Morning fog wrapped tightly around Broken-Soul Peak as Lin Feng and Li Shen stepped outside the sect gate.
A roof tile fell behind them with a soft plink.
Li Shen glanced back once.
"…Master, everything in this sect falls on its own."
"It's called natural maintenance," Lin Feng replied.
They walked down the mountain.
Ghost child floated behind, humming proudly.
The Chained Woman followed silently, as if the fog parted for her instead of the other way around.
Orchid City was already busy by the time they arrived.
Merchants shouted prices.
Disciples bargained loudly.
Spiritual chickens raced through the street for some reason.
Lin Feng stopped at a stall and picked up a wooden board.
"How much?"
"Five silver!" the merchant said.
Lin Feng put it down immediately.
Next stall:
"Bricks?"
"Three silver for ten!"
Li Shen leaned close.
"Master… we have twenty copper."
Lin Feng nodded.
"Then we can afford air."
They walked further, comparing prices—
but every material cost more than their entire sect.
Li Shen sighed quietly.
"Master… if we can't buy materials, the training ground—"
He stopped.
Ahead of them, two thugs had cornered a small fruit seller.
His stand lay overturned, fruits rolling everywhere.
One thug kicked him.
"Pay up! You owe protection money!"
The other grabbed his pouch.
"We warned you! Now we take everything!"
Li Shen clenched his fists.
"Master… they're robbing him."
Lin Feng nodded calmly.
"Good timing."
He approached.
The thugs turned aggressively.
"What do you want, old man?"
Lin Feng blinked slowly.
"I am not old."
Ghost child floated forward, glaring adorably.
The Chained Woman took one silent step—
and both thugs froze.
"W-w-w-what is THAT?!"
They stepped back instinctively.
Lin Feng pointed at the pouch in their hand.
"That doesn't belong to you."
"Yeah?! And who's gonna—"
The Chained Woman's chain rose.
They dropped the pouch instantly.
"We're sorry!!"
Then they turned around to run.
Lin Feng caught one by the collar.
"I said the pouch stays.
You two may not."
He flicked his finger.
The Chained Woman's chain extended—
wrapped both men by the ankles—
and slammed them into the wall with a clean bang.
The fruit merchant gasped.
Lin Feng dropped the unconscious thugs and inspected the mess they left behind:
pouches
rings
talismans
coin bags
and one slightly crushed roasted chicken
Li Shen found a pouch with a fruit-tree symbol.
"Master… this one belongs to him."
Lin Feng nodded.
"Return it."
Li Shen handed it to the merchant.
The man nearly cried.
"Senior! This is my week's earnings! Thank you!"
Lin Feng didn't look at him.
"They returned it. Not me."
Then he pointed to the rest of the loot.
Li Shen asked quietly,
"Master… what about these?"
Lin Feng crouched.
"These coins do not belong to the merchant."
He pocketed three silver.
"These coins do not belong to us."
He pocketed five more.
"They also do not belong to anyone strong enough to take them back."
He pocketed everything else.
Li Shen whispered,
"…So they belong to the sect?"
"Exactly."
Ghost child clapped.
The Chained Woman tilted her head approvingly.
They bought wood, bricks, nails, rope—
the most inexpensive versions, but good enough.
Li Shen carried half the load with steady steps.
When they returned to Broken-Soul Peak, the sect sign fell off completely.
Li Shen stared at it.
"…Master. Our sect is… greeting us again."
"Very enthusiastically."
They arranged the materials beside the training ground.
Li Shen looked at the ground with determination.
"Master, I will start repairing."
Lin Feng nodded.
"Good. Begin with whatever offends your eyes."
Li Shen got to work immediately, lifting stones, clearing rubble, leveling soil.
Ghost child imitated his movements, completely useless but very serious.
The Chained Woman stood at the gate like a silent statue guarding her territory.
Lin Feng sat on a chair he absolutely did not fix.
As the sun dipped behind the mountain, the system chimed softly.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
Materials gathered.
Progress on "Rebuild Training Ground – Stage 1": 45%
Reward available only on completion.
Lin Feng nodded to himself.
Slow progress.
Small steps.
But real.
For the first time, Broken-Soul Peak didn't look abandoned.
It looked… like the beginning of a sect.
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