A day went by. Just as Jin had predicted, he broke through to the first layer of the Bronze Stage during the night.
The ability to accurately sense another's cultivation level was a skill reserved for the Silver Stage, a full eleven layers above his current standing. This meant, for now, that no one would be able to detect his true nature. He himself would have to rely on his battle-honed instincts to gauge the strength of others, but in a realm this weak, he was confident that would be more than enough.
In the morning, Gilga knocked on the door, inviting him to eat with the soldiers. Jin readily complied, accompanying the kind man to the mess hall. On the way, he noticed a group of children of various ages playing in a courtyard.
"They're the children of the soldiers," Gilga explained, noticing Jin's gaze. "It's too dangerous for them to live outside the castle walls."
"Can I play with them, too?" Jin asked, his voice full of childish hope.
"Of course, son," Gilga said with a smile. "But eat first."
After finishing a bowl of warm, bitter soup, Jin walked over to the other children. A dozen pairs of eyes, ranging in age from five to sixteen, looked the poorly clothed newcomer up and down.
"Who are you?" a girl asked, hands on her hips.
"My name is Jin."
"Well, Jin," she said dismissively, "go play by yourself. We have enough people."
Jin put on a sad expression and looked at the ground. "Oh... I see."
He turned and walked away, a picture of dejection. The moment he was out of their sight, his face became a mask of cold satisfaction. Perfect, he thought. He now had a plausible excuse to wander the castle grounds alone.
He made his way to a large, grassy training field. Now that he had reached the Bronze Stage, he could begin to manifest his spiritual energy. It was a minuscule amount, but it was enough to compose low-level arrays.
He began to walk in a wide pentagonal pattern across the field, seemingly at random. At each of the five points, he would stumble or pretend to tie his shoe, pressing a hand to the ground for a brief moment.
With each touch, he channeled a thread of spiritual energy into the earth, creating the framework of a hidden array, ready to be activated at his command.
With that, the first step of his plan was complete.
The array he had created possessed a dual function. Its first, passive ability was to subtly enhance the flow of spiritual energy in the immediate area. The effect was so faint that no one in the castle would ever notice it, but for Jin, it was a significant advantage. By concentrating the ambient energy, it would allow him to cultivate and break through the layers of the Bronze Stage at an accelerated rate.
However, its primary and most sinister function was to act as a reservoir. Day by day, it would slowly and secretly siphon the spiritual energy from its surroundings, storing it within the earth.
When the time was right, Jin could activate the array's second ability, instantly draining all the accumulated energy for himself in a massive surge of power.
He sat down in the center of the field and began concentrating on the circulation of his spiritual energy, all while pretending to idly play with blades of grass. He couldn't assume a proper lotus position without drawing attention, but at the Bronze Stage, it hardly mattered. The amount of energy he was manipulating was too minuscule to require perfect form.
An hour passed, and a troop of soldiers marched onto the field to begin their daily training. They soon spotted the small boy sitting alone in the grass.
"What are you doing out here, son?" Gilga asked, walking over to him. "I thought you wanted to play with the other children."
Jin immediately halted the flow of his spiritual energy upon noticing them. He looked up at Gilga with a practiced sadness in his eyes.
"I wanted to," he said, his voice quiet, "but they told me to go away."
"What?" Gilga's expression hardened, his protective instincts flaring up. "I think I need to have a talk with their parents."
"You don't have to do that," Jin said quickly, looking down at the ground. "I like playing here with the grass by myself."
Gilga, moved by the boy's seemingly gentle and lonely nature, relented. "Alright, son. If you're sure."
And so, the hours passed. While the soldiers trained, Jin sat peacefully in the field, secretly circulating his spiritual energy.
By the time the sun began to set, he had significantly advanced his cultivation. He could feel himself on the cusp of breaking through to the second layer of the Bronze Stage, but he held back.
The surge of spiritual energy released during a breakthrough, however small, might be noticeable to those so near. He would wait until he was alone.
After finishing his drills, Gilga walked over to the boy.
"It's getting late. Don't you want to get something to eat?"
Jin ceased his cultivation for the day and looked up, giving the soldier a small nod. He had accomplished enough for now.
They arrived at the grand dining hall to find a magnificent feast awaiting them. The Duke, it seemed, wished to honor the soldiers of the Demon Defense Force for their efforts.
"What a feast!" Gilga said in excitement, his eyes wide.
They searched for a place to sit. The vast hall was arranged with six long tables: one on a raised dais for the Duke's family, four for the soldiers of varying ranks, and one reserved for the children. Reluctantly, Jin had to take a seat at the children's table while Gilga joined his fellow soldiers.
After a while, the hall fell silent as the Duke rose to speak.
"Warriors! You are here tonight because you are brave!" he began, his voice resonating with authority. "You fulfilled your duties and subjugated a den of vile demons. For months, these worshippers have pillaged the villages under my protection, enslaving and slaughtering my people. They even took my own niece," the Duke's voice cracked with emotion, "a girl I regarded as my own daughter!"
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "But now, we can finally strike back! We have discovered their plans and halted their attempt to summon a dark lord!"
Jin, sitting amongst the children, allowed a flicker of a smirk to cross his lips. You halted them? he thought with cold amusement.
"Victory is within our grasp!" the Duke roared. "In four days, the Royal Army will arrive to reinforce our position. With their help, we will hunt down these fanatics and destroy them once and for all!"
The hall erupted in a deafening cheer.
"But that is a battle for the days to come," the Duke concluded, raising his goblet. "For tonight, we feast!"