession of forbidden items is grounds for spot death. The sect does not tolerate hidden threats within its territory."
A chill ran down many spines. I felt several people around me tense. Their breathing becoming shallow.
I kept my expression same as the others.
"Dismissed," the envoy said finally, waving her hand.
The crowd began to disperse slowly, people talking in hushed, nervous tones.
As I turned to leave, blending into the flow of villagers, my resolve hardened like forged steel.
The danger hasn't passed. It had merely taken another shape, more insidious and harder to predict.
Increased patrols meant more eyes watching. Adjusted fees meant economic pressure.
The warning about hidden cultivators meant active searching would continue.
They wouldn't just give up after one gathering.
They're casting a wide net. And I was somewhere in these waters, remain unnoticed.
As I walked home through the familiar dirt paths, one thought echoed clearly in my mind with absolute certainty.
Only strength will let me protect those under my roof and walk my path without fear in the future.
Resources, techniques, and opportunities were useless if I couldn't defend them. Power was the only currency that truly mattered in this world.
I needed to grow stronger, faster, smarter. The system gave me advantages others didn't have, but advantages meant nothing if I died before I could use them.
I need to be more careful. More patient. More ruthless when necessary.
I won't let them down. That was a promise I made to myself, one I intended to keep no matter the cost.
------------------
Far above, beyond the clouds where mortal eyes could never reach, a pair of eyes that looked as though they were forged from the sun, surrounded by raging flames, briefly glanced down at the investigation below.
They observed for a moment, seeing nothing of interest among the common villagers and weak cultivators.
Then, finding no trace of the phenomenon's source, those ancient eyes turned away, dismissing the matter as unworthy of further attention.
….. to be continued.
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