The three days passed without disturbance.
No summons. No questioning. No sudden changes to routine.
That alone made Li Chen cautious.
The Lingxi Field remained as neglected as ever. Outer disciples came and went, doing the bare minimum, treating the place like a punishment rather than a resource. No one paid attention to the soil. No one listened to how the qi moved.
Li Chen did.
He worked slowly, not trying to improve everything at once. He adjusted small sections, loosening the earth here, redirecting water there. Nothing obvious. Nothing dramatic.
Just enough to let the spirit qi flow a little smoother.
[System Notice]
[Minor Environmental Adjustment Complete]
[Qi Response: Positive]
He stopped immediately after that.
Too much change would draw eyes.
Instead, he returned to routine tasks. Carrying water. Clearing weeds. Repairing broken edges of the field.
At night, he cultivated lightly.
Always lightly.
His qi no longer felt scattered. It settled naturally, responding to breath rather than force.
[Host :- Li Chen]
[Qi Stability: 32%]
One percent again.
Slow.
Safe.
On the second day, Sun Hao appeared at the Lingxi Field.
That alone was unusual.
He stood at the edge, arms folded, gaze sweeping across the rows of crops.
"These plants look better," Sun Hao said.
Li Chen did not look up. "They're still weak."
Sun Hao stepped closer. "Weak, but alive."
Li Chen straightened and wiped his hands. "Did you need something, Senior Brother?"
Sun Hao studied him openly now. "The task hall asked me to submit a full report. Including observations."
Li Chen waited.
"They're interested in the anchor," Sun Hao continued. "And in who noticed what."
Li Chen met his eyes calmly. "Many people noticed something was wrong."
Sun Hao smiled faintly. "You noticed first."
Li Chen said nothing.
After a moment, Sun Hao nodded. "I didn't name you."
Li Chen inclined his head slightly. "Thank you."
Sun Hao turned to leave, then paused. "Be careful with places like this. Forgotten things attract attention eventually."
Li Chen watched him go.
[System Notice]
[Threat Level: Stable]
[Attention: Controlled]
On the third day, the exemption ended.
Life returned to normal.
Or close enough.
Li Chen was reassigned to half-day duties between the Lingxi Field and the storage hall. A compromise. Not a promotion. Not a punishment.
He accepted without comment.
At the storage hall, Senior Liu Shan watched him more closely now. Not constantly. Just enough.
Li Chen kept his movements average. His pace unremarkable. His presence forgettable.
At night, he returned to cultivation.
Something felt different.
Not his qi.
The system.
[System Prompt]
[Long-Term Growth Path Calculating]
Li Chen frowned slightly.
That had never appeared before.
He waited.
The prompt faded without explanation.
He exhaled slowly.
So the system was adjusting too.
Late that night, while others slept, Li Chen left the quarters quietly and climbed a narrow path behind the outer disciple area.
It led to a rocky ledge overlooking the lower slopes.
No formations. No patrols.
The wind was strong here, cold and clean.
Li Chen sat and cultivated.
He did not draw qi from the surroundings.
He circulated what he already had.
Again and again.
[Qi Stability: 33%]
This time, the increase felt different.
More solid.
More permanent.
He opened his eyes.
Below him, the Lingxi Field lay silent.
Above him, Qingyun Sect stood unchanged.
Between them, Li Chen breathed steadily.
He understood now.
Growth did not need witnesses.
It only needed time.
And patience.
Somewhere deeper within the mountain, a formation shifted slightly, responding to changes too small to trigger alarms.
No one noticed.
Except the system.
[System Notice]
[Hidden Progress Detected]
[Recommendation: Continue Current Path]
Li Chen smiled faintly.
He stood and returned before dawn.
By the time the morning bell rang, he was once again just another outer disciple, moving with the crowd, head lowered, steps measured.
But beneath that quiet surface, something was taking shape.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
And when it finally emerged, it would not ask for permission.