The outer sect was never truly silent. There was always the wind scratching along tile roofs, the distant hammering from the forges, or the chirp of spirit birds too dumb to know they lived in a place that regularly turned disciples into smoke.
But lately, Lin Tian had noticed something else: a different kind of silence. A watching silence.
When he passed certain halls, conversations stopped—not because they respected him, but because they didn't want him to hear what they were saying.
"You're under evaluation," Chen Mu said from within the upgraded ring, voice smooth and resonant now. "Again."
"Still?"
"No—this is new. Different kind. Less petty. More... surgical."
[+2 BP for ominous political dissection.]
Bluff Points: 42 → 44
The day passed in long shadows. No direct orders. No duties. No errands from the ration hall. Just free time—too much of it. Which in the sect meant one thing:
A trap was being laid.
Sure enough, by late afternoon, a messenger appeared. No robe colors. No name. Just a boy who bowed and handed over a scroll.
Lin Tian unrolled it.
"Outer Disciple Lin Tian. You are requested for private consultation. Pavilion of Inner Reflections. Sunset bell. Come alone."
There was no seal.
But the writing was unmistakable.
Elder Hu.
The Pavilion of Inner Reflections was a structure built for quiet meditation and unpleasant conversations. It was all dark wood and hanging scrolls, faint incense, and spiritual resonance fields that muffled voices while amplifying emotions.
Lin Tian stepped inside without flinching.
Hu was already waiting.
He stood by the koi pool in the back chamber, robes perfectly arranged, face unreadable.
Lin Tian bowed. "Elder."
"Disciple," Hu said. "Do you know why you're here?"
"You asked me to be."
Chen Mu whispered, "Correct but irritating. Nice."
[+1 BP for passive defiance.]
BP: 44 → 45
Hu turned slightly. "You've become... visible, Lin Tian. Too quickly."
"I didn't plan it."
"No. But intention doesn't matter. Effect does."
The koi flicked their tails beneath the water. One of them glowed faintly—spirit-bound fish, bred to respond to tension in the room.
Hu watched them.
"Once," he said, "you were a non-entity. Outer trash. We all thought you'd fade like the others. And yet here you are."
"Because I got lucky?"
"Because you made someone nervous. And now, they make me nervous."
Hu turned to face him fully.
"Who is in that ring?"
"I don't know."
"A lie."
Chen Mu stirred, energy curling softly through the ring's new vessel.
"He's pushing," Chen Mu murmured. "He wants you to react. Don't."
"I don't know what he is," Lin Tian said calmly. "Only what he says."
"And what is that?"
"He says he's a grandmaster from a forgotten sect. He says he's here to teach me."
Hu's eyes narrowed. "Do you believe him?"
"I believe in results."
[+3 BP for confident hedging.]
BP: 45 → 48
Hu folded his arms behind his back. "Do you know what happens when a disciple becomes a threat too early?"
"I assume it's not promotion."
[+2 BP for snide realism.]
BP: 48 → 50
Hu's voice didn't rise.
"You have no clan. No elder support. No alliances. You've refused my offers. You spurned Guo. You follow a whisper in a ring."
Lin Tian didn't move.
"And yet," Hu said, stepping closer, "you remain. You've grown. You even embarrassed Guo publicly."
"I didn't mean to."
"And yet, you did."
The koi glowed faintly orange. Hu looked down at them, then back at Lin Tian.
"You are a weed," he said, "but a fascinating one. I've decided not to uproot you. Yet."
"Grateful, Elder."
"But you will do something for me."
Chen Mu whispered, "Here we go."
"There is a shipment due from the south gate," Hu said. "It contains herbs... sensitive ones. I need them verified and escorted to the inner pavilions. Quietly."
"A test?"
"A service."
"If I refuse?"
"You won't."
Lin Tian nodded. "I'll go."
Hu turned back to the koi.
"You're dismissed."
Lin Tian bowed once, then left.
Back at the hut, Chen Mu exploded.
"Okay, that man is an oil slick wrapped in velvet. You know he's sending you into something sketchy, right?"
"Yes."
"And you're going anyway."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Lin Tian sat on the floor, folding his legs into meditation pose.
"Because refusing would've made me seem afraid."
Chen Mu hovered. "And you're not?"
"I'm terrified."
[+4 BP for honest courage.]
BP: 50 → 54
Then he closed his eyes and began cycling Qi.
This time, something shifted.
Not violently.
But deeply.
His breath slowed.
His core pulsed.
And the energy didn't waver—it anchored.
Chen Mu blinked. "Wait a second."
The cycle ran again.
And again.
Each time smoother. Tighter.
Then—
A pulse.
A small ripple.
And the world inside Lin Tian's meridians realigned.
[System Notice: Realm Breakthrough Achieved.][Disciple has advanced to Mid-Stage Qi Initiation.]
Chen Mu smiled.
"You did it."
Lin Tian opened his eyes.
"I'm still terrified."
"Good."
[System Status Panel – Chen Mu (Ring State)]
Bluff Points: 54
Soul Strength: 8
Current Vessel: Refined Jade Core Ring (Stabilized)
Abilities: Voice of Authority Lv.1, Soul Tap (1/day), Resonant Presence (Passive)
Manual Access: Beginner Cultivation Manual (Simulated)
Current Objective: Navigate Hu's Assignment Safely
Disciple Status: Qi Initiation – Mid Stage (Stable)
Legacy Flag: Dormant – Hidden Flame Echo (Unconfirmed)
Known Array: Spiral Fire Refinement (Unstable, Fragmented)